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. iNauLiLixc .^.v-JLUit of the ..J People of the City (ary Territory
BY
HENRY
VOLUME
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBI.
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History of
St. Paul and Vicinity
A Chronicle of Progress and a Narrative Account of the
Industries, Institutions and People of the City
and its Tributary Territory
BY
HENRY A. CASTLE
VOLUME
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1912 w
-^
y
4-
PREFACE
Tlic history of St. Paul has been long in the making. Some of its episodes have been written at many periods and in many forms— -in the upheavals of limestone blocks visible beside railroad grades ; in the tumuli of Mounds Park and the hieroglyphics of Carver's Cave; in the reports of army officers and fur traders and missionaries; in the private letters and the public records and the ubiquitous journals of the later days. It is still in the making. Only by periodical recapitulations of contemporary episodes will we be able to "catch the shadow ere the substance fades."
Published histories of St. Paul have not been numerous, but have on the whole, been exceptionally valuable. All have been based as all here- after must be based on the researches and writings of J. Fletcher Williams, for many years the careful and industrious Secretary of the Minnesota -Historical 'Society. In 1876, Mr. Williams' "History of St. Paul" ap- peared; in 1881 was issued a history of Ramsey county, which was largely his work; in 1890, Mr. Williams, together with Mr. R. I. Hol- comb. Rev. E. D. Neill, D. D., and others contributed liberally to the ex- cellent history edited by Gen. C. C. Andrews. In so far as the early an- nals of the town were coincident with those of the Territory, all the writ- ers have been indebted to the works of Dr. E. D. Neill. These several sources, as well as the inexhaustible reservoir of St. Paul's enterprising newspapers, have been freely drawn on, in preparing this publication.
The rule of arrangement in this history is strictly topical, with de- partures in the earlier chapters necessary to preserve a chronological sequence as to events preceding the era of Minnesota's statehood. The "dictionary of dates" is brought down to 1892, after which period minor occurrences in the city, which had then achieved metropolitan proportions, lost their relative importance. The topical method of treatment gives more coherence of recital, enabling readers to follow subjects consecu- tively from their beginnings. It is here employed for the first time in a histor/ of St. Paul.
The biographical matter, which is of indispensable value, for present reference and jiermanent preservation, is presented separately, that it may not break the continuity of the general history. Among the sub- jects we have tried to fully cover in this work, which have only been treated casually or not at all in preceding histories of this city are: Changes in physical aspects; comments of early visitors; functions as a Capital City: politics and politicians: the call to the homebuilder; com- mercial bodies of the past and present: postal and other federal head- quarters ; health conservation ; woman's influence ; notable conventions ; the State Fair ; real estate interests ; libraries and literary societies ; the runestone's revelations ; new departures in education ; the St. Paul In- stitute ; artists and architects ; the new Capitol and the new Cathedral ; The Christian Associations; the Grand Army of the Republic; or- ganized charities; the national guard; musical development; the Mid-
iii
iv PREFACE
way district ; suburban towns ; the Twin City, and a comprehensive sur- vey of the elements of St. Paul's present greatness and future supremacy. If we have added to previous coni])ilations of the city's annals authentic information on these important themes, in addition to bringing the rec- ord of events as to more familiar matters down to date, we may per- haps look to be credited with having increased the fund of accessible local narrative, and laid a broader foundation for future historical struc- tures.
During forty-seven eventful years, .St. Paul has been the author's chosen and cherished home. In the hope that he has herein contributed something to a wider knowledge and appreciation of the city's greatness, these pages are respectfully submitted.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS.
Tribqtary to St. Paul — Picturesque Minnesota and St. Paul — Geology of St. Paul and Vicinity — Artificial Changes — De- funct Lakes. i
CHAPTER II,
PRE-HISTORIC ST. PAUL
The Mound Builders — "The Real Indian" — The Sioux in 1834 — First Mention of St. Paul Region — Reckless Penesha, the Voyageur — Carver, Advertiser of the Northwest — The Carver Claim to St. Paul, Etc. — Sioux vs. Ojibway — Another Land Owner. id
CHAPTER III
FOUNDING OF FORT SNELLING
Pike and the Sioux Land Grant — Little Crow and Rising Moose — Nucleus of St. Paul — First Mill Erected — Named Fort Snel- LiN'G BY Scott — Commencement of Fremont's Career — Birth OF Minnesota Agriculture. 21
CHAPTER IV
THE EARLIEST PERMANENT SETTLERS
Peter Parraxt and Abraham Perry — Joseph R. Brown — Expel- ling Squatters — Soldiers of "Fortune" — Parrant, or "Pig's Eye" — A Mysterious Death^ — -Permanent Settlers — Mr. Lar- penteur's Birthday Invitation. 32
CHAPTER V
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL BEGINNINGS
A PosTOFFicE Town — School for Indians — First Real Hotel Opened — Cart Brigade .and Steamship Company — A Pivotal
V
vi CONTENTS
Year (1848) — Minnesota Territory — St. Paul Declared the Capital — "St. Paul Pioneer" Fou.nded — Indians Investicvte Civiliz.\tion — Settlers of 1838-48. 41
CHAPTER \T
THE EARLY TERRITORIAL ERA
Population of St. Paul — First Public Celebr.\tion — Postoffice and First Court — Ramsey County Created — First County Officers — St. Paul in 1850 — Mail Service Improved — The Northern Pacific Prophesied — Second Legisl.\ture Assembles — Meeting OF Third Legisl.vture — Fourth Legislature Convenes — St. Paul IN 1853 — Gorman Succeeds Ramsey. 51
CHAPTER \U
THE CITY OF ST. PAUL INCORPORATED
Incorporation and First Election — "Gre.\t Railroad Excursion" — Immigration and Infl.\tion — Squelching of St. Peter's Ambition — Medary Succeeds Gorman — The "Sunrise Expedi- tion"— Inflation and Collapse — AIurders and Fir.st E.xecution.
63 CHAPTER \1H
MINNESOTA'S ATTAINMENT OF STATEHOOD
Stormy First State Convention — Constitution Adopted — Minne- sota's Three Governors — Rice and Shields Elected Senators — Admitted to the Union — Paper Railways and "Wild Cat" Banks — Ramsey's Republican Administr.\tion. 73
CHAPTER IX
DICTIONARY OF D.ATES (1820-60)
Corner Stone of Fort Snelling Laid (1820) — First Steamer As- cends TO St. Paul (1823) — Indians Cede all Lands East of the River (1837)— First Marriage (1839)— First White Child (1839)— First Church (i 841)— Village Christened St. Paul (1841)— First School (1846)— First Hotel (1847)— St. P-^^'^ Designated Territorial Capital (1849)— First Newspaper (1849)— First Court (1849)— First Brick Store (1850)— Build- ing OF Court House Commenced (1850)— St. Paul Incorporated (1854) — First Daily Newspapers (1854)— Board of Trade Or- G.^J^IZI■D (1854)— First City Survey (1855)— Board of Educa- tion Created (1855)— St. Paul Library Association Incorpor- ated (1857)— "Sunrise Expedition" (1857)— First State Elec- tion (1857) Old Settlers Society Organized (1858). 82
/
CONTENTS vii
CHAPTER X
DICTIONARY OF DATES (1860-75)
Great Fire on Third Street (i860) — Call for Troops Received (April 13, 1861) — First Regiment Left for Front (June 22, 1861)— Capt. W. B. Farrell Killed at Gettysburg (July 3, 1863) — Musical Society Formed (1863) — Explosion of the Steamer "John Rumsey" (1864) — Return of Regiments (July 5, August II, 1865) — Establishment of House of Refuge (Reform School) (1866) — Excavation for Opera House (1866) — Chamber of Commerce (Old Board of Trade) Organized (1867) — Opera House Dedicated (1867) — Custom House Commenced (1867) — International Hotel Burned (1869) — Water Works Completed (1869) — New Merchants Hotel Commenced (1870) — Street Railway Opened (1872) — Postoffice Moved to Custom House 1873)— West St. Paul Annexed (1874). 96
CHAPTER XI
DICTIONARY OF DATES (1875-90)
Standard Club Organized (1875) — John Ireland Consecrated Co- adjutor Bishop (1875) — St. Paul Light Infantry Organized
(1876) Paid Fire Department Organized (1877) — President
Hayes Visits State Fair (1878) — Right-of-Way Granted to St. Paul Union Depot Company (1880) — State Capitol Burned
(1881) First Meeting of Water Reception Commissioners
(1881) — Villard Reception in Honor of Northern Pacific Com- pletion (1883) — Minnesota Commandery Loyal Legion Or- ganized (1885) — First Ice Palace Opened (1886) — Ireland Created an Archbishop (1888). 108
CHAPTER Xll
AS OTHERS SAW US
First Written Description of St. Paul — Editor Goodhue's Picture — On the "High-Pressure" Principle — Land, Land, Day and Night — Bancroft and Seward on St. Paul — Great Far North- west Prophesied — Mark Twain's Sketch — Villard Cuts Away from Wall Street — Charles Dudley Warner's Enthusiasm — Newspaper Rhapsodies. 120
CHAPTER XIII
ST. PAUL'S PART IN SUPPRESSING THE REBELLION
Minnesota Offers First Union Troops — First Minnesota at Fort Snelling — Ordered to Virginia — Arrives in Washington —
viii CONTENTS
First Ladies' \'oluxteer Aid Society — Minnesota's Contribu- tion OF Soldiery — St. Paul's Special Participation — Spanish- American War. 1 30 CHAPTER XIV
THE INDIAN WAR OF 1862-3
St. PauLj the Center of Activities — First Indian Attacks — "Little Crow" Chose.v Leader — Fort Ridgely Attacked — Irish-Ameri- cans Take the Field — Fort Ridgely Disaster and Relief — Attack on New Ulm Repulsed — Terrible Affair ..^t Birch Coolie — Indians Routed at Wood Lake — White Captives Re- leased AND Indian Miscreants Hung — Outbreak Quelled — Property Damages Paid. 141
CHAPTER XV
ST. PAUL THE CAPITAL CITY
Imposing Physique — St. Paul Under Many Jurisdictions— Terri- torial Capitols — New State Capitol — State Officers and Government — Ramsey's Prophecy More Than Fulfilled. 151
CHAPTER XVI
POLITICS AND POLITICIANS
Early Issues — Prohibition and the Referendum — Early Politi- cians and Personal Contests — Founders of Minnesota Rail- roads— Fight Over Visit of Douglas — Gubernatorial Personal- ities— Donnelly and Wheelock — "Young Republicans" of the Early Seventies — Famous St. Paul Men — Judicial Honors — A CoNvicTio.N from Wide Observation._ 162
CHAPTER X\TI
THE MUNICIPALITY OF ST. PAUL
First Town Corpor.-\tion and Election — E.vrly Ordinances — Blun- der in Street Grades — St. Paul as a City — West St. Paul Incor- por.'Vted — Total City Indebtedness — New Charter Granted and Amended — Improvements — Charter Amendments and Terri- torial Extensions — Government by Boards — The Bell Charter — Provisions for Quarter Commission — St. Paul "Home Rule" Charter — "Commission" Form of Government — City a.nd County — Municipal Debt and Property. 173
CHAPTER X\III
GATEWAY OF A NORTHWESTERN EMPIRE
St. Paul's Tributary Territory — Water Power and Electric Smelting — Agriculture and Live Stock — The Red River \'al-
CONTENTS ix
LEY — The Dakotas — Montana — Irrigation and the Apples — Gateway to it all — Center of Out-Door Charms. 184
CHAPTER XIX
CALL TO THE HOME-BUILDER
Spencer on Racial Amalgamation — Other Good and Wise Prophets — Land, the Only Solid Basis of Prosperity — Duty to Become Home Owner — Nature of AIinnesota's Population — Favorable Conditions for the Home-Builder — The Consolidated Rural School — Electric Light and Power to Farmers — Abundant and Practical Education — Moral and Religious Influences — Min- nesota's Grand Call. 196
CHAPTER XX
EARLY TRANSPORTATION AND NAVIGATION
Dog-Sledge Traveling — The Knowlton Road — The Stage Coach Era — Minnesota Stage Company — "Pembina Carts"- — River Transportation — Navigation of the Upper Mississippi — Busi- ness at St. Paul — Opposition to Galena Packet Company — Northwestern Union Packet Company — Other Steamboat Companies — "Diamond Jo" Reynolds — Romance of the Missis- sippi— Minnesota River Navigation. 207
CHAPTER XXI
RAILROAD DEVELOPMENT
Land Grants to Railroads — Railroad Building, 1865-90 — St. Paul, the Construction Center — The Great Northern System — Northern Pacific R.\ilro.\d — Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha System — The Minnesota Central Railroad — The Chicago Great Western — Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad — Wisconsin Central Railroad — Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific — The "Soo" Line — Destined March of St. Paul. 218
CHAPTER XXII
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TERMINALS
By 1888, Great Railway Traffic Apparent — St. Paul Passenger Depots — The "Puget Sound" Linei — Creating New Traffic — St. Paul Union Depot — Relief for Business Congestion — Ample Freight Terminals. 229
CHAPTER XXIII
COMMERCIAL BODIES OF THE PAST
Chamber of Commerce Incorporated — Its Grand Work Pictured — Details of Organization — Both Conservative and Aggressive
X CONTENTS
— Wide Range of Topics — Favors Canadian Reciprocity — Merged Into St. Paul Commercial Club — Board of Trade — The Jobbers Union — The Industrial Union- — St. Paul Real Estate Ex- change. 240
CHAPTER XXIV
COMMERCIAL BODIES OF THE PRESENT
St. Paul Commercial Club — New, Broader, More Brotherly Spirit
— Scientific Business Management — St. Paul Association of
Commerce — Town Crier's Club. 250
CHAPTTR XXV
THE JOBBING TRADE OF ST. PAUL
Old-Time Fur Trade — The Retail Business — Pioneer Stores and Merchants — Trade in 1856 — Distinctive Jobbing Trade (1867) — Direct Importation of Foreign Goods — The Wholesale Dis- trict— Cold Storage for Produce — Climatic Influences on Trade — "Minnesota, Know Thyself!" — A Few Jobbing Lines Represented — Paper Manufacturers — Printers' Supplies — Auto Accessories. 261
CHAPTER XXVI
ST. PAUL'S MANUFACTURES
In Support of Home Manufactures — Pioneer Industrial Plants — Statistics — St. Paul and Minneapolis — St. Paul's Manufac- turing Advantages — As a Workingman's City — Advantages in Epitome — Threatened Shifting of Industrial Center — St. Paul's Industrial Gain — Superlative Local Industries — \'ast Future of Water Power 273
CHAPTER XXVII
BANKS AND BANKING
H. ii. Sibley, First Banker — "Wild-Cat" Banks Discountenanced — BoRUP & Oakes, Bankers and Brokers — Other Early Banks — Inflated Prosperity of 1857 — Reactionary Depressions — Banking During the Civil War — Era of Financial Stability — The National Banks — State Banks— St. Paul Clearing House — Trust Companies 287
CHAPTER XXVIII
POST OFFICE AND POSTAL SERVICE
Dr. David Day — Henry Jackson and Early "Conveniences" — Post Offices and Revenues — History of the Postal Service — "Bad Medicine" in the Service — "Good Medicine" in St. Paul Office
299
CONTENTS xi
CHAPTER XXIX
THE HEADQUARTERS OF FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS
Post Office Inspection Service — Railway Mail Service — Inquiry Division ("Nixie Office") — Other Government Headquarters — As A Military Center — Broad Local Patriotism 308
CHAPTER XXX
THE BENCH AND BAR
Pioneer Lawyers and Judges — Letter of Chief Justice Goodrich — First Territorial District Court — First Supreme Court — Earliest Minnesota Law Firms — The St. Paul Bar — Terri- torial AND State Supreme Court — District Court and Library — -Probate and Municipal Courts — United States Circuit Courts and Judges — Terms of the United States Courts — Col- lege OF Law and Bar Associations 316
CHAPTER XXXI
NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLISHING HOUSES
Newspapers, Gold Mines of History — "Register," First Minnesota Newspaper — Murder of Its Founder — The "Minnesota Pioneer" Founded — "Chronicle and Register" — "Pioneer and Demo- crat"— Old "Pioneer" Editors — "St. Paul Daily Press" — "St. Paul Pioneer Press" — "Daily Dispatch" — "Daily Globe" — "Daily News" — The "Volkszeitung" — St. Paul Newspapers, in Short — The West Publishing Company — R. L. Polk & Company
327 CHAPTER XXXII
MEDICAL PROFESSION AND HEALTH CONSERVATION
Physicians Who Came Prior to 1850— Arrivals During 1850-60 — Later Accessions to the Profession — Medical Societies — Medi- cal Education — Hospitals — Epidemics and Public Hygiene — Healthiest Large City in the World — Harriet Island Park and Baths — Present Day Health Plans — Economic Importance of
339
CHAPTER XXXIII
POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION AND WATER SUPPLY
Creditable Police Protection — Present Department — First Fires and Volunteer Department — Paid Fire Department — St. Paul Water Company — City Buys Water Works — Sources of Water Supply — Future Needs — Changed Water Standards
351
xii CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXXIV
CITY AND SUBURBAN ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
First Street Railway in Operation — Company Reorganized and Lines Extended — First City Electric Line — Work Commenced ON Grand Avenue Line — St. Paul's Red-Letter Day — Twin City Rapid Transit Company — Closer Union Between the Twin Cities — Beautiful Points Reached by the System — Ben- eficial Interurban Lines 360
CHAPTER XXXV
THE PARK SYSTEM OF ST. PAUL
Rice, Irvine and Smith Parks — Como Park Purchased — Board of Park Commissioners Creati-x) — System Sustained and Extended — Riverside Boulevard and Park — City Public Grounds in 1891 — Present P.\rk System — Fort Snelling and Minnehaha Falls — Cemeteries — The "Play Ground" Movement — Modern City Beautiful 370
CHAPTER XXXVI
STREETS, AVENUES AND HOMES
Truthful Rhap.sodv — -"Fathkr Randall" — Advantages of Good Streets — Correcting old Errors — Organized Official Work — Steady Increase of Real Estate Values — Illustration of "En- lightened City Planning" — "The City Better" — Beautiful AND Comfortable Homes 383
CHAPTER XXXVII THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN
P.\TRONS OF THE CiTY BeAUTU'UL — God's "CaNYONS OF THE CiTV"
Women's Influence on the "Playground Movement" — The Home Garden Club — Domestic Science — Women's Clubs and THE "City Plan" — Work Through the Women's Clubs 394
CHAPTER XXXVIII
ST. PAUL, THE CONVENTION CITY
Comparative "Value" of Conventions— St. Paul's Record for the Summer of 191 i— Why It Is a Convention City— Thirtieth Na- tional Encampment, G. A. R. — Other Conventions. 404
CONTENTS xiii
CHAPTER XXXIX
HOTELS, AUDITORIUM AND THEATERS
Always a "Good Hotel Towx" — Merchants' Hotel of Today — Cen- tral, American and Other Old Hotels — "Moffett's Castle" — International, Wild Hunter, Metropolitan, Etc. — Predecessor OF "St. Paul" — Hotel Ryan — The "St. Paul" and Other Hotels — The Auditorium — Other Assembly Halls — Amusement Halls AND Amusements — Improved IMoving Picture Shows. 415
CHAPTER XL
THE STATE FAIR
First Territorial Fair — Fairs of the State Agricultural Society Fair Grounds and Northwestern Exposition — Agricultural Interests of Minnesot.\ — Comparative State Exhibits — The 1912 St.\te Fair — Distribution of Premiums — -Special Features.
426
CHAPTER XLI
REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE
Radical Land Hunger — Mission of Real Estate Dealers — The Col- lapse OF 1857 — From 1857 to 1873 — Real Estate in the Eighties — The Record Since — Personnel of Real Estate Men — Present- Day Values and Buildings — Public Attitude of Real Estate Exchanges — Agricultural Betterment Through Education — A Prophecy \'erified — The Insurance Companies. 440
CHAPTER XLII
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
St. Paul's First Schools — First Public Schoolhouse — Pioneer Public School Teachers — High School and Board of Educa- tion— SCHOOLHOUSES OF THE FIFTIES SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUB- LIC Schools — The St. Paul High School — Present Public School System — For Those Who Must Cut Their Schooling — Physical Conservation and Safety — "The Little Red School" — Private and Select Schools — Public Schools as Social Cen- ters— Another New Departure. 453
CHAPTER XLIII
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Germ of Higher Education — Development of High and Pre- paratory Schools — The University of Minnesota — The Agri- cultural College — Hamline University — Macalester College — Field for Smaller Insitutions. 466
xiv CONTENTS
CHAPTER XLIV
LIBARIES AND LITERARY SOCIETIES
Mercantilk Lihrary and Young Men's Christian Association — Consolidated as St. Paul Library Association — Made a city Library — Proposed Extension of Usefulness — Other Libraries — The Informal Club — German Society of St. Paul — Como Park as a "Melting Pot." 478
CHAPTER XLV
THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Incorporation and Organiz.\tion — Places of Meeting — Building Project Falls — Society Resuscitated — Broad Scope and Purposes — Officers — Removal to New Capitol — Society Publications — Great Historical Library — Historical and Archaeological Relics — The Kensington Rune Stone 489
CHAPTER XLVI
ST. PAUL ARTISTS AND ARCHITECTS
Origin of St. Paul Institute — Activities of the Institute — Affilia- tion with Clubs and Societies — Alliance with Public Schools — Suggested Expansion — Business Training — German Section OF the Institute — St. Paul Artists — Prominent Architects.
501
CHAPTER XLYU
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS
Founder of First St. Paul's Christian Church — F.vther Lucien Galtier — First Native White Child. Bazille Gervais — F.\ther Ravoux Succeeds F.\ther Galtier — First Bishop of St. Paul — Death of Bishop Cretin — First Cathedral Opened — Bishop Thomas L. Grace — Bishop Ireland Cre.\ted Archbishop — St. Louis Church — St. Mary's and Other Catholic Churches — Edu- cational Institutions — Charitable Institutions — Diocese of St. Paul — Latest Cathedral of St. Paul. 514
CHAPTER XLVIII
PROTESTANT RELIGIOUS ORGANIZ.\TIONS
First Protf^stant Church (Methodist) — In Minnesota District, Wisconsin Conference — Jackson and Market Street Churches — Other Methodist Churches — Presbyterian Churches — Ply- mouth and Other Congregational Churches — The Peoples' Church — Baptist Organizations — The Episcopalians — Lu- theran Churches of the City — Swedendorgian, Unitarian and Universalist — Hebrew Congregations. 530
CONTENTS XV
CHAPTER XLIX
THE CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS
Original Organization of the Y. M. C. A. — Civil War and City Missionary Work — First Proposed Great Building — Plans at Last Realized — The Late John B. Sleman — Young Women's Christian Association — National Campaign for Ciyic Better- ment. 545
CHAPTER L
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
Organization and Objects — Acker Post — Its Average Charter Member — Distinguished Members — Commanders of Depart- ments— Auxiliaries — Outside Work— Exultation for the Future. 555
CHAPTER LI
PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES
Soldiers Descendants, the Stanchest Reformers — Americanizing Inferior Immigrants — Sons of the American Revolution — Daughters of the American Revolution — Affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic — Military Order of the Loyal Legion — Order of the Cincinnati — The Spirit of the Sons — Early Settlers and Their Descendants — Military Organiza- tions OF Germans. 5^5
CHAPTER LII
CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS
The Protestant Orphan Asylum • — For the Relief of the Un- employed— Board of Control of Public Charities — The City and County Hospital — Societies and Homes — Society for the Relief of the Poor — Prevention of Tuberculosis — The Am- herst H. Wilder Charity — Modern Charitable Methods 577
CHAPTER LIII
SECRET AND FRATERNAL ORDERS
St. Paul Lodge No. 3, A. F. & A. M. — First Grand Lodge of Masons — Formation of Grand Chapter, R. A. M. — First Grand Council — Commanderies — Pioneer Odd Fellows Lodges — Encampment AND Grand Lodge — Other St. Paul Odd Fellows Lodges — Mutual Benefit Society — Odd Fellows Block and Home — -United Order of Druids — Knights of Pythias — Ancient Order of United Workmen — Other Fraternal Bodies 588
xvi CONTENTS
CHAPTER LIV
MUSICAL AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
Old St. Paul Musical Society — Singing Societies — St. Paul Sym- phony Orciiestr.\ — Mrs. F. H. Snyder — The Schubert Club — Popular Musical Education — Social Clubs — Commercial Or- ga.nizations 597
CHAPTER LV
THE NATIONAL GUARD
First Military Organization — Beginnings of the National Guard — The Permanent N.ational Guard — The St. Paul Companies — The National Guard's War Service — Past Reput.-vtign Well Sustained — The National Guard Armory. 607
CHAPTER LVI
THE MIDWAY DISTRICT IN ST. PAUL
Settlement of Reserve Township — Process of City Absorption — Early Midway Events — The Minnesota Transfer — Great In- dustries— Residential and Educational Center — Proposed Grand Union Depot — New Water Power Corporation — New Era of City Building Required 618
CHAPTER L\"II
SUBURBAN TOWNS
City and Suburbs Closely Rel.vted — Directly Tributary to St. Paul — South St. Paul and Other Dakota County Suburbs — North St. Paul — Electricity a Distributor — Other New Canada Sub- urbs— White Bear Lake Region — Mound's View Township — Rose Township as Suburban Territory — Ramsey County's Fine Ro.\ds
626
CHAPTER lA'IIT
THE TWIN CITY
Only Divided "Municipally" — The Two Cities Betrothed — Com- mercial Union — Hand of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce — Minneapolis Declines — Reply of St. Paul Chamber of Commerce — Comparison with Other Great Cities — The Future Twin City — One Grand Union Depot — Development of Minneapolis 639
CHAPTER LL\
ELEMENTS OF ST. 'PAUL'S PRESENT GRE/VTNESS
The Men of 1848 and Earlier — Geographical and Natural Ad- vantages— National Civic, Military and Railway Center — Municipal, Social. Commercial, .Artistic and Charitable — Wh.vt
CONTENTS xvii
Census Figures Show — Climatic Advantages — Tributary Acres Easily Cultivated — Statistical Information — Jobbing and Manufacturing — Wholesalers and Farmers Backed by Capital — Produce Commission Business — Telegraph and Telephone Service — New York No Longer Western Standard — The Greater St. Paul to Come 651
CHAPTER LX
ASSURANCE OF ST. PAUL'S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
St. Paul's Start in the Race — Three Large Enterprises — Proposed Improvements — New Lines of Communication — Tributary Agri- cultural Resources — Minnesota's Timber Wealth — Incalcu- lably Valuable Mineral Deposits — Water Power and Electrical Development — National Considerations — A Dream of the Future. 663
CHAPTER LXI PERSONAL HISTORY 676
INDEX
Aberwald, Louis J., 985.
Academy of St. Joseph, 522.
Acker Post No. 21, G. A. R., 103, 556.
Acker Relief Corps, No. 7, 569.
Adams, George, 088.
Adams, Louisa, 988.
Administration building, Minnesota Soldiers' Home, Minnehaha Falls (view), 502.
Agricultural College, 469.
Agricultural high schools, 448.
Agricultural interests of Minnesota, 430.
Agriculture, 167, 168.
Ahlquist, Charles A., 7.37.
Akers, Charles N., 000.
Akers, Peter, 530.
Aldrich, Cyrus, 333.
Alexander, Taylor A., 915.
"All roads lead to Saint Paul," 652.
"All Saints," GO.
Allen, Alvaren, 209, 410.
Alley, J. T., 341.
Allis, Lorenzo, 114.
Alverdes, Frank, 807.
American House, 416.
American National Bank, 294.
American workingmau, 277.
Americanizing Inferior immigrants, 566.
Ames, Charles G., 692.
Ames, Charles W., 985.
Ames, Helen F., 0S9.
Ames, William L., 4.56, 632, 688.
Ancient Order of Hibernians, 525, 595.
Ancient Order of United Workmen, 594.
Aucker, Arthur B., 181, 339, 344.
Andrews, C. C, 113.
Anoka county, ISO.
Archaeological museum, 497.
Architects, 510.
Arion Singing Society, 598.
Armory (view), 616.
Armstrong, Joseph H., 637, 1038.
Artists and architects — Origin of St. Paul Institute, 501 ; activities of the institute, 503 ; affiliation with clubs and societies, .504; St. Paul Institute School of Art, .504; alliance with public schools, 505 ; suggested expans- ion, 505 ; the latest development, 505 ; business training, 506 ; German sec- tion of the in.stitute, 507; St. Paul artists, 508; St. Paul architects, 510.
Arzt, Charles P., 1012.
Associated Charities, 585.
Attucks Industrial School and Home,
585. Atwater, Isaac, 640. Auditorium (view), 405. Auerbach, M., 103. Auger, Alfred J., 821. Auger, William, 821. Austin, Horace, 609, 1189. Austin, J. C, 954. Austin, Russell G., 953. "Auto" accessories, 272. Automobile Club, 603. Automobile fire engine, 282. Averill, John T., 170.
"Bad Medicine" in postal service, 305.
Bailev, Everett H., 881.
Baker, D. A. J., 455.
Baldwin school, 474.
Ball. Charles R., 872.
Ballard, James A., 1100.
Banks and banking — H. H. Sibley, first banker, 287; "Wild Cat" banks dis- countenanced, 287 ; Borup and Oakes, bankers and brokers, 288; other early banks, 288 ; inflated prosperity of 1857, 289 ; reactionai-y depression, 290; banking during the Civil war, 292; era of financial stability, 292; the National banks, 293 : State banks. 294; St. Paul Clearing House, 296; trust companies, 296.
Banning, W. L., 96.
Baptist churches, 538.
Baptist Hill, 6.
Barden, Rowland, 986.
Barden. Phebe G.. 987.
Barnum, V. B.. 632.
Barringer, Paul E., 690.
Bartles, Joseph, 728.
Barton, Henry C, 758.
Barton, Humphrey. 1158.
Bascom, Clifford W., 980.
Bass, Jacob W., 43, 998.
"Bass Tavern,'' 415.
Baumbach, Frederick von, 311.
Bazille, Charles, 40.
Bazille. Edmund W., 323, 865.
Bean, E. S., 612.
Beaumont, J. I., 99.
INDEX
Becker, (Jeorge L., 55.
Keek, J. II.. 3»!S.
Beer and botlling imlustrips, 284.
Bell, Cliarles N., 179.
Bell, .James .\.. "GO.
Beltrami. Count, 212.
Beman, Sam, 108.
Bemenl. K. B. C, 3.55.
Bench and bar — Pioneer lawyers and judges. 31t;: letter of Cliiel" Justice Goodrich. :U7 ; first territorial court, 319 ; first sniireme court. 319 ; earliest MinnesoUi law firms. 319; the St. Paul bar, .320; territ<irial and stale supreme court, 321 ; district court and librar.v, 322 ; probate and uiunic-i- pal courts, 3,23 ; United States circuit court and judges, 323; terms of United States courts, 324; College of Law and Bar Associations. 325.
Bend, William B.. Oil.
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. 595.
Benz, George, 91.
Benz, George G., 900.
Bergnieier, C. II.. 3.;4.
Bergnieier. Clara II., 1191.
Bergmeier, Frederic W., 1194.
Bergnieier, Kritz. 1195.
Bergstedt, Edward, 879.
Bergstedt. Victor, 879.
Berkev. Anna E. I'.. 1040.
Berkey, Peter, 102, 1039.
Berrislord, lOnoch F., 11411.
Bethel Acadeniy, 477.
Bethel .Mothers' Club, 583.
Bethesda Hospital, 345.
Bevans, Henry T., 1139.
Bidw(;ll. Ira. 28.8.
Bigelow, Cliarles H., 110, 450, 1138.
Bircli. Coolie, 14G.
Birdseye view of Mississippi river and whoiosale district, 211.
Birdseye view of Seven Corners; plan of approaches to state capitol, 400.
Bisliop, E. .7., 897.
Bishop, Harriet E., 42, 454.
Bishop, ,Judson W., 224, 89.5.
I'.lakeley, Bu.ssell, 44.
Blase, Ernst E., 1135.
Bloom. E»>nard P., 807.
•'Blueberry war," 010.
Board of Park Conunissionei-s, 372.
Board of Trade, 05, 24.8.
Boardman. C. II., .■^42.
P.obleter. .losepli, (!10.
Bolton, Adam L.. 592, 1088.
Itobn. Gebhard, 720.
Boody. Clarendon B., 900.
Borer, Ursns V.. 918.
I'.urup. <". .\.. 700.
B.irnp. Charles W.. 288.
Biirup, Gustuv .1., ll.">9.
I'.>irnp. I.aur.'i ('.. 11.59.
I!oni|p, I,co .1., 920.
l!iirn]i, TlKKidore C, 759.
I'.onip & Oakes. 28S.
Bottling industry. 284.
Bourne. W. R.. 247.
Bourquini, Theodore L., 8.31.
Boxell. Eiiward C. 8S;j.
Boyeson. H. U.. 483.
Braden. .Mary E.. 9S4.
Brailcn. Will'iani H.. 9.84.
HraiUcy. I)ennis. 1078.
nr.ihi.ird, H. .T., ,580.
r.rawley. 1). F.. 53.
Breed. David It.. 103, .5.'!.5.
Brennan. Edward .1., 1004.
Brennan, .John C. 10.50.
Bridgman, (ieorge H., 471.
Brill. Hascal IJ.. 10.5. .32.'!, 472. 10.34.
I'.rill. Kennelh (i.. 1030.
I'.rindiall. .John B., 912.
Brisbin, .1. B., 00.
Brooke. .John I{.. 485.
Brooks, .Tabez, 470.
Brower, .1. V., 494.
Blown, A. \:uKe, 288.
Brown, C.ilvin I,.. 048.
Brown. Claude S., 8.54.
Brown, ,Ioseph K., 33, 330.
Brown. Le Boy. 8.59.
Brown. KaliihF.. 1141.
Bryant. .lulian C, 404.
Buckley. Edward W.. ins7.
Building. 440.
Bunn. Charles \V.. S(I4.
Burbank iV ComiNiny (.1. ('.). 209.
Burchard. .lohn E.. 942.
Bures. I.ojuard. 709.
Burkbard, William K., Companv. The
1121. I'.urnquist, Joseph A. A., 835. Burns, John A., 988. Burns. Robert .M., 947. Burr, W. T., 114. Burt Pool ndne (view), 1.80. Business training, 500.
Calamity bowling. 188.
Calendar industry, 283.
i'alkins, E. A., .5.57.
Calrary Cemetery, 379, 51G, 524.
Cameron, George W.. 119,5.
CVrni]), Heiu'y ('.. 790.
Campaign for civic betterment. .554.
Campbell. Edmund G.. 873.
Campbell, Eugene P.. 1092.
Campbell, I'rank (',., 780,
Campbell. II. A.. 445.
Canadian reciprocity, 24C.
Cannon, Charles .M., 708.
Cannon. Harry. 97.5.
Capital removed to St. Peter. 07.
Carothers, S. -M., 4S3.
Oirpenter. C. W., 591.
Carpenter Park, 373.
"Oiirver claim." l.S.
Ciirver. Jonallian. 15.
Cass. Lewis. 21',.
Castle. Helen. .50,>^.
Castle, Henry A.. 101, 1199,
Cathcarl, A. II., 0.".
Cathedral of St. Paul (latest), 526.
Catholic charitable Institutions, 523.
INDEX
XXI
Catholic ehurch aud Catholic institu- tions— ^FoiuKler of First St. Paul's Christian ehurch, 512 ; Father l^ucien Galtier. 515 : tirst native white child, Bazille Gervais. 51t) ; Father Ravoux succeeds Father Galtier. 516 ; first hishop of St. Paul, 510: death of Bishoi> Cretin. 517 ; first ratliedral opened, 517 ; Bishop Thomas L. Grace. 518 : Bishop Ireland created arch- bishop, 518 ; St. Louis church, 519 ; St. Mary's and other Catholic churches, 519: educational institu- tions, 521 : charitable institutions. 52.3: diocese of St. Paul, .525; latest cathedral of St. Paul, 520.
Catliolic diocese of St. Paul, 525.
Catlin. F. M., 351.
Cavender, A. H.. 50.
Cayou, Benjamin, 770.
Cayou. Susan, 770.
Census figures, 0.55.
Center of education and culture, 022.
central district (city plan). ?,9d.
Central high school building, 4.58.
Central House, 410.
•'Central Park il. E, church," 531.
Central Presbyterian church (view), 533.
Chamber of Commerce, 101. 240.
Change in channel of Mississippi river, 235.
Chapin, George A,, 1115.
Charitable institutions and associations — The Protestant Orphan Asylum, 577 : for the relief of the unemployed, 578: Board of Control of Public Charities, 580; the city and county hospital, 580; other hospitals and sanitariums, 5S1 : societies and homes, 582; Society for the Relief of the Poor, 583 ; prevention of tuberculosis, .584 ; Associated Charities, 585 ; the Amherst H. Wilder Charity, 585 : iwverty and suffering traced to their sources and eliminated, 587.
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Company, 220,
Chicago Great Western Railroad, 225,
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul sys- tem, 224.
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail- road, 227,
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha system, 223.
Chicago & Northwestern roads, 224.
Children's playgrounds, 397.
Chouteau and Company, 287.
Christ church, St. Paul, 101, 539.
Christeusen, Oscar F., 838.
Christian associations — Origlual organi- zation of the Y. M. C. A., 545; Civil war and city missionary work, .540 ; fii'st proposed great building, 547 ; plans at last realized, .547 ; the late .lohn P., Sleman, .549; Young Women's Christian Association, 5.50 ; plan of
Y, W. C. A. building. .551 : national campaign for civic betterment, 554.
"Chronicle and Register," .329.
Church of the Good Shepherd, 540.
Church of St. John the Evangelist, 540.
"Citv beautiful." 394.
"I'ity better," 391.
City building, 025.
City charter, 03.
City engineer, 388.
Cit.v hall and court house (view), 172.
City Hospital (view), 344.
City indebtedness, 176.
City library, 479,
City missionary work, 546.
City planning. 280, 389,
City public grounds, 374,
Lity Workhouse. 374.
City and County Hospital, ,344, .580.
City and suburbs related, 020.
Civic spirit, 666.
Civil war (see St. Paul's part in sup- pressing the Rebellion).
Clarendon Hotel, 420.
Clark, Charles A.. 882.
Clark. Charles H.. 1137.
Clark. Greenleaf, 170,
tnark, Kenneth, 294, 725.
Clark, JIartha C„ 1138,
Clarke, Frank B„ 104.
Clarke, Robert J.. 732.
Clausen, Oscar, 388.
"Clean city'' movement, 398.
Cleveland, .T, R., 351.
Climntic advantages. 656.
Clinton Avenue church, 532.
Clough, W. P„ 247,
Cobb Hospital, 345,
Cobb, Sheridan G., 744.
Cochran. Thomas, 242, 1049.
Cohoon. John L.. 10.55.
Cold storage, 208.
College of St, Catherine, 522,
Collegeof St. Thomas, 522.
Colleges and universities — Germ of higher education, 466 ; development of high and preparatoi-j' schools, 406; the University of Minnesota. 467 ; the Agricultural College, 469 : Ilam- line Universitj', 470"; Macale.ster Col- lege, 473 ; field for smaller Institu- tions, 476,
Colville, David F., 1033.
Cohvell, John H., 719.
Combs, William S., 90S.
Conuuandery of Loyal Legion, 110.
Commerce, 655.
Commerce building, 251.
Commercial bodies of the past — Cham- ber of Commerce incorporated, 240 ; its grand work pictured, 241 ; details of organization, 242 ; both conserv- ative and aggressive, 244; wide range of topics considered, 244 ; favors Canadian reciprocity, 246; merged into St. Paul Commercial Club, 248 ; Board of Trade, 248; the Jobber's Union, 248; the Industrial Union,
XXII
INDEX
249; St Paul Real Estate Exchange, 249.
Coiiiinoreial Iwilies of the present — St.
Paul C'oiiiniercial Chili. 250; new.
broader, more brotherly spirit, 252 ;
scientific business management, 253;
stimulus of civic spirit, 254; St. Paul
Association of Commerce, 255 ; St.
Paul Town Crier's Club, 258; district
and suburban commercial clubs, 258;
the march of the cities, 259. Commeroial club, 248, 2,''j0. Commercial State Bank, 294. "Commission" form of government, 181. "Commission How,'' 6.")9. Como Commercial Club, 259. Como Park, 371. 37G, 488. Couipanv "D," First Regiment, 612. Couistock, Alfred K., 1099. Concordia College. 477. Concordia (icrnian Singing Societ.v, 598. Connolly, A. P., (JOS. Consolidated Publicity Bureau, 258. Consolidated school, 462. Constans. William. S97. Constitutional conventions, 69, 74. (\)nventions, 404. (>)Oi)er, J. W.. 294. Corner of Third and Robert Streets,
1851 (view). 59. Corning, Leavitt, 182. Cornish, W. D., 169. Cowern, Ernest W.. 1110. Cretin high school, 516. Cretin, .Toseph. '516. Crocus hill, 392. Cronut. William A., 69. 3.32. Crooks. .John S.. 924. Crooks, William, 94. Crow Indians irrigation works, 192. Crowell, R. 1'.. 479. Curtis. Orrin, 103, Custom house (view), 311. Cutler, Edward H., 542, &41.
Daggett, Thomas C, 1071.
"Dallv News,'" forward edition, design.
652". •'Daily Pioneer," 330. "Oaily Press." 3.32. Dairying, 4:{4, Diikotas, 189.
Dalles of the St. Croix, 217. Damascus Connnandery No. 1, Knights
Templar, .591, Dames of the Round Table, 487. Dan Patch line, ."iGS. Dana, N. .7. T,, 288. Dania Singing Society, .599. Daughter of Veterans, .509. Daughters of the .Vnierlean Revolution,
568. "Daughters of Rebeknh," 593. Davidson. W. V.. 118. 213, Davles, Cliarles E., 830. Dnvles, .Tohn T„ 931. Davis, Cushiiiaii K.. '.I9. 140, 1185. Dawson, William, 292, 1129.
Day, David, 54, 299.
Dayton Avenue Presbyterian church, 536.
I>;iyton, Lyman, 63.
Dayton's Bluff Commercial club, 258.
Dean, William B., 154, 939.
Defunct lakes, 8.
Del-ano, Harriet C. 1144.
DeLano. Rollin W., 1144.
Deming. Winifred M., 1173.
Domestic science, .398.
Denegre, James D., 920.
Denominational colleges in St. Paul, 470.
Department of Dakota headquarters, 312.
Dewey, John J.. 339.
Dickernian, C. E., 765.
Dickson. Frederick N., 323, 1062.
Dictionary of dates (1820-60) — Corner- stone of Fort Snolling laid (1820), 82 ; first stciinier ascends to St. Paul (1823), 82; Indians cede all lands east of the river (18;J7), 83; first marriage (18.'?J). 8;J ; first white child (1839), S3; first church (1841), 83; village christened St. Paul (1S41). S3; first school (1840). 84; first hotel (1847). ,S4 ; St. Paul desig- nated territorial capital (1849), 85; first newspaper (184!>). ,85; first court (1849), 86; first brick store (1850), 87; building of court house commenced (18.50), 87; St. Paul in- corporated (1854). 90; first daily newspaiK?rs (1854). !)0 ; Board of Trade organized (1854). 9(i; first city survey (1855), IX); board of education created (1S,55). 91; St. Paul Library Association incorpor- ated ( 1857), 92; "Sunrise expe<lition" (1857). 93; first state election (1857), 94; Old Settlers Societv organized 1858), 94.
(1860-75)^-Great lire on Third street (1860), 96; call for troo|)s received (.\pril 13, 18<il). !)7; first regiment left for front (June 22, 1861). !»7 ; Capt. W. B. Farrell killed at Gettys- burg (July 3. 1863). !)S; -Musicjil So- ciety forme<l ( 1863 ) . 98 ; explosion of the steamer ".lohn Rmnsey'' (1864), 99; return of regiments (Julv 5, August 11, 18a5). 99; establish- ment of House of Refuge (reform school) (l.siiO), KMl; excavalinn for Opera House (l.sooi. KMl; Cluimber of Commerce (Old Board of Traile) organized (1867). 101: Opera House dedicated (18li7), 101; custom house connnenced (1,867). W\ ; InternatWm- al Hotel hurnetl, (l,S6!l). 102; water works complete*! (1,86!)), lO:!; New Merchants Hotel commenceil (1,870), 10,".; street railway oixMied ( 1.><72), 104 : jiostotlice moved to cu.stoni house (1S7:!), KI5; West St. Paul ainiexed ( IS7I). 107.
INDEX
xxin
(1875-90) — Standard Club organized (1875), 109; John Ireland consecra- ted coadjutor bishop (1875), 109; St. Paul Light Infantry organized (1876), 110; paid fire department or- ganized (1877), 111; President Hayes visits st;xte fair (1878), 112; right-of- wav granted to St. Paul Union Depot Comimny (1880), 113; state capitol burned (1881), 113; first meeting of Water Reception Commissioners (1881), 113; Villard reception in hon- or of Northern Pacific completion (1883), 114; Minnesota Commandery of Loyal Legion organized (1885), 116; first Ice Palace opened (1886), 116; Ireland created an archbishop (1S8S), 119.
Dinwoodie, William, 1043.
District court, 322.
Ditmarsen, John E., 763.
Dix, G. F., 591.
Dixon, W. II., 556.
Dodge, Ossian E., 102.
Dog-sleighing, 207.
Dohm, Arthur J., 1014.
Dominant American race. 664.
Dominant French element. 517.
Donald. Alexander, 108C.
Donnelly, Ignatius, 106, 168.
Doran, F. B., 171.
Dornseiff, John, 857.
Doty, Paul, 2.55.
Douglas, Stephen A.. 166.
Dow, Louis F., 861.
Drainage, 193.
Drake, E. F., 97, 169.
Dream of the future, 674.
Driscoll, Arthur B., 549, 852.
Driseoll. Fredericlj, 98, 333, 364. 1177.
Driscoll, Walter J., 255.
Drives, .391.
Duteher, Gilbert, 418.
Duxbury, William R., 878.
Earl, Robert O., 1064.
Earliest permanent settlers, 32; Peter Parrant and Abraham Perry, 32 ; Jos- eph R. Brown, 33; expelling squat- ters, 34 ; soldiers of "fortune," 35 ; Parrant, or "Pig's Eye," 35; a mys- terious death, 36 ; permanent settlers, 37 ; Mr. Larpenteur's birthday invita- tion, 40.
Early territorial era, 51 ; population of St. Paul, 52 ; first public celebration. 52 ; postoffice and first court, 52 : Ramsey county created, 54; first county officers, 54 ; St, Paul in 1850, 55 ; mail service improved, 57 ; the Northern Pacific prophesied, 57 ; Sec- ond legislature assembles, 58; meeting of Third territorial legi-slature. 59 ; Fourth legislature convenes, 60 ; St. Paul in 1853, 60 ; Gorman succeeds Ramsey, 61.
Bast entrance to Selby avenue tunnel, (view). 36.
Edgerton, Alouzo J., 767.
Edgertou, E. S., 288.
Edgerton, George B., 768.
Edier, John, 1148.
Edler. Minnie T., 1148.
Education. 204.
Edwards, Benjamin K., 841.
Edwards, Maurice D., 536.
Edwards, W. C, 475.
Eggleston, Edward, 479.
Eisenmenger, C. W., 926.
Electric power introduced, 363.
Electric railways (city and suburban) — First street railway in operation, 360; company reorganized and lines extended. 361 ; first city electric line, 361 ; work commenced on Grand Ave- nue line. 36:3; St. Paul's red letter day, 363; Twin City Rapid Transit company. 305 ; Closer union bet^\'een the Twin Cities, 366 ; beautiful points reached by the system, 366 ; beneficial interurban lines, 368.
Electric smelting, 186.
Electrical development, 672.
Elfelt, C. D., 588.
Elks club house (view), 603,
Eller, Homer C, 556.
Elliott, Howard, 486.
Emmett, LaFayette, 176.
Entrance and waiting room, Como Park (view), 371.
Epidemics, 345.
Episcopalians, 539.
Erickson, Carl O., 959.
Espy, John, 990.
Estabrook, Johu D., 374.
Fairclough, George H., 913.
Fales, Edward L., 820.
Falls of Minnehaha (view), 3.
Falls of St. Anthony (view), 14.
Faribault. Alexander, 288.
Fariev, John I., 869.
Famham, William H., 183, 748.
Farnsworth, Sumner A., 723,
Farrell, Edward, Sr., 840.
Farrell, John, 934.
Farrell, Patrick J., 935.
Farwell. George L., 249,
Federal departments, headquarters of — Post office inspection service, 308; railway mail service, 309; inquiry di- vision" ("Nixie office"), 310; other government headquarters, 311 ; as a military center, 312 ; broad local pa- triotism, 314.
Ferguson, James C. 1020.
Fifth legislature, 63.
Financial crisis of 1873, 219.
Finch. Georse R., 117.
Finehout, John W., 681.
Fireproof construction in school build- ings. 461.
Fire insurance patrol, 354.
First bishop of St. Paul, 516.
XXIV
INDEX
First building burned, 353.
First c-able liue, 301.
First case of "pigeon lioles,'' 300.
First chaiiel of St. I'aul (view). 38.
First Church of Clirist (Scientist), 543.
First city electric line. S(il.
First civil movement, 30.
First court, 52.
First court house. .54.
First court house (view). 4(5.
First county olhccrs. 54.
First drug store, .339.
First election, 63.
First execution, 71.
First fires. 3."i3.
First (Jernian M. E. dnirch. .").32.
First grand lodge of Masons, 5Sli.
First hotel, 43.
First important jxjlitical contest. ]()4.
First Indian attacks. 142.
I^rst Ladies" Volunteer .Vid .Swiety, 1.34.
First legislature, ."i3.
First nianul'aetory, 273.
First medical society in SI. I'aul. .'142.
First mill. 27.
First Minnesota rc¥;iment. 131.
First National lianU. 203.
First native while child, 516.
First public celebration. 52.
First public schoolhouse, 4.54.
First i)ublie school teachers, 455.
First Presbyterian church. 54.
First Protestant church. .530.
First railroad. 7.
First schools, 453.
First StJite Bank of North St. Paul. 205.
First state convention. 73.
First steam fire engine. 3.53.
First street railway, .360.
First supreme <-ourt. 310.
First telegraph line? or)ened. 04.
First territorial court, 310.
First territorial fair, 426.
First tin shop. 40.
First town election, 17:>.
First liiwn in(i)r|inration. 173.
First Universalist Society of St. Paul,
542. Fish hatchery, ICl. Fish. .Tames L., 222. Fisliel, .Tohn, 021. Fisher. Klnier K.. 1 im. Fisher, Ix>uis K.. 110. .332. Fitzgerald. Michael W., &30. "Five .Million lyoan liill," 71. Flag, Samuel D., 341. Mandrau, Charles K., GO. 14.3, 740. Flandrau. Kebecca H., 754. Fletcher, Paris, 1000. Flower, Mark D., 217, 1074. Folsoni, S. P.. CA. Folwell, \V. \V.. 4C..S. For the relief of the unenipIoye<l. 57S. F<irenian. Silas K., 575. Forepaugh, .1. L.. 102. I'ViresIs (if norlliern Wisconsin, 227. Fort Kldgely, 14.5. Fort Snelling, 26.
Fort Snelling (viewl. 111.
Fort Snelling bridge, ll.'i.
Fort Snelling bridge iview). 1.32.
Foster. Thomas. 75. 116:'..
Founder of religion in .St. Paul. 514.
Founding of Fort Snelling. 21 : Pike and the Siou.x I.inil grant, 22: Little Crow and Rising Moose. 24; nucleus of St. Paul. 25; tirst mill erected. 27; named Fort SnelliMg by Scott, 27; commeucemeut of Fremont's c-areer, 28; birth of .Minnesotii agriculture, 30.
Fotmtain c-ave. .35.
Fourth legislature, (id.
Francis, Simeon O.. 777.
Frederick (The). 420.
Fremont at Fort Snelling. 28.
Fuller, .Vlpheus G., 417.
Fuller House. 67.
Fulton. .lames C. .S27.
Fur trade. 261.
Fur-trading rivalries. 164.
"Garden City." life. :iS2.
(Jage. (Jeorge .M.. 457.
(Jaiena Packet Company, 21.3.
(iall, Frederick W.. 703.
(iall. William A., 780.
(Jaltier. Lueien, 514.
Gannett. W. C. .542.
Garfield Post No. 8. G. -V. H.. ^^^■2.
(Jates. William G.. 1001.
(iauger. .\ugustus F., SOS.
General banking law. (18.58). 200.
(Jeneral industrial agent, 2.".2.
(leology. 4.
(Jeorge, Harry E., 018.
Geographical and natural advantages, 653.
(Jeographical itositiou and iihysical as- pcx-ts. 1 ; tributary lo .St. I'aul. 2; pic- turesque Jlinnesotn and St. Paul, 3 ; geology of St. I'aul anil vicinity. 4; artificial changes, 6; defun<-t lakes, 8.
(iermau-.Vmerican Veteran Association, 576.
German Catholic .\id Society of Minnes- ota, 525.
German .Society of St. Paul, 487.
Getty. l>aniel. 6.32.
Glesen, Martin. 1076.
Giesen. P. .7.. .508, ,803.
(Jilbert. ("ass. 154.
(Jillilhin. Charles I).. 354.
Gillillan, .Tames. 170.
(Jilfillan. .T. S.. .34.3.
(;illelte, .\rthur .1.. 747.
Gillett. Isaac W., 7S6.
Gilnian. .Tohn M., 111.
Glacier National Park, 10.5.
Gladstone. 632.
God's "Canyons of the Clt.V." .30.5.
(;ohlUe. .Tulius, 7NS.
Goldsmith, .Tulius .\L. 1143.
(Jollz. Edward V., ,858.
"<i<H)d nie<]lcine" In jwstal service, 30G.
Goodhue, James AL, 48, 320.
INDEX
XXV
Goodrich, Aaron. 51. 2SS.
Goodrich. Karle S.. !l(l. .S2S, .330.
fionnan. Willis A.. 01.
Gosewisch. Frefl W.. 718.
Governor's room, state capitol (view). 167.
Grace, Thomas L., f)."), .jIS.
Grand Army of the Reimblie — Organiza- tion and objects, ij.'jr) ; Acker Post G. A. R., o5G ; its average charter mem- ber, 559 ; distinguished members, 500 ; commanders of departments, 501 ; auxiliaries. 562; exultation for the future, 563.
Grand Marais state ditch, Polk county (view), 203.
Grand stairway and dome corridors (view), 154.
Grand Union deiwt, 023. 048.
(iraves. Albert L.. 830.
Great land grants. 105.
Great Northern system. 220.
"Great Railroad excursion." 64.
Greater St. Paul, 001.
Greene, Charles L., 050.
Greenman, .Jesse E., 1131.
Griffin. G. J., 826.
Griffin, .James H., 827.
Griswold, Charles, 343.
Ground plan of Seven Corners ; ap- l)roach to capitol (map), .390.
Grover. JI. D., 484.
Guerin. Vetal. 35.
Guild of Catholic Women, 403.
Guine.v. Cornelius. 891.
Gutherz, Carl. 508.
Guthrie, Archibald, 873.
Haas, .Jacob J.. 704.
Habberstad. Nicholas M., 101.3.
Habighorst. H., 593.
Hackett. C. W.. 247.
Hackney, Joseph JI.. 472, 888.
Hadlich, Henry .J., 302.
Halbert & Halbert, 1122.
Hale. Henry. 440.
Half-lireed trails, 202.
Hall, II. P., 102.
Hall. W. Sprigg, 101.
Hamlin. Leonora A.. 397.
Hamline University. 470.
Hamm, Theodore. 1070.
Hamm, William, 375.
Hand, D. W., 341.
Handy, W. C. 181.
Hanna, David, 1077.
Hannaford, .Jule M., .847.
Hanson. Abel L., 1042.
Harriet Island Public Park, .347, 370.
Hartman, Mary E. S., 779.
Hartshorn, William E., 39. 263.
Harvesting field of wheat, University
farm (view), 199. Hasenwinkle, Henry, 501. Haskell, Frank. ,8.53. Hazzard, George H., 249. 575. Heard, I. I). V., 178. Healy, John A.. 1014.
Hebrew congregations, 543.
Ileffron. P. R., 578.
Henderson. William !>.. 091.
Hennig, William P., 901.
Ilenninger, Theodor. 733.
Hesselgrave. Sherman S., 729.
Hewitt. Girard. 112, 372.
Hiawatha Park. 373.
Higbee, Chester G.. 341. 399. 1155.
Hlg'h bridge and City Hospital (view),
356. "High School ■R'torld," .336. Higher Education (see colleges and uni- versities). Ililbert. Cass, 512. Hill, .James J., 128, 813. Milscher, .John F., 928. Hilton. Roy E.. 117.5. Ilirschman, Adolph, 1111. Hobart, C, 48. 531. Ilodgman. Thomas Morev, 474. Hodgson, E. .J.. 297. Hoff. Pedar A., 889. Hoi.st-and-Derrick company. 282. Holland. Hjalmar Rued, 4d9. Holmes, Edgar A., 1146. Hol.voke. Thomas G., 512. Home-builder, c-all to the — Spencer on racial amalgamation. 197; other good and wise prophets, 107 ; land, the only solid basis of prosperity. 108; duty to become home owner. 199 ; nature of Minnesota's population. 200 ; favoralile conditions for the home builders. 201 ; the eonsolidateil rural schools. 202 ; electric light and power to farms, 202 ; abundant and practical education, 204 ; moral and religious Influences, 204 ; Minnesota's grand call, 205. Home economics, 398. Home for the Frieudless, 101. Home manufactures. 27.3. Home of Gen. H. H. Sibley, Meudota,
508. Home of the Friendless Association, 582. "Home Rule" charter," 180. Homes. 391, 393. Hopkins, Frank M., 1149. Hopkins. Mary P., 1149. Horn, Frank. 848. "Hor.se mantua maker," 54. Hospitals, 344. Hotel Ryan, 116, 418. Hotel Ryan (view). 419. Hotels, Auditorium and theaters, al- ways a good hotel town. 415 ; Mer- chants Hotel of toda.v. 416; Central, American and other old hotels, 416 ; "Moft'ett's Castle,'' 417 ; International, Wild Hunter. Metropolitan, etc., 417; predece.ssor of "St. Paul," 418 ; Hotel Ryan, 418; the "St. Paul'' and other hotels, 418; the Auditorium. 422; other assembly halls, 422 ; anuisemenf halls and amusements, 423 ; improved moving picture shows, 424. Hough, Sherwood, 567. lloupt, C. C, 325.
XXVI
INDEX
House of the Good Slicplipnl. 'iX',. House of Hope Presbyterian church, OC,
535. Howard, Thomas, 103, 323. Hoyt, B. F., 45. Hoyt, Lorenzo, 6.36. Hoyt, U. W.. 480. Huhbanl, Lucius F., 07, 696. Hubliell, Eufjene. Olij. Huma.son. Cliarles J., 74L Humphrey, .Tames K.. 317. Hunt, Charles J., .507. Hunter, David, 29. Huntington, George L., 710. Hurd, Warren W., 824. Hurley, Dennis W., lO.oL Hurley, Joseph .7., 914. Ilurlev, Martin J., 880. Hushy, William 10.37. Hutchinson, Henrj-, 341, 705. Hutchinson, Matilda M., 705.
Ice Palace, 110.
Illing^vorth, William, 263.
Immigration, C1855), 65.
Imiiii.i.isl;a, 383.
ImiKirLat'ion of foreign goods, 260.
Inciopendent order of Odd Fellows, 592.
Indian Mounds Park. 373, 'Md.
Indian War of 18C2-3— St. Paul, the center of activities, 141 ; first Indian attacks, 142 ; "Little Crow," chosen leader. 143 ; Fort Uidgely attacked, 143 ; Irish-.\mericans take the field, 144; Fort Uidgely disaster and relief. 144; attiick on New I'lm repnls(Hl. 145; terrible affair of Hin-h C.onlie. 140; Indians routed at Wood Lake. 148; white captives relt^xsed and In- dian miscreants liung, 148; outbreak quelled, 149; propertv damages paid, 149.
Indians, 11.
Industries, 201, 055, 057.
Industrial Union, 249.
Industries (see St. Paul's niannfaclur- les).
Informal Club, 483.
Influence of women — Patrons of the city beautiful. .394; God's "Canyons of the City," .395; women's inlliicnce on the "Playground movement," '.','.»'>; the Home (iarden Club. 398; domes- tic science, .'iOS; women's clubs and the "city plan," 399; work through the women's clubs, 402.
Ingersoll's Hiill, 13.5.
Ingerson. f^arl .\.. ](I2!(.
Inipilry division. (St. Paul post olHce), 310.
Insurance companies, 4.50.
InliTlor lakes, 3.
International Hotel burmd In 1SC,;> (view), 93.
Intenirbnn lines, ,3(38.
Invcr (Jrove, 0.'!0.
Ireland, .lohn, 97, 109, 518, 798.
Ireland, KIchnrd, 118.
Irrigation, 191. Irvine, I'Yank E., 9i30. Irvine, Horace II., 857. Irvine, John U., 39. Irvine, Park, 370. Iverson, S. G.. 612. Ives, Gideon S., 325.
Jackson, Earle D., 776.
Jackson. Henry. 39, 300.
Jackson, John N., t)02.
Jackson, William II., 1123.
Jackson Str(}et church, 531.
.laggard, Edwin A., 322, 1174.
Jefferson, R. C, 247.
Jelinek. John P., 7.30.
Jennison. S. P., 597.
Jett, J. liailey, 993, 995.
Jobber's Union, 248.
Jobbing Trade of St. Paul— Old time fur trade, 201 ; the retail business, 202 ; pioneer stores and merchants, 202; distinctive jobbing trade (1807), 200 ; direct imiwrtation of foreign goods, 200 ; the wholesale district, 207 ; cold storage for produce, 208 ; climatic influences on trade, 2()8; "Minnesota Know 'I'liyself." 20! » ; a few jobbing lines represente<l, 270; "auto'' accessories. 272 ; jMiiier bag manufacture, 271; in-inters' supplies, 271.
Johnson, (Jates A., 228.
Johnson, II. .Martin, 735.
Johnson, .lohn A., 1009.
Johnson, John. (Eninegahbow), 5.30.
.Idbnsun. .\larrus, .'111.
.lohnsliin, .VIcxander, }vl4.
.lohnston, Clarence II., 458, 510, 84.'?.
.lolinston. Daniel .S. 15., .'528, 446, 1021.
Johnston, .Mrs. 1). S. H.. 1024.
Johnston, .lohn 15.. 9.S7.
Johnston. Hannah ('. S.. 1024.
.rones, DeWitt C, 7.85.
Jones, E. .Mendelssohn, 901.
.lonrney of exploration (I.'!02). 499.
Junior Pioneer Ass(K-iatlon of Ujiinsey County, 575.
Jurgensen. Delbert F., 1120.
Kahlerl, (Jeorge P.. 922.
Kane, Thomas K.. 1S2.
Kane, William II.. '.no.
Keiim. Alfred P.. '.HO.
Keigher. Patrick, 989.
K<-llcr, Cbarles E., 112.".
Keller. Herbert I'.. IM. .".17. 708.
Keller. Oscar E.. 9'.>o.
Kelliher. Harriet A., till.").
Kelllher, John, 994.
Kellogg, FraiUc I!., !t7o.
Kelly. William L., .'!2.':.
Kensington nnie stone. 497.
Kensington rune stone (view), 498.
Keii.von, George .M.. SCrl.
Keokuk Northern Packet Company, 214.
Kiefer. A. It.. 1002.
King, James M., 808.
INDEX
xxvu
King, Josias R., 131.
King's Daughters' Aid Society, 582.
Kingsbury. David L., 1175.
Kirk, R. A., 21S.
Kittson, H., 510.
Kittson, Norman W., 39, 210.
Knapheide, R., CIS.
Knauft. F., 593.
Kniglits of Pytliias, .j91.
Knox, Henry M., 474.
Knox. .T. Jay, 291.
Konantz, Charles F., 801.
Kregel, William C, 737.
Kretz, Hermann, 512, 829.
Ladies of the CJrand Army of the Re- • public, 569.
Lakes and rivers. 201.
Lake Minnetonka. :i(!G.
Lake Phelan water introduced. 103.
Lamm, Leo S., 721.
Lamprey. Morris. 479./
Land, the foundation of all wealth. 198.
Lang. Henrv D.. 11.3G.
Lang, Peter J.. 1053.
Langford, Xathaniel P., 291. 1154.
Lankester, Howard. 3.39, 754.
Largest flour mills in the world. G49.
Largest stage in America, 422.
Larpenteur, Auguste L., 39, 815.
Larpenteur, J. D.. 508.
Lawler. Daniel W.. 890.
Lawler. John J., 805.
Lawler, John L., 525.
Lawson. Andrew A.. 1119.
LeDuc. W. G.. 63.
Ledy, B. A., 877.
Lee. William, 103.
Legislatures — First, 53; second. 58: fhird, 59 : fourth, GO ; fifth, 63.
Lelp. William, 632.
Leitner. J. P., 594.
Lemon, Walter T.. 927.
Lewis. Robert P.. 420.
Libraries and literary societies — Mer- cantile Library and Young Men's Christian Association, 478 : consolida- ted as St. Paul Lilirary As.soeiation, 479 ; made a city library, 479 ; pro- posed extension of usefulness. 480 ; a new development. 481 ; other libra- ries. 482: the Informal Club, 483: German Society of St. Paul. 487 ; Como Park as a "melting pot." 488.
Lietlertafel of North St. Paul, 598.
Lienau. Charles H., .334.
Liggett. William M.. G95.
Lightner, W. H.. 248.
Lindeke, Rosa B., 687.
Lindeke, William 274, 686.
Literary associations, 48.3.
Little Canada, 632.
Little Crow, 24, 42, 143.
"Little Red School," 461.
Live stock, 187, 434.
Livingston, Crawford. G12.
Locke, Frank Y., 765.
Locomotives. G59. Lord, William R.. 485. Lott, Bushrod W., 316. Lowry building (view). 320. Lo^TV, Thomas. 228. 361. Luger. Edward E.. 832. Luger, Frank J., 833. Luger, John, S.S:^. Luger, John. 1128. Luger, John. 8r.. 631. Luger. Joseph A., 1129. Luger, Louis A.. 936. Luger, Martin, 1029. Lumber trade, 266. L'Union Francaise, 101. Lusk. J. W., 294. Luther Hospital Association, 345. Luther Seminary, 477. Lutheran churches, 540. Lynch, Fred B., 486.
McAndrews. Eleanor B.. 848.
McAndrews, William. 848.
McCaine, Daniel, 542.
McCalne, Mrs. H. J., 480, 1167.
McCardy. J. J., 410.
MeConville. Coustautine J., 680.
McDavitt, Thomas S.. 1012.
McDonula. Henry W.. 1197.
McElrath. J. P.. 351.
.McElwee. Charles C. 849.
McGill, A. R.. 117, 169.
McGill, Andrew R., 1015.
McGill, Charles H., 1192.
Mclntyre, Abbie P.. 905.
Mclntyre. Charles W., 905.
McLain. J. S., 333.
ilcLaren, Archibald, .342, 740.
McLaren, R. N.. 117, 738.
McLean. Nathaniel, .329.
McMasters. S. Y., 98, 493.
McMillan, H. S., SG3.
McMillan, S. J. R.. 100.
McMurchy, W. H., 334.
McQuillan, P. P.. 111.
MeWhinney. William J.. 781.
Macalester College, 473.
Macalester College (view). 474.
MacKenzie, Alexander, 980.
MacKenzie, Eliza C, 980.
Macklett, Otto C, 1002.
Mackubin, Charles M.. 288.
Magee, Elizabeth. 1145.
Magee. George W., 1145.
Maggoffin, Beriah, 178.
Magraw, F. E., 764.
JIahtomedi, 634.
JIail service, 57.
Malleable iron industr.v, 282.
Malmros, Oscar, 168.
Mann, Eugene L.. 74G.
Mann, Walter. 294.
Manufactures (see industries.)
Manufacturing center moving westward,
278. JIaps — Ground plan of Seven Corners,
300: Twin City street car lines, (>45 .Market Street church, 531.
XXVIII
INDEX
Mill-shall (Williim R.) aud Rice (Hen- ry M.I dcliati", 107.
Murslmll. William K.. C^. OS. llill.
Marvin, K.. C^.
Mason, William R. .j:!4.
Masonic loJf;e, .">.
Masqueray, Kninianui'l I... -"il-. imi;;.
Mattotks, Brewer. .340.
Mattoclis. John, 450.
Maurv. M. !•'., 4!»1.
Maxlifld, L. II., 0.j9.
May, L. L.. 251.
Mayo, C. E.. 130.
Mead. W. H.. .OU.!.
Meal jKieliinf; industry. 2S1.
Medary, Sanmel, 0!).
Medical education, ::!4:!.
Metlical profession and lieallh conserva- tion— Physicians who came prior to 18.50, :«!»: arrivals during 1S5()-00, 340; later accessions to the profes- sion, 'Ml; medical societies. :'A2; medical edunition. :'A'.': hos|)itiils. .S44; epidemics and public hygiene, 345: healthiest large city in the world. 345: Harriet Island I'ark and Baths, '.iil ; i)resent day health plans, 348: economic imiKirtance of sani- tary precjiutions. :i4'.i.
Medical societies. ."U^.
Meelvcr. Bradley B., 317.
Memorial exercises for Lincoln, 571.
Merchants Hotel. 43.
Merchants' Nalional Bank, 204.
Merriam, .Tohn I/.. Wi. 703.
Merriam I'ark Slate Bank. 295.
Merriam Park Women's Club. 487.
Merriam. Uobert H.. 704.
Merriam, William !{.. 110. 107.5.
Merrick. William II.. 1 loo.
Merrill, H. I)., .545.
Merriman. (). C, 4G7.
AIelroiH)litan Hotel. 10.3, 418, 42.'!.
Jleverding. A. E., 804.
Michael. .lames ('.. s:iO.
Mi<haud. Desire II.. 1107.
MlildlctoM, Albert E.. 771.
>Iid\vay Connnercial Club. 022.
Midway district in ."-^t. Paul — Settlement of Iteserve township, CIS; ])roccss of city absorption. 010; early .Midw.-iy events. 010; (he Miiniesota Transfer. 020; greal industries. (;21 ; residen- tial and ediK-.itlonal <-enler. 022: pro- lK)se<l grand union de|K)t. 023; new water power corporation. 025; new era of cily building rc<iuireil. 025.
".Midway Ncw.s." isl, :::;(',. oio.
Milirarv Oriler of the I.oyal Legion. 571.
Miller. Mrs. Endlv Hunlington, .5,82. Miller, Ilenrv H.. 007. Miller, Stephen, 131.
Mills, Henry L.. :!2.3.
Mineral deposits, 071. Mliniea|Hilis. Oil,
Miiinen|K«ls & St. Louis Kailroad, 220. MiiineaiMills, SI, Paul ami Saull Sle. .Marie Kallw:iy, L"jv.
.Minnehaha, .'^00.
.Miniiclialia I'.alls. ;!77.
.Miiini'h;iha Falls in winter (view), 12,'!,
Minnehaha Park, :!74.
.Minnesot.i's attainment of statehood. 7.'! ; stormy lirst state convention, 73; constitution adopted, 74; Minnesota's three governors. 77 ; Uice and Shields elected senators, 77: admittwl to the I'nion. 78: jiaper railways and "Wild Cat" banks. 70; Kamsey's Uepublicsm ailminislralion, 70.
.Minnesota Central Kailroad. 22.5.
.Minnesota Club. 002.
.Minnesota's contribution to soldiery, i;!0.
.Minnesota Historical Society — Incor- ]ioration and organization. 4.80; places of meeting. 4011; building jirojtvt falls, 401 ; society resuscitated, 4!ll : broad scope and pur|K)ses, 401 ; officers, 402; removal to new nipitol, 403; society publications, 40:; ; State Historical .Society Library. 405; historical and archaeologic;il relics, 41(0; the Ken- sington rune stone, 407.
.Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany. 4.50.
.Minnesota Oilil Fellows Home. .504.
•■.Minnesota Pioneer," .'^20.
.Minnesota's population. 200.
.Miiniesota river navigation. 210.
.Minnesota Soldiers' Home. .51^!.
.Minnesota St.age Company, 20!).
Minnesota State .\gri<-nltural Socielv. 420.
.Minnesota State Fair grounds (view), 420.
.Minnesota territory. 45, 4(5.
■■.Minnesota Slats Tidniiig," '.V.V\.
.Minnesota's timber wealth, (i70.
Minnesota Transfer Board of Trade, 020.
.Minnesota Transfer, 2:W, G20.
•Milcbell. E.lward C, 542, f578.
.Mitchell. Fieih-rick .1., 722.
.MolTett. Lot. 7. .50.
".MolTett's Castle." 417.
.Monfort. I>. A., 00, 2!H.
.Mon.son. August .V., 0.5.5.
.Moiit.'ina. lOii.
.Moore, Allien. l'>.SO.
.M<Mire. (ieorge W., ;!."!2.
.Moose and doer. 104.
.Morgan. Aniolm'tte .\l. P.. Ills.
.Morg.in, David. .51.'!.
MoruMii, .Michael I!.. 111.5.
.Mi.ris-in. II. (;. (>., OSO.
.MorisMii. Uebecca .\„ 081.
.Moss. Mrs, A. T.. .5.82.
.Moss. Henry L.. 51.
Mounds Park .Sanit.'irinin, ;t4.5.
Mound's view township, 0.'!.5.
Moving picture shows, 424,
Moyniban. Hiiiiiplirey, 480. .522.
.Mo/.art Club. .50S.
Mo/.arl IImII Is7.
INDEX
XXIX
Mueller, Charles H., 938.
Municipal court. 323.
Municipal debt, 182.
Municipality of St. Paul. 173; first town corporation and electiou, 173 ; early ordinances. 17-1; bluudei-s in street grades, 174 : St. Paul as a city, 174 ; Wiest St. Paul incorporated, 17.5 ; total city indebtedness, 175 ; new- charter granted and amended, 177 ; improvements, 177: charter amend- ments and territorial extensions, 177 ; government by boards, 178; the bell charter. 179; provisions for charter commission, 179; St. Paul's "Home Rule" charter, 180; "Commission" form of government, 181 ; city and county, 181 ; municipal debt and proj)- erty, 182 ; the years 1912-13 ; a period of transition, 183.
Municipal property valuation, 182.
Munn. M. D.. 236.
Murphv. J. H.. .59. 339.
Murray, Frederick H., 962.
Murray, William P., 59, 1168.
Musical and sociiil organizations — Old St. Paul Musical Society, .597 ; sing- ing societies. 59 f; St. Paul Symphony Orchestra, 599; Mrs. F. H. Snyder. 599 ; the Schubert Club, GOO ; popular musical education, 600 ; social clubs, 602 ; social features of commercial clubs, 604,
Mutual Benefit Society, 593.
Myrick, Nathan, 45, 143.
Nason, Albert J., 966.
National banking act, 292.
National banks, 293.
National Editorial Association, 414.
National German American Bank, 294.
National Guard — First militia organiza- tion. 607; beginnings of the National Guard, 608; the permanent Natonal Guard, 610 ; the St. Paul companies, 611 ; the National Guard's war ser- vices, 614; past reputation well sus- tained. 615; the National Guard ar- mory. 616.
National Live Stock Insurance Com- pany, 450.
"National Reporter System," 3.36.
Natural terraces, 2.
Navigation of Minnesota river, 58.
Navigation of the Upper Mississippf, 212.
Needlework Guild, 582.
Negaard, Ole H.. 1107.
Neighborhood House, 582.
Neill, Edward D.. 48, 473.
Nelson, Hans, 717,
Nelson, Rensselaer R.. 70, .320.
Nelson, Socrates, 574.
New Brighton, 035,
New cathedral, now in course of con- stniction (view-), 527.
Newel, Stanford, 170.
New England of the future, 184.
New era of prosperity, 219.
Newman. Lewis B., 1063.
Ne\\-inan. Thomas J.. 907.
New Masonic Temple (view), 589,
New movement in China, 667.
New- plant of St, Paul Bread Company ( view- ) , 284,
New Ulm. 145.
Newspapers and publishing houses — Newspapers, gold mines of history, 327 ; "Register," first Minnesota news- paper, 328 ; murder of its founder, 328 ; the "Minnesota Pioneer" found- ed. 329 ; "Chronicle and Register," 329; "Pioneer and Democrat," .330; old "Pioneer" editors, 3.30; "St. Paul Daily Press,'' 3.32; "St. Paul Pioneer Press," 3.33; "St. Paul Daily Dis- patch." 333; "St. Paul Daily Globe," 334; "St. Paul Daily News." .3.34; the "Volkszeitung." .3.34 ; St. Paul News- pajiers in short, 335 ; The West Pub- lishing Company, 337 ; R. L. Polk and Company. 338.
Newixirt, Mrs. R. M.. 411.
Newsboys Honje. 585.
Newson, T. M., .328.
New Y. M. C. A. building (view), 548.
New York Life building (vie-w), 241.
Nichols, Charles, 97.
Nicols. John 293.
Nicollet, .1, M., 287.
Noah, Jacob J., 165.
Nolan, .Marv L.. 1142.
Nolan. AVilliam J.. 1142.
Norden Club, 603.
North Central Commercial Club, 2.59.
North St. Paul, 242, 630.
North St. Paul Commercial Club. 2.59.
"North St. Paul Sentinel, ' 336.
Northern Line Packet Company, 214.
Northern Pacific Railroad, 57,
Northrup, Elwin A., 949.
Northw-est Development League, 254.
■'Northwestern Chronicle," 336.
Xortlnvestern Exposition, 429.
Nortliwestern wonderland, 194.
Norton, Henry G., 699.
Noyes. Daniel R., 1046.
Nussbaumer, Frederick, 375, 709.
Oakes, Charles H., 288.
Oakps, George W., 972.
Oakes, T, F., 119.
Oakland Cemetery, 01, 379.
O'Brien, Christopner D.. 106, 115. 104.5.
O'Brien, Dillon, 99,
O'Brien, Patrick, .300, 828.
O'Brien. Richard D., 1140,
O'Connor, John J., 351, 845,
O'Connor, John P., 1090.
O'Connor, John V., 1090.
O'Connor, Richard T., 803.
t)dd Fellow-s Home, NorthSeld, (view),
593. Ohage, Justus, 376. ojiliway, 19, "(Jld Bets," 105,
INDEX
•Old Bets" (portrait), 142.
01(1 Block House, Fort Snelling (view),
2(;. Old Settlers' Association, 1574. Olesoii, Gilbert, 9US. Oliver, .Tohn 1?., :!53. Olmstetl. David, 03, 175. Olson, Axel A., 837. Olson, Osoir L., 916. Oppenheini. Ansel, 247, 446, 1125. Order of the Cincinnati, 572. Order of tlie Eastern Star, 591. Oriiheuni Theater, 423. Orr, Orier .M.. 323. 1068. Osgood. Henry IC, 997. Ostergren, Edward W.. 917. Otis, Charles E., 1105. Otis, George L., 101. Owens. John I'.. 32S.
"Pageant of the Twin City," G47.
Paine, Parker, 292.
I'ahner. E. C.. 70. 322.
I'anania canal, (UiO.
Panic of 1!S57. 290.
Paper bag nianufacture. 271.
Paradls, Edouard .V.. 019. 943.
I'ark Congregational church, ."):>7.
Park extension, 381.
Park Place Hotel, 102, 417.
Park S(iuare and wholesale district (view), 207.
Park system of St. Paul — Rice, Irvine and Smith parks. 370; Conio Park Iiurchas<'(l, 371 : Poard of Park Com- missioners created. .372; system sus- tained and extended, 372; Riverside boulevard and park. .■'.73; city public grounds in 1891, 374: present i)ark system. 37t> : Fort .*>nelling and .Min- nehaha Falls, 377; cemeteries. .377; the "I'lay Ground Movement," .380; Jlodern city beautiful, :j80 ; a scheme for linked laices. .381.
Parker. Frank D., ]0."i4.
I'.irrant, PieiTe. 32.
Pars<jns, Bertram W.. 84.3.
I'arty leaders, integrity >>(. 171.
I'assenger and freight terminals — By ISSS gi'eat railway trallic apparent, 229; St. Paul i)assenger deiMils. 23(1; the "Pugct Sound'' line, 231 ; creating new trallic, 2:!2 ; St. Paul Union De- jKit, 23.."; a new and splemlid union depot, 2;'>.j ; relief for business c-«n- gestion, 230; ample freight terminals, 238.
Patriotic societies — Soldierly descen- dants, the stanchest reformers. .'"(05: .\iiierlcanlzing inferior Innnlgrants. 500; Sons of the .Vmerlcan Revolu- tion, .')07 ; Daughters of the .Vmerlcan Uevolullon, ."lOS; adillated wllli the (irand .\rmy of the Republli', 509; Alllltary Order of the Loyal Legion, 571; Order of the Cincinnati. 572; the spirit of the sx-ns, 573 ; early set-
tlers and their descendants, 574 ; mili- tary organizations of Germans. 575.
Patrol and s;ilvage system. 450.
Patterson, Andrew Bell, 92, 540.
Pavilion and waterfront, White Bear Lake (view), 033.
Pease, R. M. S., 289.
"Pembina carts," 209.
Penesha. 15, 23.
Peoples' church. 538.
Pe<ii)les' theatre. 09.
Perkins. Norman. 020.
I'erry, .\braham. .32.
Perry. William, 932.
Peter. Louis H.. 905.
Phaleu creek, 9.
Phalen Park, 370.
Phelps. William F., 249.
Philipjiine e.Kjiedition, 615.
Phillips, Thomas .1.. 1133.
Physicians of St. Paul, .330.
Pierson. Carl O.. 975.
"Pig's Eye." (I'arrant), .30.
Pike's Island. 22. 377.
Pike. Zebnlon Montgomery, 22.
Pillbsury. John S., 407.
Plllsbury Hall, State University (view), 4t:8.
Pinchon (see Penesha).
Pine, Oran S.. 1979.
"Pioneer." .3.30.
"Pioneer and Democrat." .3.30.
"I'ioneer" building, corner Fourth and Robert streets (view), 331.
Pioneer Guard. 00.
Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, 63.
Pioneer industries. 273.
Pioneer merchants, 2(5.3.
Pioneer stores. 203.
Platting of suburban property, 3S.9.
"Play ground" movement, 380, 397.
Plondke. F. J., 1037.
Plymouth Congregational church, 537.
Pocock, Walter A.. 418.
Police and fire protection and water suppl.v — Creditable police protection. .'{51; jirosent department, .'i."i2 ; lirst tires and volunteer dei)artment. .''.."i.". ; paid lire department. ,353; St. Paul Water Company, 354; city buys wa- ter works. .'!55 ; sources of water su|v pl.v. .'i,") ; future needs, 3.57; changed water standards. .358.
Political self-effacement, 102. • Polllli's and politicians — Early Issues, 102; i)rohlbition and referendum. It!.'!; early ]iollticians and personal contests, 104; founders of .Mlnnesoia railroads, 105: light over visit of I>onglas, 100; gubernatorial per.sonal- llles, 100; Donnelly and Wheclock, 108; "Young Republicans." of the early seventies. KiO; famous St. Paul men, lOii; judicial honors. 17(1; a ctm- vlctlon from wide observation, 171.
Polk (R. L.) & Company. .•!37.
Polleys. Thomas A., JW.',.
Pomeroy, Benjamin A., 1052.
INDEX
XXXI
Pope, John, 312.
Pope, William C, 103, 540.
Posdi. .Tosepli. 1089.
Postal Savings Bank. 301.
Post office (rtew), 298.
Post office and postal service— Dr. David Da.v, 299; Henry Jackson and early "conveniences,"' 300 ; post of- fice and revenues, 300 ; History of the Postal Service, 302; "Bad Medicine," in Postal Service, 305; "Good Medi- cine" in St. Paul Office, 30G; Ameri- can people set the most mail, 30G.
Potatoes. 189.
Potter, Milton C. 45T.
Potts. Thomas R., 52. 340.
Pousette. Nathaniel J., 508.
Power, Charles M., 1123.
Powers, James. 1146.
Prairie roads. 210.
Presbyterian churches, 533.
Pre-historie St. Paul — ^The Mound build- ers, 10: the real Indian, 11 ; the Sioux in 1834. 12 ; first mention of St. Paul region, 13 ; reckless Penesha, the voy- ageur, 15 : Cai-ver, advertiser of the northwest, 15; the Carver claim to St. Paul, etc., 17 ; Sioux vs. Ojibway, 19 ; another land owner, 19.
Presley, Bartlett. 55, 263.
Price, "W. W., 613.
PTiebe, John H.. 700.
Prince, Frances. 1006.
Prince, George H., 855.
Prince, John S., 1004.
Printers' supplies, 271.
Pri^'ate schools, 462.
Probate coui't, 323.
Produce commission business, 658.
Prohibition, 163.
Protestant churches (see Protestant Re- ligious organizations).
Protestant Orpli«iii Asylum, 99, 577.
Protestant religious organizations — First Protestant church (Methodist), 530; Jackson and Market street <-hurehes, 531 ; other Methodist churches, 532 ; Presbyterian churches, 533 ; Plymouth and other Congrega- tional churches, 537 ; the Peoples' church, 538; Baptist organizations, 538; the Episcopalians, 539; Luther- an churches of the city, 540 ; Swedeu- borgiau. Unitarian and Universalist, 541 ; Hebrew congregations, 543 ; otiier religious bodies, 543.
Province of St. Paul. 526.
Pruden, Allen K., 686.
Public baths. Harriet Island (view), 348.
Public eliarities of the city, 580.
Public hygiene, 345.
Public men (in formative decades) of Minnesota, 171.
Public schools — St. Paul's first schools, 453 ; first public schoolhouse, 454 ; pioneer public school teachers, 455 ; high school and board of education,
455 ; schoolhouses of the fifties, 456 ;
superintendents of public schools, 4.56; the St. Paul high scliool, 457; present public school system, 458; tor those who must cut their school- ing. 459 ; ijhysical conservation and safetj-. 461 ; "the little red school" 461 ; private and select schools, 462 ; public schools as social centers, 463; another new departure, 463.
Puget Sound line, 231.
Puritan strictness, 174.
Pusey, Pennock, 169.
Pyle, J. G., 483.
Quadriga in bronze, 156. Quarter-centennial anniversary of
North St. Paul. 259. Quinn, J. A., 718.
Radatz. August, 677. Railroad laud grants, 218. Itailroads — ^Mention. 79. 165 ; land grants to. 218 ; railroad building, 1865-90. 210; St. Paul, the construc- tion center. 219 ; the Great Northern system, 220; Northern Pacific rail- road. 222; Chicago, St. Paul, Minn- eaixilis and Omaha system, 223 ; the Minnesota Central Railroad, 225 ; The Ctoieago Great Western, 225; Min- neaiK)lis and St. Louis Railroad, 220 ; Wisconsin Central Railroad, 227; Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, 227; the "Soo" Line, 228; destined March of St. Paul, 228.
Railway center, 654.
Railway mail clerks, 310.
Railway mail service. 309.
Railway shops, 281.
Raleigh, John. 783.
Raleigh, William. 784.
Ramaley, Florence W., 1066.
Ramaley, John D., 1065.
Ramaley, John E., 964.
Ramaley, Louis, 1196.
Ramsden, Thomas P., 782.
Ramsey, Alexander, 51. 771.
Ramsey, Justus C, 588.
Ramsey county, 54.
Ramsey County Bar Association, 325.
Ramsey County Homeopathic Society, 343.
Ramsey County Medical Society, 342.
Ramsey county poor farm. 580.
Ramsey's Republican administration. 70.
Randall, Eugene W., 1101.
Randall. John H.. 385.
Randall, William H., 42, 384.
Raw material, 281.
"Razoo," 336.
Reagan, John A., 1032.
Real estate and insurance — Radical land hunger, 440 ; mission of real estate dealers, 440 ; the Collapse of 1S57, 442 ; from 1857 to 1873, 443 ; real estate in the eighties, 443 ; the record
xxxii
IXDEX
since, 444 ; iM»rsoiinel of real estato men. 445 ; present day values and building. 44(> ; imblic attitude of real estiUe exdianges. 447; agrieultural betterment tlirough education. 44S; a prophecy verified, 44!); the in.surance companies, 4.50.
Real estate exchanges. 447.
Real estate in the eighties. 44.3.
Real estate values, 38!).
Reardon. T.. 440.
Recei)tion of Ilenrv Villard and guests, 114.
Reed, Charles A., 510.
Reed. L. E., 294.
Reeves. Arthur .T.. 740.
Rel'erendum, l(i:{.
Refrigeration, (see also cold storage), 28;!.
Regan. .7. .T.. 5!)5.
••Itegister." :t28.
Relief furnished families of volunteers, 138.
Remarkable journey, 207.
Rene. Albert A.. 706.
Red River valley, 189.
Ret.-iil lnisines.s. 202.
Reynolds, "niamond .To." 21G.
Rice. Daniel, 474.
Rice. KdnnuHl. .">4. ;520.
Rice, I'rcdcricU E.. 1009.
Rice. Henry M.. 45.
Rice Park. .370.
Richeson, William, 341.
Rider. Henry A., 79G.
Ries. Cciirge .!., !)00.
RilicldalTcr. .1. G., 100. .54.5.
Rindal. Ole ()., 1121.
Rising Moose, 24.
Ritdiie. Ilarrv P., 1008.
Ritchie. Parks. .•?42. 1007.
Rilt. Edward A., 911.
River and Harlnir Connnission. 235.
Riverside Pioulcvard and Park. :'.73. 370.
River trans|Kirtation, 211.
Roads, (!37.
Robbins, .Joseph H., II 1 1.
Robert. Louis, 40.
Robert-s .Tohn D., 091.
Robertson, D. A.. 00. ;:2:i.
Rogers, Charles W., n.'il.
Rogers, Edward (i.. 11.5;!.
Rogei-s. Ered 1).. 1028.
Roletle. .Toe, 07.
Roman Catholic log chapel. 48.
Riimer. Frederick 11., 855.
Rose township. 030.
Roselawn C^Muetery, 379.
Rosness. I«ar.s. 704.
Roth, Charles C. 420.
Rolhrock. .I.ihn I,.. 111.3.
Rothsihlld. Harold .T.. 92.3.
Ftotliwcll. W.illcr Henr.v, .5!)9.
Round stone tower, 377.
Rr)inid tower, the. Eort Snelling tvicwi. 37,8.
Ro.vnl .\rch .Masons, 500.
Ruger, Thomas H., 312.
Rural mail delivery. 201. Rural schools, 202. R.van. Dennis. 418. Ryi)ins, I. L., 54.3.
Saengerfest of 1912. 598.
St. Agatha's Conservatory of Music and Art. 523.
St. Anthony hill. 392.
St. .Toscpli parish. .520.
St. .Tosepb's Hospital. ;i44.
St. .Toseph's Uo.'ipital (view). .524.
St. Louis' church. 519.
St. Luke's Hospital, .■{4.5.
St. Margaret's Guild. 582.
St. .Mary's church. 519.
St. .Michael's church. 519.
St. Paul mention, 10. 25. 4l'.. 48. .52. 54, .55. 00. S.'!. 85. !H>. 130, 141. 1.52, 100, 174. lit;!. 212. 219. .'iOS. 311. 312. 370,
375, :w;!. ;{87, :i88, ;!9i. ;!<);?. :!!>!•. 404,
405. 415. 449; Incorixiration and first election, ivi; great railroad excursion, 04; immigration and inflation. (i5 ; squelching of St. Peter's ambition, (i7 ; Medary snccecHls Gorman. 09; the "Sunrise ex|K'dition." 09; infla- tion and collapse. 70; murders and tirst execution. 71.
St. Paul .\cademy. 403.
St. Paul -Vnti-Tubcrculosis Coinniittee, .5.84.
St. Paul armory. Oio.
."^t. Paul Association of Commerce. 2.50.
St. Paul .\ssociation of Commerce build- ing (view). 255.
SI. P.uil .\uditorium. 422.
St. Paul Hoard of Trade. 24.S.
St. Paul Ciithedral, front elevation (view). 502.
St. Paul Catholic Historical Society. 521.
.St. Paul (,'entral high school (\iew), 4.52.
St. Paid Chamber of Coininerce, 240, ('►41.
St. Paul the capital city, St. Paul the convention city, see page 47.
St. Paul Clearing House. 290.
St. Paul College of Law, ."{25.
St. Paul Commercial Club. 248, 250, 004.
St. Paul Custom House, :{01.
"St. Paul Tiailv Dispatch." 3X5.
"SI, Paul Dally Globe," :!34. ■SI. Paul Dailv News," :«4.
"SI. Paul Daily Press." ,3,32.
"St. Paul Dispatch." 110.
St. Paul's Episcopal <-hnrch. .5.39.
.St. Paul Eire ainl .Marine Insurance Company, 4.5(i.
St. Paul's fnlnre development — St. Paul's start in the mce. 000; three large enterprises. OOS; projiosed Im- jvroveinents. 009; new lines of <>om- municatioii. oOit; tributary agrlcul- lural resources, 07ii; .\Ilnnesota^s timber wealth. 070; Incalculably val- uable mineral de]ioslt.s. (571 ; water |H)wers an<l electrical development.
INDEX
xxxin
G71 ; uatirjual eousideratious, G73 ; a dream of the future, G74.
St. Paul (Juards. (;12.
St. Paul hitxh school, -457.
"St. Paul" Hotel, 418.
St Paul Hotel (view), 421.
St. Paul ic-e ixilace, ISSS (view), IIG.
St. Paul Institute, 4G4.
St. Paul Institute of Science and Let- ters, 501.
St. Paul Institute School of Art, 504.
St. P.-uil .lol)lier's Union, 248.
St. Paul Libraiy Association, G8, 479.
St. Paul Liederkranz, 5t)7.
St. Paul's manufacturers — In support of home manufacturers, 273 ; pioneer in- dustrial plants, 273 ; industrial statis- tics, 274 ; St. Paul's niauufaeturing advantages, 276 ; as a workingnian's cit.v, 277 ; advantages in Epitome, 278; threatened slutting of indus- trial center, 279 ; St. Paul's indus- trial gain, 280; superlative local In- dustries, 281 ; vast future of water power, 285 ; effect on "city planning," 28G.
St. Paul market house, 153.
St. Paul JIusical Societv. 5!)7.
St. Paul National Bank, 294.
St. Paul Opera House, 101, 424.
St Paul's part in suppressing the Re- bellion, i:!0 ; Minnesota offers first union troops, 130 ; First Minnesota at Fort Snelling, 131 ; ordered to Vir- giuia, 132 ; arrives iu Washington, 1.34 ; first Ladies' Volunteer Aid So- cietj% 134 ; Minnesota s contribution to soldiery, 136 ; St. Paul's si^eeial participation, 136.
"St Paul Pioneer," 48.
"St. Paul Pioneer" Press, 333.
St. Paul's present greatness — The men of 1848 aud earlier, 651 ; geographi- cal and natural advantages, 653 ; Na- tional civic, military and railway cen- ter, 654 ; municipal, social, commer- cial, artistic and charitable, 654; what census figures show, 655 ; cli- matic advantages, 656 ; tributary acres easily cultivated, 6.56; jobbing and manufacturing, 656 ; wholesalers and farmers backed by capital, 658 ; produce commission business, 658 ; telegraph and telephone service, 660 ; New York no longer western stand- ard, 6G0 ; the greater St. Paul to come, 661.
St. Paul, the capital city, 151 — Imiwsing phyKi(iue, 151 ; St. Paul under many juri.sdictions, 1.52 ; territorial capi- tols, 152 ; old capitol burned, 153 ; new state capitol, 154 ; state officers and governors, 157 ; Ramsey's prophecy more than fulfilled, 159; corollaries of St. Paul's prominence, 160.
St. Paul, the convention city — compara- tive value of conventions, 404; St. Paul's record for the summer of 1911,
405 ; why it is a convention city, ■i(Mi ; Tliirtieth National Encamp- ment, G. A. K., 410; other conven- tions, 413.
St. I'aul soldiers' Monument 563.
St. Paul street lighting system, 388.
St. Paul Street Railway, 114.
St. Paul Symphony Orchestra, 599.
St. Paul Title and Trust Company, 4.50.
St. Paul Town Crier's Club, 258.
St. Paul Turnverein, 487.
St. I'aul Union De:x)t, 233.
St. I'aul Union Depot Company, 230.
St. Paul Union Stock Yards, 628.
St. Paul Volunteer Aid Society, 135.
St. Paul Water Company, 354.
St. Stanislaus church, 520.
Sanborn, John B., SO, 713.
Saulwrn, Walter H., 170. 324, 683.
Sai\--ation Army, .543, 58.5.
Scandinavian American Bank, 204.
Schaefer, Francis, J., 497
Scliaumburg, John H., 1132.
Scheffer, Albert, 118.
Seheffer, Herman, G12.
Schifl:man, Rudolph, 372, 593.
Schmidt, Carl B., 981.
Schmidt. Jacob, 1142.
Schmidt. Katlierine II., 1143.
Schollert, Peter J., 900.
Schollert, Victor, 900.
School for Indian children, 42.
Schoonmaker, James, 1007.
Schroeder, Emil C, 937.
Schroeder, Louis W., 868.
Sclmliert Club, 403. 600.
Schuldt F. C, 1019.
Schurman, C. S., 352.
Schurmeier, C. H., 6G.
Schwyzer, Arnold, 676.
"Science and Religion" over main door new Catholic cathedral (view). 481.
Sc-ott, Dred, 30.
Scott. L. N., 424.
Seabury, Chauning, 154, 908.
Sealiury. John E., 910.
Searles, Frank M., 930.
Second cathedral of St. Paul, 516.
Second Legislature. 58.
Second National Bank, 293.
Secret and fraternal orders — St. Paul Lodge No. 3, A. F. & A. M., 588; first grand lodge of Masons, 589 ; fomiatiou of grand chapter, R. A. M., 590 ; first grand council, 590 ; com- manderies. 591 ; pioneer Odd Fel- lows lodges, 592 ; encampment and grand lodge, 592 ; other St. Paul Odd Fellows lodges, 593; Mutual Benefit Society, 593; Odd Fellows block and home, 594 ; United Order of Diniids, 594 ; Knights of Pythias, 594; Ancient Order of United Work- men, 594 ; other fraternal bodies, 595.
Seeger, John A., 878.
Seibert. George, 101, 597.
Seidel, Oswald, 935.
XXXIV
INDEX
Selby, .1. W.. 5:53.
Selby Subway, 361).
Seminary of I'nitcd Norwegian Luth- eran chnrch, 477.
Senkler, A. 1'... S'-i'X
Seventh street, west from Robert (view), 2915.
Severance, Cordenio A., 1122.
Shaw, .Tolin ,1., li:i.
Shaw, Willis R., 757.
Shawe, Elsie M., (iliO.
Sbeehan, 'I'. J., 142.
Shepard, .T, W., 445.
Sbepley, Louis K.. S5S.
Sherburne t-oiiiity, ISO.
Sherman, Thomas H.. 491.
Sherman, W. T., 113.
Shields. .Tames, 77, 1181.
Sibley, flonry IL. 2.S. 2S7, :!17, llf.ii,
Sibley House Association, 403.
Siems. I'etor, S71.
Silver lake, 307. 031.
Sioux, 12, m.
Sioux land ^'rant, 22.
Sioux treatv, .")!).
Simons. Orlando, GO. 310.
Simonton, T. D.. 479.
Sixth Ward Conunercial Club, 2.")9.
Skiba. .7ohn V., 800.
SkoojiUin. Charles, 830.
Slawik. Ivmil, 795.
Sleeper, Ozro A., 10.50.
Sleman, ,7ohn B., Jr., .549.
Sleppv, William J.. 990.
Smalley, E. V., 240.
Smith, Charles E., 343.
Smith, E. K., M.
Smith, .Tames. Jr., 223.
Smitli, J. Stearns, 309.
Smith. Leland TV, 1030.
Smith. Lyndon A., 707.
Smith, Robert A., 01. 070.
Smith, Samuel O., 459.
Smith, Truman M., 07, 2.S8.
Smith, Walter J.. 1108.
Smitli, William W., 030.
Smith I'ark. G, .370.
Snyder, (Mrs,) F. IL. 590.
Social and political beuinninss, 41; a jiost-ollice town, 41 : school for In- dians, 42; first real hotel opened, 43; • cart brigade and steamboat company, 43; a pivotal year (1848), 44; Min- nesota territory, 45 ; St. I'aul de<'lared the capital, 4<>; "Si. I'aul I'lonoer" founded. 48; Indians lijvcs(i;,'ale civillzallon, 49; religious and moral foundations, 49; settlers of ]8:«-48, 50.
Societies (See Secret and Fraternal Orders).
Society for the Relief of the Poor, HSii.
Soldiers Home grounds. .374,
Soldiers' monument (view), .557.
Sons of the American Revolution, .507.
Sons of Ilernianii, .595.
Sons of Veterans, 570.
••Soo" lino, 228.
Sources of other river systems, 2,
South St. Paul, 028.
Spanish American War, 139.
Special assessments, 387.
Spencer, George H., 143.
Sperrj-, James F.. 058.
Spink, John H.. 822.
Splittstoesser. Karl, 780.
Squires, George C, 579.
Stafford. John, 471.
Stage c-oach era. 20S.
Starkey, Albert R.. 702.
StarUey, James, 03.
Starley, James, 09.
State Bar Association. 325.
State capitol built in 1882 (view). 100.
State capitol burned, 113.
State caidtol (view), 150.
State drainage law, 19:!.
State Fairs— First territorial fair, 426; fairs of the State Agricultural So- ciety, 420 ; fair grounds and North- western Exixjsition, 428 ; agricul- tural interests of Minnesota, 4.30; comparative state exhibits. 431 ; the 1911 State Fair, 4:C: distribution of premiums, 4:52 ; si)ecial features, 433 ; the State Fair of 1012, 433; live stfK-k and dairying. 434; miscel- laneous. 4:i4 ; .sonic of the county ex- hibits, 435; the agricultural fea- tures, 437 ; summing up for 1!)12, 4:iS; plans for the future. 4.30.
State government, 157.
State Historical Society I>ibrary, 405.
State law library, 322, 4.S2.
State supreme court. .321.
Steam lire engine. 101.
Steamlioat companies, 44, 214, 215.
Steamboat landing and Union Station (view), 220.
Steamer "Argo", 44.
Stebbins. Lewis C. 838.
Steele, Franklin, .52.
Steele, John, :t4(i.
Stsrner, Ernest G., 017.
Stevens. Fre<lerick C 170, 447, 1001.
Stevens, Hiram F., 374, 778.
Stewart, J. H., 99, 340.
Stickney, A. B., 029. 1112.
Stobbart, Arthur J.. 711.
Slockenstrom. Herman. 7.55.
Stockenstrom. Marv M. N.. 7.50.
Stockyards National Bank. 294.
Stone, Alexander J., 117, 'M-.
Stone, Cal. S., (105.
Stone implements and -weapons, 497.
Stone, fjine K., 247, 445.
Straiip, Jeremiah J.. 8:i4.
Streets, avenues and homes — Truthful rhapsody, ;!.S.3; "Father Raiul.ill." :!S4 ; advantages of good striH'ts. :i.S5 ; correcting old errors. :t,SO ; organized olliclal work, :iS7 ; steady incrciise of rc-al estate values, :i,S!t; Illustration of enlightened <'ily planning. :!S'.»; •The City Better," :!!•!; be«iutlful and coinfortid)le homes, :!01.
INDEX
Street of palaces, 127.
Street railways charter, ITC,
Stringer, Edward S., 567.
Strong, C. D., 240.
Strong, Freeman P., S3o.
Suburban commercial clubs, 25S.
Suburban towns — City and suburbs closely related. 626 ; directly tribu- tai-y to St. Paul, 627 ; south St. Paul and other Dakota county suburbs, 62S: North St. Paul, 630 ; electricity a distributor, 631 ; other New Can- ada suburbs, 632 ; White Bear Lake region, 632; Mound's View township, 635 ; Rose township as suburban ter- ritory, 636 ; Ramsey county's fine roads, 637.
Suburbs of St. Paul (first mentioned), 13.
Suburbs (See Suburban Towns).
Sullivan, Patrick A., C22.
Summer resorts, 194.
Summit avenue, 1, 366.
Summit avenue (view), 386.
Sundberg, Victor C. 933.
"Sunrise expedition", 69.
Superintendents of public schools, 456.
Swanstrom, A. P.. 590.
Swedenborgian churches, 541.
Taliaferro, Lawrence, 26.
Tallest building in the world, Broad- way, New York (Cass Gilbert, of St. Paul, architect), 511.
Taylor, James Knox, 510.
Taylor, James W., .332.
Taylor, S. S., 547.
Taylor, W. H. H., 559.
Taylor, Zachaiy, 30.
Telegraph service, 600.
Telephone service, 660.
Temperance speech to Indians, 56.
Ten soldier governors, 139.
Terry, A. H., 115, 312.
Territorial supreme court, 321.
Territorial and state capltol (view), 66.
Territorial pioneers of Minnesota, 575.
Thaung, John G., 1044.
Third legislature, 59.
Thirtieth National Encampment, G. A. R.. 410.
Thompson, Margaret K., Sol.
Thompson, S. A., 635.
Thomi>son, William, 850.
Thompson, George, 116, 333.
Thompson, Horace. 95, 292.
Through rail connection with Boston and New York, 228.
Tiglie, Ambrose, 297.
Todd, Kav, 866.
Toltz, Max E. R., 736.
Toner, Hugh D., 955.
Torinus, George E., 868.
Torinus. Nancy, 868.
Towle, Patrick J., 1057.
Town and Counti-j' Club, 603.
Town pump, 174.
Trade with the Red River settlement, 43.
Tran.sportation and navigation (Early) — Dog-sledge traveling, 207 ; the Knowlton road, 208 ; the stage coach era, 208: Minnesota Stage Company, 209 ; "Pembina carts", 209 ; river transportation, 211 ; navigation of the Upper Mississippi, 212 ; business at St. Paul, 212 ; opposition to Galena Packet Company, 213 ; Northwestern Union Packet Company, 214 ; other steamboat companies, 214 ; present steamboat conditions. 216 ; "Diamond Jo" Reynolds, 216 ; romance of the Mississippi, 216 ; Minnesota river navigation, 216.
Treaty of Septemher 29, 1837, 35.
Tributary agricultural resources, 670.
Tributary to St. Paul, 185.
Triumphal arch of the Great Northwest (view), 231.
Trout hrook, 9.
Trout brook grist-mill, 274.
Trust companies, 296.
Twilight Club, 483.
Twin City Rapid Transit Company, 365.
Twin City street car lines (map), 64.3.
Twin City, The — The two cities be- trothed, 640; commercial union. 640; hand of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, 642 ; Miuneaixilis de- clines, 642; reply of St. Paul Cham- ber of Commerce, 643 ; comparison with other great cities, 645 ; the fu- ture Twin City, 646; one grand union depot, 648 ; development of MinneaiX)lis. 649.
Twin City, The — St. Paul and Minne- ajwlis (view), 638.
mine, C, S.. 99, 557.
Underwood, Eugene, 114, 176.
Union GJospel Mission, .585.
Union Veteran Union, 509.
Unitarian church, 542.
United Association of Commercial Travellers, 604.
United Order of Druids. 594.
"United Singers of St. Paul," 598.
United States Army recruiting station, 312.
United States circuit court, 324,
United States Civil Service Board, 311.
United States collector of internal rev- enue, 311.
United States Engineer Office, 311.
United States Geological Survey, 311.
United States Navy recruiting station, 312.
United States Secret Service, 311.
United States Weather Bureau, 312.
Unity church, 542.
Universalist church, 542.
University Club, 604.
University of Minnesota, 453, 467.
Upham, H. P., 292.
X.XXVl
INDEX
Uphaiu, Warren, 1071.
Vacation schools, 4(>0.
Van Cleve, Charlotte O., 31.
Van Diizeo. C. \.. (iU.
Van Saiit. Sainuel K., 701.
Van Slvik. i;ei(r;;c l'\, 11(>7.
Van Sl.vke, William A.. 17S. .■{71.
Views— Falls of .Minnehaha. :! ; Falls of St. Anthony. 14: old hlm'k house, Ft. Snelling, 2G: tirst chaiiel of SI. I'anI, :iS; first conrt house. 4c; corner of third and Robert streets, 18.51, ".0; territorial and state cajiitol, (iC ; yachtins; on Wliite He:ir lake near St. Paul, 70; International Hole] linrned in ISOO, !»:i; state cai)itol built in 1SS2, 100; Fort Snellin?. Ill; St. rani Ice Palace. ISaS, IK!; Slinne- hali.i Falls in winter, 123; new Ft Snellinj: bridjre. 1.S2; state capitol, l.'o: j^rand stairway and dome cor- ridors, l.")4 : Kovernor's room, state cajiilol, 1(17; city hall and conrt house, 172; Hurt Pool mine, ISO; harvesting Held of wheat. Universitj- Farm, 190; Grand Marais state ditch, Polk county. 203; bird's-eye view of Mississippi and wholesale district, 211 ; steamboat landing and T'nion station. 22(1; triumphal arch of the Creal Nortliwcst. 2.';i ; \ew York Lite bnildinjr. 241 : St. Paul .Vs- sociation of (Vinnnerce bnililini.', 2."i."> ; Park Square and wholesale distrid, 207 ; ))ew plant of St, Paul Br«id Company, 2S4 ; seventh street, west from Robert, 20.".; jjost ollice, 29,S; custom house, 311 ; Lowry building, 320; "Pioneer'' building, corner Fourth and Robert streets, :!:!! ; City Hospital, 344; public b.-iths. Harriet Island. 34.S; High bridge and City hospital, 3.-)i;; east entrance to Selby avenue tunnel, 307; entrance anil waiting room, Conio Park, 371; the Roinid Tower. Fort Snelling, 378; Suimnit avenue, ,'!.S0 ; bird's-eye view of Seven Corners. 4(iO; .\udiloriiun. 40.-.; Hotel Ryan. 4111; St. Paul Hotel, 421 ; Minnesota Stale l''alr grounds, 420; Site of New Connnerce building in 1,S,j7, 443; St. Paul Cen- tral high school, 452; Pillsbury Hall. Slate University, 408; .Macalester College 474; Central High School, 4.".2 ; ■■S<4ence and religion" over main door, new Catholic Cathedral. 481 ; I be Kenslni;ton rune sti.nc. 4'.IS; St. Paul Catbedr.'il, front elevation, .'jtC'; tallest building in tin- world Bn.adw.iy, .New York (Cass (JliI.ert of St. Paul, archltiKt), .-.11; New Cdtliedral. now In course of construc- tlt.n. ,-.27; St. .losepb's Hospital, .".21; ("(•ntral Presl.ylerinn clnn-cb, .-.3.".; .New Y. M. C. A. building. .''.48; A.l- uilnistratioii building, .Minnesota Sol-
dier.s' Home. .Minnehaha Falls, 5G2; Soldiers monument, 557: falls In the SI. Paul region, 570; new Masonic Temple, ,-.S!l; Odd Fell<.ws Home. .Niirtbticld. .503; KIks club house, (j(l3; llie .Vrmory. 010; pavilion anil water- fri.nt. White Rear lake, (i.".:; ; the Twill City — St. Paul and .Miuneaiwlis, 038; 'ail roads lead to Saint Paul," (1.52.
Villard. Henry, 113. 120.
Villaume. Kugeiie. 02!).
Villaume. .7., 574.
Vincent, (J. E.. 408.
Voga Literary Society, 4.88.
"Volkszcitnng." .■{34. 1105.
Volunteer tire department. .3.->3.
Wagener. .John, 0,8:i.
Walsb, Richard A., lOl.S.
"Wanderer" (Der), 33,-.,
Wann, ,Iolin. .'SOd.
War of 1S12. 2(1.
Warner. Charles I).. 120.
Warner, Henry A., .820,
Warner. Reuben, 3,-.4.
Washburn, William D., 119, 228, 11,50.
Washington, Lawrence G„ 870.
Water in.wers, 180, 2.85, 071.
Water j.ower cor|K.ration. 025.
\. ater supply. 355.
Waters. Kdward A., 024.
Watkins. \ictor M.. .-.NO.
Watson, .1. ,1., 240.
Weber, John, 701.
Webster, William B., 1114,
Wee<i, Jam(»s II., 204, 802.
Welz, F. R.. 420.
West Fnd Commercial Club, 259.
W<>st Publishing Oinipany. ,337.
West St. Paul annexed. 178.
West St. Paul. I(i7. 175.
West St. Paul Park, 37,3,
"West St. Paul Times," .3,37,
West Side Liedertafel, .508,
Westfall, William P., 10.52.
Wliart Mfreil, .'141.
Wbeatnn, C. A„ 341,
Wheeler, Rush P.. 712.
WhecN.ck, ,losei.b A„ 00, 201, 3.32. 11.57.
White Hear, :',r,S.
White Pear lake. O.'!.'!.
White P.ear township, 0.32.
While, Robert, 107.'t.
Wliite sandstone. 5.
While, Truinan !<.. 97.'!.
Wbilmore. Frank W.. 798.
Whitney. Arthur W., 1041.
WbilMcy. ,Ioel i:.. 1177.
WlK.lcsale business, 0,58,
Wiegand, Charles H.. 824.
"Wild-Cat" banks. 70. 2.S7.
Wild lluiilcr Ih.tel. 417.
Wlble, Francis F.. 87.5.
Wihler. Amherst H.. 05, .5.80.
•Wilder Charily," .5.8,5.
WIldwiKid. 307.
Wilkin, Westcolt, .'122.
INDEX
XXXVll
Wilkinson, Clarence R.. 1044.
Wilkinson. Morton S.. 45, 1G4.
Wilhu-d (The), 420.
Willey, Samuel, 00.
Williams, Henry L., 479.
Williamson, T. S.. 42.
Willis. John W., 170.
Willius, Ferdinand, 10.5, 204.
Willins, (Jiistav. 204.
Wilkiujihhy & Powers' stage line, 208,
Willwersc-heid, John A., 720.
Wilson. Thomas. 322.
Wilson, Wilford L., 169, 535.
Wilson, Woodrow. 405.
Winehell, N. H.. 494.
Wind.sor Hotel, 41S.
Winslow House, 416.
Winter Carnival Association, IIG.
Winter E. W., 484.
W'iuter trip to Galena, 65.
Wisconsin Central Railroad, 227.
Withy. (Mrs.) George T., 757.
Wolff. Albert, 334.
Woman's campaign, 397.
Woman's Civic League, 402.
Woman's Relief Corps. 5G9.
Women's Christian Home, 58.3.
W^omen's Work E.xchauge, 585.
Wood, Frank. 597.
wood, Fred B., 610, 967.
Wood, James D.. 1059.
Wood Lake. 148.
Wright, .Vmbrose P., 761.
Wright, B, F.. 102.
Wright county war, 72,
Wright, Frederick P., 171, G12, 078.
Yachting on White Bear lake near St.
Paul (view), 76. Yanish, Edward, ,301, 862. Young, George B.. 170. Young Men's Christian Association St.
Paul, 478, 545. Young Women's Christian Association.
550. "Young Republicans," 169.
Zimmermann, E. O., 411.
St. Paul and Vicinity
CHAPTER I
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS.
Tributary to St. Paul — Picturesque Minnesota and St. Paul — Geology of St. Paul and Vicinity — Artificial Changes — De- funct Lakes.
The city of St. Paul, county-seat of the county of Ramsey and capital of the state of Minnesota, is located at the head of navigation on the Mississippi river, being built on both banks of that stream, in latitude 44 degrees, 53 minutes north and longitude 93 degrees, 5 minutes west.
Enthroned upon an amphitheatre of circling terraces, calmly presiding over the Father of Waters, St. Paul deserves the meter of a majestic ode. But a tenderer muse entreats an audience, bringing to memory's vision suburbs of dainty lakes and wooded shores — nature's beauty spots so generously strewn around that one must strive to keep in mind that this Arcadia is really Minnesota !
Gorgeous summers, bracing autumns, healthful winters, and most tender springs glide panorama-like in recollection until, with exhilara- tion, one remembers that the sunny city, with its pure invigorating air, has brought back health to many a worn and jaded traveler and given new sparkle to weary eyes, turned towards it, as to their last Mecca of earthly hope.
St. Paul is famous throughout the country for the beauty of her residence streets and boulevards.
Nature has been so bountiful here that even critical Paul Bourget found only reverent language for the loveliness of Summit avenue.
Winding along the irregular crest of a high terrace, this charming street overlooks the silvery Mississippi far below, and from between palatial residences affords glimpses of scenery so beautiful and grand as to be comparable only to views of the Hudson or the Rhine.
And then, the Hill of Homes ! Nestled among shady trees in spacious grounds of varied architecture, eloquent of individual taste, these homes speak with no uncertain voice of the softer leisure-side of the energetic men, who, down in the solid phalanx of the business section, have wrought for the city. Involuntarily we are practical, and recall with what quick acumen these men saw that this central location, with its vast adjacent territory at the head of navigation, must grow to be a
Vol. I— 1
1
2 ST. PAll, AXn \]("1\1TV
great metropolis. J{ver conservative, they resisted the riattering tempta- tions of wild inflation, and, through the aftermath of reactive linancial strain, steadily conducted their enterprises along safe channels to legi- timate conclusions ; and St. Paul stands unique today, with solid banks and great wholesale interests unshaken by the troublous limes through which it has i:)assed.
Jts beautiful location, on these natural terraces is nut alone artistic; it has rendered simple one of the most perfect sewerage systems in the world. Statistics show St. Paul to be wonderfully free from disease, with an exceptionally low rate of mortality.
Triuut.vkv to St. Paul
The region which acknowleges St. Paul as its trade center now con- tains about .six millions of people. This region embraces all of the state of i\Iinnesota, the northwestern .section of Wisconsin, the northern ])art of Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota. .Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah and Oregon, and, so far as tariff laws will permit commercial in- tercourse, the vast Northwestern Provinces of the Dominion of Canada. All this iinmense territory is being rapidly tilled up, and its limit of de- velopment is still far in the future. No city can possibly have a more substantial basis of assured anfl continuous progress.
St. Paul stands in the golden heart of the North .\merican conliiicni. Visitors who have traveled from Charleston and Savannah have only reached the half-way station. Lying farther away, in a due northwest course, than St. Paul lies from Savannah, is the limit of prospective settlement, with every intermediate square mile fertile, and destined to be densely populated with the hardiest race of men in America. Not one acre in fifty of that territory has ever felt a plowshare, but the tide of colonization is rolling steadily on. \'isitors wlio have ascended the royal Mississippi for two thousand miles have only reached in .Minne- sota the headsprings of other river systems flowing to the northern and eastern seas from the rich table land, which thus easily dominates all the great commercial arteries of the hemisphere.
It will be demonstrated, in subsequent chapters of this work, that the resources of the country tributary to St. Paul are as varied as the loca- tion is eligible — that, instead of being exclusively a prairie state, with conditions of agriculture limited to those natural to the prairies, Minne- sota has certain other very notable advantages. Fully one-third of her area is covered by belts of hardwood and extensive forests of pine. The largest body of standing pine in the United Slates is in Minnesota. Its frontage on Lake .Superior gives an enormous lake commerce, by cheap water transportation, in wheat. Hour, iron ore and lumber, eastward, with return cargoes of merchandise and coal from the lower lake ports. Furliiermore, the state is traversed for hundreds of miles, and bordered on its southeast boundary for a long distance, by the great Mississipjii river, which is navigable in .Minnesota for a distance of more than four hundred miles, and aft'ords a great central artery of water transporta- tion. The Minnesota. St. Croix. .St. Louis and Red Lake rivers and the Red River of the North are also navigable waterways. These and other rivers, with their innumerable tributaries, water every part of the state and furnish many line i)owcrs. In its northeastern counties, Miinie.sota possesses the most valuable deposits of iron ore in the world, for the reason that it ranks as P.esscmcr in its quality for steel-making .-intl can
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 3
be mined at a lower cost than the deposits of any other country. These immense ore bodies make a special industry, which, like that of the lum- bering operations, employs a large number of working men at good wages, and affords an excellent home market for all kinds of farm products. Minnesota has, besides its immense supplies of timber, large quarries of granite, sandstone, limestone, jasper and slate, which form the basis of an important industry for supplying building material. One of the minor special industries of ^Minnesota is the fishery business, w'hich is carried on extensively on Lake Superior and, to a large ag- gregate extent, on the multitude of interior lakes which dot the surface of the state. --\ number of these lakes are large bodies of water. Red
"Where the Falls of Minnehah.i Flash and gleam among the oak trees. Laugh and leap into the valley."
Lake covers an area of 160.000 acres; Alillc Lacs, 130,000 acres; Leech lake, 114,000 acres; Vermillion. 64,000 acres; Winnibigoshish, 56,000 acres, and a number of others more than 10,000 acres each. The myraid of lakes in the state are generally deep, spring-fed sheets of clear water. The lakes and streams are full of excellent varieties of fish, and wild game is abundant.
Picturesque Minnesota and St. Paul
A writer in one of the city newspapers epitomizes the bountiful re- sources and irresistible attractions of this affluent commonwealth in this appreciative rhapsody: ^'Minnesota — land of the sky-tinted waters — spreading thy expanse of fertile, verdant beauty under the bluest skies
4 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
in the world; reflecting their azure in ten thousand dimpHng lakes and shattering their sunshine into diamonds in as many sparkling streams. Nothing that thy children can ask of thee is asked in vain. Deep in the foundations of thy rocky north the ancient fires melted and poured the metals, more precious than gold or silver, to be molded into mobile forms wherein the modern fires have breathed the breath of power and life, or to be spun by cunning hands into glistering gossamer webs to carry the harnessed lightnings. Here Nature hewed and carved the pine shafts of vast shadowy, wdiispering temples that thy sons and daughters might have dwellings. Thy ])rairies were spread in the young centuries of the world to await and to reward the sowers who should fertilize the granary of the earth. Thy southern, many-watered pastures, feed the uncounted cattle of an empire. There is fruit upon thy hillsides and thy valleys, over-poured with richness. Mighty cities have been born of thee and the smokes of unnumbered happy hearthstones rise like a pillar of cloud to guide men to the promised land. Thy boundaries are the walls of a plenteous storehouse ; the margins of a page that is a rubric in America's liturgy of praise !"
The landscape now embraced within the districts of St. Paul visible from "ATounds Park" must have been picturesque in the extreme, before the hand of the white man intervened to modify its wild, quiet beauties. Then the bluffs were crowned with majestic trees and the bottom lands above, below and opposite the city, were a dense grove where the pri- meval forests grew in unchecked luxuriance. In 1854 Mr. R. O. Swee- ney counted the rings on a large tree that had been cut down near the upper levee and found over six hundred annual rings, indicating an age of over six centuries. In these forests the deer, the bear and the buffalo roamed freely, disturbed occasionally by the wily Indian, whose skin tepee was frequently pitched in the bottom lands along the margin of the river. Standing on the edge of the plateau, or second table, where the Wabasha street bridge now starts, the eye would then have wandered over a sea of foliage on the bench below, through which rolled the placid river, unvexed by anything more elaborate than the squaw's birch canoe.
It is within the recollection of many citizens that much of the site of St. Paul was a tangled jungle, a wilderness of trees and bushes, and rocks, and long swamp grass and reeds, a spot almost inaccessible except for musk-rats and aquatic fowls. As late as 1855 wild ducks were shot on marshes where now stand some of our most durable business blocks. Where the musk-rat built his queer abode or the fox burrowed in the rocks, are now the homes of more than 200,000 people, many of them built in the highest style of elegance and furnished with every appliance of comfort that human ingenuity and taste can devise, or wealth pro- cure.
Geology of St. Paui- .\nd Vicinity
The savants say that our globe was originally a mass of molten gran- ite. The cooling process was a slow one and ages passed while it was a rough, ragged mass, the skeleton of the future earth. Abrasion and erosion ground the surfaces of the mass into powder. Oceans swept over it. Chemical clianges operated on it. Next our sand-rock was laid down. This singular formation underlies the old limestone of the upper Mississippi valley, from St. Peter to Rock Island. Then came the magnesian limestone of which our bluffs are composed. Here fossil life begins.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 5
The Reptilian age came on. Huge monsters wallowed and splashed in the muddy water, which in time hardened into splendid building stone.
During the ■'Glacial period" the edges of the limestone strata along Dayton's Bluff and West St. Paul, were ground smooth and polished by the sliding of the icebergs on their way down from the north. The Mississippi of that day must have flowed from bluft' to bluff. Baptist hill, a huge pile of rocks and boulders and gravel and sand, was evidently deposited, like a great sand-bar, by a whirl or eddy of the wild waters and icebergs. Perhaps the stream wore its way through the limestone rock for many miles, since the Falls of St. Anthony have receded several hundred yards even since the white man settled here. But the Glacial period passed. Its duration cannot be estimated. Vegetation appeared. The earth rejoiced in scenes of beauty. -Man, rude and uncouth, ap- pears on the scene. The age of flint, then of bronze, the era of the mound-builder and the red man succeeded — each an indefinite period, ter- minated by the advent of the white explorer. From this period on, the mile-stones of history are plainly visible.
The geological formation at and near St. Paul, with special mention of the soft white sandstone, which is so notable a feature, was first of- ficially described in Professor Owen's Geological Survey of Iowa, Wis- consin and ^Minnesota. He said that at Fort Snelling the sandstone is one hundred and fourteen feet thick ; it is here of a pure white color composed of loosely cemented grains of quartz. Above this we have twenty-two feet of fossiliferous limestone, with numerous organic re- mains, similar to those at the Falls of St. Anthony. The fossils of the upper beds are mostly casts, but the moulds often show the structure of the original surface. Many of the fossils have a coating of sulphuret of iron, which gives a bright metallic appearance.
The best section of these rocks observed in Minnesota is at a bluflf half a mile below Fort Snelling. The section here is as follows:
(i) White sandstone, without fossils, in thick beds 92 feet
(2) Soft argillaceous marlite of a blue color, in which no fossils were dis-
covered 5 feet
(3) Ash-colored limestone, clouded with blue, full of fossils. These layers
eflfervesce freely with acids and contain nearly 65 per cent of car- bonate of lime. They will probably afford the best rock for burning
into lime of any of the beds in the neighborhood. Thickness 15 feet
The composition of this rock is as follows:
Carbonate of lime 64.85
Carbonate of magnesia I3-7S
Insoluble matter 12.40
Alumina, oxide of iron and manganese 7-50
Water 1.25
Loss 0J2S
100.00
(4) .^sh-colored. argillaceous, hydraulic limestone, in thin layers sometimes
with a conchoidal fracture. It effervesces slightly with acids, and
disintegrates rapidly when exposed to the weather S feet
fs) Grayish buff-colored, highly magnesian limestone, with numerous casts of fossils, etc
About half a mile above St. Paul, near the entrance of a small cave, the sandstone has an elevation of only fourteen feet above the river level, and on it rests eleven feet of shell limestone.
At St. Paul, the strata again rise. Here the cliffs are from seventy to eighty feet high, of which the lower sixty-five feet consists of white
0 ST. i'.\n. AM) \ K ixnv
sandstone, llic remainder being shell limestone. .About tme mile below this point the hills recede from the river.
.Xktu-u l.\L C'lIA.\t;liS
It is proudly claimed by residents, and freely conceded by visitors, that St. Paul possesses, to an exceptional degree, a varied and pleasing landscape. IClevations from which can be viewed long reaches of river bluft's on the (jne hand, and a broad expanse of gently undulating sur- face on the other, are found in many j)aris of the city. But the contour of several large districts within its limits has been so materially altered by expensive grading, filling, draining and bridging as to bear little re- semblance to the original aspect.
A striking examjile of the changes thus wrought by tlie hand of man is found in the business section where are located most of the extensive jobbing houses, as well as the railroad general offices, the freight houses and the net-work of steel tracks on which the big trains from all direc- tions roll into the Union depot. Nearly all the space from Fourth street to the river, from Sibley street to Dayton's Bluff, and for some distance beyond Fourth street, up to Trout brook and Phalen creek, which at this point are in one valley, was a bottomless bog.
Occujning the space between Jackson street and 1 '.roadway, from Fourth to Seventh streets, stood the high drift hill called by various names, as IMount Pisgah, Baptist hill and Burbank's hill. It was best known as ISaptist hill from the fact that a 15aptist church once stood ui)on its summit. A sjjur of this hill followed the line of F^ifth street to Neill street, or a little below, and thence up Neill to Seventh street, connecting there with one running from Kittson street to Westminster avenue, which formed the left bluff of Trout brook for a long distance uj) that stream.
.'^ibley street was graded thnnigh Maplist hill in 1X7(1, making a cut of lifty-one feel. That was about the highest part of the hill and the point from which cannon salutes were lired during the Civil war in honor of Union victories, and after the war in honor of political tri- umphs. Fifth street was graded through this hill in 1877; Sixth street, the same year, and W'acouta street, in 1878. When these four streets had been cut through they left the block hounded by them standing as a plateau about fifty feet high. The material of which it was composed was needed in other places not f;ir distant, by reason of which this plateau and the remainder of the hill has long since disappeared, leav- ing scarcely a trace of its existence. .\ large j^ortion of the material was used in making the present railroad yards, lifting them above the level of the bog. The area bounded b\ the fnur streets last n.imed is now Smith Park.
At one time there was a considerable settlement of prominent citi- zens on Baptist hill, l)esides the church which gave its name. The I'nr- bank residence, a large two-story brick house, occupied a sightly jtosi- tion on the front of the bluff facing the river and from it a magnificent view of the river scenery could be had. On the ground once occupied by that hill now stand massive business blocks.
Where the Union de])ot now stands, and nearly all the space occupied by those miles of steel rails in the dei)ot yards, forty years ago was a literal slough of despond. The original Union depot building was on a pile foundation and the walls cracked to such an extent as to make the
ST. PAUL AXD \1CIXITY 7
structure unsafe. This building was burned June ii, 1884, the inside being completely destroyed. It was immediately restored and improved.
The first railroad operated in Minnesota was the St. Paul & Pacific, now a section of the Great Northern. Its first track extended from St. Paul to St. Anthony, a distance of ten miles. Instead of attempting to fill in a road bed through the quagmire from Trout brook to the little station on Sibley street, the builders of this track drove piles, made a trestle, and laid their rails thereon. The river division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway also came into the city on piles over that slough, for the same reason that it apparently had no bottom. Both roads gradually filled in a road bed. Now, all that flat has been filled until it is from five to ten feet above its former level.
Several years ago the Union Depot Company, with the consent of the United States government, filled in a portion of the river, of the fol- lowing dimensions : beginning at the Chicago-Great Western draw- bridge and extending 4,300 feet down the river to Phalen creek, with an average width of 100 feet and a maximum width of about 190 feet, making a total of. 430,000 square feet, or ten acres. In 1901 the "St. Paul" Railway Company, also with government authority, filled in a strip in front of a portion of this area, beginning at Broadway and ex- tending down the river to a point below Phalen creek, leaving an open- ing for that stream. The length of the fill is 3,000 feet, with an average width of one hundred and fifty feet and a maximum width of about two hundred and forty feet. The total area thus filled is twelve acres.
In making these fills, the railroads have covered seven islands that appear on early maps, six of which bore the names of pioneers. On one of these islands once stood Prince's Rotary Steam Saw Mill, its loca- tion being nearly opposite the foot of John street. It was destroyed by fire before its site was wanted by the railroad people, and thus, as an old settler naively remarks, "It died respectably."
The Chicago-Great Western Railway, some twenty years ago, ac- quired a strip of the river on the west side with the following dimen- sions: the fill begins at South Wabasha street and extends to South Robert street with a width of four hundred feet, and also includes two blocks west of South Wabasha street and one block east of South Robert street, making a total of something over twenty acres.
Starting at Third street, between Sibley and Jackson streets, a ravine existed in the early days of St. Paul, running in a west-northwest direc- tion, so that it entered the south line of Fourth street near the middle of the block, and, continuing in the same direction, reached the west line of Jackson street at the northwest corner of that and Fourth street and passed on for some distance. The ravine was quite wide, and deep enough to allow the river, in times of unusally great freshets, to back up into the gulley as far as Jackson street to a depth sufficient to float a light skift'. The bottom of the ravine at that point was from thirty to thirty- five feet below the present grade of Jackson and Fourth streets at their junction.
On the north side of the ravine Lott ^Iof¥et kept a tavern called the Temperance House. When the street was graded the house was left in the depression and nearly hidden from view, and as the street grade was raised MofTet would build higher. Finally he built another edifice which enclosed the original one, living in the old house until the new one had a roof on it, when he took the old house out in pieces. The city paid him several hundred dollars in bonds for damages on account
8 ST. PAUL AND \'ICINITY
of this change in street grading. He had about three stories below the street. His new edifice, on account of its pecuhar and original archi- tecture, was called "Moffet's Castle." The Hackney building, formerly the First National Bank, now occupies this site.
Nearly all the territory from Jackson street west to Wabasha be- tween Fourth and Ninth streets, tributary to the ravine just described, has been filled in from a few inches to fifteen or more feet. There are a few spots where the limestone remains in place, the principal one being the site of the Court House ; but the northeast corner of that building hangs over the clay cliff, both the limestone and sandstone being absent.
In 1883 the wooden bridge over Phalen creek on East Seventh street, Iniilt in 1873, had become so decayed as to be dangerous and it was condemned. Then came the serious question of what should replace it. Finally it was decided to make a solid fill with stone arches over the railroad tracks and the creek. It was a very large undertaking, for the valley was about one hundred feet deep and several blocks in width, but plenty of material was at hand in the deep cuts which. would necessarily be made, to produce a proper grade ascending eastward to the summit of the Seventh street hill. The excavated earth would have to be de- posited somewhere — another instance of Nature's careful regard for the law of supply and demand, as frecpiently illustrated in creating the pres- ent land surface of the city of St. Paul.
Oakland avenue, a street running upward along the bluff from Ram- sey street to Summit avenue, was opened in 1885 at a cost of about $51,500. The city contributed $20,000 in bonds toward its cost. The assessment for the' balance was spread over a large area. The especial object for which the street was constructed was to afford an approach by street cars to the south side of St, .Anthony Hill. The Grand avenue line to Groveland Park traverses this incline. The tunnel through which the Sibley avenue cars climb the hill is a recent construction.
When Jackson street was cut through a part of the "Hog-back," in order to open up a direct route to Oakland cemetery and the district,, beyond, a very deep excavation was made. But there were marshy streets below waiting for a large portion of the material taken from the south side and dee]) hollows to the northward for that taken from that side.
Where the stately white marble capilol now stands was a hill forty feet high, mostly comi)osed of excellent building sand, which was carted away and used.
When Dale street was graded north from Laurel avenue, it passed through three small lakes between Dayton avenue and Carroll street. There was a cut of twelve feet at Carroll street and plenty of room on Block 25, or on Carroll street west of Dale, at which to deposit the material taken out.
Defunct Lakes
A large number of lakes that existed within the city area only a few years ago have disappeared from the face of the earth, and only dry land is seen where they once rested. Forty years ago there was a beauti- ful lake in the ravine that is now occupied by Oxford street. Its south end was somewhere near the part of the ravine where Carroll street crosses and it extended north one block bevond l'ni\crsitv avenue. One
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 9
of the children of 'Sir. Lake who hved on its shores was drowned in sixteen feet of water near its home. The lake has entirely disappeared and dw-ellings cover the site. ,A chain of three lakes beginning near Dayton avenue on the line of Dale street, had an outlet at the north- west corner of Kent and Carroll streets, crossing Kent street under a bridge and into a valley where it was finally absorbed.
In the suburb of ^lacalester Park a large but shallow lake was plat- ted. A beautiful sheet of water once reposed in a fine grove of native trees on Dayton's bluft', at the junction of Hastings avenue and Cypress street. It has disappeared and can properly be classed with the extinct lakes.
There are now only two visible water courses within the city limits, if we do not count the many springs and brooklets of the Fish Hatch- ery water supply. These two remaining are Phalen creek and Trout brook, which enter the ^Mississippi near Dayton's bluflf as one stream, though their sources are far apart. Trout brook has three principal sources, Sandy lake, McCarron lake and Nigger lake. The outlets of the first two unite at some distance above the points where the overflow from the last is received. They all pick up nurtierous small tributaries along their course. Phalen creek is not only the outlet of Lake Phalen, but it takes the overflow from Lakes Gervais, Kohlman and their tribu- taries ; also the drainage of North St. Paul and Gladstone.
Every change in the relationship of land and water has resulted in an increase of land. In not a single instance has the water surface within the city limits been increased. Hundreds of acres have been added to the land area of St. Paul within the past forty years by the drainage or filling up of lakes and ponds, besides the forty or fifty acres reclaimed from the river by and for the railroads. St. Paul's splendid sew-erage system is responsible for draining many of these shal- low ponds to the betterment, no doubt, of the salubrity of the atmosphere and health of her citizens.
CIIAP'J'ER II,
I'RF.-irrSTORlC ST. PAUT,
Tiiic Mound Huiluurs — ■'Tmc Rical Jxdiax" — Tiik Sioux ix 1834 — First Mkxtiox of St. Paul Region — Reckless Penesha. the VoYAGEUR — Carver, Advertiser of the Northwest — The Carver Claim to St. P.\ul. Etc. — Siou.x vs. Ojihwav — Another Land Owner.
It may ])roljalil_\- Ijc assumed that llie first Ininian inhabitant.s of the present site of St. Paul were of the mysterious race known as the Mound P.uilders. concerning whom and their monuments William Cul- len Bryant wrote :
"A race that long lias passed away. Built them ! A disciplined and populous race. Heaped, with long toil, the earth, wdiile yet the Greek Was hewing the Pentilicus to forms Of synmictry, and rearing on its rock. The glittering Parthenon. These ample fields Nourished their harvests. Here their herds were fed When haply by their styles the bison lowed. .\nd how'd his maned shoulder to the yoke. .\II day this desert nuirniurcd witli iheir toils Till twilight blushed, and lovers walked and woo'd fn a forgotten language, and old tunes I'rom instruments of unremcmbercd form. Gave the soft winds a voice."
As to these people, imagination must he relied on to furnish a pedi- gree, a career and a destiny, since authentic information is wholly lacking. But both poetry and fiction necessarily pause at the point where illusions cease to be illuminating and facts arc demanded.
The Mound Builders
Who and what the Mound Builders were, whence they came, their history and ultimate fate, are wrajipod in an impenetrable mystery that will [)erhai)s always baflle the most industrious student. Many plausible theories concerning them have been advanced. It is generally agreed that they were a simple and somewhat ingenious race, who subsisted partly by cultivating the earth and partly by the chase, and were more civilized than the Red Race who subse(|uently occupied this region. By what means the\' disappeared will never be known, but it is beyond doubt that they vanished centuries ago
Tlie only memorials (jf their existence that have survived are the mounds that lie scattered about, generally but erroneously called Indian Mounds. The Indians deny that their race built theuL asserting that
10
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 11
their fathers found them here when they first possessed the land. Many of these mounds have been identified on the site of St. Paul, notably those of Dayton's blufif, which form the nucleus of the splendid Mounds Park. A few of them are very large, showing that the Mound Builders must have lived for some time on this spot and in considerable num- bers. They are evidently of great age. Several have been excavated at times by antiquarians and human remains, beads, pottery and (ither relics of the pre-historic races discovered.
The object of these mounds has never been satisfactorily explained. Some regard them as memorials, others as sepulchral and some as re- ligious or sacrificial altars. Whatever they are, they possess absorbing interest and carry back the imagination to the period of the people who built them, and to the time when they dwelt on the very spot occupied by our hearthstones.
The Red Race, or Indians, came into possession after the Mound Builders, of this region and probably of the entire American continent, retaining the ownership until expelled step by step and year after year by the advance of the all-conquering Europeans.
The vicinity of the site where the city of St. Paul is built was a fre- quent halting place for the Dakotas, who were among the Ojibways or Chippewas known by a word in their dialect which means enemies (Nadousscioux) and, for brevity, called by the French traders Scioux or Sioux. While war and hunting parties rested here, it must not be forgotten that there was no permanent Indian village upon either shore of the Mississippi between the Minnesota and Wisconsin rivers until after the treaty of peace with Great Britain in 1783. Thereafter the Sioux village of Kaposia, just below the present site of the stockyards at South St. Paul, was established and maintained until after the treaty of 185 1, first on the eastern, then on the western bank. The Sioux also had settlements at Mendota, Shakopee and other neighboring points west of the ^lississippi.
The Real Indian
It would be difficult to convince the Minnesotans who suffered from, or witnessed, the horrible atrocities committed by the merciless savages of this tribe, during the outbreak of .\ugust, 1862, that these Indians had any redeeming traits. But even the guiltiest culprit is granted his day in court, and a plea for the defense, in behalf of our immediate predecessors in the possession of this fertile heritage, is entitled to ac- knowledgment in impartial history.
Dr. Charles A. Eastman, for eighteen years the savage Sioux Chi- yessa and for thirty-five years a i)artaker of civilization in confessedly heroic, kill-or-cure doses, addressed a portion of St. Paul's culture on a recent occasion. His subject was "The Real Indian," and his portrayal left in the mind a heroic figure, honest, with a philosophy true and simple, profound and subtle ; a religion that worshipped the Giver of all, whenever and wherever there was time or place for worship ; where "there was no showing ofif of .\pril hats and no collection after- ward ;" nothing but the simple man, stripped to the G string, alone in the depths of the forest, face to face with the Great Mystery.
Dr. I'lastman has the native irony of the red man and his speech was not without a strong element of satire, hut it was sincere and often elo- quent, a warm and loyal defense of his race. His praise of the Indian
12 ST. PAUL AXD VICINITY
was often dispraise of the white man, but his attitude was never narrow or his criticism carping. His sense of humor is unfailing and it softened several of the tomahawk strokes of accusation in which the Indian ar- raigned the white man without mincing his words.
Himself a handsome, stalwart specimen of his race, Dr. Eastman began his story of the Real Indian by asserting for him a tine physical ideal. "There was no padding anywhere about him," he said, "no false teeth, no rats. He agreed with you only in painting his skin, but in every other way he was simple and unaffected. There could have been no Hudson Bay Company had it not been for him. His honesty was absolute and unfailing. Strange thmg about civilization that no one can trust another. He who kicked over the table containing the silver in the temple would not get along if He came back today. One hundred and thirty years ago, lying three times repeated won capital punishment among the Sioux. The liar had to climb a tree from which he dropped dead like a crow. We had bad Indians ; we had bad women. But we had a rule that was simple and direct and nobody made any money on it. Xo judges and no lawyers profited by it."
Dr. Eastman retains the accent of the Sioux, but his choice of words could hardly be finer and his style is both forceful and bold. He told many things to the credit of his race, notably of their treatment of the "animal people" whom they never killed for sport, nor wantonly, nor for traffic; only because of necessity. This was an established rule of the tribe. He told how the Sioux had never been at enmity with the Ojib- ways until the Lake Superior tribe had become corrupted by civiliza- tion. After that they hated them. "Civilization is business," he said with much scorn. He spoke with intense admiration of Chief Joseph of the Walla Walla tribes, who was driven out of his valley : forced, after counseling his men to peaceful methods, to defend himself and his people. He spoke with kindly palmnage of the Puritans and what he called their inconsistency in killing their witches, but not permitting the Indians to perform a like act. He paid high tribute to the white man for his marvelous facility in engineering and all the modern arts, "but that," he said, "is material. The Indian ideal does not consider those things of great importance. His philosophy transcends the material." He identified with the .Sioux race all the tribes from the Mississippi river westward, but declared that he found in the Arctic Indians a distinct people with no traces of the mother tongue.
The Sioux in 1834
In \'olumc XTI of the Minnesota Historical Society Collections is a lengthy and very instructive paper entitled "The Dakotas or Sioux in Minnesota as They Were in 11*^,^4." It was written by Rev. Samuel William Pond, who, with his brother. Rev. Gideon II. Pond, began their missionary work in the year mentioned for these peojile at Lake Calhoun. As a summing up of his life-long experience with the .'^ioux, the devoted missionary gives this estimate of their character : "The longer we lived among them, the more we were made to feel that Indians and squaws are men and women, possessing many redeeming traits of character, and by no means sunk tn the lowest flcpths of degradation. When these rude barbarians are tried by a faultless standard, or arc compared with those who have attained to a high degree of civilization, they appear to disad- vantage ; but they lose nothing by comparison with anv other savage
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 13
people, ancient or modern, not excepting our own savage ancestors. Com- pared with the brutal, lascivious natives of Africa and the islands of the Pacific, their character was noble and their manners decent and becoming.
It is to be remembered that even when ^Z^Ir. Pond's acquaintance with these Indians began, they had been for more than thirty years subject to the contaminating influences of low-grade whites.
Pending our acceptance of the message of the "Runestone," we must still credit Grosielliers (Grosayyay) and Radisson with being the first white men to travel within the region now called Minnesota. By the south shore of Lake Superior they reached Chequamegon bay in 1658, built a trading hut not far from the site of Ashland, Wisconsin, and then, guided by some Huron Indians, visited their retreat on the banks of a lake in \\'isconsin, four days distant. Here they first saw some of the Tetange, Boeuf or Buffalo band of Sioux, and subsequently visited the Sioux villages in the Alille Lacs district of Minnesota. Still later, they seem to have journeyed from the vicinity of Green Bay, in eastern Wis- consin, across that state to the Mississippi somewhere near Prairie du Chien. Thence they voyaged eight days up the river to the villages of two tribes, probably in the vicinity of Winona. Here they obtained meal and corn which supplied their wants until they "came to the first landing isle."
This island has been quite conclusively identified by Dr. Warren LTp- ham in his exhaustive examination of the records, as the large Isle Pelee (or Bald island) now called Prairie island, on the Minnesota side of the main river channel a few miles above Red Wing. This island was at that period occupied and cultivated by Hurons and Ottawas, who had fled from their enemies, the Iroquois. These Frenchmen thus penetrated to within a few miles of the present site of St. Paul. Their return to Montreal in August. 1660, with a large collection of furs, and their description of the red-stone pipes, peculiar language and customs of this distant and hitherto unknown tribe, created a desire among the merchants and public officers to know more of the country.
First Mention of St. P.\ul Region
The first mention of the suburbs of St. Paul occurred in a letter of La Salle, written in 1682, and in the travels of the Dutch Franciscan, Louis Hennepin, published the next year at Paris. La Salle, in the spring of 1680, sent Michael Ako, or Accault, on a trading expedition to the Upper Mississippi valley and his companions were a voyageur and the Priest Hennepin. Below Lake Pepin they were met by a party of Mille Lacs Sioux, in thirty-seven birch bark canoes, going to war with the Miami tribe ; but they abandoned their expedition, and went back with Ako and his friends to their villages. Hennepin writes : "Having arrived on the nineteenth day of our navigation, five leagues below St. Antoine's Falls, the Indians landed us in a bay, broke our canoe to pieces and secreted their own in the reeds." The reference is to the "Grand ^larais" of the voyageur, just below the eastern boundary of St. Paul, which marsh, when the Mississippi is high, looks like a bay or lake.
Pierre Le Sueur, with Nicholas Perrot, erected Fort St. Antoine. about 1688, at a point six miles above the outlet of Lake Pepin, on the Wisconsin side. Le Sueur had visited the Falls of St. Anthony, and in a document drawn up at his fort in May, 1689, the Man-tan-ton Sioux
14 ST. PAUL AND ^■ICIXIT^•
were said to be living on the banks of the St. Pierre, and farther up to the northwest of the Mississippi were the Meddaywahkantwan and Sissetoan Sioux.
The first mention of the Minnesota, as the St. Pierre river, occurs in the document referred to, and it is probable that it was suggested by the bai)tisnial name of Le Sueur. The trading post near the mouth of the Wisconsin was called, in compliment to Nicholas Perrot. Fort St. Nich- olas; the St. Croix was named after a Frenchman, and the Minnesota river would ajjpropriately be called St. Pierre, as the Assineboine was subsequently named St. Charles, in allusion to the Christian name of Beauharnois. governor of Canada.
Upon Prairie Island, above Red Wing and about nine miles below the mouth of the St. Croix river, Le Sueur, in i6g5, had built another trading post, and in 1700 he erected an establishment near the Mankato
FALLS OF ST. .\NTIIOXY
or Blue Earth river, a tributary of the Minnesota. In 1703 trade ceased with the Indians on account of their hostility, but it was resumed in 1727 by erecting F'ort lieauharnois on the banks of Lake Pei)in, opposite Maiden's Rock, near the ])oint now called Frontenac.
Among the last commanders of this post were I'ierre Paul .Marin and Legardeur Uc Saint Pierre. When the difficulties between l-".ngland and France led to war among the colonists of North .America, Marin was re- called from the Sioux country and sent with a force of French and In- dians to build a stockade upon French creek, in the northwest part of Pennsylvania, where on the 29th of October, 1753, he died, and a few days later Saint Pierre, who had just arrived frt)m west of Lake Superior, was ai)poiiUed his successor.
.Mthough there was no longer any regular b'rench trading establish- ment in the valley of the Upper Mississii)pi there were irregular un- licensed traders roaming among the Sioux not far from the site of the city of St. Paul. They were men who had been trained as voyageurs, the canoemen who had acted as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the old licensed traders.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 15
Reckless Penesha, the Voyageur
Among these reckless people was one who had a trading post not far from the mouth of the Minnesota, and for a long time, stories of his hair-breadth escapes and "diablerie"' were talked over by the traders who followed in his footsteps. His name was Penesha, sometimes written Pinchon or Peneshon. Snelling, in "Tales of the Northwest," mentions that, with another, this Penesha was once employed as a voyageur, and the two suspecting that the trader on the banks of the Minnesota river did not intend to pay them for their services, owing to their bad behavior, rushed into his presenece while he was alone, and Penesha, holding a pistol to his breast, compelled him to write a certificate recommending them as deserving the confidence of all persons engaged in the Indian trade and competent to take charge of a trading post. Armed with these papers and stealing a canoe, they hurried to Mackinaw, where they showed the superintendent of the fur trade their recommendation, which led to Penesha's employment as a trader and his companion's engagement as an interpreter at a good salary.
Grignon, in his "Recollections," refers to him. Quarreling with a Sioux. Penesha killed him, took his scalp and fled to th^Ojibways, where he was received as a friend. But in time he was captured by the Sioux, who, full of revenge, prepared to burn him. Realizing his dangerous position, he asked as a favor that they would allow him the distance of an arrow shot, then to be chased by the young men on horseback, who could shoot him to death with their arrows. The proposition was accepted, as it would increase their pleasure as well as justify their re- venge. But he ran as men only run when life is in danger and escaped. He never came back to the Sioux country, being permeated, no doubt, with a consciousness of his limitations in the line of good fortune.
Lieutenant James Gorell. on the 12th of October, 1761, arrived at Green Bay, with the first detachment of English troops, and at this time Penesha. or Penensha, was a trader near the mouth of the Minne- sota river, which was then within the Spanish dominions, being west of the Mississippi. Gorell was visited on the 1st of March, 1763, by twelve Sioux warriors, who bore a letter in French from Penesha. and two belts of wampum from their leading chief, who expressed a desire to be at peace and to receive English traders. Lieutenant Gorell, who was the first Englishman to describe the Sioux, wrote: "It is certainly the greatest nation of Indians ever yet found. Not above two thousand of them were ever armed with firearms, the rest depending entirely upon bows and arrows. They can shoot the wildest and largest beasts in the woods at seventy and one hundred yards distant. They are re- markable for their dancing."
Carver, Ad\-ertiser of the Northwest
The French war ])etween Canada and the colonies was terminated by the treaty of \'ersailles in 1763, by which all of the territory now com- prised within the limits of Wisconsin, and of Minnesota east of the Mississippi, was ceded to Great Britain. It then only remained for some adventurous spirit to call the worlds attention to the vast empire of the northwest. In Jonathan Carver, the man appeared.
Carver was born in Canterbury, Connecticut, about 1730, and when a boy went to Northfield, ^Massachusetts, near the \^ermont boundary,
16 ST. PAUL AND MCIXITV
and became a shoemaker. In 1755 he enlisted as a private soldier, and was present in September at the battle with the French and Indians at Lake George. Here John Stratton, the lieutenant of his company, was killed. In 1757, he enlisted as a private in a company commanded by Captain John Burk, and next year was a lieutenant under Captain Selah Barnard. On the 12th of October, 1759, he was at Crown Point and subsequently was captain of a provincial troop.
After tlie peace of 1763 Carver, who was married, was farming at Vernon, Vermont, which adjoined Northfield, Massachusetts, where he had made shoes before he had enlisted as a soldier. But learning that a companion-in-arms. Rogers, was in a highly influential position at Mackinaw he went there. Provided with a letter of credit upon traders, in November, 1766, he reached the vicinity of the site of the city of St. Paul. Carver's statements cannot always be depended upon, yet his "Travels" is a book of some merit, probably prepared for the press by a literary person. He wrote of the Sioux: "Near the River St. Croix reside three bands of the Nawdowessie Indians, called the River Bands. The nation is composed at present of eleven bands. They were originally twelve, but the Assenipoils some years ago revolting and separating themselves from the others, there' remains only at this time eleven. Those I met here are termed the River Bands, because they chiefly dwell near the banks of this river."
A means of verifying Carver's claim to have visited this region lies in his reasonably accurate descriptions of the "great cave" and of the falls of St. Anthony. The cave, ever afterwards known as "Carver's Cave," was in the face of Dayton's bluff. It was, about 1880, practically obliterated by railroad excavations, but has been visited by hundreds of persons still living in St. Paul. It was described by Carver in these words : "I arrived the tenth day after 1 left Lake Pepin at a remarkable cave of an amazing depth. The Indians term it Wakon-Teebe, that is, the dwelling of the Great Spirit. The entrance into it is about ten feet wide, and the height of it five feet; the arch within it nearly fifteen feet high, and about thirty feet broad. The bottom of it consists of fine, clear sand. About twenty feet from the entrance begins a lake, the water of which is transparent and extends to an unsearchable distance, for the darkness of the cave prevents all attempts to acquire a knowledge of it. I threw a small pebble towards the interior part of it with my utmost strength; I could hear that it fell into the water, and, notwith- standing it was of so small a size, it caused an astonishing and horrible noise that reverberated through all those gloomy regions. I found m this cave many Indian hieroglyphics which 'appeared very ancient, for time had nearlv covered them with moss, so that it was with difficulty I could trace them. They were cut in a rude manner upon the inside of the walls, which were composed of a stone so extremely soft that it might be easily penetrated with a knife, a stone everywhere to be found near the Mississippi. The cave is only accessible by ascending a narrow steep passage that lies near the brink of the river."
In November, 1766. Carver ascended the Minnesota river in his canoe, arriving at the western limit nf his travels December 7th. He spent the winter season of five months with a band of Sioux encamped near what is now New l^lm. He says he learned their language and was treated with hospitality. Tn the latter part of April. 17^7, he descended the MiniKCdi.T ri\iT .nnd roturncd to his cave.
ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY 17
The Carver Claim to St. P.aul, Etc.
Some of the Indians accompanied Carver to the cave, where, he states, it was the custom to hold a grand council of the several bands of the Sioux nation, wherein they settled their operations for the en- suing year — thus marking St. Paul as a predestined capital. It was dur- ing the council held at the cave that Carver claims to have been installed and adopted as a chief of the tribe. Here also he inade his alleged treaty with the Indians, and here it is claimed received from them the celebrated deed of land, which read as follows :
"To Jonathan Carver, a chief under the most mighty and potent George the Third, King of the English and other nations, the fame of whose warriors has reached our ears, and has now been fully told us by our good brother Jonathan, aforesaid, whom we rejoice to have come among us, and bring us good news from his country.
"We, chiefs of the Nawdowessios, who have hereunto set our seals, do by these presents, for ourselves and heirs forever, in return for the aid and other good serv- ices done by the said Jonathan to ourselves and allies, give, grant and convey to him, the said Jonathan, and to his heirs and assigns forever, the whole of a certain tract or territory of land, bounded as follows, viz : From the Falls of St. Anthony, run- ning on the east bank of the Mississippi, nearly southeast, as far as Lake Pepin, where the Chippewa joins the Mississippi, and from thence eastward five days travel, accounting twenty English miles per day, and from thence again to the Falls of St. .Anthony, on a direct straight line. We do for ourselves, heirs and assigns for- ever, give unto the said Jonathan, his heirs and assigns, with all the trees, rocks and rivers therein, reserving the sole liberty of hunting and fishing on land not platted or improved by the said Jonathan, his heirs or assigns, to which we have affixed our respective seals at the great cave, May i, 1767.
'(Signed.) "H.\wnop.\wjatin,
Otohtongoomlishe.^w."
This deed, which may fairly be classed as the first record of a Alinne- sota real-estate deal, was made the foundation for a persistent but futile claim, by Carver's heirs and their assigns, to the immense tract of land described therein, which included the larger part of the present city of St. Paul. Carver went to England and published an account of his travels. He became so poor that he served as a clerk in a lottery office, and in the month of January, 1780, died in London and was buried in the parish of Shoreditch. The Rev. Samuel Peters, a Tory preacher, exiled from Connecticut with an unsavory record, visited him during his last sickness. The Gentleman's Magazine of London, has the following: "We are sorry to inform our readers that we are well assured that Captain Carver died, absolutely and strictly starved, leaving a wife and two small children, for whom Dr. Lettson, with his wonted humanity, interests himself, and has disposed of many copies of his 'Travels' which, notwithstanding their great merit, could not procure him a competent provision."
The woman he left in England was named Alary, and his child by her became a housemaid in London. In the British Annual Register for 1798 there is this notice: ".\ young woman of the name of Carver, housemaid to Captain Sir Richard Pearson of Greenwich Hospital, proves to be the daughter of the late Captain Carver of great Transat- lantic celebrity, who acquired a vast tract of country in the back set- tlements of America. This the Indians have faithfully guaranteed and preserved for his legal representative, who is, at length, indisputably
18 ST. PALI. AXD \ICIXIT>-
found ill tlie fortunate yount;; uoiuan al)ove iiicntionccl. Jlie territory in times of peace is estimated at £ 100,000 sterling."
The heirs of Carver's American wife, in 1794, had conveyed their interest in the alleged grant to Edward Houghton of \ermont. and the next year William Coleman, then of \ermont, subsequently the founder of the newspaper in New York City still called the Evening Post. was the agent of the Xodawessie Land Company, which was subscc|ucmly merged with the Mississippi Land Company.
The Rev. Samuel Peters, in 1S05. returned to this country, and in i<So6 represented that he and others had purchased the rights of the Carver heirs. In 1817 he paid a visit to the valley of the I'pper Mis- sissippi and stopped at Prairie du Chien with J. B. Faribault, a trader, and his Sioux half-breed wife. In 1818 Red \\ing. the Sioux chief, came down to Prairie du Chien and, as interpreted by Duncan Campbell, said to a friend of Peters that the chiefs who signed the Carver grant were his uncles, and for this declaration he received presents. Joseph Renville, born in the vicinity of St. Paul, whose mother belonged to Little Crow's band, was employed to show the alleged deed to the Sioux, explain its nature and, if possible, obtain a confirmation. But he could not tind a single Indian who had the least recollection or tradition re- lative to the deed. -All declared that they never heard of any chiefs with the names attached to the ^ki^d. Colonel Leavenworth on July 28, 1821, wrote to the United States land commissioner that "the In- dians do not recognize or acknowledge the grant to l)e valid. They sav they have no knowledge of any such chiefs as those who have signed the grant; that if he did obtain a deed or grant it was signed by .some foolish young men, who were not chiefs and who were not authorized to make the grant.''
On the 28th of January, 1825. the committee on i)rivate land claims made a full report to the L^nitecl States house of reiiresentatives on the petition and dncuments of Samuel I'eters which were referred to them. It concluded with these words: "The ])olicy which dictated the I I'.ritish) proclamation of 1763 is unexce])tionable. By that measure all private per.sons were interdicted the liberty of purchasing lands from the In- dians. The indulgence of such a privilege, it had been ascertained, con- duced to serious difificulties. The most reprehensible frauds had been practiced on the natives. Their avarice and propensity for ardent spirits had been too successfully addressed. At the time Captain Carver exjilored the country al)out the I'alls of St. Anthony, this |)roclamation was recent, and in all iirobability known to him. With this knowledge of the ])rudencc and caution of his country he was among the lirst to oflfeiul. I'ully impressed that it would lie liiglilv improper to confirm the claim of the ])etitioner, or that of any other iicr.son who may :it- tempt to profit by the grant to Carver, the committee recommend the adoption of the following: Resolved, That the prayer of the jietitioner be not granted." Peters was eighty years of age when he visited the Upper Mississip|)i and had a wonderful vitality. The year after llie adverse report referred to above, on the n;th of .Xjiril. 182^), he died in New ^'ork City, more tli.in ninety years of age.
But the "Carver claim" did not die. It has fre(|uently been resus- citated as a revenue-producer for impecunious agents, and will doubt- less continue to a])])ear. ])criodically. until the crop of credulous investors is exhausted.
ST. PAUL A\]) \ ICIXITV 19
Sioux vs. Ojibwav
After the treaty of peace in 1783 between Great Britain and the United States the influence of traders led to the creation of Sioux vil- lages on the banks of the Mississippi below the mouth of the Minne- sota river. The Ojibways, or Chippeways, had driven the eastern Sioux from Sandy lake and Leech lake anrl had established themselves west of Lake Superior. Rival traders had established posts above Prairie du Chien. During the summer of 1783 there was a fierce conflict between the Ojibways and the Sioux and Fox tribes. Cadotte, a trader at Sault St. Marie and the Ojibway chief, Matchiquivis, were sent by the Brit- ish, still quartered at Mackinaw, to Chequamegon bay of Lake Superior to sto]~. the strife. This chief was the Indian who, in 1763, had surprised and killed so many of the garrison at Mackinaw.
During the autumn of 1786 Joseph Ainse arrived from Mackinaw, distributed presents and held a council with the Sioux at the mouth of the ^linnesota river. There were five villages of the Sioux represented, who were preparing to go to war against the Ojibways. During the council there was great excitement occasioned by a party arriving with sixteen fresh scalps and three Ojibway prisoners. The women rushed at and tore the bloody and ragged scalps from the hands of the men and then taunted the prisoners, who were with difficulty preserved from their clutches. The next day there was more composure and at a council Ainse was placed in their midst on a beavef robe, presented with fifty- stalks of wild rice, and the three Ojibway ])risoners were given up to be taken to Sir John Johnson, the liritish superintendent of Indian affairs.
Another L.xno Ow.\i-:r
British traders were well aware that the Minnesota valley was claimed by S])ain, but they did not hesitate to intrude, and when, in 1800, it was ceded to France, they still continued their trading posts. Not only James and George Aird, but Archibald Campbell, at the beginning of the last century, traded near St. Paul, where is now the village of Mendota. To this point tribes from the Missouri brought their furs. Charles I..eLaye, a Canadian, who had been in the Yellowstone valley in 1803, came to Mendota from the west, the first white man of whom we have any knowledge who passed over the region from the Missouri through the valley of the Minnesota to the Mississippi river. He was accomjianicd by a band of Teton Sioux, and on the 15th day of May reached the head waters of the Minnesota. Thence the Tetons were accompanied by some Yankton and Sisseton Sioux to the vicinity of Mendota, and passed a week in trading. In sight of what is now the city of St. Paul, in December, 1802, Archibald Campbell made his will. He was a native of Londonderry county, Ireland, and is prol^ably the same person who, not long after, while on a visit at Mackinaw, fought a duel with a trader named Crawford and was killed. By a Sioux woman he had several sons, identified with the early history of Minnesota.
The witnesses to Campbell's will were Duncan Graham, Francis M. Dease and Robert Dickson, all of whom became influential among the Indians. Graham lived with the daughter of the Sioux chief Pinchon, who signed the agreement with Pike for the land upon which Fort Snellins: stands. The chief was the half-breed son of the old trader Pene- sha and a Sioux concubine. In 1814 Graham was a lieutenant in the Brit-
20 ST. PAUL AXD VICINITY
ish service at Prairie du Chien, and was sent on the 27th of August with a detachment to Rock Island, Illinois, to watch the Americans. His force consisted of thirty men, who carried with them a brass three-pound cannon and two swivels. Forty Sioux under Red Wing also accom- panied the force. On the 29th he arrived at Rock Island, and on the 5th eight large boats of Americans appeared on their way to Prairie du Chien. On the 7th the British opened fire on the boats. The one in ad- vance was disabled, and the others soon dropped down the river. The action lasted about an hour and one of the swivels was served by Lieut- enant Michael P.rishois and the other by Colin Campbell. On the 13th. Graham and his party safely returned to Prairie du Chien, and remained on duty there until jieace was concluded. Thus, at least one battle of the War of 181 2, in addition to that of Xew Orleans, was fought on the Mississippi.
CHAPTER III
FOUNDING OF FORT SNELLING
Pike and the Sioux Land Grant — Little Crow and Rising Moose — Nucleus of St. Paul — First Mill Erected — Named Fort Snel- LiXG BY Scott — Commencement of Fremont's Career — Birth of Minnesota Agriculture.
The liistoric period for St. Paul may fairly be said to commence with the establishment of a military post by the United States at the junction of the Minnesota (then the St. Peter's) and the Mississippi rivers. Not only did this post form the nucleus around which the first settlers after- ward gathered, but a considerable portion of the present area of the city was embraced within the original boundaries of the military reservation. Since the reservation, like the site of the future city, extended on both sides of the Mississippi, it was carved from both the "Northwest Ter- ritory" and the "Louisiana Purchase," thus running the chain of title back to the courts of Great Britain and France, in addition to that which was gained by treaty with the Indian occupants.
On March i, 1784, \'irginia ceded to the United States all the dis- trict which, under the famous Ordinance of 1787 enacted by congress, be- came the "Northwest Territory." This vast domain, comprising the present splendid states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Michigan, Wisconsin and that portion of ^ilinnesota which lies east of the Mississippi, was surpassed in fertility and resources by no body of land of equal extent on the globe. Civil government was soon established in the territory and white settlers began to penetrate its southern and eastern sections.
On May 7. 1800, Indiana territory was created, embracing all of the previous Northwest territory except the present state of Ohio. In 1805, Michigan territory was formed, its southern boundary running from Lake Erie westerly to the Mississippi rivei". Minnesota, east of the Mississippi, remained attached to Michigan until the formation of Illinois territory in 1809, when it was included within the boundaries of the latter, and so continued until Illinois became a state in 1819. This re.gion then fell again into the arms of Michigan, and continued there until Wisconsin territory was organized in 1836.
Meantime, on December 20, 1803, the province of Louisiana (of which a large portion of what is now known as Minnesota was a part) was transferred by the French, who had just obtained it from the Spaniards, to the L^nited States, under the purchase by President Jef- ferson.
Early in March, 1804, Captain Stoddard of the United States army arrived at St. Louis to receive from the Spanish authorities still there, the country which had been transferred. It now became of great im-
21
22 ST. PALI. .\.\I) \ JLIXITV
portancc that llic liulian iriljcs in tlic upper Mississip))! \alley should be visited, in order that the liritish traders should be notified to retire and that the site for an army post that would dominate this frontier should be secured for future occupancy. A young lieutenant. Zchulon -Montgomery Tike, a native of New Jersey, the son of a captain in the War for independence, was appointed by General Wilkinson to tlie re- sponsible mission. With a few soldiers he reached Prairie du Chien on the 4th day of .Septeml)cr. 1805, and found among the traders there a native of New York. Harry .Monro Fisher, who in later years had a ])ost in .Minnesota.
Not long before Pike's visit, some of the Sioux bands that dwelt on the banks of the Minnesota had transferred their villages to the Mis- sissippi river. The ^NJed-day-wah-kan-twan, or eastern Siou.x, in 1805 were divided into four bands. The first was under Wabashaw, the son of the great chief of that name, and resided near the upper Iowa river which was convenient to Prairie du Chien. The second resided at the head of Lake Pepin where the city of Red Wing is now situated. The third hunted from the Cannon river to the Minnesota, but chiefly in the valley of the St. Croi.x. Their village was at the Grand Marais on the east side of the Mississippi, just below Dayton's bluft. The fourth band lived on the banks of the Minnesota, and on the upper side of the stream, nine miles from its mouth, it had a village.
i'lKic .WD nil'. .Stoux L.\xd Gk-Wt
( )ii liie (Slh of September, 1805, Lieutenant Pike left Prairie du Chien with his party in two batteaux, and one of his interpreters was josei)h Renville. On the 10th he met Wabashaw, visited his bands, and wit- nessed the great medicine dance. He reached the Sandy Point of Lake Pepin on the 17th. and on the i8th came to Cannon or Canoe river, where he found a small band of the Siou.x under Red \\ ing, tiie second war chief of the tribe. On the 21 si he breakfasted at the Sioux village of Petit Corbeau at (Irand Marais. This village consisted of eleven lodges, but most of the Indians were absent gathering wild rice. The garrulity of the women astonished him. On llie west side of the river, he found J. 15. Faribault, a trader encamped.
That night the United States flag ajipeared for the first time on the island at the mouth of the Minnesota river, now called Pike's island. The next day Petit Gorlieau (Little Crow) apjieared with mu' huiulieij and fifty warriors.
On ^londax', the J^d of September. Pike had a bower of sails made, under which was held a council with the Sioux chiefs, among whom were Petit Corbeau; Tah-mah-haw, the Original Leve or the Rising Moose; Fils de Pinchon. the son of the trader Penesha, by an Indian concubine; Good Road; Demi Douzaine, or Shokpay, and Le-P>oeuf-Oui-Marche (A\'alking lUifTalo), — in Sioux, Ta-tan-ga-mah-nee. .\s soon as the council dosed the Indians received ,se\eral ])resents and sixty gallons of li(|Uor. Then the following agreement was signed:
"Whereas, al a conference luld between the United States of America and the Sioux nation of Indians, Lieutenant '/.. M. Pike of the army of the United States anil the chiefs and warriors of said tribe have agreed to the followini; articles, which when ratified and approved by the proper authority shall be binding on both parties:
".•\RTICI.I-' I. That the Si<vux nation (jrant unto the United States, for the purpo.se of est;d)lishment of military posts, nine miles s(|uare at the mouth of the St.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 23
Croix ; also from below the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Peters up the Mississippi to include the falls of St. Anthony, extending nine miles on each side of the river. '1 he Sioux nation grants to the United States the full sovereignty and power over said district forever.
"ARTICLE II. That in consideration of the above grants the United States shall pav (left blank, but filled up by the senate with "the sum of Two Thousand Dollars"').
"ARTICLE III. The United States promise on their part to permit the Sioux to pass and repass, hunt or make other use of the said districts as they have formerly done, without any other e.xception than those specified in article first."
The night the treaty was signed the flag flying from Pike's boat was detached. The ne.xt morning its absenc:e astonished the Lieutenatit, and, supposing it was the result of carelessness, had the soldier on guard lashed in the presence of the Sioux Original Leve. But on the 25th, before Pike was out of bed, Little Crow had arrived from his village to learn if any were killed, as the flag had been found floating in the river. The finding of the flag by the Indians was happy in its effect. Just before it was seen by the Sioux, one of their nutiiber had his lip cut off in a fight, and, in great trouble, had come to the chief, Little Crow, and ti.)ld him that his face was his looking-glass ; that it was now spoiled, and he was determined on revenge. He and his enemies were preparing for conflict when the flag was seen in the water. It seerned supernatural and acted as a messenger of peace. Little Crow then addressed his braves in these words : "A thing so sacred had not been taken, without violence. It would be proper for them to hush all private animosities until they had revenged the cause of their elder brother ( Lieutenant I'ikej ; that he would immediately go up to St. Peters to know what dogs had done that thing." The flag was then hung up to dry and Little Crow proceeded to Pike's encampment. The Lieutenant rewarded the chief for the trouble he had taken, and it was arranged that the flag should be sent to him at the Falls of St. Anthony. On the 26th, just as Pike was making the portage at the falls, two young Indians from Little Crow's village arrived with the flag.
Lieutenant Pike spent the winter in conference with the British trad- ers between the Satik rapids and Leech lake, having many interesting adventures which are recorded in his official narrative. On the iith of April, 1S06, he returned to the island at the mouth of the Minnesota river. The son of the French trader Penesha, the chief called Fils de Pinchon, visited him, and said he would inake arrangements for a council. The council house was made of two large lodges and about forty chiefs asseiTibled. Dickson and other traders were present, and the Sioux were invited to send one of their nuinber for a further conference at Prairie du Chien. Iti the evening Fils de Pinchon and another chief supped with Pike. The next day he descended the river and, stopping where the city of St. Paul now is, he endeavored to find the wonderful cave of which Jonathan Carver had sjjoken, but his interpreter had never seen it and it could not be found.
The chief, Little Crow, was met near the St. Croix river by the traders Fraser and Wood. He gave to Pike a pipe and a beaver robe, and a message for General Wilkinson. The chief comjilained that Alur- dock Cameron and his associate, Rolette, were selling liquor to the In- dians. While encamped on the island some Indians, probably drunk, had fired upon a sentinel and threatened to kill Pike. At the head of Lake Pepin, on the 13th of April, Pike stopped at Red Wing's village, and the chief told him he would have the Indian who fired at his sen-
24 ST. PAUL AND \1CIX1TY
tinel put to death, i)ui the olifer was declined. On the i8th he returned to Prairie du Chien.
The ISritish traders had been courteous and hospitable, but Pike had not long returned to St. Louis before they exercised as much con- trol as ever among the Indian tribes. Owing to complications with Great Britain, the United States did not deem it expedient for many years to establish a military post on the land selected at the mouth of the Minnesota river.
The only garrison of the United States between Detroit and the ^Mississippi, in 1810, was at Mackinaw, and in the autumn Robert Dick- son and his associates, James and George Aird, Thomas G. Ander.'^on and Joseph Rolette, by night, smuggled goods past this post and brought them to the island where Pike, in 1805, had made his treaty with the Sioux. Rolette had never before wintered with this tribe.
A trading post was built on this island so that the store and log cabins would form three sides of a square, and an oak picket the fourth side. The Indians, when they returned from their winter hunting grounds, gathered to the number of three hundred lodges about the post and ex- changed their peltries for goods and whiskey. During the summer of 1811 the trading post on Pike's island was in charge of Thomas C. An- derson, an interpreter, and four voyageurs.
Anderson, like many Indian traders, had a seared conscience. While living in the Minnesota valley, he mentions, in his "Personal Narrative" published by the Wisconsin Historical Society, that just before he left the country he made "a s])lendid trade" with some Sioux Indians. He wrote that he sold them "two kegs containing three gallons of high wines and six of water. True they might have gotten the water at their camp, but carrying it on their i)acks Iwenty-five miles would mix it better."
Little Grow .\.\d Rising Moose
Among the most active against the .Americans in the last war with •Great Britain was Little Crow, the Sioux chief, living near the site of St. Paul. He was present, in the sjjring of 181^^, at the seige of Fort Meigs, and one afternoon while he was conversing with Wabashaw, an Indian invited them to a feast. Upon their arrival at the place des- ignated they were surprised to lind that some Indians had roasted an American soldier and cut him in pieces, for the guests to eat. But to their credit the Sioux chiefs refused to partake. Little Crow and his warriors, in the autumn of 1813. returned to their village.
Tah-mah-haw, who signed Pike"s treaty in 1803 as Original Leve. or Rising Moose, never swerved from his pledge to be faithful to the United States. He had but one eye. Crovernor William Clark, of Missouri, and superintendent of Indian affairs, gave him this certiticate: "In con- sideration of the fidelity and attachment testified by Tah-mah-haw of the Red Wing's band of Sioux to the government of the United States, and by virtue of the power and authority in me vested, I do hereby con- firm the said Tah-mah-haw as chief in said band of Sioux aforesaid, having bestowed on him the small sized medal, wishing all and singular the Indians, inhabitants thereof to obey iiim as chief, and the officers and others in the service of the United .States to treat him accordinglv." Red Wing, in refusing a British medal, said: "^'ou tell me that the lion on this medal is the most powerful of all animals. I have never seen one, but I Ijelieve what you say. The lion sleeps ail day but the eagle.
ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY 25
who is the most powerful of birds, only sleeps at night ; in the day time he flies about everywhere and sees all on the ground. He will perch on a tree over the lion and they will scold at each other for a while, but they will finally make up and be friends and smoke the pipe of peace. The lion will then go home and leave us Indians with our foes. That is the reason for not taking up my war club."
After peace was declared, in 1815, Little Crow was invited to visit the British post at Drummond's island, thanked for his services during the war and offered some goods as presents from Great Britain. The chief refused the goods and said: "After we have fought for you under many hardships, lost some of our people and aroused the vengeance of our neighbors, you make peace for yourselves and leave us to make such terms as we can. We will not receive the presents. We hold them and yourselves in equal contempt."
The cession of land, at the confluence of the Minnesota and Missis- sippi rivers, had been obtained by Lieutenant Z. M. Pike in 1805, with a view of erecteing a United States fort. The matter had remained in abeyance, owing to the War of 1812 and to other circumstances. But in 1812, Lord Selkirk, having obtained a grant of land from the Hudson's Bay Company in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba, estab- lished colonies of Scotch and Swiss settlers thereon. As a means of connecting these colonies with eastern Canada for trading purposes, Eng-. lish merchants proceeded to establish a chain of posts, two of them being respectively at the mouth and at the headwaters of the Minnesota river. By means of these posts, it was proposed to receive and forward goods for the Selkirk settlement and by the same route send back peltries to Montreal.
In February, 1818, the superintendent of Indian affairs at St. Louis received a letter informing him that Dickson, an English trader, was at the head of the Minnesota river, to which post he transported his goods from Lake Winnipeg in five days. These demonstrations by British sub- jects made it necessary for the United States government to send troops to occupy the land which had been selected by Lieutenant Pike. A rec- ommendation had already been made to the war department, in 1817, by Major Long, of the army, that a fort be built at the precise point afterwards selected.
Nucleus of St. P.\ul
Pursuant to the provision in the articles of agreement signed by the Sioux chiefs. Major Thomas Forsyth, an Indian agent, was sent in 1819 from St. Louis with two thousand dollars worth of Indian goods. On the 2ist of August he reached Grand Marais, or Little Cro\v's village, and described him as "a steady, generous and independent Indian." The chief acknowledged the sale of land at the mouth of the St. Peter's (Minnesota) river, to the United States in 1805, and said he had been looking every year since for the troops to build a fort. He received a large present of goods.
Forsyth, in his journey, saw only the high limestone walls on each side of the Mississippi, and erroneously declared it a poor country for man or beast. He was evidently one of those travelers who can make lengthy journeys without seeing anything and one of those versatile nar- rators who can write many foolish things without repeating himself. He wrote: "Instead of finding a fine country with good lands and
26
ST. I'ALI. AXl) \ lllXIl^
pleiuy of timber, 1 lound a mountainous, l)rol<en. rock)' and sterile coun- try, not lit for man or beast to live in. I did not see any kind of wild animals, not even a squirrel."
Forsyth ascended the Mississippi from I'rairie du Chicn with Lieu- tenant Colonel Leavenworth and a detachment of troops of the Fifth Infantry, who had been (jrdercd u> the mouth of the St. Peter's river to establish a post as the hea(l<|uarters of that regiment. The post first called Fort St. Anthony, subsequently l'\jrt Snelling, was the nucleus from which has been evolved the city of St. Paul, and the state of Minnesota. Soon after the arrival of the troops an agent was ap- pointed for the Sioux Indians, Lawrence Taliaferro of Virginia, who had been an officer of the Third L'nitcd States Infantry. He was the first justice of the ])eace in .Minnesota, and in that capacity often united voyageurs and llicir sweethearts in matrimonv.
OLD BLOCK HOUSE, FT, SNELLING
The river was so low that the expedition, embarked in keel-boats, did not reach the mouth of the Minnesota until September 24th. The Ijost was established temiJorarily on the blufTs where .Mendota now stands. Rude Intts for barracks were at once erected and the first winter was passed amid much discomfort. Several of the soldiers died from scurvy.
In May, 1820, the soldiers left the cantonment at ^^cnck)ta and, cross- ing the Minnesota river, encamped on the high jirairie near a full clear spring, beyond the site of the fort then building, and the encampment was designated as Camj) Cold Water. There was a surj^rise in camp on the 30th of July by the unex|iected ;irrival of (iovernor Lewis Cass, of .Michigan, and party in birch bark canoes, having reached the upper Mississippi by way of I-ake Superior,' and then descended, llcnrv R. Schoolcraft, the explorer, was a member of this party. The officers hunted up and dusted their uniforms that they might pay a visit of respect, and the following note to .Mr. Taliaferro, which has been iirc- .served, refers to the occasion:
ST. PALL AXD MCINITY 27
"Sir: General Cass is at this place, and wishes to see the Indian Agent. I send you a coat. "P. R. Green, Adjt."
On the loth of September, 1820, with appropriate ceremonies, the corner stone of the stone fort was laid in the presence of the military and civilians on duty. At this time Minnehaha was designated Brown's Falls, in honor of the head of the army. Major General Jacob Brown.
On the 28th of May. 1821, under the guidance of William Joseph, the son of Colonel Snelling, who had succeeded Leavenworth, the great chief of the Upper Sioux, came down from Lacqui-Parle, and made his first visit to the fort. The next month an aged chief, Red Thunder, who had been well known by the British traders, arrived. The Ojib- way chief. Flat Mouth, made his first appearance on the 29th of August, accompanied by one hundred warriors.
First Mill Erected
The first mill for the use of troops was erected in the autumn of 182 1, at the Falls of St. Anthony, under the supervision of Lieutenant McCabe. Its design was to saw logs, but in 1823 it was altered so as to grind wheat. Lieutenant William Alexander, in 1823, was sent with fourteen soldiers to mark out a road to Prairie du Chien.
During the years 1820 to 1823 the mails for the garrison were carried by soldiers from Prairie du Chien. A trip was made on an average once in two months — by keel-boat or canoe in summer ; on the ice of the river, in winter. After 1823 steamboats carried the mail during seasons of navigation, but the winter transportation continued until stage service was established in 1849.
During the winter of 1823 Major Taliaferro, the Sioux agent, was in Washington on official business. In March, on his return, he stopped at a hotel in Pittsburg and there met G. C. Beltrami, a well educated Italian, who asked permission to go with him to the Indian country, which was granted. Arriving at St. Louis, they found the first steamboat nearlv ready to ascend to the fort at the mouth of the Minnesota with supplies. It w-as named the "Virginia." It was one hundred feet in length and twenty-two in width ; drew six feet of water ; had been built at Pittsburg, and was commanded by Captain Crawford. It reached the fort on the loth of Alay, and the savages looked upon it with speech- less wonder, supposing it was some gigantic water-spirit, coughing, puffing out hot breath and smoke. As it began to discharge steam, moihers, forgetting their children, with streaming hair, sought hiding places, and warriors, renouncing their stoicism, scampered away like frightened deer.
N.\MEi) Fort Snelltnc; i5v Scott
General Winfield Scott visited the post in 1824, and at his sugges- tion it was named Fort Snelling. In his report to the secretary of war, he wrote: "This work, of which the war department is in possession, reflects the highest credit on Colonel Snelling, his officers and men. The defences, and, for the most part, the nulilic storehouses, shops and quar- ters being constructed of stone, the whole is likely to endure as long as the post shall remain a frontier one. The cost of erection to the govern- ment has been the amount paid for tools, iron and the per diem to the soldiers employed as mechanics. I write to suggest the propriety of
28 ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY
calling the work Fort Snelling as a just compliment to the meritorious officer under whom it has been erected. The present name ( Fort St. Anthony ) is foreign to all our associations, and is besides geographically incorrect, as the work stands eight miles below the great falls of the Mis- sissippi called after St. Anthony."
From that day to the present Fort Snelling has fully justified the favorable opinion of this great soldier. Beautifully located, its com- manding position and its massiveness of structure, still e.xemplified in the round and square towers that have been preserved, made a strong impression on all visitors. At this post have been quartered some of the most distinguished officers of the army, who received with cordial hos- pitality the various scientific expeditions that passed through the country.
After 1835, the pleasant duty of entertaining these explorers was shared by Henry H. Sibley, who, as a representative and resident part- ner of the American Fur Company, lived in baronial style at Mendota, just across the Minnesota river from Fort Snelling. Among the savants and travelers who visited the region were Featherstonhaugh, School- craft, Mather, TJcltrami, Xicollet, I'remont, Catlin and others.
Commencement ok Fremont's Cvreer
Fremont's illustrious career commenced at Fort Snelling. He was a young subordinate in the Xicollet expedition which made the exploration of the country lying between the upper Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. This ex])edition was successful and its results were valuable. The jiarty visited the famous pipestone (|uarry of southwestern Minne- sota, and left on the rocky cliffs an inscription which is still legible. Fremont returned to St. Louis and had just reached the happy climax of his courtship of Miss Jessie Benton, daughter of the great statesman, Thomas H. Benton, when he received an order to e.xplore the sources of the Des Moines river. His sweetheart bade him go, as she did on every subse(|uent occasion when duty and fame were beckoning to him. He made this tri]) in 1841, again ])enetraling Minnesota. In 1843 Fre- mont made an expedition westward. He says that he started from "the little town of Kansas on the Missouri frontier" and exjilored the route to Oregon and California. This is probably the first mention in his- tory of Kansas City.
Fremont's subsequent expeditions to the Pacific are matters of his- tory. The last and most important one was that of 1846, which was made under government authority. It is said that Benton had a hard fight to get Fremont started on that expedition. Such men as Daniel Webster brought the whole force of their intellectual artillery against the exploration of California and the west. They denounced it as fool- hardy and dangcnnis, as calculated to break up the L'nion, as trying to lead away the settlers of the older states and as reducing the value of agricultural land east of the Mississippi.
It was on this occasion that, after Fremont had assembled his party and was on the point of leaving St. Louis, his entmies in Washington, by a temporary triumph, succeeded in having his recall issued. The re- call was sent to St. I,ouis and fell into the hands of his heroic wife. Mrs. Fremont, with the wholly illogical, but sublime heroism of such women, promjitly decided not to communicate the message to her hus- band and thus ruin the plans and bLT^t the dreams of which she had been an earnest sharer. She allowed him to go on his way with his
ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY 29
little band, in flat disobedience to his government. He reached Califor- nia in January, 1846, before the outbreak of hostilities with Mexico, but the war was at that time plainly impending. The Spanish governor ordered him to leave without delay. Instead of complying with this order, he and his little band of sixty men hoisted the flag of the United States on the soil of California March g, 1846, where it has ever since remained.
The Fort Snelling visited by Scott and P'remont and Nicollet was a small affair when compared with the present magnificent brigade-post that has been built up adjacent to it. Still it was sufficient for its in- tended purpose. Its walls and towers were impregnable against the assaults of savages, its only probable assailants, and its position was admirably planned for defense against such foemen, though commanded by higher bluffs across both rivers within range of even the artillery of that period.
A Pandora box was opened in 1826 at Fort Snelling. A duel was fought in February and one of the participants, Lieutenant Phineas Andrews, was tried by court martial. Ill feeling continued and Lieu- tenant David Hunter engaged in a duel with W. Joseph Snelling, the bright and reckless son of the commandant. The father took up the quarrel and Lieutenant Hunter on the 31st of July, in violation of the twenty-fifth article of war, sent him a challenge. For this Hunter was tried before a general court-martial convened on the 15th of October at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, of which Colonel Leavenworth was presi- dent. He was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and was sen- tenced to be cashiered, but the court recommended him to the clemency of the president. President John Ouincy Adams, in remitting the penalty against Lieutenant Hunter, administered a severe rebuke to Colonel Snelling. David Hunter rose to the rank of major general, during the War of the Rebellion, and made a conspicuous record.
During the autumn of 1826 a small party of Ojibways, while on a visit to Fort Snelling, went to the trading post of the Columbia Fur Com- pany, about two miles distant, on the banks of the Minnesota river. .'Xs they were returning, three Sioux sprang from a copse, fired their guns and killed an Ojibway. This led to ill feeling. On the 28th of May, 1827, the Sandy Lake Ojibway chief, Kee-wee-yais-ish. called by the English Flat ^louth, with seven warriors and several women and chil- dren, arrived at the fort and asked to be protected from the Sioux. They were told that as long as their tents were under the shadow of the walls of the fort they were secure. During the first afternoon they were visited by some Sioux, who professed friendship, but when they left they turned and fired upon their entertainers. Four Ojibways had been killed and six wounded, one of whom was a little daughter of Flat Mouth who subsequently died.
A detachment of soldiers, early next morning, left the fort in pursuit of the murderers, and not far distant arrested thirty-two Sioux. Two of them were recognized by the Ojibways as their assailants and de- livered up to them. The captives were led out and told to run for their lives, and, as they ran, the Ojibways fired and they fell lifeless. The same day a deputation of Sioux came and delivered up to to Colonel Snell- ing two more of the assailants who were also given up to Ojibways and shot. .After they were scalped and mutilated, their bodies were dragged to the edge of the high bluffs and tossed into the Mississippi river.
During the autumn of 1827, the soldiers of the Fifth LTnited States
30 ST. I'AII. AND \ li IXriA'
Infantry were ordered from Fort Snelling and a part of the First In- fantry, inider Lieutenant Colonel Zachary Taylor, afterwards president of the United States, took their places.
The tirst movement for an organized civil government to include the valley of the upper Mississippi occurred in 1828. Congress was memo- rialized to organize Huron territt)ry. with Galena for its capital, whose northern boundary should be the liritish possessions: its western, the Red River of the Xorth, Lac Traverse, Big Stone Lake, and a line thence to the Alissouri river and thence eastward to the Mississippi; its southern boundary, from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the Mississippi, and its eastern, a line through the middle of Lake Mich- igan across the ])eninsula to Lake Superior. This plan was never car- ried into cfl'ect.
r> I KT 11 III- .M I X .\ ESOTA A C U I C L' I .T U R E
Gradually the Kaposia Siou.x moved from Grand Marais to the op- posite side of the ^Iississ!i)pi river, where is now South St. Paul. The first plowing for this band was done by the Presbyterian missionary. Samuel W. Pond. He had lieen a school teacher in Galena, Illinois, and hearing that the Sioux had never had a ])crmanent missionary he came to Fort Snelling in the spring of 1834 at his own expense, accompanied by his brother (lideon. With great disinterestedness, they gave their lives to efforts to improve the condition of the Sioux. Major Bliss, the commandant at the fort, asked the elder Pond if he w-ere willing to go down to the Ka])osia band and teach them hoW' to plow. He consented. Oxen were driven down by land, and the plows sent in a boat. When the work began there was a great stir among the Indians; Mr. Pond drove the oxen, w-hilc the chief P)ig Thunder and another Sioux alter- nately held the ])low. 'I'his was the foundation of Minnesota agricul- ture.
.Among the interpreters employed by the early missionaries was a notable character James Thompson, who lived to see St. Paul grow to a great commercial city. Thompson had been a slave of .African de- .scent and was brought into the country by John Culbertson, who from 1829 to 1832, was the sutler of Fort Snelling. He was purchased for twelve hundred dollars by Rev. A. P>ronson. of Prairie du Chicn. to act as inter|)retcr for the Methodist mission established below St. Paul. Thom])son having married a .Sioux woman ;nid being ac(|uainted with the language of her people.
In the month of May, 1838, the "(iyijsy." a small stern-wheel steam- boat, arrived at Fort Snelling with Surgeon luiier.son and wife, with his .slaves, Dred Scott and wife. On the boat Dred Scott's wife had given birth to a child, which was named I-'liza and is mentioned in the Dred Scott decision of the Lnited States >ui)renie court. — a geiniine caiisus celchrc of the ante-bellum period, the central point of which was the fact that Dred Scott had been brought into free territory by his master which, it was contended, made him a free man. The court held otherwise and the recoil was tremendous.
The annals of Fort Snelling, full <if thrilling incidents and char- acteristic episodes of life on the rude frontier, in the early days, have been recorded with rare fidelity and with sympathetic intelligence. The field is a tem])ting one. but a more elaborate treatment would be foreign to ihc purjioses of lbi< publication. We Ii;ive now livnuglil the narra-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 31
tive of leading events at the post and connected with it, down to the period when the exckision of settlers from the reservation as related in the next chapter led to the settlement of the future St. Paul. The published "Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society" contain numerous contributions portraying experiences at Fort Snelling. Among the most interesting of these are the reminiscences of Mrs. Charlotte Ouisconsin \'an Cleve, daughter of Major Nathan Clarke, and wife of General H. P. \'an Cleve. The first eight years of her life were spent at Fort Snelling and most of the more than three score and ten which succeeded were lived in Minnesota where she, as well as her brave hus- band, became honored historical figures.
CHAPTER I\"
THE EARLIEST J'ER.MAXEXT SETTLERS
Peter Parraxt and Aura ham Perry — Joseph R. Brown — Expel- ling Squatters — Soldiers of "Fortune" — Parrant, or "Pig's Eye" — A Mysterious Death — Permanent Settlers — Mr. Lar- penteur's Birthday Lwitation.
During the decade from 1830 to 1840 a group of remarkable men settled in what is now Minnesota — men who later were recognized as the honored fathers and founders of the commonwealth. .Although first locating at other points, nearly all of them finally became residents of St. Paul and contributed infinitely more to the development of city and state than did the less notable assemblage of squatters and refugees who, by exclusion from the military reservation and otherwise, became the earliest settlers of the city.
Norman VV. Kittson came in 1832; Henry H. Sibley in 1834: Wil- liam PL Forbes. P'ranklin Steele and Martin McLeod in 1837; Henry M. Rice and William Holcombe in 1839. The Lake Superior region was settled at an earlier date by William ,\. .\itkin, the Morrisons and others; Charles H. Oakes located there in 1825 and Dr. Charles W. Boruj) in 1831 — both these gentlemen becoming residents of St. Paul at a subsequent date.
But none of these can fairly be classed among the earliest perma- nent settlers of the future capital and metropolis.
Peter Parrant and Abraham Perry
On the 9th of June, 1838, a delegation of Sioux from the Kaposia village came to Fort Snelling and complained that two men, Peter Par- rant and old man Perry, had settled on their lands, and that Parrant sold whiskey. Perry and Parrant must always be considered the found- ers of St. Paul. .\l)raham Perry had moved down from Lord Selkirk's settlement and had been ])erniittcd to live on the military reserve, and his wife, who was an acconiplished accoucheur, was frequently em- ployed by the wives of the officers. They had a large familv. Fanny, in 1836, married Charles Mousseau. the ceremony being jierformed by Agent Taliaferro, as justice of the peace. Rose .Ann was married, in 1839, at the site of St. Paul, to an Englishman by the Methodist mis- sionary. Rev. T. \V. Pope. .Adele married \'etal Guerin : .\nn Jane was the wife of Charles Razille; and Sophia married anotlier old set- tler. Pierre Parrant was a lawless fellow, of whom more anon. He was an unprepossessing intruder, who had been prohibited from living in the country and who held that the chief end of man was to drink and
32
ST. PAUL AND \'lCi-\lTY 33
sell whiskey. Both Perry and Parrant settled near where the city hos- pital is situated.
The Indians, after imbibing whiskey, were often troublesome, and on the i6th of September, Abraham Perry's wife and her son, Charles, came to the fort and complained that the Sioux had killed three of their cattle and wounded one. Whiskey now became the chief article of trade. Surgeon Emerson, in a letter to the surgeon-general on April 23, 1839, wrote from Fort Snelling: "Since the middle of winter we have been completely inundated with ardent spirits, and consequently there have been the most beastly scenes of intoxication among the soldiers of the garrison and the Indians in the vicinity, which no doubt in many cases adds to the sick list. The whiskey is brought here by citizens who are pouring in upon us and settling themselves on the opposite shore of the Mississippi river, in defiance of our worthy commanding officer, Alajor Plympton, whose authority they set at naught. At this moment there is a citizen named Brown, once a soldier of the Fifth Infantry, who was discharged at this post while Colonel Snelling commanded, and who has since been employed by the American Fur Company, actually build- ing on the land marked out as the reserve, and within gunshot distance of the fort, a very expensive whiskey shop."
Joseph R. Brown
Shortly before this letter was written, twenty barrels of whiskey had been brought up by the steamboat "Ariel" for Joseph R. Brown. This man afterwards became a prominent and useful citizen, an editor, an inventor and a leader in many lines of activity, but his early "commer- cial" career seems to have been from our present viewpoint, somewhat clouded. On the third of June some soldiers went to Brown's place, and that night forty-seven were confined in the guard-house for drunk- enness.
On the 8th of September, some Sioux Indians destroyed the whiskey shop opposite Fort Snelling, on the military reservation and owned by Joseph R. Brown, Henry Mencke, a foreigner, and Anderson, a quar- ter-breed Sioux. Supposing that they were instigated by the Indian agent, Mencke, not a citizen of the United States, obtained in some way an appointment as deputy sherifif for Clayton county, Iowa, and at the instance of Joseph R. Clewett arrested the agent on the false charge of aiding in the destruction of his whiskey cabin. As soon as the com- manding officer heard of the outrage, a detachment of soldiers was sent to Mencke's cabin, and he was ordered to immediately leave the country. It was evidently high time to clear the military reservation of all squat- ters. It was a work requiring time, but, in the end, it was thoroughly done.
The expulsion of the squatters from the reservation led to the estab- lishment of St. Paul, and is therefore entitled to detailed mention in connection with certain events that preceded it.
In September, 1837, a delegation of about twenty chiefs and braves, by direction of Governor Dodge, proceeded to Washington, to make a treaty ceding their lands east of the Mississippi. They were accom- panied by Major Taliaferro, their agent, and Scott Campbell, interpre- ter. The Fur Company was represented by H. H. Sibley, while Alexis Bailly, Jo La Framboise, A. Rocque, Labathe, the Faribaults and others, fur-traders, etc., were present. Joel R. Poinsett, a special commissioner.
34 ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY
represented the United States. On September 29th the terms of tlie treaty were agreed upon, and the articles signed by both the high con- tracting parties. By this treaty, the Dakotas ceded to the United States all their land east of the Mississippi river, including all the islands in the same. They received therefor $300,000 to be invested in live per cent stocks, the income of which was to i)e jjaid to them annually; $110,000 to be divided among the mixed l)loods, and $90,000 to payment of debts owed by the tribe.
This treaty — the extinction of whatever title these red men had to tiie region named — was the key-note for the settlement of the state. It opened the way for the hardy frontiersman, with his red shirt, and axe and plow. Hitherto, every foot of what is now Minnesota, except the little reservation around Fort Snelling had been the property of a few barbarians, but this obstacle was no longer to exist. Once the white man had gained a foothold on the soil, following the precedent of two centuries, he would soon enlarge his grant until he had swept out of his way its original tenants.
Ex I'KI.LI XG Squ.\TTERS
A natural anxiety prevailed among the settlers on the military reserve ojjposite Fort Snelling, while this treaty was ])ending. The officers of the post had develoi)cd a great hostility to them, owing to the whiskey- selling propensities of some of their number. On August 16, 1837, they sent to President \'an Buren a memorial that a just allowance for their improvements, etc., be made in the treaty. This memorial was signed by Louis Massie, Abraham Perry, Peter Quinn, Antoine Pepin, Duncan Graham, Jacob Falstrom, Oliver Cratte, Joseph Hisson, Joseph Keasch, Louis Dergulee and others. Col. Samuel C. Stambaugh, sutler at Fort Snelling, was empowered to present it and rejircsent the settlers in any negotiations.
On (October 19th, Lieutenant K. K. Smith, First InfaiUry (who was twenty-five years later the distinguished Confederade lieutenant general, Kirby Smith), made a survey and map of the reservation, by command of Major J. Plympton, commander of the post, who had arrived during that summer. He says, in his report to Major Plympton: "The white inhabitants in the vicinity of the fort, as near as I could ascertain, are: eighty-two in I'.aker's settlement, around old Camp Coldwater, and at Massie's Landing. On the opposite side, twenty-live at the I'ur Com- pany's establishment, including l'"aril)ault's and LeClcre's, fifty. Making a total of one hundred and fifty-seven souls, in no way connected with the military."
This map Major Plympton returned to the war department on Octo- ber 19th, accompanied by a letter i)lainly indicating his intention to eject all settlers on tlie reserve. In acknowledging receipt of this communi- cation, November 17th, the secretary of war instructed .Major Plymton as follows: "If there be no reservation already made for military ]iur- poses, at your post, jilease mark over what in your ojiinion will be nec- essary to l)e reserved."
A memorandum from the war department says: "March j(j, 1838, Majoi Plympton transmitted a map of such a tract embracing a consider- able quantity of land on the east side of the Mississippi river."
The memorial of the settlers had little elTect on the war depart- ment, or r)n the administration, as subsequent occurrences showed.
ST. PAUL AND \ICL\ITY 35
While these events were transpiring, the treaty of September 29, 1837, was slowly passing through the senate. On June 15, 1838, a final vote was reached on it, and it was ratified. Just one month later, the steamer "Palmyra"' landed at Fort Snelling with the glad news. It pro- duced much excitement among those who had been waiting so long to make claims, and they at once left to sieze on eligible points, which had already been picked out by their covetous eyes.
N. W. Kittson states that the boat arrived in the evening, and after dark, the same night, he, Franklin Steele, and Angus M. Anderson started off to make a claim at St. Anthony Falls. Joseph R. Brown left at the same time for the St. Croix, where he drove the stakes of a new town, above Stillwater.
Perry, Parrant, the Gervais, and others supposed they were outside the lines of the Fort Snelling reservation. But the commandant. Major Plympton, seemed to hold otherwise and prepared to act accordingly.
Soldiers of "Fortune"
About the same period that the news of the ratification of the treaty was received at Fort Snelling, three soldiers were discharged from the Fifth Regiment named Edward Phelan, John Hays and William Evans, all natives of Ireland. They resolved to make claims in the newly-ceded tract, and, finding some settlers along the river below Fountain cave, fixed on this locality as a favorable one for their purpose.
Phelan was the first to secure his discharge, and after prospecting hereabouts selected as a claim a tract of ground fronting the river, run- ning back to the bluff, and bounded approximately by what is now Eagle and Third streets on the west, and St. Peter street on the east. On the side of the bluff, under Third street he built a log house, a mere hovel, to live in temporarily.
At the request of Hays, Phelan selected for him a claim adjoining his own on the east, fronting on the river and running back to the bluffs, extending probably from what is now St. Peter street down to the present Minnesota street. He was to hold this claim for Hays until the latter got his discharge in the subsequent spring, and thereafter Hays was to live with him in the hovel under the hill.
Parr.\nt, or "Pig's Eye"
Parrant lost his first claim on a judgment note for ninety dollars, given to Guillaume Beaumette. Before the note came due, Beaumette, probably forced by the pressure of circumstances, sold it to John Miller, of Alendota. Miller was a stone-mason by occupation, as was Beau- mette. He built General Sibley's house at Mendota, the first stone pri- vate dwelling house in Minnesota. About 1S44, he was drowned in the river near Grey Cloud island.
Parrant was unable to pay the note, so Miller became a real estate owner of Parrant's claim, by no expensive process of foreclosure. He did not keep it long, but transferred it to one Vetal Guerin, a young voyageur of Mendota, in the settlement of a debt of one hundred and fifty dollars due the said Guerin. The latter never got possession of it. for some imscrupulous sinner, whose name history has not recorded, jumped the claim, and despoiled Guerin of his property. Retributive justice
36 ST. PAUL AND MCINITY
overtook the graceless jumper soon after, as the United States marshal tore down his house and drove him oft' the reserve.
But Parrant was not easily discouraged. After losing his mercantile outfit near the cave he promptly liled on another claim. He selected a tract just east of Sergeant Hays' claim, fronting on the river, extending from Minnesota street to Jackson street, approximately, and hence back to the bluft". About where the foot of Robert street now is, he erected on the bank — afterwards known as Bench street, and since cut down — a hovel, in which to reside and carry on his liquor trade. He occupied this claim about a year.
Parrant had only one serviceable eye. His other eye so nearly re- sembled that of the harmless, necessary swine, that he was nicknamed "Pig's Eye." One day, in 1839, Edmund Brisette, a young Canadian, w^as at Parrant's whiskey shop, and wanted to send a letter to Joseph R. Brown, who had a trading post on Grey Cloud island, twelve miles below. But where he should date the letter, was the problem. "1 looked up inquiringly at Parrant," says Brisette, in relating the circumstance, "and, seeing his old crooked eye scowling at me, it suddenly popped into my head to date it at Pig's Eye, feeling sure that the place would be recognized, as Parrant was well known along the river. In a little while an answer was safely received, directed to me at Pig's Eye. I told the joke to some of the boys, and they made lots of fun of Parrant. He was very mad, and threatened to lick me, but never tried to execute it." Thus the name was bestowed on the place in a joke, which stuck to it for years.
During the summer of 1839, a number of Canadians settled at the locality now known as Pig's Eye, then called the Grand Alarais. which is on the river bank half a mile below Carver's cave. Among them were Amablc Turpin, Michel LeClaire, Antoine LeClaire, Francis Gammell,
Lasart, Joseph Labisincr, Henry Belland, Chevalier, .■\mable
Morin and Charles Mousscau. It is possible, however, that some of these located there in the fall of 183S, after the ratification of the treaty was known Ijut the aliove were living at Pig's Eye in the year mentioned. They were all in the employ of the Fur Company as voyageurs a portion of the year, and when not needed by the company cultivated their little farms in quiet. .Amable Turpin was the father of Mrs. Louis Robert. He was born at Montreal. Canada, about the year 1766, as. when he died, in 1866, he was in his one hundredth year — a span of life that falls to the lot of but a small percentage of mortals.
A Mysterious De.\th
Phelan and Hays, who were partners in the claim business, had been residing in the cabin on Phelan's claim since April, 1839. It was a lonely spot, a mile or more from any other habitation, and seldom did any one visit the cabin of the two settlers. Phelan, as remarked before, was regarded by the other settler.^ as an unscrupulous, wicked man. Hays was supposed to have considerable money, received on his discharge from the army, and the two held in common several cattle and some other personal property. The two men were unlike in their disposition and character, and it was known that they did not agree very well. Such was the situation in September. 1S39.
About the middle of that month, Ilays mysteriously disappeared. He was missed for several days, and to inquiries as to his whereabouts, Phe-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 37
Ian gave evasive and unsatisfactory answers. The rumor of his disap- pearance reached Fort Snelling, where Hays was well known and liked. Taliaferro makes this record in his journal; "Sunday, 15th of September, 1839, a man, by name Hays, an Irishman, lost. Suppose killed — even re- ported to have been murdered by the chief VVa-kin-yan-ton-ka ( Big Thun- der, Little Crow's father). No such belief rests with me. 1 incline to the opinion that his neighbor, Phelan, knows something. Hays lived with him and had money."
On September 27th Taliaferro made the following entry : "Wab- sheedah, or the Dancer, called at the office to say that his sons had found the body of j\Ir. Hays, lost some time ago, in the river near Carver's Cave."
The body of Hays was at once secured. On examination, his head, jaws and nose were found badly mashed by violent blows, unmistakably indicating a desperate murder. Phelan was at once arrested, by warrant issued by Henry H. Sibley, as justice of the peace, and, on the 28th he was examined before that officer as to his knowledge of Hays' death. The evidence adduced, and the other circumstances known, were suffi- cient to justify his commitment to answer the charge of murder in the first degree, and he was consequently confined in the guard-house at the fort, until the next steamboat arrived, when he was sent to Prairie du Chien, county seat of Crawford county, Wisconsin territory, in which the crime had been committed.
Phelan was finally acquitted, the evidence being held insufficient to convict him. The practically unanimous opinion of the community here was that he murdered Hays. General Sibley, an eminently just man, advised of all the facts, always believed in his guilt. On his return after the trial, Phelan made a new claim on the creek still bearing his name, slightly transformed into "Phalen," and built a cabin where Hanim's brewery now stands.
At last, on October 21, 1839, the secretary of war issued an order to the United States marshal of Wisconsin territory that the "intruders on the land east of the river, belonging to the Fort Snelling reservation," be removed therefrom. This order did not reach the marshal until February 18, 1840, and was not executed until May 6th of that year, when, with the aid of the soldiers under the deputy marshal, the set- tlers were driven off and their cabins were destroyed.
Abraham Perry, the Gervais brothers. Rondo, and other of the early settlers of St. Paul, were among those whose houses were destroyed. To these poor refugees it was a cruel blow. The victims of floods, and frosts and grasshoppers in the Red River valley, and once before ex- pelled from the reserve (west side) it seemed that the cup of disaster was charged to the brim for them. Mournfully gathering up their effects, they retreated beyond the line of the reservation and there began life anew.
Thus the expulsion of temporary settlers from the Fort Snelling reservation, by military authority, led to the permanent settlement at the point which later became the center of population and business of a great city.
Perm.anent Settlers
It will be noted that the earliest actual settlers were largelv of French Canadian origin, with some Swiss and Scotch elements intermingled, and a sprinkling of nondescript waifs and floaters on the outskirts of
38 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
civilization. They were not only the original white inhabitants of St. Paul, but they were the primeval white Minnesotans, since, for all jirac- tical purposes, the settlement here was Minnesota, at this time now spoken of and for years thereafter.
Much of the future history of a new conimonwealth, and of the tend- encies and traits of her people for several generations after, depends on the impress given by a few of its first comers. The state of Kansas is a case directly in point. Kansas came legitimately by the fads and crazes which have made her political life such a troubled sea. Hostility to slavery was only one of the many mutinies against the old order of things which stirred the first settlers to seek new lands where they could build up a community of their own liking.
While the bone and sinew of the immigrants — the men who were the actual builders of the state — only sought possession of what to their eyes was a goodly land for their homes, and were invincibly determined to save it from the noisome trail of slavery, yet there swarmed in with
FIRST CHAPEL OF .ST. P.\UL Ercclod In 1841
them a horde of men with more fantastic minds — men who were obsessed with the idea tliat everything that was old was wrong. Its being old was sufficient reason for changing it to something as different as possible, so they became willing victims to and proijagandists of every new "ism." The more this differed from what those around them believed, the more attractive it was to them.
The subservience of women to men was as repugnant as tlie slavery of one man to another. I'ouricrism, comnumism, phrenology, vege- tarianism, spelling reform, cold-water cure, found in them as ardent supporters as did later ("ireenbackism, Populism. Free Silver and nar- row gauge railroads. There was just enough leaven of truth in all these to make them specious, but in the rough-and-tumble of new life, under new skies, the solid facts of existence ]>rove(l too much for the reformers. Fads are a good thing in a way. Faddists have their uses. They break ^u|) the crust, like i)lowing in dry weather, which gives a dust nuikh to a)nscrve the moisture below. Kansas now feels that she has iiad rather more than her share of the cranks. How
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 39
much of her wonderful progress is really due to them, and whether they have helped the state more than they have injured it, is still a subject of discussion in the prosperous Sunflower state.
Minnesota was outside the zone of border ruffian outrages in the interest of African slavery, and the people who first came here shared none of the etfervescent enthusiasms pertaining to such experiences. It must be confessed that they were of a grade of social and intellectual acquirement, promising little of the progress and prosperity and real distinction which was speedily built up on this discouraging foundation.
The rude forefathers of the hamlet were taken in hand by men of high ideals and masterly aims. They were guided and moulded by Sibley and Rice and Kittson and Oakes and Borup and Steele and Forbes, who assumed the leadership. Their uncouth manners were smoothed out ; their repellant proclivities were suppressed ; their latent energies were directed into productive channels. The voyageurs and trappers and discharged soldiers were Americanized, and their descend- ants, including many with visible traces of a part Indian ancestry, are now among St. Paul's worthiest and most respected citizens.
The first white child was born at St. Paul on September 4, 1839, and was afterward christened at Prairie du Chien as Basil Gervais.
Perhaps the first distinctively American family which settled in St. Paul was that of Henry Jackson, who arrived in 1842. He was a native of Virginia, and having "failed in business at Galena, Illinois, came with his wife to St. Paul and erected a small log store on high ground at the foot of Jackson street. His store became a favorite stopping place for Canadian voyageurs and Kaposia Sioux. His knowledge of the English language and acquaintance with business made him the leading man in the settlement for several years, and in 1843 he was appointed the first justice of the peace in the hamlet by Governor Dodge, of Wisconsin. The same year Richard W. ]\Iortimer, an Englishman of some education, who had been a soldier at Fort Snelling, came to the settlement with his wife and children, and purchased eighty acres between St. Peter and Washington streets, but the next year died. A native of Poland, Stan- islaus Bilanski, came this year and lived between Phelan and Trout creek. He is worthy of note, only because in later years he was poisoned by his wife, who was the first white person hung by officers of the law in the state of Minnesota.
In 1843 several persons of industry and good judgment came to the hamlet. Among the most prominent was John R. Irvine, who came from Prairie du Chien. Upon the advice of his friend, Henry Jackson, he purchased of Joseph Rondo a tract of land, which in time was known as Rice and Irvine's addition to St. Paul. On it was a log house which stood on Third street, a few feet west of Franklin. In June his family came and occupied this. It was subsequently lathed on the outside and plastered, which gave it a neat appearance, and here he lived when the territory of Minnesota was organized.
William E. Hartshorn in September, 1843, came with a stock of mer- chandise from St. Louis, and brought Augustus L. Larpenteur as his clerk. Mr. Larpenteur still survives and has for .some years enjoyed the distinction of being the "oldest inhabitant" of St. Paul. At a later period Larpenteur and David B. Freeman were associated with Hartshorn, who established trading posts at several points : for a time he was part- ner of Henry Jackson. This year Norman W. Kittson purchased the claim of Joseph R. Clewett. J. W. Simpson came in Octoljer, 1843, and
40 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
bought an acre of B. Gervais. He was a quiet man, and erected the second store in the settlement. In 1844 an energetic man of Canadian parentage, but born in Missouri, arrived in St. Paul, named Louis Robert (pro- nounced Robair), and became a prominent settler. He had married in 1839, at Prairie du Chien, Mary Turpin, a pretty young woman. A carpenter named Charles Bazille, a Canadian, accompanied him and built for his use a small warehouse on the river bank at the foot of Jackson street. Bazille the next year married the youngest daughter of Abraham Perry, The square occupied by the Minnesota capitol was a gift from him. This year he also built the first grist and saw mill at Phelan's Creek.
Mr. L.vrpenteuk's Biuthd.w Invit.vtion
Just before May 16, 1911, Mr. Augustus L. Larpenteur issued, through the St. Paul Pioneer Press, his annual invitation to the people of the city to call on him, on that day, it being the eighty-eighth anni- versary of his birth, 1823. His characteristic and somewhat pathetic letter follows:
"St. Paul Pioneer Press: Next Tuesday, God willing, I will have reached the eighty-eighth anniversary of my birth, and for sixty-two years of that time you have been my constant companion. I was present at the birth April 28, 1849. We have crossed swords at times, but always have been friends. I shall be pleased to ' see you, as well as any and all of my friends on that occasion, to shake them by the hand and exchange a few thoughts upon the topics of the day — and the changes that have taken place here since we have known each other.
"Minnesota, I have known you before you had a name. I have known you when in your swaddling clothes. I have helped you into manhood. I have known you when you did not possess one dollar's worth of taxable property, and have lived to see you have more money in your school fund than Thomas Jefferson, the Presi- dent of these United States, paid Napol.con Bonaparte for the Louisiana Purchase.
"Coming here in 1843, a poor boy, my capital was these two hands and a first class fever and ague. Ignorant of the language of the natives, I have seen these plains, which were reported as only fit for the habitation of the Indian and buffalo, blossom like the rose, mingling with its perfume that of the wheat and the rye. I have seen built the happy homes of more than five millions of happy people, and have been able to drop into the ears of the receding natives the sentiment of my profound gratitude in their own dialect.
"My contemporaries all have gone to sleep. I know of no one alive here today except the wi<low Guerin. On August 26, 1848. General H. H. Sibley and I. return- ing from the land-sale at the Falls of Saint Croix. Wisconsin, where we had been entering our lands, with sixty-one delegates, met in convention at Stillwater and got up a petition to the governor of Wisconsin, asking the privilege of having an election for the purpose of electing a delegate to Congress to take steps for the organization of our new Territory. It was granted. Sibley was elected and it was a long time before he was allowed to take a seat. No one wanted more territory, particularly in a section that was only 'fit for the buffalo.' I am the only one left. Au revoir. "A. L. Larpenteur."
CHAPTER V
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL BEGINNINGS
A PosTOFFiCE Town — School for Indians — First Real Hotel Opened — Cart Brigade and Steamship Company — A Pivotal Year (1848) — Minnesota Territory — St. Paul Declared the Capital — "St. Paul Pioneer" Founded — Indians Investigate Civilization — Settlers of 1838-48.
In Alay, 1844, Rev. Augustin Ravoux succeeded Father Galtier as priest at the chapels of Mendota and St. Paul. As Monsigneur Ravoux, this devoted ecclesiastic survived in this city until well into the twentieth century, esteemed by Christians of every denomination and by all classes of citizens.
For several years after the missionary Pope left the country the Methodists endeavored to teach the Sioux, at Red Rock, farming and the useful arts. In 1841 Rev. B. F. Kavanagh, afterwards a bishop in the south, was in charge. Among his assistants was a young farmer, William R. Brown, and Charles Cavileer, a saddler by trade. The mis- sion was at length given up. In 1845 Cavileer came to St. Paul and en- gaged in business.
A PosTOFFicE Town
During the spring of 1846 St. Paul emerged from a hamlet to the dig- nity of a postoffice town, and on the 7th of April Henry Jackson was commissioned postmaster. A rude box, with sixteen pigeon holes, was placed in his store as a receptacle for letters; this box is preserved in the rooms of the Minnesota Historical Society as an interesting relic of the day of small things.
From this period "coming events cast their shadows before." In January, 1840, the legislature of Wisconsin had created St. Croix county, comprising all the region beyond a line from a point on Lake Pepin to Lake Superior. In 1840-2 this county was represented in the lower house of the Wisconsin legislature by Joseph R. Brown, who, in 1839, was a terror to the officers at Fort Snelling because of the demoralizing influence of his liquor selling. While at Madison he met those who thought that in time another territory would be organized beyond Wis- consin, so as to include the portion of the old Northwest territory west of the St. Croix river.
On the 5th of October, 1846, a convention assembled at Madison to form a state constitution for Wisconsin, and William Holcomb of Stillwater, a representative of St. Croix county, earnestly contended for separation from Wisconsin. Soon after the convention adjourned, Hon. Morgan L. Martin, delegate from Wisconsin, introduced a bill in the
41
42 ST. PAUL AND N'ICTXITY
United States house of representatives for organizing the territory of Minnesota. The bill then failed to pass, but it showed that men in St. Paul and Stillwater were thinking of the foundations of a new common- wealth. Mr. Martin, before his death in October, 1887, mentioned that he had served with Joseph R. lirown in the legislature and that from him he received the name Minnesota.
During the year 1846, William H. Ivandall and his young son, Wil- liam, were valuable acquisitions to the town, always zealous for law and order and the better things of life.
School for Indi.vns
Big Thunder, who became chief of the Kaposia band about 1830, died from wounds caused by the careless handling of his gun. Before he ex- pired he sent for his son Tah-o-yah-tay-doo-tah (his Scarlet People), the so-called Little Crow, who, in 1862, led the Sioux in their uprising against the white settlers in the valley of the Minnesota river. The dying chief told his son that although he was his first born, it had not been his design to make him his successor, because he was vicious and fond of whiskey, but, as his second son had been killed by the Ojibways, he was forced to the stej).
Tah-o-yah-tay-doo-tah, in 1846, was shot in a drunken revel, but survived his wound, and, realizing the influence of St. Paul whiskey upon him and his people, went to Mr. Bruce, the Indian agent at Fort Snelling, and requested a missionary. Bruce in his report to the Indian Bureau at Washington wrote : "The chief of the Little Crow's band who resides below, in the immediate nci;;hborhood of the whiskey dealers, has requested to have a school established at his village. He says they are determined to reform and for the future will try to do better. I wrote to I^r. Williamson soon after the recjuest was made, desiring him to take charge of the school. I le has conducted the mission school at Lac qui Parle for some years, is well qualified and is an excellent physician."
Rev. T. S. Williamson, M. D., came down in November. 1846, and his sister, assisted by Margaret Renville (partly Indian) who had been educated at Lac qui Parle, opened a school for Indian children. Im- pressed with the need of a school for the children in St. Paul, he soon visited the hamlet, finding in the vicinity from twelve to fifteen families, and one-half of the ])arents could not read. Although the settlement was .so small, there were five places where whiskey was sold.
The wife of John R. Irvine was a kind and comely woman, who had lived in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and felt the importance of education for her children. She told Dr. Williamson that if he would procure a young lady teacher she would give her board and a room in her house. By his exertion the services of liarriet E. P>ishop were secured. On the morning of July 16. 1847, the steamboat "Lynx" stopped at Kaposia, or Little Crow's village, the teacher landed, was welcomed by Dr. Wil- liamson and sister, and, amid wondering savages, was conducted to the mission house. The next day was Sunday and the teacher in her work called "Floral Homes," describes the services for the Indians: "Some listened with profound attention ; others remained in listless in- difTercnce; others quietly dozed in their seats; a few were inclined to laugh; some left; but most remained until the services were closed." The same week Miss Bishop was brought u]i to St. Paul in a canoe and intrfxluced to Mrs. Irvine. .\ school was opened in an old log cabin with a bark rnof, which stood at the corner of Third and St. Peter streets
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 43
and had been used as a blacksmith shop. Pegs were driven into the logs upon which boards were placed, which served as seats for the children.
During the year 1847 there arrived some who became active citizens. Among others were Simeon P. Folsom, Dr. John J. Dewey, Benjamin W. Brunson, Jacob W. Bass, Daniel Hopkins, C. V. P. Lull, William H. Forbes and Parsons K. Johnson. In August the townsite, since known as St. Paul Proper and containing about ninety acres, was platted by B. W. Brunson and his brother. The narrowness of streets and absence of alleys have been subjects of later criticisms, but these defects did not occur to the original proprietors. Among the signers of the recorded plat were Louis Robert, David Lambert, H. Jackson. H. H. Sibley, J. W. Bass and A. L. Larpenteur, who, with others, owned the tracts embraced in the survey.
Henry Jackson, postmaster, and the first settler of American par- entage, was during that year ( 1847 ) elected a member of the Wisconsin legislature. His district embraced besides his own county (Crawford) the counties of St. Croix, Chippewa and La Pointe, a vast but mostly un- inhabited region. A special session of this (the Fifth) legislative as- sembly of Wisconsin was held October 17-27, 1847, and the regular ses- sion in February and March, 1848, both at Madison, the capital. Mr. Jackson attended both sessions.
First Re.\l Hotfx Opened
The year 1847 witnessed the opening of the first real hotel in the town, the St. Paul House, shortly afterwards rechristened as the Merchants Hotel and maintaining under successive proprietorships, including Messrs. Bass, Belote, Shaw, Allen and Kibbe, a vigorous, continuous and highly creditable existence down to the present writing, a period of sixty-four years. The building was commenced in 1846, by Leonard H. LaRoche, and subsequently completed and enlarged by S. P. Folsom, in the summer of 1847, and finally extended and improved by J. W. Bass. The first part built was twenty by twenty-eight feet, a story and a half high, and was constructed of tamarack logs, hewed square and laid on a stone founda- tion. When this building was taken down in 1870, to give way to the "Merchants" of today, the logs were found as sound as when put up, twenty-three years before.
At that time the building was situated on a bank, and when this was dug down, in 1853, to grade Jackson and Third streets, the log structure was left almost one story above ground. Then a stone basement was built up under the log structure. Mr. Bass leased the building in August, 1847, at ten dollars per month. He gave it the name St. Paul House, and made considerable additions to its size, and improvements in its in- terior and exterior, raising it to two full stories. It was a good-sized building, for those days, and was kept in a style to lend prestige to the town, by making travelers speak well of it. It was in this hotel that on June I, 1849, the territory was organized, an event that has been celebrated on June ist every year from that day to the present with a banquet at the Merchants Hotel by the Old Settlers Association.
C.\RT Brigade .\nd Ste.xmboat Company
There had grown up during the iircceding two or three years, a large and profitable trade with the Red River Settlement. When the ad-
44 ST. PAUL AND \IC1X1TY
vantages and profits of this trade were demonstrated by X. W. Kittson, Jo Rolette of Pembina, and his uncle, Alex Fisher, organized a cart bri- gade and made trading trijis to St. Paul. It succeeded very well, and in 1847 ''s many as one hundred and twenty-five carts came to that town, selling furs and bringing goods thither. Rolette & Fisher came by the Sauk River route ; Mr. Kittson's carts came via Traverse de Sioux. He ultimately adojied the other route, and it then became the main road to Pembina, and in 1859 was im])roved for a post route by the Minnesota Stage Company— ultimately giving way to the railroad.
Another important event of the year 1847, one which greatly aided the settlement of this region, was the organization of a steamboat com- pany to run regular packets from Galena to Mendota and Fort Snelling. Hitherto, only stray boats would make trips to these points, whenever they could get loads that would pay. During this season Messrs. Camp- bell & Smith, of Galena, Prisbois & Rice and H. L. Dousman of Prairie du Chien, H. H. Sibley of Mendota, and M. W. Lodwick of Galena pur- chased the steamer "Argo" with the intention of organizing, the next spring, the Galena Packet Company. The "Argo" was destined to be the pioneer of an important trade. M. W. Lodwick was commander and Russell Blakeley of Galena, clerk. The "Argo" was designed to make trips once a week, and did a pretty fair business that season. Un- fortunately, she struck a snag near Wabasha in October and sank. Cap- tains Lodwick and Blakeley then went to Cincinnati and purchased the "Dr. Franklin" which came out the next year and was a popular packet ; she ran for several seasons.
From a record kept at Fort Snelling for some years, we find the num- ber of steamboats arriving there stated as follows: 1844, 41 boats; 1845, 48; 1846, 24; 1847, 471 1848, 63; 1849 (Saint Paul), 95.
A P:voT.\L Ye.\r (1848)
The year 184S was a pivotal period in local history. It was marked with important events : — The adoption of a state government by Wiscon- sin, leaving Minnesota without a government: the efforts of Minnesota citizens to secure a territorial organization which were, later, successful ; the purchase from the United States of the site of St. Paul and the lands surrounding it ; the influx of new settlers, some of them men of capital and education and influence, and a great increase in the importance of the place. Thus, the year 1848 was intermediate between the era of the wilderness and unorganized society, and that of a government of law and order, emerging from chaos, into the dignity of an established com- munity.
That the religious aspect was not neglected and that it played here, as it does everywhere, an important part in the advancement of civiliza- tion and material progress, may be assumed and is amply confirmed by contemporary records. After Miss Bishop the first teacher arrived she kept a diary of events, whicli gives some interesting items concerning the i)rogress of religion in .'>t. Paul during this year. We condense a few notes, as follows:
January 30. Mr. Gear jireached in afternoon.
I'ebruary 20. Mr. Greenlcaf jireached.
March iq. Visiting, hunting, wrestling, drinking, gambling, etc., are the pastimes of this holy day.
.April 2. Mr. Putnam preached.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 45
April 23. \'iola Irvine (^a little daughter of J. R. Irvine) died from a severe burn by accident.
June 26. ^ir. Cavender acts as superintendent of Sunday school.
July 10. Preaching by Rev. Lemuel Nobles.
July 17. Professor Bent (a professor in the university at Middle- bury, Vermont) lectured.
July 24. B. F. Hoyt preached.
October 16. Rev. Mr. Copeland, of Indiana, preached.
October 23. Mr. Hoyt preached.
November 6. Mr. Hoyt preached.
December 4. Rev. Benj. Close, the Methodist preacher of the St. Paul and Stillwater circuit, preached.
December 31. Mr. Close preached and organized a class, the first move towards organizing a Protestant church in the city.
During the year 1848 a Ladies' Sewing Society was organized to obtain money for the erection of a small frame building on Third, west of St. Peter street, on a lot given by John R. Irvine. When completed, at an expense of about three hundred dollars, it served as a school, church and public hall. In it the first union Sunday school was held, in which the principal teachers were B. F. Hoyt, a local Methodist preacher, A. H. Cavender (both of whom arrived in 1848) and Harriet E. Bishop.
The town this year obtained its first commercial importance by Henry M. Rice, the agent of an extensive fur company of St. Louis, erecting large warehouses on the upper landing at the foot of Eagle street for the receipt of goods intended for the trade among the Ojibways of the upper Mississippi. From this time there was an increase of steam- boat arrivals, and Nathan Myrick, W. H. Nobles, David Lambert, W. C. Morrison, B. W. Lott, David Olmsted, William D. Phillips, E. A. C. Hatch, William R. Brown and several others became residents.
Minnesota Territory
That part of Wisconsin territory east of the St. Croix river having been admitted into the Union as a state, the citizens west of the St. Croix on the 26th of August, 1848, met at Stillwater to memorialize congress to pass an act by which the territory of Minnesota could be organized. David Lambert, a lawyer, formerly of ^Madison, Wisconsin, who had moved to St. Paul, was the secretary of the convention, and prepared the memorial which was signed by the following residents of St. Paul : A. L. Larpenteur, J. W. Simpson, Louis Robert, \'etal Guerin, David Hebert, Oliver Roseau, Andre Godfrey, James R. Clewett and Henry Jackson. The only persons present in the convention from the country west of the Mississippi were Henry H. Sibley and Franklin -Steele. Other delegates in attendance and -actively participating were Joseph R. Brown, Morton S. Wilkison, and Henry L. Moss. At a special election at Stillwater, in October, Henry H. Sibley was chosen delegate to Washington. It had been arranged that Mr. Sibley should urge that St. Paul be designated as the capital of the projected territory and, although the citizens received only an occasional mail drawn up from Prairie du Chien on a sled on the frozen river by dogs, or Cana- dian ponies, they were full of expectation.
A winter of discontent was that of 1848-9. It commenced early
46 ST. PAL'L AND \TCIXITY
and with unusual severity. Snow fell on November 1st. The mails were few, far between and long delayed. Jt was not until January that news of General Taylor's election as president was received ; also ad- vices from delegate Sibley, at Washington, that did not give much en- couragement of success in organizing the territory. \\'hen General Sib- ley arrived in Washington his credentials were jHesented by lion. James Wilson, of New Hampshire, and referred to the committee on elections^ This committee held several meetings and was addressed by Sibley in favor of his recognition, and by Mr. Boyden of North Carolina, and others, adversely. The committee did not report finally, until January 15, 1849, when a majority (5) reported in favor of Sibley's admission, and a minority (4) against it. The majority report was adopted, how- ever, and he was at once admitted.
St. P.\ui, Declarf.d the C.\pit.\l
first work as deter
His first work was to secure the organization of Minnesota territory, determined on by the Stillwater convention. Upon consultation, it was
IIKST COURT HOUSE
I'.uilt in 1850-51. deemed best that the bill sliould be introduced from the committee on territories in the senate. It was i)rei)ared by Hon. Stephen .\. Douglas, chairman, by whom the <irafl was .sent to Sibley for his persual. He noticed that .Mcndota had been designalcd as the caitital, whereas it had been the wish of those participating in tlie .'^tilhvatcr convention, that St. Paul be fixed as the seat of government.
General Sibley urged Senator Douglas to make that change. A meeting of the committee was called, and the matter taken up. Sibley argued that most of the inhabitants of the inoposed territory resided east of the Mississippi and there was an unanimous wish to have the capital on that side. St. Paul was one of the most prominent places in the region, well located for the seat of government, was a regularly platted town, and the land had been entered : so tliat good titles to prop- erty could be had. Senator Douglas opposed the change. He said lie had visited .^'J'rdota. !iot long l)ef<ire. and was so much pleased with the geo-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 47
graphical position of that place, at the confluence of two important rivers, he had then fixed on it as a good site for the future capital of this re- gion, ^loreover. the bulk of area and, ere long, of population, would be west of the ^Mississippi.
General Sibley, although his home and his interests were in Mendota, insisted upon his view of the matter and Senator Douglas finally yielded. St. Paul was inserted, instead of Mendota, as the territorial capital. The bill, thus amended, was reported to the senate, but its passage met with considerable opposition, as it did, also, in the house. General Sibley worked night and day for it and made personal appeals to all the members he could influence. Hon. H. M. Rice arrived in Washington about this time, on private business, and threw his earnest efi^orts and personal influence in the scale also, being personally acquainted with a number of members, and the bill finally passed, being approved March 3, 1849.
The an.xiously awaited news, big with the fate of the town and its citizens, traveled very slowly. On April 9, 1849, the ice having dis- appeared from the river, the steamboat "Dr. Franklin, No. 2," was seen coming around the bend at Dayton's bluft" just at eve, amid a heavy shower. The excited villagers hastened to the landing and learned that on the 3d of March the president had signed the act creating Minne- sota territory.
Other steamboats soon followed with immigrants, and, as the St. Paul House could not accommodate all of the applicants, some dwelt in tents or board shanties.
The long agony was over. Minnesota would be a territory as soon as the officers appointed by the president could arrive and organize it. St. Paul was to be the capital. But the future still held doubtful prob- lems. The new territory was little more than a wilderness with a white population barely exceeding one thousand persons. The land west of the ^lississippi was still unceded by the Indians. From the southern line of the state to St. Paul, there were not more than two or three white men's haljitations along the river, now gemmed with flourishing and handsome cities, and the steamers ascending the river had no regular landing places except at wood yards.
But, with this feeble array of resources, the people were big with expectation. The "elements of empire here were plastic yet and warm," and needed only the right men to mould them into a prosperous state. Fortunately we had the men. California was just then ofifering its stores of gold to any one lucky enough to reach there, and it seemed as if all the country was on the move to the El Dorado. Minnesota, al- most known, lying in a latitude deemed to be semi-arctic in its character, and inhabited by savages, could scarcely expect to draw immigration.
But the problem was soon solved. Immigrants came in multitudes, not, as Whittier wrote,
"The first low wash of waves, where soon Should roll a human sea."
It was the sea itself. Boat after boat landed at the levee, bringing crowds of new comers, until it became a serious question where they should lodge, and on what they should subsist.
A stranger, when he left the steamboat at the foot of Jackson street in April, 1849, found there the stores of Freeman, Larpenteur & Com- pany, and Louis Robert, and, climbing the hill at Third and Jackson
48 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
streets, saw, on the northeast corner, the St. Paul House, on the north- west corner the home of A. L. Larpentcur, and on the southwest corner the store of David Hopkins. The business part of the town was chiefly on Third, between Robert and Jackson streets; and near the junction of Hill and ThLi-d streets were two old log houses, in one of which Nathan Myrick had a temporary residence. The street south of Third, called Bench street east of Wabasha, was occupied by the residence of Vetal Guerin ; the Roman Catholic log chapel ; a building afterwards enlarged and known as the Central House; the store of J. W. Simpson, and, at the point overlooking Jackson street, was the residence of Henry Jack- son.
"St. P.\ul Pioneer" Founded
On the iStli of April, James M. Goodhue, a native of New Hampshire and a graduate of Amherst College, Massachusetts, who had been an editor at Lancaster, Wisconsin, brought his printing press and issued on the 28th of the month, the first number of the St. Paul Pioneer. The printing ofifice was a rude wooden building, neither lathed nor plastered, which stood on Bench street, between Wabasha and Cedar. Mr. Good- hue wrote at a later i)eriod: "C. \'. P. Lull and his partner, Gilbert, furnished us, gratuitously, the lower story of their building for an office, the only vacant room in town. The weather was cold and stormy, and our office was open as a corn rick. However, we picked our types up and made ready for the issue of the first paper ever printed in Minne- sota, or within many hundreds of miles of it, but upon search we found our news 'chase' was left behind. William Nobles, blacksmith, made us a very good one, after a delay of two or three days. One hindrance after another delayed our first issue to the 28th of April. We had no subscribers, for there was but a handful of peo[)le in the whole territory, and a majority of these were Canadians and half-breeds. Not a terri- torial officer had yet arrived. We remember being present, at the date of our first issue, Mr. Lull, Mr. Cavilecr. Air. Neill, and. perhaps, Major Murphy." Murphy was then the Indian agent at Fort Snelling.
Henry M. Rice, who had laid out Rice and Irvine's addition, by the gift of lots and other inducements, gave an impetus to the ui^per town, as that part of St. Paul near the residence of John R. Irvine was called. He erected a large hotel, afterwards known as the American House, at the corner of Third and I'lxchange streets, and secured the erection of a Presbvterian and .Methodist church on what is now known as Rice Park, opposite the postoffice.
In the first issue of the Pioneer it is mentioned that the "Rev. E. D. Neill, a member of the presbytery of Galena, is expected to preach at the schoolhouse on Bench street, next Sunday, tomorrow, at eleven o'clock in the morning."
Mr. Neill arrived on the 23d of .\pril. and was the first resident clergyman who devoted himselfto the active duties of the luinistry. In 1848'B. P. Hoyt. a local preacher of the Methodist church, liad arrived and proved one of the best citizens of St. Paul. He purchased a lumiber of acres which he cultivated and at first lived in a log house near the corner of Eighth and Tackson streets. He and his wife, by their kind and generous spirit, did much for the Methodist church. Many of their descendants still live in the city. In July Rev. J. P. Parsons, of the Baptist church, came, and soon after Rev. C. Hobart of the Methodist Episcopal church. During the summer of 1849 Chaplain Gear, of Fort
ST. PAUL AND VICIiNITY 49
Snelling, conducted occasional Protestant Episcopal services. Chaplain Gear's son, reared at Fort Snelling, was afterwards United States sen- ator from Iowa. Rev. A. Ravoux, who then lived in Mendota, on alter- nate Sundays officiated in the log building, dedicated as a Roman Catholic chapel.
The first kiln of bricks was burned in the upper town by D. F. Braw- ley. The hrst brick building was of two stories, erected for the res- idence of Rev. Edward D. Neill on Fourth near Washington street, the site of which is now occupied by a row of brick houses. The second brick edifice was the Methodist church, which still stands on Market street opposite Rice Square, but is used for commercial purposes.
Indians Investigate Civilization
The Indians watched the erection of the first brick house with won- der, as they had not before seen bricks. They seemed to be as well adapted for pipes as the sacred red pipestone. Some even took a few without leave, and, as they wore no capacious hats, hid them under their blankets and carried them to their village. But when they began to scrape they were disappointed in finding that, like apples of Sodom, they turned to dust. Another Indian excitement this summer was caused by C. D. Bevan establishing the first tin shop. It was a rude frame building in Rice & Irvine's addition on Third street, between Washington and Franklin. For the first few weeks after its erection it was the most attractive spot on earth to some of the Sioux of the Kaposia village. They stood near its windows in eager expectancy and as the tinner would throw out the tin scraps, the refuse of his shears, there was a scramble for their possession. At night they could be seen in their village with pendants attached to their ear rings, the leading feature of their ward- robe, as pleased and complacent as the Chicago society belle who deco- rates the unmentionables of her piano with lace inexpressibles.
Religious and IMoral Foundations
The first Protestant church edifice in the white settlement of Minne- sota was a small Presbyterian chapel, completed in August on the lot adjoining Mr. Neill's residence. It was destroyed by fire the next spring. In September the Union Sunday school which had been estab- lished in 1847 ^"d in which B. F. Hoyt, Miss Bishop and others had been teachers, was suspended in consequence of the growth of the town, and separate schools, under the supervision of the Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist ministers, were opened. In a newspaper of a later date appeared the following: "A few weeks ago it pleased the wise and kind Father in Heaven to call away from earth a promising boy of four years of age. As the last act of a short, but beautiful life, he bequeathed the little he had saved to do good. In pursuance of the child's request the bereaved father has forwarded to a gentleman of this place a library of Sunday school books. These publications have been carefully revised by a committee composed of members of the Baptist. Congregational. Episcopal, Methodist. Presbyterian and Reformed Dutch denominations. A school called the Little Child's Sunday-school is about to be estab- lished in the lecture room, near the American House. It will meet every Sunday morning at Q o'clock and the teaching will be confined to the simple truths of the Bible. It is hoped that all citizens interested in the
50 ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY
moral training of the young will sustain the school by becoming teachers, or by sending their children to be instructed. Many an individual has lived to three score years and ten and not helped the world half as much as this little boy, who has furnished the children of St. Paul with a library of instructive, moral and catholic reading."
Thus, through the instrumentality of good men and women who as- sumed the Icadershi]) and bent their intelligent energies to the beneficent task, the beginnings of a wholesome, social order were established in the embryo city, and the rudiments of a sound political organization were secured for the future commonwealth.
Settlers of 1838-48
We may very properly close this chapter by reproducing the list of pre-territorial settlers and residents of St. Paul, prepared with infinite care by Mr. J. Fletcher Williams, the city's first historian, vouched for by him as accurate and complete, and uniformly accepted by subsequent w-riters :
1838 — Pierre Parrant, Abraham Perry, Edward Phelan, William Evans, Johnson, Benjamin Gervais and Pierre Gervais.
1839 — John Hays. James R. Clewett, \'etal Guerin, Denis Cherrier, Charles Mousseau and William Beaumctte.
1840 — Joseph Rondo, Rev. l.ucian Galticr and Rev. A. Ravoux.
1841 — Pierre Bottineau and Severe Bottineau.
1842 — Henry Jackson, Richard \\'. Mortimer, Pelon. Joseph
Labisinier, Francis Desire and Stanislaus Bilanski.
1843 — John R. Irvine, Ansel B. Coy, James W. Simpson, William Hartshorn, A. L. Larpenteur, Alex R. McLeod, Christopher C. Blanch- ard, Scott Campbell, .\lexis Cloutier, Francis Moret, Antoine Pepin, Alex Mege. David Thomas Sloan. Jo. Dcsmarais, S. Cowdcn. Jr. (or Garden), Charles Reed, Louis T-arrivier, Xavier Delonais and Joseph Gobin.
1844 — Louis Robert, Charles Bazille. William Rugas, Thomas Mc- Coy and Joseph Hall.
1845 — Leonard H. LaRoche, Francis Chenevert, David Benoit. Francis Robert, William H. Morse, Antoine Findlay, Charles Cavileer, \\'illiam G. Carter, .Augustus Freeman, David P.. Freeman, Jesse H. Pomeroy and Gerou.
,846— James M. Boal, William II. Randall. William Randall. Jr., Ed. West, David Faribault. Charles Rouleau, Thomas S. Odcll. Tlarley D. White, Tel D. Cruttenden. Louis Denoyer and Joseph Monteur.
1847— William Henry Forbes, J. W. Bass, Benj. W. Brunson. Daniel Hopkins, Sr.. Miss Harriet E. Bishop. Aaron Foster, John Banfil, Fred Olivier. William K. Renfro, Parsons K. Johnson. C. P. V. Lull and i".. A. Fournier.
1848— Henry M. Rice. .\. H. Cavendcr, Benj. F. H.>yt, William H. Nobles, David Lambert. William D. Phillips. W. C. Morrison, Xatlian Myrick, E. A. C. Hatch. Richard ]Mcel)()rn. William Freeborn. .Mdcn Bryant. Lot MoflFett. A. R. French, William B. Brown. Hugh McCann, B.'W. Lott. PL C. Rhodes, David Olmsted. Hugh Glenn. Kels Robert. Andre Godfrey, Dav Hebcrt. Oliver Rosseau, William H. Kelton, Andy L. Shearer, F,' P.. Weld an.l Albert Titlow.
CHAPTER VI
THE EARLY TERRITORIAL ERA
Population of St. Paul — First Public Celebration — Postoffice and First Court — Ramsey County Created — First County Officers — St. Paul in 1850 — Mail Service Improved — The Northern Pacific Prophesied — Second Legislature Assembles — Meeting OF Third Legislature — Fourth Legislature Convenes — St. Paul in 1853 — Gorman Succeeds Ramsey.
The days of preparation for social order and political organization were now finished, and the period for an approach to self-government, under the tutelage of the federal administration, had arrived. In .March, 1849, President Zachary Taylor selected Alexander Ramsey, who had been a member of congress from Pennsylvania, as first governor of the territory of Minnesota. On the 13th of April, Chief Justice Taney, of the United States supreme court, administered to Mr. Ramsey the oath of office. In a stagecoach he rode from Milwaukee to Prairie du Chien and there took passage on the steamboat "Dr. Franklin." On the 27th of May the boat reached St. Paul, but, as there was no suitable habita- tion ready, Governor Ramsey accepted the hospitality of Henry H. Sib- ley at Mendota. On the 25th of June, with his wife and child, he came down to St. Paul in a birch canoe and disembarked at Rice's Landing, as the foot of Eagle street was called. They proceeded (Mrs. Ramsey and her little son sitting on trunks in an ox-wagon, and the Governor on foot) to a one-story frame house on the south side of Tliird street be- tween Jackson and Robert, which had been rented by the Governor. The next day the Governor secured the good-will of his fellow towns- men by subscribing five dollars for a much needed public improvement, a town pump.
With Governor Ramsey, or shortly after his arrival, came the other territorial officers. These were Aaron Goodrich of New York, chief justice; David Cooper and B. B. Meeker, associate justices; Charles Kilgore Smith of Ohio, secretary of state ; and Colonel Alex M. Mitchell of Ohio, a West Point graduate of 1835, marshal of the territory, all of them becoming residents of St. Paul. Henry L. Moss, the newly appointed United States district attorney, had lived at Stillwater since April, 1848, but removed to St. Paul in 1851, and was a citizen there during the remainder of his long and useful life.
On June ist Governor Ramsey and Chief Justice Goodrich, with H. L. Moss, United States district attorney, and Judge David Cooper, as- sociate justice, seated on beds or trunks in a little room, about eight by ten, in the St. Paul House, drew up the "First of June Proclamation,"
51
52 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
as it is called, announcing the territorial government organized. It was written on a washstand, the only table that could be procured.
Secretary Smith set about securing apartments, or a building, for the use of the territorial officers and legislature, but found it almost impossible to do so, as the town was so crowded, and buildings in de- mand. Finally, he secured rooms in the Central House, a weather- boarded log structure on Bench street, which was then kept as a hotel by Robert Kennedy, and, having been afterwards more than doubled in size, was the Central House of later days. A flagstaff was erected on the bank of the river, and the national banner run up, to mark the headquarters of government, and in these narrow quarters its business was carried on.
PopuL.vTioN OF St. Paul
Pursuant to a provision in the Organic act, John Morgan, sheriff of St. Croix county, engaged for several weeks in taking a census of the territory. Edmund Brissett took the districts on the Missouri river, and William Dahl, the Pembina region.
The census of St. Paul appeared as follows: Males, 540; females, 300. Total, 840. The total of the whole territory was: Males, 3,067; females, 1,713. Total, 4,780. Of these, over 700 lived in what was afterwards Dakota territory, and 367 were not legal inhabitants, being soldiers in the forts.
The Pioneer announced that Freeman, Larpcnteur & Company, with some aid from their neighbors, had erected a staircase from the lower landing to the summit of Jackson's point, "rendering the passage up and down the bluff a diversified and pleasant promenade."
First Public Celebration
The first public celebration was on the 4th of Julv, 1840. At that time, owing to the limestone rock of the plateau between Pleasant and Wabasha being a few feet higher on the river front, a forest had grown up in low swampy ground fed by springs. It was impossible to make a road through it, because of the "terre tremblante" (quaking earth). The place selected for the outdoor exercises was at the edge of the woodlands, on what is Fifth street, where the postoffice now is, opposite Rice square. Franklin Steele was the chief marshal of the procession, and his aids were A. L. Larpentcur and W. H. Nobles. Governor Ramsey presided, with Sibley and Rice as vice presidents. The orator of the day was B. B. Meeker, one of the territorial judges recently arrived from Kentucky, and W. D. Phillips, a lawyer, read the Declaration of Independence. Judge Meeker's speech filled six columns of the next issue of the Pioneer, but a French Canadian pres- ent always averred that "Billy Phillips made ze bes' speech ve has to- day." The managers appointed for the ball in the evening were Dr. Thomas R. Potts, a physician who had l.itcly come from Galena. John D. Crultenden, and a young lawyer, W. 11. Dent.
Postoffice and First Court
The incumbency of the St. Paul postoffice underwent a ciiange at this period. Henry Jackson held the postoffice three years and three months. During tlu-ee years of that time it hardly paid for the trouble
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 53
of conducting it. But meantime a change came over the hamlet. With the rush of population and business came also a very great 'in- crease of mail matter, and it soon became necessary to lay aside the little case of pigeon-holes, and procure more expanded facilities for serving the public. The Register, of July 28th, says: "Our postmaster has titted up his new postoffice building on Third street, with great taste and convenience. Every citizen, whose business requires it, can now have a box to himself."
The "new postoffice" referred to, was a frame building and there were about two hundred "glass boxes" in the new equipment, a num- ber considered sufficient for the needs of that day.
But Mr. Jackson's official head was already in the basket, though he did not know it, owing to the deliberate movement of the mail service he was helping to administer. On July 5th he was decapitated by the Whig administration and Jacob W. Bass, the popular landlord of the Alerchant's Hotel, succeeded him. As soon as Mr. Bass could make preparations for accommodating the office he took possession. He erected a small frame addition, or lean-to, alongside of the Jackson street front of the hotel and removed thither the glass boxes or pigeon- holes, with the other equipments necessary. The whole room was only about as big as a sheet of paper, but accommodated the business of that day.
The first brick made in Minnesota was burned this year (1849) near the present site of the soldiers monument on Summit Park, by D. F. Brawley.
The first court held in St. Croix county after the territory was or- ganized, was on August 12th, chief justice Croodrich presided, and Judge Cooper assisted. Goodhue says : "The roll of attorneys is large for a new country. About twenty of the lankiest and hungriest de- scription, were in attendance." The term lasted six days. The pro- ceedings were, for the first two or three days, somewhat crude, owing to the assembling of a bar composed of persons from nearly every state. But, by the urbanity, conciliatory firmness and harmonious course taken by the court, matters were in a great measure systematized. At this session, it was said only one man on the jury wore boots. All the rest had moccasins.
An election was held in the territory, on the 2nd of August, for members of the legislature. St. Paul chose as its representatives in the upper house William H. Forbes and James McBoal, and in the lower house, B. W. Brunson, Henry Jackson, John J. Dewey and Parsons K. Johnson. Hon. H. H. Sibley was re-elected delegate in congress with- out opposition, but there was a spirited contest over the other posi- tions and great rejoicing over the result. The Register said: "Forbes, McBoal, Brunson, Dewey, Jackson and Johnson, were successively placed in a small-sized go-cart and hauled through the streets by the enthu- siastic crowd, at a speed rather prejudicial to whole necks. The vehicle finally broke down, but the 'boys' were not to be stopped in their re- joicings. So they carried their successful friends to the hotel, where such cheering took place as we scarcely ever heard before. The crowd then dispersed in good order."
On Monday, the 3rd of .September, the legislature convened at the Central House. The front room on the east side of the hall was oc- cupied by the secretary of the territory, and the room on the west side was used by the house of representatives. The room over the rep-
54 ST. PAUL AND \I(;iXITY
resentative hall, was used as the council chamber, and that over the secretary's office was the territorial library. On Tuesday afternoon in the dining hall, Governor Ramsey delivered his first message, which ended with this wish: "'May that God who rules the destiny of nations so prosper your doings and mine that no rei)roaclies will' meet us in the present, no regrets be experienced in the future, l)ut that we shall all bear with us the conviction that each has performed his whole duty for the dissemination of liberty and law, religion and education, through- out our territory."
Ramsey Couxtv Created
The legislature continued in session sixty days. Nine counties were created, one of them being named in honor of the Governor, "Ram- sey"; St. Paul was declared its county seat and November i. 1849. a bill was approved incorporating the "Town of St. Paul," with a pres- ident, a recorder and five trustees.
The columns of the Pioneer from week to week, by its advertise- ments, indicated the increase and division of business. A. R. French, who had married at Fort Snelling when a soldier, remained in the country, and in 1849 had a saddlery and harness shop in St. Paul, and advertised as a "Horse Mantua Alaker." Until the fall of 1849 the stores sold goods of a general description, from a ])lug of tobacco to a hatchet or a plow. At that time the brothers Elfelt arrived from Philadelphia and Jjuilt the then largest store in the i^lace, at the south- east corner of Third and Exchange street, and sold chiefly dry goods.
In November the First Presbyterian church of St. Paul was formed and on the first Sunday of January, 1850, Elders J. W. Selby and W. H. Tinker were officially recognized ; the communion was administered. The Rev. Dr. Williamson, of the Little Crow Mission, was i)rcsent, with several of his native Sioux who were communicants of bis church. The Doctor made some very affecting remarks both in English and Sioux, alluding to the union of communicants of different colors and races, and believers present were invited to unite.
First Countv Officers
On the 26111 of November the first election of Ramsey county of- ficers took ])lace. and Dr. David Day was chosen register of deeds ; C. V. P. Lull, sheriff: J. ^\'. Simpson, trea.surer; Louis Roberts, P.. Gervais and R. P. Russell, commissioners, and Henry A. Lambert, judge of probate. A few weeks later David Day, on behalf of the commis- sioners, published a notice and offered ten dollars for the jilan of a court house and jail in one building. Dr. Day won the ]>remium and furnished the iilan for the court house which stood uiuil rei)laccd, in 1885 i)y the present structure. It was completed in 1851. The jail, a separate and less pretentious structure w;is l)nilt latci'. It was the lirst prison in Minnesota.
Piefore the close of the year steps were taken to organize a system of public schools, and at a meeting of the citizens, on the 1st of Decem- ber, Edmund Rice, William 11. l-'orbes, Edward D. Ncill. John Snow. B. F. Hoyt, J. P. Parsons and P.. W. P>runsf)n were ajiixtinted trustees. and by them Harriet E. Bishop, Mary J^chofield and Rev. C. Ilobart were engaged as teachers.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 55
This was a period of the shaping up of various features of a new town, hastened by the rapid influx of population. A Masonic Lodge was one of the early manifestations. The movers in the work applied to the Grand Lodge of Ohio for a dispensation, which was granted on August 8, 1849. On September 8th the lodge was organized in the office of C. K. Smith, who had been designated in the warrant as first master. Soon after, the officers and members were announced as fol- lows: W. M., C. K. Smith; S. W., James Hughes; J. W., Daniel F. Brawley; treasurer, J. C. Ramsey; secretary, J. A. Aitkenside; S. D., Lot Moffet; J. D., Taylor Dudley; tyler, W. C. Wright. Members: Aaron Goodrich, John Condon, Albert Titlow, John Holland, Levi Sloan, C. P. V. Lull, George Egbert, Samuel H. Dent, D. B. Loomis, M. S. Wil- kinson, John Lumlev, H. N. Setzer, James McBoal, Chas. P. Scott, O. H. Kelley, Chas. 'M. Berg, William H. Randall, Hugh Tyler, Luther B. Bruin and A. M. :\Iitchell.
Politics also began to take on new phases and assert its claims. Hitherto party lines had not been drawn very strictly in the new ter- ritory. At the August election no political questions had entered into the canvass. The first erection of party standards took place at a "Democratic mass convention," which met, pursuant to call, at the American House, on October 20, 1849. Suitable resolutions were re- ported and adopted ; the Pioneer was declared the organ of the party, and from this time dates the bitterness of party strife.
The river remained open and navigable this year 242 days, during which there were ninety-five arrivals.
The whole mercantile business of St. Paul for the year 1849, was ascertained at the close of the season, to be $131,000. Of this, $60,000 was computed to be groceries.
St. Paul in 1850
The year 1850 opened auspiciously and was ushered in with much gayety. The Pioneer boastingly remarks : "The festivities and hilarity of our town on New Year's confirm the truth that cold weather can never freeze warm hearts. St. Paul was, yesterday, swarming with animated fashion. The sideboards of many of our citizens were pro- vided with free entertainments, which would do credit to the wealthy burghers of Gotham. In the evening, there was a rush to the ball at the Central House, there being nearly or Cjuite one hundred gentlemen, with their ladies, present."
On January i, 1850. the following directory of the professional men, business firms, etc. of the town was printed : Clergymen — Ravoux, Neijl, Hobart, Hoyt, Parsons.
Lawyers — Edmund Rice, H. A. Lambert, W. D. Phillips, P. P. Bishop. George L. Becker, H. F. Masterson, O. Simons, J. A. Wake- field. S. H. Dent. W. B. White, B. W. Lott, James M. Goodhue, L. A. Babcock and C. K. Smith. Land agents — A. V. Fryer, Isaac N. Good- hue. ^Merchants — Elfelt & Brother, Fuller & Brother, L. Sloan. Ful- lerton & Curtis. W. H. Forbes, Douglas & .Slosson, John Randall & Co., Louis Robert, W. H. Tracy & Company, Daniel Hopkins, Sergeant & Bowen, J. W. Simpson, Bart Presly & Company, Dewey & Cavileer, N. Barbour and J. C. Ramsey.
Tailors — Johnson & Brown, W. H. Tinker and J. N. Slosson.
Shoemaker — Hugh McCann.
56 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
Hotels — American House, by R. Parker; Tremont House, by J. A. Wakefield; Central House, by R. Kennedy;' St. Paul House, by J. \V. Bass; De Rocher's House,' bv De Rocher; and Miller's boarding house, by B. Miller.
Painters — -J. M. Boal and Burill & Inman.
Blacksmiths — William H. Nobles & Company and Leverich & Com- pany.
Plasterers — J. K. Jrvine, D. De Webber, Starkfield and C. P. Scott.
Masons — Barnes, B. Bowles, William Beaumette, Hawley and J. Kirkpatrick.
Carpenters— C. P. V. Lull, William Bryant, A. Foster, W. Wood- bury, W. C. Morrison, J. B. Coty, Charles Bazille, T. Lareau, Coit H. Willey, Eaton & Brother, Chase, B. F. Irvine, J. B. Lumbeck, Joseph Brinsmade, H. Glass and J. Fronst.
Silversmith — Nathan Spencer.
Gunsmith — McGuire. .
Bakers — Berry & Brother, K. Stewart and Humphrey & Brinkman.
Wheelwrights — Nobles & Morrison and Hiram Cawrod.
Saddle and harnessmaker — A. R. French.
Tinner — C. D. Bevan.
On New Year's day the Minnesota Historical Society, which had been incorporated by the legislature of 1849, held a public meeting in the unfinished Methodist church, and the address delivered by one of the clergyman was published in a pani])hlet and passed through two editions.
Balls and dancing parties were the means of relieving the Icdium of the winter season of 1850, as well as of getting the new comers better acquainted. One of elaborate character was held January 17th at the American Mouse, and another February 22nd at the Central House. The band of the Sixth Infantry, from the fort, furnished the music, its leader being a famous bugler. One of the papers humorously advised gentlemen to wear neither moccasins nor heavy hoots at balls — also thought it "vulgar for a lady to make up a bundle of cake, luits and candies at the table, to carry home."
On March 14th a deputation of the principal chiefs of the Winne- bagoes, who were dissatisfied with their reservation, waited on Governor Ramsey. A grand council was held in the trading house of Olmsted & Rhodes, on Third street between Jack.son and Robert streets. The chiefs stated their griveances to Governor Ramsey, and had a long talk. Thev were finally persuaded to return to their reservation and remain there peaceably.
It was at this council that Ramsey made his famous temperance speech to the Indians. He admonished them of the dangers of intem- perance, and urged them to quit drinking. "The white men," he said, "have quit drinking." The interpreter translated this, but the Indians looked a little astonished and incredulous — so the Governor added, "in a great measure !" The interpreter rendered this literally, to mean a large-sized vessel ! Old Dekora. at this exclaimed, "Perhaps they have, but most of them still use a small measure."
On the 2nd of .Xiiril a party of .Sioux from the village below St. Paul attacked fifteen Ojibways in Wisconsin, about twenty miles from Stillwater. All were scalped, with the exception of a little boy who was brought to Kaposia and adopted by the chief. Little Crow. Gov- ernor Ramsey sent for Little Crow and had a talk with him, and on
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 57
the i6th he brought to the governor's house the httle captive and he was released.
From the first of April the waters of the Mississippi began to rise, and by the 13th the lower floor of the warehouse occupied by William Constans at the foot of Jackson street was submerged. Taking ad- vantage of the freshet the steamboat "Anthony Wayne," for the sum of two hundred dollars, ventured to the Falls of St. Anthony. The boat left Fort Snelling after dinner with Governor Ramsey and other guests, also the band of the Sixth Regiment United States Infantry,' and reached the rapids below the falls between three and four o'clock, where it was received by the whole population with shouts of rejoic- ing. St. Anthony had become nominally, but only nominally, the head of navigation.
jMail Service Improved
The wretched mail service during the past winter led to future im- provements thereof. The reason for the poor service, was the absence of good roads. Prior to this winter, the only road from St. Paul to Prairie du Chien was on the ice of the river, after it froze — a route of much danger. In November and December, 1849, however, Hiram Knowl- ton, of Willow River (Hudson), Wisconsin, laid out a road from Prairie du Chien to that place, via Black River Falls. It was "blazed and marked," he says, in a letter to the Pioneer "the whole way" — distance 223 miles. Some streams were bridged, "and a span of good horses can now haul 1,800 or 2,000 pounds through the whole distance." Stop- ping places could be found a part of the way, but for the rest of the route the traveler was forced to camp out in the snow. This road was used as the winter route east by St. Paul travelers, for several years.
At this date (1849) the only mail routes in Minnesota, besides the one above referred to, were from St. Paul to Fort Snelling and back, weekly; from St. Paul to Falls oi St. Croix, via Stillwater and Marine Mills, and back, weekly, with one additional trip per week to Still- water and back. There were, in 1850, only sixteen postoffices in what is now Minnesota.
On the afternoon of the 13th of May there might have been seen a number of naked and painted Sioux in the streets, panting for the scalps of their ancient foes. A few hours before the young chief of the Ojibways, Hole-in-the-day, had secreted his canoe in a retired gorge above where the city hospital now stands, and, with a few of his braves, crossed the river, attacked a small party of Sioux and took one scalp. On the receipt of the news, Governor Ramsey granted a parole to the thirteen Sioux confined at Fort Snelling for the participation in the massacre of the Ojibways the month before.
On the morning of the i6th the first Protestant church building erected in the white settlements was destroyed by fire, it being the first conflagration since the organization of the territory.
The Northern Pacific Prophesied
At this time, editor Goodhue, in an article which now reads with prophetic interest, called attention to "a short route to Oregon and Cali- fornia." He says: "There is some probability that a railroad will be made from St. Louis westward, to San Francisco, at no very remote period. We wish now to turn attention to another overland route, in
58 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
the north, which we believe is far easier and safer," and proceeds to argue that St. Paul is much nearer the Pacific in a direct line, than St. Louis; also, "that there is a route or trail from the Red river to the Columbia river, over which mails are regularly transported, by the Hudson's Bay Company, with safety and ease." It must be remembered that a northern route for a railroad was then hardly thought of. Even the central route was looked on as an impossible scheme, and but few ex- pected to see it in their lifetime.
A notable event of the summer of 1850 was the navigation of the Minnesota river. Three boats, the "Anthony Wayne," "Nominee" and "Yankee," made excursions with large i)leasure parties of St. Paulites, each trying to ascend further than the other. Tiie water was very favorable for such e.xperiments, and the "^'aIlkee" ascended three hun- dred miles, thus demonstrating that the Minnesota was navigable.
The first proclamation for a Thanksgiving day was issued in 1850 by the governor, and on the 26th of December, in accordance with its suggestion, the I>aptist. Methodist, and Presbyterian congregations as- sembled in the Methodist church, and listened to a sermon by Dr. Neill, the Presbyterian minister, from the next "The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad." It w'as published in one of the papers. Among its concluding sentences was the following: "Is there not a prospect that in a half century the Indian lodges that now sur- round us will be far removed ; that the shores of Lake Pepin will be the abode of many a maiden as constant to her first love as Winona, and, in addition, strengthened and ennobled by the religion of Christ ; that the steam engine, either in boat or car, will move from Montreal to the Rapids of St. Mary, and stop at the roaring waters of St. Anthony; that the gates of the Rocky Mountains will be thrown ojien, and the locomotive, groaning and rumbling from Oregon, will stop here with its heavy train of Asiatic produce; that the mission stations of Remnica and Lac qui Parle will be supplanted by the white schoolhouse, the church spire, and higher seminary of learning?"
Long before the half century expired, all of Dr. Neill's glowing prophecies had been more than fulfilled.
Second Legislature Assembles
On Wednesday the ist of lanuary, 1851, the second legislature as- sembled in a three story brick building erected by Henry M. Rice, on Third street west of Washington. St. ' Paul was represented by Wil- liam H. Forbes and J. McBoal, in the council, and Justus C. Ramsey, Ben W. Brunson, H. L. Tilden and lulmund Rice, in the house — a gal- lant delegation it was, and a brave fight they made to kecj) the Philis- tines from moving the capital from .^t. Paul.
Twenty thousand dollars had been apinopriated by congress for a territorial ])rison, and, by the same act, authority was given the gover- nor and legislature to expend the appropriation of $20,000 ])rovided for in the Organic act, for capitol buildings. The vexed (|uestion was. where should the capitol be built? Several places competed for it, and the struggle was close and warmly contested. Finally, by the vigorous efforts of some leading men. a compromise was effected. The capitol was to be erected at a ccntr.il jioint in the town of St. Paul, the peni- tentiary at Stillwater, and the university of St. .^nthony Falls. Thus each was satisfied for the time being, and .ill went merry as a mar-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
59
riage bell for six years, when a rival Saint aspired to capitolean honors.
Political excitement ran high in the fall of 1851, though perhaps a shade less bitter than the year previous. The Pioneer launched its thunderbolts at H. M. Rice and his friends, and C. K. Smith secretary of state. The Democrat inveighed bitterly against the Whig office- holders. The Mmnesotian (just established) fired double-shotted guns at Democratic nominees.
One important event of the year 185 1, as opening up an immense and fertile region to settlement, was the treaty with the Sioux at Tra- verse de Sioux, by which that nation gave up its title to all the land west of the Mississippi, excepting a small reservation, a domain exceed- ing 21,000.000 acres. The treaty-making commenced at Traverse de Sioux, on July 2nd. All the officials, dignitaries, big men, traders and editors of Minnesota were present, and all the chiefs of the Dakotas. The papers were crowded for weeks with their sayings and doings, to the exclusion of almost everything else. Governor Ramsey and Hon.
CORNER OF THIRD AND ROBERT STREETS, 185I
Luke Lea, commissioner of Indian afl^airs, represented the United States. A graphic and artistic painting of the signing of this treaty is one of the historic pictures in the Governor's reception room at the capitol.
Meeting of Third Territorial Legislature
The third legislature of the territory of Minnesota met at St. Paul on the 7th of January, 1852, in a building on Third, below Jackson street, which in time became a part of the Merchants Hotel. The Ramsey county members were : Council — Geo. W. Farrington. L. A. Babcock and \\m. H. Forbes, the latter being president. House — Charles S. Cave, William P. Murray, Sam D. Findley, Jeremiah W. Selby and J. E. Fullerton. Four men, who later became prominent citizens of St. Paul, represented other localities this year. They were : N. W. Kittson, Pembina; John D. Ludden, Marine; Dr. J. H. Mur- phy, St Anthony ; and Dr. David Day, Long Prairie.
The legislature submitted to the people a prohibitory liquor law. The election on the 5th of April resulted in a majority of votes in its
60 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
favor. That night there was a peal of joy from all the church bells. After the adoption of the law some liquor was brought up in a steam- boat and deposited in a warehouse at the foot of Jackson street. The sheriff made an attempt to seize the boat, but was resisted by an angry crowd. The sheriff summoned a large body of citizens to his aid, among others the Presbyterian and Methodist clergjmen. As the posse marched down Jackson street they were met by men with stones in their hands and yelling voices. Colonel D. .\. Robertson, fearing a riot, climbed a sugar hogshead and began a speech in the interest of law and order. While he was earnestly addressing the mob the top of the hogshead fell in. and the crowd changed from cursing to laugh- ing. Good humor having been restored, a compromise was soon ef- fected. The friends of liquor tested the constitutionality of the law, and judge Hayner decided that it was void because the legislature, by the Organic act of the territory, could not delegate its power to the people.
The act providing for the erection of the capitol in St. Paul enacted that the work should be done under the supervision of a board of five commissioners, who should receive three dollars per day, etc. The election for these officers took place on April 17th. resulting in the choice of D. F. Brawley and Louis Robert, of Ramsey county ; E. A. C. Hatch, of Benton county ; and J. McKusick, of Washington county. The governor was ex-officio a member and chairman of the board.
On August 10, 1852, it was stated that the cars on the Galena road had commenced to run from Chicago to Rockford. They did not reach the Mississippi for three years after this.
At that date, Minneapolis was not yet christened by its present name, but is always referred to in the papers as "All Saints."
Hotels seemed to be as ill-fated in those days as they were a few years subsequently. On June 23rd a large one just erected by Daniels & Wasson near the upper levee was burned.
Fourth Legislature Convenes
The fourth legislature, on the 4th of January, 1853, assembled in a two-story brick building, at the corner nf Third and Minnesota streets. Messrs. Kittson, Gingras and Rolette, members from Pembina, walked the five hundred miles from that place, on snow two feet deep, with snow-shoes.
Some delay was experienced in electing officers and organizing. Hon. Martin McLeod was elected president of the council with but little de- lay, but the house was not so harmonious. Day after day they bal- loted for speaker, and it was not until January 25th, on the sixty-fourth ballot, that a choice was made. Dr. David Day, then Icmporariiy resid- ing in Benton county, was elected over B. W. T.ott by one vote.
On January 26th Governor Ramsey delivered his annual message to the two houses and populace, in the court house then recently com- pleted.
St. P.\tTi. IN 1853
The Pioneer, of January 20. 1853, rejoices over the evidences that St. Paul is becoming a city. The editor walked down Third street after dark, "when the lights gleam from the dwellings, in multitudinous twinklings, like fire-flies in a meadow. Then along Third street for an
ST. PAUL AND VICIiVITY 61
eighth of a mile the shops are so illuminated as to give the same a city aspect. Three years ago last winter, there was scarcely a store on Third street."
On the 9th of April a party of Ojibways killed a Sioux near Sha- kopee. A war party from Little Crow's village then proceeded up the valley of the St. Croi.x and retaliated. On the morning of the 27th a band of Ojibways appeared on Fourth street searching for some Sioux. Perceiving a canoe with some women, and a man who had lost a leg in battle a few years before, coming up the river, they waited for them to land at the foot of Jackson street, and then as they walked up the hill toward Third street advanced toward them. The Sioux, alarmed, hastened into a trading establishment which stood at the southeast cor- ner of Third and Jackson streets, and the excited Ojibways fired at them through the windows, mortally wounding a Sioux woman. For a short time the town presented a sight similar to that witnessed in colony times in Hadley or Deerfield, the frontier towns of Massachusetts. Messengers were sent to Fort Snelling for the dragoons, and citizens on horseback were quickly in pursuit of the painted, naked savages who had avenged themselves in the streets of St. Paul. The dragoons, under Lieutenant ]\Iagruder. were soon on the track of the assailants and reached them near the Falls of St. Croix. The dragoons fired upon them and one Indian was killed. The others escaped.
Gorman Succeeds Ramsey
In May, 1853, Willis A. Gorman, of Indiana, arrived at St. Paul as the successor of Governor Ramsey, and Robert A. Smith came as his private secretary. Mr. Smith is still living in St. Paul and, in the interim, has held more offices and for longer periods than any other citizen. He has been county treasurer, alderman, mayor, postmaster, etc., and is at the present writing one of the county commissioners — ■ not having even yet, at the age of more than four-score years, reached the status of many obsolete ex-functionaries, "the world forgetting, by the world forgot."
With the incoming of Pierce's administration, among the heads that fell was that of Postmaster Bass. His successor was William H. Forbes, the commission being dated March i8th. but not gazetted in St. Paul until April 14th. ^Ir. Forbes bought the fixtures of Bass' office, and' removed them to a one-story frame building situated on Third street near ]\Iinnesota. The glass boxes of Bass' time were extended so as to reach across the room, and a door in the middle of this par- tition gave entrance for the duly sworn employes to the work-room in the rear. Mr. Forbes appointed as his deputy John C. Terry, who retained his position as assistant during several changes of incumbency, and in 1870 bade adieu to the postal service, after eighteen years of faithful labor.
During the year 1853, Oakland Cemetery was opened. On June 2^rd the association was organized with the following corporators: Rev. f. G. Riheldafifer, Rev. T. Wilcoxson, Rev. E. D. Neill, Geo. W. Far- rington, Alexander Ramsey, John E. Warren, Henry A. Lambert, B. F. Hoyt and Sherwood Hough. On .August 23rd the association pur- chased forty acres of land for $1,600. The grounds were afterwards greatly enlarged and beautified.
From the city papers this year, we get the names of the following
62 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
business houses in 1853: General dealers — H. C. Sanford, A. L. Lar- penteur, D. L. Fuller. D. and P. Hopkins, Louis Robert, W'm. H. Forbes, Rev & May and Culver & Farrington.
Boots and shoes — Henry IJuel, Luke Marvin. II. .\. Schliek and Philip Feldhauser.
Dry goods— J. H. & S. McClung, Edward Heenan, A. T. Chanihlni, Cathcart, Kern & Company, S. IL Sergeant, J. !•:. FuUerton. l':ifelt Bros., Curran & Lawler and Louis Blum.
Books— Le Due & Rohrer, Wm. S. Combs and Dahl ^K: IXmll.
Furs — Louis Robert and C. I. Kovitz.
Drugs— W. H. Jarvis, Dr. J. H. Day and liond (S: Kellogg.
Hardware, iron, etc.— J. McCloud, jr. & Bro.. C. K. & J. Abbott and W. R. Marshall.
Hats and caps — R. O. Walker.
Lumber — J. \V. Bass.
Furniture — Stees & Hunt.
Grocers— Julius Georgii, Nat. E. Tyson, L. B. Wait & Company, J. W. Simpson, W. H. Stillnian, B. Presley, Alex. Rev, J. A. l-^irmer, C. Sanford and B. W. Brunson.
Glass— W. W. Hickcox and S. H. Axtell.
Stoves— F. S. Xewell, S. C. Bevans and J. H. Byers.
Clothing — L. Hyneman.
China — R. Marvin.
Tobacco — J. Campbell.
Leather— P. T. I'.radlcy \- Company, Martin Drew iS: Company and G. Scherer.
Furnishing goods — Thomas Ritchie.
Confcclionerv — Rcnz & Karcher.
Jewelrj — H.'l'owler, X. Spicer, A. D. Roliinsmi and William llling- worth.
Storage forwarding and commission — lidward McLagan. Constans & Burbank, Spencer, Kilpatrick & Markley, M. M. Rice and M. Kel- logg & Company.
Millinerv — Mrs. Marvin and Mrs. Stokes.
CHAPTER VII
THE CITY OF ST. PAUL INCORPORATED
Incorporation and First Election — "Great Railroad Excursion" — ImmigRtXtion and Inflation — Squelching of St. Peter's Ambition — Medary Succeeds Gorman — The "Sunrise Expedi- tion"— Inflation and Collapse — Murders and First Execution.
The year 1854 began what was substantially a new era for St. Paul. It was an era of augmented prosperity, which was destined to continue and increase until the predestined financial crash of 1857 intervened to terminate it. It was also the era of a new form of municipal govern- ment under a city charter, as well as that of steady progress toward and preparation for the dignity and responsibility of statehood, which was the goal of the ambition of all citizens of Alinnesota, those of St. Paul being specially interested.
In January the legislature (the Fifth territorial) assembled in the new capitol building for the first time. Ramsey county was repre- sented by William P. Murray and Isaac \'an Etten, in the council ; and William Noot, William A. Davis, Louis Bartlett, John H. Day and Levi Sloan, in the house.
Among the enactments of the session was a law approved March 3rd which incorporated "Minnesota Royal Arch Chapter No. i," of Free Masons, with A. T. C. Pierson, high priest ; Andrew G. Chat- field, king; George L. Becker, scribe; William H. Newton, Henry Mor- ris, George W. Biddle, and James Y. Caldwell, trustees. Another, ap- proved March 4th chartered the St. Paul Bridge Company, with the following incorporators : Lyman Davton, J. C. Ramsey, John R. Irvine, . J. W. Bass, W. G. Le Due, W. R. Marshall, Joseph R. Brown, George L. Becker, William Ames, N. Myrick, A. L. Larpenteur, J. W. Simp- son, C. H. Oakes, M. E. Ames and Louis Robert.
Incorporation and First Election
But most important of all was the act of incorporation of the "City of Saint Paul," approved March 4, 1854. The area embraced in the corporate limits was but a small fraction of that ample territory to which it is now grown, being not over 2,400 acres in all. Three wards were created, and the first city election under the new charter was held on April 4th. The following was the result :
Democrats Whigs
Mayor, David Olmsted, 269 W. R Marshall, 238
City Marshall, W. R. Miller, 262 A. H. Cavender, 241
Treasurer, D. L. Fuller, 224 D. Rohrer, 271
Police Justice, James Starkey, 227 O. Simons, 248
63
64 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
Aldermen-elect : First ward — R. C. Knox, two years ; A. T. Cham- blin and R. Marvin, one year; Second ward — A. L. Larpenteur, two years ; T. Fanning and C. S. Cave, one year ; Third ward — Geo. L. Becker, two years; Jno. R. Irvine and J. M. Stone, one year.
Justices of peace-elect: First ward — W. H. Tinker; Second ward — Joseph Lemay; Third ward — J. M. Winslow.
Assessors-elect: First ward — W. H. Tinker; Second ward — \\'. H. Stillman: Third ward, H. Stillwell.
On Tuesday, April nth, the city council organized. It elected of- ficers as follows: President, Geo. L. Becker; clerk, Sherwood IIoui,'h; comptroller, Findley JNIcCormick ; surveyor, S. P. Folsom ; attorney. D. C. Cooley.
The season of 1854 was one of unprecedented prosjierity for the young city, as well as for the entire territory. Navigation opened on April 6th, and a heavy immigration ])oured in. The population and busi- ness of the city increased rapidly and the county outside also received large accessions of population. Roads were opened; farms smiled in the wilderness ; the "squatter's cabin" was to be seen on every lake. Other portions of Minnesota were prospered as highly. Towns sprang up on every hand ; mills began to rattle at the falls ; immigrant wagons whitened every road ; plows turned up the tough sod of the prairies and the settler's ax reechoed through the "big woods."
"Gre.\t R.mlro.\d Excursion"
Perhaps the most notable local event of 1854 was "the Great Rail- road Excursion," as it was generally termed, to celebrate the comple- tion of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, the first road to reach the Mississippi river in the northwest. The contractors who built the road prepared a monster excursion. Nearly one thousand guests were in- vited, mostly from the east. They rendezvoused at Chicago, about June 3rd, and came westward over the new road to Rock Island, where five large steamers conveyed them to St. Paul, arriving there on the 8th. The excursionists proceeded to St. Anthony, Mimiehaha. etc.. in such conveyances as they could find. It was on this trip that one Boston girl asked who furnished the whitewash for the birch trees, and an- other inquired where the farmers got all the chewing gimi for their cows.
In the evening St. Paul citizens gave their visitors a grand recep- tion at the capitol. The hall of the house of representatives was used as a supper-room, while the supreme court chamber was appropriated for a ball-room. In the senate chamber a large crowd assembled to listen to speeches from ex-President Fillmore, Geo. Bancroft, the his- torian. Governor Gorman and others. The music, dancing, feasting and speaking continued until niidnighi, the hour set for the departure of the steamers.
The opening of this line of travel largely increased the steamboat trade on the upper Mississippi. The packet company put on three new and first-class steamboats this year.
On June 26th, ^^^ W. Ilickcox, a druijgist, who was engaged in business at the corner of Third and Cedar streets, had an altercation with a flrayman. named l^elticr, in which the latter struck him with a draypin, fracturing his skull. Hickcox died on July 3rd. Peltier was arrested and tried for homicide, but ultimately got clear on the ground of self-defense.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 65
There was trouble with the currency in circulation, mostly of the Indiana "wild-cat," or free bank variety. It became greatly depreciated, causing much trouble and serious loss to tradesmen. Several meetings of merchants were called to devise means to remedy the evil, which re- sulted in organizing a protective union under the name, Board of Trade. W. R. Marshall, was president, Thos. Foster, vice president, Sam W. Walker, secretary, and A. H. Cathcart, treasurer. It does not seem to have done much except take measures to remedy the currency fraud.
The legislature of 1855 assembled on January 3rd. Ramsey county, this year, was represented by William P. Murray and Isaac Van Etten, in the council, and by Wm. A. Davis, D. F. Brawley, Chas. S. Cave, Reuben Haus and Joseph Lemay, in the house. No unusual or notice- able events characterized this session.
This winter there was only a tri-weekly mail between St. Paul and Dubuque, by M. O. Walker's line. The stages were anything but com- modious, and, with spavined stock and surly drivers, intensified the hor- rors of a winter trip to Galena, the nearest point where the eastern- bound traveler could strike a railroad. The trip was advertised for four days, but frequently required six. Storms and drifts on the prairies often snowed up the stages at some frontiersman's cabin for two or three days.
On March r, 1855, a fire department was organized by the forma- tion of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, with twenty-eight mem- bers. A subscription was raised to purchase a second-hand hook and ladder wagon from a company in Philadelphia. It was used by the hook and ladder company for nearly twenty years, and did good service. A small fire engine was also purchased by several citizens, and was for some years the only engine in use.
On April 3rd at the city election, Alexander Ramsey was chosen mayor, Daniel Rohrer, treasurer, and W. R. Miller, marshal — all Repub- licans.
Immigration and Inflation
"^ . . . .
The immigration in the spring of 1855 was unprecedented. Seven
boats arrived in one day, each having brought to Minnesota two hundred
to six hundred passengers. Most of these came through to St. Paul,
and diverged thence to other parts of the territory. It was estimated
by the packet company that they brought thirty thousand immigrants
into Minnesota that season.
One result of this tremendous influx was a corresponding inflation of business and of real estate values. To some extent the real estate mania this year was intelligible, in view of the enormous profits made by daring operators. For instance, the papers chronicle one move- ment made by Henry McKenty, the king of real estate dealers, who was on the flood-tide of prosperity from 1855 to 1857. In 1854 he entered several thousand acres of farming land in Washington county, by land warrants, at $1.25 per acre. In the spring of 1855, he sold the land to a colony from Pennsylvania, at $5 per acre, clearing three hundred per cent. His total net profit on this transaction was $23,000, which he at once invested in more land, on which in turn he made almost as great profits. But he met with a disaster in the end, as most of the men of his class did. ^^
This year much building was done: Third, Fourth and Jackson streets
were graded, and other prominent streets were improved. The census Vol. i— 5
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64
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
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I
Aldermen-elect : First ward — R. C. Knox, two years ; A. T. Cham- blin and R. Marvin, one year; Second ward — A. L. Larpenteur, two years ; T. Fanning and C. S. Cave, one year ; Third ward — Geo. L. Becker, two years; Jno. R. Irvine and J. M. Stone, one year.
Justices of peace-elect: First ward — W. II. Tinker; Second ward — Joseph Lemay ; Third ward — J. M. Winslow.
Assessor.s-elect : First ward — W. H. Tinker; Second ward — \\'. M. Stillman: Third ward, H. Slillwell.
On Tuesday, April nth, the city council organized. It elected of- ficers as follows : President, Geo. L. Becker ; clerk, Sherwood Hough ; comptroller, Findley McCormick ; surveyor, S. P. Folsom ; attorney, D. C. Cooley.
The season of 1854 was one of uni)recedented prosperity for the young city, as well as for the entire territory. Navigation opened on April fjth, and a heavy immigration poured in. The population and busi- ness of the city increased rapidly and the county outside also received large accessions of population. Roads were opened; farms smiled in the wilderness; the "squatter's cabin" was to be seen on every lake. Other portions of Minnesota were prospered as highly. Towns sprang up on every hand; mills began to rattle at the falls; immigrant wagons whitened every road ; plows turned up the tough sod of the prairies and the settler's ax reechoed through the "big woods.''
"Gre.xt R.mlroad Excursion"
Perhaps the most notable local event of 1854 was "the Great Rail- road Excursion," as it was generally termed, to celebrate the comple- tion of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, the first road to reach the MississipjM river in the northwest. The contractors who built the road jirepared a monster excursion. Nearly one thousand guests were in- \itcd, mostly from the east. They rendezvoused at Chicago, about June 3rd, and came westward over the new road to Rock Island, where five large steamers conveyed them to St. Paul, arriving there on the 8th. The excursionists proceeded to St. Anthony, Minnehaha, etc., in such conveyances as they could find. It was on this trip that one Boston girl asked who furnished the whitewash for the birch trees, and an- other inquired where the farmers got all the chewing gum for their cows.
In the evening St. Paul citizens gave their visitors a grand recep- tion at the capitol. The hall of the house of representatives was used as a supper-room, while the suiiremo court chamber was appropriated for a ball-room. In the senate chamber a large crowd asscml)leii to listen to speeches from ex-President Fillmore. Geo. Bancroft, the his- torian. Governor Gorman and others. The music, dancing, feasting and speaking continued until midnight, the hour set for the departure of the steamers.
The opening of this line of travel largely increased the steamboat trade on the U])i)cr Mississippi. The packet company put on three new aiul first-class steamboats this year.
On June 26th, W. W. Ilickcox. a druggist, who was engaged in business at the corner of Third and Cedar streets, had an altercation with a drayman, named Peltier, in which the latter struck liim with a draypin, fracturing his skull. Hickcox died on July 3rd. Peltier was arrested and tried for homicide, but ultimately got clear on the ground of self-defense.
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ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
65
There was trouble with the currency in circulation, mostly of the Indiana "wild-cat," or free bank variety. It became greatly depreciated, causing nuich trouble and serious loss to tradesmen. Several meetings of merchants were called to devise means to remedy the evil, which re- sulted in organizing a protective union under the name. Board of Trade. W. R. Marshall, was president, Thos. Foster, vice president, Sam W. Walker, secretary, and A. H. Cathcart, treasurer. It does not seem to have done much except take measures to remedy the currency fraud.
The legislature of 1855 assembled on January 3rd. Ramsey county, this year, was represented by William P. Murray and Isaac Van Etten, in the council, and by Wm. A. Davis, D. F. Brawley, Chas. S. Cave, Reuben Haus and Joseph Lemay, in the house. No unusual or notice- able events characterized this session.
This winter there was only a tri-weekly mail between St. Paul and Dubuque, by M. O. Walker's line. The stages were anything but com- modious, and, with spavined stock and surly drivers, intensified the hor- rors of a winter trip to Galena, the nearest point where the eastern- bound traveler could strike a railroad. The trip was advertised for four days, but frecjuently required six. Storms and drifts on the prairies often snowed up the stages at some frontiersman's cabin for two or three days.
On March i, 1855, a fire department was organized by the forma- tion of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, with twenty-eight mem- bers. A subscription was raised to purchase a second-hand hook and ladder wagon from a company in Philadelphia. It was used by the hook and ladder company for nearly twenty years, and did good service. A small fire engine was also purchased by several citizens, and was for some years the only engine in use.
On April 3rd at the city election, Alexander Ramsey was chosen mayor, Daniel Rohrer, treasurer, and W. R. Miller, marshal — all Repub- licans.
Immigration and Inflation
The immigration in the spring of 1855 was unprecedented. Seven boats arrived in one day, each having brought to Minnesota two hundred to six hundred passengers. Most of these came through to St. Paul, and diverged thence to other parts of the territory. It was estimated by the packet company that they brought thirty thousand immigrants into Minnesota that season.
One result of this tremendous influx was a corresponding inflation of business and of real estate values. To some extent the real estate mania this year was intelligible, in view of the enormous profits made by daring operators. For instance, the papers chronicle one move- ment made by Henry McKenty, the king of real estate dealers, who was on the flood-tide of prosperity from 1855 to 1857. In 1854 he entered several thousand acres of farming land in Washington county, by land warrants, at $1.25 per acre. In the spring of 1855, he sold the land to a colony from Pennsylvania, at $5 per acre, clearing three hundred per cent. His total net profit on this transaction was $23,000, which he at once invested in more land, on which in turn he made almost as great profits. But he met with a disaster in the end, as most of the men of his class did. ^^
This year much building was done: Third, Fourth and Jackson streets
were graded, and other prominent streets were improved. The census Vol. i— 5
.•Vv^*^
66 ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY
showed a population of 4.716. In the fall the Presbyterian Society, known as the Plouse of Hope, was organized by Rev. E. D. Xeill ; its first meetings were held in the Walnut street school house.
As an evidence of the amount of travel and business on the river during the season of 1855, it was stated that the packet company de- clared dividends of $100,000. The "War Eagle." which cost S20.000, cleared $44,000 alone; and the "City Belle," costing $11,000. cleared $30,000 profits.
The Pioneer Guard, the first volunlccr military company in the state, was organized this spring. It existed until 1861. when most of its members went to the war, and it ceased to maintain an organiza- tion.
The legislature adjourned on March ist. Xo bills were passed materi- ally affecting St. Paul, unless we except the act detaching St. Anthony from Ramsey county and adding it to Hennepin. This change left two officers of Ramsey county residing beyond the new limits, viz: Chas. F. Stimson. treasurer, and J. P. Wilson, commissioner. The
TERRITORI.\L AND ST.VTK C.\PITOI,,
Erected in 1851-53.
board of commissioners, on .March 23rd, elected Robert A. Smith, county treasurer, and, at special election, Edmund Rice was chosen county commissioner.
At the spring city election, Geo. L. Becker was chosen mayor; D.inicl Rohrcr. treasurer: Orlando Simons, justice; and Wm. R. Miller, mar- shal. The aldermen elected were: First ward — Three years, Wm. i'.nincb: two years, C. H. Schurmeicr. Second ward — Three years, Wm. 1'.. McGrorty; two years. Charles Raucb. Third ward— Three vears, Chas. L. Emerson; two years. Patrick Ryan. TIk- city council shortly afterwards met and organized by electing the following: City clerk. L. P. Cotter; city attorney, J. 1>. Brisbin ; comi)troller, Geo. W. Armstrong ; surveyor, James .\. Case ; physician. Dr. Sanuiel Willey.
On SeiHcmber 23rfl occurred the opening of the Fuller House, corner of .Seventh and lackson streets, afterwards called the International. The owner of the building was .Mpheus ("1. Iniller. and its cost was $110,000, of which sum $12,000 had been donated by the citizens. The land was also given a^ a bonus bv J. W. I'.ass and W. II. Randall. The building
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 67
was of brick and four stories in height. The lessees were Stephen and Ed. Long, and the hotel was very successful from the first.
The year 1857 was marked by a variety of important occurrences. It was one of the most exciting and memorable in the annals of St. Paul. The first City Directory, issued early in February, by Goodrich, Somers & Company, contained about 1,700 names. Its advertisements included 158 business establishments.
Squelching of St. Peter's Ambition
On January 7th, the eighth session of the territorial legislature con- vened at the capitol. During this season occurred the passage of an act removing the capital to St. Peter. The bill was introduced on Feb- ruary 6th, by W. D. Lowry, councillor from St. Cloud, and on the 12th passed the council — ayes eight, nays seven. Among those who promi- nently opposed it were Hons. J. D. Ludden, H. N. Setzer, J. B. Brisbin and B. F. Tillotson. In the house it was opposed by J. R. Brown, L. K. Stannard, Dr. W. S. Sweney, of Red Wing, Elam Greeley, John M. Berry and W. P. Murray. The measure was also generally opposed by the press of the territory. It, however, passed on the i8th, and the bill was sent back to the council to be enrolled.
The people of St. Paul were greatly depressed by the outcome, and the townsite boomers who worshipped the other Saint were correspond- ingly elated, for they knew that the governor would promptly sign the bill. The opponents of the removal did not give up the fight but arranged to accomplish by strategy, if necessary, the defeat of the scheme. The capital removers had not reckoned on Joe Rolette.
Rolette was a member of the legislative council from Pembina, on the Red river, at the extreme northern boundary of the territory. He was not a half-breed Indian, as tradition alleges. He was a full-blooded French Canadian, intelligent and educated, the son of a trader at Prairie du Chien, whose name appears creditably in preceding chapters of this history. It was Rolette's custom, when at home, to wear Indian garb, as all his dealings were with that people. But when he came to St. Paul he always ordered a fine new suit of clothes and had the bill sent to Henry M. Rice, his former employer, who was a very generous man and w-ho promptly paid, without question.
Rolette was a friend to St. Paul and St. Peter was, to him, the butt end of a negation, pounded to a pulp. He was also chairman of the enrollment committee of the council. Thus the bill came into his posses- sion after its supposed passage, on February 27th. Partly as a practi- cal joke, to begin with, he had the bill locked up in the vault of Truman M. Smith's bank; then had his room at the Fuller House changed; went to his new room and "disappeared" — the hotel clerk reporting that he had left town.
Rolette remained in hiding at the hotel for several days, visited often by friends who were in the secret and diligently searched for by the sergeant-at-arms. also a partisan of St. Paul, who knew where he was all the time.
There was consternation in the council when the roll-call, on the 28th, disclosed that Rolette was absent. In an unguarded moment the capital movers demanded a "call of the house," and sent the sergeant- at-arms for the missing member. Once under this order, the president of the council, John B. Brisbin, of St. Paul, ruled that by parliamentary
68 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
law, a two-thirds vote was required to suspend the call, and that, mean- time, no other business could be transacted.
There were nine votes out of fourteen to suspend the call and it was gravely argued that this was two-thirds, but President Brisbin decided otherwise and refused to permit an appeal from his decision.
The deadlock held the council in continuous session for one hundred and twenty-three hours, and during all that period Rolette remained hidden. At last, at i P. M., on March 5th, the council adjourned. On March 6th, the same conditions prevailed. At 12 o'clock, noon, on March 7th, the session was to end by limitation, and when that hour arrived President Brisbin rapped on his desk to announce the adjourn- ment. At that dramatic moment, Joe Rolette burst into the chamber with the bill and submitted a report disclosing several errors in the en- rollment. Brisbin merely replied, "You are too late, Mr. Rolette." and declared the council adjourned, sine die.
An effort was made, in spite of all this, to declare the bill carried. An alleged copy of it was taken to Governor Gorman, who, being friendly to the removal scheme, promptly signed it. But it could not become a law without the signature of Mr. Brisbin as the presiding officer of one branch of the territorial legislature. Brisbin refused his signature and filed a document giving seven reasons why he could not sign the pre- tended enactment. These seven reasons were published with the bill as it appears in the volume of Territorial laws for 1857.
During the following June the president of the St. Peter Land Com- pany applied to Judge R. R. Nelson, of the territorial court, for a writ of mandamus to remove the officers to St. Peter. In July, Judge Nelson refused the writ, holding that no law had been passed.
Thus perished the high hopes of St. Peter and the land speculators, whose enthusiasm had over-capitalized their expectations and led them to a defeat only eclipsed a few years later, when Pickett's men assaulted the Rock of Ages at Gettysburg.
After the legislature adjourned. Rolette was the local lion. .\ torch- light procession, headed by a band, escorted him through the streets of the city and the citizens presented him with a purse of $2,5CX) — most of which he spent having a good time, before he left town.
Harlan P. Hall, from whose graphic narration many of the particu- lars of this episode have been culled, relieves Rolette from any imputa- tion of corrupt motives in the transaction. He wanted to help his St. Paul friends and did it in his own way, which was quite effective. At this focal distance, the action of St. Paul in aiding Rolette's scheme and, later, in applauding it, does not appear either dignified or honora- ble. But it was excused at the time by the alleged fact that the re- moval plan was corrupt from its inception, and that in this case fight- ing .Satan with caloric was permissililc. There were "millions in it" for the boomers, in case of success. The records of Nicollet county show that many legislators received deeds for town lots, which they openly registered before the case was finally decided.
Time, however, brings its revenges, often in another form. St. Peter lost the capital, but it has been industriously supplying governors ever since — Swift, Austin. McGill and John A. Johnson already standing to its credit.
At the session of the legislature which thus attempted to remove the capital, and failed, an act was passed incorporating the "St. Paul Library Association." The incoroporators were Charles E. Mayo, J.
ST. PAUL AXD MCINITY 69
W. McCIung, R. F. Houseworth, S. D. Jackson, J. F. Hoyt, E. Ingalls, A. R. Capehart, Wm. A. Croffut, Thoriipson Connolly and P. De Roche- brune.
On ]\Iarch 25th, Messrs. Day & Grace, who had contracted to build the Ramsey county jail for $75,000, broke ground for the same. The building was finished in November.
In April came the news of the Ink-pa-doo-tah (Red End) massacres at Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Springfield, Minnesota. There was great ex- citement. The pioneer Guard offered to go at once to the scene, but the company was not sent. Subsequently two of the female captives, Miss Abbie Gardner and I\Irs. Marble, were rescued from the savages, mainly through the instrumentality of Hon. Charles E. Flandrau, and brought to St. Paul, where they were given a reception and presented with considerable sums of money by the citizens.
The spring of 1S57 was one of the latest ever known. The "first boat" did not arrive at St. Paul until the morning of May ist. Once the barrier was broken, however, the season was inaugurated with a fleet of boats. On May 4th, eighteen were on the levee at one time, and, a few days afterwards, twenty-four, the largest number ever seen at this landing. Each of these was crowded with passengers and their goods^ so great was the rush of immigration.
Medary Succeeds Gorman
Samuel Medary. of Ohio, who had been appointed governor of the territory, reached St. Paul April 22, 1857. A special session of the legislature had been called by Governor Gorman, to arrange for a con- stitutional convention. On April 29th, Governor Medary sent in his message. He referred specially to the proposed convention, and to the railroad land grants recently made by congress. The special legislative session only lasted until May 25th, but it provided machinery for the constitutional convention, preliminary to statehood, and appropriated $30,000 for the expenses thereof.
On May 5th, John B. Brisbin, Democrat, was elected mayor without opposition. The remaining officers were Republicans.
On June 27th, H. \'an Liew opened the Peoples Theatre in a frame structure, built for the purpose, on the northeast corner of Fourth and St. Peter streets. Van Liew had a very good company, and ran his theatre that season, and also during the summers of 1858 and 1859. The building burned down September 8, 1859, during a political meeting, while Schuyler Colfax and Galusha A. Grow were addressing it. The scenery of the People's Theatre was painted by Albert Colgrave, the first scenic artist in Minnesota.
The "Sunrise Expedition"
In August. 1857, occurred the "Sunrise Expedition." A small band of Chippewas had been engaging in thieving operations in the Rum river valley, near Cambridge, fifty miles north of St. Paul, and had so terrified the settlers that many of them fled. By order of Governor Medary, what was known as the St. Paul Light Cavalry Company was organized, under the command of Capt. James Starkey. It comprised twentv-seven men, who were uniformed in red coats and white trousers
70 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
and armed with heavy sabers and army revolvers. The company marched August 24th and four days later came in collision with the Indians.
The latter at first thought of surrendering, but changed their minds and fled, with the troops in pursuit, firing shots in the air in a vain at- tempt to intimidate the red men. The Indians entered a corn field, fol- lowed by the cavalrymen who tore down the fence and fired upon the savages, killing one and wounding another. Private Frank Donnelly, who was in advance of the command, was aiming his revolver at a wounded fugitive, when the Indian, whose name was Sha-go-ba, shot Donnelly through the heart, killing him almost instantly. The surviv- ing Indians surrendered, and it was only with the utmost exertion that Lieutenant Salter saved their lives, so intent were the exasperated troop- ers to avenge the death of Donnelly.
The prisoners were brought to St. Paul the next day. They were five in num])er — Sha-go-ba, Om-b-garbo, Ma-in-gous, Xat-tam-ab and Ma-to-ma. They were taken to the capitol, but, the governor being ab- sent, the prisoners were lodged in the city lockup. Thence they were removed to the armory. William J. Cullen, superintendent of Indian afi^airs, applied to Judge R. R. Nelson of the supreme court for a writ of habeas corpus, which was granted. A return to the writ was made by Attorney deneral Emmet on behalf of the territory. On September 4th, huige Nelson discharged the prisoners and placed them in custody of the sherifl^ of Ramsey county.
In the final hearing before judge Nelson, Ma-to-ma. on the witness stand, dei)osed that he and his fellow prisoners lived at Mille Lacs; that their chief was Wadena and that they were merely hunting deer when captured and intended to return home in a few days.
Judge Nel.son remanded Sha-go-ba to the custody of the sheriff of Ramsey county and discharged the other prisoners, whom he ordered sent back home. The slayer of Donnelly was delivered to Sheriff Smith of Chisago county, at Taylors Falls, .^.s there was no jail or lockup in the town, the sheriff was com])clled to confine the Indian in his own house. During the night Sha-go-ba escaped and crossed the St. Croix into Wisconsin. No attemiH was made to recapture him. and history is silent as to his subsequent career.
In September an official census was taken to ascertain the population of the state when admitted, and to fix its representation in congress. The result was announced: St. Paul, 9,973; Ramsey county. \ 2.747; Minnesota 150,037.
On October 13th was held the first state election. Minnesota had not yet been admitted to the I'nion, but it was considered certain that it would be upon the oi^ening of congress in December. In Ramsey county all of the Democratic candidates for the various offices were elected, with the single exception of Hon. W. P. Murray for district judge, who was defeated by E. C. Palmer, an Independent candidate.
Infi..\tion anp Coll.\pse
This (1857) was a year of wild and extravagant real estate specula- tion. The town was filled with operators, and all sorts of schemes, even the most reprehensible, were resorted to by sharpers to fleece the inex- perienced and unwary. There were, of course, many legitimate invest- ments made, but a large jiortion of the transactions were of a fraudu- lent character. The reckless si)irit of si)eculation, which characterized
ST. PAUL AND \1CIXITY 71
those times, was appalling, to look on it now from a soberer standpoint. Perhaps in no city of America was the real estate mania, and reckless trading and speculation, so wild and extravagant, as in St. Paul.
Then the financial cloud-burst came. On August 24th occurred the failure of the Ohio Life Insurance & Trust Company, of New York, which gave rise to the memorable panic. To St. Paul, this pricking of the bubble of speculation was ruinous in its consequences. Everything had been so inflated and unreal — values purely fictitious, all classes in debt, with but little real wealth ; honest industry neglected, and every- thing speculative and feverish — that the blow fell with terrible force. Business was paralyzed, and but little good money was in circulation. Ruin stared all classes in the face. The banking houses closed their doors ; nearly all the mercantile firms suspended or made assignments. All works of improvement ceased, and general gloom and despondency settled down in the community. In a few days, from the top wave of prosperity, it was plunged into the slough of despond.
In the midst of these troubles came a call from Stearns and other counties, asking relief for poor settlers, whose crops had been destroyed by grasshoppers. A considerable amount was subscribed in this city, poor as everybody was. The home destitute were also cared for, and public improvements were projected to give them employment.
And now the hard times commenced in earnest.T^No description of this terrible and gloomy period will convey any idea of it. With many, even those who had but shortly before imagined themselves wealthy, there was a terrible struggle between pride and want. But few had saved anything, so generally had the reckless spirit of the times infested all classes. The hmnble poor, of course, sufifered ; but the keenest suf- fering was among those who experienced the fall from affluence to poverty.
The papers were crowded for months with foreclosures of mortgages, executions and other results of the crash. Not one in five of the busi- ness houses or firms weathered the storm, despite the most desperate struggles. The population of the city fell oflf almost fifty per cent, and stores would scarcely rent at any price. "jC
Toward winter the stringency increased severely. The currency which had been in use before the crash had about all gone up, or been withdrawn. There was a limited amount of specie in circulation, but this was soon hoarded. Exchange on the east was ten per cent. To devise some measures for relief, meetings of the merchants were held, and various plans recommended to the legislature — a stay law, general banking system, etc. The city and county boards were advised to issue denominational scrip, to use as currency. This scheme was soon put in operation, and the scrip was in circulation for two or three years.
A notable event in 1858 was the passage of the "Five Million Loan Bill" by the legislature and its ratification by a popular vote — a trans- action that led to important political results ot a later date. The bonds were to be issued in aid of railroad construction. In St. Paul the vote was 4,051 for and 183 against the bonds.
Murders .^nd First Execution
Stanislaus Bilanski, a Polander by birth, had lived in Wisconsin prior to coming to St. Paul in 1842. He purchased a claim and cabin on the point of second table-land between Phelan's creek and Trout creek.
72 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
called "Oak Point," and lived there several years. Bilanski had a facil- ity for marrying and divorcing wives, that ultimately brought him to an untimely end. While living with his fourth wife, he died, on March II, 1859, under circumstances that indicated poisoning. His wife, for- merly Annie Evards of North Carolina, was married by him on short acquaintance. Of her past life, what little was known, was not credita- ble. Bilanski's last illness was short, and his symptoms were thought suspicious. After his burial, a girl, who had been employed by the fam- ily, reported that she had purchased arsenic at Mrs. Bilanski's request, and mentioned other circumstances indicating that Bilanski was the vic- tim of a design to murder him on the part of his wife. Mrs. Bilanski was arrested, and the body of Bilanski being exhumed the stomach was subjected to analysis. This revealed strong proofs of arsenic, and, on May 15th, Mrs. Bilanski was indicted for murder in the first degree. On her trial she was ably defended, but, on June 3rd, was found guilty. On December 9th she was sentenced to be hung, and March 23, i860, was fixed by the governor as the date.
Members of the legislature op])osed to capital punishment secured the passage of a bill commuting the sentence, but Governor Ramsey vetoed it. The execution of the unfortunate woman took place at ten o'clock, on March 23rd. The scaffold was erected in the enclosed yard adjoining the jail. An immense crowd attended. The Pioneer Guard with loaded muskets were placed in line in front of the jail to preserve order. Mrs. Bilanski. who had spent the morning in devotional exer- cises with Father Caillet and another clergyman, walked with a firm step to the gallows. Before the fatal noose was adjusted, she spoke a few words to the eft'ect that she had not had justice in her trial. She kissed the crucifix, the black cap was put on and the noose adjusted. The bolt was then drawn and the body fell. After hanging a short time it was taken down and buried in the Catholic cemetery.
The Wright county war occurred in 1839, and created a furious but tem])orary local sensation. H. A. W'allace was murdered during the preceding autumn in Wright county, and a neighbor, Oscar F. Jack- son, was tried for the offense in the spring of 1859, but acquitted by the jury. On .April 25th. a crowd of men assembled and hung Jackson to the gable of Wallace's cabin. It was a most wicked and inexcusable outrage. Governor Sibley offered a reward for the conviction of any of the lynchers. Not long afterwards. Emery Moore was arrested on the charge of aiding in the affair, and taken to Wright county for trial, but was rescued by a mob. Governor Sibley at once decided to take vigorous measures to maintain the majesty of the law. A military force was called out, and three companies dispatched (August ^th) to Monti- cello, to arrest the rioters and reinforce the law. The pioneer Guard headed the column, which was in command of Colonel John S. Prince. A few special officers and detectives accompanied the force. The military proceeded to Monticello, reinforced the civil authorities, arrested eleven lynchers and rescuers, and turned them over to the Wright county officers. Having subdued the "rebellion" thev returned, August nth, to St. Paul.
CHAPTER Mil
MINNESOTA'S ATTAINMENT OF STATEHOOD
Stormy First State Convention — Constitution Adopted — Minne- sota's Three Gox'ernors — Rice and Shields Elected Senators — Admitted to the Union — Paper Railways and "Wild Cat" Banks — Ramsey^'s Republican Administration.
So much of ^linnesota history, during her territorial era and her first years of Statehood, was made at St. Paul, and so many of the local events of the city were of state-wide interest, that no intelligible history of the one can be written without copious references to the affairs of the other. As regards population, finances, politics and the elements of progress generally, the terms were for a long time practically synony- mous. The type of frontier statemen who boasted that he kept his conscience, his town-lot titles and his hope of salvation in his wife's name, numerously abounded here, and was ever ready to help mould the plastic forms of society to suit his special requirements. He did much of the talking, but fortunately usually had a seat oputside the railing, when rolls were called.
Stormy First State Convention
The constitutional convention, the final act of preparation for state- hood, performed its work in a curious but effective manner. The elec- tion of delegates to this convention was held in the several legislative districts of the territory on June i, 1857. The campaign was a strenu- ous one, both Republicans and Democrats working hard to secure con- trol. The result was in doubt. There were contests in Hennepin and Houston counties, and on the face of the returns the Republicans had a small majority.
The convention was due to be called to order at 12 o'clock, noon, on Monday, July 13, 1857. The Republican members elect, knowing that the Democrats, through the territorial officers, controlled the legislative hall where the sessions were to be held, resolved to anticipate events by assembling early. They accordingly went to the capitol on Sunday, took possession of the house of representatives, and remained there all night in order to make sure of being on time. At fifteen minutes before twelve o'clock on ^londay, according to the official record, J. W. North called the convention to order and nominated Thomas J. Galbraith as president pro tem. The motion, put by ^Ir. North, was declared car- ried and Galbraith assumed the chair.
The Democrats appeared at the hall just as these proceedings began, headed by C. J. Chase, the secretary of the territory, who called the con- vention to order. As soon as he did so, ex-Governor Willis A. Gorman moved that the convention adjourn, and the Democrats all marched out,
73
74 ST. TAIL AND MCINITY
leaving the Republican delegates in peaceable possession. The official record of the Republican branch of the convention alludes to tliis episode thus: "At this stage of the proceedings a portion of the delegates left the convention."
After caucusing bj' both factions during the night, the Republicans again took possession of the hall early Tuesdaj' morning. The Demo- crats, with Secretary Chase at their head, moved to the door of the hall, but did not enter. Mr. Chase announced to his party: "The hall to which the delegates adjourned yesterday is now occupied by a meeting of citizens of the territory, who refuse to give possession to the con- stitutional convention."
The capitol being in course of construction, the council chamber svas not fitted for occupancy, but the Democrats gathered there ; Secre- tary Chase then called them to order and Hon. H. H. Sibley was chosen president of that branch of the convention. They assembled every day but transacted no business until July 22nd, when the room was sufficiently completed for regular sessions.
^fcantime the Reinihlicans. claiming to be the only legitimate con- stitutional convention, proceeded to do business in their hall. Tiiey re- ported fifty-six delegates present, which was a majority of one hundred and two, the number of the entire body. This branch organized l)y electing St. A. D. Balcombe, of Winona, permanent president, and L. A. Babcock, secretary. The claim of the Republicans was that fifty-six delegates had signed a paper requesting Mr. North to call the con- vention to order, and that, as the convention itself must originate its organization, the majority had a right to devise the plan.
The contention of the Democrats was: First, that the Republicans did not have a majority uncontested ; second, that the constitutional convention, being ordered by an act of congress, the secretary of the territory, Mr. Chase, who was an appointee of the general government, was the proper person to call the convention to order. The original re- port of the committee on credentials in the Republican wing showed fifty-six, but later three contesting delegates were admitted, making hfty- nine. In the Democratic convention there were fifty-three jiarticipants. though the committee on credentials only reported forty-nine uncontested seats.
There were three daily papers in St. Paul at this time, two Rei^ubli- can and one Democratic. These papers espoused the cause of their re- spective factions, each reporting in full the proceedings of its own conven- tion, while stigmatizing the other as bogus and disrei>utable to the last degree. The Pioneer spoke of the Re()uhlican convention as "A Black Republican Mob," and the Miitncsotian headed its report, when it liad any, of the Sibley aggregation: "A Border Ruffian Convention." Botii parties held caucuses almost every evening and excitement ran high. An open outbreak lietween the respective bodies was fully exjiected, many meml^ers going armed to be jirepared for emergencies. The only actual collision which occurred, however, was when ex-Ciovernor dor- nian Jjroke his cane over the head of lion. Thomas \\'ilson, of Winona, afterwards chief justice of the state.
Constitution Adoptf.d
After being in session more than a month, as separate bodies, over- tures were made for a conference between the two. in order that one
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 75
constitution might be reported by both. It was obvious that by this means only could ridicule be avoided from the country at large, and a docu- ment be prepared which would pass the scrutiny of congress and secure the admission of the state — an end toward which all were striving. On August 27th, the conference committee of each convention reported the same document, and on the 28th both conventions adopted the constitu- tion. It only remained for the joint committee on enrollment to report that the constitution thus mutually agreed upon had been correctly en- rolled. This report was made August 29th, and the double-headed convention adjourned on that date, having occupied forty-seven days, during forty-one of which sessions were held. The constitution was rati- fied by a vote of the people on October 13, 1857, but it was not until May II, 1858, that Minnesota formally became a member of the Union, by act of congress.
While, by the act of the territorial legislature, $30,000 had been ap- propriated and a per diem of three dollars per day fixed as the pay of the delegates, the treasurer refused to pay anything to the Republicans, but paid the Democrats regularly. A few minutes before the Demo- cratic convention adjourned, A. E. Ames offered a resolution naming fifty-three Republicans as entitled to compensation, coupled with the request that the treasurer pay them. W. P. Murray, of St. Paul, moved that it be laid on the table ; the motion prevailed, and the convention adjourned, sine die. This action was stigmatized in a resolution offered in the other body by Dr. Thomas Foster as a violation of honor and faith, but the resolution was also tabled, and the Republican organiza- tion promptly adjourned. The Repuljlicans delegates were afterwards paid, the total expense of the two conventions being reported by State Auditor Dunbar to the legislature of i860 as $59,803.07. The expenses were considerably increased by the necessity of issuing the official de- bates in two volumes owing to the partisan split.
The act of congress of February 26, 1857, authorizing the state gov- ernment, provided that ten entire sections of land should be granted to the state of Minnesota "for the purpose of completing the public build- ings, or for the erection of others at the seat of government, under the direction of the legislature." The state constitution, in Article XV, Sec- tion I, ordained that the seat of government should be at the city of St. Paul, but that the legislature could provide for its change by a vote of the people, or might locate it on land granted by congress, "for a seat of government for the state."
Hennepin county secured a positive location of the University at St. Anthony (now Minneapolis) in the constitution, but the above was the best St. Paul could do in regard to the capitol. Even this was ambiguous, as the lands had not been granted "for a seat of government," but for the completion or erection of public Iniildings. Several attempts, orig- inating in Minneapolis, when competition was the keenest, were made to remove the capitol from St. Paul to these lands, which were far from settlements or railroad lines. Once the removal bill was traded through both branches of the legislature, but was vetoed by Governor R. Marshall, of St. Paul.
As the constitution was to be voted on, and presumably adopted in October, and the legislature and state officers were to be elected at the same time, the document provided that the first state legislature should meet in December. It was impossible for the territory to be trans-
76 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
formed into a state without the Act of Admission by congress, although the preliminary steps had thus been duly taken. As that body did not meet until December, nothing could be hoped for before that period. The assumed state legislature met on December 2, 1857, which was in advance of the session of congress, and consequently it was not a state legislature, and its acts were in no sense legal except by the common consent of the people. H. H. Sibley and Alexander Ramsey had been voted for as candidates for governor at the October election, but the con- test was close, the returns came in slowly and when the legislature met the board provided for by the constitution had not canvassed the votes. It finally developed, though not without acrimonious dispute, that the Democrats had carried the state, electing 11. H. Sibley governor: also George L. Becker, J. ]\I. Cavanaugh and W. W. Phelps, members of congress. It was uncertain how many representatives in congress the state would be permitted to send, but, in order to cover the case safely,
YACHTING ON WHITE BEAR LAKE NEAR ST. PAUL
three were elected. Congress finally admitted two, and the three mem- bers-elect cast lots, the result being' that Mr. Becker lost and the others served as the first members of the house from Minnesota.
When the lime came for the meeting of the first state legislature, Minnesota was still a territory, with very uncertain prospects as to early admission to statehood.
The house of representatives at Washington was Democratic, and three members-elect, as well as both senators, were also Dcniocrats. But a wide diversity of interest and opinion had arisen within the Demo- cratic partv. The southern men, who dominated the party, were not anxious to admit anv more congressmen from free states ; hence there was long delay, which exactly suited the Repui)licans in congress, though quite irksome' to Republicans, as well as Democrats, who lived in the prospective state.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 77
Minnesota's Three Governors
Thus a curious dilemma was produced. Locally the state govern- ment was authorized and ready for business, but nationally it was not recognized. Medary was still the executive, but he was a territorial governor, while Sibley was the state governor-elect. Minnesota, how- ever, was fully equal to the responsibility. Her legislature went right along passing laws for the state of Minnesota, and they were duly signed by C. L. Chase, secretary of the territory, as acting governor. He also certified them as secretary. Practically, Minnesota had three governors at the same time. Sibley was governor-elect; Chase signed the bills as acting governor, and ^ledary drew his salary as territorial governor until May 24, 1858. The territorial legislature had passed out of existence, and here was an alleged state legislature doing active busi- ness in the territory, with an unrecognized state governor elected, a terri- torial governor actually in office, and a territorial secretary assuming the functions of all concerned. It was only due to the unanimous de- sire of her citizens to put on the garb of statehood, that serious legal complications did not arise. One of the early acts of the state legis- lature was the recognition of Territorial Governor Medary by permit- ting him to send his message to it. The Republicans protested violently that he was not the governor of the state ; had nothing to do with the legislature, and should not be recognized. But the Democrats were in the ascendency and the message was duly received. The Republicans in both branches recorded a formal protest against this action, and in the house they even went so far as to protest the entire legislation. But the Democrats went right along with business and James Starkey of St. Paul soon introduced a bill providing for the election of two United States senators on the 23rd of December. The house promptly concurred and arrangements for the senatorial election were pushed rapidly forward.
Rice and Shields Elected Senators
The legislature was Democratic by a majority of ten on joint ballot, and there was no provision at that time for a separate ballot for sena- tor. All interest therefore centered in the Democratic caucus, which was held December 17th, to nominate two senators. At this caucus Henry M. Rice received 36 votes out of a total present of 61 and was therefore easily chosen. For the other senator, there were three lead- ing candidates — General James Shields, of Shieldsville ; Franklin Steele, of ATendota, and William A. Gorman, of St. Paul. On the fourth bal- lot Shields received 33 votes and Steele 28, giving the former the nomi- nation. At the election December 19th, Rice and Shields were both elected to the senatorship over their Republican competitors, Cooper and Huff. Although this action was premature, it stood the test finally, and Sena- tors Rice and Shields were given their seats five months later, May 12, 1858, when Minnesota was admitted as a state. Rice and Shields drew lots for the long and short terms. Rice won the former and served until March 3, 1863, with distinction, having during the war period been an active member of the Senate Military committee, which had much to do with army legislation. Shields retired March 3, 1859, having served less than ten months as senator from Minnesota.
General Shields had, however, the unique distinction of serving in the United States senate from three different states, besides serving as
78 ST. PAUL AND \]CIXITY
a general officer in two wars. Minnesota derived credit from his connec- tion with the state, more ])erhaps than from any other citizen of so short a period of residence here. Shields had come from Ireland to Illinois when sixteen years of age, but bringing with him a tine classical edu- cation for so young a man. He immediately forged to the front in Illi- nois; became a lawyer; was state auditor and judge of the supreme court, and later commissioner of the general land office. After honora- ble service in the Mexican was as brigadier general, he was appointed, by President Polk, governor of Oregon territory, but, before he could take his seat, Illnois elected him to the United States senate. He assumed this office March 6, 1849, but it was discovered that he had never become a full citizen and in a few days he resigned and was naturalized. An extra session of the Illinois legislature re-elected him to the senate, and he served until March 3, 1855. Shortly afterward he moved to Minne- sota, where he founded a colony at Shieldsville and was sent to the senate from this state. When his term expired he moved to California, but at the outbreak of the Rebellion, President Lincoln, who knew him in Illinois and had once almost fought a duel with him in their younger days, appointed him a brigadier general of \'olunteers, and he performed honorable service in West \'irginia until 1863. He then settled in Mis- souri ; resumed the practice of law ; was elected to the state legislature, and tinally chosen United States senator to fill an unexpire<l term end- ing March 3, 1879. He died during the latter year and was buried at his home, Carrolton, Missouri, where, in November, 1910, an imposing monu- ment to his memory was imveiled, Minnesota being appropriately repre- sented at the ceremony.
This session of the legislature of a state not yet admitted, not only elected United States senators, but, as has been stated, passed numerous laws for the government of the state which did not yet exist. It was always questionable whether any of these laws were valid, but by the fortune which seemed to attend all these proceedings and conduce to their regularity, a judge was in office who could be relied on to give the people the benefit of the doubt. This was Charles E. Flandrau, who had been appointed in July, 1857, a territorial judge and was also elected, in October, 1857, as one of the associate justices of the pros])ective state supreme court. Consc(|uently he was a judge, either of the territory or of the state, and felt competent to construe the laws in any retjuired direction. The question of the validity of the laws ])assed by this session came first before Judge Flandrau for decision and he, of course, promptly decided that they were all right. Xo successful attack was ever made later to question their validity. In a historical address, delivered years afterwards. Judge Flandrau thus spoke of that incident in his career : "With that common sense that should always govern a frontier judge, 1 held it was all right and perfectly constitutional. What else could one do? They had i)assed an inmiensc book full of laws, and the job of declaring them all unconstitutional at once was a rather formidable undertaking for a boy. So T did a good deal as the jury did when it acquitted a man of murder, but said he must he careful not to do it again."
,\i)MnTi:n to tmk Union
On May n, 185R, as stated, congress jiassed the act admitting !Minne- sota into the I'nion. and wlien the official information reached St. Paul, which was on May 24th. Medary retired and General Sibley took his
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 79
seat as governor of the state. After enacting laws up to March 25th, the legislature had taken a recess until June 2nd in order to be ready for more business as soon as admission took place. Upon re-assembling, a session of over two months was held, when still more laws were en- acted, which this time received the approval of the real governor. Much of this legislation was, however, equally extravagant with that passed during the winter. The senate consisted of thirty-seven members and the house of eighty, although at that time the total population of the young state was only about 150,000. The effects of the panic of 1857 were still being sorely felt by the people. Yet with a liberality amounting to recklessness and almost criminal lack of consideration, this legis- lature conducted its work on a scale of magnificent proportions.
Paper Railways and "Wild Cat" Banks
One of the most reprehensible acts v^as the inauguration of the old railroad-bond measure, which brought so much trouble to the state. On March 8, 1858, the legislature passed an amendment to the constitution authorizing the issue of $5,000,000 in bonds of the state to be granted to railroad companies as fast as they constructed ten miles of road ready for the superstructure. This amendment was submitted to the people at a special election held April 15, 1858, and was carried bv a vote of 27,023 to 733- _
Promoters of some of the roads hurried the completion of many ten- mile graded sections, in isolated level tracts, and demanded their bonds. Governor Sibley refused to sign them, but the state supreme court issued a mandamus compelling him to do so. Many state newspapers, feeling that the people had been swindled, raised an outcry against the validity of the bonds, and New York capitalists refused to buy them. It was then decided to use these bonds as a basis for the issue of bank notes, under the loosely drawn Banking act passed by this very accommodating legislature. These wild-cat bank issues, called "Glencoe money" for short, replaced state warrants and county scrip which had been about the sole currency since the panic of '57. These notes were soon discredited at home and never had any standing outside the state.
Finally in June, 1859, when over $200,000 of the "Glencoe" paper was in circulation, its redemption ceased, and the state auditor was com- pelled to advertise the bonds for sale. The paper practically disap- peared from circulation and the unpopular state bonds, of which $2,275,000 had been issued, sold as low as ten cents on the dollar.
Thus the whole scheme fell to pieces; not a mile of railroad had been completed : not a car was running in the state, and an inflamed political ulcer had been created which did not heal for thirty years.
Ramsey's Republican Administration
As a natural result of the errors of the first Democratic state adminis- tration and legislature, a political land-slide occurred at the second state election. The Republicans scored an overwhelming victory. Alex- ander Ramsey was elected governor over George L. Becker, Democrat, by nearly 4,000 majority.
The second legislature convened December 7, 1859. The Democratic state officials were still in office, as their terms did not expire until Janu- ary 2, i860. The Republicans organized the house and waited patiently
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* I?
80 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
for Lieutenant Governor Ignatius Donnelly, Republican, to supersede Lieutenant Governor Holcombe, Democrat, as president of the senate. The delegation from Ramsey county in the house consisted of John B. Sanborn, Henry Acker, John B. Olivier, Oscar Stephenson, George. Mitsch and D. A. Robertson. 2\Iessrs. Sanborn and Acker were the only two Republicans on the delegation, and were both given prominent committee chairmanships.
John B. Sanborn, one of the strongest and best men the state ever produced, with a splendid record both in war and in peace, was made chairman of the important committee on the judiciary, while Mr. Acker, also an able, energetic man, became chairman of the special committee on retrenchment and reform. These two committees worked hand in hand, under the able guidance of their respective chairmen, to undo some of the bad work of the proceeding legislative session and met with great success.
That the situation was regarded as critical, at the beginning of the term, may be inferred from the fact that the retiring governor, Sibley, admitted in his message that "the embarassed condition of the state finances and impoverished situation of the people imperatively demand retrenchment in expenditures." And Governor Ramsey said in his in- augural : "A thorough revision of all laws whereby the expenses of town, county, or state government can be reduced, is imperative."
But with the remedial legislation enacted ; the cutting of expenses, including official salaries, and the unloading of the railroad bond in- debtedness on a later era, the financial and industrial conditions rapidly improved. The loan amendment was expunged, and a new amendment submitted providing that no law levying a tax to pay the bonds should be binding until ratified by the people. This amendment w'as adopted by a great majority. The governor was directed to foreclose the state's mortgages on the uncompleted roads, their franchises, etc. This was done and at a subsequent session all these were given gratis to new com- panies. Some of the grades were ultimately used by railways finally constructed and still in operation.
The federal census of i860 gave the state a population of 172,123. The harvest was good and business was greatly revived. Immigra- tion flowed in ; towns were built up, and a career of jjrosperity began, somewhat interruiUcd during the war for the suppression of the Rebel- lion, but augmenting on the whole, decade after decade, until we have the magnificent Minnesota of today, with St. Paul ami licr sister city the chief jewels in the diadem.
Thus statehood was attained ; thus it has since been embellished and enjoyed. The old railroad bonds, subjects of much legislation and several adverse popular votes, were finally "adjusted," in 1881, by a new- issue on the basis of fifty cents per dollar of original debt and interest for twenty-three years. The new bonds thus required $4,301,000 to pay the original $2,750,000, and the bondholders, at least, were abundantly satisfied.
Rut even in 1881 there was much popular hostility to the propo.-^ed settlement. It was claimed and believed that the state had received no benefit and that the bonds had cost the actual holders very little. Selah Chamljerlin, the principal bond-holder, was alleged to be a party to the original fraud, having held large contracts, done little grading, complctcfi no road, and secured $10,000 in bonds per mile for work costing an average of $1,500. So great was the clamor, that the new
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 81
bonds would soon have been depreciated but for the action of Governor Pillsbury, who, in the last hours of his tenure of otifice (January, 1882), invested large blocks of state school funds in the new Chamberlin bonds, thus giving them sacredness and solidity.
CHAPTER IX
DICTIONARY OF DATES (1820-60)
Corner Stone of Fort Snelling Laid (1820) — First Steamer As- cends TO St. Paul (1823) — Indians Cede all Lands East of the River (1837) — First Marriage (1839) — First White Child (1839) — First Church (1841) — Village Christened St. Paul (1841) — First School (1846) — First Hotel (1847) — St. Paul Designated Territorial Capital (1849) — First Xewspaper (1849) — First Court (1849) — First Brick Store (1850) — Build- ing OF Court House Commenced (1850) — St. Paul Incorporated (1854) — First Daily Newspapers (1854) — Board of Tr.vde Or- ganized (1854) — First City Survey (1855) — Board of Educa- tion Created (1855) — St. Paul Library Association Incorpor- ated (1857) — "Sunrise Expedition" (1857) — First St.vte Elec- tion (1857) — Old Settlers Society Organized (1858).
For convenience of reference, we have prepared the Chronological Epitome, which follows in this and succeeding chapters, the dates of events having more or less bearing on the development of St. Paul be- ing given. Further details, as to any of those events, when not set forth elsewhere in this publication, may be procured by persons spe- cially interested therein from public records, or from the files of news- papers in the vaults of the State Historical Society:
1820
September 10— Corner-stone of Fort Snelling laid: fort completed in 1822.
1823
The first .steamer, the "\'irginia." ascended to this point.
1832 N. W. Kittson came to Minnesota.
1834 H. H. Sibley came to Minnesota.
1836
Territory of Wisconsin established, placing this locality in Crawford countv.
1837 W. H. Forbes, Martin McLeod aii<l I'ranklin Steele came to Min- nesota.
82
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 83
September 29 — The Dakota Indians cede all their lands east of the river to the United States ; consideration $500,000.
1838
Pierre Parrant, the first settler, built a log cabin near Fountain cave. Abraham Perry settled near Parrant and raised cattle. July — Benjamin and Pierre Gervais settled here and Edward Phelan, William Evans and John Hays selected claims.
1839
H. M. Rice and William Holcombe came to ^Minnesota.
A number of French families settled at "Pig's Eye," which was named by Ed. Brisset for Pierre Parrant who had a deformed eye.
April — First [Marriage; James R. Clewett to Rose Perry.
May 21 — Steamer "Glaucus," Captain Atchison, arrives; brings six barrels of whiskey for Donald IMcDonald.
September i — John Hays murdered by Edward Phelan probably; first funeral.
September 4 — First white child born, Basil Gervais.
1840
Tanuarv — St. Croix county, Wisconsin, established, including St. Paul.
March 6 — Settlers on Fort Snelling military reserve driven ofif. Ben Gervais purchased the whole of "Pig's Eye" of Parrant for $10. Joseph Rondo bought Phelan's claim for $200. Phelan settles on Phalen's creek where Hamm's brewery now stands.
1841
January 29 — Vetal Guerin and Adele Perry married. November i — First church dedicated, a small log cabin built by Rev. Father Lucian Galtier, called St. Paul's chapel.
Pierre and Severe Bottineau settle on Baptist hill. Village christened St. Paul by Father Galtier. Rev. Father Augustin Ravoux settled in St. Paul.
1842
June 9 — Henry Jackson settled near lower levee. August 17 — Sergeant R. W. Mortimer located near the corner of Third and Market streets.
1843
John R. Irvine, C. C. Blanchard, A. L. Larpenteur, J. W. Simpson, S. Campbell and Antoine Pepin arrive. First meat market opened by Gerou.
1844
^larch — Louis Robert and Charles Bazille move to the village. April 6 — First boat arrived, "Otter," Captain Harris. September 2 — William Dugas bought one hundred and sixty acres in Phelan's creek and built a saw and grist mill.
Ben Gervais commenced the settlement of Little Canada.
First Protestant service held by Rev. Mr. Hurlbut, a Methodist.
November 23 — River closed. Oiien 231 days.
84 ST. PALX AND VICINITY
1845
Thirty families in the village.
April 6 — First boat. "Otter." Captain Harris.
First school opened by Mrs. Matilda Runisey near upper levee.
1846
Town growing fast. Henry Jackson the biggest man in town — justice, postmaster, landlord, merchant and saloon keeper.
March 31 — First boat, "Lynx,'' Captain Atchison.
April 7 — Postoffice established. Henry Jackson postmaster.
June 16 — Pierre Bottineau sold one hundred acres on Baptist hill for $300.
H. L. Dousman suggests the name of Minnesota for the future ter- ritory.
Five stores in town; all sell whiskey.
December 5 — River closed. Open 245 days.
1847
Arrivals: J. W'. Bass, B. W. Brunson, D. Hopkins. A. Foster, L. P. Folsom, J. Banfil, C. P. V. Lull, \V. H. Forbes, P. K. Johnson, \V. C. Rcnfro, Dr. J. J. Dewey, G. A. Fournier and Mrs. Harriet Bishop.
April 7 — First boat, "Clara," Captain Throckmorton.
July 25 — Mrs. Harriet E. Bishop opened a Sabbath school in log cabin, at present corner of Third and St. I'cter streets, with seven scholars.
August — J. W. Bass opened the first hotel, the St. Paul House, where the "Merchants" now stands. It was built of tamarack logs.
Brick warehouse at corner of Jackson and Water streets, built by Freeman and Larpenteur.
House No. 37 Jackson street, known as the Wild Hunter Hotel, built by A. L. Larpenteur for a residence; the lumber was bought in Still- water and was delivered for $10 per thousand feet.
W. H. Forbes took charge of American Fur Comiianv's deiTOt in St. Paul.
Townsite laid out. including ninety and one-halt acres. Projirietors: L. Robert, D. Lambert. H. Jackson, B. W. Brunson, C. Cavileir. H. H. Sibley, J. W. Bass, A. L. Larpenteur, W. H. Forbes. J. W. Simiison. H. C. Rhodes, L. H. LaRoche. J. B. Coty and \'. Guerin. Number of lots 398.
Galena Packet Company organized. Owned one steamer the "Argo." Captain N. W. Lodwick, clerk, Russell Blakely. The "Argo" sunk in October.
Henry Jackson elected representative to the assembly of Wisconsin.
November 29 — River closed. Open 236 days.
1848
January 3 — W. C. Renfro frozen to death.
I'irst Ladies' Sewing Society formed by Mesdames Bishop, Jackson, Bass and Irvine, Miss Harriet Patch and others. It was called the "Circle of Industry" and was formed to raise money for a schoolhouse.
Schoolhouse twenty-five by thirty feet built where block Nos. 34. 36 and 28 West Third street now stands. Used for church, sdiool. lectures, etc.
ST. PAUL AND MCINITY 85
April I — First boat, "Senator." Captain Harris.
B. F. Hoyt acted as preacher and A. H. Cavender Sunday school superintendent.
First temperance society formed.
August 14 — Hon. H. H. Sibley bought St. Paul town site for the proprietors, at United States land sale.
August 26 — Convention held at Stillwater to prepare a memorial to congress asking that the territory be established.
October 30 — Hon. H. H. Sibley elected delegate to congress.
Arrivals: H. AI. Rice, D. Olmstead, H. C. Rhodes, Bushrod W. Lett, W. H. Nobles, Nathan ]\Iyrick, D. Lambert, W. C. Morrison, W. B. Brown and Nelson Robert.
"John Davney" elected road master.
December 4 — River closed, open 241 days.
1849
Alarch — Bill passed .congress organizing the territory of Minnesota, and designating St. Paul as the capital.
St. Paul has thirty buildings and about 200 inhabitants.
April 10 — First boat, "Highland Mary," Captain Atchison.
April 18 — James M. Goodhue arrives with material for a printing office.
Dr. David Day arrived.
April 2;^ — Rev. E. D. Neill arrived.
April 20 — M. N. Kellogg arrived.
April 27 — First newspaper, the Minnesota Register, issued by Dr. A. Randall; printed in Cincinnati.
April 27 — First newspaper printed in the territory, the Minnesota Pioneer, issued by J. M. Goodhue; office in hotel, corner of Third and Jackson streets.
May 3 — Barlett Presley arrived.
May 7 — St. Paul Division, No. i. Sons of Temperance organized. Officers: Lott Moffett, B. L. Sellers, S. Gilbert, W. C. Morrison, B. F. Irvine, A. H. Cavender, A. R. Finch, C. P. V. Lull, B. F. Hoyt, W Patch and C. Patch.
May 27 — Governor A. Ramsey arrived.
May 28 — Seventy buildings erected in three weeks previous.
June I — Governor Ramsey proclaimed the territory organized.
June I — Minnesota Chronicle issued by James Hughes.
June I — Rodney Parker opened the American House.
June 13 — Town contains 142 buildings.
June 20 — H. F. Masterson arrived.
June 25 — Governor Ramsey and wife commenced house-keeping on Third street, near Robert.
June 26 — Town pump erected.
June 28 — The Rice House, near upper levee, opened.
A Willoughby and S. Powers start the first stage line, St. Paul to St. Anthony ; one horse wagon.
July — Edmund Rice arrived.
July 4 — Grand celebration ; governor Ramsey president of the day ; Franklin Steele, chief marshal ; Judge B. B. Meeker, orator.
July 5 — J. W. Bass superseded H. Jackson as postmaster; office, moved to hotel. General R. W. Johnson, then lieutenant at Fort Snel- ling.
86 ST. PAUL AXD MCIXITY
Cbar'.es K. Smith, secretary of territory located offices of territorial officers in the Central House. Foundation of a brewery laid.
July 22 — First Baptist serv'ices held by Rev. Mr. Parsons.
July — First brick house built by Hon. H. M. Rice, corner of Fourth and Wabasha streets.
August I — St. Paul precinct established by governor.
August 2 — Election: W. H. Forbes and J. M. Boale, councillors; B. W. Rrunson, P. K. Johnson. H. Jackson, Dr. J. J. Dewey, rep- resentatives; H. H. Sibley, delegate to congress.
August — Rev. E. D. Neill completed Presbyterian chapel on IMarket street, opposite the park.
August 12 — First court held; Judges Goodrich and Cooper presiding.
August 25 — Minnesota Ticgister and Minnesota Chronicle consolid- ated. Chronicle and Register published by McLean, Owen and Quay: Whig organ.
September 3 — First legislature met at Central House ; opened with prayer by Rev. E. D. Neill.
September 8 — First Masonic lodge instituted by C. K. Smith, worthy master; twenty-eight members.
September 12 — .\ boy named Isaiah McMillan shot and killed by a comrade named Heman Snow. No malice i)roved ; sentenced to im- prisonment for one year at Fort Snelling.
.Sei)tcmber 29 — 2,135 bushels of cranljcrries shiii])«l this season. Worthless money issued by Isaac Young on "Bank of St. Croi.x." No such bank. Population, males, 540, females 300, total 840. Ramsey county created. D. F. Brawley produces the first bricks; brick yard between what are now Dayton and Nelson avenues.
October 20 — Democratic convention at the American House.
Geo. L. Becker arrived. Dr. T. R. Potts arrived. Governor Ram- sey appointed, as county officers : Dr. D. Day, register of deeds ; C. P. V. Lull, sheriff; L. Robert and A. Goodfrey, commissioners: II. .\. Lambert, judge of probate.
October 3 — The legislature adjourned.
October 26 — First county election resulted : D. Day, register : C. P. V. Lull, sheriff; J. W. Simpson, treasurer; L. Robert, B. Gervais and R. P. Russell, commissioners: H. A. Lambert, judge of probate.
December i — Meeting held at school house to organize public schools.
December 7 — River closed. Open 242 days. 95 steamers arrived.
December 23 — ^W. P. Murray arrived.
December 29 — Ba])tist church organized ; twelve members.
Trade of year $131,000; town valuation $85,000.
1850
January i — First business directory issued by the Pioneer. Includes five clergymen, fourteen lawyers, two land agents, four doctors, sixteen mercantile lirms, one shoemaker, six hotels, three painters, two firms of Ijlacksmiths, four jilasterers, live masons, eighteen carpenters, one silver- smith, one gunsmith, live bakers, three wheelwrights, one harness maker, one tinner.
January 4 — First Presbyterian church organized by Rev. F. D. Neill.
January 6 — Three schools in progress. Teachers: Mrs. H. E. Bishop, Miss Scofield and Rev. C. Hobart. Legislature met in Rice House, where the Metropolitan Hotel stands.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 87
February 22 — Grand ball at the American House; music by Fort Snelling band.
February 22 — A. R. McLeod killed W. B. Gordon. McLeod ac- quitted on the ground of self-defense.
March 14 — Council with Winnebago Indians held.
April I — Great flood commenced.
April 10 — First boat, "Highland Mary," Captain Atchison.
May 3 — St. Paul Lodge, No. 2, I. 6. O. F., instituted, with nine members.
May — John Farrington arrived.
May 16 — Rev. Dr. Neill's chapel burned.
May 6 — First town election results : Dr. T. R. Potts, president ; Edmund Rice, recorder ; W. H. Forbes, B. F. Hoyt, W. H. Randall, Henry Jackson and A. L. Larpenteur, trustees.
May — Judge R. R. Nelson arrives.
June I — Twenty-five marriages during year to date. J. A. Whee- lock arrived.
July — Population 1,294; number of families 357. The exclamation "ho," derived from the Indians, adopted by tipplers.
Colonel D. A. Robertson arrived.
August 2 — Christ church society organized.
September 2 — County election. Delegate to congress, H. H. Sibley; representatives,. B. W. Brunson, J. C. Ramsey, H. L. Tilden, E. Rice; commissioner, R. P. Russell; treasurer, J. W. Simpson.
September 5 — Corner-stone of Christ's church laid on Cedar street. 700 letters per week received at postoffice.
October — First brick store built by John Farrington, corner of Third and Exchange streets.
November 4 — Orlando Simons elected justice of the peace.
November 14 — Captain N. J. T. Dana starts a saw mill at lower levee.
November 18 — School district No. 3 established ; Henry Doolittle teacher, at $40 per month.
November — Building of court house commenced. Dr. D. Day fur- nished the plan for $10. Land donated by Vetal Guerin. County jail
December 4 — -River closed. Open 239 days; 102 boats.
December 10 — Minnesota Democrat established by Colonel D. A. Robertson.
December 26 — First Thanksgiving day.
185 1
January 2 — Second territorial legislature met.
January 10 — Indian chief, Hole-in-the-day, addressed legislature.
The legislature elected J. ^NI. Goodhue, of the Pioneer, territorial printer. Act passed authorizing the erection of a capitol in St. Paul.
January 16 — James M. Goodhue, was attacked in the street by Joseph Cooper on account of an article the former had published in the Pioneer reflecting on Judge Cooper, a brother of the assailant. Pistols and knives used, and both slightly .wounded. Bushrod W. Lott elected justice of the peace.
March 31 — Legislature adjourned. Chronicle and Register col- lapses.
April I — First boat, "Nominee," Captain Smith.
April 12 — Christ's church dedicated; Rev. J. L. Breck, rector.
88 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
April 19 — Sherwood Hough arrived.
April — C. D. GilfiUan arrived.
April — Sherwood Hough appointed deputy clerk of supreme and district courts.
May 6 — Town election. R. Kennedy, president ; H. A. Lambert, recorder; E. Keller, F. Cazeau. W. Freeborn, R. C. Knox, J. E. Fuller, trustees. Rev. E. D. Neill appointed superintendent of the schools of the territory. L. E. Reed arrived. Bucket fire brigade established.
June 27 — The block on which the old capitol stands presented to the town, by Charles Bazille. W'illoughby & Powers established the "Red Line" of stages.
July 2 — Rt. Rev. Bishop Cretin arrived.
July 29 — A train of one hundred and two Red River carts arrived.
July 21 — Excavation for capitol commenced.
July 23 — Treaty with the Sioux consummated. J. C. Burbank es- tablished an express line to Galena.
August — "Placides N. O. \'ariety Company," commerce an engage- ment of one week at Mazurka Hall, George Holland, manager. Judge Jerome Fuller succeeds Judge Goodrich as chief justice. Alex Wilkin succeeds C. K. Smith as secretary of the territory. J. W. Furber suc- ceeds H. L. Tilden as marshal of the territory. Rev. Mr. RiheldafFer arrived.
September 17 — IVeekly Minnesotian appeared; J. P. Owens editor, J. C. Terry, publisher.
■ September — G. C. Nichols, issued a map of St. Paul. The town had fifteen additions to its territory. Winslow house commenced..
October 14 — County election. Councillors, W. H. Forbes and G. W. Farrington; representatives, W. P. Murray, J. W. Selby, C. S. Cave, J. E. FuUerton and S. J. Findley; sheriff, G. F. Brott; register, M. S. Wilkinson; treasurer, S. H. Sergeant; attorney, W. D. Phillips; sur- veyor, S. P. Folsom; judge of ])robate. J. B. Kingsley.
November 13 — Rev. J. P. Parson, pastor of Baptist church, died.
November 28 — River closed. Open 238 days; 119 boats arrived.
December — Cathedral com])leted on Block 7 : built of brick ; three and one-half stories high; eighty-four by forty-four feet on ground; afterward Cretin school.
1852
January 7 — Third legislature met in Goodrich's block below where the Merchants hotel stands; 299 applicants for legislative offices. D. F. Brawley granted license for first ferry at upper levee. Ramsey county Agricultural Society incorporated. A stringent liquor law passed.
February 21 — Central Presbyterian society organized by eight per- sons. Rev. Mr. Rihcldaffcr pastor.
April 16 — First boat. "Nominee," Ca])tain Smith. Galena Packet Company makes three trips each week. Great competition among steam- boats.
May 6 — Town officers: B. W. Lott, president; L. M. Oliver, re- corder; C. Bazille, E. Keller, Lott iMoffett and W. Freeborn, council- lors. Total vote, 414. I. V. D. Heard arrived.
May 22 — Langrislie & Atwater dramatic troupe at Mazurka Hall.
June 26 — Treaty with Sioux ratified by congress.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 89
July 21 — Chauncy Godfrey killed his wife at Treniont House.
August 25 — Court House completed.
August 27 — J. AI. Goodhue died.
September — Organ placed in Rev. Dr. Neill's church. Minneapolis beats St. Paul by taking for its name "All Saints." First evidence of jealousy. Joseph R. Brown became editor of the Pioneer.
October 12 — County election. Representatives, L. N. Oliver, B. W. Lott, W. Noot and J. C. Ramsey; commissioner, L. Robert; treas- urer, R. Cummings; probate judge, J. A. Lambert; surveyor, W. R. Marshall.
November 18 — River closed. Open 216 days.
1853
Fourth Legislature met in the brick block, corner Third and Min- nesota streets ; M. McLeod, president of council ; Dr. D. Day, speaker.
January 26 — Governor Ramsey delivered his message in the court house.
February i — St. Paul Fire & Alarine Insurance Company incorporated. St. Paul & St. Anthony Railroad incorporated. Baldwin school incor- porated. L. S. & AL Railroad incorporated. Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 5, Free Masons, instituted.
February 3 — Masonic convention held, and grand lodge instituted.
March 4 — Legislature adjourned.
April II — First boat, "West Newton," Captain Harris.
April 14 — W. H. Forbes, postmaster, vice J. W. Bass; J. C. Terry, deputy.
April 27 — -Indian fight near corner Third and Washington streets; a squaw killed.
Alay 13 — General Willis A. Gorman arrived as territorial governor. New territorial officers arrived : J. T. Rosser. secretary ; M. W. Irwin, marshal; W. H. Welch, chief justice; A. G. Chatfield and Moses Sher- burne , associate justices. Governor Gorman appointed, S. Nelson auditor; L. Emmett, attorney general; S. B. Lowry, adjutant general; R. P. Russell, treasurer ; A. J. Whitney, clerk of supreme court. Robert A. Smith arrived ; nephew of governor and private secretary.
June — Colonel D. A. Robertson succeeded D. Olmstead in conduct- ing the Democrat.
June 23 — Oakland Cemetery Association organized.
July 21 — Executive chamber in the capitol occupied. Town valua- tion $723,534. Colonel George Culver arrived. St. John hospital built.
October 12 — ^County officers elected councillors: I. Van Etten, W. P. Murray and W. Freeborn ; representatives, L. Sloan, W. Noot, W. Davis, L. Bartlett and J. H. Day; sheriff, A. M. Fridley; register, L. M. Oliver; probate judge, J. M. Stone; attorney, D. C. Cooley; treasurer, N. E. Tyson ; surveyor, J. D. Case ; delegate, H. M. Rice. City guards organized. Captain Simpson.
November 30 — River closed. Open 2^^ days ; 235 boats arrived.
90 ST. PAUL AXD VICINITY
December 21 — John Clark and Philip Hull murdered by unknown parties at the corner of Robert and Fifth streets.
December 29 — Baldwin school dedicated. Number of buildings in the town 604; residences 517; business houses 10; churches 6; hotels 4; schoolhouses 4; also court house, jail and capitol.
1854
January 4 — Fifth session of legislature met in the new capitol.
February 23 — German Reading Society incorporated.
March 3 — Royal .\rch Masons incorporated.
March 4 — City of St. Paul incorporated, including 2,400 acres divided into three wards.
March 4 — Earl S. Goodrich arrived. lie immediately purchased the Pioneer of J. R. Brown.
April 4 — First city election. D. Olmstead, mayor; W". R. .Miller, marshal; D. Rohrer, treasurer; O. Simons, justice; aldermen, R. C. Knox, A. T. Chamblin, R. Marvin, A. L. Larpenteur, T. Fanning, C. S. Cave, G. L. Becker, J. R. Irvine and J. M. Stone; clerk of council, Sherwood Hough.
April 8 — First boat, "Nominee," Captain Blakely.
April 18 — In his address the mayor recommended public parks and the introduction of water.
May I — The Daily Pioneer and the Daily Democrat appeared.
May 12 — Dailv Minncsotian appeared.
May 15 — The Daily Times issued by T. M. Newson.
May 16 — Public market rented of Vetal Guerin for $610.
May 23 — Salary of attorney fixed at $300.
May 25 — Richards Gordon arrived.
May 25 — Board of health appointed. Dr. J. D. Goodrich city phy- sician. J. A. Wheelock issued the Advertiser. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company organized.
June 8 — Great railroad excursion in honor of the opening of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, arrived.
July 27 — C. D. Fillmore died. Winslow house opened by I. C. George.
August I — Board of Trade organized for protection against "wild cat" money. Police force authorized.
September 6 — C. L. Emerson bought the Daily Democrat. John S. Prince arrives and establishes the "Rotary Saw ^lill."
October 12 — Louis Kriegcr elected alderman.
October 21 — Six boats with 600 passengers arrived.
November 6 — Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company organized, with thirty-one members.
November 7 — The city bought ten lots in Oakland cemetery for $240.
November 22 — Levi Sloan died.
November 27 — -River closed. Open 223 days; 256 boats arrived.
December 29 — Yo-ha-za, a Sioux, executed on St. Anthony hill for murder. City valuation, $1,300,000.
1855
January 3— Sixth legislature met. Robert street "Rogers Hotel" built by John Rogers. Firm of Temple S: Beaupre formed. March 20 — First survey of the city completed by S. P. Folsom.
ST. PAUL AXD MCINITY 91
March 20 — The first annual report of the city justice shows ninety- five cases tried, and $137 fines collected.
April 3 — City election. A. Ramsey, mayor ; D. Rohrer, treasurer ; W. R. Miller marshal; W. H. Nobles, C. H. Schurmeier, C. S. Cade, A. L. Larpenteur, J. R. Irvine and A. G. Fuller, aldermen.
April 17 — First boat, "War Eagle," Captain Harris; 814 passengers. Arrivals: Dr. J. H. Stewart, W. L. Banning, J. W. McClung, D. W. Ingersoll, Gates A. Tohnson, Jas. Smith, Jr., Edward Zimmerman, P. Berkey, J. Fletcher 'Williams, M. J. O'Conner, D. D. :\Ierrill, I. W. Webb, H. Orleman. Charles IMiles, Jerry McCarthy, O. G. Miller and Louis E. Fisher.
July 4 — Luke- Marvin drowned. Great speculation in land. Henry ^McKenty leading operator. Population city, 4,716; county 9,495; ter- ritory 53,600. Bellevue house, on Bridge Square, built by W. G. Le- Duc. Postoffice moved to Bellevue house.
October 4. — Daily Free Press appeared ; A. C. Smith, editor.
October 31. — Pioneer and Democrat consolidated.
November 9. — H. C. Sanford's grocery, corner Third and Wabasha, burned. House of Hope Presbyterian Society organized by Rev. E. D. Neill ; services held in Walnut street chapel.
November 20. — River closed; open 217 days; 553 boats arrived; 30.000 people arrived during the season ; city overrun.
1856
January 2. — Seventh legislature convened. St. Anthony detached from Ramsey county.
January 10 — St. Paul Lodge No. 3, Free Masons, instituted.
March 2 — Legislature adjourned.
March 11. — C. S. Cave succeeded W. H. Forbes as postmaster.
March 23. — Robert A. Smith appointed county treasurer. Edmund Rice elected county commissioner. Board of Education created.
April 17. — Minnesota Pioneer Guards organized; Captain, A. C. Jones; first lieutenant, E. C. Palmer; second lieutenant, Lyman C. Dayton.
April 18. — First boat, "Lady Franklin," Captain Lucas.
April city election. George L. Becker, mayor ; D. Rohrer, treasurer ; O. Simons, police justice; W. R. Miller, marshal; W. Branch, C. H. Schurmeier, W. D. McCroty, C. Branch, C. L. Emerson and P. Ryan, aldermen; J. B. Brisbin, attorney; G. W. Armstrong, comptroller; J. A. Case, surveyor; Dr. S. Willey, physician.
May. — Pioneer Guards' brass band organized ; J. C. Terry, leader ; 14 members.
May 23. — A long row of wooden buildings, just completed by Dr. Stewart and J. W. McClung, were burned.
May 30 Mayor appointed J. Gabel, N. Miller, F. C. Hardwig and
E. Maher, policemen.
May. — George Benz arrived.
June 24. — Cornerstone of Historical and Masonic Halls laid with great pomp ; never built on sites selected.
June. — Corner stone of present cathedral laid ; Assumption church. German Catholic, built : Rev. D. Alarogna, first priest ; City Hall com- pleted on Rice Park ; Jackson Street M. E. church erected.
92 ST. PAUL AXD VICIXITY
July. — Murder and robbing frequent; a vigilance committee organ- ized and the police force increased to twelve.
July 17. — Damascus Commandery Free Masons instituted; Henry Galvin appointed policeman ; Col. G. Hewitt, Hiram Rogers, James Davenport, \V. L. \\'ilson and D. Ramaley arrived.
August. — ^linnesota Grove Xo. i, U. A. O. Druids, instituted; St. Paul Typographical Union organized.
September 25. — Fuller house, corner Seventli and Jackson streets opened; cost $110,000.
September. — Arrivals at the hotels for the month, 1,000; city valua- tion $3,287,220.
October 15. — Rev. John Mattocks arrived and became pastor of the First Presbyterian church.
November 10. — River closed; open 212 days.
November t6. — Rice House, where ^fctropolitan stands, burned; St. Paul bridge commenced : Myers & Willius commenced a banking busi- ness.
November 12. — Royal Arch Masons No. i instituted.
December i. — D. L. Fuller died; W. Sprigg Hall appointed superin- tendent of public instruction in territory ; whole number of arrivals at the hotels during the year, 28,000.
1857
January 7. — Eighth session of territorial legislature convened.
January. — St. Paul's Episcopal church organized ; Rev. A. B. Pat- terson, rector.
February 6. — Bill to remove capitol to St. Peter introduced in coun- cil; passed council 12th; house, i8th; Joe Rolette stole the bill; a dupli- cate was engrossed and signed ; Judge Nelson later decided it illegal.
February 22. — Rt. Rev. Bishop Cretin died.
February. — First city directory; 1,700 names; St. Paul Library Association incorporated.
March 7. — Legislature adjourned.
March 25. — CouiUv jail commenced ; built of stone.
April I. — R. S. and \V. H. Munger arrived.
April 22. — Samuel Medary third governor of territory arrived; St. Paul Light Cavalry organized; Captain James Starkey; Shields Guards organized. Captain J. O'Gorman.
April 17. — E.xtra session of legislature convened; St. Paul water works chartered ; Fuller House Comixuiy chartered.
May I. — George Seibert. D. A. IMonfort and H. Acker arrived.
May 5. — City "election; mayor, J. P.. Brisbin ; treasurer, D. Rohrer ; marshal, W. R.Miller; new aldermen, Luke Morrison, A. Y. Larpen- teur and H. J. Taylor; attorney, H. J. Horn; comptroller. A. T. Cham- blin ; surveyor, J. T. Halsted.
May 8. — First boat, "Galena," Captain Laughton.
May 12. — Twentv-four boats at the levee.
May 20.— Sallie .'^t. Clair's \'arieties at Market Hall.
May. — Concert Hall block built by J. \V. McClung and others.
May 23. — Act incorporating Old Settler's Association approved.
Tune I. — Election of delegates to tiie constitutional convention; 2,820 votes cast in the city.
June 15. — Russ C. Munger arrived.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
93
June 27. — H. \'an Liew opened the People's Theatre, a wooden build- ing erected for the purpose at the corner of Fourth and St. Peter streets.
July. — William Augustus Croffut, reporter of the Times, kicked off the steamer "War Eagle;" mistaken for D. Ramaley, reporter of the Pioneer (both still living, 1912).
July 4. — !\Iackubin & Edgerton, bankers, moved to a building, corner of Third and Franklin streets ; commencement of Second National Bank.
August 4. — Twenty buildings on Third, between Market and St. Peter streets, burned.
August 18. — A number of buildings on Robert street, between Third and Fourth, burned.
In August occurred the "Sunrise Expedition." During the summer the settlers near Cambridge and Sunrise complained that the Chippewa
P filial iS fcsf 11^, III
"PriFWIif III
INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, BURNED IN 1869
Indians were depredating upon them. On August 24th Governor Medary ordered Captain Starkey, with twenty men of the St. Paul Light Cavalry, to proceed to the scene, and arrest any Indians known to be committing excesses, or return them to their reservation. On the 28th, the detach- ment came upon the Indians in Washington county, and while parley- ing with them the Indians suddenly broke away. Captain Starkey ordered one of his men, Frank Donnelly, to follow them and tell them to stop. Donnelly did so, when an Indian named Sha-go-ba shot him, killing him instantly. The detachment then charged the Indians, killed one, wounded another and made prisoners of the survivors.
August. — Financial panic strikes the city.
September 2. — Council appropriates S'30,000 for the bridge at Wa- basha street.
September 7. — District court opened by Judge Nelson; 200 cases on calendar.
September 14. — Hope Engine Co. No. i organized.
September 19.- — Gas works completed.
94 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
October. — Population of city, 9.973 ; county, 12,747 ; territory, 150.037.
October 8. — W. Markoe made balloon ascension with S. S. Eaton and H. H. Barnes; Eaton jumps out after ascending a few feet and the others have a narrow escape.
October 13. — First state election: Governor. H. H. Sibley; senators,
I. \'an Etten. C. S. Cave and W. Sprigg Hall : representatives. J. W. Crosby, W. Dawson, W. B. McCrorty, C. Rauch, J. Starkey and G. L. Otis. County officers: District judge. P. J. Penman: clerk of court, R. F. Houseworth ; sheriff, J. Y. Caldwell ; treasurer, R. A. Smith ; regis- ter, E. Heenan ; surveyor, S. F. Duffy.
October. — Colonel Wm. Crooks and J. M. Gilman arrived; L. B. Wait appointed collector of the port ; citizens contribute relief for grass- hopper sufferers.
November i. — Hope Engine Co. No. i and Minnehaha No. 2 receive fire engines; M. B. Farrell arrived.
November 14. — River closed ; open 198 days ; St. Paul's church com- pleted; city jail completed; city valuation, $6,437,285; bridge completed.
December 2. — First state legislature met.
December 26. — First telegraph line opened ; three hundred and forty- three buildings erected during the war, costing $591,500; city spent on streets and sewers $133,153.
1858
February 27. — Old settlers meet at the capitol and organize a society ; H. H. Sibley, president.
March 23. — First boat, "Gray Eagle," Captain Harris; Northern Line Packett Company established.
April 15. — Five million loan bill endorsed by the people. \'ote in St. Paul: 4.051 ayes; 183 nays; great religious revivals.
April. — City election: Mayor, N. W. Kittson; treasurer, D. Rohrer; justice, O. Simons; comptroller, T. M. Aletcalf: attorney, H. J. Horn; surveyor, D. L. Curtice; chief of police, J. ^V. Crosby; chief of fire department, C. H. Williams; new aldermen — C. H. Schurmeier, B. W. Lott. P. Paine, P. O'Gorman, W. C. Gray S. P. Folsom, N. Gross, W.
II. Wolff, T. Grace and H. M. Dodge. July II. — Hon. W. Costello drowned.
November 13. — Adams school completed; value. $21,272.80.
November 16. — River closed ; open 236 days.
November 23. — N. W. Irwin died.
December 4. — J. H. Bronson killed by accident.
December 22. — House of Hope chapel on Walnut street, dedicated; Jefferson school house completed; Athenaeum built: Olympic Base Ball Club organized; S. P. Jcnnison, captain; R. C. Munger. treasurer; Turners' Society organized in Irvine's Hall; German Lutheran church, corner Waliasha and Tenth streets, built.
In the fall of this year the city procured two fire engines from Phila- delphia and delivered them to Hope and Minnehaha companies. In the summer Hon. John S. Prince purchased, at his own expense, an engine which had been in use' at Fort Snelling, and presented it to a comj)any comf)oscd of the employes of his mill, and called the Rotary Mill Company.
1859
March 11. — S. Bilanski poisoned; his wife, convicted of poisoning him. sentenced to be lumg.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 95
April 19. — First Boat "Key City," Captain Norden.
April. — A. H. Wilder arrived. '
]\Iay. — Stone block. No. 230 East Seventh street, built by F. Knauft; cost $6,000.
May 3. — City election : Mayor, D. A. Robertson ; comptroller, W. Von Hamm; treasurer, C. A. Morgan; new aldermen — M. Branch, M. J O'Connor, R. C. Wiley, P. Berkey; city clerk, J. H. Dodge.
July 4. — A^ery cold, almost snowed.
July 6. — Dr. Charles W. Borup died.
July 24.- — Rt. Rev. Thomas L. Grace consecrated Bishop of the Catholic diocese; arrived in August; Great Western band succeeded Pioneer Guard band ; R. C. Munger, leader.
August 5. — The Pioneer Guard, under J. ,S. Prince, went to Monti- cello to assist in the Wright county war against lynchers.
August II. — Pioneer Guard return from Wright county war covered with glory.
September 8. — ^People's theatre burned during a political meeting.
November 29. — River closed ; open 222 days ; J. E. and Horace Thompson arrived.
December 7. — Second state legislature met.
December 14. — Minnesotan and Times newspapers consolidated ; Newson, Moore, Foster & Co., proprietors.
CHAPTF.R X
DICTIONARY OF DATES (1860-75)
Great Fire on Third Street (i860) — Call for Troops Received (April 13, 1861) — First Regiment Left for Front (June 22, 1861) — Capt. W. B. Farrell Killed at Gettysburg (July 3, 1863) — Musical Society Formed (1863) — Explosion of the Steamer "John Rumsey" (1864) — Return of Regiments (July 5. August II, 1865) — Establishment of House of Refuge (Reform School) (1866) — Excavation for Oper,v House (1866) — Chamber of Commerce (Old Board of Trade) Organized (1867) — Opera House Dedicated (1867) — Custom House Commenced (1867) — International Hotel Burned (1869) — Water Works Completed (1869) — New Merchants Hotel Commenced (1870) — Street Railway Opened (1872) — Postoffice Moved to Custom House 1873) — West St. Paul Annexed (1874).
This chapter is a continuation of the "Dictionary of Dates." and covers the important period not only of the Civil war, but the erection of many prominent buildings and the founding of St. Paul's splendid system of water works.
i860
January 26. — Mrs. W. O'Neill found dead at corner of Seventh and Cedar streets. Her husband sent to Stillwater for killing her.
March 12. — W. M. Corcoran appointed iiostniaster.
March 16. — Great tire, destroying most of the buildings on both sides of Third street, between Robert and Jackson streets.
March 19. — Captain W. H. Acker appointed adjutant general.
March 23. — Mrs. Annie Bilanski hung in jail yard; Pioneer Guards in attendance.
March 28. — First boat, "Milwaukee," Captain Cochrane.
April 7. — Roger's block, Bridge square, burned.
May. — The city election resulted: Mayor. John S. Prince; treasurer, C. A. Morgan; comptroller, W. \'on Hanim ; justice. N. Gibbs ; new alder- men—R. H. Fitz, H. P. Grant, C. M. Daily and W. W. Corcoran.
June. — House rents low; potatoes, 15 cents; wood, $4; whiskey, 25 cents per gallon.
October. — Horace Thompson's residence built. J. L. Merriam ar- rived. Hot times during presidential cami>aign ; the Wide Awakes (■Lincoln), under Captain W. II. .\cker. and Little Giants (Douglas), Captain A. Wilkin, flourished.
November 6. — County election. Senators, J. Smith, Jr., and J. B. Sanborn; representatives, A. Nessel, H. Acker and W. L. Banning; auditor, T. M. Metcalf; surveyor, D. L. Curtice.
96
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 97
November lo. — W. C. Gray commits suicide by jumping off the bridge. City valuation, $4,746,119; county, $5,827,599.
December. — Daily Times sold to W. R. Marshall. December 25. — W. HoUingshead died. December 29. — Ingersoll block completed.
1861
January i. — Daily Times issued as the Daily Press.
January 8. — Third legislature convened.
March 4. — St. Paul Sportsman's Club organized.
March 8. — Legislature adjourned.
April 2. — City election. Mayor, J. S. Prince; comptroller, W. Von Hamm ; Aldermen — J. E. Thompson, W. P. Murray, N. Gross and L. H. Eddy.
April. — Charles Nichols appointed postmaster ; George W. Moore, collector of port; General J. B. Sanborn, adjutant general. First boat, "Ocean Wave," Captain Webb.
April 13. — Call for troops received.
April 17. — Company C, First Minnesota, Captain Acker, filled; first lieutenant, W. B. Farrell ; second, S. T. Raguet.
April 22. — Company A. Pioneer Guards, Captain Wilkin, mustered in ; first lieutenant, H. C. Coates ; second, H. Zehrenberg.
April 29. — First Regiment mustered in ; Colonel W. A. Gorman.
June 22. — First Regiment left for Washington.
June 26. — Second Regiment mustered in; Colonel Van Cleve. E. F. Drake arrived.
August 2. — Thermometer at 104 degrees. Banking house of Hol- land, Berry & Dawson established.
October 14. — Second Regiment ordered to Louisville.
November 26. — River closed ; open 232 days.
December 4. — Fourth Regiment, Colonel J. B. Sanborn, mustered in.
December 21. — Rev. John Ireland ordained a priest.
1862
January 7. — Fourth legislature convened. Fifth ward created.
March 7. — Legislature adjourned.
March. — Third Regiment, Colonel H. C. Lester, ordered to Nash- ville.
April I. — City election. Mayor, J. S. Prince; comptroller, W. Von Hamm; treasurer, C. A. Morgan; justice, N. G. Gibbs; aldermen — L. E. Reed, P. James, D. H. \^alentine, R. C. Wiley, A. Fink and J. R. Liv- ingston.
April 13. — First boat, "Keokuk," Captain Hatcher.
April 8.— Capt. W. H. Acker killed at Shiloh.
April 19. — Fourth Regiment ordered to Benton barracks.
May 9. — Fifth Regiment, Col. L. F. Hubbard, ordered to Corinth, Mississippi.
June 8. — First railroad in the state opened from St. Paul to St. Anthony.
July 14. — C. Proal arrived. Marine bank organized ; N. Bradley, president; O. B. Turrell, cashier.
August. — .Sixth Regiment, Colonel W. Crooks, organized ; remained on frontier until ordered to St. Louis in 1864.
98 ST. PAUL AXU \ ICINITY
August. — Seventh Regiment. Colonel W. K. Marshall, organized; ordered to St. Louis in 1S63.
August. — Eighth Regiment, Colonel M. T. Thomas, organized; sent to frontier, ordered to Clifton, Tennessee, in 1864.
August. — Ninth Regiment, Colonel .\. Wilkin, organized. First lo- cated at frontier; ordered to St. Louis in 1S64.
August. — Tenth Regiment, Colonel J. H. Haker, organized; ordered to St. Louis in October, 1863.
August 20. — .A. volunteer company left for scene of Indian massacre.
September 2. — Battle at Birch Coolie. Killed bv the Indians: B. S. Terry, F. S. Bencken, G. Colter, W. Cobb, W. Irvine, W. Russell, J. Colledge, W. Whetsler, R. Baxter and R. Gibbens— all of St. Paul.
September 12. — L. P. Colter died.
October 10. — Winslow house burned.
November 15. — River closed; open 211 days.
December. — F. Driscoll came to St. Paul from Belle Plaine, and es- tablished the Daily Union.
1863
January 6. — Fifth legislature convened. Wholesale grocery firm, Beaupre & Company, formed; first year's business, -$179,000.
March 6. — Legislature adjourned.
April 5. — First boat, "Keokuk," Captain Hatcher. April 7. — City election. Mayor, J. E. Warren ; cominrollcr, C. H. Lineau ; surveyor, C. M. Boyle; attorney. .S. M. Flint: aldermen^Peck- ham, Betz, King, Paine and 1. 1'. Wright.
May T. — Dr. J. H. Murphy abandons St. .Xnthony for St. Paul; came to state in 1849.
July 3. — Captain W. B. l-'arrell killed at Ciettysburg.
luly f). — Celebration of Gelty.shurg victory.
July 10. — C. N. ]\Iackubin died. Rev. .S. ^'. .McMasters arrived and became rector of Christ's church.
October 23. — Musical society formed.
November 9. — H. A. Lambert died.
November 24. — River closed; open 223 days; 731 boats arrived.
December 8. — First National I'.ank organized: J. E. Thompson, president; T. .\. Harrison, vice president; H. Thompson, cashier; C. Schcffer, assistant cashier; W. M. and II. G. Harrison and J. C. Bur- bank, directors; H. P. Upham. teller; W. II. Kelly, bookkeeper.
December 28. — First concert of St. Paul Musical society at Ingersoll hall ; G. Hancke, F. Wood and C. Zenzius, soloists.
1864
January 5. — Sixth legislature convened.
I-'ebruary 4. — Ingersoll hall, second concert of Musical Society; E. Wagner, 1-". Wood, W. N. Perkins, M. I-'sch and H. Gretlien. soloists.
March 4 Legislature adjourned.
.\pril II. — J. W. Cathcart died.
.\])ril 15. — First boat, "Ilawkeye State," Captain Mason. J. T. Maxlield arrived.
April 21. — Fourth Musical Society concert; Mrs. C. SchefTer, Julia Wood and W. Lcip. soloists. St. Paul & Sioux City Railroad incor- porated.
ST. PAUL AND MCINITY 99
April— City election. .Mayor, Dr. J. H. Stewart; justice, A. Mc- Elrath; comptroller, H. Schiffbauer; treasurer, C. T. Whitney; alder- men— L. E. Reed, W. P. ilurray, N. Gross and P. Berkey.
May. — St. Paul Fire & ^larine Insurance Company commenced busi- ness.
June 16. — Sixth Regiment left for the south.
July 14. — Colonel A. Wilkin died.
August.— Hon. C. K. Davis arrived. Germania Lodge L O. O. F. instituted. First Regiment Heavy .Artillery raised. Assessed value of property, $1,443,830.
September 22. — F:ieventh Regiment, Colonel J. Gilfillan. left for the south.
November 4. — Explosion of the steamer "John Rumsey" while rounding into port opposite the lower levee. The boat was blown to pieces, nearly every house within two blocks of the river being shaken by the concussion. Seven men were killed and many others badly in- jured.
November 10. — River closed; open 211 days; 630 boats arrived. December 20. — Fifth Musical Society concert ; W. N. Perkins, W. Leip and G. Hancke, soloists. Franklin school built; value, $30,040.
December 22. — Eleanor Stelzer killed two of her children and at- tempted suicide while insane.
1865
January 2. — W. Hartshorn died.
January 3. — Seventh legislature met.
"January 9. — Ladies' Sanitary Fair at Mozart hall. Splendid sword voted to Colonel C. S. Uline.
February 16. — M. L. Temple and Captain W. B. McGrorty died.
March 2. — Legislature adjourned.
March 14. — Dr. J. PL Stewart appointed postmaster.
April 4. — City election. Mayor, J. S. Prince; attorney, I. V. D. Heard ; street commissioner, ]. Dowlan ; aldermen — J. I. Beaumont, W. Dawson, S. H. Fitz; City clerk, K. T. Friend.
April 8. — Great peace celebration; St. Paul had sent 1,470 men to the war. Population: City, 12,976; county. 15,107.
April 10. — J. W. Selby died.
April 10. — Second National Bank opened: E. S. Edgerton, president; D. A. Monfort, cashier ; commenced business corner Franklin and Third streets.
.April 15. — First boat, "Burlington," Captain Rhodes.
^lay. — Dillon O'Brien arrived. City valuation, $5,257,370; county, $6,308,058.
July 5. — Eleventh Regiment returned.
July 18. — First Regiment returned.
July 25. — Fourth Regiment returned.
July 29. — Second Regiment returned.
August 7. — Sixth and Tenth Regiments returned.
August 8. — Seventh Regiment returned.
August II. — Eighth Regiment returned.
September 18. — Protestant Orphan Asylum established. _ October 2. — S. Coggswell died; 4th. D. Michaud died; 14th, Cap- tain E. A. Berger died : 20th, Lyman Dayton died ; 25th, J. R. Atkins died.
706428
100
ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY
October. — Masonic Relief Association organized. November 2. — C. J. Whitney died; nth, Captain R. M. Spencer died. November 8. — Daily Pioneer purchased by Hall & Davidson. December i. — First mid-winter steamboat excursion under Colonel Hewitt.
December i. — River closed; open 231 days.
1866
January 2. — Eighth legislature met. The establishment by the legis- lature of the House of Refuge — later the Reform School — was an event of importance. The state apropriatcd $5,000 and the city an equal sum. A location near the city, calletl the P>urt farm, was ])urchased for $10,000, and in a few months the institution was in operation. The first board of managers was composed of D. W. IngersoU, A. T. Hale,
SlATli C.VrlluL, ULILT IN 1882
S. J. R. McMillan and Rev. J. G. Riheldaffer; the last named was sub- sequently appointed superintendent. Hon. I. V. D. Heard was the real projector of the institution, having realized its need while serving as city attorney.
March i. — Excavation for Opera house on Wabasha street com- menced.
March 2. — Legislature adjourned.
March 2. — Rev. L. Galtier died.
April 19.— First boat, "Sucker State," Captain 1 light.
Mayor, J. B. Brisbin; treasurer, N. Gross; surveyor, C. M. Bovie; comptroller, J. W. Gies, P. Nash, J. King, W. Markoe and G. W.
May. — City Election, justice, E. C. Lambert; Roche ; aldermen — W. G. Moore.
May 4. — A. Turpin died; 100 years old.
May.— Corner-stone of St. Mary's church laid.
May 25. — Ten buildings, including Cosmojiolitan
hotel,
rned.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 101
June 3.— Perry Sloan falls from Merchant's hotel and is killed.
July I.— Captain John Jones appointed chief of police.
July 4. — George Seibert succeeded R. C. Munger as director of Great Western band.
July 7. — Henry A. Castle arrived.
July 29. — C. W. Nash and H. L. Carver purchased the Daily Pioneer,
August I Department of Minnesota, Grand Army of the' Republic,
organized; General J. B. Sanborn, commander. Northwestern Chronicle established by J. C. Devereaux.
August 4. — Sioux City Railroad opened depot in West Saint Paul.
August II. — Hope Engine Company No. i receives steam fire engine, "City of St. Paul," cost $5,000. Cholera quarantine established at Pig's Eye.
August 21. — A fatal accident at the Mansion house. A boarder named Hawkes, from Chicago, shot his wife, killing her instantly. He claimed that the shooting was accidental, and that it occurred while he was clean- ing his revolver; but as he had, only a short time previously, taken out a policy of insurance on her life for $10,000, and as there were certain suspicious circumstances connected with his conduct in the affair, the facts seemed to warrant his indictment and trial for murder. But upon his final trial, which cost the county about $4,000, he was acquitted.
November 23. — River closed; open 219 days.
December i. — Steamboat excursion on the "G. H. Gray." River open in front of city.
1867
January 8. — Ninth legislature convened.
January 13. — Christ church completed and occupied.
January 25. — Mansion house, where Custom house now stands, burned.
January 27. — Christ church burned.
January 28. — Chamber of Commerce organized — a continuation of old Board of Trade: J. C. Burbank, president; J. D. Ludden, secretary.
February 22.— St. Paul Opera House dedicated; address by I. V. D. Heard. State Editorial Association organized.
March 8.— Legislature adjourned. Theodore Tilton lectured at Opera House. Common pleas court established.
April 2.— W. Sprigg Hall elected judge of common pleas court.
April 21 First boat, "Itasca," Captain Webb.
April 27. — Hope Hose Company No. i organized.
April — City election results: Mayor, George L. Otis; attorney, Har- vey Officer; comptroller, J. W. Roche; aldermen — L. E. Reed, W. P. Murray, G. Mitsch and R. Slater, city clerk, B. W. Lott.
May 20. — Large fire corner Third and Cedar streets; St. Paul house burned.
May 26. — Home for the Friendless established.
May. — .Minnesota Savings Association organized: H. H. Sibley, president; W. R. Marshall, vice-president; J. S. Prince, cashier. Trial of G. L. Van Solen for murder of Dr. Harcourt; acquitted.
July 22. — L'Union Francaise organized.
July 28. — St. Mary's church dedicated ; Rev. L. Caillet, priest.
August 4. — S. T. Raguet died.
September 10. — Excavation for Custom house commenced.
102 S'l'. I'All. AXl) \ inXITV
Xovemljer 14. — Maggie Murphy burned to death, by l)ursting oi an oil lani]) at General Sibley's residence.
Xoveniber 29. — River closed ; o])en 222 days.
X'ovember.— Park Place hotel completed and o])ened by ("1. W. Far- rington.
December 31. — Three hundred and forty-three buildings erected during the vear.
1868
laiuiary i. — Firm of .\uerbach. Finch & Scheffer formed.
January 7. — Tenth legislature met.
I'Y'bruarv 29. — Dail\ lircniiu/ Dispatcli issued bv D. Ramalev and H. P. Ilall.'
March 6. — Legislature adjourned.
March 14. — Rev. J- F. Dixon died; 29th. Moses Sherburne died.
.\])ril 4. — First boat. "Sheridan," Captain Ilutchinson.
April. — McQuillan's block, corner Third and Wabasha streets, completed by j. T.. F^orejiaugh ; $75,000. Postofhce moved to Opera House.
April. — City election; .Mayor. Dr. J. H. Stewart; justice, ( ). .Malnuos; comptroller. J. W. Roche; treasurer, N. Gross; aldermen — T. Rcanlcm, T. Shearan. P. P.erkey and F. Jansen ; city clerk, J. J. Williams.
September 10. — I.. S. iv M. R. R. opened to White P>ear.
September. — High school course commenced in up]ier story of Frank- lin school house: 11. I". Wright, principal.
October 10. — Dr. J. A. Vervais died.
November 10. — Opera House. lUack Crook and While I'awn; season of five nights.
December 10. — River closed ; open 225 days.
December 31. — 848,740 letters passed through ])ostoffice in iX(>S: 367 buildings erected.
1869
January i. — Colored citizens held a grand jubiU-c in Ingersoll hall.
January 5. — Eleventh T,cgislature met.
January 16. — Cathedral 1-ather Mathew Temperance Society formed. O.ssian F. Dodge elected secretary Chamber of Commerce.
February 3. — P.urning of the International Hotel (formerly called the Inillcr House), the leading hotel in the city; loss. $125,000. .More than two hundred guests were in the house when the tire broke out (at 2 A. M.), but all escaped.
February. — During the session of the legislature an act lo remove ilic capital to Kandiyohi county, on one of the tracts called the "capital I.ukN." p.isscd both houses, but was vetoed by Ciovcrnor Marshall, and failed tn ]i,iss in s|)ite of his prohibition. The .lUtlMr df ihe bill was Hon. Charles H. Clarke of Henne|)in county.
March 8. — 0])era House. Gen. Tom Thuiub ; four nights.
Aiiril K).— Mrst boat, "Sucker Slate." Captain Might. Xeill .school house built; value $7,138.37.
May. — City election: Mayer, I. 1. Maxfield: comptroller, J. W Roche; attornev. General W. .\. Gorman; assessor, C. Passavanl ; sur veyor. D. L. Curtice; aldermen — J. Steele. W. H, Litchfield, T. Grace and I, H. F.ddy.
luric 2},. — Corner-stone nf House of llii]ic church I:iid.
.\ugusl K). — Col II. M McKcnlv dicil.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 103
August 23. — Lake Phelan water introduced into the city ; water works cost $340,000.
September 19. — Sioux City Railroad Company established depot on Last side of river.
October 10 River closed; open 221 days.
October. — Church of the Good Shepherd, Rev. W. C. Pope, opened.
November i. — St. Paul Press building, ^linnesota and Third streets, completed by Press Printing Company ; cost $60,000.
November 12. — E. C. Jones died; 22nd, J. B. Braden and Orrin Curtis died.
December. — 952,640 letters passed through postoffice during the year ; 509 buildings erected during the year; cost $1,500,000.
1870
January 4. — Twelfth legislature convened.
March i. — Minnesota Boat Club organized: Norman Wright, caj)- tain.
March 4. — Legislature adjourned.
March 8.— Acker Post No. 21, Grand Army of the Republic, organ- ized ; Captain H. A. Castle, commander.
April II. — First boat, "Tom Jaspar." Captain West.
April II. — C. A. Morgan died.
April 14. — Academy of Natural Sciences organized.
May 4. — J. A. Wheelock appointed postmaster.
May 12.— J. McConkey died; 21st, T. Thomas died; 28th J. i:. Thompson died ; 30th, J. W. Simpson died.
May 19. — Concert hall block burned; Miss McLellan burned to death.
May City election ; ^^layor, William Lee ; comptroller, J. W. Roche ;
justice, T. Howard ; treasurer, M. Esch ; surveyor, D. L. Curtice ; alder- men— B. Presley, M. Cummings, F. Brewer and H. J. Taylor; city clerk, M. J. O'Connor.
June I. — Corner-stone of New Merchants hotel laid. New Jefferson schoolhouse completed; value, $41,918.45.
June. — First class graduated from the High School, consisting of Fanny Haines and Albert Warren.
June 18. — Opera House, Laura Keene; the season continued eighteen nights.
June 27. — Metropolitan hotel opened by Gilbert Dutcher ; built by Culver, Farrington & Cullen ; cost, $175,000.
July I. — Merchants National Bank organized; M. Auerbach, presi- dent ; W. Mann, vice president ; W. R. Merriam, cashier.
August I.— L. S. & M. R. R. opened to Duluth.
October 2. — Rev. D. R. Breed installed as pastor of House of Hope church.
October 20. — St. Paul Driving Park Association formed.
October. — Knauft's block. East Seventh street, completed; cost, $30,- 000.
November 10. — Opera house, John Dillon; six nights.
November 11 V. Guerin died; i6th, H. Buel died.
November 21.— River closed; open 233 days.
December 9. — W. J. Cullen died ; 28th' Lott Moffett died.
December 17. — Steamboat excursion in front of the city.
December 31. — 1,026,153 letters passed through postoffice during
104 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
$9,315,507; 771 buildings erected during the year.
the year. Population: City, 20,030; county, 23,085; valuation of city,
1871
January 3. — Thirteenth legislature met.
January 19. — Minnesota Grand .\rniy of the Republic held a banquet at the Merchants Hotel.
January. — St. Mary's Temperance Society organized.
March 3. — Legislature adjourned.
March 15. — Opera House, "Union Spy," by Grand Army of the Re- public, five nights; 21st, "Hibernicon," eight nights.
April 10. — First boat. "Diamond Joe,'' Captain Isherwood.
April II. — Major N. McLean died.
May. — Pilgrim Baptist church dedicated. City election : Mayor, Wil- liam Lee; attorney. Gen. W. A. Gorman; comptroller. J. W. Roche; surveyor, D. L. Curtice; aldermen — L. Krieger, T. Sheran, J. T. Max- field, G. A. Johnson and J. W. Fisher.
June. — Second graduating class from High School : Misses Dotie Hunt and Nellie Ilaynes and Messrs. W. Ilolabird and E. Wait.
July 5. — State Sunday School convention met in wigwam opjiosite the capitol.
August 4. — A. \V. Pearson died ; 30th, C. G. Wyckoff died.
August — McLean school built ; value, $7,863.28.
September 6. — Drawing of Pioneer lottery: H. L. Carver, proprietor; Dr. J. H. Murphy drew house and lot on Dayton's bluff.
September 15. — Opera House, Horace Greeley lectured.
September — \'ine street schoolhouse completed ; value, $3,245.84. Hawkeye Base Ball Club organized ; Paul Weide, captain.
October 2. — J. C. Raguet died. River division of the Chicago, ]\Iil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad completed.
October.^ — The city council appro])riated $20,000 to the sufferers by Chicago fire. Northern Pacitic Railroad comi^leted to the Red River.
October 24. — Old Settlers' excursion to the Red river.
November 2. — Farmers & Mechanics Bank established: John Far- rington, president; Alfred Wharton, vice president; C. A. Morton, cashier.
November 20. — Opera house, "Union Spy," by Grand .\rmy of the Republic, six nights; 30th. Miltonian tableaux, three nights.
November. — Brick block at seven corners completed by G. S. Moore; $35,000.
December i. — Frank B. Clarke arrived as general freight agent and passenger agent of West Wisconsin Railroad.
December 4.- — River closed ; o]ien 231) days ; 832 buildings erected during the year.
1872
January 2. — Fourteenth legislature convened. Charter of St. Paul amcnfled, creating a board of ]niblic works and authorizing the purchase of puiilic park.
January 22 W. B. New-comb died ; 28th. J. O'Gorman died.
February 10. — New portion of Merchants hotel opened.
February 19 West Wisconsin Railroad opened to Tomah.
April 4. — Marshall Sellers died; 22nd, G. P. Peabody died.
.\|)ri] 23. — First boat. "S. S. Merrill." Captain Davidson.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 105
May. — City officers : Mayor, Dr. J. H. Stewart ; treasurer, M. Esch ; justice, A. McElrath : aldermen — J. C. Quinby, W. Golcher, N. Roberts, T. Grace. F. Richter and F. Willius.
May II. — First Rice Park concert by Great Western band. Daily Evening Journal established by H. Woodrufif.
May 19. — George R. Finch Boat Club organized.
May 27. — Itasca Boat Club organized.
July 14. — Street railway o()ened.
September 12. — L. H. Eddy died.
September. — Fire companies Nos. 3 and 4 received new steamers ; cost, $4,500.
September. — St. Paul Harvester Works established.
October g .-Mian Campbell died ; 25th, Rev. J. H. Bahne died.
October 15. — St. Paul Conservatory of -Music established; J. Za- honyi, principal.
November. — Countv election : Senator, E. Rice ; representatives, T. N. Rogers, H. H. :\Ii'ller, G. Benz, H. A. Castle and H. J. Brainard; auditor, J. B. Olivier; judge of probate, H. R. Brill.
November 2. — Dr. S. Willey died; 9th, Butler Comstock died; 27th, J. P. Kilroy died.
November 20. — River closed; open 216 days.
November. — Lindeke's block, corner Jackson and Seventh streets completed ; cost, $30,000. High school removed to Lindeke's block.
December. — 932 buildings erected during the year.
1873
January 7. — Fifteenth legislature convened.
January 29. — Odd Fellows' hall burned.
February 9. — Postoffice moved to the Custom house.
February 28. — Opera House, Ole Bull concert.
March 7. — Legislature adjourned.
March 13. — C. H. Schurmeier died; 26th, Judge S. Finch died.
April 3 and 4. — Opera House, Mrs. Scott Siddons.
April 17. — First boat, "Northwestern," Captain Davidson.
May I. — Death of "Old Bets," a Sioux Indian woman, formerly of St. Paul, but at the time of her death residing at Mendota. Her Indian name was Aza-ya-man-ka-wan, or "the berry-picker." She was born at Mendota in 1788; was well known to the early settlers of St. Paul and thousands of others, and was really an historic character.
June I. — Colonel Allen became proprietor of the Merchants hotel; John H. Dodge, chief clerk.
June 19. — Plymouth church dedicated; Rev. C. M. Terry, pastor.
July 10. — j\l. Esch died: 13th, H. A. Himt, died; 25th, C. Zenzius died; 29th, John Nichols died.
Sept. 5 Lieut. H. H. Wilson died; 20th, H. Petzhold died.
September 23-6. — State Fair at the Driving Park.
September 24. — Races at Driving Park. Winning horses : 2 :37, Tearaway ; three-year-olds. Wilder, 25th : 2 145 horses, Tearaway ; green horses, Alary Lane. 26th : 3-minute horses, Mary Lane ; free-for-all, Draco Prince; running race, John Morgan.
September. — Lewis block, completed by R. P. Lewis ; $30,000. War- ner's block, corner Third and Wabasha streets, completed ; $26,000.
October i. — Gilbert Dutcher died.
106 ST. I'ALl. AXD \TC1^■1T^■
Xovcniljcr i. — W'illius' Urotliers Hank Ijccame tlic ( lerinan American Hank.
November 4 — County and city election : Senator, E. F". Drake ; rej)- resentatives, L. Hoyt, G. Benz, T. M. Metcalf, J. Davidson and li. Meyerding; treasurer, C. S. Uline ; sheriff, J. Grace; register, T. San- der; attorney, C. D.. O'Brien; surveyor, C. M. Boyle: clerk of court. A. Armstrong; mayor. Dr. J. II. Stewart; treasurer, F. .\. Renz; attor- ney, W. .X. Gorman; aldermen. 1. Dowlaii, I.. Dciiieules. |. Metzdorf. F. Werner and F. Knauft.
November 28 — River closed; open 2i_^ days.
1874
January 6 — Sixteenth legislature convened.
January (> — State Firemen's Association organized. West St. Paul annexed. City proper contains 1,^,853 acres, and West St. Paul 2,800.
February 2. — Opera House, Old Folks concert; 11th, \'ictoria Wood- hull lectured; iQth William Parsons lectured: _'5tli. "Color ( niard" b}- Grand Army Republic, four nights.
February 20 — Eli Perkins lectured at Ingersoll hall.
March — Rev. W. McKibben became j^astor of Central Presbyterian church.
March 4 — Minnesota Saving .Association changed to Savings Bank of St. Paul; H. H. Sibley, president: W. R. Marshall, vice |)resident ; J. S. Prince, cashier.
March 6 — Legislature adjourned. ( )-Ko-da Lodge. Knights of Pythias, instituted.
.'\pril 6 — A. \'an Glahii died; 9II1, C\ Syniontls died; 28th. K. I'erry died.
April 22 — David Blakely becomes projirictor of the Paily Pioneer.
May 1 1 — Louis Robert died.
July 2 — Races under auspices of Driving Park Association. Win- ning horses; 3-minute horses. Bay Bring; 2:45 horses. Bay Charlie. July 3: four year olds, Billy I'.arden ; 2:38 horses. Bay Charlie. July 4: 2.50 horses, Gray .Steel : free-to-all. Star of the West ; running horses, St. Croix.
July 16 — Anti-Monopolist appeared; 1. Donnelly, editor.
July — Wholesale grocery firm of McQuillan. Beaupre & Company established.
.\ugust 3 — -Michael Kell\ killed l'>arney Lamb. Lincoln schoolhouse completed; value $22,571.90.
.August 21 — Races at Driving Park. Winning horses: 3-minute horses, Georgia ; 2 :40 horses. Darkness. .August 22 : 2.30 horses, ^'ou^g St. Lawrence; running horses. Little hVank.
.\ugust 31 — Hon. H. .\cker died.
.September 5 — St. Paul Sharpshooters Club organized: W. K. Burk- hard, president.
September 7 — "'Color Guard." i)y (irand .\rmy of tlu- l\e|inl)iic. in wigwam in court house square.
Sei)tembcr — New l-"irsl Methmlisl i'.piscopal church dedicated, up- per Third street.
October 6 — Dr. T. K. Potts died; 12th. William Paist dieil.
October 13 — Races at Driving Park. Winning horses: Cireen burses, Orient; 2.55 horses, Charley Cham]); running horses, Wral. October 15th: 3-minute horses. Lady \lack; 4 year olds. P.illy Barber; 2.40 horses.
ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITV 107
Charle\' Clianip. October i6th: running horses. W'ral ; 2.50 horses, Lady Mack.
November 3 — County and city election : Senator, W. P. Murray ; representatives. \\'. Crooks. H. H. ^liller, G. Benz, F. R. Delano and L. Hoyt ; auditor, S. Lee Davis: judge of probate. O. Stephenson; mayor. J. T. Alaxfield; comptroller, J. W. Roche; aldermen, ]. H. Reaney, J. O'Conner. C. A. Morton, G. A. Johnson. J. W. Fisher, L McCarthy, E. Langevin and J. Minea.
November 3 — Opera House, Grace Greenwood and Mrs. Aines ; 9th, Adelaide Phillips Company concert; 13th, Carl Schurz lectured; i8th and 19th. Robert AlcWade. in "Rip Van Winkle"; 24th, and 25th, Pal- mer & Company "Black Crook;" 26th, Bayard Taylor: 27th, Mrs. Ann Eliza Young lectured.
November 4 — Mrs. Lick murdered; Mr. and ]\Irs. Rapp and Lauten- schlager convicted of the crime.
November 10 — J. H. Rose shot P. O'Conner.
November 16 — Annexation of West St. Paul ratified.
November 16 — River closed; open 214 days.
November 18 — Tolls abolished on the bridge.
November 25 — Rev. H. Cross became pastor of First Baptist church.
December 31 — Postoffice business of the year, $85,027; money orders issued $116,388; money orders paid $320,217; number of letters handled during December, 201,334.
^ 1ft %
A »'
CHAPTER XI
DICTIONARY OF DATES (1875-90)
Standard Club Organized (1875)— John Ireland Consecrated Co- adjutor Bishop (1875) — St. Paul Light Infantry Organized (1876) — Paid Fire Department Organized (1877) — President Hayes Visits State Fair (1878) — Right-of-Way Granted to St. Paul Union Depot Company (1880) — St.\te Capitol Burned (1881) — First Meeting of W.\ter Reception Commissioners (1881) — \'illard Reception in Honor of Northern P.\cific Com- pletion (1883) — Minnesota Commandery Loyal Legion Or- ganized (1885) — First Ice Palace Opened (1886) — Ireland Cre.\ted an Archbishop (1888).
In this chapter, the chronological sequence of notable events in the annals of St. Paul is brought down to the year 1890. By the unsatis- factory census of that year, the population approached the figure of 150,000. which entitled it to a recognized place among cities of the first class, which it has since royally maintained. Thenceforward only the most important happenings had an appreciable effect on its advancement ; the individual careers of none but its most conspicuous citizens influenced its destiny, and its amazing development during the next two decades is best depicted in the topical treatment to which that development is subjected in the ensuing chapters of this publication.
1875
January 5 — Seventeenth legislature convened.
January 8 — Great electric storm. Thermometer thirty-five degrees below. First sleighing.
February 1 — St. Paul Warehouse Company elevator completed; capa- city, 500,000 bushels; cost, $110,000; W. S. Timmerman, superinten- dent.
February i — Robert Banks' Literary Society organized.
February 2 — Opera House ; Hon. William Parsons lectured ; 9th, Masquarade ball and gift presentation, the parquette floored over for the first time; i8th. 19th and 20th. "The Can-can."
February 19 — Judge S. J. R. McMillan elected United States senator.
February 21 — Judge W, Sprigg Hall died.
March i — H. R. Brill appointed judge of common pleas court.
March 15 — O. Simons appointed judge of common pleas court.
April I — Residence C. H. Piigelow burned.
April II — Pioneer and Press consolidated.
June — Dr. David Day appointed postmaster. Colonel George Cul- ver became landlord of the Metropolitan hotel ; John T. Ford, chief
108
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ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
109
clerk. Third ^klethodist Episcopal church, in Bronson's addition, de- dicated; Rev. J. Stafford, pastor. St. Paul Choral Club organized.
June i8, 19 — ^lartha Washington tea party by ladies of Church Hospital at the capitol.
June 21 — Alex Johnston elected secretary of the chamber of com- merce.
July 5 — Contest for sportmen's champion badge of the state between Stillwater and St. Paul teams; retained by the latter.
July 20 — Major W". H. Forbes died at Devils Lake.
July 31 — Gang of counterfeiters arrested on Fort street.
August 8 — Charles Scheffer died ; 17th. Parker Paine died.
August II — General Sherman serenaded at Park Place hotel.
August 21 — Central house burned.
September 3 — B. F. Hoyt died ; 23d, R. Wiley died.
September 14 — Revival meetings commence in a large tent opposite the capitol.
September 17 — George P. Wilson of Winona and Dick Jones of Rochester have a political debate in the court house.
September 18 — St. Paul, Stillwater and Minneapolis sportsmen shoot a match; St. Paul //, Stillwater 76, Minneapolis 75.
September 21 — D. W. A\'hittle. the Evangelist, arrived and com- menced revival meetings at the Opera House.
October 3 — Robbery of $6,000 from the store of Power Brothers.
October 5-10 — The Paulist Fathers, Deshon, Dwyer and Eliot, hold a mission at the cathedral.
October 15 — Richards Gordon elected president of ]\Iusical Society.
October 31 — Standard Club, a society of Jewish gentlemen, organized ; Joseph Oppenheim, president.
November 5— Rev. Dr. S. Y. :\IcMasters died; 8th, S. McCuUough died; 13th, Rev. John INIattocks died; 23rd, J. G. Irvine died; 28th, Judge J. J. Scarborough died.
November — City election. Mayor, J. T. Maxfield; treasurer, F. A. Renz; attorney, W. A. Gorman; aldermen, J. C. Quinby, W. P. Murray, T. Grace, J. Cleary, T. Brennan and T. W. Heathcote.
November 16 — River closed ; open 205 days.
December i — Catholic Industrial school gift enterprise drawn ; capi- tal prize, $20,000 of real estate, drawn by Catholic schools.
December 21 — Rev. John Ireland consecrated co-adjutor bishop of this diocese.
December 28 — Banquet at the Metropolitan in honor of Governor Pillsbury.
December 31 — Sales of St. Paul Harvester Works for the year, $1,000,000. Thirty-five fires in the city during the year; loss $48,246. Amount of real estate owned by churches. $542,700. Postoffice busi- ness for the year. Receipts $98,388.07; Money orders issued, $107,755.65. Money orders paid, $334,980.24. Letters delivered by carriers, 886,472. City valuation, $27,755,926; county, $30,282,666. 324 marriages in the city during the year. Population: City, 33,178; county, 36,333.
1876
January i — Opera House, Martino ; nth, Hutchinson family; 13th, Rev. D. R. Breed lectured.
January 4 — Eighteenth legislature convened.
^ 4 .4 .« A
^'^^^
CHAPTER XI
DICTIONARY OF DATES (1875-90)
Standard Club Organized (1875) — John Ireland Consecrated Co- adjutor Bishop (1875) — St. Paul Light Infantry Organized
(1876) Paid Fire Department Organized (1877) — President
Hayes Visits State Fair (1878) — Right-oi--Way Granted to St. Paul Union Depot Company (1880) — State Capitol Burned
(1881) First Meeting of Water Reception Commissioners
(1881) — Villard Reception in Honor of Northern Pacific Com- pletion (1883) — Minnesota Commandery Loy.\l Legion Or- ganized (1885) — First Ice Palace Opened (1886) — Ireland Cre.\ted an Archbishop (1888).
In this chapter, the chronological sequence of notable events in the annals of St. Paul is brought down to the year 1890. By the unsatis- factory census of that year, the population approached the figure of 150,000, which entitled it to a recognized place among cities of the first class, which it has since royally maintained. Thenceforward only the most important happenings had an appreciable effect on its advancement ; the individual careers of none but its most conspicuous citizens influenced its destiny, and its amazing development during the next two decades is best depicted in the topical treatment to which that development is subjected in the ensuing chapters of this publication.
1875
lanuarv 5 — Seventeenth legislature convened.
January 8 — Great electric storm. Thermometer thirty-five degrees below. First sleighing.
February i — St. Paul Warehouse Company elevator completed ; capa- city, 500,000 bushels; cost, $110,000; W. S. Timmerman. superinten- dent.
February i— Robert Banks' Literary Society organized.
February 2— Opera House; Hon. William Parsons lectured; 9th, Mas(|uarade ball and gift presentation, the parquettc floored over for the first time; i8th. i<)th and 20th. "The Can-can."
I'ebruarv iq— ludge S. J. R. McMillan elected United States senator.
I'^ebruarv 21 — Tudge W.. Sprigg Hall died.
March i H. R. Brill appointed judge of common pleas court.
March 15 — O. Simons appointed judge of common jileas court.
April I — Residence C. H. Bigelow burned.
April II — Pioneer and Press consolidated.
fune— Dr. David Dav appointed jiostniaster. Colonel George Cul- ver'became landlord of 'the Metropolitan hotel; John T. Ford, chief
108
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 109
clerk. Third jMethodist Episcopal church, in Bronson's addition, de- dicated; Rev. J. Stafford, pastor. St. Paul Choral Club organized.
June i8, 19 — Martha Washington tea party by ladies of Church Hospital at the capitol.
June 21 — Alex Johnston elected secretary of the chamber of com- merce.
July 5 — Contest for sportmen's champion badge of the state between Stillwater and St. Paul teams ; retained by the latter.
July 20 — Major W. H. Forbes died at Devils Lake.
July 31 — Gang of counterfeiters arrested on Fort street.
August 8 — Charles Scheffer died; 17th, Parker Paine died.
August II — General Sherman serenaded at Park Place hotel.
August 21 — Central house burned.
September 3 — B. F. Hoyt died ; 23d, R. Wiley died.
September 14 — Revival meetings commence in a large tent opposite the capitol.
September 17 — George P. Wilson of Winona and Dick Jones of Rochester have a political debate in the court house.
September 18 — St. Paul, Stillwater and Minneapolis sportsmen shoot a match ; St. Paul j", Stillwater 76, Minneapolis 75.
September 21 — D. W. Whittle, the Evangelist, arrived and com- menced revival meetings at the Opera House.
October 3 — Robbery of $6,000 from the store of Power Brothers.
October 5-10 — The Paulist Fathers, Deshon, Dwyer and Eliot, hold a mission at the cathedral.
October 15 — Richards Gordon elected president of Musical Society.
October 31 — Standard Club, a society of Jewish gentlemen, organized; Joseph Oppenheim, president.
November 5— Rev. Dr. S. Y. McMasters died; 8th, S. McCullough died; 13th, Rev. John Mattocks died; 23rd, J. G. Irvine died; 28th, Judge J. J. Scarborough died.
November — City election. Mayor, J. T. Maxfield; treasurer, F. A. Renz ; attorney, W. A. Gorman ; aldermen, J. C. Quinby, W. P. Murray, T. Grace, J. Cleary, T. Brennan and T. W. Heathcote.
November 16 — River closed; open 205 days.
December i — Catholic Industrial school gift enterprise drawn ; capi- tal prize, $20,000 of real estate, drawn by Catholic schools.
December 21 — Rev. John Ireland consecrated co-adjutor bishop of this diocese.
December 28 — Banquet at the Metropolitan in honor of Governor Pillsbury.
December 31 — Sales of St. Paul Harvester Works for the year, $1,000,000. Thirty-five fires in the city during the year; loss $48,246. Amount of real estate owned by churches, $542,700. Postoffice busi- ness for the year. Receipts $98,388.07 ; Money orders issued, $107,755.65. Money orders paid, $334,980.24. Letters delivered by carriers, 886,472. City valuation, $27.755,926 ; county, $30,282,666. 324 marriages in the city during the year. Population: City, 33,178; county, 36,333.
1876
January i — Opera House, ]\Iartino; iith, Hutchinson family; 13th, Rev. D. R. Breed lectured.
January 4 — Eighteenth legislature convened.
110 ST. PAUL AND VICIXITV
January 6— Grand Charity hall, iK'ncht of iIk- CIuutIi hospital at Opera House.
January lO Gang of shoplifters arrested on Washington street;
$6,000 of goods recovered.
lanuary 19 — Great editorial banquet at the Merchants hotel. March 1— St. Paul Light Infantry organized; captain, J. R. King; lirst lieutenant, W. O'Gorman ; second lieutenant, P. j. ^IcAndrews; forty members.
March i— John U. Wilson and Dr. II. C. Hand died. March 3 — Legislature adjourned.
March 3— -Annual meeting Minnesota lioat Club; J. N. Granger, president; L. W. Rundlett, captain.
March ^1 — W. LSickel succeeded Irving Todd as collector of the port. ,\pril 1— Henry Van Hoven arrested; charged with forging and swindling in Holland to the amount of $100,000.
.•\pril 22 — First boat, "Savannah," Captain Bowlin. May 2 — Pioneer-Press and Minneapolis Tribune consolidated ; ap- peared as an eight page paper, printed in St. Paul.
May 6 — Society for the improvement of the poor organized, and opened an office at Xo. 53 Robert street ; E. W. Chase, relief agent.
May 15 — C. Miller and W. Dawson commence to erect brick block, corner Seventh and Robert streets; cost $20,000.
\Iay if, — Installation of officers by Damascus Commandery. K. T. May 17 — Concert saloons with girl performers abolished. May 19 — Upper elevator burst.
May 20 General Willis A. Gorman died; 23rd. .Mark Hendricks
died.
May 30 — Great celebration of Decoration day. )une 2— Hon. L C. P.urbank died; 8th, J. M. Castner died. June 9 — Corne"r-stone of Odd Fellows' block, corner of Wabasha and l-'ifth streets, laid with impressive ceremonies.
|une 19 — George I.autenschlaeger sentenced to be hung at the end of three months, for the murder of Mrs. Ulrica Lick.
June 19 — Norwood Hall, young ladies' seminary, conducted for six years by Mrs. W. J. Smith, closed.
June 20 — C. II. P.igclow elected president of Fire & .Marme Insur- ance Comjiany.
June 23 — Graduating exercises of high school at Opera House, [unc 27 — Beautiful centennial state flag presented to the state by the ladies of the city at the cai)itol.
July I — Trade of three of the heaviest business houses for twelve months to date; Auerbach, Finch, Culbertson & Company, dry goods, $2,200,000; P. H. Kelly, groceries, $2,000,000; McQuillan. Beaupre & Comi)any. groceries, $1,500,000.
July I — Dr. J. H. Stewart nominated by the Republicans for congress.
[uly 4 Celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of American
independence; J. S. Prince, marshal of the day; ex-Govcrnor, C. K, Davis and Henry .\. Castle, orators.
July 6 — News received of Custer massacre.
August 8 — Convention of the .American Sunday School Union in
St. Paul.
August 22 — Dedication of the House ol Ibipc I'rcsijylcnan church; address by Rev. Ivlward D. Neill, D. D. Four frame buildings on Wabasha street burned.
ST. PAUL AXD MCIXITY 111
September 12 — D. C. Greenleaf died.
September 13 — St. Paul Dispatch sold by H. P. Hall to Henry A. Castle and others.
September 29 — Republican coimty convention held; H. M. Smythe, nominated for auditor; W. D. Cornish, probate judge; Dr. J. H. Mur- phy, senator ; Captain Russell Blakely. Peter Berkey, H. J. Taylor, Henry A. Castle and \\". B. Ouinn, representatives.
October 10 — The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad placed under con- trol of Horace Thompson, Edmund Rice and John .S. Kennedy, trustees.
1877
January 24 — Organization of a grand lodge of Ancient Order of United Workmen ; hall dedicated on the 23th.
February 24 — Lecture by Rev. Henry \\'ard Beecher. in the Opera House, on the "?*Iinistry of Wealth."
April II— P. F. McQuillan died.
FT. SNELLING
April 14 — Five hundretl thousand dollars donated at a meeting of citizens to aid the building of the St. Paul and Rochester Railroad.
April 28 — Two sons of Hon. John ]\L Oilman, while hunting ducks, were swamped in a boat at Pig's Eye and drowned.
June 21 — Tenth annual reunion of the First Minnesota Regiment.
June 28 — Two sons of J. Fletcher Williams drowned in Lake Como.
September 6 — Eleventh annual reunion of the Army of the Ten- nessee ; address of w-elcome by Mayor Maxfield ; banquet at the Metro- politan hotel ; cablegram from General U. S. Grant, then in .Scotland.
October i — The \'olunteer Fire Department terminated its existence, and a paid department was inaugurated.
1878 May 18 — Park Place hotel burned; several persons injured. July 26 — Rev. Henry Ward Beecher lectured in the Opera House on "Wastes and Burdens of Society. "
112 ST. PAUL AXU \ICIXITY
August 9 Excursion on the Northern Pacific Railroad from St.
Paul to Bismarck.
September 5 — President R. B. Hayes visits the Minnesota State Fair and is entertained in St. Paul; speeches by President Hayes and others.
September 16 — St. Paul sends $2,160 to relieve the suffering people in the yellow fever district of the south.
September 17 — Dr. James T. Alley died.
December 31 — The Dispatch issued its annual Carriers' Address which typified "the prevailing rivalry between the twin cities in language more vigorous than elegant:
.'\t home! Let our expanding city Claim the tribute of our ditty, Worthy all our adulation, Wearing every fascination. Wreathed in rich and rare prosperity. Spite of sour saw-dust asperity. Far in front, where bullets rattle, The DISPATCH has led the battle, For it proudly stands alone, Of St. Paul the champion.
Bill King came down like a wolf on the fold.
His hair all streaming with ruby and gold.
His cheeks swelling outward as full as they'd hold.
With windy bravado and gasconade bold.
But Finch took a bodkin and let out the air.
Which Dave had pumped in with such infinite care,
And showed burly Bill how to get up a "Fair."
It came and went like a troubled dream,
A vision of crush and scramble and scream ;
Of acres of dust in the air affoat;
Of Hayes and Carver and Rarus to boot;
Of red machinery in stacks and rows;
Of female horses and masculine cows;
Of silver and sugar-cane, wine and soap ;
Of pictures and fountains and fruit and rope;
Of race tracks, pavillions, booths and tanks
Of beer and ten-pins and Pharaoh banks;
Of crowded humanity jostled and jainmed,
Every avenue closely crammed,
And every citizen doubly d — rammed.
This is the night-mare of recollection,
AH that is left for our sad reflection,
Save that Bill King's side-show is sinking yet.
In a yawning chasm of hopeless debt.
1879
February 5 — Music Hall block, on the corner of Third and Waba- sha streets, burned ; loss, $60,000.
March 14 — Colonel George Culver died.
March 23 — Dr. J. H. Stewart ai)i)ointe(l surveyor general of Min- nesota.
July 14— Colonel Girart Hewitt died. He was born in Pennsyl- vania; was a lawyer by profession; came to Minnesota in 1856; engaged in the real estate business in St. Paul for many years, w ith great activity and success.
September 12 — The Pioneer-Press stated that twp miles of buildings had been erected in the city during the past year.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 113
1880
January 7 — The common council grant the right of way to the St. Paul Union Depot Company over and across the public levee.
January 28— Horace Thompson died.
February 4 — The Old Settlers' Association celebrated the comple- tion of the Fort Snelling bridge.
March 10 — John Dillon, of Dublin, addressed an audience in the court house in behalf of the Irish Land League. A relief club was or- ganized.
April 20 — Lecture by General Franz Sigel, in the Opera House, on "Republic and Empire."
May 6 — Saint Paul Dispatch sold by Henry A. Castle to Ex-Gov- ernor W. R. Marshall and General C. C. Andrews.
May 27 — Contest between friends of Blaine and those of Windom for state delegation to Chicago convention ; Windom wins.
June 14 — General H. H. Sibley elected president of the Chamber of Commerce.
July I — General W. T. Sherman arrives in St. Paul as the invited guest of the Historical Society.
July 2 — Celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the dis- . covery of the Falls of St. Anthony, under the auspices of the Minne- sota Historical Society. Speeches made by Governor Davis, secretary Alex. Ramsey, General Sherman and Bishop Ireland.
August 23 — Wholesale houses of P. H. Kelley & Company and Ave- rill, Russell & Carpenter destroyed by fire; loss $600,000.
September 5 — The short line of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad completed from Minneapolis to St. Paul.
September 9 — Attorney General Devens and United States Senator Windom address a political meeting in St. Paul.
December 3 — Death of Colonel John J. Shaw, proprietor of Mer- chants hotel.
1881
January 24 — Death of Justus C. Ramsey.
February 4 — Residence of ]\Iaurice Auerbach burned.
February 15 — Death of William Rhodes, president of the city council.
March i — The state capitol destroyed by fire ; destruction of a large proportion of the State and Historical Society libraries. The day fol- lowing the fire the legislature met in Market hall and the market house. Seventh and Wabasha streets, became for two years the temporary capitol.
April 7 — First meeting of the water works commissioners appointed under the legislative act of 1881, consisting of General H. H. Sibley, P. H. Kelley, J. P. Frizell, George L. Otis and J. P. Ludden.
April 26 — The river rises to an unprecedented height, and inundates a portion of the Sixth ward. At three o'clock on the following day it had risen nineteen feet.
May 2 — City election ; Edmund Rice chosen mayor.
July 15 — Henry Villard entertained by the business men of St. Paul at the Metropolitan hotel.
August 22 — The Union Depot opened.
September 15 — St. Paul Dispatch re-purchased by Henry A Castle.
September 25 — Memorial services in honor of the martyred Presi- dent Garfield. Address by former Governor C. K. Davis.
114 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
October 3 — Colonel W. Crooks, Hon. Eugene L'nderwood, J. W. McClung, Captain Rus.'^ell Blakeley, Edmund Rice, D. W. Ingersoll, J. H. Raney and James Smith, Jr., chosen delegates to the Mississippi River Improvement Congress at St. Louis by the chamber of commerce.
October 6 — Death of Judge S. M. Flint.
1882
January 9 — Banquet given in honor of the newly inaugurated gov- ernor, Lucius F. Hubbard, by citizens of St. Paul.
January 31 — Sale of the St. Paul Street Railway to Herman Grave, Ansel Oppenheim and others.
February 9 — Lecture by John B. Cough.
February 12 — Death of Dillon O'Brien.
March 9 — Reorganization of Acker Post No. 21, Grand Army of the Republic. Officers elected: Judge W. T. Burr, commander; U. S. Hol- lester, S. \'. C. ; Edward Simonton, J. \'. C.
May 30 — Memorial day oration delivered by Colonel H. G. Hicks.
June 0 — Meeting of the American Medical Association in St. Paul.
June I" — Daniel O'Connell, a police ofificer, is shot by a gang of burglars and dies from the effects of the wound.
July 19 — Death of Major George T. Browning.
August I — The National Catholic Total Abstinence I'nion meets in St. Paul and holds a convention lasting three days.
November i — The Bank of Minnesota succeeds the i^anking house of Dawson, Smith S: SchefTer.
1883
February 7 — Hamline University burned.
March 29 — George L. Otis died.
May 5 — Meeting of the Ramsey county bar to pass resolutions of respect to three deceased members — Lorenzo .\llis. George L. Otis and E. R. Hollinshead.
May 30 — Memorial Day exercises; address by Rc\ . \\'. IT. Harring- ton.
.August 21 — St. Paul citizens subscribe five thousand dollars to aid the city of Rochester, Minnesota, laid waste by a cyclone; five hundred thousand <lollars worth of property destroyed and thirty-one persons killed.
September 3 — The reception of Henry Villard and guests in St. Paul in the month of .September was the occasion of a series of notable events, ICarly in August, 1883. the aimouncement was made that the two sections of the Xorthern Pacific Railroad, one east from Portland, Oregon, and the other west from St. Paul, would be united on the 8th of September. Henry \"illard. president of the road, accompanied by about five hundred guests, including prominent men from all i)arts of the United States and Europe, was announced to be in St. Paul on Sep- tember 3rd, and thence proceed to Cold Creek, Montana, where the bind- ing together of the two great sections of the road was to take |>lace.
On the morning of September 3rd the distinguished guests, consist- ing of President X'illard. General U. S. Grant, and prominent statesmen and capitalists of luunpe and .\merica, arrived from the east. J'he city was brilli.intly adorned with streaming li.mners and triumphal arches, while the military and civic parade which idok ])lace soon after their
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 115
arrival has perhaps never been equaled in St. Paul as a lirilliant and imposing pageant.
President Chester A. Arthur; Robert T. Lincoln, secretary of war; Lieutenant General Phil H. Sheridan and other distinguished guests arrived from the west, in the afternoon, and the reception tendered to them was most enthusiastic. From the depot to the capitol the route of the presidential party was thronged with people and the appearance of the president was received with round after round of cheers.
On the evening of the 3rd the municipality of the city entertained the honored guests of the day at a banquet served at Hotel Lafayette, on Minnetonka lake. Provision was made for the accommodation of one thousand guests. After the banquet the Hon. C. D. O'Brien, mayor of St. Paul, introduced the President of the United States who returned thanks for the hospitality e.xtended to him. Speeches were made by Henry Mllard. ]\[ayor O'Brien, E. F. Drake, Hon. H. M. Teller, Hon. W. M. Evarts, Hon. L. Sackville West, Baron Von Eisendecher, Gov- ernor L. F. Hubbard, General A. H. Terry, Hon. Alex. Ramsey and Tames J. Hill.
1884
January 21 — Resolutions of sympathy for and expression of unim- paired faith and confidence in Henry Villard were adopted by the cham- i)er of commerce after his retirement from the presidency of the North- ern Pacific Railroad.
February 24 — Griggs & Foster's warehouse burned; loss $134,000.
May 23 — Congress authorizes the construction of an additional bridge across the Mississippi at St. Paul.
May 30 — Memorial Day address delivered by ex-Governor C. K. Davis.
June 10 — Banquet given to ex-Governor Davis at the Metropolitan hotel by his political friends for his services at the National Republican convention, Chicago.
June 30 — Bartlett Presley died.
August 13 — Reunion of the Army of Tennessee at Hotel Lafayette, Minnetonka lake. General W. T. Sherman presiding.
During the year 1884, three and two-fifths miles of pavement were laid in St. Paul; sixteen and three-fifths miles of new street graded; six and one-half miles of sewers were constructed, and ten of water mains; also twenty-five miles of sidewalks and seventeen and one-half miles of street car tracks; while 1,960 houses were erected. The real estate transfers reached over $8,000,000; the wholesale trade amounted to $67,970,000, and the amount of exchange dealt in by the banks was $109,000,000.
1885
January — .Arrest of Dr. P. G. Shellock for complicity in grave rob- bing. Rev. D. R. Breed severs his connection with House of Hope Pres- byterian church. The chamber of commerce initiates the state fair movement by which the Ramsey county poor farm, on Snelling avenue, is tendered to and accepted by the State Agricultural .Societv as a per- manent fair ground.
February — The Minnesota dairymen meet in St. Paul and formulate opposition to bogus butter. The members of the legislature are ten- dered a reception by the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. The St. Paul Plow Works are destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $65,000.
116
ST. PAUL AND \"ICINITY
March — St. Paul Dispatch sold by Henry A. Castle to George K. Shaw and George Thompson.
April — Meeting of the Minnesota Bar Association. The National German-American Bank building is completed at a cost of $275,000.
May — The city election results in tiie election of Mayor Edmund Rice, and Comptroller Roche.
June — The Minnesota Commandery of Loyal Legion is organized at St. Paul. The members of the United States senate committee on inter-state commerce visit St. Paul and Minneapolis and take testimony as to transportation of freight.
July — Bids arc received for the $200,000 bonds issued for the Robert street bridge. The Hotel Ryan is opened, a bantjuet constituting one of the characteristic features.
September — A convention in the interest of the waterways of the northwest was held in St. Paul, and was attended by delegates from all the western states and territories.
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ST. PAUL ICE PALACE, 1 888
October — Mayor Rice closes the gambling dens. The Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad afterwards the "Great Western," enters St. Paul. The corner stone of the new court house is laid by Postmaster Day. Colonel James W. Winslow died.
November — The residents of St. Paul decide to l)uild an ice palace and organize a winter carnival association.
1886
January 14 — Corner-stone of the first ice palace in the United States laid in St. Paul.
To Mr. George Thompson, of the Dispatch, belongs the credit of first suggesting arrangements for building an ice jialace in this city. Meetings were called, committees were appointed and within two weeks the necessary funds were pledged. As the outcome of these agencies a stock company was formed in November, 18S3, known as the St. Paul
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 117
Ice Palace and Winter Carnival Association. One of the first acts of this organization was to engage the services of Mr. J. H. Hutchinson, of Montreal, under whose direction and supervision the three palaces in his own city had been erected. On the 14th of January, 1886, the cor- ner-stone was laid, and on the ist of February Mr. George R. Finch, the first president of the carnival association, handed over to the mayor of the city the keys of what was probably the most strangely beautiful structure that had up to that time been erected ^n any part of the globe. It was one hundred and forty-four feet in length by one hundred and twenty feet in width, with a massive central tower attaining an altitude of one hundred feet. This tower was provided with battlements and embrasures, and the architecture throughout was of the mediaeval type. The main tower was defended by an outlook about thirty-two feet in height, with battlements and towers at the angles. The outer walls were twenty inches thick, and the central tower forty inches, and over 20,000 blocks were required in its construction. There were four grand en- trances to the palace, through which spectators passed to the labyrinth of apartments, and viewed the magical efl:'ect of the solid crystal walls. The site selected was in the heart of the city, and easily accessible.
The first winter carnival was a grand success, and for one month St. Paul was the scene of gorgeous pageants and unique displays. In the illustrated papers of this and foreign countries, a cut of this won- derful building of ice appeared, and to the thousands of strangers who were thus attracted thither it was found as beautiful as the imagination had pictured it.
The first set of officers and board of directors of the Ice Palace and Carnival Association were as follows: George R. Finch, president; George Thompson, first vice president ; W. A. Van Slyke, second vice president; Albert Schefi^er, treasurer; A. S. Tallmadge, secretary; W. A. Van Slyke, general manager; J. H. Hanson, assistant secretary. These officers, with Daniel R. Noyes, H. C. Ives and John Summers, consti- tuted the executive committee.
February 3 — The St. Paul Medical College opened; Dr. Alex. J. Stone, president.
May II — The thirty-sixth biennial convention of the Ancient Order of Hibernians assembled in St. Paul; over 300 delegates present.
July 15 — Thirteenth annual session of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections assembles in St. Paul. President, Russell Blakeley, of the chamber of commerce, welcomes the delegates; ex- President R. B. Hayes addresses the convention.
July 30 — General R. N. McLaren died.
August 13 — The officers of the ice carnival reported the total ex- penses of the carnival were $33,904; receipts, $42,597.
August 30 — Opening of the state fair.
September 7 — Frank Mead, of Mandan, former St. Paul newspaper reporter, shoots Frank Farnsworth in the Merchants' hotel. The wounded man dies soon after the shooting.
September 14 — Democratic State convention held. Dr. A. A. Ames, of Minneapolis, nominated for governor; A. R. McGill, of St. Paul, nominated by Republicans and elected in November.
September 29 — Edmund Rice nominated for congress in the Fourth congressional district.
October 5 — Republican county convention held. Fred Richter nom-
118 S'J'. I'All. AND XlflXITY
inated for sheriff; M. J. Bell, register of deeds; J. J. ligau, county at- torney ; F. A. Renz, treasurer.
Xovember i — The following officers of the ice palace and winter carnival were elected ; L. H. Maxfield, ])resident ; Dennis Ryan, first vice president; A. Allen, second vice ])rcsident; Albert .Scheffer, treas- urer; George Thompson, secretary; W. A. \'an Slyke, general manager.
1887
January 4 — Corner-stone of the second ice palace laid.
January 5 — Legislature convenes.
January 17 — Winter carnival opens. The ice palace of this year was the finest that had ever been built. Loftier and covering a larger area than the one of 18S6, it was yet more boldly fantastic in design, a wilderness of tower and turret, battlement and pinnacle, tall arch and dying buttresses. It was entirely the protiuct of -St. Paul skill and en- terprise.
January k) — Ex-Governor C K. Davis nominated for I iiited ."stales senator.
February 6 — Hon. \\ R. Delano died. He was born in Massachusetts in 1823; came to Minnesota in 1853; was warden of the first state prison, and from \H(io to 1871 was associated with the construction of the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. In 1875 he represented Ramsey county in the legislature.
February 9 — The State Historical Society adopt resolutions declaring the claims of Captain Willard Glazier, as the discoverer of the source of the Mississippi, false.
February 29 — Adelina Patti sings in the Exposition Iniilding, St. Paul : about 3.500 persons present.
March iS^Richard Ireland, father of Bisho[3 Ireland died. Ik- came to St. Paul in 1832.
May 2j — Commodore W. V. Davidson died.
September 30 — Cardinal Ciii)bons visits St. Paul, and is honored willi a banquet by the citizens.
October 10 — President Cleveland and i)arty arrive in St. Paul and are icceived by a committee of citizens and escorted to the Ryan hotel. A public recei^tion was held in the evening.
October 18 — Lieutenant-Cienera! Phil 11. Sheridan and L'omniissary- General Mcl'cely arrive at St. Paul to make an investigation into tlie proposed enlargement of Fort Snelling.
1888
January 24 — The winter carnival opens. The ice palace of 1888 even surpassed in size, in architectural efi'ect, and grandeur all previous attempts in this direction.
January 27 — The gri]) on tlie caljle car, while g<iing down Selby ave- nue grade, failed to hold, and the cars ran off the track. One ])assenger, Mr. Saunders, was killed, and several seriously injured.
February 13 — Foot, Schulze & Company, wholesale l)oot and shoe house destroyed by fire and the R\an l)rug Company stock of goods greatly damaged ; loss estimated at $300,000.
February 16 — Complimentary ban(|uct to George Tiiompson. pres- ident of the carnival association, given at the Merchants" hotel by citi- zens of St. Paul.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 119
March 5 — Louis E. Fisher died. He came to Minnesota in 1853 and from that time until his death was employed in newspaper work.
May — Norman W. Kittson and J. W. Clung died.
September 27 — Bishop Ireland created an archbishop.
October 4 — Banquet given at Hotel Ryan by the citizens of St. Paul to Mr. T. F. Oakes, the newly elected president of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
October 8 — Henry A'illard addresses the chamber of commerce.
December 13 — The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Ram- sey and Washington counties meet in convention.
January 3 — Benefit at Opera House netted $1,000 for Newsboy's Home.
January 8 — State legislature meets.
January 9 — W. R. Merriam inaugurated governor, A. R. McGill re- tiring.
January 18 — \\'. D. Washburn defeats D. M. Sabin for Lhiited States senate.
February 3 — P. R. L. Hardenbergh died.
March 6 — Great funeral of Thomas Brennan.
March 12 — O. E. Holman defeats W. P. Murray for city attorney.
April 16 — St. Paul street car employees on strike.
May 3 — Merrimac and Monitor cyclorama opened.
June 15 — Red Rock Camp meeting opened.
June II — Edmund Rice died.
August 17 — Wage earners' colony located at Lake Owasso.
September g — State fair opens.
October 29 — St. Paul relieves distress among North Dakota settlers.
November 8 — Unknown man murdered at Lake Johanna.
December 16 — Three new churches dedicated in the Midwav district.
CHAPTER XII
AS OTHERS SAW US
First Written Description of St. Paul — Editor Goodhue's Picture — On the "High-Pressure" Principle — Land, Land, Day and KiGiiT — Bancroft and Seward on St. Paul — Great Far North- west Prophesied — Mark Twain's Sketch — Villard Cuts Away from Wall Street — Charles Dudley Warner's Enthusiasm — Newspaper Rhapsodies.
Perhaps a comprehensive, if composite portrait of St. Paul as it was, at different periods in its history, may be best obtained by a com- pilation of extracts from tributes to or descriptions of the city and its surroundings written and spoken by visitors, who have left records of their impressions. Most of these records contain something of a com- plimentary nature concerning the town and its people, and they are sub- stantially unanimous in glowing predictions of future greatness — many of which predictions have been long since fully verified. First Written Description of St. Paul
Rev. T. S. Williamson, first written description of St. Paul (1846): "My present residence is on the utmost verge of civilization, in the norihwestern part of the United States, within a few miles of the prin- cipal village of white men in the territory that we suppose will bear the name of Minnesota, which some would render 'clear water,' though strictly it signifies slightly turi)id, or whitish water.
"Tiie village referred to has grown up within a few years, in a romantic situation, on a high bluff of the Mississippi, and has been baptized by the Roman Catholics by the name of St. Paul. They have erected in it a small chai)el and constitute much the larger portion of the inhabitants. The Dakotas call it Ini-ni-ja-ska (white rock), from the color of the sandstone which forms the bluff on which the village stands. This village has five stores, as they call them, at all of which intoxicating drinks constitute a part, and I suppose the principal part, of what they sell. I would suppose the village contains a dozen or twenty families living near enough to send to school. Since I came to this neighborhood, I have had frequent occasion to visit the village, and have been grieved to see so many children growing up entirely ignorant of God, and unable to read His Word, with no one to teach them. Un- less your society can send them a teacher, there seems to be little pros- pect of their having one for several years. A few days since, I went to the place for the purpose of making inquiries in reference to the prospect of a school. I visited seven families, in which there were twenty-three children of projjcr age to attend school, and was told of five families in which were thirteen nmre that it is supposed might
120
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 121
attend, making thirty-six in twelve families. I suppose more than half of the parents of these children are unable to read themselves, and care but little about having their children taught. Possibly the priest might deter some from attending who might otherwise be able and willing.
"I suppose a good female teacher can do more to promote the cause of education and true religion, than a man. The natural politeness of the French (who constitute more than half of the population) would cause them to be kind and courteous to a female, even though the priest should seek to cause opposition. I suppose she might have twelve or fifteen scholars to begin with, and, if she should have a good talent of winning the affections of children (and who has not, should not come), after a few months she could have as many as she could attend to.
"One woman (Mrs. Irvine) told me she had four children she wished to send to school, and that she would give boarding and a room in her house to a good female teacher. A teacher for this place should love the Saviour and for His sake should be willing to forego, not only many of the privileges and elegancies of New England towns, but some of the neatness also. She should be entirely free from prejudice on account of color, for among her scholars she might find not only English, French and Swiss, but Siou.N: and Chippewa, with some claiming kindred with African stock. A teacher coming should bring books with her suf- ficient to began a school, as there is no bookstore within three hundred miles."
Editor Goodhue's Picture
James M. Goodhue, just arrived, in the first number of the Pioneer (1849) : "This town, which was but yesterday unknown, for the rea- son that it had then no existence, is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi river, about five miles south of latitude forty-five degrees. A more beautiful site for a town cannot be imagined. It must be ad- ded that bilious fevers and the fever and ague are strangers to St. Paul. A description of the village now would not answer for a month hence — • such is the rapidity of building, and the miraculous resurrection of every description of domicile. Piles of lumber and building materials lie scattered everywhere in admirable confusion. The whole town is on the stir — stores, hotels, houses are projected and built in a few days. California is forgotten, and the whole town is rife with the exciting spirit of advancement. St. Paul, at the head of river communication, must necessarily supply the trade of all the vast region north of it to the rich plains of the Selkirk settlement, and west to the Rocky moun- tains, and east to the basin of the Great Lakes. It is destined to be the focus of an immense business, rapidly increasing with the growth and settlement of the new regions lying within the natural circumference of its trade. That extensive region of beautiful land bordering on the St. Peter river, as well as all the other tributaries of the Mississippi north of us, will soon be settled, and must obtain their supplies through St. Paul."
On the "High-Pressure" Principle
R. E. Seymour, in "Sketches of Minnesota, the New England of the West" (1849) : "Its new frame buildings, glistening with the reflection of the rising sun, imparted an air of neatness and prosperity. On ar- riving at the wharf, a numerous throng of citizens and strangers came rushing down the hill to welcome our arrival. I grasped the hand of
122 ST. PAUL AND \ICL\1TV
many an acquaintance, whom I unexpectedly found here. Everything appeared to be on the high-pressure principle. A dwelling house' for a family could not be rented. The only hotel was small and full to over- Ijowing. Several boarding houses were very much thronged. Many families were living in shanties, made of rough boards, fastened to posts dri\cn in the ground, such as two men could construct in one day. It was said that about eighty men lodged in a barn belonging to Rice's new hotel, which was not yet completed. Two families occupied tents while I was there. While traveling in Minnesota, I made my head- quarters at St. Paul, where I occasionally tarried a day or two at a boarding house consisting of one room, about sixteen feet square, in which sixteen persons, including men, women and children, contrived to lodge. The remaining boarder.s — a half dozen or more found lodg- ing in a neighbor's garret; this tenement rented for twelve dollars per month. The roof was so leaky that, during the frequent rains that pre- vailed at that time, one would often wake up in the night and find the water pouring down in a stream on his face, or some part of his person.
"We are now near the dividing line of civilized and savage life. We can look across the river and see Indians on their own soil. Their canoes are seen gliding across the Mississippi, to and fro, between sav- age and civilized territory. They are met hourly in the streets. Here comes a female in civilized costume ; her comijlexion is tinged with a light shade of bronze and her features bear a strong resemblance to those of the Indian. She is a descendant of French and Indian parents — a half-breed from Red river. There goes a French Canadian. wIk. can converse only in the language of his mother tongue. He is an old settler; see his prattling children sporting about yonder shanty, which was constructed of rough boards with about one day's labor. There he lives— obliging fellow! exposed to the sun and raiii, and rents his ad- joining log cabin at twelve dollars per month. Let us pass on to that grou]) that converse daily in front of yonder hotel, i'hey appear to be principally professional men, politicians, office-seekers, speculators and travelers, discussing the various topics growing out of the organiza- tion of the new territory, such as the distribution of the loaves and fishes, the price of lots, the rise of real estate, the opportunity now af- forded for the acquisition of w^ealth or political fame.
"The town site is a pretty one, affording aniisle room for stores or dwellings, to any extent desirable. I could not but regret, however, that where land is so cheap and abundant, some of the streets are nar- row, and that the land on the edge of the high blufl^'. in the center of the town, was not left open to the public, instead of being cut up into small lots. It would have made a ])leasant place for promenading, af- fording a line view of the river, which is now liable to be intercepted by buildings erected on those lots."
h'redrika P.remer in "Homes of the New World" ( 1850) : "Scarcely had we touched the shore, when the governor of Minnesota and his pretty young wife came on board and invited me to take uj) my quarters at their house. .\nd there I am now, happy with these kind peojjle, and with them I make excursions into the neighborhood. The town is one of the youngest infants of the Great West, scarcely eighteen months old ; and yet it has in a short time increased to a population of 2,000 i)ersons; and in a very few years it will certainly be i>ossessed r)f 22.000; for its situation is as remarkable for its beaiUy and licalth- fulness as it is advantageous for trade. .\s yet, however, the town is
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
123
but in its infancy, and people manage with such dwellings as they can get. The drawing room at Governor Ramsey's house is also his office, and Indians and work-people and ladies and gentlemen are all alike ad- mitted. In the meantime, Mr. Ramsey is building a handsome, spaci- ous house upon a hill, a little out of the city, with beautiful trees around it, and commanding a grand view of the river. If I were to live on the Mississippi, I would live here. It is a hilly region, and on all sides extend beautiful and varying landscape. The city is thronged with In- dians. The men for the most part, go about grandly ornamented, with
MINNEHAHA FALLS IN WINTER
naked hatchets, the shafts of which serve them as pipes. They paint themselves so utterly without any taste, that it is incredible."
Land. Land, Day and Night
Correspondent of the Pittsburg Token (1852) : "My ears, at every turn, are saluted with the everlasting din of land ! — land ! Money ! spec- ulation ! — saw mills I land warrants ! town lots, etc., etc. I turn away sick and disgusted. Land at breakfast, land at dinner, land at supper, and until 11 o'clock land; then land in bed, until their vocal organs are exhausted — then they dream and groan out land, land ! Everything is artificial, floating — the excitement of trade, speculation and expectation,
124 ST. PAUL A.\D \1C1X1TV
is now running high, and will, perhaps, for a year or so, but it must have a reaction."
Bancroft and Seward o.v St. Paul
George Bancroft in letter to Governor Gorman ( 1854) : "The de- light which attended my visit to St. Paul will never be effaced from my memory. .All published accounts of the Upper ]\Iississippi valley do not half exj^ress its beauty and attractions. I have traveled a good deal in the world, and there are of our party many who have traveled much more than I, and there was but one opinion, that for the union of grandeur and loveliness, of magnificent scenery, amenity and fertility, the region has not its parallel as an object of admiration and interest to the tourist, and still more as an inviting place of residence. The man- ner in which the river sweeps past your city reminds me of Cincinnati, and, like that city, St. Paul owes its rapid advancement not to the ac- cident of its selection as the seat of government, but to its natural adap- tion to the purposes of inland commerce, which so exceed in importance our foreign commerce."
William H. Seward in a speech in St. Paul (i860) : "I find myself now for the first time upon the highlands in the center of the continent of North America, equidistant from the waters of Hudson bay and the Gulf of Mexico — from the Atlantic ocean, to the ocean in which the sun sets; here upon this spot, where spring up almost side by side, so that they may kiss each other, the two great rivers which bring your commerce half way to Europe. Here is the place, the central place, where the agriculture of the richest region of North America must pour out its tributes to the world. On the west, stretching in one broad plain in a belt across the continent, is a country where state after state is yet to arise and where the productions for the support of human society in other old crowded states must be brought forth. This, then is a commanding field : but it is as commanding in regard to the destinies of this country and this continent, as it is in regard to their commercial future. For power is not permanently to reside in the east, the eastern slopes of the Alleghany mountains, nor in the seaports. Seaports have always been overrun and controlled by the people of the interior, and power that shall communicate and express the will of men on this con- tinent is to be located in the Mississippi valley, and at the sources of the MississipiM and St. Lawrence. In our day, studying, perhaps, what might have seemed to others trifling and visionary, I had cast about for the future and ultimate seat of the power of the North .American people. T have looked at Quebec and New Orleans, at Washington and .San Francisco, at Cincinnati and St. Louis, and it had been the result of my conjecture that the seat of power for North America would yet be found in the valley of Mexico, and the glories of the Aztec capital would be surrounded in its becoming ultimately, and at last, the capital of the United ."^^tates of -America. But I have corrected that view. I now believe that the ultimate last scat of government on this great continent will be found somewhere within a circle or radious not very far from the sjiot on which I stand, at the head of navigation on the Mississippi river."
Great Far Northwest Prophesied
Charles Carleton Coffin in Boston Journal (1869): "Open to the map of North .America or the country west and northwest of I-ake
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 125
Superior. You see that the boundary between the United States and the British possessions is the 49th parallel. Now turn to the map of Europe. You see the same parallel runs near Paris, right through the valley of the Rheims, where champagne grapes are grown. The vine- yards of the Rhine are north of it. England, Scotland, Ireland and the largest half of Europe all are farther north than the northern boundary of the United States. If in the old world such cities as London, Paris, Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Moscow, Stockholm and St. Petersburg, can rise north of the 49th parallal, why may there not be great centers of civilization in the northwest. So far as climate is concerned, what is there to hinder? We know already the wonderful productiveness of Minnesota. I have been far enough west to know that the fertility ex- tends to Dakota. There is no portion of the country surpassing that of the Red River valley for richness. Let us start now on a journey to the far northwest. We are at St. Paul, so near latitude forty-five de- grees that we may say we are on that parallel. It is the latitude of Venice and southern France. We travel north 450 miles to the Cana- dian boundary before we reach the latitude of Edinburgh. We may still keep on until we have made 1,500 miles from St. Paul before we reach the latitude of Stockholm and St. Petersburg."
American Encyclopedia, (1875): "St. Paul was formerly confined to the left bank of the Mississippi, the site embracing four distinct ter- races, forming a natural amphitheatre, with a southern exposure and conforming to the curve of the river, which, here flowing northeast, by an abrupt circular sweep takes a southwest course. The city is built principally upon the second and third terraces, which widen into level, semi-circular plains, the last about ninety feet above the river, being underlaid with a stratum of blue limestone, of which many of the build- ings are constructed. The original town is irregularly laid out. but the newer portions are more regular. The principal public buildings are the capitol and the custom house, the latter containing the postofifice. Tables of mortality show that St. Paul is one of the healthiest cities in the United States. A beautiful tract of 300 acres at Lake Como has been secured for a public park. The city is remarkable for the expan- sion of its wholesale trade, and has a variety of manufactures."
Mark Twain's Sketch
Mark Twain ("Life on the Mississippi,") (1882): "St. Paul is a wonderful city. It is put together in solid blocks of honest brick and stone, and has the air of intending to stay. Its postofifice was established thirty-six years ago ; two frame houses were built that year and several persons were added to the population. Recent statistics furnish a vivid contrast to that old state of things, to-wit : population, autumn of the present year, 71,000; number of letters handled first half of this year. 1,209,387; number of houses built in nine months, 989. The strength of St. Paul lies in her commerce — I mean his commerce. He is a manu- facturing city of course — all cities in that region are — but he is pecu- liarly strong in the matter of commerce. Last year his jobbing trade amounted to upwards of $52,000,000. The town stands on high ground ; it is about 700 feet above the sea level. It is a very wonderful town, indeed, and is not finished yet. All the streets are obstructed with build- ing material, and this is being compacted into houses as fast as possible, to make room for more, for other people are anxious to build as soon
126 ST. PAUL AXl) \ ICIXirV
as they can get the use of the streets to pile up their bricks and stuti' in."
President Chester A. .Arthur (1883). at the banquet celebrating the completion of the Northern Pacilic Railroad: "1 am glad to take part in these festivities ; the great work, the accomplishment of which they seek to commemorate, may well be celebrated with joy and thanksgiving. .•\nd. Mr. Mayor, well may your beautiful and thriving city and her sister municipality, standing as they do at the gateway of this new highroad of commerce which stretches far out to the sea, congratulate themselves that they enter today upon a career of enlarged usefulness and prosper- ity. Coming to you from that marvelous region which has been some- limes called "the Wonderland of America," I traversed the thousand miles which intervene along the rails of the Xorthern Pacific Road. Nothing that I have ever read, nothing that 1 have ever heard had so impressed me with the extent of the resources of the northwest. It has convinced me that the importance of this enterprise, which we are gathered here to honor tonight, has not been over-estimated, even by its most sanguine friends. All honor, then, to the zeal and energy which have given to that enterprise such triumphant success."
\'ir.i.AKn Cuts .\\\.\^ ikom \\ all Stkekt
Henry \"illard, president of the Xfjrlhern I'acitic Railroad ( 1883) : "It has been a great satisfaction to me that there are more believers in the Northern Pacific in the great northwest than in Wall street. And 1 fell satisfied that all the manipulations of Wall street operators will not shake the faith of the city of St. I'aul, of the state of Minnesota, or of any of the cities and states and territories traversed by our line, in the future of the Xorthern Pacific. I am glad that, for a time at least, 1 feel emancipated from the demoralizing iniluences of W'M street. 1 breathe freer here : my hopes for the future of the Northern Pacific are strengthened ; I see the evidence all around me that my faith in its future is well founded — as well founded as any human faith can be. It is almost unnecessary for me to express to you my appreciation for this kind and magnificent rece])tion. You well know that you have my heartfelt thanks. I only regret that 1 cannot have all the citizens of St. Paul within reach of my voice, so that they might hear my personal testimony to their hos[)iiality. I will not say good-bye to you now, be- cause 1 shall never want to say good-bye to St. Paul. I am going away from you for a little while, but I hope soon to be with you again. I trust that in the future 1 shall not be required to spend so much of my time in New York as 1 have in the past. The necessity of remaining there to i^rovide for the financial needs of the road, is. I am glad to say, nearly over. It is now time to settle down more in St. Paul, the point from which the road is to be oiierated, and see that it is managed so as to reflect credit upon the company, as well as bring pros])crity to your city and the great country it traverses."
ClIAKLKS DUDLICY WaKNF.r's 1-"NT11 LSIASM
Charles Dudley Warner, in Ilar/^crs Mo(/aciiie (March 1887): "It is in the memory of men still in active life when the territory of Minne- sota was supposed to be beyond the i)ale i>f desirable settlement. The
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 127
state, except in the northeast portion, is now well settled and well sprinkled with thriving villages, and cities. Of the latter, St. Paul and Minneapolis are still a wonder to themselves, as they are to the world. I knew that they were big cities, having each a population nearly ap- proaching 175,000, but I was not prepared to find tliem so handsome and substantial and exhibiting such vigor and activity of movement. One of the most impressive things to an eastern man in both of them is their public spirit and the harmony with which business men work together for anything which wrill build up and beautify the city. I belive the ruling force in Minneapolis is of New England stock, while St. Paul has a larger proportion of New York people, with a mixture of southern ; and I have a fancy that there is a social shading that shows this distinc- tion. It is worth noting, however, that the southerner, transplanted to Minnesota or Montana, loses the laisscr faire with which he is credited at home and becomes as active and pushing as anybody. Both cities have a very large Scandinavian population. St. Paul has the advantage of picturesqueness of situation. The business part of the town lies on a spacious uneven elevation above the river, surrounded by a semi-circle of bluffs, averaging something like two hundred feet high. Up the sides of these the city climbs, beautifying every vantage ground with handsome and stately residences. On the north the bluffs maintain their elevation in a splendid plateau, and over this dry and healthful plain the two cities advance to meet each other, and already meet in suburbs, colleges and various public buildings. Summit avenue curves along the line of the northern bluff and then turns northward two hun- dred feet broad, graded a distance of over two miles and with a magni- ficent asphalt roadway for more than a mile. It is almost literally a street of palaces, for although wooden structures alternate with the varied and architecturally interesting mansions of stone and brick on both sides, each house is isolated with a handsome lawn and ornamental trees, and the total effect is spacious and noble. This avenue commands an almost unequaled view of the sweep of bluffs round to the Indian mounds of the city, the winding river and the town and the heights of West St. Paul. It is not easy to recall a street and view anywhere finer than this, and this is only one of the streets on this plateau conspicious for handsome houses. It see no reason why St. Paul should not become within a few years, one of the notably most beautiful cities in the world. And it is now wonderfully well advanced in that direction."
Newspaper Ri[.\psodies
Pittsburg Dispatch editorial (1889): "How few people begin to comprehend the magnitude of James J. Hill's Great Northern Railroad. Here is one man who has gone to work and created 3.500 miles of rail- road in a new country. What a citizen is James J. Hill, and what wealth and prosperity he has brought to this republic. The people should put his bronze monument in the capitol. Where does the Great Northern railroad run to? It carries corn and pork from Sioux City on the Mis- souri to Duluth on Lake Superior. It drains all the wheat from Min- nesota and North Dakota, south of Manitoba, into St. Paul and Minne- apolis. It brings silver and copper from Helena and Butte. It brings out the wheat from Aberdeen, Huron and Ellendale and the whole Jim river country, and puts it down at Duluth or St. Paul. In a few months
128 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
it will be at Spokane Falls, Montana, and in the Poulouse country and among the timber at Pugct Sound. Wonderful road! And this has been done by one man's energy and brain. Mr. Hill has not been in Wash- ington begging for an appropriation. He took the old flag, pinned it onto a locomotive, picked out the good land on the continent and built a railroad to it. He has added $500,000,000 to the nation's wealth. Oakes Ames worked well backed by an appropriation, and Jay Cooke went down bravely, but this Hill, James J. Hill, all alone, has actually spanned the continent with an iron road. He has done it like a king. He is a king, of thought and will and magnificent ambition."
National Journalist, Chicago official organ of the National Editorial Association (June 1891) : "Last year the editors visited classic Boston, the cradle of American liberty, the old home and old homestead. This year the editors have sought for their place of meeting, by way of con- trast, one of the newest of the great American cities, located on beautiful hills that were in all their undisturbed wildness when Boston had at- tained to greatness and made her record through two centuries. With railroads, steamboats and electric telegraphs, the new states and cities have stepped right up in line with the old. Untrammeled by the old but costly appliances, and blessed with all the capital and inventions that have come from the old home, and all the untouched and inexhaustible re- sources of a region rich in soil, timber and minerals, the new city has leaped forward and taken the advance of the line. This is strikingly illustrated in St. Paul of great institutions ; of culture and wealth ; of great newspapers and publishing houses: of great banks and other moneyed institutions ; of schools, universities and churches ; of mammoth hotels, insurance, railroad and public buildings, and of palatial resi- dences. St. Paul citizens have not only worked singly and faithfully in their individual callings for the upbuilding of the city, but unitedly in organized efforts. St. Paul has grown since 1849 from a straggling little village to a solid modern city, with two of the largest newspaper buildings, the largest business blocks and the greatest proportion of palatial residences of any city on the continent. Its suburban villages are noted for their extent, beauty and i)rosperity. St. Paul is situated on high table lands, which gives excellent drainage and affords en- chanting views of hill and valley. The i)icturesque landscape jiresented from many of the finest residences cannot be surpassed anywhere in the world, and after investigation the editors must admit that the claim of its citizens that St. Paul is the most picturesque, cleanest, healthiest, best-sewered, best-watered city in America, is well founded. There are very few cities that can present so many handsome and well paved streets and delightful drives. Her electric lines and cable cars lift one up from the valley in which the business portion of the city is located in either direction, amidst the costliest residences and loveliest yards and grounds overlooking the never-wearying, because so greatly diversified, scenery. St. Paul is a delightful place for a summer outing. Many handsome lakes are near at hand for boating and fishing. The far- famed Alinnehaha sends its waters laughing down the valley within easy drive, while Fort Snelling, from a perpendicular cliff nearby, keeps watch over the beautiful valley. The writer of this article has for years been acquainted with the city and its surroundings, yet a carriage ride with a friend tlirough the suburbs to one of the lakes, witnessing how in four years the well-paved streets and handsome residences had
ST. PAUL AND MCINITY 129
moved in solid columns, with their proofs of permanent growth and enduring comfort, out across the prairies was a constant and most agreeable surprise, as were the handsome parks, of which the city now has thirty-two, and the broad boulevards, on Summit avenue (200 feet wide), being one of the handsomest drives in this or any other countrv."
Vol. 1—9
CHAPTER Xlll
ST. PAUL'S PART IX SUPPRESSING THE REBELLION
Minnesota Offers First Union Troops — First Minnesota at Fort Snelling — Ordered to Virginia — Arrives in Washington — First Ladies' \'olunteer Aid Society — Minnesota's Contribu- tion OF Soldiery — St. Paul's Special Participation — Spanish- American War.
From November, i860, to mid-April, 1861, there was in St. Paul, as in most other northern communities, a process of "getting together" going on — a cementing of discordant but patriotic political elements through the cohesive power of unquenchable loyalty to the Union. On the surface were extreme popular forbearance and calmness, but un- derneath all there was rigid determination. At last Fort Sumter was fired on; then St. Paul rose as one man, made itself heard, and made itself felt.
On the 13th of April came the news that the secessionists had bom- barded and captured Fort Sumter, and that the war was on. On the i6th came President Lincoln's call for troops. On the morning of the 18th there appeared in the newspapers of the city a call for a public meeting signed by a hundred leading citizens. At the head of the list was the name of that sturdy Democrat, ex-Governor Gorman. Next to him was the chairman of the Democratic state committee, Hon. Earle S. Goodrich. The people crowded to the meeting in such numbers that the hall would not hold them, and an adjournment was made to the open air. There was great and general enthusiasm. All political dif- ferences, prejudices, and asperities melted away under the influence of the fervid patriotism everywhere prevailing, and all party platforms were forgotten in a determination to stand by the Federal governiiKiit in its hour of peril. Klociuent speeches, burning with enthusiasm and defiance were made, and ringing resolutions were adopted.
Minnesota Offers First Union Tkoops
Meantime an interesting event, identifying the city and state with the very inception of the movement for national defense, occurred at the country's cajiital. Fx-Governor Alexander Ramsey, addressing the Loyal Legion at St. Paul in 189,^ said: "In the month of April, 1861, upon official business, as governor of Minnesota, I was called to the city of Washington. The knots of earnest men and anxious faces in the corridors and reading rooms of the hotels indicated a widesi)rea(l belief that there was an impending peril. On Saturday night. April 13th, the population of Washington was deeply moved by the intel- ligence that Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston had been attacked by insurgents and that the garri.son had surrendered. I'.arly ."-Sunday
130
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 131
morning, accompanied by two citizens of Minnesota, I visited the war department and found secretary Cameron with his hat on and papers in his hand about to leave his office. I said, 'My business is simply as governor of ]\Iinnesota to tender a thousand men to defend the govern- ment.' 'Sit down immediately,' he replied, 'and write the tender you have made, as I am now on my way to the President's mansion.' This was quickly done and thus Minnesota became the first to cheer President Lincoln by offers of assistance in the crisis which had arrived."
Acting Governor Ignatius Donnelly, on receipt of the official notice by telegraph, issued a call for a regiment of ten companies of infantry. Recruiting commenced at once. At a meeting held Monday night, called by Captain Alexander Wilkin, enlistments began, the first name enrolled being that of Josias R. King. He thus became the first sol- dier in the first regiment tendered under President Lincoln's call for troops to put down the slaveholder's rebellion — a fact that is fitly com- morated on the soldiers' monument in Summit park.
Captain Wilkin had served under General Taylor as captain in the war with ^lexico, had attended the allied armies in the Crimean war, and was an accomplished soldier, as well as an intelligent, thorough gentleman. The previous year he had been the captain of a club of Douglas Democrats, called the "Little Giants." He had been United States marshal, a candidate for congress, and was a practicing lawyer. He had been, perhaps, ambitious for political distinction, but now he entered the service of his country and did not leave it until three years later, when his life went out with his heart's blood on the battlefield of Tupelo. On the 22d of April, four days from the date of the call, Wilkin's company, called the Pioneer Guard, one hundred strong, was organized. The officers were those of the "Little Giants" : Alexander Wilkin, captain; H. C. Coats and Charles Zierenberg, lieutenants; Josias R. King, orderly sergeant.
Captain William H. Acker, of the Lincoln "Wide Awakes," resigned the position of adjutant general of the state, and began recruiting a company for the war. He was a gallant spirit, young, dauntless, and every inch a soldier, and he possessed the full confidence of the com- munity. In four days his company was full, and on the 25th it or- ganized by the election of Acker as captain, and Willis B. Farrell and Samuel T. Raguet as lieutenants. Of these gallant officers Acker be- came an officer of the Sixteenth regulars and was killed at Shiloh ; Far- rell fell at Gettysburg, and Raguet alone was discharged at the expira- tion of his term of service.
First Minnesot.\ .\t Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling was designated by the war department as a school of instruction. The military companies composing the quota of Minne- sota were ordered to rendezvous at that point for regimental organiza- tion, and subsequent instruction. On the 29th of April the two St. Paul companies, Wilkin's and Acker's, with others from some of the lower towns, went to Fort Snelling on the steamboat "Ocean Wave" and the same day were mustered into service, and the organization of the First Minnesota Regiment of infantry was perfected. Ex-Governor Willis A. Gorman was made colonel ; .Stephen ]\Iiller, lieutenant colonel ; Dr. J. H. Stewart, surgeon, and Rev. E. D. Neill, chaplain. All these,
132 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
except Miller, were from St. Paul; the other field officers came from other portions of the state.
About the middle of May, Colonel Gorman received orders to send some of his companies to relieve the garrisons of regular troops at Fort Ridgely and other posts. The order was the subject of noisy protest on the part of both officers and men. They had enlisted to tight south- ern rebels, they said, not to rot out their service in the inactive life of a garrison on the frontier. Colonel Gorman delayed its enforcement for a time, but finally sent the detachments to their posts. He had explained that the First Regiment was eager to go to the front ; that other companies were organized with a view of state service, and that these ought to be used to garrison the forts.
Ordered to \'irgixi.\
.At last the order assigning the troops to state service was counter- manded, and the First Regiment ordered to \'irginia. Couriers were
NEW FT. SNELLING BRIDGE
sent after the companies. Soon they reassembled at Fort Snelling and on the 22nd of June the regiment came down to St. Paul, marched through the streets to the .steamboat and left for Washington City, fol- lowed by the cheers, tears, and prayers of friends and relatives. The men were not all in uniform, but they bore themselves well. The citi- zens felt proud of them, from the colonel, with, his soldierly bearing, and the chaplain, with his slouch hat, down to the private and drum- mer boy.
The bustle of recruiting, jireparation and departure, can. jjerhaps be most vividly pictured to the mind, by quotations from the daily iiajicrs of this stirring period, which are subjoined.
St. Paul Press, June 21, 1861 : "Colonel Gorman yesterday ad- dressed the following note to acting assistant quartermaster Sanders. It will be seen the Colonel is bound for the wars tomorrow morning
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 133
at 5 o'clock: 'My command is now sufficiently concentrated to be able to leave with the first detachment of 805 men, rank and file, four camp women, four horses (more or less of each), together with camp and garrison equipage, on Saturday morning next, the 22d inst., at 5 o'clock, from Fort Snelling, and I require transportation from this place to Pittsburgh, and thence to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The second de- tachment will follow immediately, or as soon as steamboat transporta- tion can be furnished.'
"The colonel adds to the above the following note, addressed to the newspapers of St .Paul: "The regiment will surely leave on Saturday, the 22d inst., at 5 o'clock A. M., from Fort Snelling." "
Press. June 22nd: "The First Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers, as per order, leave Fort Snelling for Harrisburg this morning at 5 o'clock. The people of St. Paul will undoubtedly turn out this morning and give the regiment a grand reception and final farewell. Let Third street be lined from one end to the other, and all the flags and banners hung out. Everybody must be up early to see the sight. The last parade of the regiment on Minnesota soil ere its return from the war, was witnessed by the thousands present with great interest. The men made a highly imposing appearance, and went through their evolutions in a manner which would have been creditable to veterans."
Pioneer, June 22nd: "They marched up Eagle street to Third, down Third to Jackson, and down Jackson to the lower levee, where they embarked. A vast crowd assembled at the levee to see them off. There were some affecting scenes of leave-taking, but the soldiers stood it bravely. The line of boats cast off at half past eight o'clock the band playing a lively air, the crowd on the shore and the soldiers cheering lustily."
Press, June 22nd: "Mrs. Swisshelm passed the day and night of Friday in looking after the comfort and welfare of the soldiers of the First Minnesota Regiment — suggesting this, that and the other thing necessary to their comfort. She would have gone with the regiment to care for the sick and wounded, had her health permitted."
Press, June 23rd: "Now that the First has left us, attention, in a military point of view, will be directed to the formation and organiza- tion of the Second Regiment. We learn that the companies are filling up gradually, but we are assured that all companies will be immediately provided for at Fort Snelling who report themselves to the adjutant general with full ranks. We learn that Captain Skaro's St. Peter Com- pany is full and that the remainder of it will immediately join the first detachment at Fort Ridgley. Captain Bishop's Chatfield' company will arrive today ; also Captain George's Dodge county company, and the Olmsted county company from Rochester."
Press, June 26th: "Captain Nelson has orders to muster in the Sec- ond Regiment by companies as fast as they are reported full. Lieuten- ant Tuttle reports good progress in recruiting for the Zouaves. He will leave for Fort Ridgely with his detachment tomorrow morning. Captain Kiefer, of the German Union guards, reports his company full. It will go to Fort Ridgely in a day or two. This company is selected from the very flower of our German population, and every man is pre- pared to prove himself a soldier. We gather from the Chicago Tribune of Monday that our gallant First Regiment created quite a sensation in that city on Sunday evening. The Tribune remarks that 'they are un- questionably the finest body of troops that have yet appeared in our
134 ST. PAUL AND \1CIX1TY
streets — representing considerably more muscle than either of the Wis- consin Regiments.' "
Press, June 27th: "Captain Xelson yesterday mustered into service at Fort Snelling the Chattield Guards, Captain Bishop, and the Roches- ter Volunteers, Captain Markham. The muster roll of each company shows eighty-three names, officers, non-commissioned officers and pri- vates. Captain Bishop has been placed in command at Fort Snelling, and as such will be obeyed and respected until further orders.
"The officers of the various other companies are making every ex- ertion to fill up their ranks. Ca])tain J. B. Davis of the River Rangers has opened recruiting quarters in the room underneath the Metropolitan hall, Bridge square.
"Attention Zouaves ! You are hereby requested to rendezvous at the enrolling room Hayward's block, near the bridge, at 9 A. M. today, prior to your departure for Fort Ridgley. By order of M. C. Tuttle, First Lieutenant."
Press, June 30, 1861 : "At Fort Snelling yesterday, the only item of interest was the mustering in of Company D, Captain George. This makes three companies of the Second Regiment now mustered in. There were fragments of several companies at the fort last evening, but no one company was full. Two more companies probably will be ready to be mustered in tomorrow."
Arrives in Washington
Pioneer, July 6, 1861 : "The First Minnesota, Colonel Gorman, is stationed in the same encampment on the east capitol grounds, says the Philadelphia Press. The regiment visited the president for review Mon- day evening and on Tuesday they expect to cross into \'irginia. Two ladies also accompany the regiment — one the wife of Major Dyke, who has with her a horse from her own use, a most magnificent thoroughbred. The other lady is Mrs. Adjutant Leach."
Correspondence of Pioneer, dated July 4, 1861, at Alexandria, Vir- ginia: "We arrived here yesterday, in tip-top health and si)irits. We have surprised the whole country down here with our gallant Minneso- tans. I don't think there has been a single regiment in Washington yet which has received one-half the praise that we have. We are con- sidered the finest regiment that has arrived in Washington, both by civilians and military men. Our marching and drills have completely taken the wind out of the sails of some of the crack regiments now here. Well I must change this to more interesting part. This morning Captain Adams' Company II was ordered off to guard the railroad and telegraph station, about f(^ur miles from here. A picket arrived about an hour ago Itringing the joyful news of the Minnesota boys having a small brush with some rebels, killing two, wounding five, and capturing fifteen horses. Bully!"
First Ladies' Volunteer Aid Society
With the first gathering of the clans the ladies began to move. They had an "Aid Society" organized .soon after the first companies were raised, and were at work scraping lint and sewing bandages I)efore the men went to Fort .Snelling. They soon learned that something else was needed first, and they began the preparation of table comforts for
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 135
the boys in camp. The baking of pies and the stirring of puddings went on right briskly for some days. Then it was proposed that, as there was some delay in the receipt of the uniforms for the soldiers, home-made suits should be prepared. The ladies agreed to do all of the necessary sewing, and to work night and day. if required, until it should be done. The cloth was to be furnished by the home merchants and the cutting by the local tailors. Thus the women of the city, as of the nation, were quickly transformed from dependents to heroines. The twentieth century girl, with her many-hat-pins is more like a cactus than a vine. But even the girls of 1861, who were left behind, aban- doned clinging and went in for stitching, knitting and praying.
The St. Paul Press of May 10, 1861, thus chronicles an important episode connected with the women's work: "The call to the ladies in yesterday morning's papers was promptly responded to by a large num- ber assembling at Ingersoll's hall. An organization taking the name of St. Paul Volunteer Aid Society was formed, of which Miss Louise S. Williams was chosen president, Mrs. L. M. Fairchild vice-president, Mrs. H. E. B. McConkey secretary and Airs. Berkey treasurer. A com- mittee of three, consisting of Mrs. Fairchild, Mrs. Markley and Mrs. Berkey, were appointed to wait on Colonel Gorman and inquire into the wants of the St. Paul companies embodying the most profitable outlay with reference to comfort.
"The following preamble and resolution were then adopted: Whereas, the exigencies of the times and the patriotism of husbands, sons, brothers and friends demand something on our part; therefore,
"Resolved, That we meet every day for the present at 2 o'clock P. M. at Ingersoll's hall (which he has generously tendered us for the purpose) to do "whatsoever our hands find to do" in aid of the glorious cause in which they have so gallantly and manfully enlisted.'
"Every lady in St. Paul who feels an interest in the noble work is desired to manifest it by her presence."
Fifty years later the St. Paul Pioneer Press in May, 191 1, pub- lished some details of this work, based on the reminiscences of the president, Mrs. L. S. Noble (formerly Miss L. S. Williams), and the vice-president, Mrs. Fairchild, both still living. From these we com- pile: Miss Williams, an attractive and energetic girl only sixteen years old was visiting an aunt, Mrs. Jarvan B. Irvine, in St. Paul. Her brother, not eighteen years old, two of her uncles, and several of her college friends had enlisted. Naturally she was tremendously inter- ested and anxious to do something — anything to help. From her friends and from Colonel Gorman she heard of the distress among the volun- teers. Passive sympathy was an impossibility to her. On May 9, 1861, she sent to the newspaper an unsigned call for the meeting at Inger- soll hall.
Among the ladies who responded were Mrs. Harriet Bishop Mc- Conkey, ]\Irs. L. M. Fairchild. Mrs David Day, Mrs. Peter Berkey, Mrs. Isaac Markley and Mrs. Delos Monfort.
The Ladies' Volunteer Aid Society was formed — "volunteer aid," because its object was to help the volunteers in any and every possible way. As far as it is known it was the first aid society formed for that purpose in the LTnited States.
Miss Williams was elected president. She did not want to take the office, as she was the youngest and the only unmarried woman in the society, but she was pursuaded to undertake the work. People rec-
136 ST. PAUL AND VICIXITY
ognized in Iicr unusual executive ability, and, besides, "she had the time." As a first provision of the ways and means. Miss \\"illiams and Mrs. Markley had gone down Third street asking for small subscriptions, and had raised over $ioo. The following well-known merchants had given money to the relief fund: Mr, Cathcart, Mr. Ingersoll, Mr, Blum, IMr. Monfort, Mr. Russ Munger, Mr. Presley, and the Messrs. Brown Brothers (the jewelers), Day and Jenks, and Justus & Forepaugh.
For six weeks the members of the society worked every afternoon and all of two Sundays. They made and furnished about nine hundred emergency cases of light oil cloth bound with red tape, and twenty-five guard capes of dark oil cloth, also bound with red tape.
On June i6th the society, having heard how invaluable havelocks had proved to northern soldiers in the south, decided to try to provide them for the Pirst Minnesota regiment. A havelock was a linen helmet- like protection against the sun. It would have been impossible to make enough to supply the regiment had not Minneapolis women helped, but the St. Paul women made about 600 havelocks — two-thirds of the num- ber that were supplied. They sewed in Ingersoll hall, and, as the heat was stifling, different gentlemen sent them refreshments. The last afternoon they worked on the havelocks was made endurable by a large pail of iced lemonade which C. E. Mayo sent.
Minnesota's Contribution of Soldiery
The state of Minnesota has caused to be compiled and published three sumptuous volumes, containing the official annals of her several gallant regiments and the individual records of her brave soldiers. Lack of space forbids ade(|uate attention to these matters here.
Minnesota furnished to the Union army eleven regiments of infan- try, one of cavalry, one of heavy artillery, two battalions of cavalry, three batteries of light artillery, two companies of sharpshooters and one regiment of mounted rangers. In addition to this many companies of citizen militia turned out in emergencies and did effective duty when the barbarous Indian outbreak of 1862 desolated the frontier — and that outbreak, as is fully demonstrated now by official Confederate records, was an organized episode of the great rebellion. In all, Minnesota fur- nished about 20,000 volunteer soldiers for the war.
As the war period recedes into the past, some of the startling epi- sodes of the contest will protrude upon public observation like moun- tains in a plain. On these the sunbeams of tradition will lovingly lin- ger. Each Minnesota regiment has such an episode, which the future will repeat with awe and veneration. The First Minnesota at Gettys- burg; The Second, at Mill Sjirings ; the Third, at Wood Lake; the Fourth, at Corinth; the Fifth, at Xashville; the Sixth, at Birch Coolie; the Seventh, at Big Mound; the Eighth, at Murfreesboro ; the Ninth, at Tupelo ; the Tenth, at Xashville — each performed deeds of gallantry worthy of being celebrated in epic verse and handed down to coming generations of freemen.
St. P.\ul's Spf.ci.vl P.\rticip.\tion
The follnwing Minnesotians were conmiissioned during the war, as full general officers of volunteers, mostly for special gallantry in bat- tle, numerous others having been breveted brigadier general for similar
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 137
services: C. C. Andrews, brigadier general and brevet major general; N. T. T. Dana, major general; W. A. Gorman, brigadier general; Ste- phen Miller, brigadier general ; John B. Sanborn, brigadier general and brevet major general; Henry H. Sibley, brigadier general; H. P. \'an Cleve, brigadier general and brevet major general. Each of these, except Generals Miller and \'an Cleve, was, at one time or another, a permanent resident of St. Paul.
Our people watched the progress of the war with eager and anxious interest. In almost every great battle some of them lost relatives and friends. In the summer'of 1862 the president called for 600,000 addi- tional soldiers and Alinnesota vigorously prepared to furnish her quota. In the midst of these preparations, on August 20th. news reached St. Paul of the terrible massacres by the Sioux Indians in the frontier set- tlements of the state. For a time all efforts were directed to home protections, the rescue of captives, the relief of sufferers and the pun- ishment of the murderous savages. This was a campaign of itself and will be treated in the next chapter.
During the winter of 1862-3 St. Paul settled down to the usual rou- tine. The volunteers who had regularly enlisted were at their posts in the field ; those who had gone out on their own account had returned. The Indians had been subdued and were no longer feared. Only a few refugees and the dependent families of the soldiers remained to be cared for.
In the summer of 1863 the enrollment for the draft was made, and as there had been serious troubles in other cities over the enforcement of this measure, and as resistance had been threatened, a provost guard was stationed in the city for some weeks. There were no disturbances. In October, the Seventh, Ninth and Tenth regiments were sent South. The Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg, July 4th, were appro- priately celebrated.
From January to April, 1864, considerable numbers of soldiers who had reinlisted for three years more, arrived in the city from the front on a "veteran furlough" of thirty days, which had been granted them as one of the conditions of reinlistment. There were numerous formal receptions and bountiful entertainments.
In July, when the city had furnished one-tenth of her entire popu- lation to "the Union army, came a call for 160 more men to fill her quota of the 300,000 demanded by President Lincoln. An earnest effort was made to supply this number and this was accomplished. The city gave $30,000 in bounties, and large additional sums were raised by sub- scription In December there was another call for 300,000 men, and the quota of St. Paul was 200. It seemed impossible to raise this number, but it was done.
In the first week of April tidings came of the collapse of the re- bellion. Glorious news was received from Grant at Petersbtirg and Richmond, from Sherman in the Carolinas, from Canby at Mobile, from the Union commanders everywhere. A general celebration was ar- ranged to commemorate the Union victories. It came off April 8th. An artillery salute, a procession civic and military, a general display of the national colors, were the chief features. The exultation over the Union victories, and the return of peace was mitigated, and the public heart was saddened by the assassination of President Lincoln. The news of this terrible and calamitous event created profound gloom and sorrow. Proper action was taken on the day of the funeral, April 19th.
138 ST. PAUL AND \1C1.\1TV
All business was suspended in the city, the bells tolled and funeral ser- mons were preached in nearly all the churches to large and sympathetic congrej^ations.
In the first week in July victorious soldiers began to return. On the 5th came the Eleventh regiment; on the i8th, the Mrst ; on the 25th, the Fourth ; on the 29th, the Second ; August 7th came the Sixth and Tenth; on the 28th came the Seventh, and on the nth, the Eighth; October 4th came the Ninth regiment and the heavy artillery. In due course the survivors of other commands came back, and the great war of the Rebellion with its gloom and its glory, its trials and its triumphs, with the glorious victories at its close and the great results that followed was over.
Out of a total jjojnilation of 10.000 at the outbreak of the war, and a voting population of a little more than 2,000, the city of St. Paul furnished, from first to last during the war, 1,498 men for the Union army. In the three principal classifications of soldiers, the contingent of the city was divided as follows :
Infantry — First regiment, 100; Second regiment, 264; Third regi- ment, 40; Fourth regiment, 80: I'ifth regiment, 130; Sixth regiment, 230; Seventh regiment, 42; Eighth regiment. 42; Ninth regiment, 4; Tenth regiment, 75; Eleventh regiment, 21; First battalion, 21; Second Company Sharpshooters, 18; total, 1,115.
Cavalry — Hatch's battalion. 70; Second Minnesota cavalry, 43; First regiment mounted rangers, 75 ; Bracket's battalion, 74 ; total, 262.
Artillery — ^First battery. 8 ; Second battery, 2 ; Third battery, 1 1 ; First regiment heavy artillery, 100 ; total, 121.
Recai)itulation — Infantry, 1,115; t-avalry. 262; artillery, 121; total.
Of the 1,500 soldiers from the city, 813 were natives of the L nited States; 378 were born in Germany; 114 in Ireland; 116 in Sweden and Norway and the remainder were of other nationalities — Canadians, Frenchmen, Englishmen, and Scotchmen.
Of the whole number of volunteers, one hundred and twenty-four died that the Union might live. Some of these fell on the tield of honor; others died in hospitals ; others jierished in prison ])ens. Their bodies were scattered from Birch Cot)lic and Redwood, to Mobile and the Caro- linas, and many of them yet lie beneath the lirs and cedars of Minne- sota, as well as under the cypresses and magnolias of the south. I'rom Gettysburg to Wood Lake, from Forts Abercrombie and Ridgely to the S])anish Fort and Blakely. their bones are resting. Some were slain by Indians, others by their own misguided countrymen, and others succunii)ed to disease incident to a life of exposure and privation.
The city exjjended officially, according to a report of H. T. Friend, city clerk, the following amounts in aid of the enlistment fund: Bonds issued to pay bounties to volunteers. $28,550.00: amount borrowed of Messrs. Thompson Brothers, $16,000.00; individual sul)scriptions and payments without taking bonds, $2,754.50; total. $48,304.50.
In addition to this amount, the sum of $30,170.88 was raised by certain committees, as follows: By the Central War Committee. Parker Paine, chairman. $13,947.38; by the First ward committee. $2,309.00; by the Second ward committee. $3.101). 50: by the Third ward cnmmiltce, $3.rio8.oo; by the I-'ourth ward committee, .$3,555.00; by the biftli ward committee, $3,642.00; total $30,170.88.
There was |)aid in the form nf relief furni'-hcd families of volun-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 139
teers, 837,568.55, and a special appropriation made and paid July 22, 1862, of $1,500. The relief paid was by years as follows: In 1861, $i,i66.go; in 1862, $6,920.15; in 1863, $12,116.50; in 1864, $11,535; in 1865, $5,830. In the aggregate of these three items was $117,543.93. Paid by the city authorities to aid enlistments, $48,304.50; raised by central war and ward committees, $30,170.88. relief furnished soldiers' families $37,568.55; special appropriation July 22, 1862, $1,500, making a total of $117,543.93."
"There are no doubt other charges embraced in the amount stated as paid," said the city clerk, "sufficient to swell the above to over $120,000."
It will be seen therefore, that in the war for the Union, St. Paul did her whole duty. She sent 1,500 of her men to battle, nearly three- fourths of her voters at the beginning of the contest, and she contri- buted to them and their destitute families an average amount of $20 for every man, woman and child in the city. This, of course, does not include the amounts privately expended by the charitable and patriotic, which cannot be even estimated. St. Paul may well be proud of her rec- ord. Few cities in the Union have as good; none have better.
The returned volunteers resumed their places in the business and professional life of the city and were reinforced by hundreds of their comrades from other states, who sought in Minnesota the enlarged opportunities she generously offered. All of them became useful citi- zens and many of them achieved preeminent success in their several spheres. They were recognized by popular favor and advanced to high political positions. In addition to a distinguished list of judges, con- gressmen and senators chosen from among her veterans of the war for the Union, Minnesota points with pride to her ten soldier governors.
Willis A. Gorman, brigadier general, brevet major general. United States \'olunteers.
Henry H. Sibley, brigadier general, brevet major general. United States Volunteers.
Stephen Miller, colonel Seventh Minnesota Infantry, brigadier gen- eral. United States Volunteers.
William R. Alarshall, colonel Seventh Minnesota Infantry, brevet brigadier general United States \'olunteers.
Horace Austin, captain First Regiment Mounted Rangers, Minnesota \'olunteers.
Cushman K. Davis, first lieutenant Twenty-eighth Wisconsin In- fantry.
Lucius F. Hubbard, colonel Fifth IMinnesota Infantry, brigadier gen- eral. United States Volunteers.
Andrew R. McGill, first sergeant Company D, Ninth Minnesota Infantry.
Knute Nelson, corporal Company B, Fourth Wisconsin Cavalry.
Samuel R. Van Sant, corporal Ninth Illinois Cavalry.
Sp.\nish-American War
True to her precedents and traditions, Minnesota was the first state to respond to the call of the president for volunteers at the beginning of the war with Spain, in April, i8g8. Three regiments, designated as the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth regiments of Minnesota Vol- tmteers, were mobilized at St. Paul, April 29th, and were mustered
140 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
into the United States service May 7th and 8th. The Fifteenth regi- ment was mustered into service July i8th. In total this state furnished 5,315 officers and enlisted men for the volunteer army. At the close of the war the Twelfth and Fourteenth regiments returned to Minne- sota, and were mustered out of service in November. The Fifteenth regiment continued in service until March 27, 1899; and the Thirteenth regiment after more than a year of service in the Philippine Islands, was mustered out October 3, 1899.
One or two regiments of United States Volunteers, formed for ser- vice in the Philippines, were organized at Fort Snelling in 1899. the recruits and officers being drawn from several western states.
Many St. Paul men occupied stations of high command, or respon- sible staff positions, in the forces engaged in the war with Spain, and in the Philippine war which followed. Ex-Governor Lucius F. Hub- bard was appointed by President McKinley a brigadier general of vol- unteers and commanded a division of troops mobilized in Florida for the invasion of Cuba.
Moreover, in all the legislation and diplomacy connected with this great history-making epoch, Minnesota had a conspicuous part. Cush- man K. Davis of St. Paul, chairman of the senate committee on foreign relations, and the trusted adviser of president and cabinet, stood in the innermost focus of events and wisely directed them. He wrote the declaration of war ; he formulated the statement of principles on which it was justified; he helped guide the government through the diplomatic entanglements with other nations which at times threatened interfer- ence : he was the leading member of the commission which negotiated the Treaty of Paris, and restored peace with such an augmentation of national power and prestige as never before came to this or any other republic.
CHAPTER XIV
THE INDIAN WAR OF 1862-3
St. Paul, the Center of Activities — First Indian Attacks — ^"Little Crow" Chosen Leader — Fort Ridgely Attacked — Irish-Ameri- cans Take the Field — Fort Ridgely Disaster and Relief — Attack on New Ulm Repulsed — Terrible Affair at Birch Coolie — Indians Routed at Wood Lake — White Captives Re- leased AND Indian Miscreants Hung — Outbreak Quelled — Property Damages Paid.
When the atrocities of human slavery, the gnawings of political ambition, the fallacies of state supremacy and the madness of seces- sion had culminated in a rebellion that was predestined to afflict the north and devastate the south, the men and women of St. Paul, as of all Minnesota, with one accord remained loyal to the cause of National Union. How nobly they manifested their loyalty was briefly set forth in the preceding chapter.
In the summer of 1862, while St. Paul was resolutely facing the nation's demand for fresh tributes in sending men to the battlefields of Mississippi and Tennessee and Virginia to replace, on the firing lines, her dead and wounded heroes, there came, like a clap of thunder from the cloudless sky, revelations of an added calamity at her very doors which called for new displays of valor and devotion and sacrifice. Like a pack of panthers, the bloody savages had leaped upon the defenseless settlers of the frontier and begun to tear and rend.
The conflict which ensued, involving sieges and battles, long and perilous campaigns covering parts of two years and producing results of the greatest importance, was a war in itself. Many of the incidents of this war were of a magnitude that would have commanded world- wide attention and would have been embalmed in the nation's history, had they not been overshadowed by the tremendous game that was being enacted on a vastly broader field, with the salvation of the Union and the hopes of humanity as the priceless stake.
St. P.\ul, the Center of Activities
This great Indian war, in all its phases, was handled and directed at St. Paul. This city was the headquarters of the military district. Orders originated here ; campaigns began here ; men and supplies started here ; everything centered here ; hence all that occurred in connection with the war was of primary interest here and became a legitimate feature of our local annals. This city may truthfully say of the Indian war of 1862-3 • "''^11 o^ 't I saw and much of it I was !"
141
142 ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY
Several thousand Sioux Indians were living on reservations near the headwaters of the Minnesota River. Since the middle of June they had been assembled at the Redwood agency to receive their annual pay- ment. This money had been delayed in reaching St. Paul from the east. It ammounted to $70,000 in gold and finally arrived, was hurried on to the agency, but came one day too late. The Indians, hungry and im- patient, readily listened to bad advisers and became much inllamcd.
As usual, small detachments of soldiers had been sent to the agency to preserve order. These consisted of fifty men from Fort Ridgely under Capt. John S. IMarsh and fifty from Fort Ripley under Lieut. T. J. Sheehan, all from the Fifth Minnesota Infantry. In spite of pre- cautions, however, the Indians on .August 4th raided the agency store- houses and confiscated a quantity of jirovisions. The agent and the missionaries quieted the tuniult and apix'ircntly secured safe i^ledges
E.\Ri.Y ST. p.\UL crnzi:x, old hkts. dor.v 1796 Saved Lives of Many Wliites During Indian Massacre.
of good behavior, until the money, now hourly expected, should arrive. .Affairs seemed so secure at the agency that on .\ugust i6th the troops left for their respective posts. But it was only the calm before the cyclone.
First Ixdi.vx Att.\cks
On Sunday, August 17th, a party of four Indians who had been hunt- ing for several days, near .Acton in Meeker county, about thirty miles northeast of the agency, made a pretext for a quarrel with some settlers and fired on an unarmed company at a farm house, killing three men and one woman in cold blood. The four murderers stole horses in the neighborhood and rode, during the night, to their village near the agen- cy, where they boastingly reported their red-handed deed. They fur- thermore urged that as the whole tribe would be held responsible they should unite and exterminate the whites of the state, now weakened by the absence of so many of their fighting men on the southern battle- fields.
A large majority of the Sioux warriors fell in with the plan. They
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 143
armed themselves, and at sunrise on August i8th, the work of death commenced at the lower agency, near Redwood. The first victim was James W. Lynde, clerk in the trading house of Nathan Myrick, and three other persons were killed at the same store. At Forbes' store nearby the clerk, George H. Spencer, was badly wounded, but his life was saved by Chaska, a friendly Indian. jMyrick, Lynde, Forbes and Spencer were St. Paul men.
Other white persons in and near the agency building were killed within a few minutes, and the store houses w^ere pillaged. Thus the war of white extermination and destruction, as the savages fondly hoped it would prove, was auspiciously begun. The delay caused by the plundering operations enabled some of the agency attaches to escape to Fort Ridgely, spreading the alarm as they went.
"Little Crow" Chosen Le.\der
After robbing the stores, the warriors scattered in different direc- tions and continued the carnage with atrocities of cruelty too shocking for recital. Joined by other warriors as the news spread, to the number of about 300, the Indians went through all the settlements for miles up and down the Minnesota river, burning houses, killing or stealing farm animals and murdering all the people except a few young white women, whom they retained as captives. The hostiles had chosen Little Crow, formerly chief of the Kaposia band of Sioux and born near "Pigs Eye," as their leader. Indians and half breeds who remained true to the whites and saved many lives were John Otherday, Chaska, Gabriel Ren- ville, Crawford, Two Stars, Little Paul, Lorenzo, Lawrence, Taopi and others.
As fast as swiftly riding messengers could carry the tidings down the valley, the towns along the Minnesota river were apprised of their danger. The report reached St. Peter during the night of August i8th, with the intimation that the savages were marching on New Ulm. With one accord the people turned to their townsman, Charles E. Flandrau, a judge of the state supreme court and former Indian agent, for coun- sel and leadership. Judge Flandrau promptly organized a force of over 100 men and marched to New Ulm, reaching there during the night of August i8th, where he had command of the defense during the subse- quent days of suffering and terror.
By the evening of August 19th, the news had reached St. Paul. Governor Ramsey went at once to Mendota, called on Gen. H. H. Sib- ley and secured his consent to take command of all the troops in the state and proceed to the rescue of the imperiled people of the western settlements. The city was again aroused. Every man became a soldier of some sort. Even the mayor did service as a scout and courier. Within twenty-four hours the city's volunteers were on their way to Fort Ridgely and New Ulm, and the fair fields of Meeker and Brown counties, now strewn with the mangled corpses of men, women and children.
Fort Ridgely Att.\cked
In a day or two the most appalling rumors reached the city. The Indians were sweeping everything before them. Little Crow had as- sured his followers that if they captured Fort Ridgely, they should pass the winter in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and Fort Ridgely was being
144 ST. PAUL AND MCINITY
assailed by a formidable force. There was a great scarcitj- of arms and amiinition in St. Paul, and many believed the city to be in immi- nent peril. On the 22d Governor Ramsey felt impelled to issue a proc- lamation assuring the people that St. Paul was not in danger. "The capital of the state is not in danger" said he. "The scene of the tirst murders at .Acton, .Meeker county, is eighty miles distant. The present scene of conflict, at Xew L'lm and Fort Ridgely, is by the course of the valley of the .Minnesota, about two hundred miles distant. If the Chip- pewas rise, which is doubtful, their agency at Crow Wing, is one hun- dred and fifty-three miles distant."
Ikish-.Vmeric.\ns Take tiif. Field
The organization of troops and their departure for the scene of hostilities went on. The two companies of Irish-.Americans, the "Cor- coran Guards," Captain O'Connor, and the "Sarsfield Guards," Captain John Grace, took the field about the 25th of August, and near the same time a home guard and night patrol composed of citizens was organized. The latter part of the month and the first week of September detach- ments left the city almost every day to join General Sibley's expedition. The citizens were busily employed in outfitting the volunteers, provid- ing for their families, and caring for the fugitive citizens from the hostile districts who began to arrive in large numbers. All the towns to the westward wer^ overwhelmed with the families of fleeing settlers, many sick and all destitute.
On August 24th there were 3,000 refugees at St. Peter and as many at Mankato, with smaller villages crowded in proportion. .Much of this sur])lus rapidly drifted to St. Paul.
Meantime the handful of brave soldiers nearest the .scene of conflict were doing their full duty in stemming the red tide of massacre, until help could come. On the morning of .August i8th. only three hours after the outbreak at Redwood agency. Fort Ridgely. twelve miles dis- tant received the startling news. Captain Marsh, Company B, Fifth Minnesota Infantry, in command, at once sent a courier to recall Lieu- tenant Sheehan, Company C, who had left the day before, on his re- turn to Fort Ripley, with his detachment. He also sent to Major Gal- braith, the Indian agent, who had started for St. Peter, en route to Fort Snelling, with fifty recruits known as the Renville Rangers, asking their immediate return.
Fort Ridgely Disaster and Relief
After sending these messengers. Captain Marsh left for the Redwood agency, with forty-four men on foot. Arriving at the ferry opposite the agency, where he fouml nine dead bodies, he was met by fleeing refugees who warned him against an ambuscade. I'.ut he underesti- mated his i)eril. and while seeking means of crossing the river, his men standing in line on the bank, more than three hundred Indians, con- cealed in the surrounding thickets, poured a volley into them. Xearly half of 'Marsh's men fell dead or mortally wounded at the first fire. In the retreat which followed Captain Marsh was drowned crossing the river and only thirteen survivors reached Fort Ridgely that night, a few additional men, slightly wounded, arriving later.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 145
These survivors found the post already crowded with panic-stricken fugitives from the surrounding county. .\1I night tliese poor settlers ar- rived from every direction, many of them wounded, having left portions of their families murdered, and their homes in flames. In every direction the sky was reddened with the light of burning houses. It was a night of terror and despondency.
At lo o'clock on the morning of the 19th, those assembled at Fort Ridgely were gladdened beyond measure by the return of Lieutenant Sheehan and his command, who, on being overtaken the evening before by the messenger sent out to recall them, had made a forced march of sixteen hours. Lieutenant Sheehan at once assumed command of the post, and in connection with Sergeant John Jones, of the regular army, post ordnance sergeant, took eltective measures to put the fort in a defensible condition. All the civilians who were fit for duty were armed, or put on guard, and even the women were employed making cartridges and running bullets. No attack was made that day, however, although the Indians were seen watching the fort. The warriors were busy attack- ing New Ulm. About noon on Monday, the messengers and guard in charge of $70,000 in gold, the delay of which had caused all this havoc, arrived at the fort and remained there during the siege.
The expected attack on Fort Ridgely came at 3 P. M., on the 20th, when five hundred Indians, who had been concealed in the wooded ra- vines adjacent, suddenly advanced with fierce yells and a volley of balls which killed two of the soldiers. The fire was returned with musketry and Sergeant Jones" three pieces of artillery with such spirit that the savages withdrew, after keeping up a desultory fire for several hours. The next dav determined attacks were made by the Indians at 9 A. M., and 6 P. M., wliich were also repulsed, each engagement lasting a full hour.
At noon on August 22d, Little Crow, having been heavily reinforced, made his most determined and furious assault on the worn and wearied garrison, encumbered with five hundred refugees, many of whom were sick or wounded. The defenders fought manfully, sending a storm of canister and of rifle balls into the ranks of the savages and driving them back time after time. For five hours the battle raged fiercely, and about dark the fire ceased and during the night the Indians withdrew, and being joined by about 1,000 warriors from the lower agency, started down the river to besiege New Ulm.
Attack on New Ulm Repulsed
That town then became the theatre of active operations and the scene of another strenuous contest. New LUm was located on the south bank of the Minnesota river, eighteen miles below Fort Ridgely and thirty miles by land from St. Peter. It contained about 1,500 inhabitants, mostly Germans. On Monday, August i8th, fugitives commenced coming in with panic-breeding tales of butchery. Preparations were made for defense, but many of the more timid people fled down the river.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the 19th the Indians appeared, but their attack was repulsed by a few armed citizens, soon reinforced by the advance guard sent from St. Peter by Judge Flandrau. In this en- counter five or six citizens were killed and seven houses were burned. At 9 o'clock in the evening, Flandrau arrived with his hundred resolute
Vol. I- 10
146 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
men — swelled within the next two days to 325 armed citizens, turned sol- diers for the emergency.
The efl'orts of the Indians being concentrated during the ensuing few days in the attack on Fort Ridgely, Flandrau had leisure to erect barri- cades and otherwise prepare for the vigorous and effective defense of New Ulm which was soon required. At 10 A. M. on the 23d, the Indians appeared in great force on the prairie above the town. They were mount- ed and charged down upon the thin line of whites with such impetuosity as to drive the latter back for some distance, within the circuit of the scattered outlying dwellings they were trying to protect. The savages took possession of these buildings and from them kept up a furious, de- structive fire on Flandrau's men. The enemy, from their greatly superior numbers, were able to surround the town, and to kee|) up a continuous fire from every direction.
Thus the battle became general. It raged fiercely and without cessa- tion all day. There were many thrilling episodes of persof!al daring, of wounds or death and hair-breadth escape. The defenders were obliged to draw in their lines, and in so doing, to burn many houses in order that they might not afford shelter to the enemy. Including those burned by the Indians. lyo Iniildings were destroyed — only about 25 remained standing, and around these the fight was kept up. After dark the firing was sus- pended and as it turned out, discontinued. Ten Indians were left dead within reach of the whites, and many more were killed and removed; of the defenders ten were killed and fifty wounded.
The attack was renewed on the morning of the 24th, but not vigorously and before noon the Indians withdrew. They went up the river road, driving a long train of horses and cattle and wagons loaded with the plunder of the settlements they had made desolate. On the 25th the sur- vivors, including all the inhabitants as well as Flandrau's forces, evacuated New I'lm and went to Mankato.
Sibley started from Fort Snelling .\ugust 20tli. with four com- panies of the Sixth Minnesota, three hundred men, as the nucleus of his relief expedition. The other six companies joined him at St. Peter on the 23rd. Companies of horsemen were formed at St. Paul and rode forward, night and day. On the 26th. Sibley, with a total of 1,400 men marched from St. Peter for Fort Ridgely, at which post they arrived on the 2Sth, encountering no enemy on the way.
Terriblic Aff.mr of Ijircii Coolie
While waiting at Fort Ridgely for supplies and equipment. Gen- eral Sibley sent out, on August 31st, a detachment to make observa- tions, bury dead bodies and rescue fugitives, if found. This detach- ment consisted of Company A, Sixth .Minnesota Infantry. Captain Joseph Anderson's company of mounted rangers, and a detail of twenty men as a burial party, all commanded by Captain 1 liram P. Grant of the first named company, who survived for many years and was a lead- ing merchant in St. Paul. The expedition encamped for the night, forming a circular "corral" of wagons, with men and horses inside, near the head of Birch Coolie. It was not supposed that Indians were then near. I'ut just before daylight, Sciitember 2nd, a sentry fired at a moving object, which proved to be an Indian.
Captain Grant gave this gra])hic account of what followed: "Other Indians raised themselves enough to be seen. Several of the guard
ST. PAUL AXD MCIXITY 147
fired. The Indians gave their war-whoop and rushed toward the camp. They did not fire until within eight or ten rods, intending to make a sure thing of us by shooting us down as we came out of our tents, ^ly company came out and started to form in fine. I gave the order to break to right and left, get behind the wagons and commence firing. Our horses had received most of the bullets up to this time and as they fell our men lay down behind them. After one hour's fighting we had driven the Indians all back to long range, but it had been at fearful cost. Already twenty-two of our men were dead or mortally wounded. Sixty more had received serious or slight wounds. One-lialf of our whole force was killed or wounded. Eighty-five horses were dead, leaving only two alive. As soon as we had forced the Indians back I put every man I could spare digging and throwing up breastworks. We had nothing but our bayonets to dig with, but by noon we had our- selves pretty well intrenched, making use of our dead soldiers and horses to help our breastworks.
"The cartridges running low I had 3,000 extra ones brought from the wagon and commenced distributing them, when we discovered that the ordnance officer had give us fi2-caliber for 58-caliber rifles. Im- mediately I put the men to work whittling down the balls to the size of our rifles, and now gave orders not to fire except when necessary.
"In the early morning of September 2nd, General Sibley, at Fort Ridgely, hearing the firing at our camp, although sixteen miles away, promptly ordered Colonel McPhail to take three companies of the Sixth Infantry, three companies of his mounted men, in all two hundred and forty men, together with a section (two guns) of Captain Hendrick's battery, and to make a forced march to our relief. At our camp all was quiet; occasionally a stray bullet came into camp. At four o'clock, we saw a commotion among the Indians. In a few moments our hearts felt glad, for McPhail's command hove in sight about two miles across the coolie. I gave orders to fire a few shots to let them know that we were still alive. The Indians fired perhaps twenty shots at long range towards McPhail's command, when that officer retired and encamped.
"On September 3rd, early, we discovered large bodies of Indians southwest and north of us, circling around and closing up nearer, when an Indian came riding toward us waving a wlrite flag. He rode to within twenty rods, and held a conversation with my interpreter. He said the Indians had been largely reenforced during the night; that we stood no show to resist them any longer; that no quarter would be given after capture, but that any mixed bloods in the camp who would come out before the charge, would be safe. The mixed-bloods promptly decided to stay with us, and hostilities were resumed.
"But very soon a big Indian came riding out of the woods yelling to the others and my interpreter said he told them there were three miles of white men coming. This made our hearts beat with joy. At daybreak, the relief, marching by flank, was seen by this Indian, and he hastened to report that three miles of white men were coming. We now saw that the great body of Indians was crossing the coolie toward where General Sibley was coming. About that time the command came in sight, moved further up the coolie, crossed over and relieved us, without loss of another life. The sight that met our rescuers — the eighty-seven dead horses ; twenty-two dead soldiers ; the sixty wounded soldiers, who had been nearly forty-eight hours without food, water, or sleep ; the stench from dead horses — was a scene of horror long to be
148 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
remembered. The wounded were placed in wagons, and the command started for Fort Ridgely, where we arrived about eight o'clock that evening."
The battle of Birch Coolie, the most spectacular and important of the Minnesota Indian war, has been fitly commemorated by a splendid monument erected by the state on a commanding eminence a short dis- tance from the battlefield. Probably the combined conflicts in all the "Colonial Wars" of the seventeenth century, with which we are so proud to have our New England ancestry identified, fail to exhibit more creditable displays of daring, endurance, wealth of resource and willing sacrifice than were shown by these youthful volunteers on this memorable occasion.
.•\mong the St. Paul men who lost their lives at Birch Coolie were: Benjamin S. Terry, Fred S. Beneken, George Colter, William M. Cobb, William Irvine. William Russell, John CoUedge, H. Whetsler, Robert Baxter and Robert Gibbins. The "bodies of these men were afterwards disinterred and brought to St. Paul, where they were buried witli ap- propriate honors.
.After the battle of Birch Coolie, General .^ibley remained .some days at Fort Ridgely, gathering supplies and perfecting his organization, meantime keeping u]) a correspondence through friendly Indians with Little Crow, looking to the safety and the final rescue of several hundred captive whites, mostly women and children, who remained in the In- dian camp, near Yellow Medicine.
The war department now created a military district embracing Min- nesota and Dakota and assigned Major General John Pope to the com- mand. He established headquarters at St. Paul on September I2th, but wisely left General Sibley in full control of operations at the front.
Indi.\ns Routkd .\t Wood L.xke
On September i8th, Sibley left Fort Ridgely with his troops in pursuit of the Indians. On the morning of September 2T,rd. while en- camped near Wood Lake, the Indians suddenly attacked the force. The Renville Rangers were thrown out and met the enemy bravely. Major Welch soon had the Third Regiment in line, and they poured steady volleys into the advancing line of Indians, as did also the Sixth Regi- ment, under Major McLaren. The fight then became general. Lieu- tenant Colonel W. R. Marshall charged the enemy with three companies of the Seventh and Company \ of the Sixth, and put them to rout. The battle had lasted and hour and a half. Our loss was four killed and fifty wounded.
WiiiTK Captives Released .\nd In'di.vn Miscre.vnts Hl-ng
The friendly and repentant faction among the Indians had not joined in the attack at Wood Lake, but remained in their camp. By this means they gained complete control of the white captives when the hostiles fled after the fight. They were located opposite the mouth of the Chii^pewa river, at a point named by our men "Camp Release." -Sibley without delay visited the Indians and dcnianded the captives. They were at once produced, nearly two hundred and fifty in number. Many wept with joy at their release; others had grown alm<ist indifferent. These poor people, mostly women and children, were sent as soon as
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 149
possible to their friends, if the latter were still living. The Indians who had given themselves up were at once placed under guard until they could be examined as to their guilt. During the next few days a number came in and gave themselves up, and some smaller parties were captured by our troops under Lieutenant Colonel Marshall, so that our forces soon had over 2,000 Indian warriors in their hands.
Meantime Little Crow and the still hostile Indians had retreated into Dakota, and before winter reached Devil's lake, where they remained until the next season. Of the captured Indians, 303 were found guilty of murder and rape and were condemned to death by a military court martial. Of this number 265 were reprieved by President Lincoln, and the remainder, thirty-eight of the most prominent engaged in the massacre, were hung in Alankato on the 26th of December, 1862.
OuTBRE.vK Quelled
The next year the general government authorized an expedition against the Indians who had escaped to the Dakota plains, because of their constant raids in small squads on the frontiers of the state, for the purpose of horse-stealing and marauding upon adventurous settlers, who might risk going back to their abandoned farms. General H. H. Sibley commanded this expedition, which consisted entirely of Minne- sota troops. After two decisive encounters, the Indians retreated be- yond the Missouri river, and in 1864 another expedition was sent for- ward and a final settlement of the Sioux outbreak was accomplished, by the confiscation and surrender of the ponies and arms of most of the bands hostile to the government.
In October, 1863, the Sibley expedition to the Missouri river hav- ing returned to Fort Snelling, the Seventh, Ninth and Tenth regiments of Minnesota Infantry were relieved from duty in this military district and left for St. Louis, going thence to the firing lines of the armies of the Union, still battling against secession.
Property Damages Paid
The Sioux Indians engaged in the massacre of 1862 were the tribes that had made the cession of lands in 1851. Under these treaties the government had set aside a trust fund of several millions of dollars, from which there was paid annually the sum of $150,000. Settlers who had lost property urged their claims for indemnity, and congress authorized a commission to receive all claims and investigate the facts. The commission established headquarters in St. Paul, and carefully examined all the claims presented. The total number filed was 2,940, with damages amounting to $2,458,795.16. The commission allowed 2,635 claims, and cut down the damages to $1,370,374. By act of con- gress these claims were paid, and the annuities and all further payments to the tribes were stopped. The state was also reimbursed for extra- ordinary expenses incurred during the period of insurrection.
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CHAPTER XV
ST. PAUL THE CAPITAL CITY
Imposing Physique — St. Paul Under Many Jurisdictions — Terri- torial Capitols — New State Capitol — State Officers and Government — Ramsey's Prophecy More Than Fulfilled.
That St. Paul was the foreordained and natural capital of a north- western empire is seen in the fact that the chiefs of the Indian tribes which inhabited this region had for many years been accustomed to meet in council annually at the "Great Cave" where, in 1767, they conferred with Jonathan Carver. Despite numerous efforts to displace it, the capital' still remains within rifle-shot of Carver's Cave. The professional agitator for removal, who chewed his annual legislative whetstone and grumbled his defiance through broken teeth, is dead and forgotten ; but the white-domed state house, clothed in a beauty and glory of which he never dreamed, monumentalizes an eternal interfusion of the metropolis with the seat of government. Esto perpetua !
Imposing Physique
St. Paul bears the physical seal and impress of a capital city. There is something royal and dominating in its physiognomy. This imposing individualitv of physical form and feature has imprinted itself legibly on the social and business character of the city. St. Paul was a metropolis when it had a population of but 5,000, as contradistinguished from other cities which remain villages when they have a population of 100,000. There was a certain air of conscious primacy about it in its early days, but it had something besides a prophetic faith in its own destiny. It had the men to work it out. The capital city is to the metropolis what the university is to the college. It is the assemblage of all the centers of specialized and organized human activity.
That St. Paul had all the rudimental attributes of a capital and a metropolis early in its history, was due to the character of its founders, of those who were attracted to it in its formative period. These were generally men of superior mold, large-hearted and large-brained, many of them accomplished and educated, drawn from different states and countries and sects and schools. They were natural leaders of men — in business, in politics, in the professions, in social life. They set the key of its ambitions. They gave it the broad and catholic spirit — the many-sided character which it has since differentiated in its more com- plex forms of social organization. They are succeeded by men well equipped for carrying on the work they so nobly inaugurated in those toilsome, primitive days.
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152 ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY
That the Empire state of the new northwest, of which St. Paul is the political capital to say nothing of vast tribuary regions bevond the limits of the state, is capable of nurturing a great commercial metrojjolis, later chapters of the present work will abundantly demonstrate. The area of .Minnesota is 84,287 square miles, equal to 54,000,000 acres. There are 2,796 miles of navigable rivers. The headwaters in Minne- sota flow north to Hudson's bay; south to the Gulf of Mexico and east to Lake Superior. The sources of the Minnesota which flows to the gulf, and the Red river of the North, which empties into Hudson's Bay, are but one mile ajjart.
St. Paul Under j\L\xy Jurisdictions
Occupying tracts of land that lie on both sides of the Mississippi river, St. Paul enjoys the distinction of a double parentage, being the offspring of the territory of the northwest and the Louisiana purchase. The district east of the Mississippi river descended from the former, and that west of the Mississippi from the latter. The northwest terri- tory originally extended from the Atlantic coast in \irginia to the Mis- sissippi river, including the territory north of the Ohio river. The "Louisiana purchase" extended north from the Gulf of Mexico to the British line, west of the Mississippi. There are but two states through which the great "Father of Waters" passes, viz., Louisiana at the mouth and Minnesota at the source of the river.
In the development of the country, the territory of St. Paul became subject to many different jurisdictions; that part east of the Mississippi river, as follows:
First — Territory of the Northwest, 1787. Second — Territory of Indiana, 1800. Third — Territory of Michigan, 1805. Fourth — Territory of Wisconsin. 1836. Fifth — Territory of Minnesota, 1849. Sixth — State of Minnesota, 1858.
That part west of the Mississippi:
First — Province of Louisiana. 1803. Second — Territory of Indiana, 1804. Third — Territory of Louisiana, 1805. Fourth — Territory of Missouri, 1812. Fifth — Territory of Michigan, 1818. Sixth — Territory of Wisconsin. 1836. Seventh — Territory of Iowa. 1838. Fighth — Territory of Minnesota, 1849. Ninth — State of Minnesota, 1858.
TliRKITORI.M. C.vriTOLS
General H. H. Sil)ley, who located at Mendota just outside the pres- ent limits of St. Paul and west of the river in 1834. says: "1 was suc- cessively a citizen of Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota terri- tories, without changing my residence at Mendota."
The capital presu|>poses a capitol — an edifice wherein is housed the executive authority, the legislative council and the tribunal of justice.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 153
The Indians assembled at Carver's Cave; perhaps the cave dwellers did in the stone age; also their successors, the mound builders who erected at our Mounds Park adjacent their beacon towers or forts or mauso- leums, as the case may be — now turf and tumuli. When Governor Ram- sey came in 1849 ^'^ organize the territory of Minnesota, he and his con- freres established a capitol pro tem, sitting on trunks and beds in a room at the St. Paul House, (now the Merchants Hotel) while writing the proclamation of June ist. The next temporary capitol was the Central House, corner Minnesota and Second streets. The hall of representa- tives and the territorial secretary's office were on the first floor; the library and council chamber, on the second.
Pending the erection of the first territorial capitol the executive of- fices were located and the legislative sessions were held in various build- ings in St. Paul, often contracted and inconvenient for the transaction of public business. The first actual capitol occupied by the governor July 21, 1853, and by the legislature at its fifth session January 4, 1854, cost $31,222.65, which was paid by the United States.
This capitol became the property of the state, when admitted in 1858, and remained practically unaltered until 1873. In the legislature of that year a bill was introduced appropriating $15,000 for the addi- tion of a southerly projection, to provide rooms for newly created offi- cials. Upon George Benz and Henry A. Castle, the two Republican members from Ramsey county, fell the burden of getting this bill, re- garded as a distinctly "'local measure," passed in face of the united op- position of Hennepin county. In the midst of the struggle Frederick Douglass, the colored orator, came to St. Paul to deliver a lecture and was refused entertainment at the leading hotels. A resolution was at once presented in the legislature providing for the removal of the capitol to Kandayohi county, and came near being adopted. But delay was secured, the excitement died out, the removal scheme was abandoned, and just as the session closed the appropriation for capitol extension was granted by a narrow margin. The addition was built during the en- suing summer, with some changes in the roof and cupola of the old building.
Old Capitol Burned
In 1878 an addition of considerable dimensions was made to the Wabasha street wing. The structure, thus enlarged from the capitol of 1853, stood until the first of March, 1881, when during an evening ses- sion of the legislature the building caught fire from some unknown cause and was burned to the ground.
Mayor Dawson at once tendered to Governor Pillsbury the use of the St. Paul Market House, just completed at Seventh and Wabasha streets, for temporary capitol purposes. It was accepted ; the legislature met in the two halls on the second floor, the day after the fire and on the same day the state officials were installed in rooms on the first floor, where they remained nearly two years.
Plans were made and money provided for a new capitol on the old site. It was erected during the administration of Governor L. F. Hub- bard, and was first occupied by the legislature which met in January, 1883. It cost $275,000; served its purpose for twenty years; still re- mains the property of the state; is now known as "the old capito"!," and accommodates several branches of the state government for which no
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room could be found in the new capitol, located six blocks further up Wabasha street.
New Static Cmmtol
In 1 891 the movement was inaugurated which resulted in the "new capitol" — new, even yet, and beyond all other structures within the limits of the commonwealth the pride of all the people, an honor to the city and the state. A committee of the senate, of which Hon. William B. Dean of St. Paul was chairman, reported February 3, 1893, in favor of a new and creditable building, the cost to be limited to $2,000,000. The bill, after a spirited contest in both houses, finally passed and was
GRAND STAIKW.W AND HOME CORRIDORS
approved l;y the Ciovernor, Knule Nelson, April jth. This forever settled the "capitol removal," issue in Minnesota.
Governor Xelson ajipointed as commissioners for the construction of the building, Cluuuiing Scal)ury of St. Paul, II. W. Lambcrlon of Winona. George A. I)u Toit of Cliaska. John De Laittre of Minne- apolis. C. H. Graves of Duluth. R. E. Corlies of Fergus Falls and F.dgar Weaver of Mankato. Xo public work was ever committed to an abler or more efficient board. Tiie state and the people owe to these men an obligation that can never be paid.
Forty-one iilans were submitted anonymously by architects from many states, and that which by common consent was held to be the best was found to be the work of Cass Gilbert of St. Paul, where he had grown up from boyhood. He was selected as the architect and most nobly
ST. PAUL AXD \TCL\1TY
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has he vindicated the commission's choice. The completed capitol is Mr. Gilbert's enduring monument. It classes him among the great ar- chitects of all ages.
The architectural style of the exterior is Italian Renaissance. The building IS surmounted by a dome of classic proportion, somewhat re- sembling the dome on St. Peter's in Rome. The general plan of build- ing is an oblong, with a wing in the center of the north side. The di- mensions are as follows :
Length over all, not including entrance steps 433 feet
Average width of main portion 120 feet
Width, through central portion, not including steps 228 feet
Height to top of ball on dome from base of steps on south
front elevation 220 feet
Average height of outside walls from grade of terrace 69 feet
Average depth of outside walls from grade of terrace to bot- tom of concrete 14 feet
The corner stone was laid July 2j, 1898, by Hon. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor of Minnesota.
The grounds were laid out in harmony with the general character of the building. Shrubs, vines and flowers are used along the granite terraces to mask and enhance the beauty and artistic effect of these terraces.
The materials used on the exterior of the building are St. Cloud granite in steps, terraces and the ground story, and Georgia marble for the upper stories and dome. The dome is one of the largest masonry domes, and said to be the largest marble dome, in the world. It is self-supporting and not dependent on steel framing, except for the lantern, which rests upon an inner steel and masonry cone independent of the construction of the bell part of the dome. The materials of the state are used very largely in the construction of the building. The general foundations are of Winona stone, with Kettle river sandstone for the dome foundations.
The facing of dome corridors, main corridors and dome walls is of Kasota and Mankato stone, being the first instance where this stone has been used in the interior finish of a building. The use of this material was urged by Mr. Gilbert for several years before the quarry owners took any interest in the matter, and then, when samples were polished and tried, experienced men, who had handled it for years, did not recognize the stone from their own quarries. It is thought that in using this stone for interior work a new and important industry has been created in the state. The large granite columns at the second story level of dome on the north and south sides are Ortonville granite, a material resembling in color the antique Egyptian porphyry and fully as handsome. Those on the east and west sides are of Rockville granite.
The spectator's attention is always attracted by the beauty of the marbles used in the building, coming from almost all quarters of the globe. The columns in stair halls are of Breche Violette marble from Italy, and it is understood that these same quarries furnished material used in the ancient works of the Roman Empire. The marble in balustrades is called Skyros marble, from one of the islands in the Greek archipelago. The marble used in the senate chamber is Fleur de Peche (Flower of the Peach ) from France. This marble is considered the handsomest in the building, the colors varying from rich reds, violets and yellows to almost pure white. The bases of marble columns and the lower section of marble at floors in the upper stories is Hauteville marble, imported from France.
156 ST. PAUL AXD XICIXITY
It is used in these places for the reason that its color is in harmony with the -Mankato and Kasota stone and it is almost impervious to moisture and is not easily soiled. The marble columns in the house of representatives and supreme court are from quarries in X'ermunt.
Tiie general wood work of the building is simple, of oak, with but little ornament, mahogany being used in certain places ; the more elaborate por- tions being house, senate and supreme court retiring rooms and governor's reception room, entrance doors to house, senate and supreme court, presid- ing officers' and clerks' desks, house and senate, and judges' bench and rail in supreme court.
The legislative chambers are placed in the second story, with committee rooms adjacent, the senate occupying the west wing, the house the north wing, and the supreme court the east wing. The governor's quarters are in the southwest corner of the west wing, first story. The other stories are given up to the general offices of the stale officials. The house and senate retiring rooms, judges' consultation room, also the cafe, are worthy of note as being among the handsomest rooms in the building.
As to sculpture, the building has not been forgotten. Si.x handsome figures stand over the main cornice of the south entrance, typifying Wis- dom, Courage, Bounty, Truth, Integrity and Prudence, while above the attic of this entrance is a large quadriga in bronze, typifying the Progress of Minnesota, all by Daniel Giester French. Niches in the rotunda and elsewhere have been provided for statues of Minnesota celebrities. Those of Colonels William CoUvil, John B, Sanborn and .Me.xander \\ilkiii have been already installed.
The timbrel vaulting, a peculiar method of laying tile, executed by R. Guastavino Company, has been used in many places throughout the build- ing for support of floors, taking the place of steel beams and tile arch con- struction. The principal points where this construction is used are in the dome corridors and east, west and north corridors, ground and first story, the supports for a portion of the entrance steps and the inner canopy of dome, a portion of the work being exposed, with glazed surface, giving very pleasing effect.
The governor's reception room has a heavily gilded ceiling and cornice, with gray, blue and green in the cove. The elaborate carving and orna- mentation, Venetian in character, which covers the woodwork, is in dull gold, with occasional color accents. This makes a rich setting for his- torical paintings which form a freize above the wainscot.
In all the principal corridors and rooms, as well as in the rotunda, there are a profusion of paintings all of the highest artistic merit. They represent Minnesota history, Minnesota scenery, and the war records of Minnesota regiments, as we'll as allegorical and mythological studies appro- priate to the place. A mere catalogue of these paintings and of the line mural decorations would transcend the limits permissible to this descrip- tion. The names of the artists, Garnsey, La Fargc, Blashtield, W alker, Cox, Millet, \'olk, Pyle and others, are a sufficient guaranty of the qual- ity of the work. ... • ,
On lanuarv 3, 1905, the state legislature convened m the new capitol, a few of 'the state officers having occujiicd their quarters there some davs previously. During the seven years that have since elapsed, this magmh- cent structure has been visited daily by throngs of admiring citizens and strangers who never weary of praising its incomparable beauties. It is, beyond all question, one of the show-places of the nation— yea, of the world !
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As the building progressed and its excellencies were unfolded to the legislative vision, the cost-limit was enlarged at successive sessions with scarcely a shadow of opposition from an)' quarter. The total cost of grounds and building was about $4,340,000, and the universal verdict is that it is abundantly worth all it cost.
State Officers and Government
As the capital city, St. Paul is the official home of all the leading offi- cers of the State government, and, with a very few exceptions, has always been their actual place of residence during their respective terms, while many of them have remained here permanently and engaged in profes- sional or business pursuits after their retirement from office. The elective officials of the executive department consist of a governor, lieutenant gov- ernor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and attorney general, who are chosen by the electors of the state. The constitution of the state provides that these officers shall be elected for two years, except the state auditor, whose term of office is four years.
The duties of the governor are prescribed by the constitution and the laws of the state. The office assistants of the governor are a private sec- retary, executive clerk, executive stenographer and executive messenger. Connected with the executive office is the appointment of notaries public.
The lieutenant governor is e.x officio president of the senate, and has no other duties to perform, except in a protracted absence of the governor from the state he may be called to act, and in case of vacancy in the office he becomes governor during such vacancy.
The secretary of state is the recording officer of the state and the cus- todian of official papers. All the private and public corporations of the state are recorded, and the official bonds of all county officers are filed in this office. He is the custodian of all the volumes of laws and journals and all the legislative records of whatever nature. For the general pur- poses of the office, the clerical force is an assistant secretary, who, in addition to his duties as assistant, is also commissioner of statistics ; a chief clerk, one record clerk, an assistant clerk and a document clerk.
The state auditor has charge of two departments of the government, the auditing department and the land department. The auditing depart- ment is to keep a record of all public accounts, audit claims presented, and issue warrants in payment. These accounts are not only those of the state departments, but include the pay rolls of state institutions, and for the performance of these duties he has a deputy and six clerks. In the land department, of which the auditor is chief, he has the assistance of four clerks specially detailed. The duties of this department are the care and sale of school, university, agricultural college and swamp lands ; the sale of grass, cranberries and maple sugar, and the leasing of mineral lands.
The treasurer is the receiving and disbursing officer of the state, and has the assistance of a deputy treasurer, three clerks and a stenographer to aid in the duties of the office. His duties are defined by law to keep an accurate account of the receipts and disbursements of the treasury. For all payments into the state treasury by county treasurers he issues two receipts, one to the treasurer and the other to the county auditor.
The attorney general is the legal adviser of all the departments of state, and counsel for the state or departments in all suits at law ; he pros- ecutes official bonds of delinquent officers ; prepares forms of contracts ;
158 ST. PAUL AND \ ICl.MTY
• eceives reports of criminal actions in all the counties of the state from the county attorneys, and makes a biennial report to the legislature. The force in the office is two assistant attorney generals and a stenographer.
The supreme court consists of one chief justice and four associate justices, elected by the peojjle. holding office for six years, and until suc- cessors are elected and qualified. Two terms of court are held in each year, commencing on the first Tuesdays of April and October, at the capi- tol in St. Paul. This court has original jurisdiction in such remedial cases as may be prescribed by law, and aiJjjellate jurisdiction in all cases, both in law and equity.
The clerk of the supreme court is an elective officer, the term of office being four years.
The reporter of the supreme court is an officer apiJointcd by the court to prepare the adjudicated cases for publication in official volumes, en- titled "Minnesota Reports."
The active military forces of the state are officially known as the Min- nesota Xational Guard. In the time of peace the National Guard is com- posed of three regiments of infantry and one battalion of arlillerv (the latter includes two batteries of artillery and one company of engineers), formed into one brigade under the command of a brigadier general. The adjutant general is the executive officer of the department and the cus- todian of all records relating to the Xational Guard and to the regiments furnished by this state during the Civil and Spanish wars. Under the governor, who is commander-in-chief, he has general supervision and con- trol of the military forces of the state and of all military pro])erty. It is also the duty of the adjutant general to act as claim agent, without i)ay or compensation, for all citizens of this state having claims against the government of the United States for ]H-iisions, bounty, arrears of jiay, etc.. arising out of military service.
All the innumerable and incessant activities of the state government are directed from the capital city, the executive authority acting through appointive officers, commissions and boards, many of them with deputies or agents in every county or in every township, to carry on tlieir work. The scope of these activities would be necessarily augmented by the growth of the state in [joinilation. wealth and diversity of employments, even had the original, simple governmental ])olicics been adhered to. Hut. in recent years, a marked tendency toward jxiternalistic guardian- ship of the people has found expression in the constant multiplication of agencies for official oversight, until there are now literally hundreds of salaried dejiuties, wardens, rangers, inspectors, etc., charged with the responsibility of guarding and guiding various phases of the jniblic wel- fare.
Among the officials appointed by the governor, as heads of more or less extensive executive departments, are : public examiner and suiierin- tendent of banks; commissioner of insurance; sui)erinteiident of ]nil)lic instruction; dairy and food commissioner; inspector of apiaries; surveyor general of logs and lumber; commissioner of labor; state oil inspector; state librarian; custodian of iniblic ])ro])erty ; chief engineer: forest com- missioner; fire marshal and chief grain insjiector.
.\nd of commissions and boards to whom is committed the oversight of transjjortation or industrial interests, the care of the public health, the management of state institutions, etc., we find the following: railroad commissioners; I'.oard of Control of State Institutions: regents of the State Universitv; directors of State Normal School: State High School
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Board ; directors of School for Deaf and Blind ; directors of State Public School ; trustees of Soldiers' Home ; Board of Examiners in Law ; Board of Health and \'ital Statistics ; Board of Medical Examiners. Board of Pharmacy ; Board of Dental Examiners ; veterinary medical examiners ; examiners of barbers; commissioners of practical plumbing; Horse-shoers Board of Examiners; game and fish commissioners; Board of Electricity; State Historical Society ; State Agricultural Society ; State Horticultural Society ; state commissioners of parks ; State Forestry Association ; State Board of Arbitration ; State Board of Equalization ; State Board of Accounting; state tax commissioners; State Drainage Commission; com- missioners of printing; commissioners of parks; Board of Examiners in Optometry; \'oting Machine Commission; Board of Appeals for Inspec- tion of Grain; Stallion Registration Board; Board of Osteopathic Exam- iners ; Board of Examiners of Nurses ; Live Stock Sanitary Board ; Capitol Grounds Commission ; public library commissioners ; Board of Immigration; State Art Society; Highway Commission; Board of Invest- ment ; Board of Directors of Society for the Preventing of Cruelty ; Board of Pardons ; Commission of Sanitarium for Consumptives ; Board of Woman \'isitors to Girls' Training School.
While the number of officials and commissions had been greatly increased and the ramifications of their activity vastly extended, there was one instance where operations were concentrated, with good results. By the act of April 2, igoi, the governor was empowered to appoint a Board of Control of State Institutions, consisting of three members, whose powers and duties were prescribed in the act. Accordingly on April 3, 1901, the governor appointed such a board, the members to serve respec- tively for six, four and two years and thereupon the board was duly organized. The law provides that the member having the shortest term to serve shall be chairman of the board.
The Board of Control thus established took the place and was charged with the duties of the following named boards, which were abolished : State Board of Corrections and Charities ; Board of Trustees of the Hospitals and Asylums for the Insane; Board of Managers of the State Prison ; Board of Managers of the State Reformatory ; Board of Managers of the State Training School ; Board of Directors of the Min- nesota Institute for Defectives, so far as related to the school for feeble- minded.
Ram^sey's Prophecy More Th.\n Fulfilled
Thus the far-reaching outreach of the state government, with its mul- tiplied and multiplying functions, goes to swell the resources of the Capi- tal City, keeping pace with its commercial expansion, its growth in finan- cial influence and its development along new industrial lines. As the capita! city, its enterprising founders predicted for it a splendid career, and lived to see their prophecies fulfilled. Ex-Governor Alexander Ram- sey said at the Villard banquet in 1893: "The seal of the Territory of Minnesota indicated the attitude of expectation of our pioneers by the representation of a farmer following a plow near the Falls of Saint An- thony, and watching an Indian on horseback moving toward the setting sun, with the motto above, of the house of Dunraven, 'Quo sursum volo videre' — T wish to behold what is beyond.'
"By the conception and completion of the Northern Pacific Railway this expectation is realized. In concluding a message to the legislature of Minnesota in January, 1853, shortly after the Sioux had ceded their lands
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between tlie Mississippi and Missouri, I used words which some thought were not such as St. Paul in his address to a certain governor called 'words of truth and soberness.' Dwellers in the east looked upon the language as that of one mounted on a winged horse, a Pegasus, or as a tyi)e of that 'spread eagleism' of the west. But as I repeat those words tonight thev seem words of truth and soberness, and the ])rediction is more than fulfilled.
■'.Mluding to the cai)ital of .Minnesota, I said: 'Emphatically new and wild ai^peared everything to the viewers from older communities, and not the least novel feature of the scene was the motley humanity partially fill- ing the streets, the Indians with their blankets and painted faces, and the red sashes and moccasins of French Canadian voyageurs, greatly pre- dominating over the less picturcst|ue costume of the Anglo-.^merican race. But even while strangers yet looked, the elements of a mighty change were working, and civilization with its hundred arms, was commencing its resistless and beneficent empire.'
"To my lot fell the honorable duty of taking the initial step in this work, by proclaiming on the ist of June, 1849, the organization of the territorial government of Minnesota, and the consequent extension of the protecting arm of law over these distant regions. The faliled magic of the eastern tale that reared a palace in a single night only can parallel the reality of growth and jirogress. That which is written is written. The life of a short generation will realize it. In our visions of the com- ing time rise up in magnificent proportions one or more capitals of the north, Stockholm and St. Petersburg, with many a town only secondary to these in their trade, wealth and enterprise. Steam on the water, steam on the land, everywhere fills the ear and sight. Railroads intersecting, interlink remotest jjoints. Let some deem these visions impracticable. Alan in the present age disdains the ancient limits to his career ; and in this country epecially all precedents of human progress and growth of states are set aside by the impetuous, yet far-seeing, originality of our fellow-citizens."
COROLL.XRIES OF St. P.WL's PrOMINEKCE
One important corollary of St. Paul's prominence as the capital city, was the fact that her leading citizens were, at all times, conspicuously honored, throughout the State and beyond its borders. Not only were they continuously sought as orators and distinguished guests on all occa- sions of public ceremony at near and distant points, l)ut more enduring honors were spontaneously bestowed, by affixing their names to counties and municipalities. I'robably one hundred cities and towns in Minne- sota bear the names of St. Paul men, and at least tiie following eighteen counties confer a like distinction: Pecker. lirown, Goodhue, Hubl)ard, Jackson, Marshall, -Meeker. Ramsey, Rice, Sherburne. Sibley, Wilkin, Kittson, McLeod, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted and Steele. In addition, a large number of towns and several counties in Iowa, in the two Dakotas and in Montana perpetuate names that are historic in our city's annals.
Of the widely different nature is another corrollarv to the status of St. Paul as the cajiilal city, tiie location here of some highly interesting .State institutions. .Minnesota did not follow the exami)le of some com- monwealths in grouping her educational, benevolent and correctional establishments near the seat of government : she distributed them widelv over her vast expanse. Rut several valuable instrumeTitalities in the exer-
ST. PAUL AND \TCINITY 161
cise of administrative functions, have been assigned a permanent habita- tion at the capital. Among these may be named the State Historical Society, the arsenal, the chemical laboratory, the agricultural college, the fair grounds and the fish hatchery. Only the last named requires special mention here.
About thirty years ago the state purchased a tract of vacant land near Indian ]\Iounds park to be devoted to the cultivation of young fish to replenish the streams and lakes. Several thousand dollars were spent annually in the work. A few wooden buildings were erected and their whitewashed walls had become weather-beaten when two years ago the state decided that an expert in pisciculture should be procured and put in charge of all of the hatcheries. Mr. Cobb, then with the United States government and stationed at Taunton, Mass., was offered the position and he accepted. His first work was to procure an appropriation of $6,000 to be spent on a new hatching house for trout, which were becom- ing scarce in Minnesota. The building was completed in 191 2, and within this house, which, according to Mr. Cobb is the finest of its kind in the country, an average of 4,000,000 young trout may be hatched annually.
The troughs are of galvanized iron, white enameled and capable of containing, until they are big enough to be sent to the various streams, several million young trout. There are 103 of these troughs, and into them, through two three-inch pipes, there pours forth from a spring 400 gallons of sparkling water a minute.
Thus has been inaugurated a new era in the notable enterprise of fish — propagation under state auspices. Minnesota boasts of having the best fishing lakes and streams of any state in the Union and the annual pilgrimage to them each summer is becoming greater. Not many years will go by before the native waters of America will be "fished out," and the last of this fine sport probably will be here, because of the lakes in the big north woods not yet reached by railroads. There are accessible places, however, in the solitude of the woods, easily reached now, which are not surpassed by any game fish waters of America.
Planting approximately 400.000,000 fish fry, propagating them and caring for big game, has cost Minnesota $755,323.64 during the past ten years. One hundred million wall-eyed pike and 4,000,000 brook trout will be distributed throughout the lakes and streams of Minnesota this year to provide amusement for sportsmen. These are some of the achievements of a very valuable public institution, which helps to signalize and distin- guish St. Paul as the Capital City ! ,
CHAPTER XVI
POLITICS AND POLITICIANS
Early Issues — Prohibitiox and the Referendum — Early Poi.iti- CL\NS AND Personal Contests — Founders of Minnesota Rail- roads— Fight Over Visit of Douglas — Gubernatorial Personal- ities— Donnelly and Wheelock — "Young Republicans" of the Early Seventies — Famous St. Paul Men — Judicial Honors — A Conviction from Wide Observation.
When national issues have been involved, St. Paul has always been a storm-center of political discussion, intrigue and ambition— a necessary incident of its functions as capital city. It could be non-partisan when self-interest clearly dictated that course. But that contingency seldom arose, although it had an early and exemplary object lesson in that re- gard. The act authorizing the creation of Minnesota territory was ap- proved March 3, 1849, ^t the close of the Democratic administration of President James K. Polk. He might have appointed the first staff of territorial officials from among his party friends, but he refrained and left the appointments to his \Vhig successor. President Zachary Taylor, who gave us Alexander Ramsey and his worthy colleagues. What a difference this act of political self-effacement made in the subsequent history of the city and the commonwealth!
The earliest elections were non-partisan. At his first elections, H. H. Sibley was the unanimous choice for delegate in congress. At the first town election for St. Paul, Dr. Thomas R. Potts, a brother-in-law of Sibley, was unanimously chosen as president of the town council, an office equivalent to that of mayor.
Early Issues
The first session of the territorial legislature brought out no fac- tional or partisan antagonisms of serious moment. But the second ses- sion, which convened January 2, 1831, was marked by intense acrimony and excitement between those of opposite views. Indeed at this late date it is almost impo.ssible to conceive the bitter feelings of hatred that stirred the breasts of the people at this period. Calm and dispassionate discussion was impossible, personal threats took the jilace of argument, and the fiercest passions of humanity blazed at a white heat. It required the lapse of many years to eradicate these angry feelings from the minds of many. One of the principal causes of this unwonted state of affairs was the attempt made to remove the capitol. This was compromised by giving Stillwater the penitentiary and St. Anthony the university, both of wiiich places had striven hard to get the capitol buildings lo-
162
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cated within their respective boundaries. The fires were not dead, how- ever, but only slumbering, and it required but a light breeze to fan the embers into flames. The apportionment question furnished the requisite wind, and the struggle over the election of territorial printer added to the flames.
Another topic of heated discussion was furnished by the personal encounter which took place between J. M. Goodhue and Joseph Cooper. It was caused by some severe strictures from the pen of Goodhue pub- lished in the Pioneer. The article was a savage attack upon "absentee office holders," and the language used was the reverse of polite. His chief diatribes were leveled against Colonel ^litchell and Judge Cooper, the latter then being in Washington. Judge Cooper he stigmatized as everything vile. Joseph Cooper, the brother of the judge, naturally resented such abuse as Goodhue had indulged in, and on the first meet- ing of the two men a fight ensued in which knives and pistols were drawn. Both were severely though not fatally wounded, Goodhue re- ceiving a stab in the abdomen and in the back, and Cooper a shot from Goodhue's pistol. In an after issue of his paper Goodhue claimed that it w'as a conspiracy on the part of his enemies to murder him for polit- ical revenge.
Goodhue's death, at a comparatively early age August 5, 1852, was, by many, attributed to the wound received in this affray. Rev. E. D. Neill said of him: "With an intellect as vigorous and elastic as a Dam- ascene blade, he penned editorials which the people of this territory can never blot out from memory. His wit, when it was chastened, caused ascetics to laugh. His sarcasm upon the foibles of society was paralyz- ing. When in the heat of partisan warfare, all the qualities of his mind were combined to defeat certain measures, the columns of his paper were like a terrific storm in midsummer in the Alps." Of one of his pet aversions in Minnesota politics, Goodhue wrote: "A returned traveller tells us that he visited all the renowned picture galleries of Europe ; that in them he saw over 200 portraits of Judas Iscariot; that no two of them looked alike, but they all looked like ."
Prohibition and the Referendum
In 1852 an event occurred that involved two matters which after- ward became, and to an extent are still political issues, to wit : Prohibi- tion and the Referendum. The legislature of that year enacted a string- ent liquor law w-hich made it a penal offence to manufacture, sell or have in possession, any description of alcoholic liquor, and all liquor found in the territory was to be confiscated and destroyed. Liquor dealers, also, were prohibited from sitting as jurymen. The law, however, was not made operative until voted on by the people ; and on April 5th, the date of election, the law was ratified by vote of 853 to 662. Ramsey county gave 528 for and 496 against the act. The commissioners of Ramsey county ignored the law. and issued licenses as before. In other places it was enforced. The opponents of the measure being of opinion that the law could be successfully contested, took an early opportunity of bringing the matter into the courts. The decision of the supreme court, delivered by Judge H. Z. Hayner on a test case, was that the act was void. His declaration was based on the ground that the organic act vested legislative powers solely in the governor and assembly ; that they had no power to delegate their authority to the people; that the act
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in question was an alicnipi at such transfer of power, and was conse- quently null and void.
Early Politicians and Personal Contests
One of the early political luminaries of St. I'aul was William 1). Philliiis of Maryland, who was the first district attorney of Ramsey county, being elected in 1849. On one occasion an o]3])osing attorney, who had very recently arrived in the territory, in the trial of a cause cited a section of the statutes against him, and endeavored to put a construction upon it which Phillips controverted. In the discussion which followed, the new attorney made some classical allusion in which the name of Cicero or Demosthenes occurred. .Mr. Phillips in replying, became very much excited, and, rising in a flight of eloquence, said: "The gentleman may be a classical scholar. He may be as eloquent as Demosthenes. He has ]irobably ripi)ed with old luiripides. soaked with old Socrates, and canted with old Cantharides, but gentlemen of the jury, what does he know about the laws of Minnesota?"
Strangely enough, at the first term of court held in St. Paul, the first indictment found was against Mr. Phillips for an assault with intent to maim. He was found guilty and fined twenty-five dollars. The trial disclosed that Mr. Phillips in an altercation with the prosecuting witness, drew a pistol on liim, and the question was whether the pistol was loaded or not. The witness swore that it was, and that he could see the load. The jjri.soner, as the law then stood, could not testify in his own behalf and there was no way for him to disprove this fact. He, however, always felt very much aggrieved at the verdict against him, and explained the assertion of the witness that he saw the load in this way: Mr. Phillijis said he had been around electioneering for H. M. Rice, against Mr. Sibley, and from the unsettled state of the country he found it difficult to get his meals regularly. So he carried crackers and cheese in his !)ockets. and the ])istol being in the same jiocket, a piece of the cracker got into the muzzle of the pistol, and the fellow was so scared that he thought the ])istol was charged to the brim.
The contest between H. M. Rice and H. H. Sibley, both Democrats, for territorial delegate to congress, introduced the first important polit- ical contest that Minnesota had witnessed. It began a feuci between the respective partisans of the two candidates which lasted several years and afFecled many contests for local offices. Mr. Sibley won the prize every two years until 1852, when Rice succeeded him, serving as delegate until the state was admitted, then l)ecoming United States senator for six years. The old fur-trading rivalries of the two companies long rejiresented by the candidates were said to have entered into their poli- tical controverse, a circumstance which afforded much food for mirth and sarcasm to the Reiiuiilicans.
An unique political figure for a long period was Morton S. Wilkin- son, a native of New 'S'ork who came to .Stillwater in 1S4- and later to St. Paul. He was a man of great natural ability and brilliancy. .\s an advocate he had few equals. His ligure was tall and commanding; his features thin, marked and intellectual. I le filled many positions of honor and trust, and always with ability and tidelity. He was register of deeds of Ramsey county, and served in both branches of the state legislature : he was United States senator and member of the house of rejirescntatives from Minnesota; he practiced for many years as a mem-
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ber of the Ramsey county bar; lived for some time in Mankato, then removed to Wells, Faribault county, where he died. "Wilk," as he was called, was notoriously helpless in money matters. He once appealed to General Sanborn to indorse his note for three hundred dollars to carry him through a terrible financial stringency. They went to the bank to prepare the note when the cashier said; "Mr. Wilkinson, why do you borrow money? You have had $700 here subject to your check for several months!" The busy lawyer had forgotten his deposit; if it had been an overdraft, he would have been equally oblivious.
Founders of Minnesota Railro.ads
Edmund Rice, mayor, many times member of both branches of the legislature, representative in congress, etc., was one of the most uni- versally popular men ever engaged in our 'politics. He was a native of Vermont, but immigrated to Minnesota from Michigan. Mr. Rice de- voted himself to the practice of the law up to about the year 1856, when the railroad projects of the state began to assume prominence. He took a lively interest in railroad matters from that date, and afterwards de- voted himself to those enterprises, building the first roads ever con- structed in the territory. He was president of several of the leading companies and well deserves to be styled the father of railroads in this state, so far as relates to bringing the system from theory to actual con- struction and operation, while credit for the conception of the system and securing the great land grants, largely belongs to his brother Henry M. Rice, delegate and senator from Minnesota. What these two re- markable men did for the material development of their city and state can only be appreciated by those who witnessed their achievements.
John Esais Warren, of Troy, New York, removed to St. Paul in 1852. Mr. Warren, although an educated lawyer, was more devoted to literature than law. He was the author of a work on Spain, and a book called "Para, or Adventures on the Amazon." He manifested a lively interest in public affairs, and was at one time mayor of St. Paul and United States district attorney of the territory. Mr. Warren, after leaving St. Paul, resided in Chicago, where he became extensively en- gaged in the real estate business.
Jacob J. Noah, son of a noted journalist of New York City, was a lawyer and politician of the territorial era, who served in the Union army, carpet bagged in Tennessee, and lived many years in Washington. Once in a justice's court at Mendota, Major Noah's opposing counsel demurred to his complaint and delivered a long, able argument in favor of his demurrer. The justice was a stately looking, gray-headed man, and as the attorney became eloquent he would throw out signs of ap- preciation, bowing occasionally, as if in acquiescence. When the coun- sel was through, he thought he had made a good argument and con- vinced the court. But, much to his surprise, Mr. Noah commenced ad- dressing the court in French, whereupon he objected, saying that the law required the proceedings to be conducted in English, and that he did not understand French. "Oh, yes ;" said Mr. Noah, "I was only telling the court what you had been saying." "Well, sir;" said his ad- versary, T think I made myself sufficiently clear, and need none of your interference." "That is true," said the Major, "you made an ex- cellent argument: but the court does not understand English." which was a fact. The Major's adversary threw up the sponge.
166 ST. PAUL AXD \ICI.\1TY
Fight Over \'isit of Douglas
Sometimes party prejudices led to the brink of discourtesy. On August 15, 1857, the city council invited Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, then in St. Paul on a visit of recreation, to become the guest of the city dur- ing his sojourn in the territory, requesting him to meet the citizens and partake of the hospitality of a public dinner. The invitation was not made, however, until after a spirited tight against it by the three Re- publican councilmen. Messrs. Branch, ^Marvin and Schurmeier. Mr. Douglas had been for some time chairman of the committee on territories in the United senate, and in this position had rendered eminent service to the territory of Minnesota. But party spirit was running high, and the Republicans as much disliked Mr. Douglas for his popular sovereignty theories as did the proslavery Democrats of the South.
Senator Douglas, however, declined the invitation, alleging that his visit was intended to be strictly private and quiet, having no connection with ])ublic affairs. "Having declined all other invitations," he said, "for the reason I have indicated, I trust the mayor and common council will pardon me for failing to accept one so complimentary to my jniblic character and so agreeable to my feelings." A year later the senator introduced the bill for the admission of Minnesota into the Union, and championed its passage through congress. During this visit of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas in St. Paul they were the guests of Senator and Mrs. H. M. Rice. Senator Douglas accompanied Mr. Rice on trips to Minne- apolis, Stillwater, Tavlor's Falls, and other places in the territory.
William P. Murray, who came from Indiana to St. Paul in 1840, was almost continuously active in politics until his death in 191 1. He was an astute, quick-witted, genial man whose "nerve" was always equal to emergencies. He was long an alderman, for many years city at- torney, and a member of the state legislature oftener, perhaps, then any other person. He could always be relied on to represent the interests of St. Paul vigorously and intelligently. Mr. Murray often told an in- teresting storv of how he broke into politics. Only a year after he had arrived in the citv he met Editor Goodhue on the street one day who asked how he w^o'uld like to go to the legislature. Murray replied that he would like it very much, but had not resided here long enough to give him the necessary accjuaintance. Goodhue assured him he could get it. When the convention met to choose Democratic candidates, Goodhue suggested Murray's name to the leaders, but they said no — they had other views. Goodhue, who was an aggressive man and pub- lished the onlv Democratic paper, told them: "H you don't nominate Murrav I'll kiiock the stuffing out of your ticket I" On second thought thev nominated him.
Murray was equal to all emergencies, as a rule, but was, on one oc- casion, completely discomfitted. He went to William Dawson and urged him to take the Democratic nomination for congress, in the face of cer- tain defeat, to "help the party." Mr. Dawson promptly declined, say- ing: "Give it to some saphead who will be tickled with the compliment — say, Bill, why not take it yourself?"
GUBERN.VTORI.M. PeRSON.M.ITIES
The two territorial governors, Ramsey and Gorman who remained in St. Paul and in active politics many years, after their terms expired.
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were as unlike in their personal characteristics as in their party affilia- tions. Ramsey was called "Bluff .Meek," but was cautious and non- committal in the extreme, while Gorman was impulsive, vehement and outsjioken. on all occasions. It is related that a citizen expecting friends on a steamboat, came down Third street early one morning, anxiously inquiring if the boat was in. He met Governor Ramsey at bridge square, valise in hand and overcoat on arm, having just come off the boat. In- quiring as to its arrival, the gentleman was told: "My impression is that the boat is in, but I cannot say positively." Going a block farther, the incjuirer met Governor Gorman who had just come down a cross street from home and knew nothing about tlie boat, but l)eing asked the same question promptly replied: "Yes sir, the boat has just come in. Grand boat, sir! If you are going on a trip just mention my name to the cap- tain and he'll treat you like a prince, sir, treat you like a king!"
At the Republican State Convention of 1865 three St. Paul men sought the nomination for governor — C. D. Gilfillan, William R. Mar-
GOVERNOR S ROOM, STATE CAPITOL
shall and J. T. Averill. It was a stubborn and bitter contest, lasting in continuous session from 2 o'clock P. M. until midnight. The forces were very near even on the first ballot : Averill 44, Marshall 40, Gilfil- lan 39. Marshall went up to 53, then down to 38 votes ; then up again until on the 22d and last ballot he was nominated, receiving 63, Averill 50, and Gilfillan 2.
Henry M. Rice, also of St. Paul, was the Democratic nominee, and the "joint debate" between Marshall and Rice at Hastings was the screaming comedy of Minnesota politics. Neither candidate was an orator but both were courteous gentlemen and each occupied the half hour, which was all he could manage to consume, in telling what a good man the other was, how much he had done for the early settlers, etc. When Marshall finished everybody wanted to vote for Rice, and when Rice finished, all had resolved to vote for Marshall. The results were so confusing to both sides that the announced statewide series of "joint debates" was abandoned.
168 ST. PAUL AXD XICIXITY
Oscar Malmros, Adjutant General of Minnesota during the war and for many years consul at some of the ])rinci])al cities of the world, was not only an expert in practical politics, the art of getting and holding fat offices, but also an acknowledged exjjert in the matter of wines. He was a small man with a large capacity and exquisite taste in foods and drinks. At a fine dinner party in St. Paul the hostess feared General Malmros was indulging too freely and asked him how much wine a gentleman might properly drink in the presence of ladies. Not suspect- ing the hidden sarcasm of the cjuestion, the little General, flattered by the ajjpeal to his expert knowledge, rejilied: "X'ell! Eet depends ui)on de vein. If eet ees a goot strong vein, from one to tree bottle, but," taking up a bottle to read the label, "if eet ees a veak vein like this, from tree to five bottle!"
During the campaign of 1867 for the reelection of Governor Mar- shall, the writer heard, for the first time, Cushman K. Davis deliver, or attempt to deliver a political speech. It was at the Court House in St. Cloud where Captain Davis, as he was then called, occupied the i)lat- form with Sam Reman, a well known political orator from soutliern Minnesota. Beman was a fluent and vigorous speaker, with a tremend- ous voice and a remarkable gift of "continuance." He spoke for more than two hours, greatly interesting the audience, and when he closed two-thirds of those present left the hall. This was embarrassing for Captain Davis, who bravely started in, however, in a modest way and a shrill voice to rehearse a carefully prepared speech. Within five min- utes half of the people who had remained disajipeared. Davis saw that he must be brief and tried to jump to the conclusion of his speech, but failed to land at the right place. He was covered with confusion, stam- mered and repeated himself, but finally struck bis peroration and wdund up what was admittedly a com|)lete failure.
Contrasting this episode with the wonderful success that Senator Davis afterwards achieved as an orator in many widely divergent fields, one must arrive at the conclusion that, in some cases at least, orators are made and not born. Speaking with him many years afterwards, when his distinguished success has made it safe to allude to this failure. Senator Davis said that he had other discouragements nearly as bad in his early career. During this same campaign he sjioke at Lake City, where things passed off smoothly, as he thought, and he ex])ected a glow- ing compliment in the local paper. Getting hold of the next issue, he was astonished to see that the only allusion to his speech was couched in language .something like this : "A young man named Davis, also spoke. In our oi)inion this handsome young man would be more efi'ective in ad- dressing an audience of one, with his ;um around it."
DoNNi-:i,LV .\Nn \\'iii:i:loik
The inimital)le and irrepressible Ignatius Doimelly speaking at In- gersoU Hall in St. Paul, in August 1868, devoted almost the entire even- ing to VVheelock and DriscoU, who were, through their pajier, the Press, savagely fighting against his renomination to congress. We quote a sample utterance: "Wheelock looks as though he had been shot into the world through a swivel-gun. (Roars of laughter.) Look at the broad, honest, jovial German face — then look at Wheelock! He looks as though he had lived on buttered thunder and it hadn't agreed with him. (Merriment.! He goes through the world lonking as if some one had
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just kicked him and he had a notion to get mad over it. (Laughter.)" It is not necessary to remark that Mr. Wheelock easily evened up the score of ridicule and criticism, through the columns of the daily Press.
"Young Republicans" of the E.arly Seventies
One of the most effective campaign organizations ever formed in St. Paul was the Grant and Wilson Club of 1872. The leading Repub- licans, like E. F. Drake, Frederick Driscoll, Russell Blakely, R. N. Mc- Laren and Peter Berkey, participated actively in the formation of the club, but at their suggestion the officers were chosen from the "Young Republican" element of that day, as follows : Henry A. Castle, president ; H. R. Brill, vice president ; Frank Fairchild, secretary ; W. D. Cornish, treasurer. L'niformed marching companies were formed ; big torch- light processions were gotten up ; mass meetings were held and more party enthusiasm was aroused than has ever been seen in the city, before or since. The result was marked. The Republicans carried the city, on national issues, and the party was strengthened for future contests. Moreover, having learned their strength, the young Republicans, a year later, combined against their elders and carried the city and the state for C. K. Davis for governor.
After C. K. Davis was elected governor, friends of A. R. McGill, then and for four years preceding private secretary of Governor Austin, urged the governor-elect to retain McGill in the position for which he was so well equipped. This Davis was unable to do, having already decided to appoint "Deacon" Wilford L. Wilson — a wise and significant choice. When this fact was disclosed. Governor Austin, in the last days of his administration, appointed McGill insurance commissioner, vice Pennock Pusev, who resigned for that purpose. Davis was not con- sulted about this and resented it as an infringement on his prerogative. He was naturally sensitive and somewhat suspicious. Although he then admired McGill and years afterwards learned to trust him implicitly, to lean on him unreservedly and to confide vital interests to his keeping, he was dissatisfied with this procedure. As a means of checkmating it if found advisal)le. Davis went before a notary public and signed an oath of office immediately after the legislature had canvassed the vote, and two days before the public inauguration. He thus became legal gover- nor, and the appointment of McGill, which was promptly sent in by Governor Austin, was of no validity. The senate held up the appoint- ment until after the inauguration; a few days later Davis personally re- quested the senators to confirm it, and from that time forward he was one of AIcGiirs warmest friends. The fact of his having taken the oath of office in advance was never made public.
F.xMous St. P.\ul Men
That many St. Paul politicians and officials have been highly esteemed by their fellow citizens of the state at large is shown by one significant circumstance. Twenty Alinnesota counties have been named for St. Paul men who achieved their distinction fairly and worthily, in the poli- tical arena. They are Becker, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hubbard. Tackson, Kittson, McLeod, Marshall, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted, Ramsey, Rice. Sherburne, Sibley, Steele and Wilkin. It was, furthermore, often facetiously asserted by William P. Murray that Alar-
170 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
tin county was named for Cole Martin, a popular sporting man of the flush times of 1857. This was indignantly denied by Rey. Dr. E D Neill.
From the very beginning, St. Paul men have been constantly members of one branch or the other of the National Congress. Henry' H. Sibley and Henry M. Rice were in succession delegates in congress during the entire territorial period. There has been a continuous line of United States senators resident in this city since the admission of the state in 1858, viz: Henry M. Rice, .-Mexand'er Ramsey, S. J. R. McMillan, Cush- man K. Davis and Moses E. Clapp. These have been representatives: John T. .Vverill, Dr. J. H. Stewart, Edmund Rice, A. R. Kiefer and Frederick C. Stevens. The last named is still our representative, having served without interruption and with signal ability since March 4, 1897. With one exception, this is the longest term of service ever accorded to any representative from this state. The experience thus gained, joined with his exceptional talent and his untiring industry, have won for Mr. Stevens a position of influence at Washington, which has been, in many ways, beneficially felt by the district and the state.
Ji'Dici.AL Honors
Political lightning has played some agile freaks with the local judiciary. In April, 1874, Governor C. K. Davis, himself a great lawyer, appointed George B. Young of Minneapolis, a young attorney of special fitness for the bench, to fill a vacancy in the supreme court. It was a surprise to Mr. Young and it vexed the Republican leaders of Hennepin county, wlio at the ensuing state convention secured the defeat of ^'oung and the nomination of F. R. E. Cornell. Judge Young retired after ten months' service, sold his property in Minneapolis, removed to Saint Paul and began that brilliant career at the bar which conferred distinction on the city and state.
In 1881, Governor Pillsbury appointed Greenleaf Clark of Saint Paul to a similar vacancy. Mr. Clark was also admirably (|ualified for this judicial office and ambitious in that line. I'ut at the next state conven- tion of his party, the Ramsey county delegates led by Stanford Newel, his best friend, spent their strength in efforts to secure a fourth term for Governor Pillsbury, who was defeated by Gen. L. F. Hubbard. Hub- bard's supporters were thus placed in opposition to Judge Clark and C. E. X'anderbtirgh of Minneai)olis was nominated over him, was elected and served twelve years.
In 1890 Governor Merriani appointed W. W Cornish of .'^t. Paul to fill a vacancy on the district bench. He was defeated at the election in 1892, by Hon. John W. Willis and retired, disconifitted and mortified.
Not long afterward, Judge W. H. Sanborn, of the United States cir- cuit court, appointed Judge Cornish a master in chancery in connection with the receivership of the Union Pacific Railroad. This placed him in a i)osition of such influence that in the reorganization of the company he was made vice president, and enjoyed during the remainder of his life a salary ])erhai)s ten times as large as that of a district judge.
In 1894 Chief Justice James Gilfillan, of St. Paul, princeps maximus in Minnesota jurisprudence, who had presided over the court with infinite credit for twenty years, lost a renomination because a pojjular Ramsey county candidate for clerk of the supreme court had been successful in the same convention, and honors nnist be distributed. In none of these
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 171
cases were dishonorable means employed, nor were unworthy men pro- moted. But their occurrence vividly illustrates what may be termed the eternal imminence of political vicissitude — also the difficulty of "taking the judges out of politics."
While Republican majorities have often been given in St. Paul on national issues, in the election of congressmen, etc., and while Republican candidates for county offices have usually been elected, receiving handsome majorities in the city, yet, during the past forty years, the Republicans have elected only five mayors — J. H. Stewart, F. P. Wright, A. R. Kiefer, F. B. Doran and the present incumbent, H. P. Keller. This is variously accounted for, but is, no doubt, largely due to the fact that the Democratic leaders have maintained a very effective organization, with the sole end in view of controlling the city government, and that, with this end in view, they have paid special attention to the vote-getting qualities of their can- didates. They have learned that not always the ablest men get elected, but always those ablest to get elected.
A Conviction from Wide Observation
This chapter does not purport to be a history of Minnesota politics, or of St. Paul politics. It is only a collection of scattered fragments of episode and incident that may throw a few side lights on motives and characters. On the whole, a wide range of political observations here would lead one to form a higher estimate of the personal integrity of party leaders than the general public seems to entertain. He would find that the average legislator is as honest as the average business man ; that the affairs of the state and national Government are, in the main, well con- ducted, and that the men whom the people of this state have delighted to honor have been, with few exceptions, entirely worthy of their confidence. One who has personally known every territorial and state governor of Minnesota, every senator and representative in congress, and nearly all the unsuccessful candidate for all these positions, expresses the conviction that, with few exceptions, the political victories achieved have been hon- estly won, and that, in most cases, the alleged corrupt use of money in Minnesota politics has been greatly exaggerated.
In the aggregate, the public men of the formative decades of Minne- sota have been able, far-sighted and faithful to their trust. The magnifi- cent result of their labor testifies to their wisdom and assiduity. If the generations which succeed them show equal capacity and devotion, w-e mav be assured that the golden promise of the day in which we live will be amply fulfilled by the prosperity and happiness of the coming years.
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ST. PAUL AND \1CI.\ITY
HIV llALI, AM) CUUKT HOUSE
CHAPTER XVII
THE MUXICIPALITY OF ST. PAUL
First Towx Corporation and Election — Early Ordinances — Blun- der IN Street Grades — St. Paul as a City — West St. Paul Incor- porated— Total City Indebtedness — New Charter Granted and Amended — Improvements — Charter Amendments and Terri- torial Extensions — Government by Boards — The Bell Charter — Provisions for Charter Commission — St. Paul "Home Rule" Charter — "Commission" Form of Government — City and County — Municipal Debt and Property.
The city of St. Paul has had a variety of experiences in the matter of municipal government, under the several charters conferred upon it by the legislature of the state, and at the present writing seems to be on the verge of a new transition after long halting between two opinions as to its next venture in policy and practice of self-government.
First Town Incorporation and Election
The first incorporation of St. Paul was by the first legislative assem- bly of the territory in the fall of 1849, the act of incorporation being approved by Governor Ramsey November ist. This act was entitled "An act to incorporate the town of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey." The first section of this act is as follows: "Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the territory of Minnesota, That so much of the town of St. Paul as is contained in the original plat made by Ira Brunson, to- gether with Irvine and Rice's addition, is hereby created a town cor- porate by the name of the town of St. Paul."
The affairs of the town under this incorporation were governed by a council composed of a president, a recorder and five trustees, "being house- holders of said town." to be elected annually on the 6th of May. The president was made a conservator of the peace and exercised all the ordi- nary powers of a justice of the peace. The principal ministerial officer was the marshal, who was appointed by the council, as was the town treasurer.
At the first town election, held May 6, 1850, the following officers were chosen : President, Dr. Thomas R. Potts ; recorder, Edmund Rice ; trustees, W. H. Forbes, B. F. Hoyt, William H. Randall, Henry Jack- son and A. L. Larpenteur. These officers were elected practically without opposition and wholly without regard to ])olitics. In Alarch, 1851, a con- siderable area was added to the corporation, including Hoyt's, Bazille and Guerin's, Robert and Randall's, and Whitney and Smith's additions, and the southwest quarter of section 32-29-22. By the same act of the legis-
173
174 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
ture extending the limits of the town, all the acts of the president and the town council, questionable or not, were fully legalized and declared valid and binding "to all intents and purposes."
Earlv Ordinances
The first ordinances of the council were passed, as it would seem, in the interest of the public peace and quietude. Severe penalties were pre- scribed for disturbing any street or neighborhood by "blowing horns, trumpets, or other instruments ;" or by "the calling of drums, tambourines, kettles, pans, or other sounding vessels;" or by "singing, bellciwing. howl- ing or screaming, scolding, hallooing, or cursing." This ordinance appears to have been directed against wedding serenaders or "charivari gangs," drunken Indians, and tipsy white brawlers. It was not until 1852, how- ever, that drunkenness per se was made an oflfense.
The observance of the Christian Sabbath was required with almost Puritan strictness. No person was allowed to play at "any game of amusement" on that day; nor were "vinous, spirituous, or malt liquors" to be sold or given away. All steamboats landing at the port on Sundays were required to "quietly moor or fasten at the upj^er or lower landing" and after discharging passengers might proceed on their trips "in a quiet and peaceable manner." "But," said the ordinance, "no freight shall be landed at the port of St. Paul by any steamboat on Sundays ; and no busi- ness connected with the landing of freight shall be done by said steam- boats on Sundays aforesaid." In May, 1856, the steamboat "Galena" was fined $22.50 for discharging freight on Sunday.
Dram-shoj) licenses were five dollars for six months. The license for every "theatre, show and circus" was fixed at fifty dollars for a period not stated. Billiard tables and ten-pin alleys were charged five dollars per year each. The town pump was a subject of municipal care and regula- tion, and it was declared unlawful "for any person or persons to water horses or cattle of any kind" thereat, under a penalty of five dollars for each oflfense.
Blunders in Street Grades
In 1851 the grading of some of the public streets was begim. Third street was completed for travel in the fall, and in its issue of December 24tli the Democrat said : "The grading of Fourth street and the building of the culvert across Jackson street are so far advanced that the street will be ready for travel in three or four weeks." For some reason the street grade was raised above, instead of being lowered to, the substratum of limestone underlying the town. Ha<l the latter plan been adopted, St. Paul would have had, for a considerable period at least, substantial and natural stone pavements. Every writer on the subject, from Editor Goodhue, in 1851, to the present, has been of the opinion thai the grade should have been lowered, and some of them have been severe on the fathers for the "blunder," as it is termed.
St. Paul as a City
Rv an act of the legislature, approved liy Governor Gorman March 4, 1854, St. Paul was incorporated as a city, with all of the general imwcrs and jirivileges commonly posses.sed by municipal corporations. The city was divided into three wards. The Fir<t ward included all of the district
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 175
lying east of the middle of Jackson street and its extension northwest to the line of the city. The Second ward comprised the territory lying west of the middle of jacksou street, and its extension to the north hue of the city and east to the middle of Market and its junction with St. Peter, and its extension northwest to the north line of the city. The remainder of the territory comprised the Third ward.
The elective officers, imder this charter, as declared by an amendatory act approved March 3, 1855. were a mayor, treasurer, marshal and jus- tice ot the peace for the city, and three aldermen, one assessor, one con- stable and one justice of the peace for each ward.
At the tirst city election under this charter party lines were closely drawn. The Democrats elected the mayor, David Olmsted, and the mar- shal; the Whigs secured the treasurer and the police justice.
In 1855 the Whigs elected Alexander Ramsey, mayor, by a vote of 552 against 256 for James Starkey, Democrat.
In 1856, George L. Becker, Democrat was elected mayor. In his first message to the council ^layor Becker said: "We will do well to remember the sayings of the great apostle who has given a name to our city, a say- ing as true in the political as it is in the religious economy, that "Whether one member suiTer, all the members suffer with it; or one member is hon- ored, all the members rejoice with it." "
By an act of the legislature, approved March 20, 1858, the city was reincorporated by the name of the "city of Saint Paul." Its limits were greatly extended, and indeed this was one of the chief objects of the reincorporation. Elections were to be held on the first Tuesday in May. The elective officers were a mayor, treasurer and comptroller, who were to hold office for one year; a city justice, to hold two years, and three aldermen from each ward, who were to hold three years. The other offi- cers were to be chosen by the mayor and council. The office of marshal was abolished and that of chief of police substituted.
The city was divided into four wards, against the protest of the coun- cil. The First ward comprised all the territory east of the middle of Jack- son street, and Ames', and Boal and Lamb's islands. The Second ward included all the territory between Jackson street and Wabasha and Rasp- berry island. The Third ward included the territory west of Wabasha and a line commencing in the middle of the river opposite the middle of Eagle street; thence north to the intersection of Eagle street with St. An- thony; then northwest to the intersection of St. Anthony and Dayton avenue ; thence northeast to the southeast corner of section 26-29-23 ; thence north to the west line of Second ward; it also included Barnes and Harriet Islands. The Fourth ward comprised all of the territory lying west of the Third ward.
The new incorporation was not universally popular. The council op- posed it and instructed the county's delegation in the Legislature to vote against it. The main objection was the creation of the Fourth ward out of the Third, which was greeted with volleys of denunciation rivaling those of a later period voiced by our explosive and combustible ex-president. In time, however, the advantages of the division were apparent, and were properly appreciated.
West St. Paul Incqrpor.\ted
On ^larch 22. 1858, the city of West St. Paul was incorporated as a separate municipality. Its boundaries began at a point where the sec-
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tioii line between sections i6 and 9, 28-22 intersects the -Mississippi on the west side, thence due west until the line again intersects the river, thence down along the channel to the beginning. All of the city lying east of A street constituted the First ward ; all lying west of A street comprised the Second ward. The atiairs of the municipality were to be controlled by a council composed of three aldermen from each ward. There were also to be a mayor, justice of the i^eace, treasurer, marshal and assessor elected annually by the people, and a clerk and supervisor to be chosen by the council. At that date the territory comprising West St. Paul was in Da- kota county.
T0T.\L CiTV IXDEllTEDXESS
At the close of the year ending .March 20, 1864, the total city indebt- edness was $371,438.54, as follows;
Levee bonds $ 30,000.00
Levee bonds and extension bonds, 7 j^er cent 16,152.22
Bridge bonds, 12 per cent 45,500.00
i'.ridge bonds, 7 per cent 14.870.19
Robert street sewer bonds, 12 per cent 17,374.00
Owatonna wagon road bonds, 7 per cent 6,800.00
Market house, etc., bonds, 12 per cent 20,000.00
Franklin street sewer bonds, 7 per cent 2.672.46
Soldiers' aid bonds, 7 per cent 10,000.00
Louis Robert's bonds, 7 per cent 5,000.00
Preferred bonds, 7 per cent 96,024.22
Revenue bonds, ten years, 7 per cent 28,000.00
lulucation. 7 per cent S'94i-26
Bonds due 7-667-45
Improvement bonds, 1863 21,786.74
Total bonds 327788.54
.\mount of borrowed money 14.650.00
Total interest bearing debt $342,438-54
Amount of city scri]) in circulation $20,000
Overdue interest on l)onds. etc 9,000
Total non-interest bearing dchl 29,000.00
Total debt $371,438-54
On the i6th of December, 1866, a charter giving the exclusive rights to construct a system of street railways "in and along all of the streets and bridges of the citv, except on Jack.son street between 'I bird and the present levee," was granted to a comjianv composed of (.eorgc L. Becker, W M Temple, LaFayctte Emmctt. Eugene Underwood. John M. (.il- man D. C. Jones, C. H. Lienau. P. F. McQuillan, Louis Robert and Parker Paine. It was provided that only a single track should be laid on Third street between Saint Anthonv and Broadwav, and that passenger fares should not exceed seven cents. The council had had the subject of street railwavs under consideration for more tlian a year.
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New Charter Granted and Amended
By an act of the legislature, approved March 6, 1868, the city of St. Paul was granted a new charter. The territory incorporated extended about three miles along the river and about one mile back therefrom, in- cluding Ames's, Boal's, Lamb's, Barnes's, Raspberry and Harriet islands. The city was divided into five wards. ,
Elections were to be held annually, on the first Tuesday of April. The elective officers and their terms were to be a mayor and comptroller for one year; a treasurer, attorney, street commissioner, assessor, and city justice for two years, and a surveyor for three years. Each ward was required to elect three aldermen, one at every annual election after the first, who should hold his office for three years, and also one justice of the peace and a constable. It was especially provided, however, that "the term of every officer elected under this law shall commence on the second Tuesday in April of the year in which he was elected, and shall, unless otherwise provided, continue for one year, and until his successor is elected and qualified."
The legislature of 1872, by an act approved February 29th, enlarged the boundaries of the city very considerably and also changed the time of the annual municipal election from April to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The first election under the new law was to take place in November, 1873. The same legislature fixed the term of comptroller at three years, created the board of public works, made the city one school district, amended the law in regard to assessments, au- thorized the city to issue bonds ($100,000) for the purchase of public park grounds, and amended the act establishing a system of sewerage.
Improvements
The St. Paul Horse Railroad Company had one mile of its road in operation by July i, 1872, and two miles by July 27th. Among other im- provements ordered by the city this year was that relating to "swamp or marsh" on the northeast corner of Cedar and Seventh streets, which was declared a nuisance and the owners were required to abate it within ten days. Preparations were begun for rebuilding the Wabasha street bridge, and in June passage over it was forbidden. The number of deaths during the year was 666.
In May, 1873, the site of the City Hospital was purchased from Dr. J. H. Stewart for $23,500 in twenty-year 8 per cent bonds. In June the city purchased of W. R. Marshall, Frank B. Clark and William B. Aldrich the tract of land now known as Como Park, on Lake Como. The tract com- prised three hundred and nineteen acres, and the price paid was $100,000. The property is now easily worth two million dollars. The purchase at the time was opposed and condemned by a certain element of the community, and later in the year an effort was made to induce the council to sell the lands for even less than they cost.
Ch,\rter Amendments and Territori.\l Extensions
By an act of the legislature approved March 5, 1874, the city was rechartered by amending, consolidating, and incorporating into one act the previous several acts of incorporation and those acts and parts of acts amendatory thereof. The area of the city as incorporated was 13,583
178 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
acres, including the newly annexed territory of West St. I'aul, with 3,000 acres.
The elections were to be held annually on the second Tuesday in De- cember, when it was believed all of the bona fide residents of the city, merchants and others, would be at home. The elective officers and their terms were a mayor for one year: a city attorney, city justice and treas- urer for two years ; and a comptroller for four years. The ward officers comprised three aldermen for three years, and a justice of the peace, and a constable for two years.
The board of public works was reestablished and remodeled, and was made to consist of five members, to be appointed by the mayor and con- firmed by the council. The board of health was to be composed of a health officer and the senior alderman from each ward. The important and valu- able features of the old charters were reenacted. The charter was pre- pared by a commission composed of I. D. \'. Heard. George L. Otis, H. J. Horn and the city attorney.
By an act of the legislature approved in March. 187(1. the charter was amended in some important respects. The city was divided into twelve aldermanic districts. The time of the annual election for city officers was again changed to the first Tuesday in May. the first election to take place in May. 1877. The elective officers were a mayor, treasurer, comp- troller, attorney, a judge and two sjjecial judges of the municipal court and twelve aldermen. On February iS, 1S87. the legislature extended the corporate boundaries of the city annexing and including all land within certain lines designated by the act. This annexation comprised the metes and bounds of the city substantially as they exist at present, including Saint Anthony Park, Merriam Park, Lake Como, \\'est St. Paul, a con- siderable portion of McLean township and the region north of Fort Snell- ing — ^^the western boundary of St. I'aul meeting the eastern boundary of Minneai)olis. By this extension of the city limits several small municipali- ties were abolished, three or four postoffices were willed out. and all the territory naturally pertaining to the metropolis merged with it, so that its future growth might be normal and homogeneous. ,
The property within the new territory was to be exempt from any bond tax then existing, and from any police, fire or gas tax until the common council should deem it expedient — "by reason of the increased expense in maintaining additional watchmen or police officers, or in maintaining and lighting additional street lami)S. or in furnishing facilities fur the suji- pression of fires within the new territory — to order the same."
By another act, passed a few days later, the city was divided into eleven wards.
Government by Bo.vrds
The act of February 25, 1887, created a board of ]>ark commis- sioners. This board was made to consist of seven members, all of whom, except the first board, were to he appointed by the mayor, and serve two years. The chief duties of the commissioners arc to recommend the acquisition of necessary tracts of land, and to make ordinances, rules ;ind regulations for the government of the city parks and jiark wa\s. and they are to receive no comiicnsation for their service. The first board under the act was composed of William A. \'an Slvke, Greenleaf Clark, John D. Ludden, Stanford Newell. Rudolph .'^chiffman. William M. Campbell, and Beriah Maggoffin. The first four named held for one year; the others for two years. The diligent, sustained efforts and splendid sue-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 179
cess of this board, and of the boards which have succeeded it, will fully appear in a subsequent chapter devoted, in part, to our present park sys- tem.
Through this and otiier enactments, the government of the city was gradually brought largely under the control of boards, appointed by the mayor, which managed the several departments, and had substantially independent functions. Thus the school board, the police board, the park board, the library board, the water board, the fire board, together with the joint boards of city and county to administer charities, to handle pub- lic buildings, etc., hold and exercise most of the vital powers of executive authority.
The Bell Charter
The charter granted by the legislature in the act approved March 24, 1891, commonly known as the "Bell Charter" introduced many innova- tions. It was largely the work of Hon. Chas. N. Bell, but was drafted in collaboration with leading citizens. The annual report of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce for 1891 says: "The matter of taxation, cor- poration expenditures in the several departments, amendments of the city charter, or the adoption of a new charter, and the many minor subjects demanded by a rapidly developing metropolis, engaged the attention of the board of directors for many weeks, in regular weekly meeting, and in several special meetings, by day and evening, committees were kept active long before and during the entire session of the legislature. The result of the legislative work was the adoption practically of a new charter, which is known as the Bell Charter. Hon. Charles N. Bell introduced a bill which is recorded as House File No. 722, 'An act to amend the char- ter of the city of St. Paul, the same being an act entitled 'An act to reduce the law incorporating the city of St. Paul in the county of Ram- sey and state of Minnesota and the several acts amendatory, and certain other acts relating to said city, into one act, and to amend the same,' which act was approved March 5, 1874, and the acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto."
The most striking feature of the instrument was the iron-clad limita- tions as to expenditures of the public funds imposed on the several offi- cials and boards having control thereof. This charter was in force six years and many of its provisions are still in operation, notwithstanding the many changes that have intervened.
The legislature submitted to the people of the state, at the election held November 8, 1892, an amendment to the state constitution which prohibited special legislation, especially forbidding the passage of any local or special laws "incorporating, erecting or changing the lines of any county, city, village," etc. This constitutional amendment was adopted by the people and in pursuance of its requirements the legislature proceeded to enact general laws for the formation of municipal corporations.
Provisions for Charter Commission
These_ laws provided that a city may frame a charter for its own gov- ernment in the manner prescribed therein. .Among the provisions were these: "Whenever the judges of the judicial district in which such citv or village is situated shall deem it for the best interests of the municipality so to do, they may appoint a board of freeholders to frame such charter, composed of fifteen members, each of whom shall have been a qualified
180 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
voter of such city or village for five years last past ; and, upon presentation to them of a petition requesting such action, signed by at least ten per cent, of the number of voters of such nuinicii)ality, as shown by the returns of the election last held therein, they shall appoint such board. The mem- bers shall severally hold office for the term of four years, or until they cease to be such resident voters and freeholders, and vacancies in said board shall be filled by appointment of said judges for the une.xpired terms. Upon the expiration of each four-year term, the judges shall appoint a new board.
"Within six months after such appointment the board of freehold- ers shall deliver to the chief executive of said city or village the draft of a proposed charter, signed by at least a majority of its members. Such draft shall fix the corporate name and ihe boundaries of the i)roposed city, and provide for a mayor, and for a council consisting of either one or two branches ; one in either case to be elected by the people. Sub- ject to the limitations in this chapter provided, it may provide for any scheme of municipal government not inconsistent with the constitution, and may provide for the establishment and administration of all depart- ments of a city government, and for the regulation of all local municipal functions, as fully as the legislature might have done before the adoption of section 33. article I\', of the constitution. It may omit provisions in reference to any department contained in special laws then operative in said city or village, and provide that such laws, or such parts thereof as are specified, shall continue in force therein.
"Upon delivery of such draft, the council or other governing body of the city or village shall cause the proposed charter to be submitted at the next election thereafter. Such election may be a general election, or a special election called for that purpose only, or for that and other pur- poses, and held prior to or at the same time with the next general elec- tion, as such governing body may determine. If at the same time with a general election, the voting places and the election, officers shall be the same for both elections. If four-sevenths of those lawfully voting at such election shall declare in favor of the proposed charter, it shall be considered adopted ; and, if any provisions thereof were submitted in the alternative, those ratified by a majority of the votes cast thereon shall prevail."
St. P.m'l's "Home Rule" Ch.vrtkr
In 1897 there was appointed under the general statutes, by the judges of the district court for Ramsey county a board of fifteen citizens to frame a city charter. This board returned to the mayor the draft of a charter, signed by the majority. It was submitted to tlie electors of the city at the election held May 3. 1898. and was approved by them, thus becoming original home rule charter of St. Paul. The first ]ircsi(lent of the charter commission was Hon. Charles V.. Flandrau. and the second was Kx-Mayor F. R. Doran. The commissioners have alwavs been citi- zens who commanded popular respect. -Since 1898 the commission has submitted a numlier of amendments to the charter, to be voted on at general elections only a portion of which have been ratified by a major- ity. By deaths, resignations and new appointments, the personnel of the commission has been entirely changed. P.ut it is still struggling with the complex problems it encounters and endeavoring to conform the framework of the city government to the most acceptable formulas evolved by municiiJal experience.
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"Commission" Form of Government
One of the difficulties which confronted the board was the adoption or rejection of the so-called "commission" form of government, which has its exemplar in Washington, D. C, and which has been applied in varying degrees at Galveston, Des Moines and many other cities. As to these experiments, the results were still somewhat in dispute, and, al- though an increasing proportion of the thoughtful citizens of St. Paul seemingly favored the general plan, there was much bitter hostility to it and plenty of criticism of our local board for "wasting" so much time in discussing it.
One newspaper critic, the Midzoay Nczvs, said: "The matter of up- ending the municipal form of government in the city of St. Paul, a piece of political blacksmithing in which the Fireworks Corporations have held the charter commission in the political firey furnace for the last couple years, is advancing with all the speed of his own shadow chasing the devil around the bush. The more clear-headed members of the com- mission oppose the commission plan, and those who favor it do not dare come together for fear of the responsibility it throws upon them. The charter commissioners meet every full moon, but the moment they get on to their own shadows their teeth begin to chatter, their voices become inaudible, and off they duck, again, back for the gloom. The prime ob- ject of the commission plan of municipal government is to throw down the triple safeguard vouchsafed by coordinate departments defined by the state constitution as the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary, and the ultimate amalgamation of the republic idea into a self-perpetuat- ing commission endowed with autocratic powers. With a charter com- mission created by the judiciary and a commission created by the com- mission, the single-handed system which the fathers of the republic orig- inally destroyed is hoped to be restored."
In the spring of 1912 the charter commission framed an instrument conforming to the views of a majority of its members and had it ready to submit to the voters at special election. Meantime, however, an in- dependent proposition for a form of government by commission, was submitted at the general city election in IMay, 1912, and adopted by a decisive majority. It goes into effect in 1914.
City and County
St. Paul, as a municipality, constitutes so large a portion of the area of Ramsey county, and furnishes such an immense preponderance of the value of its taxable property that it rightfully exercises an overshadow- ing influence in county affairs. Five of the seven county commissioners are elected in the city, including the mayor who is, ex-officio, a member of the board and its chairman. Suggestions have been made on frequent occasions during the past thirty years looking toward the consolidation of the city and county governments, or to the extension of the city's jurisdiction over the entire county. One or the other of these plans will probably be adopted at ho distant day.
The following are the present officials of the city government : Mayor, Herbert P. Keller ; city treasurer. Summer A. Farnsworth ; city comp- troller, W. C. Handy ; city clerk, G. T. Redington ; corporation attorney, Owen H. O'Neill : eneineer, Oscar Clausen; physician, .Arthur B. .Ancker; market master, C. F. Trettin.
182 ST. PAUL AXD. \1CL\1TV
Common council : President, Thos. R. Kane : vice president. John D. Hyland.
Assembly: President. Oscar E. Keller; vice president, Edward C. Mahle ; Robert L. Ware, Frank Yoerg, Winn Powers, Thos. R. Kane, B. W. Sanborn, Edward C. Mahle, Oscar E. Keller, Henry G. Haas, and Desire H. Alichaud.
Board of aldermen: President, Henry McColl; vice president, Wil- liam J. Troy; first ward, C. A. Oberg; second ward, William Baumeis- ter, Jr.; Third ward, Henry McColl; Fourth ward, Edward J. Mur- nane; Fifth ward, Fred Murnane; Sixth ward, J. D. Hyland; Seventh ward, Leavitt Corning; Eighth ward, J. W. Ryan; Ninth ward, W. J. Troy; Tenth ward, C. P. Montgomery; Eleventh ward, D. E. Edwards; Twelfth ward, \\'illiam C. Stieger.
The present officers of Ramsey county are : Auditor, George J. Ries ; treasurer, Jesse Foot; sheriff, John Wagener; register of deeds. M. W. Fitzgerald; attorney, R. D. O'Brien; surveyor, J. H. Armstrong; coroner. Dr. D. C. Jones ; clerk of district court, Matt Jensen ; superintendent of schools, G. H. Reif ; assessor, F. L. Powers ; abstract clerk, W. J. Bazille ; physician. Dr. A. B. Ancker; county commissioners, H. P. Keller (ex- officio chairman), P. J. FarrcU, Leonard lUires, John F. Faricy. Louis Nash, L. H. Peter, and Robert A. Smith.
The assessed valuation for taxing purposes of property in the city, for 191 1, is as follows: Real estate, $95,756,440, personal property, $30,465,000, total $126,221,440.
MuNiciP.\L Debt and Property
The municipal debt on July i, 191 1, amounted to $10,235,000. of which amount $2,099,000 was incurred for water purposes and the bal- ance was in general and school bonds. The net bonded debt, less amount in the sinking fund, July i, 1910, was $9,373,900. The rates of interest vary from three and one-half to five per cent. The annual interest charge is $522,000. The water works system is valued at $7,050,000; the public school buildings and real estate at $2,785,000; the public parks, playgrounds and jniljlic baths, $2,980,000: the fifty-eight bridges at $2,850,000. and the main sewers at $2,775,000. Other property tarings the total up to $21,839,000. The water board is the holder of city and county bonds in its sinking fund, to meet water bonds when due. But, aside from the water works, the other "assets" are not only unjiroductive, but are. as a rule, a source of constant expense. There is therefore a ])revalcnt feeling among the tax-paying voters that this indebtedness should not be increased, except in very great emergencies.
The present "Rei)ublican" party administration was first elected in May, 1910, on a reform issue by sweeping majorities. Strenuous ef- forts were continuously made, it is claimed, to carry out the jiledges then given, but the mayor worked during his first term under disad- vantageous conditions, because every dcparlmcnt of the city government was under control of appointive boards consisting of men not in sym- pathy politically with the mayor and his policies of reform. These policies, therefore, had to wait, as in a fireless cooker, the slow process of accomplishment. .Six separate attempts to increase the interest-bear- ing indebtedness of the city were made during the first year. Two of these i)ond issues were authorized bv the council and vetoed by Mayor Keller.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 183
In May, 191 2, the city administration came up for re-election. Mayor Keller was renominated by the Republicans, as were his associates in ex- ecutive office, e.xcept W. H. Farnham, city controller, who declined, and W. C. Handy, an assembly man with pronounced ideas of financial re- trenchment, was given that position. The Democratic candidate for mayor, Otto Bremer, was personally popular, and was a generous cam- paigner. The contest was a close one, but Mayor Keller's ticket was victorious, and during his second term, he will have facilities for better enforcing his reform policies, through administrative boards of his own selection.
The Ye.ars 1912-13 a Period of Transition
Mayor Keller's second term, just fairly entered upon as we write these pages, is an era in which will not only be inaugurated the pro- gressive policies to which he is committed, but will also be notable as a period of transition to the "commission" plan with which he is thor- oughly in sympathy. Notwithstanding hostility and criticism, the voters of St. Paul to the number of 23,000, an emphatic majority, decided in favor of this plan, although it is, in some of its aspects, admittedly ex- perimental. It will take effect in 1914. During the last decade a senti- ment favorable to entrusting the government of American cities to a small group of men has gained widespread popularity. For the success which has generally attended the various forms of commission govern- ment already operating in more than 150 American municipalities, there are two chief causes : an improved charter, and an improved electorate. By concentrating authority and responsibility in the hands of a few men and electing these men without regard to ward lines or party affiliation, results have been achieved which had never seemed possible in these same cities under their former charters. But the danger of placing en- tire emphasis on the mere form must not be overlooked. Not until the great mass of the people are awakened to demand good government will they get it. In stimulating and satisfying this demand, a few able lead- ers, both in and out of office, can accomplish wonders.
When St. Paul voted for the "commission" plan no other city of equal size had adopted it. Since then, however. New Orleans has joined the column. There is no absolute uniformity in the schemes working in these several municipalities. In fact, there has as yet been no agree- ment among publicists as to what is the irreducible minimum which can be called commission government. Even in Texas, where the move- ment had its origin, we find sundry types, all called by the same name. To the extent that the commission government provides a short ballot, a concentration of authority in the hands of responsible officials, the elimination of ward lines and partisan designations in the selection of elective officials, adequate publicity in the conduct of public affairs, the merit system, and a city administration and a city administrator respon- sive to the deliberately formed and authoritatively expressed local public opinion of the city, it embodies principles as to which most students of civic problems are agreed.
CHAPTER XMTT
GATEWAY OF A NORTHWESTERN EMPIRE
St. Paul's Tributary Territory — Water Power and Electric Smelting — Agriculture and Live Stock — The Red River Val- ley— The Dakotas — Montana — Irrigation and the Apples — Gatev^'ay to it all — Center of Out-Door Charms.
When the "Mayflower" cast anchor in the Iiarhor of Plymouth, all the forests and mountains of the majestic continent might well have prostrated themselves in the presence of their predestined contiuerors. For two hundred and ninety years the impulse then communicated has permeated and ramified and fructified. From six craggy, sterile New England commonwealths have flowed out the influences that have made America what it is. Their laws and customs ; their free school, free press and open Bible ; their energv- and persistence ; their independence and self-assertion; their lyceums and thanksgivings — even their mince- pics, codfish and college yells, have become domesticated and familiar institutions from the Hudson to the Rio Grande and from Lake Cham- plain to Puget Sound.
The secret is not occult. They have furnishetl the schoolmasters for the children of the republic for many generations. Down in Arizona, near the border of Mexico, at a state teacher's convention recently as- sembled, eighty-five per cent of the delegates were of New England birth or parentage.
But the sceptre has departed. The New England of the past is al- ready eclipsed in many of its most significant features by the Xcw Eng- land of the future. Along the great lakes and on the headwaters of the Mississippi the "New Northwest" (but also the golden heart of the con- tinent) lie the states that are to constitute the New England of the time to come. They span the zenith of the republic like an arch of triumph or of promise. Of that arch Minnesota is unmistakably the keystone. Of that great northwest, reaching to the Pacific, to the Saskatchewan, to the Yukon, St. Paul is unmistakably the gateway.
Here in this breezy and buoyant new region, the broadened and beau- tified Yankee-T-and of the twentieth century ; on her teeming and bound- less prairies ; by the banks of her amazing rivers ; waist-deep in her million-acred harvests — here can the fullest inspiration of our national life be caught up and assimilated.
It is the land of high endeavor, tireless activity and uncon(|uerable trust. Here are all the prere(|uisites of exuberant soil, healthful climate, the judicious mixture of the world's best races as to physical and mental vigor, upon which to found the mode! commnnwcalth nf our free empire; in which to evolve the dominating pojuilation of the hemisphere.
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ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 185
It was not rhapsody but prophetic insight whicli led Wilham H. Se- ward, at St. Paul in i860, to predict that the ultimate seat of government on the continent would be established here.
Seward was not deaf to the viewless voices whispering in the air of even that early day. He conquers, in peace and war, who fights with the north wind at his back. The New England of the past is stamped on all the events of our country's progress. The New England of the future, with broader gauge, larger resource and richer opportunity, will continue in unstinted flow the necessary output of strenuous, aggressive, average Americans.
St. Paul's Tribltt.\ry Territory
The country tributary to St. Paul for trade purposes is of enormous extent, of a great variety of resources and in process of rapid develop- ment. But as man does not live for trade alone, it is proper to remark here that the territory alluded to contains numerous world-renowned at- tractions to tourists and travelers, which every year summon thousands of visitors, all of whom pass through this "gateway" and pay tribute to its transportation agencies.
St. Paul jobbers and manufacturers now sell goods to dealers in all parts of Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and all the northwestern provinces of British America ; also in northern Wisconsin northern and western Iowa, and in portions of Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Califor- nia. These radiating lines of commercial intercourse involve financial relations more or less intimate, and thus bring great mercantile and other interests within the sphere of business influences concentrated at this focal point. The present of St. Paul depends on the prosperity of this tributary region whose resources, however, are so diversified that no wave of adversity ever afflicts the whole of it at one time. And the future of St. Paul is so dependent on the development of this region, that information as to its capabilities has a direct bearing on any reliable es- timate of the city's prospective advancement.
Minnesota is, in area, the tenth state of the Union. It contains 84,387 square miles, or about 53,943,379 acres, of which 3,608,012 acres are water. About half of this land surface, on the south and west, con- sists of rolling prairie, interspersed with frequent groves, oak openings and belts of hardwood timber, watered by numberless lakes and streams, and covered with a warm, dark soil of great fertility. The rest, em- bracing the elevated district immediately west and north of Lake Su- perior, consists mainly of rich mineral ranges and of the pine forests which clothe the headwaters of the Mississippi, affording extensive sup- plies of lumber. There is but a very small amount of broken, rocky or worthless land in the state. Ninety per cent is arable.
More than 30,000,000 tons of iron ore valued at $100,000,000 were shipped from Minnesota in 1909. 300,000 people are employed in the mining industry. No part of the state is more than 250 miles distant from one of her great railroad and market centers. There are 26 rail- roads with 10,000 miles of trackage. There are 32 varieties of timber, many thousands of carloads of building material being shipped annually from Minnesota.
The State University has over 4,000 students. There are 5 normal schools ; 206 high schools ; 365 graded schools ; 360 semi-graded schools ;
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ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY
7,814 rural schools; 3 agricultural schools of high-school rank; 10 high schools in which agriculture and domestic science instruction is given under state super\-ision ; schools for the deaf and dumb, for the blind and for the feeble minded. The permanent school fund is $22,000,000, with a certainty of increase to $60,000,000.
Minnesota still affords over 25,000.000 acres of agricultural land in its virgin state; 3,000,000 acres public lands are obtainable at public sale at prices ranging from S5.00 per acre up, of which but fifteen per- cent is exacted as a cash payment, the balance being payable in forty years with interest at four per cent.
\V.\TER Power and Hi.ectru
•MiJ.i im;
Located at the watershed of the continent. Minnesota's abundant streams fed by the 7,000 lakes, have rapid currents, and furnish un- limited water power, widely distributed and easily available. Water power enough to operate every industry in Minnesota, all at present
BURT POOL MINE STEAM SHOVEL PROPERTY. PART OF THIS
MINE BELONGS TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
going to waste, is being investigated, estimated, surveyed and reported on by the state of Minnesota and the United States government working together, in northern Minnesota. "We found falls of water of from 200 to 300 feet in the iron range country," said the government engineer. "We found streams that had a drop of from 100 to 400 feet in a thou- sand feet. When these water power sites are developed they will sup- ply 'juice' for every industry the cities ever will have. Our report will be one of the most complete ever prepared in any state."
What the development of all these water powers may mean to the agricultural and manufacturing interests can only be faintly imagined at this time. That they will furnish light and power for the use of farmers is a development to be looked for in the immediate future. They may go much farther than this, if success shall attend the experi- ments now being conducted in Sweden to demonstrate the practicability of smelting iron ore by electricity. The government began operations last year and, although great secrecy has been maintained, it is said the results have been very satisfactory; so gratifying, in fact, that three more electrical blast furnaces are to be installed at once.
The cost of coal and the threatened shortage of the wood needed
ST. PAUL AND \ICINITY 187
for charcoal in smelting operations have imperilled the iron industry of Sweden. The country has plenty of ore. The question was how to reduce the expense of getting it into pig iron. A contract was entered into with a power company to take 3,000 horse power for a period of three years. An experimental plant to smelt the ore by electricity was installed and is said to be capable of turning out twenty tons of pig iron each twenty- four hours. A saving of two-thirds has been effected, as compared with the cost under the old process. Tests of the electric pig iron have been made and it has been found to be of specially even and good quality.
There is no estimating the importance to this state of the success of electric smelting. We supply the iron ore that is being used in the smelters of the east. If the ore can be smelted economically by elec- tricity there will be no further occasion to ship it out of the state in the raw. We can harness the many streams in northern Minnesota, convey the current to the mines and build up manufacturing centers, where the iron of our mines will be turned into finished products.
Agriculture and Live Stock
But the leading interest of Minnesota, as well as of the other states and provinces beyond her, is agriculture. In this regard tremendous possibilities loom ahead, but that one-half of these possibilities are now foreseen is not supposable. He would indeed be a rash man who would attempt to prophesy the future of the upper part of the old "Louisiana" and the old "Oregon" country. Not that the prophet might not be right, but the prophecy would fall so far short of its fulfilment as to utterly discredit him.
In 1871 General George W. Cass, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad, said: "There is no problem to solve as to the success of the road after it shall have been completed. The only question after that event will be how an intelligent man of this age should ever have had any doubt about it."
Looking at this glorious landscape of rioting fertility, where men are much more eager to pay $100 of hard-earned money for every acre than to invest in the most seductive stocks, one smiles at the shrieks of "back to the soil" in the metropolitan papers. A good many millions of the best men in the country are sticking very closely to the soil and making a much better thing of it than those of the same ability and energy in the cities. The drift to the cities is largely among men of lighter weight, who are no more successful there than on their farms.
It is curious to note how old is the complaint about men leaving the country to crowd into the cities. Those old-time wailers, the Hebrew prophets, raised many dolorous cries on this theme, and 125 years ago Oliver Goldsmith was certain that England was going straight to de- struction, because the men were deserting the villages for the cities. In his poem are the well-remembered lines :
"A time there was, ere England's griefs began. When every rood of ground maintained its man; For him light labor spread her wholesome store. And gave what life required, but gave no more. But times are altered, trade's unfeeling train Usurp the land and dispossess the swain."
188 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
In spite of this magnificent bit of calamity-howling England has done remakably well in the past 125 years, just as Minnesota has become a marvelously rich, prosperous commonwealth in spite of the frenzied shrieks of the Populists.
To a man who loves farming, as fortunately so many millions do, the fat lands and genial skies of Minnesota and the Dakolas are en- trancing. There he gets a sure response to his labor and his skill, and farming rises to the dignity of a learned profession. He finds as much room for all the knowledge that he may acquire as a lawyer, physician or engineer can, and his success in applying it brings as cons])icuous results.
Diffusion of valuable knowledge in agriculture is a late, but signifi- cant measure of advancement. The time is coming when every rural community of sufficient size will have one or more agricultural experts — men professionally trained to serve in an advisory way all the farmers of the community for a fee. These men will understand the chemistry of the soil and of plant growth ; their laboratories will be busy with soil analysis and the study of local plant diseases; they will be entomologists and bacteriologists, and their value will be obvious to the enlightened farmers of a new age. These farmers, no longer content to dej^end on the free clinic of the state Experiment station, will seek the advice and prescription of the local doctor of agriculture. The dignity and the re- wards of this profession are bound to increase, for it is founded upon the basis of our greatest industry.
Some Elgouicnt Figures
Domestic animals, poultry and bees w-orth $161,528,000 were owned by the farmers of Minnesota in 1910, according to census bureau sta- tistics. Ten years ago the valuation was $89,063,000, the increase in the decade being $72,465,000 and the rate of increase 81.4 per cent.
The total value of the domestic animals was reported as $156,659,000 in 1910, as against $86,621,000 in 1900, the increase amounting to $70,038,000, or 80.9 per cent. The poultry were valued at $4,647,000 in 1910. as compared with $2,275,000 in 1900, the gain being $2,372,000, or 104.3 P'^'' cent. The bees were valued at $222,000 in 1910 and $167,- 000 in 1900. the increase amounting to 55.000 or 32.6 per cent.
The total number of farms in the state in 1910 was 156.137. Of these, 96.9 per cent, or 151,336. re])orted domestic animals; 93.9 per cent, or 146,556, reported cattle; 91.4 per cent, or 142,6(53, reported horses or colts; 69.5 per cent, or 108,515, reported swine; 15.7 per cent, or 24,549, reported sheep or lambs; and 1.8 per cent, or 2,809 reported mules or mule colts.
The total number of cattle reported in 1910 was 2,354,724. Of these, 1,084.399 were dairy cows, the total value of which was over $33,244,000, and the average value $30.70. The number of farms reporting dairy cows was 145.439, or 93.1 per cent of the total number of farms in the state. Cows not used for dairy purposes iiuml)crcd 218.634 and their average value was $21.10.
Minnesota cereals had an aggregate acreage of 10,140,389 acres in 1909, as against 11,207,026 in 1899. a decrease of 1,066,637 acres, or 9.5 per cent. This decrease is due to the substitution of dairying for w-heat- growing in many counties. There was. however, an increase in total yield of these crops of 16,167.103 bushels. The average value of cere-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 189
als per acre in 1909 was $13.90. Wheat shows the highest average value per acre of the cereals; buckwheat the lowest. Of the hay and forage crops alfalfa is well above the rest in average value per acre.
The Red River V.\lley
The northwestern portion of Minnesota and the eastern portion of North Dakota, commonly known as the Red River valley, is a level tract of prairie land of incomparable fertility. The soil is a deep rich black loam, resting on a bed of clay, and so universally level that it could be plowed for miles without any break in the furrow. The surplus water flows into the Red river, whence it is carried to Lake Winnipeg. This region has long been famed for its No. i hard wheat, the flour from which commands the highest price in the markets of the world, because of its superior quality. In later years diversified farming is making rapid strides in this portion of Minnesota, but has not yet reached the proportion that characterizes the southern counties.
The rich sandy silt of Anoka and Sherburne counties in Minnesota, as loose and friable as cornmeal, is ideal soil for potatoes. Everywhere else potato growers use all devices to mellow the ground. Year after year thev must stuff the stiff clay with humus, in some shape or another. They plow under the clover and stable manure to get particles of vege- table matter interposed between the stiff, tenacious particles of clay. Chesty and robust as the potato appears in the basket, it is a tender infant, requiring the softest lamb's wool coverlet for its proper develop- ment. If it must struggle with hard, unyielding clay, it becomes stunted, gnarled and knobby. The soft, yielding silt of the district named is this lamb's wool blanket for the infant potato.
The enthusiasm of the North Dakota citizen cannot be avoided. His pride is boundless, his faith is far-reaching. His belief in the men, and his confidence in the institutions of his locality, make him eloquent as he espouses them. It is a fine spirit and the right one.
It was the beaver that led the trapper and trader to the discovery of the Red River valley. Forty years ago this valley was as wild as nature made it and was believed to be uninhabitable by reason of alleged spring inundations. Today it is famed throughout the world for its productiv- ity. Forty years ago the buffalo, elk and bear were relied upon by na- ture's children for food. Today these animals are practically extinct in the state.
Forty years ago the first frame building in the valley was erected. Today the country is studded with cities and farm houses and raises annually 50,000,000 bushels of wheat. Forty years ago two-wheeled carts were employed for hauling goods from Saint Paul to Winnipeg, and rawhide harnesses were in general use. Today the state is gridironed with railroad tracks and the prosperous farmers buzz across the prairie in automobiles.
The D.\kot.\s
North Dakota is rapidly settling up. Its surface is generally prairie. There is room for 2,000,000 more people. The soil is very rich and pro- ductive. The products of the soil are very similar to those of Minne- sota, Iowa and Illinois. An observing visitor remarks : "It is encour- aging to see the improved methods. It looks more like farming has be- come a scientific industry, instead of a makeshift method of earning a
190 ST. PAUL AND \1CIX1TY
precarious existence. It means bigger yields, a conservation of the soil s fertility, and greater prosperity for the agriculturists."
Farm statisticians report that corn will hereafter be one of North Dakota's heaviest crops. There are counties in which practically every farmer will raise from twenty to fifty acres. That is an encouraging outlook. Experience has demonstrated in the older settled states that the farmer who sends his crops to market on the hoof makes more monev than his neighbor w^ho sticks to grain growing.
There no longer is any doubt about the ability of North Dakota to produce good corn. The sort they raise is not such as is produced in Iowa or Illinois, but it makes up in quality of food value what it lacks in quantity, and insures practically the same profit.
Statistics relative to the leading crops for South Dakota collected at the Thirteenth Decennial census contained in an official statement show that the leading crops in 1909 ranked in the order of valuation, were: Wheat, $42,881,000; corn, $26,385,000; oats, $16,038,000; hay and for- age, $15,240,000; barley, $10,870,000; flaxseed, $6,993,000: emmer and spelt, $2,626,000; potatoes, $1,967,000.
From 1899 to 1909 the acreage of corn increased from 1.196,381 acres to 1,975,558 or 65.1 per cent. Notwithstanding the enormous gain by oats during' the last decade, corn has retained its position among the cereals, ranking second in acreage and first in production. The acreage in 1889 was 753,309. The total yield for 1909 was 53,612,093 bushels, a lead over its nearest competitor in production, wheat, of more than 8,000.000 bushels. The average yield per acre was 27 bushels; the av- erage value per acre, $13.35.
The cereals had an aggregate acreage of 7,892,482 acres in 1909, as against 6,211,202 in 1899, an increase of 1,681.280 acres, or 27 per cent, as compared to an increase for the preceding decade of 67.8 per cent. The average value of cereals per acre in 1909 was $12.50. Wheat shows the highest average value per acre of the cereals ; buckwheat the lowest. Of the hay and forage crops alfalfa is well above the rest in average value per acre.
Montana
The census statistics of the State of Montana, for the decennial pe- riod, make a highly favorable showing. Tlie leading crops of the state for 1909, ranked in the order of valuation, were: Hay and forage, $12,- 345,000; oats, $6,148,000; wheat, $5,329,000; potatoes, $1,299,000 and flaxseed, $677,000.
Hav and forage increased 259,664 acres, or 29.7 per cent, between 1899 and 1909. From 56,801 acres in 1S79. hay and forage rose to 300,033 acres in 1889, to 875,712 acres in 1899. and finally to 1.135,376 acres in 1909. Hence, hay and forage, during llic thirty-year period from 1879 to 1909 increased almost nineteen-fold. The total yield in 1909 was 1.693,556 tons.
From 16 acres in 1899, flaxseed increased by 1909 to 37.647 acres. Hence, from an insignificant acreage in 1899, flaxseed has become an important miscellaneous crop. The average yield per acre was 12 bush- els; the average value per acre $18.
The figures indicate plainly that Montana, instead of sticking to live stock that could i)e raised on the vast unoccupied |irairies. is going in for general farming. The state is becoming sctlletl and the ranges of a few years ago are doomed. That development not only means increased popu-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 191
lation and wealth for Montana but furnishes another argument in favor of diversified farming. Montana is being transformed from a cattle range to a state devoted to general farming, yet the value of its live stock increased from $51,724,000 in 1900 to $84,91 1,000 in 1910, showing again that diver- sified farming is the real thing.
The state of Montana contains 146,572 square miles and is as large as the combined area of New York. Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maryland and Connecticut. It is the third state in size in the Union and is richer in natural wealth than Pennsylvania. The population of Montana is only 400,000. It will support in comfort forty times that many.
Montana has long been famous for its copper, cattle and sheep. For years these products have been the principal sources of its wealth. So much has been said about them and so little about its agricultural possi- bilities that it has not received the recognition due it as a great grain pro- ducing section.
A recent bulletin published by the department of agriculture on the subject of irrigation in Montana shows the average cost on the difl:'erent crops. The figures are based on a large number of representative farmers, and show that $1.07 per acre will cover irrigation on the ordinary field crops. This would make irrigation on a 160 acre farm cost less than $200, which would fully cover all the expenses for maintaining the ditches, put- ting in laterals, and hiring irrigators to spread the water over the ground.
Irrig.\tion and the Apple
Irrigation may be liriefly explained as the permanent diversion of water from sources of supply and its conveyance over tracts of land by means of canals and ditches of gradually diminishing size. The process by no means contemplates a continuous flow of water but involves a thorough moistening of the soil from one to three times during the season, accord- ing to the character of the crop. Grain requires but one irrigation while it is advisable to irrigate alfalfa once for each cutting. The following claims are put forth as to the advantages of irrigation :
First : The yield from irrigated land in the dry regions of the west is from two to five times that from lands where rainfall is depended on.
Second : The harvest is absolutely certain, as the water supply is under control at all times and the growing crop need never be injured by receiv- ing too much or too little water.
Third : The continual sunshine not only enables one better to cultivate the soil but the products of that soil are of finer finality than are those grown where crops must depend upon uncertain rains.
Fourth : The crop is never lost at harvest time ; the farmer harvests when he is ready without having to wait for favorable weather conditions^
Fifth : The farmer who depends on rainfall for the growing of his crops must sit helpless while he longs for the needed rain ; the irrigation farmer simply opens his gate and puts the water on his potatoes today, his oats or other crops whenever they need it, while he may be making hay in another field, thus having perfect weather conditions every day for the growing and harvesting of his different crops.
The climate of Montana is excellent and is usually a great surprise to visitors ; more especially is this true of the south-central part in the winter season. The clear, dry air, combined with the elevation, has an extremely invigorating eflfect which makes the climate one of the most healthful and
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pleasant on the American conlineiU. 1 'lowing begins in March, and about two-thirds of the annual rainfall comes during April, May and June.
Although fruit has been grown in Montana for fifty years and has thus passed the experimental stage, the industry is yet in its infancy. But if the orchard development continues until the available orchard lands are utilized, the value of the output of the mines will sink into insignificance when compared to the value of one fruit crop.
Every Montana a])ple is clean. There are no worms. There is little or no danger from pests or frosts. The big, clean, deliciously flavored apples of Montana are eagerly sought in every market. The Mcintosh Red, heralded as the acme of perfection, is a Montana product.
The wonder tales of the time are about the big red apples of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. It is claimed that you pay S500 an acre for irrigated land, plant your trees, wait a few years, and then settle down for life with an income of anywhere from $r,ooo to $3,000 an acre. The agricultural department of Washington tells of one grower who makes his orchard pay a dividend of $10,000 an acre, jjesides provid- ing a sinking fund to pay off the original cost.
The apple is about the most popular fruit that grows. Put apples, peaches, and oranges on the same table, and there will generally be peaches and almost always oranges, when the last apple is gone. Moreover, the apple is used in many forms and for many different purjioses. It is a necessity rather than a luxury. The irrigated lands of the Pacific nortii- west, with their long, w'arm summers and snappy winters, grow the finest apples. The highest scientific methods of ])lanting, cultivating, pruning and marketing have been developed in connection with the industry.
The Yakima river and valley, in Washington, together constitute one of the greatest irrigation jirojects in the country. The government is con- serving the waters of four large lakes in the Cascade range that form the sources of this stream, to increase the supply for irrigation. It is thus reclaiming a half million acres of land and tlie total cost of dams, canals, and appurtenances will aggregate $15,000,000 or more. In the same way the government is reclaiming 100,000 acres in the Yellowstone valley in Montana, and more of this may follow. Besides the govern- ment projects, there are about 300,000 acres under private irrigation in this valley, and a beginning has but just been made.
One of the most hopeful signs in connection with the desert's reclama- tion is the surprisingly large number of people who have left the cities and towns to take u]) these farms, and who have "made good." Not- witlistanding a lack of knowledge of farming and unfamiliarity with conditions in an irrigated country, the percentage of failures is very small. The question. "Can a merchant, mcciianic, lawyer, doctor, or men of other professions, succeed as farmers in the West?" has been answered. Given good health, a small capital to make a start and a willingness to work hard, and the answer in most cases is in the afiirmative.
Irrigation is a simple thing. It could not be otiierwise when even the Indians understand it and make i)ractical use of it. Nearly twenty years ago the Crow Indians, the descendants of those old time expert horse stealers, put in extensive irrigation works on the Little Big Horn river on the very ground where a part of Custer's disastrous battle of June 25, 1876, took place. What is more, they did the work themselves under the direction of a white engineer, and paid for it with their own monev. and it cost ihem hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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Drainage
For many years efforts have been made to have the federal govern- ment reclaim the swamp lands of the United States in the same manner that the arid lands are being reclaimed. At present there seems to be little prospect of the federal government undertaking the work, for the reason that in the states where the largest areas of wet lands are found there is little, if any, land owned or controlled by the federal government. Furthermore, in nearly all of these states large grants of swamp lands have been made to the state, with the agreement that the state should use the proceeds from the sale of such lands in reclaiming the same.
^Minnesota, with an original swamp area of more than 10.000,000 acres, had a special and a vital interest in the solution of the drainage problem, which involved not one locality or one state, but even the three great continental watersheds embraced within her borders. She has not been inactive. Since the passage of the Grindeland law, in 1897, more than 8,000 miles of ditches have been constructed at a cost of $10,008,608, draining 6,250,000 acres of swamp land, affording estimated benefits of $18,778,915. Many counties have supplemented the state's work by con- structing ditches at their own expense. In twenty years Minnesota will have accomplished as much drainage work as Ohio, Illinois or Indiana in fiftv. Minnesota's work, at present progress, will be finished in a decade. The cost of state work averages 8.8 cents per cubic yard, 30 to 40 per cent lower than county cost for the same work.
The great activity in drainage work all over the state is in a large measure attributable to the state's excellent drainage law. Minnesota has the most equitable and practical drainage law of any state in the Union. It is the result of much hard work on the part of some of the best lawyers, most practical business men and best drainage engineers of the state. It has been upheld in all important parts by the Supreme Court and is far superior to the drainage laws of any other state in the Union.
Gateway to it All
To all this vast and productive region ; rich in minerals ; abounding in immense forests ; teeming with generous yield of farm and orchard ; reaching across the Red River of the North and the Missouri and the Yellowstone and the Columbia, to Behring sea — to all this, and more, St. Paul is the gateway. Few of us realize the vastness of our own unde- veloped territory. James J. Hill once remarked: "You could take the state of Iowa and drop it into the state of Oregon, and no part of it would touch a railroad." Lack of space forbids extended reference to the enormous prairie provinces of the Northwest British Possessions — Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, with their wid- ening fields of industry ; their growing cities ; their railway expansion ; their rapid development ; bewildering to the mind that tries to keep pace with it. Hundreds of thousands of sturdy American farmers have gone to these provinces within the past five years, carrying with them their energ}', intelligence and skill, all to be devoted to building up new empires of civilization in a country that, with new and liberal relations of trade reciprocity, are to be wielded to us with close commercial ties. Only by measuring on the map and discovering that the prosperous young citv of Edmonton on the Saskatchewan river, itself a trade center of fertile farming areas beyond, lies farther northwest of St. Paul than St. Paul
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lies northwest of Jacksonville, Florida, can we realize the immensity of the domain for which this city must ever be the gateway and entrepot.
And the gold, the copper, the wheat and ajjples and wool and lumber, the beef and butter and alfalfa, which this tributary region yields, are not the only resources. Men must travel and recreate, and nowhere on the globe, in equal or double space, can be offered more scenic delights and recreative opportunities, than in this Northwestern Wonderland, the mecca of tourists, the ultima thule of rational enjoyment.
Center ok Out-Door Ch.vkms
The fame of Minnesota's lakes, woods and rivers makes the state's summer resorts strong coin])etitors for tiie eastern summer rcsorters. So well is this established that there is talk of having the summer capital of the United States placed at Lake .Minnetonka, near St. Paul. Within a few hours' ride of St. Paul there are resorts where the lake water is as blue as the skies, where conventionality is thrown to the winds and where comfort only is sought. In cottages by these lakes, the summer tourist may sleep on his front porch, with only X'enetian blinds to shield him, and enjoy a quiet that cannot be had in the city at any time of tlie day or night. He may enjoy the cool fresh air straight off tiie lakes, unpolluted by city smells or smoke, and unheated by the sun's rays flash- ing back from street and w'alls.
Tiiere may still be found spots in Minnesota wliere the camper-out meets none but the trapper, the pioneer, or the friendly Indian. Game laws are among the most liberal of any state in the union. And game is plentiful. And fish — why. a Wyoming trout stream seems empty in com])arison with some of the still inland lakes, or some of the translucid purling streams. With a camera, the beauties of nature can be caught and made to cheer a gloomy winter evening in the city flat. .And as for fish stories being questioned, when you have a picture of a string of eighteen pounders to prove your skill no one can doubt them.
Grand Rapids, Isle Royale, New London and Osakis, Minnetonka and White Bear Lake, Chisago lakes, .Mexandria, Detroit, Glcnwood, Coronis, are just a few bits from tiie (Jarden of I-'den dropped down into Minnesota. Minnesota has 10,000 lakes with a water area of over 6,000 sc|uare miles. .Scientists say the reason the (iarden of Eden has never I)ecn f(nmd is because it was broken u|) and the choicest parts dropped into Minnesota.
At Crooked rapids are niuskallonge, pike and bass, and at Winter the same fish abound. At Birch wood. Lake Owen, Shell Lake. Cumberland, Cable, Ashland and Grandview, liayfield and Madeline island, all in Wis- consin, fishing, swimming and boating, hunting and just jilain laziness, can be enjoyed witiiont let or hindrance. .\nd the cost of living bears no resemblance to those expensive iiostelries uf other laiuis, wiiere the salads smell of freshly minted gold coins, and the entrees taste like a certified check.
And the glories of the old X'ermillion trail, in the lake regions of rugged northern Minnesota, along the Canadian line! It is the home of the moose and deer; of the pine and the arbutus; the land where for gen- erations the red men roamed and reigned — whence came tiie rich furs that attracted the white man. The land that now pours out riches incal- culable from great mines of iron that rib the eartli like star-rays. It is the land where the countless lakes of blue smile iiack at perfect .skies.
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from their setting of tree and rock, stream and waterfall ; where the call of the loon is echoed by the cries of the Indian paddlers, pushing their swift birch canoes along the rivers and across the lakes.
Then ride westward through the beautiful park region of Minnesota; across the Red River valley; over the golden prairies of North Dakota; through the picturesque bad-lands ; up the valley of the Yellowstone, and through Gardiner Canyon to the geysers and hot springs and sulphur hills and obsydian mountains of Yellowstone Park. Those who live up to the motto, "See .America first" find this tour one of never-ending delight.
A visit to the famed Yoho valley, via the Natural bridge and Emerald and Yoho lakes, is a favorite two or three days' trip. The route most popular is by way of the carriage road down the bank of Kicking Horse river and thence around the base of Mt. Burgess to Emerald lake, on the wooded shore of which has been erected a picturesque modern Swiss chalet, providing excellent accommodations.
Or go to Glacier National Park, the newest of our National play- grounds, which was created by act of congress in February, 1910. It is the second largest in the country, comprising 1,400 square miles, located in northwestern Montana. The Great Northern line runs along the southern boundary of the park for 60 miles and affords a view of some of the finest mountain scenery in the world. Within the park are sixty living glaciers varying in size from an acre or two up to Blackfoot Glacier with an area of about 5 square miles. Principal glaciers are : Blackfoot, Sperry, Grinnell, Cheney, Pumpelly, Red Eagle and Harrison. There are over 250 mountain lakes ranging from small ponds to bodies of water, 15 to 17 miles long and 3 to 8 miles wide.
Beyond is the Pacific coast, with its Mount Ranier, another world- wonder. Like its white hoary brother and sister peaks, from Shasta to Baker, Rainier stands segregated, apart from encompassing mountains that would dwarf and belittle it. Alone, immaculate, robed in the white- ness that betokens modesty and purity, it reaches from the level of the ocean that once laved its slopes, up into the azure of the skies for 14,363 feet, more than two and a half miles above Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia and the legion of towns from whose confines thousands of eyes turn to it each day for pleasure and inspiration.
Hence by steamer to Alaska, to Japan to Hawaii, to the Philippines, our new way around the world — all things are possible to him who leaves St. Paul properly equipped with through tickets to all the beauty-spots of all the hemispheres.
CHAPTER XIX
CALL TO THE HOME-BUILDER
Spencer on Racial Amalgamation — Other Good and Wise Prophets — Land, the Only Solid Basis of Prosperity — Duty to Become Home Owner — Nature of Minnesota's Population — Favoraisle Conditions for the Home-Builder — The Consolidated Rural School — Electric Light and Power to Farmers — Abundant and Practical Education — Moral and Religious Influences — Min- nesota's Grand Call.
The home is the criterion ! The home is the unit of nationality ; the corner-stone of civiUzation ; the throned and crowned objective of every complete, successful, fruitful life.
A nation is truly prosperous and really great in exact proportion to the refinement, culture, harmony and virtue which pervade the homes of its average citizens. The desirable immigrant, is, first of all. a home- seeker; he proposes to be a home-builder; he is intelligently alert in searching for the elements, the conditions, the surroundings and the future prospects which satisfy his judgment that his home-building will be a benefaction to his family.
The United States is a nation of homes, and therein lies its chief title to leadership in molding the world's contem])orary history. Our people have had the good fortune to possess unparalleled advantages in the vir- gin soil and untouched mineral resources of a new continent. Entering into this priceless possession, they have profited i)y inheriting all the arts, methods and inventions by means of which older countries have advanced to high develoi^ment, at the same time avoiding the defects and obstruc- tions which have clouded that advancement elsewhere, or retarded it.
They have been free, in their march of progress, to avail themselves of the experience of past ages, appropriating that which is l)enelicial and rejecting that which has been shown to l)e injurious.
The consequence is that they have built up a nation of homes such as the world has never before seen. .\nd the aggregate of those homes constitutes a society which makes up the world we live in, the world worth knowing, worth speaking of, worth planning for; which makes up the nation worth living for and dying for ; the land which Kossuth, the Hungarian exile, said, fifty years ago, had become the preface of liberty for all mankind.
To the genuine home-seekers anf! home-builders Minnesota offers unparalleled inducements and an unstinted cordiality of welcome. Her people have long since learned that tiie infusion of good blood lends con- stantly increasing vigor to the body politic. They have unbounded con-
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fidence in the power of the social organization already well established here, to assimilate all desirable additions.
Spencer on Raci.vl Amalgamation
On visiting this country a kindly but veracious critic from abroad, the illustrious Herbert Spencer, said of us: "The world has never before seen social phenomena at all comparable with those presented in the United States. This progressive incorporation of vast bodies of immi- grants of various bloods has never occurred on such a scale before. Large empires composed of different peoples have, in previous cases, been formed by conquest and annexation. Then your immense plexus of rail- ways and telegraphs tends to consolidate this vast aggregate of states in a way no such aggregate has ever before been consolidated. And there are many minor cooperating causes unlike those hitherto known. It may, I think, be reasonably held that, both because of its size and the hetero- geneity of its components, that the American nation will be a long time in evolving its ultimate form, but that its ultimate form will be high. One great result is, I think, tolerably clear. From biological truths it is to be inferred that the eventual mixture of the allied varieties of the Aryan race forming the population will produce a finer type of man than has hitherto existed, and a type of man more plastic, more adaptable, more capable of undergoing the modification needful for complete social life. I think that, whatever difiiculties they may have to surmount and whatever tribulations they may have to pass through, the Americans may reasonably look forward to a time when they will have produced a civili- zation grander than any the world has known."
This expertness in vivisection, this faculty of laying a nation or an era on the operating table, tracing its arteries and veins and pointing out the pulsations of their life, is given only to the master spirits of an age. We may unfeignedly rejoice that the omens, as interpreted by this prac- tical, benevolent, reverent oracle are, on the whole, auspicious for the republic.
Other Good and Wise Prophets
As early an explorer as Lieutenant Jonathan Carver declared in 1767, upon reaching that portion of the upper stretches of the Mississippi river valley embraced within the boundaries of the state of Minnesota, that his eye had never rested upon a fairer scene and prophesied that the time would come when mighty kingdoms would merge from these wilder- nesses, and stately palaces and solemn temples with gilded spires reach- ing to the skies, supplant the Indian huts whose only decorations were the barbarous trophies of their van(|uished enemies. One hundred and fifty-three years have passed since his visit to the spot which brought forth his declaration, where now stand two mighty cities of 600,000 population, centrally located in one of the great commonwealths of the Union with 84,000 square miles within its boundaries and with a thriving and prosperous population of 2,200.000 people.
In 1840 the great French traveler, De Tocf|eville, declared that no- where else upon the globe were such beauteous and fertile lands as those drained by the Mississippi river, and in the seventy years which have since transpired this conviction has become a part of the settled belief of every man who has had oiiportunity of obtaining personal knowledge
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of those districts — especially those which are adjacent to the headwaters of the great arterial waterway of this continent.
It is an indisputable fact that land is the foundation of all wealth, for not only do the precious metals of the earth come out of their hiding places in the ground, but all ])roducts are primarily the fruits of the soil.
Land, the O.nlv Soi.iu iJ.\sis or I'uosi'iiKiTY
Land also is the real basis of all wealth, as its products arc the means of making the wheels of commerce whirl. Portable securities may fly away or become worthless, but land always is permanent and where it belongs. The land, projierly handled, never wears out or decays, but becomes more valuable as time goes on.
The large legitimate fortunes of this country have been made in lands and great fortunes are still being piled up by those who invest in the soil of the earth.
Every deposit intrusted In .Mother Earth becomes an interest-bearing investment. Sacredly she guards the jirincipal.
Instantly she pays on demand.
She never re])udiates a debt or cancels an obligation.
She never sleeps or tires in the service of her dc])ositors.
She never closes her doors because of a run.
She never makes mistakes or is obligated to offer apologies.
She compounds interest every minute of day or night.
Her resources are unlimited. The older she grows, the safer she grows, and the more valuable becomes the capital intrusted to her keep- ing.
The rich and jjoor alike receive impartial benefits at her hands ; and though the foolish have drawn out their deposits to risk them elsewhere, the wise have ever returned to her. satisfied th;it investments in mother earth pay the best of all.
The census bureau at Washington has issued a bulletin on land values, which shows that the jire-sent value of all the farms in the United States is approximately $50,OCX3,ooo,ooo, as compared with a little more than .S20,ooo.ooo,ooo, in lyoo. It also shows that the total acreage un- der cultivation has declined since the year i<po. The bulletin states that the value of farm lands is $20,500,000,000 more than the aggregate of capital invested in manufacturers. This shows an increase in the value of farm lands in the last ten years of one hundred tifly per cent, and this in face of the fact that the United States government lias given away to the citizens of this country, in the form of homesteads, several billion acres during tli.il tinu-.
The "corn shows" and the "land shows" are educating the home- builders. The former deal with the iiossibilities of harnessing the forces of heredity to increase i)roduction ; with scientilic i)lant-breeding to im- prove various sjiecies of plants and animals. It is wonderful to see what science has accomplished and how the ])laiit-l)reeders have civilized our grains and grasses. It is interesting to .see how the chemical content of an ear of corn or of a sugar beet can be changed ; how the choicest blood .strains of heridity have been taken into man's hand and made to re])lace the half-civilized species.
r.ut it is vastly more important to the masses to know what the soil of lands which offer them a home will i)roduce, with only the ordinary knowledge, by simply meeting the sea.sons with brute force, as most of
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the people have to meet them who go to the new countries and begin life on a farm.
The land show educates the general public and more especially those who expect to go to lands open for settlement as a sort of pioneers. These people will take the best seeds with them and they owe the plant- breeder a debt of gratitude for producing these seeds, but they are more interested in seeing what these seeds will produce, when planted in the soils of the northwest states, than in how the plant-breeder, by a process of crossing and elimination, secured the seeds from the choicest plants of the species.
Duty to Become Home Owner
Two-thirds of the people of the United States own no real estate. Whose fault is it that these two-thirds own nothing but the clothes on their backs and the beds in which they sleep? It is their own. With three-
HARVESTING FIELD OF WHE.VT, UNIVERSITY FARM (3lJ^ BUSHELS PER ACRE)
fourths of the two-thirds it is due to lack of thrift, thoughtlessness, ex- travagance, intemperance or the want of a proper saving system.
When hard times come the renter is absolutely helpless; out of em- ployment he faces nothing but the street, hunger and the poor-house. What is he to do when he becomes old. and his earning ability is gone, and youth crowds him into the ranks of enforced idleness.
It is not so with the man who owns his own home. In periods of sickness or any trouble he has time to turn. Still better off is the man who owns in addition to his home a little piece of ground. The man who owns his own garden plot is as near independence as possible. In times of unemployment his land will provide food for himself and fam- ily with a substantial surplus.
Any working man who practices thrift can own a home and an acre or two of ground. Not only will this make him his own master but it will cheapen the cost of his living and his surplus produce will go to help his fellow workingmen. It is the part of humanity, it is the part of
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statesmanship, to so change the present propertyless conditions of the great two-thirds that it would be a disgrace for a man not to own his own home with land enough for at least a garden.
N.VTURE OF MINNESOT.X'S POPULATION
Statistics of nativity show that the population of Minnesota con- tains the elements of favorable solution of the problem of heredity, so vital to its prosperous future. Of the American-born residents more than ninety per cent are natives of New England, the Middle and the Northwestern states. Among the foreigners, immigrants from the Ger- man and Scandinavian states, the British isles and the provinces of Canada, vastly predominate.
From these excellent sources have been drawn the best ingredients of the industrious, enteri^rising and intelligent classes of society — those who have saved a portion of their earnings that better advantages might be secured for their children. They brought with them their inherited and cultivated habits of thrift, industry and respect for law ; also their regard for the precepts of morality, the institutions of learning and the temples of religion.
Piut there is room and there will be a welcome for many more. They are still coming, and it is evident that they will continue to come in aug- mented numbers to participate in the blessings prepared by their ener- getic predecessors.
Those who are now coming and those who shall come hereafter will be spared most of the hardships and vicissitudes of life on the fron- tier. There is no frontier now. The rough paths have been smoothed for their feet by the labors and sufferings and sacrilices of those who came before them, and who have built up here the well-buttressed super- structure of a splendid civilization.
Those who come now and those who are to follow, are animated by the same spirit which inspired the pioneers of the territorial era. They seek to better their own condition and that of their children. They in- end to build homes. .And they desire, among other things, that those hbme> shall be surrounded by the educational and moral advantages which insure the highest type of development, which make for the per- manent welfare of the nation, the family and the inflividual.
With an area of over 50.000.000 acres, a territory greater in extent than that comi)rised in all the New England states, Minnesota presents a diversity, beauty and picturesf|ueness of aspect unsurpassed by no other region of equal average fertility. It is the watershed of the conti- nent, since in its summits lie, closely associated, the sources of her three great river systems.
From this inconsjiicuous apex diverge three distinct slopes, which give to Minnesota the form of a vast pyramid, down whose side the waters thus parted flow toward their ocean outlets. The great Missis- sippi slope extends southward, resting its broad base in the Gulf of Mexico; eastwardly stretches the slope of the Superior and Saint Law- rence system, walled in by the rocky coast of Labrador; toward the north runs the slope of the Red river, which, uniting with the Saskat- chewan valley, gives this vast interior plain the outlines of an irregu- lar triangle, which centers here and rests in Hudson's Bay.
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Favorable Conditions for the Home Builders
From this dominating geographical and topographical position, Minnesota commands the industrial situation, possessing all the ele- ments of commercial supremacy. As all roads led to Rome, all natural arteries of trade lead to and from this favored commonwealth.
All the climatic conditions are to an equal degree propitious. We have the winter temperature of Canada and New England, without their excessive snows. Our months of spring have the same average warmth as those of northern Illinois, southern Michigan and western New York, but with less frost and more rapid progress toward the heat of suinmer. Our summers and autumns are unexcelled for comfort, salubrity and un- alloyed enjoyment by those of any region on the globe. These condi- tions stimulate activity and vastly augment the results of human efifort.
And these conditions incalculably promote the healthfulness of the people, \\hat is home without health? What are soft and perfumed breezes if they waft the seeds of pestilence and death ? What are bounti- ful harvests of grain, or the most delicious of fruits, or mines of yellow metal, if disease broods over the landscape and wasting infections under- mine the constitution of man ?
The resources of the state are, in many directions, practically un- limited. It has every variety of wealth and every facility for profitable exchange. There is no more productive soil on the planet. It has vast forests of pine and hardwood timber ; its iron mines are the richest in the world. It has abundant water-power, widely distributed. No equal area is so well watered; the water everywhere is clear and pure; it is distinctively the land of limped rivers, sparkling streams and crystal lakes
With these resources and this environment, what commonwealth can otter better inducements to those who intelligently seek and can appreciatively enjoy, all the crowning, culminating features of an ideal home life? For the worker and his family; for the parents and the children; for material success as well as intellectual and moral devel- opment ; for the plans of the living present and the prospects of the illimitable future, fraught with ardent hopes and immeasureable desti- nies— where can better fields be found for the expenditure of eiTort and the acceptance of opportunity?
Fifty years ago, J. A. Wheelock, with wonderful foreknowledge, wrote of the state he did so much to create and embellish : "All the circumstances of its position and structure indicate it as the imperial domain of agriculture in its highest development ; of an agriculture re- posing on the most perfect conditions ; no longer isolated and rustic, but elevated to the rank of a glorious art by the aid of science and mechanism ! the genius of a civilization in which commerce shall be slave instead of mistress, to carry the affluence and culture of cities through the ramifications of its natural and artificial highways, to all the homes of a people at once rural in their virtues and metropolitan in their refinements."
With unparalleled felicity of prescience, these few lines of eloquent generalization foretell the gang plow, the seeder, the self-binder, the cream separator, the farm telephone, the farm automobile, rural mail delivery — all then undreamed of — and the wondrous miracles they have wrought. Who that has lived in the brief epoch which has witnessed
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these miracles will presume to set a limit to the revelations of an un- folding future ?
Every interest of the commonwealth is active in behalf of the home- builder. A bill passed by the last legislature makes provision for spec- ial aid to consolidate rural schools maintaining the standards designated. The measure is one of the most important enacted at the session and gives promise of adding many fold to the efficiency of country schools.
The Consoi.idaticii RrR.\r, School
The consolidated rural school is no experiment, even in Minnesota. This state has taken a lead in the effort at imiiroving the school facili- ties and opportunities afforded to the boys and girls on the farm. The new law is intended to give added impetus to a movement already under way. It provides for aid to schools maintaining courses in agriculture and other prescribed subjects. It makes possible better methods more highly trained teachers, better grading of pupils and better results than can be expected in the district schools.
The little schoolhouse has served its purpose and served it well. The joining of all the districts in a township, does away with the necessity for having poorly-paid teachers struggling with a few pupils of all grades. It makes possible up-to-date Ijuildings and eiiuipment. It makes possi- ble a quality of instruction not excelled in town. It places rural edu- cation where it should be on a plane with that afforded to the children of the cities. Furthermore, experience has demonstrated that the dis- trict school not only is inefficient, but expensive, compared with its superior successor. The consolidated rural schgol is coming to stay and the sooner it comes the better for the future of agriculture and those in agricultural districts.
Electric Light .\nd Powf.r to F.\rms
A power company is preparing to furnish electric light and power to the farmers within a radius of ten miles of Red Lake Falls. A delega- tion of prospective consumers has had a conference with the manage- ment of the company, and it is announced that work will be started on the installation of lines. The action of the Red River \'alley farmers and jjower comi)anv indicates what is ])ossil)le and may be exjiectcd in practically every ])art of Minnesota within a few years. There seems no reason to believe it impossible for farmers in all counties to have electric lights and cheap power, and they probably will get it.
One of Minnesota's great resources is its water-power. There are hundreds of little streams in the state that are cajwhle of generating electric energy. If advantage is taken of the opportunities atTorded. it should be jiossible to develop hydro-electric plants at scores of water- falls that have been neglected and many of which have been considered of little or no value. The current could be carried to the farms in the vicinity and practically every tiller of the soil could have modern lights and power for the operation of all kinds of farm machinery.
The distribution of power to the farmers seems today much more feasible than did a generation ago the suggestion that they would have telci)honcs and free mail deliveries. The power is at hand and all that is required is to develoj) it and to find economical means of distribution. The taking of electricity to the farm i>roI>ably would do more toward
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bettering conditions of living and working than any one thing that has been devised in the interest of agriculture.
While science and invention, wise legislation and organized business have been busy smoothing and brightening the paths of industry, ethics has been working for their elevation. Revised ideals of life have brought great changes in social organization and have worked a mighty revolu- tion in the currents of human progress. In the heaven of the Norse- man's dreams, elysium consisted of daily battles, with the magical heal- ing of wounds and the recurring glorifications of victory. Thus deeply rooted was the conviction that fighting was man's highest function and that industrial pursuits belonged only to slaves and the lower orders, an ideal of existence evolved from the chronic struggles of the race in an age of perpetual warfare.
But the activities of the warrior have declined, while industrial ac- tivities have enormously developed ; hence, that which was once degrad-
GR.\ND M.-VR.MS ST.\TE DITCH, POLK COUNTY
ing has become honorable, commendable, the badge of usefulness and distinction. Industry, commerce, financiering, have succeeded war as objects of life, as fields wherein the most strenuous exertions are to be put forth and the most dazzling prizes are to be won.
We live in that era today and we cheerfully conform to its ideals. The war policy was appropriate to the ages which tested the supremacy of the strongest races ; the industrial policy is appropriate to this age, in which the domination of man over the powers of nature and their subjection to his use, is the crying need.
But the philosophers of hope, the prophets of national optimism, look forward to a period when "life shall no longer be for learning and working, but when learning and working shall be for life." In that period, when knowledge shall have yielded its fruition in making life complete, there will, it is predicted, come a better adjustment of labor and enjoyment. Material progress will have yielded to mankind its beneficent results, and processes of evolution throughout the organic world at large will have brought an increasing surplus of energies that
204 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
are not absorbed in ministering to material necessities. Then may the gospel of work be supplemented by the gospel of recreation, relaxation, of reasonable amusement. Heaven speed the day !
Abi;nd.\nt .\nd Practical Educ.\tion
As that day has not yet dawned, ^linncsola, in the .>;phere of educa- tion, has kept in mind the duty of preparing her youth for doing their share of the work of the world. As might have been expected from their antecedents, our people lost no time in estalilishing a well-organ- ized school system. In the six decades of their State and Territorial existence, they have already accumulated a school fund which is a marvel of vigorous and wise management. i
Our educational advancement has followed rigidly jiractical lines. .•\ great philosopher on his death-bed bitterly comj)lained that of all his pupils only one had understood him and that one had flagranllv misun- derstood him. This apparent contradiction is easily intelligible when we remember that the learned writings of one profound author, having been carefully translated into another language and correctly retrans- lated, by a different hand, into the original, were found to be absolutely incomprehensible. It is. then, doubtless for the best that our educa- tional development has been thoroughly i)ractical, and we may hope that the man educated beyond the limits of his intellect may long be a rare spectacle among us.
The common school, as the base of the beneficent structure, receives the state's special, fostering care. But the other parts of a harmonious whole are not neglected. The high schools, the universities, the normal schools, and other accessories of the most modern and approved educa- tional systems are cherished, aided and encouraged to the full limit of a munificent endowment.
A phenomenally successful department of the university, of enormous practical benefit to the people, is the College of .\griculturc. With a magnificent equipment, an able faculty and an enrollment of 800 stu- dents, coming directly from the farms to learn improved methods of doing their daily work, it infuses year by year increasing streams of valuable knowledge into the life-currents of our leading industry. Agri- cultural science seems destined to become the most complete and the most useful as it is the most complex, in the curriculum and Minnesota is already far in advance in stimulating its development.
Moral and Religious Influences
It is thus easily discernible that one of the prime requisites for an adequate, ideal, satisfactory home life, the presence of abundant educa- tional advantages, is here amply supplied. Rut this is not the only requi- site. If it be true, as had been asserted that the l)usiness of religion is not merely to insure a man against fire in .-mother world, but to create an insurable interest in him, for the benefit of himself and other people now living in this world ; then the moral aspect of our present existence takes on an importance scarcely second to any other consideration. In that case, the plain duty of man is the making of himself, while making the most of the world in which he dwells : building up .society : advanc- ing the commonwealth ; bringing forward that day when the wilderness
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shall blossom as the rose and the prairies shall gleam with the gold of their affluent harvests.
It may be that we are steeped in sin inherited from our remute an- cestors. It is certain that such of them as we know most about had an abundance of thai commodity to transmit to their multitudinous pos- terity. How many of the Old Testament worthies, the choicest of the chosen, would, in these days, be permitted to live outside the murder- er's row of a well-guarded penitentiary?
But the fact is that the human family has been gradually unfolding, on the moral as well as on the intellectual sides ; growing better while growing wiser. There has been a steady evolution of a rational soul, an intellectual capacity, a moral and spiritual nature. There has been the constant development of powers that dispel the darkness which hangs on the most precious secrets of life ; that give evidence in the destiny of our fellow-men ; that give a clearer standpoint from which we may look, by faith, into the mysteries of the momentous future.
In the ministrations of an undefiled religion, the highest morality finds its emphasis and exposition. Where can that ministration be purer ; where can sound precepts be more cordially accepted ; where can correct principles more universally prevail ; where can a genuine morality more abundantly flourish than among a people whose heritage for a thousand years has been an increasing regard for the higher things of life, whose ancestors have fought and who themselves fought for civil and religious liberty?
As, during the War of Freedom, the graves of Revolutionary heroes throbbed at the reverberations of footsteps that sounded like their own ; as the granite obelisk on Bunker Hill spoke to the boys in blue of 1861, in a voice melodious as the song of immortality upon the lips of cheru- bim ; so from the sacrifices and martyrdoms of the mighty past come ad- monitions to a favored people that they stand fast by the foundations upon which our supremacy rests. Those admonitions do not fall on heed- less ears. The sacrifices were not made in vain.
The dominating force in American history, as in all history, has been a combination of intellect and morality, of culture and character. The prospective home-builder may very properly seek with earnestness and accept with enthusiasm, a locality where the conditions and environment, the interfusion of races and the climatic conditions ; the educational systems and the moral atmosphere all unite in a prophecy of that unchal- lenged preeminence that will install his descendents in the nerve-center of social and political power for generations yet unborn.
Minnesota's Gr.-\nd Call
. The home, in its 'social, moral and educational relations, is neces- sarily one of the chief concerns of rational existence. The true home is the nursery of civic virtue, an expression of that which is best in man's aspirations and tendencies. Out of it come the spirit of freedom, un- selfish patriotism, purity of politics, cleanness of life, domestic tranquil- ity, the sanctity of parental, filial and fraternal aflfection.
He who would plant a home where the moral and educational ad- vancement of those who are to dwell therein may be assured, will natur- ally measure, wuth jealous eye. all the attributes on which that assur- ance is founded. If the advantages offered by Minnesota in this respect shall be deemed sufficient, their cogency and conclusiveness will be abun-
206 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
dantly confirmed by an inspection of the other claims upon his atten- tion. Rich in the inexhaustible fertility of soil ; weighted to unsounded depths with stores of mineral wealth ; unrivaled in beauty and unap- proached in healthfulness ; develoi)in<i industrially, commercially and financially with rapid strides; prosperous in her farms, her mills, her marts; she stands, pride of the west and star of the north, peerless among the daughters of the regenerated republic. She calls to the home- builders with the voice of soberness, of optimism, and of prophecy.
CHAPTER XX
EARLY TRANSPORTATION AND NAVIGATION
Dog-Sledge Traveling — The Knowlton Road — The Stage Coach Era — Minnesota Stage Company — "Pembina Carts" — River Transportation — Navigation of the Upper Mississippi — Busi- ness at St. Paul — Opposition to Galena Packet Company — Northwestern Union Packet Company — Other Steamboat Companies — "Diamond Jo" Reynolds — Romance of the Missis- sippi— Minnesota River Navigation.
The early methods of travel and transportation, in Minnesota both by land and by water, were necessarily primitive. By snowshoe, by dog sledge, by Red-river cart, on horseback, by ox-team, by stage-coach and by railway were some of the progressive means of transporting passen- gers and freight on dry (or muddy) ground; while birch canoes, keel- boats, rafts, barges and steamboats served, in turn, on the water courses with which the state is abundantly supplied.
Dog-Sledge Traveling
Dog-sleighing was a common mode of traveling in the early days and the Pioneer of P'ebruary 19, 1852, contains the following account of a remarkable journey: "Dr. Rae arrived in St. Paul on the 14th inst., having performed the journey from Pembina to Sauk Rapids, some five hundred miles in ten days. It was the continuation of a journey from a station on McKenzie river, about 2,500 miles beyond Pembina. Both journeys were j^erformed on snowshoes. He was sent last spring to the Arctic coast in search of p-ranklin by the Hudsons Bay Company." In this long journey over the snow Dr. Rae used a dog-sledge, which was presented by him to the ^Minnesota Historical Society. This was the only mode of traveling in winter between St. Paul and Pembina until 1859. when Burbank and Blakeley's line of stages began running to Fort Abercrombie. The following description of a ride on dog-sledges ap- peared in the Pioneer of January 8. 1852: "The honorable members elected to the house and council from Pembina, viz., Alessrs. Kittson, Rolette, and Gingras, arrived at Crow Wing on Christmas eve, in sixteen days from home, stopping two days at Red lake on the way. Each had his cariole drawn by three fine dogs, harnessed tastily, with jingling bells, and driven tandem fashion, at 2:40 at least, when put to their speed. They usually traveled from thirtv or forty miles per dav and averaged about thirty-five miles. They fed the dogs but once a day on the trip, and that at night, a pound of pemmican each. On this they
207
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draw a man and baggage as fast as a good horse would travel, and on long journeys they tire horses out."
The pemmican referred to is an article of food, which long since be- came obsolete. It was a preparation of buffalo meat dried, pounded into shreds, and stuffed into bags made of butfalo hide, into which melted tallow was poured, forming one solid mass. This could be iireserved a long time, and although anything but palatable to those unused to it, it was a favorite diet with Red river men and half-breeds generally. In early days it used to be kept for sale in St. Paul.
. . Tin-: K.NOWLTON Ro.\u
Up to the winter of 1848 and 1849. one of unusual severity, the in- habitants of the Itttle town of St. Paul found themselves, during the winter season two hundred miles from the nearest settlement and mail supply (Prairie du Chien ) and hemmed in by ice and snow. The only communication wath the outside world was over the ice of the river by sledges drawn by dogs. By this means were the mails carried to and from the village of Prairie du Chien, a journey fraught with danger and hardship. Early in 1849 Hiram Knowlton blazed a road through the back country of Wisconsin from Prairie du Chien to Hudson, and thence to St. Paul, building rude bridges and making the way passable. Passengers camped out in the snow, except for a few huts located at long intervals en route. For several years this was the only eastern out- let used in the winter. Even Willoughby and Powers' stage line ran on the Knowlton road.
If popular rumor is to be trusted, there is somewhere in the high- lands of Scotland, by the side of a turnpike, a large stone, bearing the following doggerel inscription :
"If you had seen this road before it was made. You'd lift up your hands and bless Gen. Wade."
An educated individual reading this strange announcement, would naturally remark that the expression "a road before it is made," is a logical contradiction, probably of Hibernian origin; but if not logically justifiable, for vulgar convenience, it is an cxi)ression that might well have been applied to this road of Knowlton's, and no douin the peo])le blessed him for its construction as the Scotchmen did General Wade.
The Stage Co.\ca Er.\
In 1850 Robert Kennedy ran a stage line to Stillwater, and shortly afterwards Willnughby and Powers started a line to the same place. The latter firm in 1851, to accommodate their growing traffic, obtained a Concord coach which was the first ever run in .Minnesota. In the si>ring of 1852. the St. Anthony business was invaded by two gentleoien from Michigan, Lyman L. lien.son and a Mr. Pattison, who enteretl into a lively competition with Willoughby and Powers for business. .\ furious opposition sprang up, and in the competition for patronage the price of a passage was brought down from seventy-five to ten cents. \\'illough- by and Powers' coaches were painted red and it was called the "red line," while the Benson and Pattison coaches were yellow, and termed the "yellow line." The war between the red and yellow lines was one
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of the curious phases of the day. This keen competition continued for two or three years.
After various changes J. C. Burbank & Company, secured the mail contract in 1858 and eventually obtained by consolidation, purchase or otherwise control of the land transportation business of this section, and held it until the stage coach days were virtually ended. With this firm was associated Alvaren Allen as superintendent ; also Russell Blakely and John L. Merriam as partners and managers. But John C. Bur- bank was the master spirit of the enterprise, which soon became the Minnesota Stage Company.
Minnesota St.\ge Company
It was in the early sixties that the stage system of the northwest, as controlled by the Minnesota Stage Company, reached the greatest de- gree of its activity and prosperity. Bridge square at this period pre- sented in the early morning, what to the modernized vision of the people of today would be a strange sight. The offices of the company were located just above the square, in a building on West Third street, and all the stages coming in and going out would report at the offices and take on and unload their express there. It was a common sight to see the square crowded with the old Concord stages, the driver sitting on his high box holding the reins over a team of four prancing horses ready to start out on the road. It was a scene of animation and life, and af- forded the chief incident of interest of each day.
The Minnesota Stage Company, stood in the relation to the public that the railroads do today. The business was conducted in a business- like way and in accordance with a strict routine. The necessity for this will be realized when it is stated that the Minnesota Stage Company's system of routes included over two thousand miles of traveled road, ex- tending into every part of Minnesota, into Wisconsin and even far up into Manitoba, where Selkirk was a terminus. Besides the ten or a dozen lines running out of St. Paul, there were several routes extend- ing across the country in southern Minnesota, such as Hastings to Fari- bault, and Winona to Rochester. To conduct its great carrying business this company had in its service in 1865 above seven hundred horses and more than two hundred men. On most of the lines coaches were sent out daily ; on the Stillwater line there were two daily coaches ; on the ■Minneapolis and St. Anthony line the stages were plying every few hours. On the longer lines to the north the stages were less frequent, tri-weekly trips being the rule. The firm did much to solve the prob- lem of early inland transportation in Minnesota. "It is due to these gentlemen," says Mr. Williams, "and especially to the senior partner. Mr. Burbank, from whose early struggles and tenacity of purpose all subsequent business of the firm sprang, to say that their entire manage- ment as public carriers, from first to last, was distinguished by a lil)erality, fairness and justness in all their dealings which have been rarely, if ever, paralleled."
"Pembina Carts"
But another and earlier and even ruder system of organized trans- portation over land, preceded that of the stage coach era. Long be- fore stages were introduced the "Pembina carts" were in existence, and ultimately proved of great benefit to St. Paul. The history of these
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•210 ST. PAUL AND \1CIXITV
almost forgotten but important vehicles of commerce deserves to be preserved. They were brought into use in transporting the furs from the flourishing Red river colony. Prior to 1844 the import of goods and exi)ort of furs of that section were through the difficult Hudson bay route, navigable only two months in the year and beset with dangers. In 1844 Norman W. Kittson, at that time a special partner in tiie .\mer- ican Fur Company, fixed his headquarters at Pembina, and commenced collecting furs, shipping them to Mendota in vehicles which received the name of "Pembina carts." When the advantages and profits of that trade were demonstrated, Jo. Rolette of Pembina and his uncle, Alex. I'isher, organized a cart brigade and made trading trips to St. Paul. Their venture succeeded very well and in 1847 as many as 125 carts came to St. Paul, bringing furs and returning laden with merchan- dise. In 1849 St. Paul became the depot for all engaged in this trade and the Pembina cart business was an important source of gain to the city.
These carts were constructed according to the most primitive ideas; were made entirely of wood fastened with leather, and had only two wheels. These solid wheels were fixed on wooden axles destitute of oil or grease, and when in motion a caravan could be heard for miles. The tractive power was usually furnished by oxen fastened to the cart by means of thongs of buH'alo hide. One driver had charge of .several of these carts, simply guiding the head ox, the heads of at least three ani- mals following being tied to the preceding cart. These carts cost about fifteen dollars each, would carry (xx) to 700 pounds and usually lasted about three trips. The drivers of the carts were also a study. Nearly all of them were swarthy half or quarter-breeds, and were dressed in a costume that was a curious commingling of civilized garments and bar- baric adornments. They were usually clad in coarse blue cloth, with a I)rofusion of brass buttons, and had a red sash girt around their waists. They presented also a curious commingling of races, the old -Scotch, Eng- lish and French settlers having married with the Crees and Chippewas. and crossed and re-crossed until every shade of complexion was to be seen, and a babel of tongues was the result.
The distance from Pembina to St. Paul by the nearest route was 448 miles, and these cart trains made the journey in thirty or forty days. The trains usually started as soon as i)asturage could he obtained for the stock. In 1844 Niendota was the objective point, but from 1849 until the railroad was comjileled to St. Cloud, St. Paul was the terminal. 'i~he number of tliese carts increased each year, until in 185 1 it was given at 102; in 1857, about 500 and in 1858, 600. The completion of the Northern Pacific to the Red river was the death knell of this primitive means of transportation. These carts, like the stage coach. have passed away before the progress of civilization, \\herc traveled the rude caravans, through primitive forest and jirairics. tiic iron horse has brought a new world into existence, and the wild jiaradise has be- come the well ordered garden, bringing forth wealth and sustenance for a prospen^us people.
Nature facilitated the solution of the inland tran.sportalion prob- lem, outside the wooded regions, by furnishing the ground work for good roads. The natural prairie roads which ran over the high un- dulating uplands had the smoothness and comjiactness of artificial turn- pikes. This peculiarity of the inlernal highways of Minnesota distin- guished it from other western states. It is slated that in a majority of
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211
counties the average weight which a two-horse team would draw for a distance of thirty miles a day from two thousand to three thousand pounds. In the southwest counties however not quite such favorable results could be obtained.
In Illinois, before plank roads and railroads gave her access to mar- kets, the average rate of travel, in the most favorable seasons, was twenty miles per day, and the average load which a two-horse team could haul was one thousand pounds. Minnesota, therefore, possessed a great advantage over other states in the natural facilities of land tran- sit. It was this favorable disposition of the land that enabled the Red river carts to make such long journeys with safety and facility, and which sub.sequently allowed of the quick construction of railroads through the vast prairies of the state.
River Transportation
These phases and varieties of land transportation, necessary as they were in places where water did not exist, or in seasons when it was not available, were only supplementary to the river transportation, on which
BIRDS EYE VIEW OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER .AND WHOLES.\LE DISTRICT
the country principally depended. St. Paul, by its position at the head of navigation on the Mississippi, made the question of water transporta- tion in its early history one of easy solution. In fact it was the ad- vantages of water communication that determined the location of the city, and like St. Louis. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Louisville and New Orleans, St. Paul was the creation of steamboat navigation. It was the old-fashioned steamboat, slowly plowing its way against the waters of the broad bosom of the Mississippi, that gave the first impetus to the growth of the present commercial metropolis of Alinnesota.
And even before the day of steamboats, the river was navigated by white men by means of barges and keel boats. The latter came into general use about 1808. They were much of an advance over barges, in celerity and in labor-saving. They were longer and narrower; had a
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keel-shaped instead of a broad flat bottom; carried as much freiglit on a less amount of current expenses ; furnished less resisting surface, and therefore were more easily handled in cross current, bends, and other places requiring speedy movement. In a short time after their in- troduction they became the universal freight carriers and held this posi- tion until abandoned for the superior advantages offered by steamboats.
X.WIG.VTION 01" THE UpPER MISSISSIPPI
The navigation of the up]Jer river was restricted to barges and keel- boats until some years after the introduction of steamboats. Previous to 1823 it had been supposed that the rapids at ]\ock Island were an insurmountable barrier to the navigation of the upper Mississippi, but on the 2d of May, 1823, the steam vessel "\irginia" left her mooring at St. Louis destined for Fort Snelling. Successfully passing the rapids — which required four days — this pioneer craft made her way slowly up the Mississippi, arriving at Fort Snelling on May 20th. The "N'irginia" was commanded by Captain Crawford and hail among her passengers the Indian Agent, Major Taliaferro, and the Italian refugee and traveler, Count Beltrami. The fright of the Indians at sight of this vessel is said to have been extreme.
The voyage of the "Virginia" demonstrated conclusively that the obstacles supposed to be insuperable to navigation were only so in im- agination. This pioneer attempt succeeded so well that other trips were made as the necessity of the government and trading-posts re- quired, so that up to 1826 no less than tifleen boats had made the trip safely. These boats were the "X'irginia," ".\cville," "Putnam," "Man- dan," "Indiana," "Lawrence," "Sciota," "Eclipse," "Josephine," "I'ul- ton," "Red Rover," "Black Rover," "Warrior," "Enterprise" and "X'olga." The number of these vessels steadily increased, and from a record kept at Fort Snelling, we find that the number up to 1844 was forty-one.
The navigation of the upper Mississipi)i did not reach any degree of regularity until 1847, when uncertain means of communication were superseded by a regular line of packet boats, which made trips from Galena to Mendota and Fort Snelling. This line was oi)erated by the Galena Packet Company. They ]>urchased the steamer ".\rgo," made weekly trips, and did a good business until October of that year when she struck a snag and sank. In the summer of the next year the "Dr. Franklin" was purchased and ran for one season in opposition to the "Senator" of St. Louis. In 1849 the "Senator" was added to the line under the command of Captaiii Onin Smith. In the fall she was re- placed by the "Nominee."
Business .\t St. P.m'l
In 1850 the steamboat interest had grown to be (|uite extensive, as the flood of immigration was rapidly increasing and freighting was large. The "Senator" and "Nominee' continued to be the regular boats until 1852, when the "Ben Campbell" was added to the line. Two trips per week were made during the seasons of 1840, 1850 and 185 1, and in 1852 tri-weekly trijjs were commenced. During the season of 1852 a strong rivalry was begun in steamboat trade. The Harrises, .Smith & Scribe ran a packet in o])i)osition to the old line, but before the sum- mer closed their boat, the new "Saint Paul," was purchased by the Ga-
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lena Company. At tlie time Captain Louis Robert brought out the "Black Hawk" and the "Greek Slave," both new boats, and at the same time there were several boats in the trade which ran wild.
In 1850 the first boat of the season, "Highland Mary," did not reach St. Pauruntil April 19, and speaking of this event the Pioneer says: "On Friday morning at six o'clock the smoke of a steamboat was visible and the very heart of the town leaped for joy. As she came up in front of Randall's warehouse the multitude on shore raised a deafening shout of welcome." The "Highland Mary" brought five hundred passengers, not an unusual load for those days. "Such has been the anxiety here," continued the Pioneer, "for the arrival of steamboats, that nothing else was talked of, and St. Paul seemed likely to go to seed." From the above extracts, some idea can be formed of the joy with which the ar- rival of the first boat was hailed in early days, opening communication with the rest of the world after months of isolation. It was generally a signal for a jollification, at which all rules of restraint were thrown aside.
From 1850 to 1858 the arrival of steamboats constantly increased, and from 1854 to 1858 the rush of immigration was particularly heavy, the number of passengers averaging several himdred on each boat. The steamboat arrivals for five years were as follows: 1854, 256; 1855, 560; 1856, 857; 1857, 1,026: 1858, 1,068. The spring of 1857 was one of the latest ever known, the first boat not being able to reach St. Paul un- til May 1st. As soon as the icy obstacles had disappeared, however, the arrivals became numerous. On May 4th, eighteen boats were at the wharf at one time, and later twenty-four could be seen at the landing simultaneously. In those days the opening of navigation was a great event in the lives of the inhabitants of St. Paul, and the officers of the first boat to arrive usually received an ovation from the citizens.
Three new steamers were latmched by the Galena Packet Company in 1854, and six trips per week were made. This addition to their fleet occurred at a fortunate time, for during the season the "Dr. Franklin," "Nominee" and "Galena" were sunk. The opening of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad in 1856 largely increased the river traffic ; in 1857 the "Northern Belle" and "Granite State" were added to the fleet, and a short time after this acquisition the Dubuque line of boats was purchased and operated by the Packet Company. The loss of the "Lady Franklin" occurred this season, but having gained the boats of the Dubuque Company no inconvenience was incurred through lack of ca- pacity to carry freight and passengers.
Opposition to G-\len.\ P.acket Comp.\ny
Captain W. F. Davidson, in 1859, started a line of boats to ply be- tween La Crosse and St. Paul, in opposition to the Galena Packet Company. It was composed of three boats, the "Winona," "Franklin Steele" and "Favorite." This move caused fierce rivalry between the two lines. Rates were recklessly reduced, .^t one time the fare from St. Paul to Chicago was only one dollar, which included meals, berths, and railroad and water transportation. The fight was finally ended by compromise, Captain Davidson getting control of the business of the Milwaukee road at La Crosse.
In the winter of 1859-60 the owners of five private boats running from St. Louis decided to form a joint stock company and organized
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under the name of tlie Xorthern Line Packet Company. Captain James Ward was elected president, and Thomas H. Griffith, secretary and treasurer. The N'cssels owned by this comi)any made regular trips to St. Paul, and included the "Sucker Slate." "I lawk Eye State," "Canada," "Pembina," "Metropolitan," "Northerner," "W. L. Ewing," "Denmark," "Henry Clay," "Minnesota Belle" and "Fred Lorenz." This company continued in business for fifteen years.
NORTHWIiSTER.N' UNION PacKF.T CbMPANY
The (lalena Packet Comi)any ceased running in 1866, when Captain Davidson organized the .Vortlnvestern Union Packet Comi^any, by the consolidation of the two old companies, the Northwestern Packet Com- pany and the La Crosse and Minnesota Steam Packet Company. These two companies had been running boats between Dubuque and St. Paul.
The Northwestern Union Packet Company became the competitor of the Northern Line Packet Company, running between St. Louis and St. Paul, and the St. Louis and Keokuk Company. These lines ran together in harmony until the Norllnvestcrn Union Packet Company added the "Phil Sheridan" to their lleet. This act caused fierce com- petition, which lasted until rates were again reduced to nominal figures. The fight was continued until Captain Davidson gained control of the whole business in 1873. He then organized a new line known as the Keokuk Northern Packet Company, which was composed of the prin- cipal boats forming the Keokuk. Northwestern and Northern lines. The new company continued to operate on the river until the close of navi- gation in 1880, when it ])asscd into the hands of a receiver.
Oriii.K Stk.mmbo.xt Comp.xnies
The St. Louis and St. Paul Packet Company was organized in 1880, with W. F. Davidson, R. M. Hutchinson and V. L. Johnson, incorpora- tors, who in the same year also organized the St. Paul I'Veight and Pas- senger Company.
The Diamond Jo line was started in 1866 by "Diamond Jo" Reynolds, at that time a stockholder in the Northwestern line, who ])urchascd from that company the l)oat "Diamond Jo." He first ran his boats between Fulton and St. Paul. He afterwards ]nircliased the "Ida Fulton" and "Bannock City," which were put in the same trade. In 1868 the "Tidal Wave," "Josie" and "Arkansas" were added to the line. Two years later the boats ran as far as Burlington, and the "Imperial" was added to the fieet. The ".Arkansas ' an<l "Titlal Wave" were sold in 1877. and the latter vessel was known as the "(irand Pacific." In the spring of 1875 the operations of the Diainond Jo line were extended to St. Louis.
Since about 1880 steamboating on the Mississi])pi has been in a stale of comparative eclipse, when contrasted with its activity and prosperity during the three decades preceding. Only one regular line, the successor to the "Diamond Jo." is now in operation between St. Paul and .St. Louis. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been exten<led in dredg- ing the channel, conslrucling wing dams and buikling a canal arouiKl the lower ra|)ids at Keokuk. But the business and the glory have dei)arted. Preparations are being made by a generous government for the resump-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 215
tion of the steaniboating business by tugs and barge lines and it may be that sometime these splendid facilities will be fully utilized, in spite of Mr. J. I. Hill's estimate that even at St. Louis, only .79 of i per cent of the freight in and out of that city goes by water. He argues that it is hopeless to look for big river tratific for St. Paul. The "Mississippi struck twelve twenty-five years ago," he said, "and will hardly amount to more as a freight carrier than can be done by three auto trucks."
Per contra, as an evidence of the earnestness of present-day advo- cates of river improvement in securing information and laying plans for continued agitation, the following series of questions addressed to commercial bodies by the president of the Upper Mississippi River Im- provement Association may be quoted :
1. What is the length of your municipally-owned river frontage and steamboat landing, in lineal feet?
2. What is the width of same, from low water mark?
3. Is the width obstructed by anything, and what?
4. Can additional frontage, if desired, be acquired by your local authorities for freight handling, or improvement of your river front, if so, how much?
5. Where are railroad tracks, if any, located, with reference to steamboat landing?
6. Could railroad connection with dock warehouse be made?
7. What facilities have you now for handling river traffic?
8. Have harbor lines been established by United States engineers?
Present Steamdo.\t Conditions
For the season of 1912 there are three lines running boats regularly between St. Paul and cities as far south as St. Louis. Of these the Streckfus Steamboat line, operating the fine Diamond Jo steamers, is the most important. This company operates four large boats, the side- wheelers, "Quincy" and "St. Paul," and the sternwheelers, "Sidney" and "Dubuque." Some of these make regular trips all summer be- tween St. Paul, Burlington, Dubuque, Davenport, Keokuk and St. Louis.
Intercity trade has already begun to increase, the Atlas Transporta- tion Co. having established a barge line between Hannibal, Mo., and St. Paul for carrying cement. The first cargo brought in found a cargo of flour waiting for transportation to down river points. Trade between cities along the Mississippi river having been given a decided stimulus, river men claim that when a certain stage of water is guaranteed at all times by the government improvements, such as the six foot channel project, several other barge lines will immediately come into existence.
Another important river line is the Northern Steamboat Co. of Davenport, la. This line operates the steamer "Morning Star" between St. Paul, Stillwater, Davenport and Rock Island and does both a pas- senger and freight business. This boat is one of the newest on the river and is known as the fast boat. She is 250 feet long. 38 feet wide and can carry 125 passengers.
The steamer "Red Wing" of which M. H. Newcomb is the owner and captain, makes regular trips out of .St Paul to Wabasha.
Several steamboats for pleasure trips ply out of St. Paul and once in awhile an old-time rafter makes this port.
216 ST. PAUL AND \1CI.\1TV
"Diamond Jo" Reynolds
The news of the sale, in 1910, of the Diamond Jo packets, the last of the representatives of the steamboat lines which plied the upper Missis- sippi, was heard with regret by those who love the romance of the pic- turesque old river days and hold in memory the virile men who were a part of its fascinating story. Of these men there is none whose life his- tory is so often rehearsed as that of Josejjh Reynolds, "Diamond Jo," as he was known. He dominated early up river life in a peculiar fashion. His mark, a diamond with Jo in the center, has been a familiar sight to river folk for lifty years. One by one the steamboat companies sold out after the railroad was built along the river, but the "two long, two short" whistle of the Diamond Jo packets was still heard. I'ur a long time its four steamers were the only ones to carry through freigiu and passengers from St. Paul to St. Louis. Efforts may be made to retain some of the old features of the business, but a part, at least, of the romance goes with the passing of control from the Reynolds estate.
Romance ok rin-: .Mississippi
The romance may depart — nay, has departed — from the art and prac- tice of river navigation, but the Mississippi itself is an endless romance and an unceasing wonder. "The longest voyage possible from New York to any European port via one body of water, the Atlantic ncean, is less than 4,000 miles," writes Francis Perry Elliott of St. Louis. "But an American may make a longer voyage via one body of water and never leave our great Mississippi river, which is 4,200 miles long.
"It is a wasteful river; enough good soil is ejected annually from its mouth to make a great many farms. If it were possible to collect and compress this sediment it would make a block 2f)0 feet high and one mile square at the base. Or think of it as being a quantity of rich soil sufficient to plaster six inches deep 300 farms of 1,000 acres each. And water! Stand on the levee bank at flood time anywhere below the mouth of the Ohio, and for every pulse beat, there passes before you 14,000,000 cubic feet of water — 840.000.000 cubic feet every minute.
"The area drained by the Father of Waters is over 1,245,000 S(|uare miles. Or, think of it in another way ; think of it as an exieiU of land that is not only the heart of the country, but is almost the country itself, for it is only a trifle less than three-fourth of it. X'iewcd from the stand- point of the farmer, it comes near being the whole thing, for the twenty- eight states and territories from which the Mississip])i valley claims tribute of drainage, contain go per cent of all the imj^roved farm land in the United States. Thus the greatest river in all the world is flowing southward through the greatest valley— one containing 70,000,000 of people — on down into the greatest gulf in the world."
Minnesota River Navkiatiox
The summer of 1850 was the commencement of the navigation of the Minnesota river by steamboats to and from St. Paul. With the exception of a steamer that made a pleasure excursion as far as Shakopee in 1842, no large vessel had ever disturbed tiie waters of this stream. The long remembered flood of 1S50 lirst demonstrated the navigaliility of the river. In June, during the high water, three boats — the "Anthony
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 217
Wayne," "Xomiiiee" and "Yankee" — made excursions up the river, the last named boat going a distance of three hundred miles.
The first line of regular boats on the Minnesota was run by Captain Louis Robert. In 1857 Captains Reaney and Davidson were engaged in navigating this stream. Regular trips were made in 1858 and 1859 by the steamers "T-'avorite" and "Franklin Steele." The "Julia." com- manded by Captain Reaney, was the first boat ever lost on the river. It was sunk in 1859 at Hurricane Bend, below Mankato. Besides the boats named, the "Jeanette," "Time and Tide," and "Antelope" were em- ployed in this trade. Captain Louis Robert (pronounced Robar), a Frenchman of humorous turn, would stand on the landing at St. Paul just before his boat started, and call out: "All aboard! 'Time and Tide' waits for no man and only twenty minutes for any woman." The earliest captains whose names have been preserved were Robert David- son, Reaney, jMacLagan, Bell, Haycock and Randall. The boats usually made trips to Mankato, but sometimes they went as far as Fort Ridgely and New Ulm, while an occasional trip would be made to Redwood and Yellow Medicine Agency.
In 1858 Captain Davis made a daring attempt to take a boat called the "Freighter" up the Minnesota, believing that, by some knee-wrench- ing and neck-wringing process, he could reach the Red river of the North. It was a disastrous undertaking, since in trying to get over the Portage between Lac Traverse and Big Stone, his vessel was wrecked. The machinery and some other portions of the craft were afterwards re- covered and used in building the "International," the first boat to navi- gate the water of the Red river.
From 1872 to 1875, Gen. Mark D. Flower, owner of the steamboat "Osceola," made regular trips on the Minnesota river, during the seasons of navigation. Frequently, at periods of high water, he carried mer- chandise and lumber up to Redwood and Granite Falls, bringing out the wheat produced by the farmers. This was a very profitable business, as there were then no railroads in that region.
During some eras of steamboating, boats ran as regularly on the Minnesota as on the Mississippi river. But during recent years trips have been made only at rare intervals, on account of the difficulties of navigation caused by an insufficient depth of water above Carver, and abundant railroad facilities to that point. The improvements necessary to make the river navigable would not be costly and there are indications that in the near future the national government will be ready to make the necessary appropriations for this purpose. Except for a bar at the mouth of the Minnesota near Fort Snelling, boats that could ascend the Mississippi to St. Paul, could easily go to Chaska and Carver. Indeed, for some distance above Fort Snelling the Minnesota is deep enough to float a dreadnought.
For many years a regular steamboat line ran from St. Paul down the Mississippi and up the St. Croix to Taylor's Falls, carrying freight and passengers to Hastings. Prescott. Hudson, Stillwater, Osceola, Fran- conia, Taylor's Falls and St. Croix Falls. The beautiful scenic attractions of the Dalles of the St. Croix, now embraced in the Inter-State Park, formed an interesting objective point for the tourists and excursion parties of those days.
CHAPTER XXI
RA 11. ROAD DlAl'LLOPMENT
Land Grants to Railroads — Railroad Building, 1865-90 — St. Paul,
THK CON.STRUCTION CeNTKR TlIlC GrE.VT XoRTHERN SvSTEM —
Northern Pacieic Railro.ad — Chicago, St. P.-\ul, Minneapolis & Omaha System — The Minnesota Central Railro.\d — The Chicago Gre.\t Western — Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad — Wisconsin Central Railroad — Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific — The "Soo" Line — Destined March oe St. Paul.
The e.xtraordinary development of the railroad system of Minnesota, which has St. Paul as its central ])oint. has extended the means of transportation over nearly the whole productive area of the state, so that it is difficult to find anywhere within its limits a tract of fertile country which is more than twenty miles away from the iron-bound road. The first mile of railroad in the state was not built until 1862. Now over four thousand miles of track traverse it in every direction, and the lines extend far beyond the boundaries, bearing and bringin.a; their rich tribute of commerce in all the products that go to constitute the elements of modern civilization.
-Mllujugli the construction and operation of railroad lines leading to and from St. I'aul have long since overleaped the state boundaries, and even those of the nation, yet. from the historic standpoint, a review of the early inducements offered by Minnesota and the early struggles of her enterprising citizens to inaugurate the system, must be of value.
The multiplication of railroads is the great need of our industrial economy. We have a wide territory, with bulky ])roducts far from the great markets. The laws of the state and their administration have tendered to promote railroad expansion, and this has been one of the greatest factors in the smn total of causes that have produced such a prosperous community.
Land Grants to Railroads
In no stale have such muniliccnl land grants been made to railroad cor|)orations as in .Minnesota. After deducting all deficiencies they have received 12,222,780 acres of land, an area larger than the whole of Massachusetts, Rhode Islanrl, Connecticut and one-half of New Ilani])- shirc. embracing some of the finest wheat lands in America. I'lUt the roads have earned the lands, and in giving them the state has made a profitable investment.
These lands received by the railroad corporations are by their amend- ed charters, exempt from taxation until they arc sold or contracted
218
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 219
to be sold. Under the stimulus afforded by these grants, preparations were made, in the later days of the territorial government, for the con- struction of an immense system of railways. The sanguine expectations excited by these preparations were suddenly cut short by the financial collapse of 1857. By an act of Congress approved March 5, 1857, and secured mainly through the efforts of Hon. Henry M. Rice, delegate in Congress, 4,500,000 acres of land had been granted to the territory to aid in the construction of six different lines of road. But the lands were of little value until the roads were constructed ; the roads could not be constructed without money, and the money could not be secured under existing financial conditions.
In this emergency the companies whicli had been organized to build these roads, by men who had little surplus capital themselves to embark in such enterprises, appealed to the state for aid. The people, on April 15, 1858, ratified by a large majority the constitutional amendment sub- mitted to them, which authorized the issue of state bonds for the bene- fit of the proposed railroads. The failure of that program and the long series of calamities which it entailed on the people, have been narrated in another chapter of this work.
Railroad Building, 1865-90
The close of the war for the Union in the spring of 1865, the re- turn of the soldiers, and the assurance of no further depredations from the Sioux Indians, started a new era of prosperity and rapid growth. The legislature, in the meantime, had granted charters on the foreclosed roadbeds and lands to new railroad companies, and the construction of roads was furnishing abundant labor to all who were coming to the state. The population at this time was 250,099, and in 1870 the popu- lation had increased to 439,706, nearly doubling in five years. The rail- road companies had within the same period constructed nearly 1,000 miles of railroad, and continued building with even greater vigor until "the financial crisis of 1873 brought all public enterprises again to a stand, and produced stagnation in all the growing towns. The farmers had been active in developing the country, and were adding largely to the productions of the state when the grasshopper raids for the time being destroyed the growing crops and caused serious financial distress for two or three years.
During the ten years between 1880 and i8go there was a period of great activity in railroad building, and 2,310 miles of road were put in operation. This alone gave great energy to business, caused a large increase in the population of the cities, and gradtially culminated in a real estate boom with an era of wild speculation. In the rural districts the growth was normal over the entire state, although large numbers of farmers in the southern half were attracted to the plains of Dakota, where great activity was being developed by pushing railroads into dif- ferent sections.
St. Paul, the Construction Center
Substantially all Minnesota railroad building began at this city. By geographical position and by the enterprise and liberality of its citizens, St. Paul has become to the great northwest what Chicago is to the older west — the point where merchandise is concentrated and distribu-
220 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
ted, where great railroad systems meet and connect and where travel halts and is transferred. All the railroads that reach out from Chicago, to grasp a share of the traffic of the northwest, converge here, and other roads make the city their starting point for the I'acitic coast : for the international boundary ; for the ports of Lake Su])erior. and for the prairies of western and southern Minnesota, northern Iowa and Ne- braska. Nothing proclaims more effectively the importance of St. Paul as a railroad center than the fact that there are seven great trunk lines between Chicago and this city, while no less than five railways con- nect St. Paul with the Lake Superior cities.
Thk Great Northern System
The Great Northern Railway may fairly he claimed as a distinctive St. Paul enterprise, having been from the beginning practically de- vised, promoted, built, owned and operated here. The parent corpora-
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tion was chartered May 22, 1857, as the Minnesota and Pacific Railroad and authorized to build lines to Stillwater, to St. Anthony and Breck- enridge; also "from St. .Anthony, via Anoka, St. Cloud and Crow Wing, to St. \'incent, near the mouth of the Pembina river." Among the first directors w-ere Alexander Ramsey, lulnumd Rice. R. R. Nelson, VVm. L. .Ames. Charles 11. Oakes. 1'". R. Delano and other citizens of St. Paul, lulmund Rice was first president. The line was surveyed in 1857, and some grading done by Selah Chamberlain but the ])anic caused a suspension.
When the five million loan bill was passed, in 185S. work was re- sumed and most of the bed between St. Paul and St. .\nthony graded, when the failure of the loan scheme again comi)elled a sto])page of work, before a rail had been laid.
In iSrto the mortgage given by the road to the state was foreclosed; the lied and franchises became the property of the state and so remained until .March 10, 1862. when the legislature conferred them on l-"dmiwul Rice, R. R. Nel.son, E. A. C. Hatch, J. E. Thomp.son. Win. Lee and
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 221
others, with provisos that certain portions should be constructed by specified dates. The name of the corporation was also changed to the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company.
A contract was ejitered into March ii, 1862, with E. F. Drake and \'. Winters, to construct the road from St. Paul to St. Anthony, and it was completed and running on June 28th of that year. The first loco- motive was the "William Crooks," named in honor of the chief engineer of the road. Hon. E. Rice, the president about that time, went to Eng- land, where he enlisted capital in the road and sent back 3,000 tons of rails for its construction. Work was steadily pushed on the road during the ensuing year. On February 6, 1864, the road was divided between two companies — the part from St. Paul to Breckenridge, and the branch line to Watab being called the "First division," under the presi- dency of George L. Becker, and the remaining portion, St. Cloud to St. Vincent, St. Paul to Winona, etc., being called the St. Paul and Pacific.
On the branch line the road was completed to Elk river, 39 miles, in 1864. and, on September i, 1866, to St. Cloud, 74 miles. On the main line it was completed to Wayzata in 1867; to Willmar in i86q; to Benson in 1870, and to Breckenridge, 217 miles from St. Paul, in October, 1871. The road from St. Cloud to Melrose, 35 miles, was completed, and that from Glyndon to Crookston, 84 miles, at a somewhat later date.
By an act of Congress in 1871 the old St. Paul and Pacific Com- pany relocated its lines so as to reach the British possessions at St. \'incent, direct from St. Cloud, instead of by way of Crow Wing. At the same time the first division leased the St. Vincent and Brainerd branch for ninety-nine years. Under this contract the first division com- pany issued its bonds to the extent of fifteen million dollars. Defa,ulting in payment of them, the bondholders, most of them foreign capitalists, commenced proceedings in the United States courts and obtained the appointment of J. P Farley as receiver of the St. Vincent extension lines. At the same time mortgages were foreclosed on the lines from St. Paul to Sauk Rapids and St. Anthony to Breckenridge.
Possession of the first division lines was obtained by Edmund Rice, Horace Thompson and John S. Kennedy, trustees under the mortgage, in October, 1876, and the road was operated by them until the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Alanitoba Railway Company became the owners of the property, the organization of the latter company being effected in June, 1879, at which time over 700 miles of road were completed. This comprised the main line running from St. Paul to Barnesville, where it formed a junction with the main line and the extension to the northern boundary of the state, where it connected with the Emerson branch of the Canadian Pacific to Winnipeg, Manitoba. The extension of its lines in Minnesota, Dakota and Montana was rapidly carried on until June 30, 1887, it owned and had in operation 1,935 miles, of which 1,126 miles were in Minnesota. This company made the unparalleled record of building complete for weeks and months, during 1887, from five to seven miles of railroad per day on the Montana extension to Helena. Within eight months 648 miles of road were built from ]\linot, Dakota, to Helena, Montana, and regular trains were running over the road. Since 1879, James J. Hill of St. Paul, long since hailed "The Empire Builder," and recognized as the premier constructive genius of the age, has been the master spirit of the great system, now known as the Great Northern. It constitutes one of the great transcontinental
222 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
lines of the country — in many respects the greatest. Its history is a ro- mance. Its achievements have been phenomenal, colossal, monumental.
The headquarters in St. Paul occupy a building on lower Jhird street, extending an entire block and five stories high. Its lines extend from this city to Duluth ; to Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Falls and .\J)er(leen, South Dakota; to Butte, Helena and Anaconda. Montana; to Spokane, Palouse, Colfax, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Everett, Washington; Portland, Oregon; to Vancouver, Victoria, Rossland and Nelson. Brit- ish Columbia, and to many other important jioints in the great northwest. Late developments indicate that the Great .Xorthern will .soon gain en- trance to San Francisco, and also construct a line via Denver, to Cal- veston, Texas.
The same management has a voice in Northern Pacific aft'airs and a controlling interest in the "Burlington" route, its Chicago connection. It also controls lines of steamers on the great lakes, from Duluth to Buffalo and on the Pacific Ocean from Puget Sound to Japan.
Northern P.\ciiic R.\ilro.\d
The Northern Pacific Railroad is another great Pacific coast system, having its headcjuarters in St. Paul. .A ])ractical movement, having a direct bearing on the con.struction of the line, originated in this city in 1862 and resulted in pointedly calling public attention to the desirability of the route via the upper Missouri. A party of citizens formed an expedition to go to the gold mines in Idaho and Montana overland, and started on j\lay 14th. They arrived safely. Meantime congress ap- propriated a small amount for guidance and protection t<5 emigrant trains. Capt. James L. Fisk was appointed to command the expedition and another train left on June itith getting through safely. Most of our citizens who accompanied these exi)edilions ultimately returned.
The early history of the Northern Pacific was one of discouragement and financial disasters. Its charter was granted by congress July 2, 1864, and in 1870 fifty miles of road were conii)leted and in operation in this state. Two years later one hundred and sixty-nine miles were comi)letcd and from that date until 1S78 construction was suspended be- cause of the financial embarrassment of Jay Conke. the president ol the company, to whom the northwest owes a lasting debt of gratitude for his devotion to this important enterprise. In iSjc) work was resumed and by June 30, 1880, 195J/J miles were comiileled within the stale of Minnesota. On Sei)tember 8, 1883, the golden sjiike was driven at Gold Creek, Montana, 1.204 niiles west of St. Paul and 800 miles east of the Pacific. This united the two sections of the road, wliich had been building toward each other, and made one continuous line. This important event was celebrated in this city, with immense enthusiasm, as descrii)ed in Chajiter Nl.
The head(|uarlcrs Iniilding at St. Paul is one of the city's immense structures, wherein are housed all the operating departments of the enormous system into which tiie Xorthern Pacific has grown. .Xinong the great sections on which fully ec|uipped trains are sent out from St. Paul are the Main line, with five daily trains each way, between St. Paul and .Seattle; the Dulutli Short line. St. Paul to Duluth; the Red River and Winnipeg line. St. Paul to Winnijieg. The grand total of mileage, main lines and branches, traversing seven states, is (''.2-/- miles. A standard ef|uipmenl of its through trains is: Pullman sleepers, St. Paul
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 223
to Seattle and to Portland ; observation library car, with barber and bath ; dining car, St. Paul to Seattle and Spokane to Portland.
.\nother distinctively St. Paul enterprise was the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad, now the St. Paul and Duluth division of the Northern Pacific. This road was first incorporated in 1857, under the name of the Nebraska and Lake Superior Railroad and the name was changed by the legislature of 1861. Lyman Dayton and others, were made incorporators. But little was done in actual construction for three of four years. Meantime, Wm. L. Banning, L. Dayton, James Smith, Jr., William Branch, Dr. J. H. Stewart, Robert A. Smith and Parker Paine took hold of the enterprise and put in enough money to grade thirty miles. On October 20, 1865, the president of the road, Lyman Dayton died. Captain Banning succeeded him, and, after much trouble, got some Philadelphia capitalists to build and equip the road. It was completed to Duluth in 1870. and the Stillwater branch was built the same year.
The early presidents of the road were : Lyman Dayton, to his death in 1865; 1865 to 1870, Capt. Wm. L. Banning; Frank H. Clark, 1870 to ^^73 > ]■ P- llsley, to 1878, and James Smith, Jr., during a large part of its remaining existence as a separate corporation. It was afterwards known as the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad, until its merger with the Northern Pacific. Gates A. Johnson was chief engineer during all the construction period, and subsequently served for a considerable time as general superintendent.
In conjunction with the Minneapolis and St. Louis Company, the St. l-'aul and Duluth built, during 1880, a branch line from Wyoming to Taylors' Falls, a distance of twenty-one miles. This branch has be- come an important part of the line, and a valuable adjunct to the com- merce of the city.
Three daily trains, each way, now run over this line, as the Duluth branch of the Northern Pacific, from St. Paul to Duluth and Superior. There are also trains from St. Paul to White Bear Lake, to Stillwater, to Taylor's Falls, to Grantsburg and to other points on branch lines of the original Lake Superior and Mississippi.
Chicago, St. P.\ul, Minne.xpolis & Om.\h.\ System
Still another and very notable local transportation line — strictly local in conception, inception, construction and management — was the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad, long since merged into the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha system, intimately related to the Chicago and Northwestern road. This road was incorporated in 1857 as one of the lines of the Root River \'alley and Southern Minne- sota Railroad, and separated from that corporation in 1864, into a new line, called the Minnesota \'alley Railroad. Under the five million loan impetus, a few miles of the road from Mendota to Shakopee was par- tially graded in 1858. Nothing more was done until after the act of 1864. Messrs. E. F. Drake, John L. Merriam, Horace Thompson, A. H. Wilder, H. H. Sibley, John S. Prince, J. C. Burbank, W. F. Davidson, Charles H. Bigelow. George A. Hamilton, R. Blakeley and others, became stockholders, and furnished means to construct a part of the road. From this time on, its building was steadily pushed. The line from Mendota to Shakopee was opened November 16, 1865, from St. Paul to Mendota,
224 ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY
August 24, 1866; completed from St. Paul to Belle Plains, November 19, 1866; to LeSueur, December 5, 1867; St. Peter, August 17, 1868; Man- kato, October 12, 1868; Lake Crystal, December 13, 1869; Madelia, Sep- tember 5, 1870; St. James, Xovember i, 1870; Worthiiigton, 1871 ; Siou.x City, 1872. From Sioux City, Iowa, to St. James, Minnesota, the line was called the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad. All of this work was done under the management of E. F. Drake, who continued in charge until the road was sold, and it is to his energy and ability that St. Paul and the state of Minnesota are largely indebted for the» success of several of their rail- road enterprises. Gen. J. W. Bishop was chief engineer during the con- struction of the road, and for a long time general manager of its opera- tion, displaying signal ability in both positions.
After the road was completed tn Sioux City, extensions were made on the east side of the 2kiissouri river to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where connections were found with roads leading to Saint Joseph, Kansas City and other localities in southwestern Missouri, and with the lines of "southern Kansas. Indian Territory and Texas. At Omaha it also connected with roads belonging to the Kansas system, and with the Union I'acific and other Nebraska roads, giving St. Paul continuous railroad communication with Colorado. New .Mexico, .\rizona and Lah- fornia in one direction, and with Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California in another. Within a few years a line was built from St. Paul via Min- neapolis and Carver, where it joins the old line, and is now the usual route of travel. Besides those named, several other branches have been built, all of which were consolidated in 1882 under the present corporate name, the Chicago. St. Paul, .Minneapolis and Omaha Railway Com- pany. East of St. Paul this road extends to Elroy and uses the Chi- cago and Northwestern road, llience to Chicago and .Milwaukee. It has also two branch lines extending northward, resi)cctively to Suj>orior City and Duluth, and to Bayfield and Ashland. The aggregate length of the road and its branches is about 1.500 miles, but its trains run over the Chicago and Northwestern roads to Chicago, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Escanaba and Marguerette in Wisconsin, and to many other points in various states. The entire system, east and west, is operated from St. Paul. The handsome headquarters building, corner of Fourth and Rosabel streets, is an ornament to the wholesale district.
Tiie Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul system now ernbraces sev- eral lines that originated in this city and were started with St. Paul energy, enterprise and capital. Section 25 of the original charter of the Minnesota and Pacific Railroad authorized a line from St. Paul to Winona. On March 6, 1863, a grant of swamp land was made to it by the slate. The city of St. Paul subsequently gave a bonus of $50,000 to the line. and. on March 19, 1807, the directors of the St. Paul and Pacific railroad resolved that it should be called the "St. Paul and Chicago Railway." In 1864, Hon. E. Rice, president of the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, commenced active efforts to build the road. Ik- went to England, enlisted the aid of capitalists, procured an enlarge- ment of the land grant ; in a few months the road was under way. and it progressed steadily until completed to La Crescent in 1872. Through eastern trains commenced running in Seiitemher, 1872. via Winona The road bed was sold to the St. Paul and Milwaukee road, of whicii it i> the river division and main Irinik line.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 225
The Minnesota Central Railroad
The Minnesota Central road, reaching from St. Paul and Minne- apolis, via Faribault, Owatonna, Austin, etc.; to McGregor, Iowa, now constituting the Iowa and Minnesota division of the St. Paul system, was commenced in 1864 and completed in 1867. About 1872, both these divisions were absorbed by the "St. Paul." It soon after absorbed the Hastings and Dakota Railway which crosses the state from Hastings to Brown's valley, and in 1875 was operating s^^ji miles of road in the state. Within the following five years it purchased the Southern Minnesota from La Crescent to the west line of the state, near the south boundary, and the Midland Narrow Guage in Zumbro valley, thus con- stituting 970 miles. It has since finished its purchased lines and built branch lines and now has 1,500 miles of road in Minnesota, while many thousand miles are owned by this great corporation in Illinois, Wiscon- sin, Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota, also a through line to the Pacific coast, recently completed, which gives this city additional train service to the great west. This new line is called the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway, and is claimed to be the most direct and the shortest line between Chicago and the Pacific coast ; also to have the low- est grades and the finest scenery. Over this road superb trains are run from Chicago, via Milwaukee, St. Paul, Aberdeen, etc., to Seattle and Tacoma.
The Chicago Great Western
The Chicago Great Western Railroad also had its inception in St. Paul, which was for many years, the headquarters of the company, of which A. B. Stickney was the presiding genius. This aggressive gen- tleman, believing that St. Paul needed a railroad outlet to the east which should be owned and controlled by its own citizens, applied him- self assiduously to the task of organizing a company and raising the money necessary to put the project into execution. A charter was granted by the legislature to the original company as early as 1857, but nothing was done of a practical nature until thirty years thereafter, when a new company was organized. The construction of the road was com- menced in September, 1884, and on October i, 1885, the first section of 109 miles from St. Paul to Lyle, Minnesota, where it connects with the Illinois Central, was opened for traffic. On January i, 1886, an ex- tension of twenty miles, from Lyle to Manly Junction, where it connects with the Central Iowa Railway, was completed, and leased to the last named company. The line from Hayfield, Minnesota, to Dubuque, Iowa, 107 miles was put in operation in December, 1886, and on January I, 1887, the Dubuque and Dakota branch of sixty-three miles, from Sum- ner to Hampton, Iowa, was acquired by purchase. In December, 1887, it was consolidated with the Chicago, St. Paul and Kansas City Rail- road, and became a part of the system represented by the latter cor- poration, which was afterwards changed to the Chicago Great Western. By a shifting of controlling interests, the road passed into the hands of outside parties, who in 1910 removed the headc|uarters to Chicago.
The lines still remain, however, a leading feature of our city's net- work of transportation facilities, leading direct to Chicago, Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha and other business centers. It also has im- portant branch lines in Minnesota, reaching to Mankato, Rochester, Winona and many other towns, thus contributing to the trade of St.
Vol. 1—15
226 SI". PALI. WD \1C1X1T\-
I'aiil. It is claiiDcd that special provision for the comfort of women is an innovation originated on this line. Heretofore every new equipment was primarily for the comfort of men. and the needs and desires of wo- men were considered as only of secondary importance. The Great Western Limited now^ carries a car in which women are given first con- sideration— private compartments fully equipped with all toilet conven- iences and electric fans, observation parlor with easv chairs, womcns" magazines and large observation platform.
In the early days of railroading here a comjianv was organized under the title of the Winona. .\lma and Xorthcrn Railroad, with the intention of building a road from Winona, Minnesota, crossing the Mississippi river to Alma. Wisconsin, and running thence north along the east bank of the river. Surveys of the route were made, rights of way to portions secured and some grading done, when the funds of the company failed and the work was abandoned.
In 1885. when the Chicago, Ikirlington and Northern Railroad Com- pany was formed it purchased the rights and franchises of the Winona Company and set to work building the line of road now extending from Fulton, Illinois, to this city on the east bank of the river, with a branch line from Savannah to Oregon. Illinois. This was opened in October, 1886. It has by permanent traffic arrangement with the Chicago, l>ur- lington and Quincy Comi)any become a very important member of the system of through or trunk lines between St. Paul and Chicago. St. Louis, Kansas City and Omaha and other points. The subsequent ab- sorption of the C. P.. & Q., by the "Hill Lines" virtually added the Chicago, Burlington and Ouincy system to the list of St. Paul railways. It opened to St. Paul jobi)ing houses the trade of that part of Wi.sconsin north of La Crosse, and exerts an influence in increasing the facilities for traffic on all north and south lines. There are now four trains daily, on this road between Chicago and St. Paul — also through trains to St. Louis which reach many points in central Illinois.
Mix Ni:.\i'()i.is i\: St. Loims Kmi.koad
The construction of the .Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad was l)egun in 1870. It was originally built from .Minneapolis southward through the counties of Hennepin. .Scott. Le Sueur. Waseca and Free- born, but now has an extension to St. I^aul and has become a member of the St. Paul .system. The lirst forty-two miles were not completed until 1876. Work was tlien resumed and by t88o there w-ere 136!^ miles in operation. Soon after the company built a line from Red \\"mg to inter- sect the main line at Waterville. This cross line was subsequently ex- tended to Mankato. .Another branch called the Pacific Extension leaves the main line at Minnea|)olis and is carried to Le liean in South Dakota, where it reaches the Missouri river. This comjianv has now- of its own road in operation 800 miles. In Iowa its line extends via Fort Dodge to Des Moines where it connects with the Wabash. St. Louis and Pacific. This is an important road to St. Paul, from which the city has already derived great benefit and its advantages will continue to increase with the growth of the country. The general offices of the comjiany are in Minne- apolis, but St. Paul is the terminus for the departure and arrival of all pas- senger trains. The line reaching through western Minnesota to .South Dakota ])oints is especially valuable to the commerce of this city. It now belongs to the so-called "Hawley system" which includes the Chicago &
ST. PAUL AXl) \1CI\1TY ■2-27
Alton, the Iowa Central and other considerable lines. A late proposition is to extend the road from its present terminus in South Dakota, north- ward to the Canadian border to connect with two Dominion lines now being built. This will open to St. Paul trade another communication with the Canadian northwest.
Wisconsin Ce.ntr.al R.ailro.^d
The Wisconsin Central Railroad, now the important Chicago con- nection of the "Soo" or Canadian Pacific system, deserves to be classed among St. Paul's most useful railroads. It passes through some of the richest sections of Wisconsin, from which a large share of trade flows hither because of the city's nearness and excellent facilities for transportation. It was first opened in 1885, and its course is nearly due east to Abbotsford, Wisconsin, about midway betwen this city and Green Bay. From that point it bends to the southeast through Stevens" Point, Waupaca, Xeenah, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Cedar Lake, to Milwau- kee and Chicago. It is also connected by branch lines with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and has its own lines to Duluth and to Ashland. It has been especially valuable on account of the ac- cess it gives to the splendid hardwood forests of Northern Wisconsin from which bountiful supplies of fine lumber have been drawn for the manufactures of the city. Since its absorption by the "Soo'' road, large sums have been spent in straightening and shortening the line, building new bridges and reducing grades, so as to make it a successful com- petitor with the other St. Paul-Chicago lines The great bridge across the St. Croix river north of Stillwater is one of the marvels of modern engi- neering skill.
Chic.xgo, Rock Isl.\nd & P.\cific
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, one of the oldest and most extensive of the Chicago lines, built into St. Paul, via Albert Lea. Owatonna, Faribault and Xorthfield in 1902. It established its freight terminals on the west side of the river, near the Robert street bridge, while its passenger trains cross the ^lississippi at South St. Paul and come into the Union depot over the tracks of the Milwaukee and St. Paul, which it also uses for its Minneapolis business. By this road we gain additional connections with Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, Denver, Galveston and El Paso.
With the completion of sixty-eight miles of road between Allerton and Carlisle, Iowa, the Rock Island railroad now has in operation its short line from Kansas City direct to St. Paul. The new line cost an average of $60,000 a mile, it is said, on account of the rough terri- tory through which it runs. A section of the road is the old St. Paul and Des Moines line which the Rock Island has acquired. Besides shortening the Kansas City line it passes through some of the Iowa coal fields and makes it easier to get coal.
The advent of the Rock Island system in St. Paul, many years after the other Chicago lines had been built, in conclusive proof, if any were needed, of the commanding position of this city as a commercial and manufacturing metropolis. The enormously increased cost of rights-of- way and terminals did not deter this powerful corporation from the expensive venture. It is not too late yet for other roads to seek entrance and claim a share of the golden harvest.
228 ST. PAUL AND VICIXITV
The "Soo" Lixe
The Minneapolis, St. I'aul and Sault Sle .Marie Railway, called the "Soo" line for short, has grown to be an important factor in northwest- ern development. It was especially a Minneapolis enterprise, as to in- ception, and in the beginning it was undertaken and carried to success by the Hon. William D. Washburn. .Afterwards, Thomas Lowry was prominently identified with it. Its starting point is Minneapolis, whence its course is nearly direct to Sanders Point, near the fool of Lake .Mich- igan. Thence it bends due north to the west side of the strait connecting Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron, its terminal point being the city of Ste. Marie. This road was completed in January, 1888. The Minne- apolis and Pacific Railroad was built in connection with the "Soo" line. The Mimieapolis and Pacific has been completed from Minneapolis to a connection with the Canadian Pacific at Portland and another at Winnii)eg. Its lines in .Minnesota and North Dakota total about 1,500 miles. The "Soo" line connects with the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian Grand Trunk roads ijy means of a Ijridgc across the waterway at Ste. Marie, and thus another through route has been opened to the Atlantic coast, which is available throughout the year, and not only relieves the north- west from depending upon Chicago, but makes the distance hence to New York shorter than by Chicago. This road was suggested by the constantly increasing demanils of commerce for more shipping facilities eastward indei)cndcnt of Chicago, and has been of special advantage to St. Paul.
The building of the "Soo" line gave to this city an outlet to the east, and a through rail connection with ISoston and Xew York that ignored Chicago managements, affording to the merchants here the bene- fits of a real competition and low freights. .Add to this the utilization of the lake route, the wonderful increase of the Iket of lake carriers, the imjjrovement of the first line of road between St. Paul and Duluth and the building of others, and it can be seen how thoroughlv emanci- pated we have become from the old !)ondage, and on what an assurance of low-rate communication with the markets of the east rests our posi- tion as a business center.
Persistent reports that the "Grand Trunk," another vast Canadian railway system is now arranging to enter St. Paul, are another tribute to the city's importance.
Destined March of St. P.\ul
.At the \illard bancjuel of 1XS3. linn. E. F. Drake said: "In 1862 I came to St. Paul, bringing with me the first locomotive, the first cars, and the first rails ever brought to this state. St. Paul was then a vil- lage, with a quiet jjopulation of 8,000 souls. She had few manufactures — not a wheel moved by steam within the city. She had neither incor- porated banks nor insurance companies. She had river communica- tion with the cast, closed by ice for six months of the year. Her prairies north and west had few inhabitants save the red man. the elk, and the buffalo. It was my fortune to complete the railroad from St. T'aul to St. .Anthony, and then began the marcii of St. Paul to realize her destiny.
The march to realize her destiny is still being vigorously pursued !
CHAPTER XXII
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TERMINALS
By 1888, Great Railway Traffic Apparent — St. Paul Passenger Depots — The "Puget Sound" Line — Creating New Traffic — St. Paul Union Depot — Relief for Business Congestion — Ample Freight Terminals.
St. Paul stands unique among the great railroad centers of the country in its facilities for the transfer of freight cars, and when plans now being carefully matured are put in operation, the passenger traffic will be handled with equal conveniences. A history of northwestern railway development clearly shows that the railroad map of this exten- sive region has been shaped largely with reference to St. Paul. This city possessing strong natural advantages has stood as a magnet to- ward which all lines constructed within the radius of its power have been attracted.
The railroads tributary to St. Paul now form a great network of systems. They reach in every direction, bringing to its doors all the products of the country and giving to its business interests easily and naturally a most desirable field. The sagacious merchants and business men of the city perceived at an early day the supreme importance of promoting by all practical means the construction of these highways of commerce, and possessing the courage of their convictions, they did not hesitate at a critical period of its history to employ all the resources of private capital and public credit, to secure for St. Paul the prestige of be- coming the railway center of the northwest, a distinction the city undoubt- edly enjoys and the fruits of which it is now reaping in liberal measure.
By 1888 Great Railway Traffic Apparent
By the year 1888, the magnitude of the railway traffic began to im- press citizens and strangers with the certainty of great strides in the future. During that year there were added to the roads directly tribu- tary to St. Paul nearly 700 miles of new road, opening up large and productive sections of the country to the impetus of trade. In 1888 the receipts by rail aggregated, according to reports furnished by the roads 2,383,380 tons, and the shipments 1.395,975 tons; nor does this include receipts of 165.000 tons, and shipment of 90,000 tons at South St. Paul, with the immense business at the transfer where 1,487,139 tons of freight were handled during the twelve months.
The passenger business done at St. Paul during 1888 was for that period phenomenal. At the Union Depot, there passed in and out dur- ing the year 8,000,000 passengers. During most of the months over 150
229
■2m ST. PALI. AXI) \ lllMIV
passenger trains departed and arrived daily. This i)assenger traffic, per- haps, as much as anything else, spoke of the importance of St. Paul. The growth uf the city kejn even pace with the growth of its rail- roads, and the two facts bear to each other somewhat the relation of cause and effect.
St. P.wl P.\ssenger Depots
As late as 1869 there was but one railroad passenger station in St. Paul proper, a small frame structure belonging to the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (now the Crcat .Xiirlherni and located about where the waiting room of the Union deiiot now is. .\nother station, of about the ?ame size was located in West St. Paul, near the end of the Wa- basha street bridge. West St. Paul was then a separate municipality, and in Dakota county. Its station served for the Minnesota Central (now the .Milwaukee'& St. Paul) and the Minnesota X'alley I now the "Omaha") trains. To reach it from the city one must pay toll over the bridge — five cents for a foot passenger; twenty-five cents for a two- horse team.
About 1870, when the railroad bridge above the city hospital was built, the trains that formerly came into West St. Paul ran into the city and built a small station near the fool of Jackson street. When the River division of the Milwaukee road was linished it was granted the right-of-way across the levee and to .Minneapolis, via the "".short line." Its passenger depot was then established in the old stone warehouse at the northeast corner of Jackson street and the levee, where it remained for eight or ten years.
Thus, ])rior to 1881, each railroad centering at St. Paul had its own depot. The inconvenience caused to ])assengers induced the man- agers to enter into a i)roject to build a imion depot, and in 1871; all of the companies assisted in the org.mizalion of the St. Paul Union Depot Company. The cai)ital stock of the conii)any was placed at $140.- 000. Ground was obtained and construction upon the depot ])uilding was commenced in .\pril. 1880; it was completed and opened for use in .\ngust. 1881. The building itself cost $125,000; it was si)acious. and well adajHed for the purposes intended. The com])any began the recon- struction of its "'sheds" in the autumn of i88<;. The sheds have been enlarged and reconstructed several times since — as has the depot itself, particularly after a very disastrous lire. The fre(|uent enlargements have never been able, however, to kee]3 i)ace with the rapi<l growth of the passenger traffic. There have been loud comi)laiiits, very soon after each enlargement, from the traveling public, from the newspapers anrl from commercial bodies, to the effect that the facilities were again out grown. .\nd they will contiinie to be outgrown !
F.normous wholesale and m.inufaclnring marls exercises a stinnilal- ing inHuence upon all classes of trade and industry; they supjily the wants of millions of peojile living beyond our borders. They do not stop growing! There is under construction in our state one of the greatest steel |)lants in the Ignited States, which will establish for the first time in Minnesota the beginning of an innnense iron and steel in- dustry. I'pon our northern lioundary will shortly lie opened one of the greatest pa|)er mills in the worltl, surpassed only by one in F.ngland. giving emi)loyment to 5,000 hands and enormously increasing Minne- sota's iinportance in the alread\- well-develoi)ed ])aiier. pai)er-i>ulp and sulphite trades.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
231
Scattered over our entire territory are hundreds of thriving cities drawing upon a rich surrounding country for the factors which insure the permanency and stability of their industries and merchandising. In these, as in the great central cities, residential as well as business ad- vantages are unsurpassed, and they have attracted in very recent years nianv thousands of the most desirable class of people to this state.
The "Puget Sound" Line
As long as these conditions continue to exist in St. Paul's tribu- tarv country, freight and passenger traffic will continue to increase. A
SAIINT PAVL----T"HE GATtVVAY TO
-TM^ LAMD OFOPPORTvrNiTY
i-iOr^iETS FOP? -^ ri\/MDF?ED r-1ILl_i Or~-i.
TEinMPHAL ABCM OT TTO GREAT MORTHWZST
case in point is the recent inauguration of through train service on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad to the Pacific coast, over its new extension, the Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railroad, which marks an epoch in the railway history of St. Paul. Located on the direct route of the new through service from Chicago to Pacific coast points, St. Paul will reap the advantages to which it is entitled as the gateway to the great northwest. Prior to the completion of the "St. Paul's" Pacific coast extension the larger share of its business with the northwest was routed through the southern gateways of Kansas City and Omaha. When it is considered much of this business will now
232 ST. TAUL AND MCIXITY
be handled through St. Paul some idea of the importance of the new line to this city may be obtained. This increased business will include both passenger and freight traffic, and, in addition to this, St. Paul industries will be given increased facilities to distribute goods in the territory tapped by this newest transcontinental railway system.
St. Paul will benetit by the inauguration of the new passenger serv- ice more, probably, than any other large city on the line, because of the fact the road has, for the first time, officially recognized the name "St. Paul road" in its advertising literature.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road has been commonly called the "St. Paul" road, especially in the east, for some time, but the road has never given this title recognition, always referring to itself as the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. In its folder announcing the new train service from Chicago to the Pacific coast, however, it refers directly to the system as "the St. Paul road."
The country which the new railway traverses has heretofore been far from the beaten routes of travel, for the most part. Its development in some instances has been retarded by the lack of transportation facili- ties. But this is changing since the completion of the Puget Sound line, and many flourishing settlements are springing up along the route. In this res]ject the new line has been one of the wonders of American railroad history. From the time of its completion it is said to have been a moneymaker.
In addition to affording increased transportation facilities to the Pa- cific northwest and opening up new territory for settlement, it also is pro- posed that the new line shall take advantage of the raj^idly growing ir.adc with the Orient, and for this purpose it has made arrangements by which connections will be made with the steamships of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha line of Japan.
It has been tigured that the Puget Sound Railway has o])cncil up to the uses and for the habitation of men an area of something like 50,000 square miles, and that it has taken into its territory since comijletion more than 100,000 settlers. With the inauguration of through service, it ex]5ects soon to add a new empire to the trade and commerce of the growing northwest, and thus also of the local gateway.
Cre.\tixg Nkw Tr.vfiic
In another way, recently introduced, the railroads stimulate busi- ness and thus help all lines of traffic. The ever-increasing demand for business locations has created a new department in railway organiza- tions. Twenty or twenty-five years ago this work could be handled by the general freight agent or one of his assistants. Today we find among the officials of the traffic de])artnient of most large systems the General Industrial .Agent. His work is to create new tf)nnagc for the railroads by locating new industries on the line. In doing this, he adds to the railway company's revenue in more ways than one.
Sui)i)ose the industry is a tannery, employing 100 men. The raw material must be shipped in from adjacent territory. Tan bark must be shipped from the nearest available i)oint — coal to run the jilant will be purchased and shipped in carload lots; all of which must he done before the finished product is shipped out. Then there is the additional tonnage of the food, clothing and supplies used by the employees and their families. Passenger business is increa.sed, as there are salesmen
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 233
on the road ; the members of the firm are making frequent trips ; the wives and children of the employees visit distant relatives and are visited in return ; all of which means increased receipts. That is what is meant by creating new traffic — not merely diverting a few cars of merchandise from one road to another, but locating an industry on the line where it will prove an increasing source of revenue ever after.
The first railroad in the United States, in the modern sense of the term, was the Baltimore & Ohio. One or two little roads had been built before, but they were mere tramways, operated by force of gravity or by stationary engines. The Baltimore & Ohio was chartered in 1827, and its construction begun in 1828; the first rail being laid on July 4th, of that year. The work did not go forward very fast, only thirteen miles being open for traffic in 1830. After that, however, better pro- gress was made, and five years later 135 miles were in operation. The first railroad built in England was the Stockton & Darlington, twenty- five miles long. It was opened for traffic in 1825 ; hence railway trans- portation, in the modern meaning of the term, began with this railway. "Time's Telescope," a sort of year book then published in London, said : "The strides which steam is making in the economy of the country are more gigantic and surprising than those who are domesticated at a dis- tance from its immediate operations imagine. The capability of the loco- motive engine to travel with ease and safety, with a weight of ninety tons in its train, at the rate of eight miles an hour, was exhibited to thousands at the late opening of the Darlington & Stockton Railway, and is a striking proof of the immense progress of this new power."
What "this new power" has grown to in the intervening years, is only, perhaps, a beginning of its achievements.
St. P.\UL Union Depot
The Union depot is one of the busiest places in St. Paul. Depot officials estimate that more than 30,000 people pass through the depot daily. These 30,000 people represent all the walks of life, from the prospective homeseeker to the capitalist. From early morning, when the first train of the day pulls in, until late at night, when the last trains depart, there is but one scene displayed at the union depot — hustle and bustle, the scurrving to and from the trains by the incoming and outgoing passengers, the hurrying of the baggage and mail trucks, depot employes up and down the platform, receiving and disbursing mail and baggage as the difi^erent trains arrive.
Nine different roads are patrons and owners of the Union depot. .An average of 220 trains a day use the yards. Traffic changes as the different seasons of the year approach. In the spring the prospective homeseeker is abundant, going to the western states and far Canada in the hope of finding a fertile spot where he can make his future home with assurances that he is settling in the "land of milk and honey."
As summer nears, the travel changes; the homeseeker passes and his place is taken by the suburban traveler and the summer tourist. Both these classes represent the comfort and joy-hunting citizen. The traveler from the South comes to the North in search of cooler temperature. The suburban traveler is local. This travel perhaps outnumbers the regular travel three to one dtiring the summer months.
As fall approaches, the summer tourist and suburban traveler give
234 ST. I'AUL AND \'1CIXIT\'
way to another type, the business man. After the rest of the summer months he starts on tlie road, ready to supply the business world with his wares. This travel, together with the northern tourist who leaves his home in winter time to s;o south, makes up the greater part of the winter travel.
riirougii passenger trains now arrive at tiie St. I'aul Union depot from and depart for the following points, every day in addition to num- erous local trains: Chicago, 21 trains each way; .St. Louis, 7; Kansas City, 7 ; Omaha, 7 : Duluth, 9 ; Winnipeg, 4 ; Seattle, 8.
Over 400 men are required to take care of the daily travel througii the St. Paul Union depot. These are scattered in many occupations, ranging from the superintendent, who oversees all the workings of the depot and the yards, down to the usher, who helps the traveler to and from his train. Switchmen, yardmen, baggagemen, truckmen — in fact all that kind of help necessary to the work of such an institution — will be found at the St. I'aul Union depot. The jjayroll for the employes amounts It) about $20,000 ;i month. 'J"he biggest job of all, and the one with the greatest amount of responsibility, is that held by Superintendent Morrison, who has been in charge of the depot for four years. Prior to this he was with the Great Northern Railroad, where he had been employed for twenty-si.x years.
.Again has the St. Paul Union de])ot been outgrown, and for many months jniijlic sentiment has been crystallizing into an insistent demand for a new structure, of greatly enlarged capacity, looking forward to the growth of at least three or four decades in the future.
Travelers who have seen the new station of the North-Western road in Chicago or other new stations in the east can realize what the new Unio'.i depot in St. Paul will mean to the city. Travelers who pass through many cities on their vacation trip instinctively size up the town by the sort of station at which they enter. F,ven the small towns along the line arc judged in the same way. When a dingy wooden structure serves as passenger station, the town is tliought to lie of less importance than the one which has a neat brick station and ])leasing grounds.
Terminal stations such as the new one in Chicago, the Pennsylvania terminal in New York and the new station of the same road in Wash- ington, give St. Paul rcsiflcnts renewed hope that the time is not far distant when this citv shall i)e given one which, in proportion to the traffic, shall as a(lei|uately rejiresent the faith of the roads in the town.
One of the many conveniences, in the way of easy access to trains wheii the new St. Paul L'nion depot is built, may be seen from the manner in which jiassengers are cared for in the other big stations. No dehnite j^lans for the St. Paul dejiot have been ])rei)ared. but it is cer- tain the details will be along the most ajijiroved plans of modern railway depots.
In New York the jiassenger descends from the ground floor to a lower floor where are the ticket offices and waiting rooms. .Access to trains is gained by descending a flight of stairs directly to the side of the train one e.x])ects to take. .\t the head of these stairs stands the in- sjjector of tickets. There can be no mistake .ibout getting the right train; there is no wild dash for the cars and no interference with the baggage or mail which is cared for at tlie other end of the platform.
The Washington station has the same general arrangement of trains as has St. Paul at i)resenl. .Ml is on the sanie level. There is a breadth and extent of space, however, which tits in well w ith the general scheme of
ST. I'ALL ANT) \ ICIXITY 235
Washington as a city. Electric baggage trucks glide noiselessly along the same platform used by passengers, ijut the platforms are broad.
A New and Splendid Union Depot
It is realized by all concerned that a very extensive and costly Union depot must be erected, if the demands of the present and the future are to be adequately met. All classes of business men and citizens generally unite in the loud call for immediate action. The railroad companies seem willing to respond generously, but there is naturally a wide diver- gence of opinion as to location, plans, approaches and other details.
Some of the tentative ideas in connection with plans for the new depot were recently sketched by Mr. J. J. Hill, in a public statement. The tracks will be sixteen feet above the floor level of the present sta- tion, putting the entrance on a level with Sibley and Third streets.
Wagons and jieople will have a clear passage down Jackson and Sibley streets under the tracks to the water front. The transfer track at the rear of the jiresent station, where the passenger trains are often de- layed now by freight trains, will be under the passenger tracks. These will be elevated for some distance up Trout brook.
The new station will occupy all the space taken up by the present station and including the width of three or four tracks into the present bed of the river. The plans contemplate the extension of the freight dejioi; of the St. Paul road farther to the south as the edge of the river is moved.
The buildings now occupied by the Griggs, Cooper cracker factory at Third and Sililey streets, will be removed as well as the building now occupied by Fairbanks, Morse & Co., at the other end of the same block. Leases to both of these tenants have either been refused or permitted on short time only, in order to be ready to tear the buildings down whenever it is necessar}- to begin (operations.
A body of representative citizens, appointed by the mayor, and work- ing under the title of the River and Harbor Commission, is zealously laboring to harmonize all the conflicting opinions and interests, to get the railroad companies, the jobbers, the retailers, the manufacturers and the property owners, to agree on all the points necessary to accomplish the desired result. It is a herculean task, but steady progress, as we write, is being made toward a satisfactory conclusion. The plan now most in favor is that of digging a new channel for the river through the west side flats, filling up the old channel, and thus transferring the river bed itself and many acres of unoccupied land now in the Sixth ward to the heart of the railroad yards anfl the business district of the city proper.
The proposition for a change in the channel of the Mississippi river, in order to bring waste territory to the relief of a commercial and in- dustrial district, crowded to the point of suffocation of existing enter- prises and to the prohibition of new ventures, is not new. It has been discussed for years and pointed out as the one sure means of salvation of tlie development of St. Paul. Always, heretofore, there has been the question to be considered of what the railways centering in this nat- ural gateway to the empire of the northwest would do in the matter. The railways have had their own problems, their own large or petty jealousies and rivalries to be considered, with the result that little progress has been made.
236 ST. PAUL AND \ICI\ITY
A direct effort, backed by the wide influence of the Association of Commerce, representing the great jobbing and retail interests of the city, is being made to "line up" the railroads with the project to lift the Father of Waters out of its perennial bed, move it over toward the bluff, and plant it on the other side of 600 or 700 acres of reclaimed land which St. Paul is now in vital need of for trackage, warehouse and general terminal facilities, and for additional space to be utilized by commercial and industrial establishments. What tliis signities may be inferred from the fact that the present "business district," bounded by Wabasha, Tenth street, Broadway and the river, contains only 200 acres. Plans for the new Union depot, alone. rec|uire 55 acres.
Relief for Business Congestio.v
The Union depot improvements that may be expected, after the course of the river has been changed, will be only a portion of the develop- ment that will result. In fact, the part the railway companies will play, while important, is a secondary consideration. The imperative demand is for more room in which the jobbing and manufacturing interests of the ritv may grow. St. Paul has an unjiaralleled opportunity in the proposed change. It can, by diverting the river, add to the congested business center of the city hundreds of acres that are of small value at present. Ample space may be afforded for needed railway terminals, and for harbor facilities, and still provide the ground needed for the development of the business of the city.
The engineering problems involved have engaged the preliminary attention of the advocates of the scheme. Concerning the tentative plans suggested in the beginning of the investigation, the chairman of the River and Harbor Commission, M. D. Munn said: "Beginning just lie- low Raspberry island, the plan is to take the river over toward the Hoist and Derrick Company's building and back the west bank up against their shops. Thence the channel will run eastward over the flats. Both the city and the federal engineers are working on the plan. They have been busy figuring how the course could be changed and as much busi- ness property as possible saved. Under the plan now proposed between si.x hundred and seven hundred acres of land will be reclaimed. The idea is that eventually the reclaimed land will more than i)ay for the expenditure of changing the channel. There is no (|uestion about the practicability of the project. Engineers whom we have consulted have assured us of this. There is nothing in the way but money, and of course it is impossible to say now just how much it will take. I should say that it will take more than $2,ooo,cxx) and that it can be done for less than $5,000,000."
.Another plan proposed is to have the river channel changed ;it Har- riet island and swing around near the West side bluffs down the natural depression which once was its channel. This plan would put all of the West side flats on the east side of the river, instead of only a portion of the VV'est side opposite Dayton's bluff.
Whether the line of excavation for the new channel, as finally se- lected, shall be near the bluffs or not, there is substantial unanimity in favor of the general proposition. The imperative necessity for a union station lias existed so long that it needs no discussion or reiteration at this time. The greater need is for an eidargement of the area of ground space demanded for the expansion of the city, commercially and in-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 237.
dustrially. There is today scarcely a jobbing or manufacturing concern in St. Paul that does not feel the need of more space, better track- age and enlarged facilities in the direction of quick transit, incoming and outgoing. The proposed river and harbor improvement will pro- vide all this, not only for concerns already located here, but for others that may come, even to the point of doubling, trebling or quadrupling existing commercial and industrial enterprises.
The announcement is made, seemingly by authority of those most actively engaged in formulating the scheme, that, regardless of the at- titude of the railways, eliminating major or minor questions of advantage between local and foreign transportation companies, St. Paul pro- poses to change the channel of the Mississippi river, double the land area now devoted to the jobbing, manufacturing and retail business of the city, and anchor for all time to come the headquarters, commercially, industrially and financially, of the northwest empire in this city.'
But the plan for diverting the river channel and attaching the West side flats to the east side commercial district, meets some vigorous op- position. The Midway section of St. Paul, through its enterprising journalistic organ and advocate, the News, published at Merriam Park, urges that all other plans for railway stations in both St. Paul and Minne- apolis be abandoned in favor of a real and only genuine Union depot for both cities, to be built in the interurban region. Some very cogent arguments in favor of this proposition are urged, just as, fifteen years ago, equally cogent arguments emanated from the same source in favor of locating the new capitol on beautiful grounds set apart for it at Mer- riam Park. One of the deliverances on this subject, quoted with ap- proval in the Midzvay Nczvs, may be pardoned here, as showing how others see us. The Little Falls Herald, with a merciless absence of diplo- matic reduplication of reassurances of distinguished consideration for our politicians and "interests," takes occasion to remark: "Amid the abomi- nation of desolation in St. Paul, a splendid beautiful city, for years controlled first by one crowd of cheap politicians, then by another, the catspaw in legislation of certain great interests ; a city where reform propositions tardily arrive and some die for want of health-giving at- mosphere; where the papers are strong on reforms in other states and in other cities, and attack little wrongs, forgetting the great wrongs pre- petrated under their eyes ; a city where the water front, the heritage of all, is to be given away in exchange for a Union railroad station which in decency should have been built years ago — in short, in the ambition- less, hopeless city of St. Paul, the solitary voice of protest raised comes from a weekly newspaper published in Merriam Park by Paradis. It is a useless protest, but nevertheless brave. And if one just man found in the ancient city the scriptures tell, would save it, so the earnest, vigor- ous voice raised up in ]\Ierriam Park, though unheeded, may after all be a harbinger of better things."
Despite divergences of opinion as to location, notwithstanding hos- tility; regardless of unfeeling and sarcastic utterances, the preparations for an imperatively demanded, new, adequate and creditable Union sta- tion will go steadily forward. A structure of architectural impressiveness to correspond with the capitol and other buildings, and of capacity to meet present and coming needs, is one of the certainties of a period not remote — a consummation devoutly wished and sure to be didv appre- ciated.
238 ST. PAUL AND V1CINIT\
Ampli; Freiciit Tkkminals
\\ lulc ihc facilities for taking care uf the passenger traffic of St. Paul's numerous railways have been outgrown and are now confessedly insufficient, their freight terminals have been more generously nourished. For the handling of local freight, both incoming and outgoing, each railroad comjiany has large and convenient warehouses, with ample side- tracks and all the accessories of rapid, economical work in that jjarticular. The space for trackage and freight dei)ots in the originally planned "yards" having been largely preeniine<l by the first comers, later rail- road enterprises have found other, but advantageous sites. The "Rock Island" established its freight terminals on the West side, just below Robert street. The "Soo" line made a new departure, by erecting a mam- moth freight house with many tracks on Seventh street near Trout brook, connecting them with its regular right-of-way by means of a costly tun- nel and some heavy fills — all. however, abundantly recom])ensed by the provision, for all future time, of direct access to the shipping district.
Thus the enormous local freight liusiness of a large and growing commercial city is provided for. I'.ut the immensely larger matter of transferring through freights has even better provision, by the oper- ation of a plan typical of modern railroading and probably unequalled for efficiency in any other metropolis. In the western part of the city, nearly midway between the business centers of St. Paul and Minneapolis, arc located the great transfer grounds for the immense freight business between the northern and eastern lines of railways, '{"he com])any operating these grounds is known as the Minnesota Trans- fer and was organized in 1882 by the Manitoba and .Milwaukee roads, but now embraces all the dozen or more lines which enter both cities. It employs 1,200 men and can accommodate 3,500 cars at one time. It is, in a word, a clearing-house of through freight for the whole north- west, and is one of the busiest places on the American continent. .\ million tons of freight have been handled at this transfer in a single month. Only one "yard" in the L'nited .States, that at I'ittslnirg, handles more cars.
In addition to this function, valuable side-track and switcliing privi- leges are afforded to 130 industrial enterprises, storage rooms, stockyards, lumber yards, grain warehouses, etc., which are located in the Midway district because of these conveniences. The Minnesota Transfer Com- pany thus occupies several hundred acres of ground, operates over 50 miles of trackage, and still has ample room for expansion, to cover any possible demand of the future years.
Some conception of the engineering problems enctiunteied in provid- ing means of egress from the city westward may be gained from the statement of James J. Hill in a l)anf|uet speech, that a train leaving the Union station climbs a higher grade in reaching Snelling avenue than it meets in any equal distance going to Seattle, including all its mountain journeyings. The wisdom and foresight with which the Great Northern system was projected by Mr. Hill, after he came into control, may be seen in the fact, semi-officially announced, that the teriuinals belonging to that road today, in the twin cities and at the head of Lake Sujierior. are worth more than the entire bonded indei)ledness of the company.
In addition to the trackage and transfer facilities idrcady utilized for through and local freight, industrial concerns etc., and to the great area to be secured by changing the river channel, far-sighted business men
ST. PAUL AND VICINIT\' 239
have still other eligible tracts under observation. The "Pig's Eye" flats, partially occupied by the Burlington yards, furnish space for indefinite expansion. The Phalen creek valley, between Seventh street and the river, has much untenanted area. The region West of Rice street and North of Como avenue, presents many promising features. It is thus evident that, notwithstanding some present cramped and congested busi- ness conditions, no pent-up Utica of irou-clad environment contracts the city's powers, or shackles her advancement to imperial greatness.
CHAPTER XXIII
COMMERCIAL BODIES OF THE PAST
Chamber of Commerce Incorporated — Its Graxd Work Pictured — Details of Organization — Both Conservative and Aggressive — Wide Range of Topics — Favors Canadian Reciprocity — Merged Into St. Paul Commercial Club — Board of Trade — The Jobbers Union — The Industrial Union — St. Paul Real Est.vte Ex- cha.\ge.
One of tlie most potent iiistriiinentalities for building up the city during more than thirty critical years of its struggle for supremacy was the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. For some time before the or- ganization of this body, many citizens had felt that they were not doing what they should in regard to providing some medium for the expres- sion of public opinion on matters of great public interest, which were daily demanding attention, and finally the time came when it could not be delayed longer. The chamber made a start and the articles of in- corporation were drawn up.
Chamber of Commerce Incorpor.\ted
The first paragraph of the organization was as follows: "Be it known, that we, R. Blakeley, Horace Thompson, A. H. Cathcart. C. D. Strong, D. W. Ingersoll and Girard Hewitt, have this tenth day of January, A. D.. 1867, associated ourselves together as a body corporate to be called the Chamber of Commerce of the city of St. Paul. The pur[)ose of this association is to advance the commercial, mercantile and manufacturing interests of St. Paul, to inculcate just and e(|uitable principles of trade, establish and maintain uniformity in the commer- cial usages of the city, ac(|uire. preserve and disseminate valuable busi- ness information, to adjust the controversies and misunderstandings which may arise between individuals engaged in trade, and to promote the general prosperity of the city of St. Paul and the state of Minne- sota."
One hundred and sixty-seven citizens signed the original articles of association. , To them and their successors, and especially to those of them who served as directors thnnigh the long series of years which fol- lowed, unstinted praise is due from the present beneficiaries of their work. It is true that every man who aided in navigating the river, build- ing a railroad, conducting successfully a commercial business, erecting business blocks and dwellings, grading streets, building sidewalks, sew- ers, street railwavs and cable lines, or who moved a single shovelful of earth in making the rough places smooth and the crooked places straight,
•240
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 241
contributed to the grand aggregate of growth and improvement. But improvements hke these have been made to the laudable end that the private fortunes of those making them might be benefited and increased thereby, while the Chamber of Commerce and its members with unremit- ting care applied their time, their best judgment and energies, to the inauguration of policies and the achievement of results in which none of them had any special interest or any interest which was not common to all the residents of the city, present and future.
Its Grand Work Pictured
Speaking at the twenty-first anniversary of the formation of the chamber, General John B. Sanborn, a former president said: "Does
NEW YORK LIFE P.UILDI N i.
anyone doubt here tonight that there is a debt of gratitude due to those men who have devoted one hour on 1,092 Monday mornings in the last twenty-one years to the consideration of matters of public concern, with- out fear or favor, or hope of reward ; and still this hour on each Mon- day morning is not a moiety of the time that has been required by and devoted to the public interests by those first and earliest members of this organization. If a detailed statement of these services were proper on this occasion it would be impossible to give it. To one who has much of the time attended its secret councils and public meetings and knows upon what questions it has acted, and how it has acted, it seems that al- most all things in the city have been accomplished by it and that all threatened disasters have by its influence been averted. In its earlier days its attention and energies were directed almost entirely to opening
' Vtil. 1—16
:24l' ST. PALI. AND \1CI\1TV
up those lines of communication inti) tlie unoccupied portion of the pub- lic domain which were naturally tributary to the city ; to those sections also of the northwest that had been settled and occupied but which were cut off from all communication with this city by olistacles natural or artificial ; to opening up lines of communication to the east by the great lakes ; to giving encouragement to all railroad corjiorations to build their lines to this city and make it their principal place of business; securing for them such terminal facilities as would enable them to transact their business in this city upon the largest scale and with the greatest facility, and in- ducing them to build here their repair sho])s. and make such other im- provements as would add greatly to our ])o]nilation and wealth."
On the same anniversary occasion, Thomas Cochran, long one of the most active and influential memlK-rs of the directory, painted this glow- ing picture of the future and grand results of the efi'orts put forth by the Chamber of Coiumerce : "What think you, sir, will be our emotions if in company together, you and 1 shall be ])ermitted to revisit this city of our adoption and our love one hundred years hence? I should like to stand with you upon some point of vantage like the new bridge which shall join this city and the Sixth ward across the upper river, or ])er- haps take position on the very pinnacle of the court house and look abroad over this familiar territory, from North St. Paul upon the east to Fridley, a suburb of Minneapolis, upon the west. We should see one unbroken line of residences, shops, marts of commerce, huge buildings devoted to trade, churches, cathedrals, schools, manufactories, libraries, and all the magnificence and display of wealth which in these latter times constitute a city. Nor would we be looking any longer upon two cities, but upon one ; for in that day there shall be no sei)arate St. Paul or Minneapolis, but one grand central metropolis of the northwest, whose influence shall permeate the whole continent. It is for such a city as this that this organization of ours has been laying the foundation in the ]Kist twenty-one years."
Details of Organization
{-"or a long period in its history the chamber of coiumerce was a voluntary organization with but one class of members, jiaying an ;in- nual fee into a common treasury of $5 per year. It had no certain home, and, although an incorporated ixidy, lacked that visible sign of existence which a possession of land and its improvement always affords. Piut in 1884 it ac(|uired a site and as soon as necessary practical steps could be taken began the erection of the fine block at Si.xlh and Robert streets that still bears its name.
In order to defray the cost of the site a perpetual membership was created to number one hundred and lifly. every one of whom was as- sessed .^loo and became upon its jiayment and upon his taking one of the $5(X) bonds of the corporation, part owner of the real property. These memi)ers were liable each year to assessment of $10. ec|ual to the amount of the fee of the annual members.
At the annual election sixty directors were chosen in which the go\ ern- mcnt of the body was lodged. \\'eekly meetings of the board were held, where its working committees reported and where all members, whether of the board of directors or of the chamber at large, had the right to attend and particijiate in the discussions. The directors' meetings were called to order i)rnmptly at 0 o'clock .\. M.. the roll was called.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 243
and all directors, late or absent unless from illness, attendance at court, or absence from the city, were fined one dollar. The proceeding's were carried on with the formalities and dignity observed in legislative bodies. New business was referred to appropriate standing or special commit- tees, for consideration and report to subsequent meetings, for discus- sion and action. It was an honor held in high estimation by the best men in the city to be a director of the chamber of commerce, and the "highest vote" at the annual election was a distinction specially prized.
Seventeen standing committees constituted the machinery through which the work of the body was performed. One of these — the execu- tive— was peculiarly constituted, holding its meetings in private in order that any business whose end might be defeated by divulging it might be transacted without publicity. The scope of the subjects considered was a wide one. Scarcely anything seemed extraneous to the debates. Upon national (|uestions this ranged from the interstate commerce bill and the encouragement of direct trade between the Mississippi valley and South America, to a resolution of condolence upon the death of Gen- eral Logan, and an invitation to President Cleveland to visit the city. One cannot examine the records for a single vear without being im- pressed with the number of matters considered, and with the beneficent results attained. It is a cause for supreme congratulation, not only that the clianiber afforded a public platform for the open discussion of the themes referred to, but that its members were so indttstrious, so efficient and so successful.
Public spirit lies at the root of both local and general development in any free country. But unless public spirit is organized, its policies formulated and its energies concentrated, it will accomplish nothing of value. This kind of organization is also an effective promoter of com- mercial morality. It is perhaps true that honesty is the Ijest policy, when the amount involved is small, but it is always and everywhere the best principle; and that is the manly view point. That is the view point of the aggressive commercial organization.
When the Chamber of Commerce was organized there were less than fifteen thousand inhabitants within the limits of the city. These in- habitants lived mostly within the district botmded by the river on the south. Seven Corners on the west. Twelfth street on the north and Trout brook on the east. The "wholesale district" was the east side of Jack- son street between Third street and the river. Onlv one short line of railroad entered the city, on a rickety trestle over the marshes and ponds of lower Third street. Communication with Stillwater, White Bear or Hastings was by stage. A wooden bridge spanned the Mississippi at Wabasha street, exacting heavy tolls from every teamster or foot ]:>as- senger. Few or no streets were graded, and none was paved. The only continuous sidewalks led from the city hall to the residences, near or remote, of the seven aldermen. Steam fire engines, water-works, sewers, street railways and high school were unknown. Letter car- riers, telephones, electric lights and fast mails were undreamed of. Every stage of the advancement which changed this condition of things, and introduced the improvements which made the magnificent city we inhabit, was aided and energized by the chamber of commerce.
Other associations, representing a temporary emergency, or a limited local constituency, were formed, served their purpose well, were dis- banded and forgotten. Still others, still existent and flourishing, ef- ficiently performed certain functions which grew in magnitude beyond
244 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
the resources of this body to adequately manage. But through all its years the chamber of commerce was the one general, universal organiza- tion representing all classes and interests, to which any citizen could freely come with a public enterprise or a public grievance, confident of a fair hearing and an expression usually wise and always honest.
Both Conserv.xtive .\xd Aggressive
No voluntary institution of this character could have survived so long, if its action had not been habitually both conservative and aggres- sive. The emergencies demanded at times brave, bold enterprise — a fac- ulty to cooly estimate the risks and the will to assume them. P.ut the conditions demanded, at all times, that restraining influence on public affairs, which it was frequently the good fortune of the Chamber of Com- merce to effectively apply. The tendency toward municipal extrava- gance and corruption, so marked in most of the growing cities of the country, was held in measurable subjection in St. Paul by the respect with which the city authorities learned to receive the counsels of the chamber as the most authoritative obtainalile ex])ression of public opinion. The result was that few cities have so much of tangible pro])erty and improvement, of live and productive assets, to represent their nmnicipal indebtedness, as St. Paul can proudly exhibit.
But this was not all. Not only were public and municii)al affairs subjected by the chamber of commerce to a zealous, unceasing scrutiny, but innumerable private and corporate enterprises of vital importance to the development of the city, were founded, encouraged, stimulated and made jjossible, by the energetic work of its officers and its committees. Nearly or quite every railroad running into St. Paul was aided in secur- ing entrance, shop grounds or terminal facilities, by the chamber. Ele- vators, mills, factories, and warehouses without number, were built with money raised directly by its committees and often subscribed wholly by its directors. Nearly every large manufacturing industry in the city, at one time or another, sought and received their fostering care. Many prosperous mercantile houses and industrial establishments now firmly located here, received their first incentives to remove hither through correspondence with the secretaries. In fact, there is no de- partment of business activity in which the influence of the chamber of commerce was not felt, during thirty-five years, for the general good. A mere recital of its important useful achievements for St. Paul would fill a volume.
Wide Range of Topics Considered
Nor was the sphere of the useful activities of the chamber of com- merce circumscribed by the boundaries of the city. Without neglecting home matters at any time, due attention was given to those of state and national concern, having a direct or indirect bearing on our business interests and our general prosperity. Immigration; river and lake im- provements ; financial legislation ; trade relations ; relief for extensive visitations or disasters in tributary regions ; agricultural, lumbering and mining interests; educational matters; the postal service; weather re- ports; bankruptcy bills; interstate commerce; State Fair and Soldiers' Home ; World's Fair ; irrigation — these are only a few of the important and useful subjects having close relations to the city's well-being, which engaged serious attention, and were the subject of well-digested re-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 245
ports, intelligent discussions, and influential action or recommendation. As an object-lesson, showing the wide range of topics considered, we may be permitted to quote the following report of discussions and actions on subjects presented at the weekly meetings for six months during a typical year, that of 1890:
January 6th — Minnesota State Agricultural Society; United States merchant marine ; Public Library building fund ; flax iibre and its manu- facture.
January 13th — Immigration; National Educational Association; ad- vertising; Auditorium; "Soo" locks and Hay lake channel; United States Senator C. K. Davis' bill and speech on same ; death of C. D. Strong, one of the incorporators of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce in 1867.
January 20th — Public Library; J. Bookwalter's letter to the cham- ber on "Wheat Growing" ; Postoffice building, bill in congress ; report on immigration and manufacturers ; park roads in Fort Snelling reser- vation ; wheat growing and stock raising.
February 3rd — Agricultural immigration and manufacturers; manu- facturing power, midway district; weather reports from Manitoba, cred- ited to Minnesota.
February loth — Auditorium on Smith park, report special commit- tee; public baths and ambulance.
February 18th — Special order, Auditorium building.
February 24th — Galveston deep water harbor and congressional ap- propriation of $6,200,000; Pipestone (Minn.) — a national park to be located there; Metropolitan Opera House; $100,000 fund for manufac- turing.
March 3rd — A. B. Stickney's reply to J. Bookwalter's letter of Janu- ary 20th : Government Indian school for Pipestone ; Henry Villard's visit to St. Paul.
March 17th — Contract with Metropolitan Opera House; J. B. Lovett of Alabama addressed the chamber on National Educational meetings; secretary's report ready for publication ; Dakota relief committee's re- port ; Dakota's seed wheat and feed for stock.
March 24th — World's Fair, 1892 (state commissioners) ; $8,000 re- ported ready for seed wheat in the Dakotas : Governor Miller of North Dakota addressed the chamber in regard to his state and the Louisiana Lottery; Canadian reciprocity, approving Congressman Hitt's joint re- solution.
March 31st — Thanks to Hon. C. K. Davis for his successful efforts in the United States senate for the "Soo" locks appropriation ; repre- sentatives from Minnesota requested to urge its passage in the house.
April 7th — Mississippi river improvements; Postal Telegraph.
April 14th — United States census ; health officer's report ; Manufac- turers' Loan and Investment Company; annual report distributed to members.
April 2ist — Butterworth's bills in congress on "options and futures."
April 28th — A. B. Stickney reads a paper on "Live Stock Market at St. Paul" ; United States Senator C. K. Davis addressed the chamber on the "Soo" locks, St. Paul Public Building and the Galveston harbor bills in congress.
May 5th — Sections 4 and 5, Interstate Commerce law, to amend; death of Hon. James B. Beck, United States senator from Kentucky, a firm friend to St. Paul.
246 ST. PAUL AXIl \ICIXITY
-May iJtli — "Xew England Magazine." articles on St. Paul; National Educational Association ; Union Depot train house completed, commit- tee's report.
.May I9tli — Torrey Bankruptcy hill in congress: Third street and liroadway to the railroad bridge — report of committee: National Editor- ial Association invited to meet at St. Paul in iSqi.
May 26th — Election of directors.
June 2nd — Health and sanitation ; public baths and ambulance ; In- terstate Commerce law: adjournment of the board of 1889-90; meeting of the board of 1890-91 : election of officers: Sunday laws, enforcement of same.
June Oth — Appointment of standing anil special committees; Michi- gan luiitorial Association to visit St. Paul, June 23rd.
June i6th — Liquor selling on Sundays: Perpetual members may be increased to 250.
June 23rd — Duties on linen: .Mississii)pi levees and overtlows ; Pub- lic square — Sixth, St. Peter and Market streets.
lune 30th — National Editorial Association, meeting in Boston, vote to meet at St. Paul in July, 1891 : President Canfield, of the National Educational .\ssociation. addressed the chaiuber.
Favors CAN.\ni.\x Reciprocitv
ll may be of timely interest just now to (|uole the resolutions in- troduced March 24, 1890, by Director E. \'. Smalley, and unanimously adopted: "Resolved, that this chamber looks with earnest interest and sympathy upon the movements now in progress in the congress of the United States and in the ])rovincial parliament of Manitoba, and other legislative bodies in the dominion of Canada, in favor of reciprocal trade relations between the two countries that shall be untrammeled by cus- toms lines, believing that the material interests of both will be greatly l)romoted by the removal of the jiresent barriers to commercial ii^Jer- course.
"Resolved, that we heartily approve of the joint resolution offered in the house of representatives by Mr. Hitt, of Illinois, authorizing the president U) appoint commissioners to meet with any commissioners who may be appointed to represent Canada, to consider the question of a reciprocitv treaty and of unifying the tariff systems of the countries. We respectfully call the attention of the senators and representatives from ^Iinnesota to this joint resolution and trust that it meets their approval and will receive their sujjport."
A little later, on June lo, 1890, the United States senate committee on commercial relations with Canada, consisting of Senators IToar. Alli- son. Hale. Pugh and Dolph, visited St. Paul and held an all-day .session in the Chamber of Conuuerce. Senator Hoar ])resi(ling. In the course of his opening remarks Senator Hoar said: "The ilominion of Can- ada marches with our em])ire for more than four thousand miles. It is a rapidlv growing territory, not only by its own cajiital and enter- prise, but bv the aid of the power and wealth of Creat Britain, of which it is a dependency; and it is impossible for us to avoid having most intimate relations with a people like that on our own border. Speaking for one, I found that for myself T needed very much light upon all phases of the questions, present and future, which affect the business interests of these two countries. We can get no source of in-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 247
formation so valuable and so ample as that of the business men who are directly dealing with these provinces. And, of course, in seeking any authority on this subject, these two wonderful cities of the west, St. Paul and Minneapolis, must be expected to make a very large con- tribution to our stock of information and enable us to arrive at wise and lasting legislation. We shall be glad to learn from the Chamber of Commerce of St. Paul whatever they can tell us as to our exchanges with Canada, as to the business relations — relations both of commerce and transportation — which exist between this I'egion and Canada, and the question of the various matters which afifect the disposition of the two peoples towards each other."
Among those who gave expression to their opinions were W. B. Dean, E. V. Smalley, C. E. Marvin, D. R. Noyes, Channing Seabury and W. R. Bourne. Among other things Mr. Dean said : "Unrestricted reciprocity was what was wanted. Of course it would be necessary in any commercial relations which might be established that uniform tarifif laws should prevail between the two countries." Proceeding, he argued that the geographical conditions of the Canadian northwest, separating that region by i,ooo miles of rock from eastern Canada, were such as to render it peculiarly open to commercial relations with these western states. In reply to several questions by members of the committee, Mr. Dean explained that St. Paul would largely benefit by such commercial reciprocity ; that natural products could lie imported from Canada and manufactured goods supplied to that county. In reply to Senator I'ugh he stated that he did not consider the establishment of free com- mercial relations would involve annexation ; in fact, he regarded such a contingency as extremely distant and improbable.
A comparison of the views and action here recorded, with that taken by St. Paul business men in 191 1, shows how remarkably his- tory repeats itself and how consistently a position once carefully chosen may be maintained during the long period of twenty-one years.
The following were the officers and directors of the Chamber of Com- merce for 1890-91: President, Daniel R. Noyes; vice president. Lane K. Stone ; secretary, Alfred S. Tallmadge ; treasurer, Peter Berkey.
Board of directors : C. C. Andrews, M. Auerbach, P. Berkey, Wm. .M. Bushnell, H. A. Castle, G. Clark, W. P. Clough, T. Cochran, M. B. Curry, D. Dav, J. H. Davidson, R. R. Dorr, H. S. Fairchild, G. R. Finch, F, A. Fogg, Wm. Foulke, C. B. Gilbert, R. Gordon, T- P. Grib- ben, C. W. Hackett, H. P. Hall, Geo. H. Hazzard, E. J. Hodgson, O. E. Holman, R. C. Jefiferson, A. M. Lawton, W. H. Lightner, Wm. Lin- deke, J. L. Lovering, J- D. Ludden, J. J. McCardy, C. E. Marvin, D. D. Merrill, D. H. Moon, W. S. Morton, M. D. Munn, W. P. Murray, Chas. Nichols, D. R. Noves, A. Oppenheim, E. W. Peet, A. Pugh, J. C. Ouinby, T. Reardon, P. Reilly, A. G. Rice, L. W. Rundlett, W. H. Sanborn, A. Scheffer, E. Simonton, E. V. Smalley, K. Smith, W. A. Somers, H. F. Stevens, A. B. Stickney, L. K. Stone, J- Suydam, A. S. Tallmadge, R. B. Wheeler and A. H. Wilder.
Honorary directors : R. Blakeley, I. W. Bishop, F. Driscoll, R. W. Johnson, H. M. Rice, T- B. Sanborn, H. H. Sibley and Henry Villard.
A full list of the members of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce during the thirty-five years of its active existence would be a directory of the progressive men of the city. A full list of those who served on its successive boards of directors, some of them for many years by con- secutive re-elections would be a roll of the men who were confidently
2<^- ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
trusted by their fellow citizens to zealously guard their public interests. The presidents of the chamber, beginning with 1867, and their re- spective terms of service were: J. C. Burbank, four years; II. H. Sibley, five years; H. M. Rice, four years; R. W. Johnson, one year; John B. Sanborn, five years; Russell Blakeley, two years; Frederick Uriscoll. J. 'W. Bishop, D. R. Xoyes. Lane K. Stone. W. P. Clough, Henry A. Castle, C. W. Hackett, E. \'. Smalley, E. \V. Peet, W. H. Lightner and R. A. Kirk, one year each. Those who served for considerable terms as secretary were O. E. Dodge, H. T. Johns, Alexander Johnson, W. D. Rogers, F. A. Fogg, C. A. McNeale, .\. S. Tallmadge, J. H. Beek and T. I. Beaumont.
.Mkkgicd Lnto St. P.\ul Commkrci.xl Club
The St. Paul Chamber of Commerce continued its career of useful- ness until the year 1902, when it was consolidated with and merged into the St. Paul Commercial Club. This institution organized in 1891, was a manifest necessity for the "Greater St. I'aul" which had devel- oped under the fostering care of the parent organization. It had grown to a vigorous and useful activity which covered some of the same lines. To avoid a useless duplication of effort, the chamber cheerfullv retired from the field, leaving an honorable and long-sustained record that is a legacy of encouragement to its successors. The Commercial Club still maintains a highly prosperous existence, as will appear in the next chapter.
Other business organizations which showed, for a longer or shorter period, a commendable zeal in various phases of commercial and finan- cial effort during the period we have been chronicling, should be men- tioned here; some of them also numi)ered among the institutions of the present time, to be referred to later.
Bo.ARD OF Tk.\de
The St. Paul Board of Trade was a commercial organization incor- porated for the purpose of advancing the commercial, mercantile and manufacturing interests of St. Paul: for inculcating just and equitable principles of trade, and for adjusting the controversies and misunder- standing which may arise between individuals engaged in trade. The membership was composed of responsil)le business men, mostly mer- chants who buy and sell on commission all products of the agricultural districts, and fill orders for those who desire to purchase for the city trade, or for shipment to any part of the world. The active members held daily meetings in the Chamber of Commerce, where calls for pro- duce and fruits were made, and a large amcunt of business was trans- acted.
Tiip; JoHiir.Rs' L'mon'
The St. Paul Jobbers' L'nion was organized in .March, 18S4, and is still busily exercising its functions. The object of this association is to unite the mercantile and manufacturing community for the purpose of advancing and increasing the trade and business of the city of St. Paul, to support such means as may be deemed best to promote this end and to use its influence as a body to jirolcct their rights and influence as citizens and merchants. The presidents of the Jobbers' Union in its earlier
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 249
years were: Geo. R. Finch, C. W. Hackett, Channing Seabury, George L. Farwell, John T. Averill, William B. Dean, C. H. Kellogg and C. S. Rogers. One of its policies has always been to advertise the city and its trade, on the theory that if you wish things to come your way you must tell them where you live. The expert writer had not, in the first years arisen to say that "if you need a cracker, there's a reason," etc., but ample language was always ready to clothe important facts.
The Industri.\l Union
The Industrial Union was formed in 1889 with a view of educating the people to a proper appreciation of the value of manufactures to the progress, growth and well-being of the city. Among the plans adopted was that of establishing a permanent exhibit of the products of St. Paul industries at a central point free to public inspection.
Under the auspices of the Industrial Union was established "The Manufacturers' Loan and Investment Company." The objects, as de- fined in its articles of incorporation, were: "To promote, encourage and aid, by and under any and all lawful methods (the giving of a bonus, save as herein authorized excepted), such industries and enterprises located or to be located in St. Paul or its tributary suburbs, as now are or shall be incorporated under the laws of this state for the purpose of engaging in a manufacturing or mechanical business, and to aid, by a loan of money, individuals engaged in a business of the character afore- said."
The capital stock of the company was $1,000,000. The board of di- rectors was composed of twenty-one gentlemen of the highest standing, thoroughly in earnest in the determination to build up in St. Paul a comprehensive and successful system of manufacturing industries adapted to the wants of the city and the vast extent of country tributary to it. The plan of the company was believed to be at once unique and eft'ective. It was the first attempt made to promote industrial develop- ment on strictly business principles and by business methods. The com- pany gave special attention to aiding and encouraging meritorious en- terprises already in existence, as well as to the establishment of new ones by enlisting private enterprise and capital and the location of solid concerns from other and less favored places. A. H. Wilder was pres- ident and William F. Phelps secretary of this association. While it did not fulfill all the sanguine expectations of its founders, it did much to assist and encourage some new enterprises that have added largely to the industrial prestige of the city.
St. Paul Real Estate Exchange
The St. Paul Real Estate Exchange is a pioneer business organiza- tion which yet survives, and which has accomplished valuable results in advancing the jobbing, manufacturing and transportation interests. Thomas Cochran, George H. Hazzard, H. S. Fairchild, Tas. H. David- son, G. S. Heron, J. W. McClung, Rush B. Wheeler and J. J. Watson were among its leading spirits.
CHAPTER .\X1\'
CO.MMI-.RCIAL ISODIES Ul" THI': PRESENT
St. pAur, CuMMEKciAL Clui! — Xew, Broadkk, Mnui-; r>R{iTiii;RLv Spirit — Scientific Bcsixess Management — St. P.\ri. .Association of Commerce — Town Crier's Club.
The old St. Paul Chamber of Commerce worked nobly in its day, but the time arrived when additional agencies were made necessary by the city's growth. These other agencies were formed, covering dif- ferent i)hases of effort, and they worked on. with added efficiency. Xow a stage is reached, when a federation of the ])rincii)al of these agencies has seemed essential; hence the Association of Commerce. It is planned, on the later idea as to these bodies, that each must be a dynamo of energy, with every member a live wire. When a secretary is needed the best-trained and most energetic man available is chosen. He must be executive, an organizer and a worker. Instead of meaningless reso- lutions, there are initiative and result.
So i^otent has become the influence of some of these bodies that you can measure the advance of whole communities by the capacity of their chambers of commerce or kindred organizations. They have succeeded because they have been organized and developed along straight business lines. The chambers that are doing the most significant work are the ones that regard their city supremacy as a commodity and who organize the publicity and distribution of it just as a shrewd merchant handles the selling of his wares. In brief, it is a large and thrilling job of salesmanship ; and you find, when you get down to the last analysis, that every wide-awake as.sociation is a comi)osite salesman. These bodies have learned, like a human being, that a city cannot pros]x>r until it is clean and healthx' and has adequate service. Hence civic jnirification and censorship of public utilities have gone hand in hand with business growth.
The dissociated labors of the Commercial Club, the Jobbers' and Manufacturers' Union, the Business League and the Associated Mer- chants had been effective, but they had overlapited at some points, had sometimes conflicted, and at others, had unnecessarily duplicated or triplicated their efforts.
St. Pait. Com.mercial Clur
The St. Paul Commercial Club had become, and still remains, the great, ])opular, general organization of business and professional men, including emjiloyers and employes, with certain social functions and gastronomic ])rivileges. but keeping a jealous eye on public affairs as
250
ST. PAUL AXD \'ICINITY 251
well as business opportunities. It was incorporated in December, 1891. Its first officers were John J. Corcoran, president; J. F. Broderick and L. L. May, vice presidents ; Wm. Secombe, secretary, and O. T. Roberts, treasurer. Its objects were declared to be to establish a permanent or- ganization of the business men of St. Paul, to promote more intimate social relations among them by some of the ordinary club features, and consequently a more friendly feeling. It aimed to take aggressive action upon every movement concerning the welfare of St. Paul or its citi- zens, and to encourage and promote the commercial and manufactur- ing interests of the city in every way possible; to advertise to the world the diversified advantages of the city and state ; to ascertain the needs of the city, and assist in removing impediments to her progress ; to foster and encourage through social intercourse a public spirit and feeling of loyalty which would inure to the benefit of the city; to teach that whatever ]iromotes the business interest of any class of citizens is for the benefit of all, and that whatever injures business in any line is against the interests of all.
Ample quarters were secured in 1892 in the fine building of the Germania Life Insurance Company, at Fourth and Minnesota streets, which were several times enlarged until they occupied the entire ninth and tenth floors. An extensive cafe was installed, with a special de- partment for ladies ; a billiard room was provided ; elegantly furnished reading, smoking and reception rooms were arranged, and all the acces- sories of up-to-date club life were supplied. Commencing with about 500 members, it has maintained a vigorous and increasingly useful ex- istence for nearly twenty years and now has over 1,500 members, includ- ing large numbers of young men, who are here in receipt of that train- ing, through association, example and precept, that will strengthen their business principles, stimulate their public spirit and make them better citizens. In .September, 1912, the Commercial Club removed to still larger and more elaborate quarters in the fine, new Commerce Building, at Fourth and Wabasha streets.
We are living in a peculiar age, a distinctly commercial age, as every one must plainly see and admit. It is an age when individuals have com- bined to form corporations, corporations have combined to form trusts imtil now we are face to face with merchandising problems unknown to the mercantile interests of only a few years ago. The keenest men the science of business has produced are at the levers, and where a four-horse power energy formerly sufficed, we now need two-hundred horse power to get the desired results. Moreover and simultaneously, the political bosses, have, in many localities, combined to control city and state governments, requiring a like concentrated energy and con- centrated effort to dethrone them. Thus no commendation can be too emphatic for any well-directed movement to bring the younger element of the business community into intimate relations with organized un- dertakings for commercial and civic betterment.
In the unfolding of this new era in the business world, new duties and new obligations have been created and added to the duties and obli- gations which the business man formerly owed to the state. Many new and complex problems have also arisen for both the business man and the state to solve.
An extensive, progressive, aggressive, virile business organization in a commercial and industrial community, becomes, incidentally but most potenth', a training school of efficiency, an object-lesson of scientifically
252 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
direct effort. Even in conferring about matters of public concern, the touch of elbows, the attribution of minds, the comparison of experiences, begets increased knowledge and larger capacity. For example, it is fundamental that in manufacturing, the basis of all success is efficiency.
The efficiency of administration, with the peculiar fitness of men with brain and experience, who know how to formulate a policy and secure the right men to carry it out :
The efficiency of production, with its equally important men of brain and experience who know how :
First, to buy the raw material best suited for its manufacturing, and this must be (letermined by experience, safeguarded by the analytical and engineering departments, and to secure the material bought, so that it will, within the shortest possible jicriod, enter into the manufactured product.
Secondly, to plan the manufacturing of the product so as to elimin- ate waste, conserve energy and produce at the lowest possible cost the greatest quantity — also, to conserve energy and develop labor upon a basis that men and not machinery will secure the high reward.
The efficiency of sales, with its splendid corjis of men w'itli brains, who have been trained and know how. In this department of modern btisiness science publicity becomes a necessary factor. It is the life- blood of trade. It must be honest, and attractive, and educational, and convincing. It is thus the pioneer of camiJaigns. An inquiry once raised should never be lost sight of, or dropped without a good reason. Efficiency is a prime essential in the triumphs of human endeavor; so is publicity ; and so is cooperation.
Manufacturers are the industrial foundations, I)ackl»ne, brains — call it what you will, of our nation. .Manufacturing more than any other class of business or enterprise is the target for public and jjrivate political assault. Employes must be cared for; railroads aided: public improvements paid for ; communities protected ; industrial insurance compensation provided, etc. In all directions and from all sources come demands upon the manufacturer for protection, assistance, brotherly kindness ; and, all this is probably good for the moral character of the manufacturer. But his growth in grace, as well as his growth in ef- ficiency, may be greatly i)romotcd by association, consultation and co- operation with otliers of similar environment.
Ni;w. nROADKK. More Brothicri.v Spirit
New conditions force changed methods, as new inventions rec|uire new laws. It is already trespass to puncture an honest farmer's sky- rights with a biplane; embezzlement to intercept a wireless message; grand larceny to impound the warblings of an opera star. .Vnd coiu- mercial ethics have changed. In former times the average business man eased his conscience with the belief that com])etition was the life of trade, and went his way alone, seldoiu seeing beyond the cnnlines of his couiUing room. When the conuuunity grew he took it as a matter of course ; when it stood still he laid it to the politicians. Business was business. Today all is changed. There is scarcely a town without some kind of commercial body that is both business-builder and civic-awakener — it may l)e a chamber of conuuerce. a board of trade, a commercial club or a merchants' association. Through their combined work, a new spirit of sane and constructive force has been created that is broaden-
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ing local vision everywhere and making leaders of men who might have drudged at their desks in obscurity all their lives. Cooperation along lines of mutual interest has succeeded selfish isolation ; and the merchant and citizen generally, through well-knit organization, are remaking and galvanizing old communities, establishing a new dignity and respect for conmierce and emphasizing the vast value of getting together. Here is a work that touches all people and aids all interests.
The manufacturer and the jobber are confronted with many iden- tical problems. One of these is that above alluded to, of the sales man- ager, who is a product practically of the last decade. He stands as the engineer at the throttle of his locomotive, guiding the engine of com- merce ; his sense must be keen, his eye alert, he must be ready at all times to detect the slightest friction in his organization as it glides along the rails of industry to its destination. Upon his shoulders in a large measure falls the responsibility of a safe arrival at the terminus, Success. He must be ever ready to instill into the men in his charge that en- thusiasm and fire that bring about satisfactory results for the house.
Scientific Business Management
The problem of scientific management is also present in all Imsiness. It has been found that there has been enormous waste of time and energy in the work of mechanics, office clerks, etc. This waste is almost always in the little things. There is the lost motion that creeps in everywhere. There is the lack of attention to keeping the tools and instruments necessary to one's daily work where they are readily acces- sible. By the introduction of scientific management, the cost of produc- tion has been reduced thirty per cent to fifty per cent in some instances. The wages of salesmen and workers have been raised and a new smooth- ness and efficiency introduced into every department.
An expert Doctor of Industry gives this pointed suggestion: "Solve your output problem at first by adopting an efficient factory cost system. That will give you control of your situation. It will insure you against a thousand little things which, otherwise unforseen, may give you un- told trouble. And it will also enable you to exercise decisive control of your output, either up or down, at your pleasure. It will give you absolute knowledge of the capacity of your factory. Then that once terrible word output, ever suggestive of the C. O. D. call and the flame- colored flag, which all business men shudder to think of, will terrify you no longer."
In other days transportation was not so important as now. It re- quired weeks to bring goods to this market or to ship the same articles to the settlers in the Minnesota valley. Now it is a matter of hours, and large amounts of money are being spent to make the passage from mill to consumer still more rapid. The problem of transportation is one in which a jobbing or manufacturing house can easily find the dif- ference between success and failure. In a business where the margin of profit is small, but the dividends come from the volume of trade, it is disastrous if all of the goods sold must be hauled by horse and wagon for considerable distances. .Such teaming is expensive and rapidly eats up the profits. If, however, the jobbing houses can have a spur of the railway track run directly to the warehouse, or if the raw products for a factory can be delivered in car lots at the very door of the work rooms, a large saving in time and money is efifected. For this reason
254 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
properly in the vicinity of railway tracks is lield at liigli ligures, and wide cooperation between interested parties, or strenvuHis urtjanized ef- fort, is essential in securinj,' new facilities.
Stimi'lus of Civic Simkit
Associated el'furt has far-reaching results in advancing a city's prom- inence and building up its trade. In May, 1911. the business men of the northwest came together at Helena. Montana, organized the Northwest Developnient League and picked St. Paul as the logical lieadquarters to accomplish the object of the organization, to boost the northwest and get settlers for that territory. To that meeting St. Paul sent a special train carrying a large representation of the imiH)rlant business men of the city. In fact, no other state or city outside of Helena and -Montana, had such a delegation at that meeting as came from this citv. The del- egates bore the good will of the city to all of the state in which thev met, and the state appreciated the visit. St. Paul earlv sent commercial travelers through Montana. The territory of each man has been made smaller as the railways have been jnished through the state and new towns have .sprung u]). The wholesale trade from this citv to that state is verj' large.
Both associated etiorl and individual enteri)rise have been felt in local, civic affairs. Thanks to the jjarticipalion of a large number of the merchants and jobbers of St. Paul, this city has had a degree of ef- ficiency on the various non-salaried boards of the citv. which has been the comment of municipal experts who have examined the St. Paul way of doing things. In all the western cities the civic sense of the larger merchants is being develoiu-d. There are commercial clubs in nearly every town, and the extent to which the merchants of any city or town are awake and doing things can be accuratelv judged by the extent to which the commercial club .if the town participates in affairs. Through the training business men have got in paving attention to civic affairs in commercial and business associations', many of them have willingly given largely of their time from their own business to attend to that of the community as a wlmlc. In no citv has this service of time been given more freelv or with greater devotion to the work in hand than in St. Paul.
Administrative boards in charge of the various functions of citv government, the |)olice. tire jjrotection. jiarks. water .system, work house, auditorium, school and library. alTord opportunities for the .service of many men. and as members of these boards are found the most prom- inent and influential men in jobbing and commercial life. Men who have at their connnand millions of capital sit at the meetings of these boards and give the wealth of their wi.sd<im and business experience to the city. It is needless to .say that none of these boards at any time has in the least had a breath of suspicion of corruption or misuse of funds.
These are some of the things that the memlters of the several ex- isting commercial bodies of St. i\aul. individually and through their associations have been doing for the city's advancement. They have carried on the work .so well begun by the old Chamjjer of Commerce, with improved methods reaching wider fields of useful activity. It has been a highly successful work. .\nd behind the ins|)iring spectacle is. as we have just .seen, a larger significance than mere business getting and municipal advertisement and advance. The lesson of unselfish
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255
volunteer service presented day after day by busy business and profes- sional men, who perform many of the tasks for which city officials are paid, will not be lost on the voters, who in time will learn to demand a higher and larger capability from their public servants. If, as econom- ists tell us, the city is the hope of democracy, then St. Paul's commercial bodies of the present are doing the greatest work for the realization of that hope.
St. Paul Associ.\tion of Commerce
Now comes the federation of these existing and virile commercial bodies of the city into the St. Paul Association of Commerce. Prac-
ST. PAUL ASSOl JAT](J.\ UF CI ).M i\l KRCii liUlLUING,
tically every business man in the city now lielongs to this association and contributes $50 a year to its support.
This association was organized in 19 10, with temporary quarters in the Endicott building, until the twelve-story block constructed for its use. with that of its suljordinate and affiliated bodies at Fourth and Wa- basha streets, was completed. The first officers were: C. L. Kluckhohn. president; W. J. Dean, vice president, chairman interstate division; P. McArthur, vice president, chairman local division ; Paul Doty, vice pres- ident, chairman public afl^airs division; J. R. Mitchell, treasurer; ]. H. Beek. general secretary : J. W. Cooper, chairman traffic bureau ; E. S. Warner, chairman industrial bureau; Walter J. Driscoll, chairman pub- licity bureau.
In a preliminary announcement, the general secretary. I. H. Beek,
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long connected with public affairs says: "St. Paul has accomplished wonders during the last five years. The Auditorium, the "New St. Paul Motel." the Young Men's Christian Association building, the Young Women's Ciiristian Association building, the new Cathedral, the Sym- phony Orchestra, the Institute of Arts and Sciences and numerous lesser but equally worthy enterprises, all attest the public spirit and generosity of our citizens, fiut there are even larger and more important ])rojects demanding our best efforts. An adequate Union depot, improved and enlarged terminal facilities, trackage for new industries, etc., are press- ing needs, which the St. Paul Association of Commerce is taking up earnestly."
The officially avowed object of the association is to advance the com- merce, industries and all civic interests of the city. It is not to be par- tisan or political. The membership is divided into three classes: Active, non-resident and honorary.
Any individual, firm or corporation, residing or doing business in the cities of St. Paul or South St. Paul, or in Ramsey county, Minne- sota, in good standing and whose connection with the association will promote its usefulness, may be elected to active membership.
lousiness or professional men in good standing, residing outside of St. Paul, South St. Paul or Ramsey county, may be admitted to non- resident membership.
Any person who may be deemed worthy of the distinction by un- animous vote of the board of directors, may l)ecome an honorary mem- ber.
The active membership of the association, although acting as a unit toward the accomplishment of the objects for which the association is organized, consists of three main divisions.
Division A — The Interstate division, which comprises those mem- bers principally interested in interstate and foreign commerce.
Division P. — The Local division, which comprises those members princii)ally interested in local business in St. Paul.
Division C — The Public Affairs division, which comprises those mem- bers whose principal interest is in the improvement of civic and industrial conditions in St. Paul. It has for its definite purpose the promotion of such civic projects as will aid in the material develo])ment of the city.
Each division elects a vice president and four tlirectors of the asso- ciation by ballot of the members of the division only.
Certain specific work of the association is conducted by Inireaus. These bureaus are :
A — The Traffic Inireau. which conducts :dl Inisiness of the associa- tion with transportation interests and is in charge of the traffic com- mittee, consisting of nine members. Si.\ inemi)ers of this committee, of whom one is chairman, are appointed by the vice president of the Inter- state division, and three members are ajipointed by the vice jiresident of the Local division, subject to the approval of the board of directors.
p, — Tlic bureau of Industries, which conducts the business nf the ex- tension and development of industrial enterprises in St. Paul and its environs. It is in charge of the committee of industries, consisting of nine members. The board of directors appoints three members from each division to this committee, which selects its own chairman.
C — The Publicity bureau, which conducts the business of advertising St. Paul. It is in charge of the publicity committee, consisting of nine
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members, appointed by the board of directors, three from each of the three main divisions. This committee selects its own chairman.
Any St. Paul organization, whose business is of such technical or specific nature that it is necessary to conduct it separately, may, when- ever a majority of its members are active or associate members of this association, become by vote of the directors of this association an "affil- iated organization." Its president, if an active member of this associa- tion, is ex-officio, a director thereof.
The board of directors numbers thirty, which comprises the pres- ident, the three vice presidents, the treasurer, the chairman of the traffic committee, the chairman of the committee of industry, the chairman of the publicity committee, four each elected by the three main divisions, and ten elected by the entire active membership at the annual meeting of the association.
The executive officer of the association is the general secretary. It is made his duty, in addition to keeping the minutes and conduct- ing correspondence, to "present a full account of the activities of the association at least once a month to the board of directors, and make a full report to the annual meeting of the active members of the association and perform all other duties usual to the office of secretary. He shall, under the president and subject to the control of the directors, have full charge of the activities of the association ; shall devote his whole time to its work and devote all his energies to its welfare."
The standing committees of the association are: Interstate or trade extension ; local public aiTairs ; traffic ; industries ; publicity ; committee of the whole ; finance ; membership ; conventions and entertainments ; legislative ; auditing and house committees. All committees are chosen by the board of directors, except as otherwise provided for in the by- laws. Weekly meetings are held of active members, where luncheon is served and timely public questions are discussed by selected speakers, local or foreign.
It is confidently believed that the civic work of St. Paul's commercial bodies and their welfare work for the city, may, by the Association of Commerce, be made efl:'ective on an enlarged scale :
1. Through its operation as a clearing house for the exchange of ideas by business men concerning desirable improvements, resulting in a careful investigation and study of conditions by committees, with the assistance of experts who give the services voluntarily ;
2. By securing the confidence of the public and the support of the press in the recommendation of a deliberative body of business men, in- terested only in the welfare of the city and community;
3. By co-operating with public officials and municipal and legisla- tive authorities, in creating sentiment in behalf of improvements in- augurated by them ;
4. By securing the interest and support of local boards, clubs and civic organizations;
5. By stimulating the organization of separate bodies which un- dertake as a special object the carrying out of a particular improvement recommended by the association of commerce.
An important recent change in the organization of the association is provided for in taking over the work which has been done under the public affairs committee of the Commercial Club. In addition to a pul)lic affairs committee of thirty there is a civic division, one of the three branches, of which the interstate and local division elects a chairman
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258 ST. PAUL AND \1CIXITY
who is vice president of the main association and as such is also a director.
The association so far as its geographical boundaries are concerned includes St. Paul, South St. Paul and Ramsey county.
Towx Crier's Club
The St. Paul Town Crier's Club, which gives annually a notable Home Products dinner, furnishes its own "thumb nail genealogy" to this effect : the first informal meeting of interested persons was held at the Commercial Club Tuesday evening. November 7, 1905. and these were selected to prepare a plan of organization ; T. E. Andrews, Jesse H. Neal. A. W. Bailey, S. C. Theis. C. E. Buckbee. William A. Keller, John R. Wilbor. C. R. Osborn, J. W. Philip and Raymond Cavanagh. Later the constitution proposed was adopted and the organization per- fected. The club now has a membership of over one hundred and fifty, representing ])ractically all the avenues of advertising effort in St. Paul. As the name indicates they are St. Paul boosters, and are allied with every movement for the betterment of business or living conditions.
The Consolidated Publicity Bureau was the direct result of hard work by the Town Criers' Club. The club is a strong force in the com- munity for better advertising. It has established study classes for its members, and will further develop the educational features. In short it is a working medium through which the ginger and intelligence of its members o]Jerates to the advantage of the city, and to their own in- creased efficiency in their chosen ])rofession.
The Town Crier's issue this manifesto, "just to remind you:"
St. Paul is the largest fur market in the world.
St. Paul is the recognized shoe market of the northwest.
St. Paul produces more railway cars than any city in the west.
St. Paul ]M-oduces more stoves than any city in tlie west.
St. Paul produces more pianos than any city in the west.
St. Paul has the largest law book publishing house in the world : also the second.
St. Paul's Auditorium is the tinest building of its kind in the country.
St. Paul has the lowest death rate i)cr thousand of any city in the Union.
St. Paul is the center of an immense wholesale and jobbing trade in dry goods, groceries, hats and caps, shoes, furnishing goods, millinery and hardware.
St. Paul products are sold around the world.
District .\Nn SrnuRn.\N Commf.rci.\l Ci.uns
\\ itliin the past five years, a significant and i)romising development of public spirit has been manifested in the organization of active, in- fluential commercial clubs in various sections of St. Paul, and in its suburbs. These clubs, in addition to inatters of general interest to the city, i)av special attention to subjects affecting the localities they severally represent, and seek to make their inllucnce felt in securing needed im- provements, in exploiting local advantages, etc.
The Dayton's liluft' Commercial (lui) has a fine building at 770 East Seventh street and has a live, aggressive membership, which maintains a vigorous watchfulness over public affairs.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 259
The West End Commercial Club, located at West Seventh and Jef- ferson streets, has recently finished a new home, costing over $15,000, with a large public hall on the third floor. The club now has nearly 200 members.
The North Central Commercial Club has a club house at University avenue and St. Peter streets. It is of marble, to harmonize with the adjacent state capitol. It is three stories high, with an auditorium on the third floor, and is occupied exclusively by the club.
The Sixth Ward Commercial Club is a large influential organiza- tion, devoted to the interests of the people of that ward, and often making itself felt in city afifairs.
The Como CommTcial Club was organized in June, 1912. This in- stitution does not sejk commercial or industrial development, Ijut will advocate those conveniences which go with a good residence district, clean streets, water supply, fire protection, the proper care of Como park, and similar things. The club started with 100 members at St. Andrews hall, Hatch street and Churchill avenue.
The North St. Paul Commercial Club, organized in 1910. now has about 150 members, and has already accomplished several notable things for that prosperous suburb. W. W. Smith is president and G. I. Trace secretary. Among its valuable achievements was the three days' "home coming" celebration of the quarter-centennial anniversary of the village of North St. Paul, July 4th, 5th and 6th, 191 2. The club meets at Fraternal Hall on Seventh street. North St. Paul, and has the warm sup- port of all the people.
The M.\rch of the Cities
The story of how St. Paul is claimed to have received its civic awakening is told, as follows in an eastern magazine :
A quiet man came to St. Paul one day and pointed out to a few choice souls in the promotion organization that they were not doing all that could be done to make St. Paul a greater city. They frankly ad- mitted his charge, but made this defence: St. Paul, they said, was a peculiar place ; the people all loved it, but they did not pull together ; the Chamber of Commerce had difficulty in holding its small membership and in collecting its meagre fees of $3 a year ; civic pride was not or- ganized and could not be organized. "We have tried it and we know," they added.
The quiet man's reply was: "I can increase your membership by seven hundred new members, enthusiastic for better things, every one under contract to pay not less than $25 a year in dues for three years."
"Never," the committee replied. "It simply can't be done."
They finally let him try, but they all warned him that he was wasting his time.
First the quiet man arranged a dinner for two hundred. Archbishop Ireland attended and made a happy talk on the quiet man's slogan, "I believe in St. Paul." and Mr. J. J. Hill spoke for an hour and twenty minutes. Other addresses followed and, at a felicitous moment, when enthusiasm was high, the quiet man suggested that those men who would volunteer to prove their faith in St. Paul by giving two hours a day for five days of the following week could signify that resolution by standing up. More than a hundred men answered that call to duty.
The next day they discovered that they had been making news the
260 ST. PAUL AND VICIXITV
night before; the papers were full of matter about the great campaign for St. Paul that they were to undertake. At luncheon that day they received instructions for their campaign. The following Tuesday morn- ing every man reported at ten o'clock. He quickly found himself as- signed to a squad of workers; each squad was attended by a secretary who carried a card index of the field to be worked by that squad ; every waste step was eliminated and all dui)lications avoided. By noon the fourteen squads were ready for luncheon, and while they ate they listened to the reports of the captains — so many memberships secured by Squad i, and their names went up on a big blackboard with the num- ber of "captures" to their credit chalked after them, and so on. By the end of the luncheon every squad had caught the spirit of rivalry; by the luncheon on the third day more than eleven hundred new mem- bers had been secured; the newspa])ers were crowded with reports of the contest ; and when the squads reported finally at noon on Saturday they had more than fourteen hundred new names on the chaml)cr's rolls (they call it the .Association of Commerce) or more than twice the num- ber they said they could not get.
But they had gotten something far more important: for suddenly it dawned upon them that they had been born into that very civic solidar- ity the absence of which they had bemoaned. They had not only created the machinery that had been lacking for civic advancement; they had also endowed it with a soul and an ideal.
That is the method that has united and inspired St. Paul and Cin- cinnati and Wichita and Alton and New Brunswick and a dozen other towns. The method can be utilized by the people of any city in the land. And its results last, for part of the plan is to lay out work for everybody to do — industrial plant location work for one committee, civic improve- ment work for another, and so on. To make such method succeed re- quires only that the town possesses one man of forward vision and of faith to believe in his own community.
CHAPTTR XXV
THE JOBBING TRADE OF ST. PAUL
Old-Time Fur Trade — The Retail Business — Pioneer Stores and Merchants — Trade in 1856 — Distinctive Jobbing Trade (1867) — Direct Importation of Foreign Goods — The Wholesale Dis- trict— Cold Storage for Produce — Climatic Influences on Til\de — "^Minnesota, Know Thyself !" — A Few Jobbing Lines Represented — Paper Manufacturers — Printers' Supplies — Auto Accessories.
The first commerce of St. Paul seems to have been, strictly speaking, identified with the whiskey interest. It was a depot of supply for fire- water to the unsophisticated soldiers from Fort Snelling and to the guileless red brethern from Kaposia, being easily accessible from both these thirst-breeding localities. Where the vile fluids came from, and when or how they came, was the puzzle that drove the army officers and Indian superintendents at the fort to drink themselves, in trying to find out — but it was always on hand, in quantities sufficient to meet reasonable demands, accompanied by the collateral. The business, from the standpoint of the military and the missionaries, was ethically illogical and theologically damnable ; nevertheless it flourished, in a small way, and helped start the town. And thus it has gone down into history, so that Mark Twain cartoons primitive St. Paul along these lines in "Life on the Mississippi," and labels the questionable drawing: "West- ward the Whiskey Bottle Leads the Way."
Old-Time Fur Trade
But the fact is that years before Joe Brown and Parrant began cater- ing to the irresponsible, a more dignified and useful branch of trade had been successfully prosecuted here — the trade in furs. In 1833, Henry H. Sibley, afterwards congressman and governor and general and rev- ered Patriarch — the nearest prototype of George Washington in looks, in bearing, in modes of thought and manner of life this region has ever known or ever will know — had established the fur trade at Mendota, just outside the present boundaries of St. Paul. From that day to this, the commerce in furs and the manufacture of articles therefrom, have been leading features of the city's business enterprise.
Mr. Sibley was only twenty-three years old when he came to Men- dota as resident partner of the American Fur Company. But he was equal to the emergency and the opportunity. His district covered all the territory above Lake Pepin as far as the British possessions — a ter- ritory principally occupied by the Dakota or Sioux tribes of Indians.
261
262 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
Through lliis large district he cstabHshcd iracHng-posts near all the prin- cipal Indian villages, where traders were stationed to purchase furs of the Indians. From two hundred to three hundred traders were em- ployed by Mr. Sibley, and the yearly stock of furs purchased by them often reached a value of $300,000.
Henry M. Rice, representing the Chouteau firm at St. Louis, es- tablished similar posts throughout the Chippewa country, early in the forties and soon made .St. I'aul his headquarters. In 1844 Xorman W. Kittson commenced sending furs from the I'embina region to -Mendota in Red river carts. How this fur trade became the forerunner of navi- gation and land transportation has been alluded to in the chapter devoted to those topics. The canoe and the dog sledge preceded the cart : the last named opened the routes for the stage coach, the immigrant wagon and the railroad.
The halt -breed trails were unlike those worn upon the jirairies by the settlers in using the common farm wagon. They consisted of three separate and closely parallel jjaths, each about sixteen inches in width, the outer ones being worn by the thick, heavy wheels of the cart, and the center one by the treading of the animals drawing them. These worn trails remained visible for many years after they had ceased to be used. On the west side of the Red river the road was excellent through Dakota territory for some 250 miles, and then, by crossing into Minnesota, the road led for 200 miles down to St. Paul. At one time a train of 500 carts left St. Paul laden with goods for the Canadian northwest.
Buffalo robes were largely in evidence, but other valuable furs were brought by these means. For shipment the robes were packed, ten robes to the pack, using the wedge press. Of furs there were 500 skins to the pack, of mink, muskrats. marten, fishers, skunks and all small ani- mals. Of bear, foxes, wolverines and lynx there were twenty to the pack. From eight to ten packs w-ere carried on each cart. In 1S62. on the very day that the first locomotive whistle was heard in St. Paul, one of these Red river caravans of forty ox carts, loaded with $15,000 worth of furs, Indian moccasins and dried buffalo tongue, from Pem- bina, arrived here. For several years after that, they continued to come. On their return trips they carried merchandise of all kinds from nails to pianos, from the stocks of our city merchants.
Till-: Rktaii. llrsiNESS
The first sales of merchandise in St. Paul were, necessarily at retail — to supjjly the immediate wants of the people of the village, and of the ad- jacent country, who were, however, about all the people there were within a distance of hundreds of miles. It is the story of commercial progress that, in favored localities, out of retail trade grows wholesale trade, and out of wholesaling grow manufacturers. St. Paul has cxjierienced this cvolutionarv process, and has rea|)ed the benefits of these three forms of activity with all the incidentals they carry in their train.
The retail trade has grown with the city and its surroundings. There are few or no finer displays of fashionable <lrygoods, millinery, jewelry, etc., in even the largest cities of the east, than may be seen in St. Paul's principal eslablishiuents. Tiiere are no larger stocks of standard and staple commodities than will be found on the shelves and counters of licr scores of enterprising dealers in all mercantile branches. The cities of Minnesota and other states, near ami remote, large and
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 263
small, pay a tribute of their shopping patronage, either by personal visits of buyers, or by orders through the mails, every hour in the day and every day in the year. There seems no limit to the expansion of retail business in a metropolis like this, save the ability of the people to purchase and the ability of the dealers to supply the demand.
Pioneer Stores and Merchants
The first building for legitimate commercial purposes was erected in St. Paul by men connected with the American Fur Company in 1842. Henry Jackson, J. W. Simpson and Louis Robert were among the first to embark in a general traffic. The store of Mr. Jackson was also erected in 1842 and stood on the ground where the original Fire and Marine building now stands. The ne.xt business house was that of Mr. Simpson erected in 1843. The store of Mr. Robert was built in 1844, at the foot of what is now Jackson street, and at the time was considered unwarrantably large ; but in the course of a few years it became too small, and ^Nlr. Robert erected a larger and more costly store on the ground where the passenger depot of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad long stood. These early merchants were followed by A. L. Larpenteur, William Hartshorn and David Thomas Sloan. All these were "general stores" and many others followed, with the inrush of population in 1849. By 1850 the process of differentiation began. Bartlett Presley came and sold groceries ; the Cathcart Brothers dealt in dry goods; McLeod Brothers sold hardware, and William Illingworth put in a small stock of clocks, watches and jewelry. In 1851 T. B. Newell & Son embarked in crockery and Bond & Kellogg in drugs. Thus the business of the thriving young town kept pace with its growth, and with that of the tributary area.
In the earlier days the hardy pioneer settlers had but little produce with which to buy the necessities of life, and the trade depended largely for ready cash on the money paid by the government to the Indians for land or annuities, and which the wily traders soon managed by some means or other to gather in. The Indians used to supply the local mar- ket with fish, wild fowls, venison, cranberries, and other wild fruit, furs and products of the forests generally, while moccasins, bead-work and trinkets were offered for sale. The fur trade, however, was the chief element in the business of the city. St. Paul was at this time the nat- ural depot of an extended region well stocked with the fur bearing ani- mals, and for some years this city was one of the largest fur markets in America. Contributory to this point was the fur catch of all of Minne- sota, a part of Dakota and Northern Wisconsin. The fur trade in 1850 was $15,000. By 1855 it had reached $50,000.
264
ST. TAUL AND VICINITY
Trade in 1856
The statistics of trade for 1856, as given by the Pioneer, is as fol- lows :
Capital Business
Branches of Trade. . invested. done.
Groceries $ 96,500
Groceries, drygoods, and Indian goods. . . 152,000
Liquors 7,500
Jewelry, clocks, etc 6,500
Hardware, iron, etc 43-ooo
Books, stationery 21.000
Drygoods and furs 1 15,000
Fancy goods 4.000
Confectioners 5.000
Druggists 37.000
Furniture 8,000
Auction and commission
Tailors and clothing 59,000
Stoves, tinware, etc 97,000
Shoe dealers 37.ooo
Saddlers and harness manufacturers and
dealers in leather 84,000
Forwarding and commission merchants. . .
Bankers
Express
Liverv 61 ,000
$833,500
$244,500
550,000
53.000
23,000
85,000
50,000
25 1 ,000
15,000
15.000
99,000
41,000
90,000
148.000
99.000
90,000
28,000
489.000
3,559,000
3.158
69,000
$6,001,658
The foregoing figures forcibly illustrate the rapid advance made in the trade and commerce of Saint Paul from 1849, when the entire amount of business done amounted to little more than one hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
Some of these figures are large enough to denote sales in quantities approaching a "wholesale" business. But as very few sales, compara- tively, were as yet made to dealers, to be sold again by them, it can scarcely be called a jobbing trade. This gradually grew up, however, and before many years houses were established exclusively devoted to that interest.
The financial panic of 1857; the collapse of real estate speculation: the genera! impoverishment of the people and the years of depression that followed, were fatal to any rajiid development of the city s com- merce. But with the restoration of better conditions in 1865, the march of prosperity and progress was rcsumc(l, never to be again more than temporarily checked by subsequent disasters, even of nation-wide extent.
In 1862, Burhank &• Wilder occupied the only building that stood above high water mark on the levee. Tiie firm dealt with traders further to the west and had a retail counter, as did other concerns of that day. The currency was what was known as wildcat — a scrip issued by banks in Wisconsin. It was issued to be floated as far away from home as possible, kept in circulation as long as posible, and when it came in the bank usuallv failed.
p=
LEADING- WHOLESALE HOUSES IN ST. PAUL, MINN.
Largest Assortment of Yankee Notions, at Merrill, Randall & Go's.
Only Exclusively Wholesale Drug House in Minnesota,
IFiio legal© D'l^ugglsis
111 THIRD STREET.
POLLOCK, DONALDSON & OGDEN,
Importers and Jobbers of
CROCKERY,
And DeaUrs in Cliina, Glass, and
Lamp (i^ods, Ljoking 0 lasses and
Oliio Slync \Vaie,
Day's Bioci<, 169 Third Street, St, Paul,
B. Beaupre.
P. II. Kelly.
N. B. HARWOOD,
Wholesale Dealer in
YANKEE NOTIONS,
German & English Fancy Goods, _ Husiery and Uluves, Uetits' t'uiuishing
Uoods, Sec, ic, No. 18? TUiid Streel, St. Paul, .Minn.
BEAIPRE & KELLY,
Wholesale Grocers,
ST, PAQL, MINNESOTA. R. O. STRONG Sc, CO.
Wall Paper and Curtain Materials, S-i-J THIRD SIIii:ET.
COON &. COMPANY
.Manufacturers and Jobbers of
Stoves, Tinware, &c.
232 Third, cor. St, Peter Street,
"WM. F. MASON,
JjDBa.H UF
HATS, CAPS, FURS And Straw Goods,
ISO ariIIU,D STE-EEX.
WM. JENNINGS,
163 Third Street.
Saint Panl Carriap Factory
And REPOSITORY,
QUINBY&HALLOWELL.
62, 64 k 66 Robert Street.
Howe Sewing Machine.
as'j Third Street. General Agent,
ISAAC STAPLES,
Manufacturer of all kinds of Lumber,
Stilhvater, Mmn. Lumber Yard,
M. Paul, .No. 8 Seventh St.
HERSEY, STAPLES & BEAN,
Manufacturers and Dealers in Logsaod Lumber, Stillwater, Minn.
GEO. P. PEABODY,
Wholesale Dealer in
WiES, Lipors and Cigars,
No. 107 Third Street, St. Paul,
CHERITREE&FARWELLS,
Wholesale Dealers in
Hardware, Nails, Glass, Timiers' Steele
AGaiCULTUBAL TOOLS, 4c. Xo. 99 Third Street, St. Paul.
Farmers' Head Quarters.
BROWNELL & CO.
55 tfacUson Street, St. I*aul, [
Sell a better class of Farm Machin. evy thau any house m the State.
J. B, BRADEN k BROTHER,
I'KALtRS I.N
COMSTOCK, CASTLE &. CO.
Wholesale Stoves,
187 THIRD STREET.
The only exclu'iveiy 'fl'holesale
Stove House in the Northwest.
lOU patlerna and sizes.
Iron, Steel, Nails, Hardware,
Springs, Axles, Belting, Carriage and Wagon Work.
No. 154 Third Street, St, Panl,
L. BEACH & CO.
MANUFACTURERS,
No, 17 Eagle Street, Upper Levee.
WILCOX, BUNNELL & CO.
Canned Goods, Cigars, Baltimore
fresh Ovsters at Wholesale and Uetail.
B. Presley's Old Stand, 129 Third
Street, Saiot Paul.
,0. ^. &ifMM^£,Saii'i "Wholesale and Ketail Dealer in
FINE WATCHES, JEWELRY,
X)IA.IvIOiTDS, Silver and Plated Ware, Fancy Goods, 4c.,2j2 Third Street, St. Paul, Minn.
riNCK & THEOBALD,
Wholesale Dealers in
Wines and Liquors,
Direct Importers of Rheinish Wines,
371 Thi.d Street, bet. Exchange
and Eagle, Established IS35.
ADAM FI.SCK. F. THEOBALD.
F. W. TUCHELT,
Manufacturer and Dealer In
SyVFF, PIPES, *c.
156 THIED STREET, ST. PAUL.
J. B. L^iTGO,
Wholesale and Retail Dealer in
Millinery aiHl Fancy Goods,
130 Third Street, St, Paul, Minn,
C. A. MANN & CO. eommtssion MerGEiants,
Wholesale Dealers in Grain, Pro- visions, Produce and Fruits.
No. 63 Third Street, St, Panl. Minn.
McLEARY&OORNINGr,
Manufacturers of
Doors, Sash and Blinds,
Cof. Sixth and Cedar Sta.
D. W. INGERSOLL & CO.
Wholesale and Retail Dealers In )
DRY aoor)S,[
f'lo. 201 Jhird^treet, I And Jfo.4 Wabashaw Street. {
266 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
DisTiNCTivi; Jobbing Trade (1867)
In 1867 the jobbing trade of the city had begun to make itself felt as a distinctive part of the city's business. The beginnings were small. The "wholesale district" was limited to the row of buildings on the east side of Jackson street between Third street and the river. These con- cerns mostly dealt in groceries and several of our present great houses in that line started here. There were also storage and commission ware- houses fronting the levee, down to Sibley street. On Third .street, from Jackson to Wabasha, there were scattered stores where a jobbing trade in drygoods, or hardware, or crockery, or iron, or drugs, or licjuors was being established.
The lumijer trade had by this time become an immense business. The amount of pine lumber scaled on the Mississippi river above this place in 1867 was 149,562,218 feet. From the St. Croi.x the value of the lumber trade for this year was $3,625,185, and the supplying of the lumber camps of the St. Croix river and its tributaries with grain, groceries, provisions, tools, clothing, etc., was a considerable factor in the general trade of the city.
In 1 868 the wholesale trade of the city had grown to rejiresent a value of $15,000,000; fur trade, $600,000; lumber, $3,750,000. The year of i86g was one of very general prosperity in St. Paul; mer- chants, traders, and manufacturers were nearly all successful in their business transactions, and the year was marked with few failures. At this time there were three crockery dealers here, all doing a wholesale and retail trade, the value of which was $138,000; twenty-one drygoods dealers, two of them wholesale ; seventy-seven grocers, four of them doing a business exclusively wholesale, and reporting sales for i86q as follows: $325,000. $500,000. $600,000 and $1,000,000.
In 1871 representative wholesale dealers, and manufacturers, one in each line of business, used a common letter-sheet; note size, on the fourth page of which was printed their little cards. One of these sheets has been preserved, and is presented here, somewhat in fac simile, as a docu- ment in the case.
Direct Import.\tion' of Foreign Goods
The direct importation of goods from foreign countries is always a reliable index of a bona fide jobbing trade. St. Paul has had a cus- tom house, a collector of customs and bonded warehouses since the earli- est days. By 1881. the value of dutiable goods imported here was $62,783.00. By 1888. it had grown to $538,754.00. The following houses were importers through the St. Paul custom house in 1888: D. Aberle & Company, liquors; George I'enz & .^ons. liquors; Beaupre. Keogh & Davis, groceries; Boak & Company, lish; W. S. Conrad, cigars; Creelman. Avery & Company, teas; William Cunningham, woolen clnth ; W. S. Dennis, cigars; DeCou & Company, garden seeds; Donaldson. Ogden & Company, crockery ; Drake Company, agate goods ; Duncan & Barry, woolen cloth; W. J. Dyer & Brother, musical goods; Farwell. Ozmun, Kirk & Company, hardware ; Finch, \an Slyke & Company, drygoods; Field, Mahler & Comjiany, drygonds; M. 11. Flarsheim. li(|- uors; M. Frankel & Company. li(|uors; C. Gotzian. leather; Theodore Hamm. hops; Hesse & Damcke. notions; Tiiad. C. Jones, flannel and silk goods; P. H. Kelly Mercantile Company, groceries; Kennedy &
ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY 267
Chittenden, grocers ; Julius Kessler & Company, liquors ; Konantz Sad- dlery Company, saddlery : Kennedy Brothers, fire arms ; Lindeke, War- ner & Schurm'eier, drygoods ; W. W. Lorimer, liquors ;^ J. L. Levering, boots and shoes ; H. R. Lameraux, liquors ; Jos. McKey & Company, clothing; Mannheimer Brothers, drygoods; L. L. May & Company, gar- den seeds; iMaxfield & Seabury, groceries; Mitchelson & Spencer, tobac- co ; Alonfort & Company, wines and cigars ; Xoyes Bros. & Cutler, drugs ; Nichols & Dean iron; D. O'Halloran, church goods; E. J. Oliver, Turkish goods ; A. Oppenheimer & Company, millinery ; George Palmes, woolen cloth ; Powers Dry Goods Company, drygoods ; Ramsom & Horton, hats and furs ; Ryan Drug Company, drugs ; J. Solomon, liquors; John Sandell, woolen cloth; Schaub Brothers, woolen cloth; J. H. Smith, wine ; Smith & Davidson, wine ; Strong-Hackett Hardware Company, hardware ; St. Paul Book and Stationery Company, books ; L. Swenson, books; Segelbaum Brothers, drygoods; L. A. Thiel, paper-
PARK SOU.\RE AXD WHOLESALi; DISTRICT
mache ; Theod. Thorer, furs; William Theobald, liquors; F. Werner, liquors; Yanz, Griggs & Howes, groceries.
The Wholesale District
Since i8go, the volume of importations has enormously increased. And the jobbing trade as a whole, and in all its branches has developed in leaps and bounds. The "wholesale district"' now embraces substan- tially the solid section bounded by Jackson street, Olive street, Third and Seventh, with a substantial overflow already visible at Eighth and Sibley; with segregated establishments on or above Robert street, and with the whole of Third street below St. Peter practically given up to the whole- sale fruit and produce business of commission houses. Where in 1875 were all the best stores, from drygoods to millinery ; all the banks, print- ing houses, lawyers offices, etc.. are now unbroken ranks of produce stores, a bustling mart of commerce recently founded, but of limitless possibilities.
268 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
Cold Storage for Produce
In the fruit and produce commission business the element of cold storages enters very largely into all calculations. In the days of forty or fifty years ago if the citizens of St. Paul had baked apples in February, it was because the apples raised in the neigborhood or brought in by boat in October were sufficiently hard to keep during the winter. If there were eggs at that time of the year, it was because the Minnesota hen consented to lay during the cold months. In the present day we and our dealers' other customers can have fresh fruits of fall and eggs and butter of summer while the fiercest of winter storms scatters snow in every direction. The secret of the change is that we now have cold storage warehouses, where produce can be kept at the temperature nec- essary to prevent its deterioration and is available for the table of all regardless of wealth. Storage is not expensive.
Not only does the warehouse give the consumer lower prices for unseasonable goods but the producer gets a better market and better prices. .Apples raised in small lots by growers over the state or anywhere in the northwest may be shipped here and held until more are grown or until a market is open. In olden times ajjples were made into cider or rotted on the ground in the fall for lack of buyers. The cold storage house now keeps them in good condition until the cash can be painlessly e.xtracted from the householder's system.
A fisheries company has the most complete cold storage public ware- house in the city and it is the largest in the northwest. There are other smaller places, but this institution will hold i.ooo car loads of produce without trouble. There are ten stories built beside the blufl:' on Third street at St. Peter, each fioor kept at a different temperature to care for the varied assortment of produce. The plant is absolutely fireproof and has all machinery in triplicate, so there is no chance of a break causing the temperature to rise and fruit and dairy stuff to spoil. The temperature varies from 50 degrees for wine to 20 degrees below zero where the butter is kept. It is like walking into the middle of next winter to take a trip through the various floors of the building.
.\11 the goods are kept in sanitary surroundings with ])lenly of cir- culation of air, so there is no danger of contamination to the produce, which is often valued at $1,000,000. The temperature on each floor is regulated automatically to remain at the same figure all the time. The big machines at the foot of the bluff keep running night and day, manu- facturing the artificial north wind which keeps the produce from spoil- ing. Commission men as far away as Seattle and Portland keep goods here until they are sold and sent either west or east.
Cli.m.vtic Ixfluences on Tr.\de
The haniHing of farm products naturally directs the attention of those engaged in it, to the general topics of climate, agriculture, etc. But. as a matter of fact all classes of merchants and financiers should exhibit an interest. Some day when the men who understand commerce and trade have a little leisure from the pursuit of money and pay attention to some of the conditions and laws which underlie trade in this country, there may be a book written on the relation of climate to the extent of a mar- ket. Philosophers have already considered the influence of geographic conditions on history. River traffic was the first developed in this part
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 269
of the country. That is why the oldest cities are on water courses. People could get about more quickly on water than on land in the early days. Fort Snelling's site was picked on account of its commanding position at the confluence of two rivers. The site of St. Paul was a convenient landing place for boats, and there is a relation direct and in- volved, between climate and the amount and diversity of goods sold. In the development of modern distribution a factory may be located in one corner of the country, and through national advertising the sales may be spread over forty states and through all sorts of climatic condi- tions. But on close observation the climate near the place of manufac- ture will in some way have something to do with the product.
Apply the thesis to St. Paul and vicinity. Contrary to the southern states, there is here a considerable amount of both hot and cold weather. This calls for coal merchants and ice merchants. In some southern states there is but little demand for coal ; and while ice may be sold the year round the trade effect is not widely distributed. On account of the amount of land available for a city, combined with a desire for gardens, for detached houses for summer comfort, and other reasons, St. Paul does not have the closely packed miles of houses called homes in other cities. This means more lumber and glass and paint that go to make up a house.
The lakes call for more cottages, more lumber, and make a market for boatmakers and engines. The transportation companies are helped at the same time. The dry atmosphere has called thousands of people from all over the country for permanent residence. During the summer the territory tributary attracts many other thousands who tarry from a week to four months. These bring bodies to be fed and make larger markets for cooks, hotel keepers and wholesale grocers. The winter brings into play the plumbers and steamfitters, for the number of hot water systems in homes here is in excess of the same number of houses 250 miles south.
Back of all the prosperity of the city naturally is the climate which produces the abundant and varied crops. The cold weather is conducive to the development of fur bearing animals, and the first great wholesale market is accounted for. Change of climate means variety of attire for men and women, and the tailors and wholesale drygoods men are helped.
Perhaps the greatest hindrance in the well rounded development of the agricultural resources of Minnesota is met in the general lack of understanding of the capabilities of the soil and climatic conditions in the state. No more fitting slogan could be adopted as a state motto than "Minnesota know thyself." which the merchants, bankers and commercial organizations of St. Paul, under the wise example of James J. Hill, have long been trying to standardize and inculcate.
"Minnesota, Know Thyself!"
Most Minnesota people know that this state produces about thirty per cent, of the spring wheat raised in the United States : that Minnesota is one of the banner barley states ; that she leads in a dairy production : that for the production of a high quality of crops and live stock there is no state her superior. In explanation of the statement, however, that there is a lack of understanding of the capabilities of our soil and climate, it may perhaps be interesting to some people to know that in 1909 Alinne-
270 ST. PAUL AXD \iriXlTY
sola produced a greater yield of corn per acre than did Iowa, the ])ride of the Corn Belt states. It cannot be too often repeated that Minnesota produces better apples and a larger yield than many "fruit states" par excellence, and various other fruits in proportion. This is verified at all our state fairs, and by numerous prizes taken at exhil)itions in Chi- cago and in the east.
It mav also be interesting to know thai the fahicd yields of Bermuda onions in the Gulf states have been excelled in the outskirts of the Twin City, with resulting profit as high as $800 per acre. It may perhaps be interesting to know that celery experts from the fabulously ])riccd Kala- mazoo celery lands have pronounced the muck soils of northern Minni- sota the finest celery lands in the country, and are today producing the proof of this assertion. The lure of distance and the stories of the press agent in far away states, where specialized farming is followed, has caused many Minnesota people to overlook the fact that there are few sections of the country where crop yields in any particular can excel the crop yields of the North Star state. This holds true not only with reference to our staple crops, but is also applicable to any special- ized crops that find their home in the Mississippi valley.
A Few Jobbing Lines Represented
The jobbing trade of St. Paul, growing with its growth and based on an intelligent view of conditions, has jjecome too extensive to be treated in detail within the limits at our dispcisal. .\ volume of a thou- sand pages would not suffice for such treatment. .Many single whole- sale firms here issue volumes of several thousand pages, exclusively de- voted to cataloguing the wares they offer for sale. We have only space to enumerate a few of the lines of business represented in this city, at this writing, many of them by five to twenty-live energetic and competing concerns, covering with their traveling salesmen and their daily shi|)ments all the vast tributary region that centers here. These lines are: Agri- cultural implements; art stores; artificial .stone; automobiles and sup- plies; awnings and tents; barbers' supplies; bicycles; books; pai)er and stationery ; boots and shoes ; bottles ; beer ; brick and tile ; cigars and tobacco; clothing; confectionery; creameries and supplies; crockery; cutlery; drugs; drygoods ; electric su])i)lies; fish and oysters; flowers and plants; flour and feed; fruits and jiroduce; fuel; furni.shings ; furni- ture; furs; glass; groceries; hardware; harness; hats and caps; hay and grain; iron; jewelry; laundry su|)plies ; leather; liquors; lumber; man- tels and grates; meats; metals; millinery; musical instruments; naval stores; novelties; office fixtures; paints; peddlers" su|)i)lies; phonogra|)lis; l)hotographers' .supplies; post cards; printer' supplies: radiators; rail- road supplies; rubber goods; rugs; safes; scales; seeds; sewing ma- chines ; silks ; sjjorting goods ; stoves ; sugars ; teas and coffees ; type- writers ; wagons and carriages; wooden-ware and woolens.
This concise enumeration suggests the wide outreach of the city's commerce. As a distributing i)oint, it brings to this market the |)roducts of .Ml-.America : also of luirope on the one hand and .\sia on the other. Xcarly the entire supply of China and ,la])an teas for the northwest is imported directly by the jobbers of this city. The random mention of a few unconsidered trifles of the jobbing trade may be of interest.
h
ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY 271
Paper Bag AIanufacture
The paper bag is so common that few people stop to think that it costs money and that all the bags used cost a good deal of money. In fact the bill for one of the dozen downtown retail stores for wrapping paper of all sorts amounts to one hundred dollars a month. These bags or rolls of paper are bought from jobbers, the number of local whole- saler of paper of various sorts being fully as great as the jobbers in other lines. The total trade in the city by. these jobbers is large and the total amount of wrapping paper sold during a year would be enough to wrap up this old earth and hand it to some one else. One firm alone handled nearly one hundred cars of one line of paper last year, so that it is readily believable that a considerable forest would be needed to supply the wood fibre for all the paper used here, which householders crumple up and burn to get rid of.
Perhaps $2,000,000 a year w-ill cover the sales of wrapping paper by our jobbers. The business is well divided and a total figure is difficult to obtain. There is about $400,000 worth of paper a month sold to prin- ters of St. Paul and the northwest in addition to the wrapping paper sales. This goes into newspapers and job work, stationery and booklets. The sale of railway paper is larger in St. Paul than in any city west of Chicago, on account of the large amount of printing which is done here for the railways. There are multitudes of blanks of various sorts for reports from ticket agents, baggage agents and freight agents which consume a large amount of paper.
The making of paper boxes of all sorts is another industry of this city which attains to considerable proportions. Some of the millinery and other houses, which use a large number of pasteboard boxes, have their own box making plants. Others order them made at the regular factories. The box factories will make anything from a vest pocket pill box to a large candy box.
All of the territory embraced in the scope of these trade relations is comparatively new in its settlement and development. Herein lies the opportunity, and the certainty of the great expansion of Saint Paul's jobbing interest, in the future. This territory will easily support many times its present population, and with its rapid growth, must of necessity come a corresponding growth of our trade. Xo new jobbing city is likely to spring up at a point further west.
Printers' Supplies
Given some money added to brains, and the St. Paul market will do the rest tow'ard starting another newspaper in the northwest. Prac- tically every town of three hundred people, from the Mississippi river to the Flitter Root mountains, has a newspaper and job printing office, and most of the outfits are furnished here. As each new town develops along the line of a new extension of a railway, or as another Indian res- ervation is opened, a newspaper is sure to start up, and more likely, es- pecially if politics is at all warm, there will be two newspapers in each little town. If two large plants were to burn in the northwest, a complete new outfit of job cylinder presses, with type stands and type and furni- ture, gasoline cans and rags, could be on the road from this city soon after the order was received, and there would be enough material left
272 ST. I'AL'l. AXD \1CIXITY
in stock to supply a dozen or more smaller papers with new machinerj- and type.
The printers' supply business is growing. New towns are develop- ing all the time and when more people who pour into the country more printed matter must be supplied them. A few years ago it was shown that Iowa had more newspapers than any other territory of the same area in the world. Late figures are not at hand, but from the manner in which Iowa country newspapers are consolidating and new papers are springing up in the northwest, the palm for the most newspapers must soon belong to this part of the country.
The total business done in this market in type, new and rebuilt ma- chinery and roller making amounts to nearly $500,000 a year. Cylinder presses, such as the average newspaper in the country is ])rinted on. cost money. But they wear a long while so that many of the sho])s in the northwest are equipped at first with rebuilt machinery. Such a press will do as good work, but towns grow so fast that the machines will be out of date after a few years. The trade in these from St. Paul is of con- siderable volume.
"Auto" Accessories
Wliile the trade in automobiles has been growing with a speed that passeth all understanding, and everything else on the boulevards, there were important incidental lines. Just how large the total sales of auto- mobile accessories is in this city will not be easily guessed. The market covers the entire northwest, for more business is done through Saint Paul houses in accessories to automobiles than in any other city in the country. The total sales of the "extras" are from $600,000 to $800,000 annually. This includes perhaps $100,000 spent by the people of this city for such suj^plies. The balance is sold to garages and retail stores of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northern Iowa, North and South Dakota and Montana. There are in St. Paul two prominent jobbing houses doing an exclusive business in such supplies. In addition to these there are three or four wholesale hardware firms which handle "auto" accessories, and in some cases the side line is being pushed with great diligence. In all there are over fifty traveling men out of St. Paul who devote the whole or part of their time to selling the goods which go to make up the estimated $800,000 disposed of by this market.
CHAPTER XXVI
ST. PAUL'S MANUFACTURES
In Support of Home Manufactures — Pioneer Industrial Plants^ Statistics — St. Paul and Minneapolis — St. Paul's Manufac- turing Advantages — As a Workingman's City — Advantages in Epitome — Threatened Shifting of Industrial Center — St. Paul's Industrial Gain — Superlative Local Industries — Vast Future of Water Power
The subject of stimulating home manufacture was steadily kept in view by the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce from the very beginning. To "advance the manufacturing interests" is given as one of the objects of the association in its original articles of incorporation. As early as 1867 the secretary, J. D. Ludden, in his annual reports stated the funda- mental truth, so often repeated since and so fully verified, that "the same reasons that make this a good point for a jobbing trade prove it a fa- vorable place for manufactures."
In Support of Home Manufactures
And in 1869 the chamber adopted the following resolution, the key- note of a policy frequently reiterated : "Resolved, that for the purpose of inviting capital, of encouraging home manufactures, of promoting cor- dial fellowship among our business men and of reciprocating favors with those who are disposed to identify themselves with the prosperity of St. Paul, we are in favor of purchasing all our articles, when they are offered at as low prices as elsewhere of our own home manufactories."
This general spirit of welcome and encouragement to productive in- dustry was supplemented by the chamber at frequent intervals by spe- cific work, through committees and otherwise, to introduce new manu- facturing enterprises and to foster and build up those already estab- lished. To these patient, persistent and vigorous efforts, the city owes many of the most e.xtensive and most successful establishments still in operation here. .Since the dissolution of the chamber, the good work has been continued by the Commercial Club, the Jobbers and Manufac- turers' LInion, the Association of Commerce and other organized instru- mentalities, with continuing beneficial results.
Pioneer Industrial Plants
The first manufactory in St. Paul was a saw-mill. During the early years of the city difficulty was experienced in procuring the neces- sary lumber for building. To overcome this difficulty W. B. Dodd, in
Vol. I— 1 8
273
■27-1 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
the spring of 1851, organized the Rotary Mill Company, and built a saw- mill on the Hat below the lower steamboat landing on ground now occu- pied by tracks entering the Union depot. This was an enterprise of large proportion for the day and times. It had two upright saws, one circular saw, one cross-cut saw, one lathe saw and one shingle saw. This establishment gave employment to thirty-two hands and turned out 30,- 000 feet of lumber. 20.000 shingles and' ifi.ooo laths per day. In addi- tion, a first class planing-mill turned out 12.000 feet of finished flooring per (lav. The presence of water power at St. Anthony, and of a super- abundance of cheap logs at Stillwater, interfered with the growth of lum- ber manufacturing at St. Paul beyond quantities that sufficed for local needs.
Added to this saw and planing mill were two runs of stone, one for wheat and one for corn and buckwheat, with a combined capacity of one hundred and twenty barrels per day, the whole moved by a steam engine of seventy-horse power. This industry grew rajjidly. and within three years was doing a gross business of $150,000 annually.
In'1851 Mr. Xobles erected a grist-mill on Trout brook, which had a capacitv of five hundred bushels of grain per day. Shortly afterward William Lindeke built a grist-mill also on Trout brook the forerunner of the present Lindeke Roller mill near the same site. In 1852 Messrs. W. Spence & Companv erected and put in operation an extensive sash, door and blind factory. In 1853 Messrs F. & J. B. C.ilman established the first foundry and' machine shop, employed ten men and produced ten tons of casting per week. Materials in this line at this time were ex- ceedingly costly; coal, which was shipped here in hogsheads from Pitts- burgs, cost forty dollars per ton, and other supplies in ])roportion.
Lack of water-power, the high cost of coal, etc., retarded the growth of manufacturing interests in St. Paul until the railroads to the city were completed. In 1866 there were no large manufacturing establish- ments, although the commerce of the city had reached considerable magnitude. The Chamber of Commerce for that year estimated that there were sixty-five employes engaged in wagon making : sixty in bug- gies and cutters; sixty-five in furniture; fifty in sash, doors and blinds; seventy-five in boots and shoes; fifty in ale and beer; forty in tinware and sheet iron goods; twenty in harness and trunks; forty in saw mills; ten in marble cutting, and five in soap and candle factories. /\t this time there was one foundry and machine shop and four flour mills.
The first real impetus given to the manufacturing interest of St. Paul can be traced to the organization, in 1867. of the St. Paul .Manu- facturing Company, an enterprise set on foot under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce "to furnish at a cheaj) rate facilities for the various branches of manufactures so greatly needed here." This com- pany built a fireproof building, on Fifth street near Wabasha, with ten rooms 25 X 100 feet with basement, yard and shed room, and ]nit in a steam engine, renting rooms and power at a low rate. This was the fos- ter i)arent of many now large industries.
Indl'stri.m. St.\tistics
The total value of the local manufacturing products in 1870 was little more than $1,000,000, emj)loying i.ooo persons. Four years l.ilcr there were 216 concerns, with 2.155 cmi>loyes. producing to the amount of $3,953,000. This had nearly doubled again, by 187S. Thus this inter-
ST. PAUL AND \-ICINITY 275
est had advanced, step by step, with other phases of the city's growth, and the pace lias been maintained, with a constantly accelerated impetus, until the present time.
The compilation of statistics, however, has not been recently at- tended to with the zeal which characterized a former period. Operations have become so extensive as to make the task very arduous, and an abatement of the bitter rivalry between St. Paul and Minneapolis for industrial and commercial precedence, has removed many of the in- ducements. Formerly each city accused the other of including building operations, street grading, bridge construction, even laundry work and dentistry in its aggregate figures for "manufactures," rendering the to- tals of doubtful authenticity, even if not deliberately "padded." We are now content to go on prospering, side by side, relying on the periodical reports of the United States census to exploit our rate of progress. The following tables from the census rejjort relating to the five year period, 1904 to 1909, the latest issued, showed a satisfactory rate of growth in each city, with the advantage decidedly in favor of St. Paul, as to the percentages :
St. P.\ul
1909
Number of establishments 719
Capital invested $r)0.467.ooo
Cost of materials used $30,300,000
Salaries and wages $15,000,000
Miscellaneous expenses $7,466,000
Value of products $58,990,000
Value added by manufacture ( prod- ucts less cost materials ) $28,690,000
Employes : Number of salaried officials and
clerks' 3^542
Average number of wage earners
employed during the year . . 19.339
|
Per Ct. |
|
|
1904 |
Inc. |
|
614 |
17 |
|
$36,401,000 |
66 |
|
$19,488,000 |
.S.S |
|
$9,413,000 |
59 |
|
$4,473,000 |
67 |
|
$38,319,000 |
54 |
|
$18,831,000 |
52 |
|
2,108 |
68 |
|
14.363 |
35 |
MiNNE.APOLI.'
.S
Per Ct.
1909 1904 Inc.
Number of establishments 1.103 876 26
Capital invested $90,382,000 $66,135,000 37
Cost of materials used $119,993,000 $88,882,000 35
Salaries and wages $21,915,000 $14,954,000 47
Miscellaneous expenses $11,852,000 $9,147,000 30
Value of products $165,405,000 $121,162,000 t,j
Value added by manufacture (prod- ucts less cost materials) $45,412,000 $32,280,000 41
Employees : Number of salaried officials and
^ clerks 5,949 3,527 69
Average number of wage earners
employed during the year 26,962 21,671 24
The manufacturers of St. Paul go into a field where they are ex- pected and welcomed — a field where their city's trade has already pre-
276 ST. PAUL AND \-ICI.\lTY
ceded them. In the distrilnitioii of their products they have immediate access to the general officers of railways reaching every part of the north- western states and can oi)tain from hcadciuarters the best possible ship- ping facilities and advantages.
Our greatest manufacturing cities Ijegan their career as distributing points for merchandise. Xew York. Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and St. Louis, all now full of industrial plants, were originally mere trading points. Industries gravitate to commercial centers, to share their facilities. The traders attracted by a city's jobbers are brought into communication with the factories. The railway advan- tages secured by the efforts of the merchants are ready at hand for the use of the manufacturers. So it is found that a favorable place to wholesale goods is always a favorable ])lace to make a multitude of articles. Here will be found one reason for the movement of industrial enterprises to St. Paul. The market and the trans])ortation facilities developed by the efforts of the jobbers are all ready for the use of the manufacturers now locating here.
St. P.\ul M.vnufacturing Adv.\xt.\ges
Another reason is the advantage in industry from association. Most industries are so related to each other that there are advantages in prox- imity of location which would determine their sites if all other things were equal. This would bring about large centers of industry, whether there were any other influences at work or not. The finished product of one industry may recjuire as its raw material the finished product of another, and very often the advantages of accessibility, one to the other, more than anything else determines location, regardless of any advan- tages or even disadvantages in the matter of transportation rates In other words, it pays the manufacturer in most instances better to be located in a manufacturing center than it does to be in an isolated place, either dependent upon one line for distribution of his products, or in- convenienced l)y inaccessii)ility to the materials of the service or related industries.
The inducement of "association" has come, and has evidently come to stay. The value of products manufactured in Minnesota increased $101,562,000 or thirty-tliree ])er cent in the five years between i(>04 and 1909 according to the manufacturers' census taken by the dejiartment of commerce and labor. The value of manufactured products in 1909 was $409,420,000.
In selecting a location, the prudent manufacturer will first investi- gate the locality and its surroundings, regardless of the question of free land, cash bonus or removal expenses, as every business has its parti- cular methods and requirements. St. Paul is in the field for manufactur- ers in every line of wares, and specially those that can be made from wood, iron, wool, flax, straw, clay, sand, rock, etc., by water, steam, electric, hand or animal power, all of which materials and power are to be had in Minnesota, and by the competitive transportation of rait, lake, and river, the world is open as a market. In St. Paul land values are low; the acf|uiring of a home by the wage-earner is an easy matter, and as a proi)crty owner he more readily becomes personally identified with the success of the factory and of the city. The cost of living is as cheap as in any city of its size in the east. The free public school sys- tem is unexcelled in point of merit, and has a few equals. The nianu-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 277
facturer or artisan who selects Minnesota as his home will find in it all the advantages of social existence. He will find greater scope for the creation of industrial wealth, and at the same time feel at home among a people who respect the laborer and encourage the employer.
As A Workingman's City
The best climate for manufacturing enterprises is one where the human organism lasts longest and works best. In an invigorating, thor- oughly healthful climate, more will be accomplished by a given force of operatives than in a climate where excessive or long continued heat saps the energies, or where malaria produces languor and sufi^ering. There is nowhere on the American continent a better climate than that of Minnesota for longevity and energy, and there is no city in the world of 200,000 inhabitants or more, which has as small a death rate as St. Paul — about ten per annum in 1,000. Excellent drainage, pure water and the absence of all miasmatic influences have a great deal to do with the keeping our mortality rate at the figure named.
This matter of looking after the health and comfort and safety of employes is well worthy of attention, even from a purely economic standpoint. It would cut the ground from under the feet of Socialism if every big man and every big corporation in the coimtry went at this thing in a businesslike way, and made every workman certain that if he took care of the plant, the plant would take care of him and his family; — would see that he got fair wages and fair treatment, and if he were hurt, or killed, by taking risks in the service of the business, he would receive compensation, or his children would.
The American workingman — who works — gives thought to his sur- roundings and deserves consideration. He lives in a comfortable cottage. His food is abundant and good. His children are educated. He has a broadcloth coat and his wife has a silk dress for occasions. He is a member of secret and of social organizations. He reads newspapers and books. He is the highest product of modern civilization. He is an in- dustrious, honest, patriotic, self-respecting American citizen. Now cross the ocean and behold the life of the Belgian or the Italian worker. He lives in a hovel or in a crowded room in a tenement-house. His food is coarse. His children are uneducated. His wife wears only a cotton or woolen gown. His own attire is coarse. He knows nothing of the literature of the day. He has no part in the government of the country in which he lives.
Going more into detail as to the cost of living, a consideration of prime importance, thorough investigation has disclosed and confirmed the following facts:
First — In eastern cities a skilled laborer can get cheaper rent in swarming tenements than he can in St. Paul, but he cannot procure re- spectable quarters for his family within a reasonable distance from his work, without paying from ten to twenty dollars more per month than would be asked for similar quarters here.
Second — The question of a laborer getting a home of his own here is not a mere possibility, but an absolute certainty to every industrious man of good habits, while the only other city where it is possible is Philadelphia.
Third — Food is materially chea])er in St. Paul than in any of the other cities.
278 ST. PAUL AXU \1CIX1TY
Fourth — There is no material difference between these cities in the retail price of clothing.
Fifth — Fuel is little, if any, more expensive in this city than in other places.
Sixth — Rent and all other things considered, the skilled laborer pays out less money annually for sui)port in St. Paul than in other places.
Seventh — the possibility of getting a home of his own outweighs every other consideration with the lal)oring man.
From all this is manifest that the manufacturer starts out in St. Paul with the assurance that he is, at least, on an equal footing with possible competitors in the all-important matter of wages. He is not handi- capped in the beginning with an e.xcessive cost of labor. His workmen can live as cheaply here as in other cities possessing ecjual facilities as a distributing isoint. hence he can emijloy them at as low wages here as elsewhere. It is not contended that workmen cannot live more cheaply in a village than in any city, but the village system of factories went out of date with the stage coach and the horse mill.
Among other essentials of a good location for a factory is trackage, and plenty of room for its operations. St. Paul has railways coming into the city from every direction. They come along both sides of the river from up and down stream, to reach the union station, and they come down the valley of Phalen creek. Although the land immediately around the Union station is rather restricted, on the level tableland back from the river is abundant room along the railway lines. When the river is moved westward there will be room for hundreds of factories. In the Midway district there are many acres with all the railways of the Northwest centering there for receiving and distributing freight. At North St. Paul and South St. Paul also, ample, unused facilities are offered. In the whole country no cities other than ISuffalo and Chicago are so well situated as regards the multii^licity of the railway lines avail- able.
.\l)\-.\ STACKS !X ElMTOMi:
The conclusion is irresislil)lc that St. I^aul. already eminent in manu- facturing development, offers inducements for a wide diversity of in- dustrial pursuits, excelled by no other city on the continent. From small beginnings this city has rapidly grown great, through natural and health- ful causes. The factor which governs the location of manufacturing establishments is the bringing nearer together of demand and sujiplv. Modern industry is too shrewd to carry raw materials across the conti- nent to a factory, and then carry the iinished products back across the continent to the consumers, for an indefinite jieriod. This is why the centre of manufacturing is moving westward every year. The new and golden northwest already supplies an ample market. .\n unsurjiassed railway system, reaching in every direction and giving access to the best markets; head of river navigation; cheap manufacturing sites; heaviest jobbing trade in all lines in the northwest ; large and prosperous manu- facturing concerns already established; cheap fuel for manufacturing; ready access to an immense variety of raw materials; abundant bank- ing capital, also investment and tru.st companies for aiding workin.ymen to build homes; hearty encouragement for new manuf.uturing i)].inls: healthful locations — lowest death-rate in the country: ainnidani and pure water supply ; (irst class i>ul)lic schools ; manual training school ; public libraries; colleges and universities in the suburbs; public high schools;
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 279
churches of all denominations; street railways, giving cheap fare to low- priced residence lots — these are perhaps the chief elements of the city's industrial prosperity in the past and the principal guarantees of future progress.
National legislation and judicial decisions have of late combined seemingly to help build up industries in this region, without in the least intending to do so. The influence of Canadian reciprocity, certain to be ultimately realized, will no doubt be beneficially felt. And a very large increase in the manufactures of the middle west is seen by com- mercial and financial papers which have been discussing the decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission in the Spokane rate cases. In this decision the commission marked the country east of the Mississippi into zones in which freight rates to the Pacific coast and intermediate points will be higher proportionately as the seat of manufacture is near the Atlantic. Previously New England, on goods to the Pacific, had the same rate as had manufactures in the middle west. This proposed change is looked upon as a boon to the manufacturers of this part of the country, and when the decision is upheld, it ought to mean a change in the indus- trial center of the United States.
Threatened Shifting of Industrial Center
If the industrial center is to be moved to what is known as Zone i, in the division of the commission, St. Paul and all northwestern towns will be large gainers. Naturally, those cities with the best sites, power and railway facilities will be the largest beneficiaries in this shifting, and with it will come the population which will be thrown out of work in New England, unless additional trade openings can be found in South America.
Eastern manufacturers have invoked the aid of the Interstate Com- merce Commission freely in times past. They have scored an expensive victorv. The railroads stand to lose relatively little, although possibly some eastern systems may be hard hit. Other roads will profit. But if the commerce court and the supreme court sustain the commission's ruling, manufacturers are face to face with a condition which may mean the most extensive shift of the area of industrial production, since Grant's benevolent assimilation of Lee's army at Appomattox.
The great northwest is a vast producing and consuming country. The immense productions of this section have largely been transported to the east and returned to the west in the form of manufactured goods, re- (|uiring the payment of freight both ways and many incidental charges. W'hv not manufacture here where all the essentials for the output of the manufactured product exist, and where the raw materials so literally abound? Many have done so and with splendid results, and there is room for many more with equally favorable results. The young man's opportunities are where there is achieved in a few years what takes older communities a generation to accomplish. All the modern metro- politan improvements abound in this favored section.
Agriculture supplies 81.2 per cent of the raw material for our fac- tories. Nowhere are agricultural possibilities greater than in the nortli- western states. Nowhere are the jjroducts more suitable for the manu- facturer who desires to produce the finest food stufifs. The mines sup- ply 13.4 per cent of the raw material for factories. Minnesota, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington liave everything from millions of tons
280 ST. PAUL AND \1CIX1TV
of iron to the finest platinum in the wi^rhi. Their copper and lead is inexhaustible. They have coal, cobalt. i)husphate, gold and silver. The forests furnish 5 per cent of raw material for factories. All the other timber lands of earth are open parks as compared to the forests of Min- nesota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
St. Paui/s Imh'stki.m, G.mn
It is not easy for residents of this city to realize that St. Paul, accord- ing to the latest census reports, stands far to the head of the procession of cities in the gain made in manufacturing. In a table of comparative in- crease in the materials used in manufactures, St. Paul for 1910 sur- passed Huffalo, New York, Cleveland, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburg and Baltimore for the five years ending 1909. It (lid the same thing in increase of wages paid workers, average number of workers employed, increase in value of manufacturers and increase in capital invested.
This is a showing of which the jieople of St. Paul may feel proud. It has been possible through the faith of the residents and the investors of this city in the advance of the municipality, and in the growing popu- lation of the northwestern states. Both interests are concerned in our manufacturing activities. This city has the transportation facilities, and there are workers either here or near by who can care for a large num- ber of additional industries. .\ factory in St. Paul has many advantages of railway rates and access to river transportation which many other cities do not have, to say nothing of the market at the very doors.
In a large class of industries, and those among the most desirable, the most profitable, and the most peculiarly susceptible to an enormous development here, the waste products furnish a very large proportion of the fuel used. In wood manufacturing, especially the hardwood and fur- niture lines, the refuse material is in many cases sufficient for most re- quirements of power and heat. Our heaviest furniture factories, when in full operation, consume little fuel outside their own waste products, and the same is true of planing mills, sash and i)lin(l factories, box fac- tories, etc.
We are on the western edge of the hardwood belt of .America ; there is not a stick of furniture hardwood, north, northwest, or between us and the Pacific ocean in any direction, except a limited supply of wal- nut southwest along the Missouri river. Omaha is one hundred miles or more nearer to us than to Chicago; Kansas City is fifty miles nearer. Thus we can draw a line down that direction to the Gulf of Mexico, and another line north to Lake Superior, and all the vast empire between these two lines and the Pacific ocean would be the undisjiuted territory of this city, if it were made such a furniture manufacturing center as Grand Rapids is. A good start has been made in the prosperous estab- lishments in the Midway district and at North St. Paul. It takes one man to every $1,000 of capital invested in furniture manufacturing; thus we see what the addition would be in the way of population.
The mere statement of the fact that 250,000,000 bu.shels of wheat are annually grown upon the soil tributary to this city stimulates an ef- fort to secure more places to manufacture the threshers, harvesters, twine. i)lows, harrows, seeders, wagons, harness, buggies, carriages, bed- steads, chairs, stoves, chains, links, pins, nails, shingles, boards, boots. shoes, coats, vests, pants, hats, and stockings used by the great army of
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toilers producing this wheat. The facts that 25,000,000 pounds of wool are annually produced on our tributary flocks; that 100,000,000 bushels of corn, 200,000,000 bushels of oats, 15,000,000 bushels of flax seed, and billions of cords of wood grow on our tributary acres, while uncounted millions of tons of ores underlie them, stimulate us to establish or en- large the industries that will utilize a reasonable share of the enormous quantities of raw material lying around us, or passing through our gates da}- by day.
With the advantage of nearness to the consumer, by which a heavy saving in freight is effected and unrivalled facilities for distribution, the St. Paul manufacturer is enabled to pay higher wages to his operatives than are paid elsewhere, thus adding to the prosperity of the laboring classes, while securing better workmanship.
A clothing manufacturer said, in an interview : "There seems to be a few people who are so anxious to show that the manufacture of clothing cannot be engaged in profitably here, that they do not even treat the subject fairly. They compare inferior goods made in the east with a superior grade made here. This is unfair. The cheap goods, which are a damage to those who handle them, are made down east by the cheapest of all cheap labor. The good garments, which find a ready sale, are made by intelligent and decently paid workmen, just such as can be had in abundance at St. Paul."
Superlative Local Industries
St. Paul is the home of the fifth largest meat packing industry in the United States.
Thanks to the early establishment of a dairy and food department in this state, and to the early settlers and others who started the dairy industry in ^linnesota, St. Paul is now in the front rank as a butter making center and is the capital of a state in which butter is made at nearly every cross roads. There are creameries all over the state. A very large amount of cream and butter fat is' shipped to St. Paul, and the product is made here from the cream from all parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. It is estimated that at least 60,000 pounds of butter is being made every week day by local creameries now ; more than in any other city but Omaha. A few of the citizens of St. Paul have been usually active in this interest, and have encouraged progress and development materially. Prominent among these are James J. Hill and A. B. Stickney. Alany others materially aided and encouraged the development of the dairy interest as an important factor in diversified farming, believing that through this means the farmers of Minnesota would very soon become entirely independent, and that through their improved condition every other interest of the state would be l^enefited. The railroads especially encouraged this interest along their system, and have been rewarded by enlarged revenue, by the rapid development of diversified production which has greatly increased traffic.
St. Paul is the home of two of the largest railway shops in the world ; also the largest street car shops in the world ; also the largest law book publishing firm in the world, to .say nothing of the second largest drug house in the United .States and the largest fur coat factories on earth.
In the East side industrial center will be found about thirty manu- facturing plants reaching from Phalen creek to Hazel park. Over $6,000,000 has been invested and over 7,000 workmen are employed.
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St. Paul has several iron foundries which pay out large sums to the skilled men in their employ. In fact most of the structural iron and steel work of \\'estern Minnesota. North Dakota and Montana comes from this city. A foundry company has been in business thirty years at Como avenue and Mackubin street and has expanded with the growth of the northwest, until it is large enough to handle as big orders as may develop in this part of the country. This company is furnishing all the steel, including the cells, for the new prison at Stillwater, a contract for 3,000 tons of steel, all of which is being made at the St. I'aul foundry. This is the largest order for steel ever given in this state. The high bridge and the steel construction of all our latest and largest buildings are among the products of this concern, used locally. Minnesota is now one of the chief iron producing states in the Union. Its ores are al- most pure iron. They contain very little prosphorus and are therefore of the first rank for making Iles.semer steel. These ores are transported nearly a thousand miles to Cleveland, and thence by rail to the furnaces of Ohio and Pennsylvania. It is cheaper to bring the coal to the iron than to take the iron to the coal, for all metal that is to Ije marketed in the West. The Minnesota ores will eventually be smelted in this state. For all secondary manufacturers of iron St. Paul, with its unsurpassed facilities for distribution, with its cheap Iowa coals near at hand, with its great market in the northwest, is a favorable point.
A very extensive and prosperous malleable iron industry has grown up in this city within ten years. Started as an adjunct to another enter- prise, it has become separate and independent, growing to maninidth proportions and taking high rank in a wide field.
I'niess one is familiar with the l)usiness of St. I'aul, the fact that factories in this city sell their product literally in all the countries of the world will be surprising. Fire engines made here have been fighting fires in Melbourne, Australia, for five years and are still at it. In fact there are five such engines in that city, made in St. Paul. In far-away Russia there are ga.5oline fire engines which first drew water from the Mississippi in preliminary tests. The Phili|ipinc islands also have a number of the same engines. Most of these last were purchased by the United States army, which likes them so well that they have been ado])ted as the standard fire engine for use in nearly all stations of the army. The fact that the fire engine made in this city has been sold in all the states of the Union and many foreign countries shows that St. Paul made goods equal the best. The automobile fire engine is the latest word in fire fighting apparatus. The .same engine which runs the vehicle carrving the fire engine is connected with the water pum]i when the machine arrives at the fire plug nearest the fire and it begins forcing water on the burning structure. .\t a recent official competition at Washington, D. C, involving the purchase of luany machines, the engine made in this city distanced all competitors. In the speed test, the engine apjjroachcd the scene of the sujiposed tire at forty miles an hour, while the specifications called for but thirty, and then i)umped water on the supposed blaze at the rale of 500 gallons a miinite without ever gasjiing for breath. Two streams were thrown to a height of more than 300 feet. In a three-hour test, the engine threw txi.ooo gallons of water, at a cost of .Si. 75.
Just across South Robert street from the engine works referred to lies the extensive i)lant of a hoist-and-derrick comi)any which emi)loys an army of men. and produces machines that are used all over the world.
ST. PAUL AXD MCIXITY 283
It is an institution that has been built up in St. Paul from very small beginnings by the combined power of inventive genius, mechanical skill and business acumen. Its gigantic machines are in use in extensive en- gineering works, in arsenals, navy yards, etc., in North and South Amer- ica, in Japan and the Philippines, and fulfill every requirement.
The printing of books, catalogs, newspapers, blanks, labels, etc. is a rapidly growing industry, which carries with it binding, engraving and many other accessories. The catalogs keep more than one firm busy all the time. One large jobbing house dealing in general merchandise issues a large catalog each month in addition to many special ones. The railroads, with their countless booklets about this rose festival or that agricultural opportunity, to say nothing of the tons of time tables, keep dozens of big presses running. Because this city is the headquarters for two transcontinental lines there is more printing to be done, by several hundred thousand dollars worth, than if the headquarters were at the other end of the line. The circulars issued frequently by the wholesale houses make more work for the printers, to say nothing of the labels and bo.xes and special forms needed to put the product of factories in acceptable shape for distribution. The banks, insurance companies and scores of small publications, all make additional work.
A large portion of all the calendars, carrying advertising, used in this country and Canada are produced in this city, and incidentally this process and allied industries gives employment to nearly 750 people the year round. The calendar industry on the surface appears not to be necessarily a very large one. It requires some knowledge of the busi- ness to realize the amount of work, and the judgment of the art which will best mix with commerce, required in planning for and producing them. In this city annually there are produced about 11,000,000 calen- dars, adorned with colored pictures, which are sold in all corners of the earth and each carries in small letters the name of the capital city of Minnesota. So keen is the competition in selling calendars that the traveling men start on the road a full year before the pads are to be used, and at present the pictures to appear on the 1914 calendars have been purchased and are prepared for the various sizes. A considerable amount of St. Paul artistic talent is represented in the output of the local establishment, a number of artists being employed constantly devising figures, and seventy-five girls are employed on the hand-colored product which is helping to raise the standard of calendars in use. Graduates and students of the local art school are employed here as fast as they can be obtained.
Probably 95 per cent of the railways of the country have officially adopted the siphon system of refrigeration as applied by St. Paul manu- facturers. When there is an adequate current of air from the articles in the refrigerator over the ice, a much lower temperature is obtained than if the cold air merely drops to the bottom of the receptacle in which the ice has been placed. This current of air means that a saving of 33 to 40 ])er cent in ice is efifected after the car or refrigerator is once cool. Railway managers have been quick to see the advantages of the siphon system, and all the cars for perishable freight are being thus equipped as fast as possible. The American housewife is also realizing the ad- vantages of the newer method of caring for her food during the sum- mer, and the demand is constantly growing, as people are being educated in the principles of scientific refrigeration. In the making of high grade refrigerators the patent in use in this city has put St. Paul at the head
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of the list of cities. A business of $1,000,000 or more is done every year here in this branch of manufacturing. A total of 15,000 refrigera- tors for domestic use are made in this city each year, to say nothing of the freight cars fitted to carry fruit from California and other shipping points. The local factories also have a considerable business in making refrigerators with the siphon system for use in hotels and other places where the regular sizes are not adapted. .About 500 men are employed during the busiest seasons.
On University avenue has just Ix-cn installed one of the largest cracker factories in the world with an output of Si, 000,000 worth of crackers in a year.
The beer and bottling industries originating in the very beginning of St. Paul's history have grown to such vast propositions as to rival the output of the city on Lake Michigan whose title to fame admittedly rests on that specialty.
NEW I'L.XNr Ul- ST. I'.AUL BK1£.\D COMIWXV
A plant is now in process of erection by a well-established bakery company that will be one of the most comiilele in the country. It will have a cai)acity of 150,000 loaves of Iiread a day. The building will follow the lines of construction used in the St. Paul hotel. It will be of structural steel frame, with reinforced concrete floors, and brick cur- tain walls. It will be four stories high, with a basement under all. The outside dimensions will be 250x188 feet.
.*\bout two years ago a local firm decided to m.inufacturc men's straw hats in St. Paul and forthwith established a factory which is the only one this side of l'>altimore. It employs several score of men and girls when in full operation and there is every evidence that this new in- dustry will tlevelop into one of the best known industries of the city.
Sad irons, made in St. Paul, have, by the wide-spread publicity of their special merits through national and international advertising, been sold in large numbers to dealers in many foreign countries.
We have not half room enough to even catalogue the notable manu-
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facturing enterprises which have been built up to grand proportions by the energy and capacity of their proprietors who have taken aggressive advantage of favorable environments. In addition to the regular lines of production usually found in cities, and, in addition to those referred to above, we may mention the manufacture of portable garages; baking powders ; flax binding-twine ; baskets ; grass matting ; boats ; tarred paper : statuary; cornices; macaroni; disinfectants; electro-plating; envelopes; fence and wire ; furs ; hats ; printing ink ; bedding ; oil tanks : art glass ; ladders; folding boxes; overalls; gravity carriers; jewelry: badges and novelties ; paints ; stamped ornaments ; pencils ; syrups ; pickles ; radia- tors ; feather goods ; preserves ; rugs ; road machinery ; pumps ; sand paper ; Soaps : post cards ; stamps ; furnaces ; leather ; w-eather-strips ; vinegar ; veast ; metal screens and wooden-ware. Many of the establish- ments in these lines, and in others of more familiar branches, employ large forces of workers, use heavy capital and command a trade that reaches into every corner of our tributary country.
The development of the past and the prosperity of the present in all the various departments of productive industry, are perhaps only a faint prophecy of St. Paul's splendid future. New elements are enter- ing into the problem which promise larger triumphs. Electricity is har- nessed more and more eii'ectively, transmitted to the centers of com- merce and production, there to do its giant's work at the bidding of man. The new and cheaper power will always seek the points where facilities for concentration of material and labor and for the distribution of mer- chandise are already provided. This city is one of those points — a leading one.
V.\ST Future of Water Power
The Apple river electric supply already comes to St. Paul on wires stretched through many miles of farms and villages. Plans are matur- ing for the utilization of innumerable other water powers now going to waste on adjacant streams. The high dam project in the city's western suburb nears completion. .And these are only the beginnings.
Other cities are setting examples that we will not be slow to follow. A hvdro-electric company at Niagara Falls is under contract and bond to furnish 15,000 horse-power to the factories and consumers of Detroit, ^Michigan. It is announced that the necessary permits for exportation and importation of the current have been obtained, and that all remaining to be done is to extend the wires of the company from St. Thomas to Windsor and under the river to Detroit. That is all told and accepted as a matter of fact in this age of wonders. Fancy the reception that would have been accorded, even a generation ago, to the statement that the power of the Niagara Falls would be used to operate factories in Detroit.
Our fathers would not have believed it possible that the great cata- ract could be used to turn wheels hundreds of miles away. It is certain that our children will witness accomplishments in water power develop- ment that are not dreamed by us. Modern science is demonstrating capacitv for making use of power wherever it is found. There is little doubt that a generation from now, the current generated at the high dam across the river at the soldiers' home will be one of the most valu- able assets in St. Paul's possession — and there are others !
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Effect on "City Planning"
The imiltiijlication of manufacturing enterprises is having a decided eflfect in the readjustment of city ]ilans. especially adjacent to the new districts which are to he largely dedicated to such ])urposes. The re- claimed west side flats, to be transferred and transformed by changing the river channel will be subject to this law of evolution. Industrial plants, in all cities, are demanding larger and larger space, engaging greater and greater numbers of employes, and becoming thus more and more important single units demanding recognition in, and reacting upon, the general framework of cities and towns. They often occupy several blocks, closing up streets and alleys in the hard and fast street scheme, and affecting the residential character of considerable districts. It is desirable that such demands of business enterprise should, so far as pos- sible, be anticijiated. In other words a city street plan which shall be mainly an arbitrary preconceived geometrical figure, a mere product of the drafting board, is really an absurdity, despite the many examples in existence. The street plan should, so far as possible, facilitate and accommodate itself to the main functional organ of the different utili- ties to be accommodated. Fortunately the topogra])hy of the original site of St. Paul is such as to lend itself flexilily to such readjust- ments as will make its .several industrial districts and suburbs conform to the most modern and approved schemes of city planning.
CHAPTER XXVII
BANKS AND BANKING
H. H. Sibley, First Banker — "Wild-Cat" Banks Discountenanced — Borup & Oakes. Bankers and Brokers — Other Early Banks — Inflated Prosperity of 1857 — Reactionary Depressions — Banking During the Civil War — Era of Financial Stability — The National Banks — State Banks — St. Paul Clearing House — Trust Companies
Banks only come with civilization, and very late as a rule. The busi- ness and industries of the colonies on the Atlantic coast were carried on for nearly two centuries before a single commercial bank was opened. Previous to the coming of white men to the northwest, the need of banks was obviously lacking. Even after many white men came, the banking business did not rapidly develop. The fur trade was the basis of early commerce and, as currency was scarce, the fur of the beaver was the monetary standard — a prime beaver skin being worth one bear, one otter or three martins, while a keg of rum was equivalent to thirty beav- ers. At the same period, five blankets would buy a squaw.
H. H. Sibley, First Banker
H. H. Sibley, at Mendota, joined to his many other functions, that of a crude but sufficient form of banking. He, as manager of the fur company, was the fiscal agent of traders, travelers, missionaries and army officers. We find that in 1838 he cashed a draft for $1,899.33 drawn by J- N. Nicollet on Chouteau & Company of St. Louis. The same year N. W. Kittson was credited $130 for a draft on H. L. Dous- man, and Dr. Williamson, the missionary at Lac Qui Parle, drew on Mr. Tracy of New York for $112.14. On August 11, 1849, Mr. Sibley wrote to H. L. Moss at Stillwater: "I enclose my acceptance at three days for $100, the amount you wish to borrow of me, which I advance you with much pleasure." On November 3, 1841, General Dodge sent to Sibley a draft for $10,000 in connection with an Indian treaty.
"Wild-Cat" Banks Discountenanced
After the territory of ^Minnesota was organized, the scarcity of cur- rency became a great inconvenience, in view of the rapid influx of set- tlers. This led to improvident schemes for paper issues which, fortun- ately, were discountenanced by the public men and the press of St. Paul. Some pretended notes by the "Bank of Saint Croix," dated at St. Paul, but worthless as a row of ciphers with the rims shot off, were floated at a distance in 1850, but were vigorously denounced in the Pioneer.
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The "Central American Bank." a wildcat institution was attempted in 1853, but was opposed at a public meeting, addressed by George W. Far- rington, Aaron Goodrich, R. R. Nelson, M. S. Wilkinson and others. The meeting resolved "to oppose, under all circumstances, now and hereafter, this and all similar attempts to impose on us an illegitimate and irrespon- sible paper currency."
It is noticeable that in all the early discussions in the pai)ers. in meetings and even in the messages of our territorial governors, the term "banking" was used only with reference to the is.sue of notes. Deposit and discount were not thought of, in thai connection. Ramsey and Gor- man both inveighed against the establishment of banks "for circulating a paper currency." In any event, we may be thankful that owing to the sound-money views of those then in authority the territory was saved from the baneful effects of paper banking — at home. Its sufferings in that line were all imported.
BoRUP & Oakes, Bankers and Brokers
The banking house of Borup & Oakes. the first formally established in St. Paul, was opened in the summer of 1853 on Third street, below Jackson and opposite the Merchants' Hotel. The firm was announced as "Bankers and Brokers." Its business included loans, discounts, money- changing and the sale of drafts ; also, what was then a usual feature of the business, the purchase and sale of real estate and investment in mortgages. Dr. Charles W. Borup was a native of Copenliagen, Den- mark, but emigrated to America at an early age. He was for man\- years engaged in the fur trade on Lake Superior, and came to St. i'aul in 1849. He was a gentleman of education and culture, an accomplished musician, and socially very popular. He died in St. Paul June 6, 1859. Chas. H. Oakes was a native of Vermont, and died in St. Paul in 1879. The two partners were brothers-in-law^ They had married two sisters named Beauleiu, who were Chippewa half-l)reeds. but who were edu- cated and accomplished ladies and models of true womanly character.
Associated with Borup & Oakes as "silent partners" were Captain N. J. T. Dana and .Alexander Faril)ault. Captain Dana, a graduate of West Point, had been long in service in the regular army prior to his resignation. During the Civil war he was colonel of the First Minne- sota Infantry, and became a major-general of volunteers, .\fter the death of Dr. Borup, in 1859, Mr. Oakes continued the Inisiness alone for a time, but retired in a year or so.
Otiikr EARt,v Banks
Not long after the establishment of the hou.se of Borup & Oakes, the second "banking house," so called, was opened by Truman M. Smith, on the corner of Seventh and Jackson streets. Mr. Smith was a native of New F.neland. and it is said that he began life in the west as a wood- sawver. His l)ank went down in the hard time of i8;8, and he engaged many years in raising fruit at St. Paul and later at .'^an Diego. Califor- nia. Near the time of liie starting of Smith's bank. Ira Bidwell and his son, Henry E.. of Michigan, established r.idwell's Exchange Bank, on the corner of Third and Roliert streets. In alxaU 18^5 C. H. Parker and A. Vance Brown were located on St. .Anthony, now L'pper Third street.
In the fall of 1853 Charles M. Mackubin and E. S. Edgerton formed
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a copartnership, and early in the following spring opened a banking house at the Seven Corners. The cashier of the house was Fred H. Dona- hower, long cashier of the First National Bank of St. Peter. In 1856 and 1857 Mackubin & Edgerton erected a building at the corner of West Third and Franklin streets, a portion of which they subsequently oc- cupied for their bank, moving thereto on the 4th of July, 1857. This room was abandoned in 1864, upon the organization of the Second Na- tional Bank.
Mr. Mackubin was a native of Annapolis. He was of a kindly and genial nature, albeit in early life he had been one of the principals in a duel : a circumstance which he sometimes adverted to laughingly, as an instance of the weakness and folly of youth. Upon first coming to the west he located in Chicago, where for some years he was engaged in real estate transactions. He died in St. Paul, July 10, 1863.
Erastus S. Edgerton, the junior member of the original house of Mackubin & Edgerton, was a native of Delaware county. New York, born in 1816. In early manhood he was deputy sheriff of his native county under his uncle, John Edgerton. In an encounter with the "anti- renters" at Andes, New York, his horse was shot under him. Coming to the west he was for some years at Rockford and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, engaged in loaning money and general brokerage.
Inflated Prosperity of 1857
In the year 1857 St. Paul was at the height of its first era of prosper- ity. In the early summer of that year the leading bank and banking firms of the city were those of W. L. Banning & Company, who erected the first regular bank building in the city on Eagle street near the Seven Corners ; Marshall & Company, at Third and Cedar streets ; Caldwell, Whitney & Company, on Third street, below Minnesota ; J. Jay Knox & Company, on Bridge square in a stone building, on the river side ; Meyer & Willius Brothers, on Bridge square ; Irving, Stone & McCor- mick, on the corner of Third and Eagle streets, and D. C. Taylor & Com- pany, in the same building, where R. M. S. Pease also located. It will be noted that nearly all of these were grouped about the Seven Corners, then the center of trade.
Stimulated by the rapid growth of business, consequent upon the con- stantly increasing area over which their trade was being extended, the merchants of the then young city were generally disposed to enlarge the scope of their operations to the extreme limit of their capital and credit. To this end they were frequently willing to borrow money at rates of interest which, as subsequent experience proved, were not jus- tified either by actual or prospective profits. During this period of gen- eral business activity and inconsiderate speculation, eastern capitalists, tempted by the exorbitant prevailing rates of interest here, sent out large sums to be loaned through the banks. The current rates of interest were three per cent per month, and the notes given commonly contained a provision that if they were not paid at maturity, they would thereafter draw interest at the rate of five per cent a month until paid. ■ Following is a copy of one of these notes :
$1,000. St. Paul, M. T., July 3, 1857.
"Ninety days after date, for value received, I promise to pay to the order of Mackubin & Edgerton, one thousand dollars, with interest at Vol. I— 1 9
290 ST. PAUL AND \ ICIXITV
three per cent, per month from date until due : and at the rate of five per cent per month if not paid at maturity.
"Payable at the bankiiij,' house of -Mackubin & Edgerton, St. Paul. Minnesota Territory."
In a short time the capital of most of the banks was invested in paper of this character, the loan being almost invariably in one form or another based upon real estate security. Eastern exchange brought from one to live i)er cent premium.
Re.\ction.\ry Depression
This season of fictitious i)rosperity was terminated by the distressing financial panic of 1857, although its most serious efTects were not fully realized in this city until the spring of 1858. Universal depression fol- lowed. Real estate could scarcely be sold at any price. Debtors of the banks could not pay and surrendered their lands, but the banks could not realize upon these lands, or any other securities they possessed, ade- quate sums to meet their obligations. Fiscal science had achieved the physically impossible; business had been wrecked by the im])act of ir- resistible motion upon immovable rest. Bank after bank went down. Only the stoutest were able to withstand the long-continued pressure upon them. In the early fall of the year Mackubin & Edgerton and the Willius lirothers were the only banking institutions in St. Paul. The former firm dissolved partnership and Mr. Edgerton continued the busi- ness alone. Several months before, foreseeing the impending troubles, he had made all possible preparation for the emergencies which he be- lieved must arise. During this troublous and exciting period he exhibited in a marked degree that i)romi)tness of decision, energy of action, and un- swerving integrity, which were always i)rominent traits in his character. He was pressed closely, but rose superior to every emergency. Driven to dispose of much of his real estate at nominal prices, he hesitated at no sacrifice necessary to enable him to meet every obligation. As a result he passed the ordeal in safety, redeeming at par the issues of the State Bank, meeting promptly and in full the demands of every depositor.
Soon after the admission of Minnesota as a state, in 1858, the legis- lature enacted a general banking law similar in character to the one then in operation in the state of Wisconsin ; Ijut in consequence of inadequate provision for properly securing the issues of the banks organized under it, the circulation thus provided was not an improvement upon that w hich it sui:)erseded, for out of the large number of banks which flooded the state with their finely engraved, but poorly .secured notes, there was but a single one, and that a St. Paul bank, the issues of which were fully redeemed.
Under the law the bills of the banks were redeemable in coin at the places where they purported to be issued. The banks, however, were permitted to have agencies elsewhere than at the place of issue. It was doubtless the full intent of the law that the banks should be properly maintained at these places of issue. But, there being no ex|)ress provi- sion on this point, the law was easily evaded. Thus while banks were established and their bills dated at various towns in the state, all of them remote, tlie agencies were at St. Paul. The object of this was manifest. If the holder of a bill desired its redemption in coin, he was compelled to make a journey to get it ; he could not claim jiayment at the agency.
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In the event of a •'run" this would be quite convenient. The clamorous holders of bills at the agency would be directed to repair to the place of issue.
The first banks at St. Paul under the state law were the Peoples Bank of St. Peter, E. S. Edgerton, president, and D. A. Monfort, cashier, and the Central bank of New Ulm, by J. Jay Knox & Company. Others followed, with their alleged headquarters at Glencoe, Mankato and else- where. In time there were a number of banks of the same character. Pease, Chalfant & Company, had the bank of Taylor's Falls; Daniel Wells & Company, the La Crosse and La Crescent Bank, etc. In the spring of 1859 Sewell, Ferris & Company, organized the Bank of Min- nesota at St. Paul; the officers were Paschal Whitney, president, and N. P. Langford, cashier. Its circulation, unlike that of the other banks of the city, was not based on Minnesota railroad bonds, but on Ohio "sixes" and the bonds of the original $250,000 issue of Minnesota state bonds, under act of March 13, 1858, payable in 1867. Sewell, Ferris & Companv were also proprietors of the Nicollet County Bank, at St. Peter. Under the $5,000,000 loan to the railroads, $2,272,000 in bonds were issued, and these formed a portion of the securities placed with the state auditor for the redemption of the circulation of the banks. The monetary condition was now felt to be in fairly good shape and active business and confidence were for a time restored.
But in the fall of 1859 began another season of financial depression One morning it was announced that the banking house of Sewell, Ferris & Company, in New York City, had failed, and, as they were the pro- prietors of the Bank of Minnesota, that institution closed its doors in ten minutes after the reception of the news. They were also the pro- prietors of the Nicollet County Bank at St. Peter, which, as could readily be seen, must soon be closed. Holders of notes of the Bank of Minnesota swarmed about the doors of the bank building. Holders of the notes of other banks presented themselves at the "agencies," but with one exception the agencies referred all requests for coin to the "places of issue." This exception was the agency of the People's Bank of St. Peter. Mr. Edgerton quietly announced that all notes of that bank would be redeemed in coin upon presentation to the agency in St. Paul.
It was known that the Nicollet County Bank had at St. Peter about $5,000 in gold, as a redemption fund. When the news came foreboding the suspension of this bank, there was a race for this coin. Every bank dispatched a swift messenger to St. Peter with all of the notes on the Nicollet county institution that could be readily obtained. The People's Bank secured the prize. Its messenger, D. A. Monfort, gathered up about $5,000 of the Nicollet bank notes and set out for St. Peter on horseback. Riding three horses to exhaustion and not drawing bridle save to make the relays, he passed every other carrier on the road and made the seventy-eight miles in eight hours. He secured the gold. He was greatly fatigued, but the following morning he set out and returned to St. Paul just in time. There was a "run" on the People's Bank, and the last dollar was in sight when cashier Monfort staggered in with his heavy pair of saddle bags. The reinforcement was believed to consist of $25,000 instead of $5,000. The "run" subsided and was soon over.
Several other banks in the city and at different points in the state closed and their outstanding circulation was redeemed by the state au- ditor, who sold the bonds deposited with him for what they would bring.
292 ST. PAUL AND N'ICIXITY
This redemption was effected at rates much below par, ranging from fourteen cents to forty cents on the dollar.
B.\NKiNG During the Civil \V.\r
Following this period came the general collajise of the Illinois banks, consequent upon the depreciation of the Southern State l^onds at the outbreak of the war. At that time ]l]iiioi.s and Wisconsin currency con- stituted most of the circulating medium in Minnesota. It became known as "stump tail," and retained that somewhat inelegant but per- haps appropriate designation until its final disappearance from circula- tion. Issues of other banks of a somewhat similar character were de- nominated "wild cat" and "shin-plaster."
At the breaking out of the rebellion the banks in St. Paul were those of Mr. Edgcrton, F. and G. Willius, Parker Paine and Thompson Bro- thers. In i860 J. E. Thompson came to the city and purchased an in- terest in Painc's Bank, the firm being called Thompson, I'aine & Com- pany. Subsequently his brother, Horace Thompson came, and the bank- ing house of Thompson Brothers was established. In 1862 the firm or- ganized the Bank of Minnesota. Upon the passage of congress of the national banking act, which contained a provision imposing a tax of ten per cent upon the circulation of state banks, the banks of issue in St. Paul wound up their affairs, redeeming their bills at par. The only state Imnks in St. Paul at the time were the Bank of Minnesota and the Marine Bank, the former with $100,000 and the latter with $36,000 capital. On December 8, 1863. the Thompson Brothers organized the First National Bank with J. E. Thompson as ])resident, Horace Thomj)- son as cashier, Charles Scheffer as assistant cashier, and H. P. Upham as teller. Other national banks followed.
In the year 1861 John Holland, Peter Berry, and William Dawson established a banking house in St. Paul, under the firm name of Holland, Berry & Dawson Company. In 1862 Mr. Holland withdrew, and the firm became Berry, Dawson & Company. In about 1863 the style of the firm became Dawson & Company bankers, which name it bore until No- vember. 1882, when the organization of the Bank of Minnesota was effected. The incorporators and first officers of the bank under the ciiarter were William Dawson, president, Robert A. Smith, vice pres- ident and Albert Scheffer, cashier. For many years William Dawson was an important factor in the finances, business affairs and public life of St. Paul. He became the largest real estate owner ; was alderiuan and mayor ; was prominent in every movement for the general good and helped scores of men, afterwards successful, in their early efforts to get on.
Er.\ of FiNANCI.M. .^TAIUI.ITV
Having passed through the period of over-speculation, and having endured all the evils attendant upon the use of an insecure, mixed, and debased currency, a new era of sound banking was inaugurated under the national banking act, which was universally welcomed. Since that era began the banking institutions of St. Paul have lieen among the most important agencies in the development, not only of the commercial in- terests of the citv, but of almost every important business enterprise in the northwest. Controlled and conducted, as a rule, by men of enlarged views and liberal luinds, although of eniiiu'nt conscrv.itism and i)ru-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 293
dence, their management has been characterized by a ready appreciation of existing conditions and a wilHngness. in all cases of emergency, to lend their resources for sustaining public and private credit to the fullest extent permitted by a reasonable prudence. Notwithstanding this en- terprise, St. Paul banks have a record equalled in few cities, for keeping their reserve well above the legal requirements.
The banks of the city in 1873 were the First National, Second Na- tional, Merchants' National, National Marine, Farmers' and Mechanics', German-American, Parker Paine's, Dawson & Company, Savings Bank of St. Paul, and Culver, Farrington & Company. These banks reported their average deposits at $3,432,140, and their loans and discounts at $3,603,079.
There have been a few failures among the numerous national, state and private banks which have existed in the city, and there have been several consolidations and voluntary liquidations. In most of the fail- ures, the depositors have been paid in full, or nearly so, from the assets of the bank, sometimes aided by assessments on the stockholders. The failures were all caused by over-confidence on the part of bank manag- ers in extending credit — in not a single case, that is now recalled, was disaster due to deliberate embezzlement or misappropriation of funds. Of the banks now in operation in St. Paul, the following concise sketches are given :
The National Banks
The First National Bank was chartered February 25. 1863, but was not regularly opened until January, 1864. The first officers were James E. Thompson, president. Horace Thompson, cashier, Charles Scheffer, assistant cashier, and H. P. Upham, teller. The original capital was $250,- 000. but the business was prosperous : in September, 1864, the capital was increased to $500,000, and the following year a further increase was made to $600,000. In January, 1873, upon the consolidation of the City Bank of St. Paul with the First National the capital was increased to $1,000,000. Mr. J. E. Thompson continued in the presidency of the bank until his death. May 27, 1870. In January, 1869, Mr. H. P. Upham was made assistant cashier. In January, 1873, when the City Bank was absorbed, there was a reorganization, and Horace Thompson was made president ; H. P. Upham, cashier. Mr. Horace Thompson, the second president, died in December, 1879, and May 12, 1880, H. P. Upham was elected president, and E. H. Bailey succeeded to the position of cashier. Mr. Upham retained the presidency until his death in 1910, when E. H. Bailey became president and William A. Miller, cashier.
The Second National Bank was organized virtually out of the People's Bank in December, 1864. E. S. Edgerton was president, John Nicols, vice president, and D. A. Monfort, cashier. On the death of Mr. Edger- ton, in 1892, Mr. Monfort became president and held the position during the remainder of his life. The present officers are: W. B. Dean, pres- ident, and C. H. Buckley, cashier. The capital stock has always been kept small, but the deposits have been very large in proportion thereto ; hence its resources have been great and its stock has commanded a very high premium. It is one of the strong banks of the country and has been one of the most useful to the city. In October, 1912, James J. Hill purchased a controlling interest in the Second National Bank with a view to greatly enlarging its resources and connecting with it a new trust com-
294 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
pan)-. It will thus be enabled to handle large financial operations hereto- fore conducted in New York.
The National German American Bank originated from the old and reliable private bank of Willius Brothers and Dunbar. On November i, 1873, that firm was succeeded by the German American Bank, which was organized under the laws of the state with a paid up capital of ?200.ooo The first officers were Ferdinand Willius, president. General John B. Sanborn, vice president, and Gustav Willius, cashier. From that time the bank took its place as one of the substantial institutions of the state. In 1880 it was occupying a new and neat building of its own on Third street between Minnesota and Jackson streets. In January, 1883, it was decided to increase the capital to $500,000, but before this arrangement was consummated another was substituted, resulting in the transforma- tion into a national bank with $2,000,000 capital — afterwards reduced to $1,000,000. In 1S83 the splendid building corner of Fourth and Robert streets, which has since borne its name and been occupied by it, was erected. The present officers are : J. W. Lusk, president, and D. S. Cul- ver, cashier.
The Merchants' National Bank began business July 24, 1872, with a capital of $250,000, which was increased July i, 1873, to $500,000. and in the summer of 1880 to $1,000,000. The first officers were Maurice Auerbach. president, Walter Mann, vice president, and Charles Nicols, cashier. William R. Merriam became president in 1880 and held the position until 1896, meantime serving four years as governor of the state. He was succeeded by Kenneth Clark, the present incumbent, who has largely increased its already high prestige in the business world. The cash- ier is H. W. Parker.
The St. Paul National Bank was organized and went into operation June I, 1883, with its present capital, $500,000. The first officers were: Peter Berkey, president, Frank P.. Clarke, vice president, and F. W. Anderson, cashier. It afterwards, by consolidation with the Capital Bank founded by L. E. Reed and W. D. Kirk, became the Capital National Bank. It is located in the Capital National Bank Iniilding at Robert and l-'ifth streets. It has a capital of $500,000. Its officers are: J. R. Mitchell, president, J. L. Mitchell, cashier.
The American National Bank was organized May 4, 1903. Its capital is $200,000. It is located at Fifth and Cedar streets. The officers are: Ben Baer, president, and Louis H. Ickler, cashier. Among the direct- ors are J. W. Cooper, Benjamin L. Goodkind and J. H. Weed. The Northern Savings Bank is an affiliated institution.
The Stockyards National Bank is located in the Exchange building at South St. Paul. It was organized in 1807 with a capital of $100,000, and does a large business in connection with the stock-buying and jiack- ing industries of the suburb it specially represents. The officers are : J. J. Flanagan, president, and William E. Briggs, cashier.
State Banks
The Commercial State Bank, organized June i, 1911, has a capital of $25,000, and docs business at 177 W'est Seventh street. Seven Corn- ers. J. R. Sullivan is i^residcnt and M. E. Walsh, cashier.
The Scandinavian American Bank was organized June 29. 1887. Its paid up capital was $100,000 and its authorized capital $600,000. It has been a conservative and prosperous institution. It now occupies the fine
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295
block at Jackson and Sixth streets, built originally by and for the Bank of Minnesota. The ofificers at present are A. L. Alness, president, and J. A. Swanson, cashier.
The State Savings Bank was organized April 19, 1890, and has al- ways shown an enterprising though conservative management that has built up a very large clientage among the thrifty classes, and has been of great benefit to them and to the city. It is exclusively for savings and its funds are carefully invested. It has a solid building at 93 East Fourth street. The officers are : Chas. P. Noyes, president, and Louis Betz, treas- urer.
The Dayton's Bluff State Bank, at 919 East Seventh street, corner of Reaney, was organized October 20, 1910, with a capital of $25,000. Henry Ehlers is president and P. O. Skoglund, cashier.
The East St. Paul State Bank, 883 Payne avenue, was organized May 2, 1905, and is largely patronized by tlie people of the Arlington
SE\-ENTH STREET, WEST FROM ROBERT
Hills district. Its capital is $25,000, and its officers are: J. A. Reagan, president, and A. S. Swanstrom, cashier.
The Merriam Park State Bank, 393 North Prior avenue, organized April I. 1899, has had a prosperous career for twelve years. Capital, $25,000. Officers: C. W. .Moore, president, W. J. McFetridge, Ir., cashier.
The Hamline State Bank, 727 North Snelling avenue, was organized May 3, 1909, and has $25,000 capital. Officers : C. W. Moore, president, V. E. Nendeck, cashier.
The First State Bank of North St. Paul was organized in Septem- ber, 1910, in the prosperous residence and manufacturing suburb of North St. Paul. Its capital is $15,000 and it occupies a neatlv finished office building at Seventh and Margaret streets. John Luger is' president and C. S. Di.xon, cashier.
The Ramsey County State Bank is at 755-761 Wabasha street. It was organized in 1909, with a capital of $25,000, and has a savings de- partment. Peter Manderfield is president and H. H. Manderfield, cashier.
296 ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY
The Snelling State Bank of St. Paul. 1584 University avenue, was organized in May, 1910. Capital. $25,000. Officers: J. D. P)arrctt. pres- ident, A. L. Jenks, cashier.
The Twin City State Bank, at University and Raymond avenues, has $25,000 capital. A. J. Reeves is president and L. C. Simons, cashier.
The First State Bank at White Bear Lake was established in 1908. It has a capital of $25,000. H. .\. Warner is cashier and manager.
St. P.m'l Clearing-House
The St. Paul Clearing-I louse is an institution established by tlie banks for the settlement of mutual claims by the payment of the difference be- tween them. The total of the claims is called "clearings," and the dif- ferences are called "balances." The clearings consist mainly of checks held by the different banks, which have been received in the way of or- dinary deposit. The process of clearing is very sini])le. At 10:30 o'clock A. ^r. every bank which is a meml)er of the association sends to the clearing-house, by a messenger, all the checks on other banks which are mcmljcrs that have been received since the last clearing. There is a mutual interchange of checks and when this is completed each bank will have received all of the checks held against it by the other members, and of course will have delivered all of the checks and exchanges it holds. Each bank is then credited on the books of the clearing-house with the amount due to it from the other banks, and is charged with the amount it owes them. If a balance is due to a particular bank it is said to have "gained ;" but if there be a balance against it, it is said to have "lost" the difference. It is apparent that what one bank gains another loses, and the sum total of the losses must equal the gains, and vice versa. The balances against the losing banks, which are paid by them to the clearing-house, are therefore paid to those banks which have gained. Within a certain hour the debtor banks must pay into the clearing-house the sum due from them, and at a later hour with the sums so received the creditor banks are paid.
A clearing-house is a purely voluntary association, and its success is dependent ujion the faithful ])erformancc by its mcnil)ers of their duties and obligations. It has a constitution and a system of written rules and regulations, any infraction of which may be punished by a fine or other- wise. -Any member, too, may be expelled from the association for suf- ficient reason. The affairs of the association are chiefly under the di- rection of the manager and of the clearing-house committee. The latter is composed of three members upon whom devolve the details of the work.
The organization of the St. Paul Clcaring-House was effected Janu- ary 27, 1874, and its first session for business was held Februarv 16, following. The first officers were Walter Mann, jiresident ; D. .A. Mon- fort, vice president ; H. P. Upham, manager. The first committee was composed of L. E. Reed, Ferd. W'illius. and Albert Scheffer. It is now located in the First National Bank building, at Fourth and Minnesota streets. W. A. Miller is manager.
Trust Companies
The Xorthwcstcrn Trust Company, 144-146 Endicott l)uil(ling(^ Fourth street!, organized May 4, 1903, has a cai)ital of $200,000. Its iiresident is E. 11. I'ailey: secretary, I. C. Ochler; treasurer, John Townsen<l.
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The Security Trust Company was organized in January, 1890, largely through the intiuence and exertions of E. J. Hodgson, who retained the management until his death in 1901. Its capital is $250,000. It is now located in the Capital Bank building, at Fifth and Robert streets. The officers are : F. Y. Locke, president ; Ambrose Tighe, vice president ; Chas. D. Matteson, secretary and treasurer.
There are a number of private banks, loan companies and loan agen- cies, some of which, judging from past experience will utimately develop into strong and healthy banks. Upon the whole, therefore, St. Paul, at present as in the past, is well supplied with the essential element of com- mercial and industrial prosperity — a sound banking system.
There are thus in St. Paul and its immediate suburbs, six national banks, eleven state banks, four savings banks and two trust companies, all, seemingly doing a prosperous business, each contributing its quota to the city's commercial and industrial advancement. The aggregate deposits exceed $50,000,000. Their immense resources, conservatively handled, are at the command of such legitimate enterprises as help to build up the ever augmenting prestige of St. Paul. Mr. Hill's proposed enlargement of the functions and resources of the Second National Bank must necessarilv greatly enhance the city's financial prestige.
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ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
POST OFFICE
CHAPTER XXVIII
POST OFFICE AND POSTAL SERVICE
Dr. David Day — Henry Jackson and Early "Conveniences" — Post Offices and Revenues — History of the Postal Service — "Bad AIedicine" in the Service — "Good Medicine" in St. Paul Office
The St. Paul Post Office was established April 7, 1846. Previous to that time, letters for residents of the village, as also letters for H. H. Sibley at Mendota, were usually addressed to "Fort Snelling, Iowa." The postmasters of St. Paul, from the establishment of the office to the present time have been (with date of commission) : Henry Jackson, April 7, 1846; Jacob W. Bass, July 5, 1849; Wm. H. Forbes, March 18, 1853; Chas. S. Cave, March 11, 1856; Wm. M. Corcoran, March 12, i860; Chas. Nichols, April 2, 1861 ; Jacob H. Stewart, March 14, 1865; Jos. A. Wheelock, March 4, 1870; David Day, July i, 1875; Wm. Lee, January i, 1888; Henry A. Castle, March i, 1892; Robert A. Smith, November i, 1896; Andrew R. McGill, July i, 1900; Mark D. Flower, January 10, 1906 and Edward Yanish, April i, 1907.
Dr. David Day
Dr. David Day, who had the distinction of the longest service as post- master, thirteen years, was a imique character, well entitled to special mention. He was born in Burke's Garden, Virginia, September 19, 1825, and his boyhood was passed in the same place. In 1846 he removed to the lead region of Wisconsin, where he followed mining for three years, studying medicine at leisure times, and attending the medical depart- ment of the University of Pensylvania in winter. He graduated from that institution in 1849. He came to St. Paul in the spring of that year and commenced the practice of medicii>e, which he pursued with much success for several years. In 1S34 he entered the drug business, and withdrew from the practice of medicine. During this period he also held one or two important public positions. In 1849 he was appointed register of deeds, and the same fall elected for two years more. He was also a member of the legislature of 1852 and 1853 from Benton county, in which he was temporarily residing, the latter year being elected speaker. He retired from the drug business in 1866. In 1871 he was appointed state prison inspector. In 1874 he was appointed one of the commissioners of state fisheries, and also "seed wheat commissioner" to provide the sufferers from the grasshopper raid with seed — both hon- orary appointments, without compensation. On June i, 1875, he was appointed postmaster of -St. Paul, serving until January i, 1888. Dr. Dav was a close observer and diligent student of questions and problems
299
300 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
in social science, philosophy and political economy, and at the same time was one of our most successful, sagacious and enterprising business men. He naturally made a good postmaster. He died in 1893.
During the incumbency of postmaster J. A. Wheelock, editor of the Daily Press, the active management of the post office devolved on his associate, Frederick DriscoU, assistant postmaster. Mr. Driscoll was a fine business man and gave all needed attention to the office, while also managing with success, the affairs of his growing newspaper establish- ment.
Patrick O'Brien was a clerk in ilie office under [lostmastcr Charles Nichols, and cashier under Air. Wheelock. He became assistant post- master in 1875, and has held that responsible position ever since — a creditable record of continuous service for thirty-seven years.
St. Paul was not the first post office established in this region, as some have supposed. "Lake Saint Croix post office," afterwards called Point Douglas, was established on July 18, 1840, and Saint Croix Falls on July 18, 1840. Stillwater was made a post office January 14, 1846, about four months before St. Paul.
Hexrv Jacksox .\xd E.\rlv "Conveniences"
Henry Jackson, the first postmaster, who had previously allowed mail for the settlers to be left at his store by steamboat officers and transient travelers, upon receipt of his commission felt impelled to establish some official conveniences and set about making the first case of pigeon-holes that the St. Paul postoffice used. Out of old packing cases or odd boards, he constructed a rude case about two feet square containing sixteen pigeon- holes. These were labeled with initial letters. The whole afTair was awkwardly constructed, apparently with a wood-saw, axe and knife, for temporary use and after serving for two or three years it was laid aside. Fortunately it was not lost or destroyed, and after St. Paul became a flour- ishing city the widow of Mr. Jackson (Mrs. Hinckley, of Mankato), gave it to the Historical Society as a relic of early days. It now graces the cabinet of that institution, and is about the most decidedly "historical" relic of the collection telling, as it does, the whole story of the wonderful growth of the city.
The mail service of that period was very crude, ami its volume was small. Letters were merely folded sheets of pajier. In a bundle they were "packets ;" all the packets in one dispatch made a "mail ;" the mail boats were "packet boats," then "packets." In 1847 the law i)rovi(lcd ad- hesive stamjjs and that letters should be in sealed envelopes; in 1833 it provided stamjjcd envelopes. These im])rovements secured privacv in the message anfl exi^edited handling, essential principles thai were only forgotten when the postal card and post card were conceived.
Post Office and Revenues
When J. W. Bass succeeded Jackson as ])ostmastcr, he removed the office to a specially constructed annex of the hotel of wliicii he was land- lorfl, afterwards the Merchants. Wallace ]{. White was his deputy and had active charge of the office.
In December. 1863. under the Lincoln administration (Charles .Nich- ols, iiostmastcr ), the office first harl a rcil and distinctive home in a
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rented building, the stone block on Third street west of Market, after- wards long occupied as the central police station.
In 1868 the postoffice was removed to the Opera House building on Wabasha street near Fourth, now the Bethel Hotel.
On February 9, 1870, the St. Paul Custom House was so far com- pleted that the postoffice was removed to it — a change hailed with joy. The Custom House had occupied five years in construction and cost $350,000.
These quarters having been outgrown, the present splendid structure fronting Rice Park, itself twice enlarged during the eight years required for construction, was built, and the postoffice was removed thereto with formal ceremonies in 1902. These ceremonies were presided over by former Governor A. R. McGill, tlien postmaster and were participated in by Alexander Ramsey, by former postmasters, and by representatives of the postoffice department at Washington. The city donated the site of this building to the United States.
The revenues of its postoffice are the one unfailing and unalterable index of a city's growth and prosperity. Postal business increases, un- erringly, with the population and commercial activity of every town, and the mail revenues cannot be padded, since every dollar of receipts must be strictly accounted for. The following table shows the receipts of the St. Paul postoffice for each of the years named: 1850, $429.07; 1855, $3,814.07; i8fx), $5,254.47; 1865, $12,082.32; 1870, $33,000.00; 1875, $58,922.63; 1880, $102,450.22; 1885, $200,407.94; 1890, $306,382.- 83: 1895, $393,229.18; 1900, $506,725.18; 1905, $757,616.48; and 191 1, $1,406,334.81.
But the revenues of the office, being the receipts from sales of stamps and stamped paper, constitute only a fraction of its financial transactions. The money order business proper of St. Paul, and the deposits, dis- bursements and remittances of surplus postal funds and money order funds from hundreds of smaller postoffices, together with the payment of monthly salaries of the local employes, of many railway mail clerks and of all the rural letter carriers in Minnesota — all combined, constitute a banking and exchange business that foots up at least $25,000,000 every year.
And now comes the postal savings bank, established in St. Paul, September i, 191 1, to swell this great volume of money-handling. Any resident of the city ten years old or more may open an account, but it must be done in person. No more than one account will be accepted. Married women may open an account aside from that of their husbands, but corporations, associations, societies, firms and partnerships are bar- red. The minimum deposit is $1. No deposits bringing the balance above $500 are accepted, and no more than $100 can be deposited in a month. Withdrawals can be made at any time. New accounts cannot l--" noened by mail, but once one has been opened a depositor may make additional deposits by mail. Though $500 is the limit put on anv single .savings account, a method has been provided for taking care of the sav- ings of a larger amount. The whole or any part of a depositor's savings may be exchanged for United States registered or coupon bonds in sums of $20. $40. $60, $100 or multiple of $100 up to and including $500. These bonds bear interest at the rate of two and one-half per cent, annu- ally, payable semi-annually.
The following is the present official roster of the St. Paul post- office : Postmaster, Edward Vanish ; assistant postmaster, P. O'Brien ;
302 ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY
cashier, F. L. Krayenbuhl ; finance clerk, D. F. Polk ; superintedent of mailing division, O. H. Xegaard ; superintendent of free delivery divis- ion, W. A. Hickey; superintendent money order division, J. B. Fandel; foreman inquiry division, Walter S. Ryan; superintendent second class matter. Jno. Mesenbourg; superintendent Postal Savings Bank, T. P. O'Regan.
Early in 191 2, Henry J. Hadlich, who had been for 20 3'ears connected with the office, had shown exceptional ability and had risen to the position of superintendent of delivery, resigned to accept a business offer, and was given a flattering farewell testimonial by his associates.
There are five full stations, or branch postoffices in operation in va- rious sections of the city, to each of which a considerable number of clerks and carriers are attached. They are: Commercial, 315 Rosabel street, Joseph Brown, sui)crintcndent ; St. .\nthony Hill. 627 Selby ave- nue, G. F. Jennings, superintendent; West Side. 426 South Wabasha street, W. G. Waller, su])erintendenl ; Alerriam Park, 395 Prior avenue, J. B. Fowler, superintendent ; Bradley street, 597 East Seventh street, F. H. Grant, superintendent. There are also thirty-six sub-stations, located in drug stores, department stores and business blocks at conven- ient points throughout the city, where stamps, envelopes, wrappers and money orders are sold and letters are registered.
In the aggregate there are 277 clerks attached to the St. Paul post- office ; 210 city letter carriers, and 5 carriers of the rural free delivery service who penetrate the farming districts adjacent, but receive their mail at St. Paul postal stations.
The revenues of the St. Paul postoffice have shown a steady in- crease, month by month, during 1911 and 1912 — averaging ten per cent, increase over the corresponding month of the previous year. This neces- sarily involves a similar expansion of the work to be done, and of the number of employes. .\ reorganization of the clerical force, put in opera- tion by the Post Office Department, as in all the leading city offices, dur- ing the spring of 191 2, is intended and expected to stimulate efficiency in the service.
St. Paul is one of the distributing terminals of the system of trans- porting magazines by fast freight in carload lots. The plan is to have shipped in this manner, wherever possible, second class mail directly to one terminal from the point of publication without handling enroute, all the distribution to be done at the terminal. This lessens the cost of trans- portation materially, and is so arranged as not to interfere with the satis- factory handling of the mail.
In the postoffice building of .St. Paul there are located the head- quarters of several branches of the postal service, which are only indi- rectly, if at all. connected with the local administration. They arc, in effect, subsidiary divisions of the postoffice department at Washington, reporting to and receiving orders direct from the bureaus to wiiich they are severally attached. .\ detailed stateiuent of their organization and functions will appear in the next succeeding chapter.
History of the Post.al Service
The postal service, as a whole, is a subject well worth the careful study of every citizen, both for its historic interest, and for its practical value as an object lesson in the science of business as well as of govern- ment. Letters were written on clav tablets bv the Babylonians at least
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 303
5000 B. C, for some of these letters have been found in their clay en- velopes. Other nations exchanged information in writing, sending letters by messengers. But it has remained for very modern times to have a real postal service, with prepaid envelopes or stamps. The postoffice is an example of the mode in which things change while names remain. It was originally the office that arranged the posts or places where, on the great roads of England, relays of horses and men could be obtained for the rapid forwarding of government despatches. There was a chief post- master of England many years before any system of conveyance of pri- vate letters by the crown was established. Such letters were conveyed either by couriers, who used the same horses throughout their whole jour- ney, or by relays of horses maintained by private individuals — that is, by private post. The scheme of carrying the correspondence of the pub- lic by means of crown messengers originated in connection with foreign trade. A postoffice for letters to foreign parts was established "for the benefit of the English merchants" in the reign of James I, but the exten- sion of the system to inland letters was left to the succeeding reign. Charles I, by a proclamation issued in 1635, may be said to have founded the present post office.
The American mail system, during the colonial days, was very imper- fect. A so-called post offtce was established in Boston, early in the eight- eenth century, and in New York, Philadelphia, etc., somewhat later, but the means of communication were very infrequent and irregular. It was not until Benjamin Franklin was appointed by the king, postmaster general of the colonies in 1753, that any real attempt at systematic transportation was made.
When the United States government was organized, in 1787, a post- master general was authorized. But he was not for many years the head of a real executive department, and had no seat in the president's cabinet. Postal receipts were not regularly accounted for until 1836, but expendi- tures were made at the discretion of the postmaster general, and only the annual surplus was deposited in the national treasury.
The following are interesting items of chronology bearing on postal affairs, directly or indirectly.
1828 — New York morning papers delivered at Philadelphia in the evening of the same day. Mail carried from Philadelphia to Pittsburg in fifty-two hours.
1833 — November 26, First newspaper in Chicago. December 11, first newspaper in Wisconsin (Green Bay).
1836 — Rural delivery in Belgium; made daily in 1842.
1837 — February 13, Rowland Hill recommended postage stamps. July 12, act consolidating all British postal acts from 1710,
1838 — December 6, Money order business of British postoffice begun.
1839 — August 17. Preliminary penny postage act passed by parlia- ment.
1839 — March 4, William F. Harnden started on his first express trip, Boston to New York. Out of this has grown the express business in the United States.
1842 — August 16, Drop-letter service fcollection and delivery by postoffice) introduced in New York.
1844 — June 14, The postmaster general authorized to make postal arrangements with certain foreign powers.
1845 — November 7, Buffalo-Lockport electric telegraph, first com- mercial line in the United States.
304 Sr. I'Ari. AXD \1CI.\"ITV
1846 — August 15, First newspaper in California. In February of the same year, newspaper printing was begun in Oregon.
1846 — April 7, Postoffice at St. Paul, Minnesota, established.
1849 — April 28, l-"irst newspaper published in .Minnesota (St. Paul Pioneer J.
1851 — .American postmaster general authorized to Ii.k postage on mail matter intended for transmission out of the country. New York and Albany connected by railroad; also lioslon and Montreal.
1852 — I'^irst mail coach crossed the Rocky mountains.
1853 — Catcher pouches used l)y luiglish traveling postoffice. Similar contrivances were used in coaching days.
1855 — British Civil Service Commission appointed May 21st. Street letter boxes introduced in England by Anthony Trollope, the first being set up in St. Heliers, Jersey. The first pillar box in London was set up in March. Niagara Suspension Bridge com])leted. Ja])an opened by treaty. London postal districts established.
1857 — San .\ntonio-San Diego mail route (1,476 miles) established; semi-monthly mail coach. Service made weekly in 1858.
1861 — September 16, British postal savings banks began operations.
1862 — July 12, American postage stamps to be used as lawful money. Issue of "postal currency." Railway mail distribution began July 28th on Hannibal cK: St. Joseph Railroad, with trans-continental mail matter; formally established 1865.
1863 — Mail pieces limited to four jiounds. Free delivery established in cities.
1865 — May 25, First steel rails made in United States. October 12th, Letter boxes on lamp posts in Albany. American money order service established.
1868 — January i. Postage to England twelve cents. Had been un- changed since 1710.
1875 — January i, Newspaper and jjcriodical ])ostage two cents per pound. First postal train (carrying postal Inisincss only) in America. New postoffice building in New York occupied.
1877 — Union of i)nstal and telegraph service in France.
1883 — L'nited States letter postage reduced to two cents.
1885 — July I, Rates for newspapers and periodicals reduced to one cent per pound for publishers and news agents. Sixpence the standard for telegraphic messages (inland) in United Kingdom from October ist.
1888 — January 12-19. United States and Canada form a postal union. August 13, railroad Vienna-Constantinople opened.
i888--.'\pril 22, Oklahoma opened to settlers. November 17, New York-San Francisco mail carried in about no hours, handled throughout by R. P. O. Postal savings bank in Russia. November i. Traveling post office in Berlin streets.
1893 — June, Yokohoma and Hong Kong service from Taconia begun.
1894 — June 30, United States postal notes and issue of letter-sheet envelopes discontinued.
\i^)ft — Marconi began experiments in wireless telegraphy under the auspices of the British jiostal telegraj)li system.
1897 — Rural free delivery eslal^lishcd as an experiment by ihc United States postnflicc department.
190.3 — Investigations develo|)ed scrimis abuses in de|)artiuental serv- ice at Washington. Several prominent officials indicted and convicted.
1910 — Postal savings banks authorized and established.
ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY 305
The growth of the mail business of the United States has been one of the marvels of American progress. In 1837 the average individual spent 32 cents a year for postage. In 1909 he spent $2.29 a year on mail sent out. The receipts of the Chicago postoiifice today are larger than those of the entire country at the time of Abraham Lincoln's accession to the presidency. Xo part of the service has enjoyed such a remarkable development as the Rural Free Delivery. Fourteen years ago there were only eighty-two rural routes in operation, and they involved an annual expenditure of only $15,000. Today there are more than 40,000 in opera- tion, and they involve an annual outlay of nearly $40,000,000. This ser- vice is the most expensive that the government renders. The entire re- ceipts of the rural letter carriers are less than $8,000,000 a year and the government spends five times as much on the service.
The postotfice department, with its 325,000 employes, is the largest sin- gle governmental establishment in the wnorld. It annually handles more than fourteen billion pieces of mail at a cost of more than two hundred million dollars. jMore than half of all the employes of the government are at work under the direction of the postmaster general. Some idea of the immensity of its business may be gleaned from the statement that the stamps of all kinds used in a single year would plaster 2,900 acres of land, or make six belts of stamps around the earth. Counting those on stamped envelopes, newspapers and postal cards, the aggregate number used an- nually is upward of eleven billion.
"B.\D ]\Iedicine"in Post.-vl Service
One who hears and heeds the often-repeated demands for reform as to specific branches of the postal system in which the reformers who make the demand have a direct, personal, pecuniary interest, might reasonably infer that there are serious defects in the service that need attention. And the inference is correct. There are always "investigations" going forward in the department, in congress, or by authorized commissions. Each investigation discloses more or less "bad medicine," as a fron- tiersman would say, but few of them formulate any effective means of eliminating it.
The term "bad medicine," as translated from the Indian languages, literally means an evil charm, or about the same as the "hoodoo" of the credulous Afro-American. But on a wide stretch of our western fron- tier it has come to signify anything that is obnoxious, poisonous or dis- reputable. Illustrations of the use of the phrase by its originators may be found in two alleged speeches at an assemblage of Indians on a reser- vation not far from St. Paul, some years ago. Chief Yellow Owl spoke at one of the meetings as follows : "A paleface takes land ; he finds there many prairie dogs. He and the dogs cannot agree on the same land, so he feeds them bad medicine. He tries to kill all the prairie dogs and does kill many. The rest go into their holes and remain there. They are afraid to come out of their holes because of the pale- face and his bad medicine. And now we red men are all grouped to- gether on the reservations. We are afraid to come out and speak of our wrongs for fear of the bad medicine of the paleface."
.At the campfire that evening Mrs. Owl is reported to have addressed the gathering thus: "Red man and paleface, both bad medicine. Red man tells squaw he will go out to hunt buf?alo, but there are none, and
306 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
squaw knows he was hunting Pretty Deer which he would not kill. Paleface make believe he come to hunt buffalo and deer. He finds a maid whose father has many cattle and he hunts her. Red man lets squaw build fire and he sits down. Paleface builds fire and lets white squaw sit by it, while he escapes to some other fire. All kinds men, bad medicine."
The .American postal system is the most extensive and. in some re- spects, the most efficient in the world. Yet there are defects and in- consistencies in its organization, menacing jierils in its administration, eddies and cross-currents of vexation in its socialistic tendencies, that are worthy of studious attention. Certes there is bad medicine as well as savory nutriment in this beneficient agency of modern civilization ; hence the prevalent and persistent outcry for reform.
A fundamental cause of the existence of so much of the "bad medi- cine" which inspires the outcry for ])ostal reform is the deplorable state of the written law governing its operations. All is chaos and confu- sion, owing to the fact that no coherent, systematic postal law has been enacted for many years, all the changes and extensions having been engrafted by disconnected, often inconsistent "provisos" in the annual appropriation bills. And the methods of keeping accounts are so crude that they have been the subject of severe criticism by the accounting officers themselves, and by official reports of congressional committees.
"Good Mel)kine"ik St. P.\ul Office
In spite of all these fundamental defects the jiostal service continues to expand, and in many respects it becomes more efficient every year. Its primary and legitimate function of transporting and delivering the mails is performed with such rapidity and accuracy as to command universal admiration. The oversight of the department is intelligent and watch- ful. The postmasters are, as a rule, leading men in their respective com- munities, who have had successful business exi)ericncc and feel a pride in their public employment. The railway mail clerks, postoffice inspec- tors, postoffice clerks and letter-carriers, city as well as rural, ai)pointed and retained under stringent civil service regulations, have developed a skill and efficiency which entitles .some of them to be classed as mem- bers of a learned profession. In no city of the country are postoffice affairs administered with greater ability and devotion than in St. Paul.
Americ.xn Peofle Get the Most M.ml
The United States leads all nations both in the matter of mail it sends everywhere, and in the amount its inhabitants receive. The Ger- man Empire comes next, while Great Britain and Ireland rank sixth. In the German Empire the average is 145 pieces of mail per person during the year. In Great Britain and Ireland it is 117, France 78, Russia 12, while in Turkey the peojile only average i 7-10 letters per year.
Because the number of pieces of mail now sent is so enormous, the bureau of statistics figure only in the thousands of pieces and it has found that the United States sends no less than 12,600.000 thousand pieces, or actually 12,660,000.000 pieces of mail everv year, both within the states and to foreign countries. .Ml the rest of tlie new world sends less than 2,000,000 thousand pieces more, hut the total for
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 307
America is 14,643,129 thousand pieces of mail dispatched every year. The Argentine Republic sends 594,999 thousand pieces of these, but the Falkland islands send out only 7,000 thousand.
All Europe delivers but 25,618,740 thousand pieces of mail per annum, of which the German Empire distributes 8,817,300 thousand pieces. Great Britain and Ireland 4,941,000 thousand, France 3,049,000 thousand. All Asia distributes only 2,667,498 thousand, but Japan uses more than half — 1,446,000 thousand.
Russia, with its great population distributes only 1,668,000 thousand pieces of mail, while little Switzerland receives 411,020 thousand letters and papers, so that the average per inhabitant of Russia is only 12, while that of the little republic is 124.
The distribution of letters and papers in Africa is comparatively small, being only 367,245 thousand, of which the largest number go to Algeria (79,600 thousand), the next to Cape Colony (79,020 thousand).
CHAPTER XXIX
THE HEADQUARTERS OF FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS
Post Ofi'ice Inspection Service — Railway Mail Service — Inquiry Division ("Nixie Office") — Other Government Headquarters — As A .Military Center — :Broad Local Patriotism
In addition to the military post at Fort Snelling. the federal govern- ment has three buildings in St. Paul. One large four-story structure at Robert and Second streets is the headquarters of the L'nited States army department. Another is a three-story building at Wabasha and Fifth streets, where are located customs offices, internal revenue and United States engineer's offices and various branches of the treasury department. The third is the main postoffice and federal court building, which is the location of the federal court of appeals, circuit and district courts, the offices of the United States surveyor general, district attorney. L'nited States engineer's office, headquarters Rural F^ree delivery, postoffice in- spector in charge and the Railway Mail service. The last named building is one of the finest of its class, admirably situated on an entire block of ground, facing Rice Park.
The organization and operations of the city postoffice were set forth in the last preceding chapter, and those of the L'nited States courts will be given in the next following one. As the sjihere of the activities of the Federal government increases every year, with the growth of population and the multiplication of paternalistic tendencies in administration, the element of St. Paul's importance, connected with branches of the L'nited States government, grows year by year, and iias become a consideraljle factor in the prosperity of the city.
Post Office Inspection Service
St. Paul has been, for about ten years, the headquarters of the Post- office Inspection service for a large extent of western territory. From the beginning of the history of the United States ])ostal system, postoffice agents were employed by the government to represent the department at important points and exercise supervision over the handling and transit of the mails. It was not, however, until 1872 that the |)resent excellent "Division of Postoffice Ins])ectors and Mail Depredations" was estab- lished. It was organized to ]irovide a cor|is of trained men of great jier- ception and keen detective ability to cope with mail robbers who attacked the vehicles of transit en route; to ferret out frauds perpetrated on the government within the service; to watch ceaselessly those who are in- trusted with the handling of the mailed matter, and to inspect the ac- counts anr] supervise the management of postofficcs everywhere under tile United States jurisdiction.
308
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 309
If all men were honest, inspectors would still be needed to minimize the effects of stupidity and accident in this nicely adjusted enterprise which our government has undertaken for the convenience of the people. But inasmuch as all men are not honest, sad to say ; inasmuch as the finan- cial transactions of the postal establishment will exceed $3,000,000,000 during the current year, while its agents will transport even a larger amount in sealed packages or letters ; inasmuch as those agents and em- ployes number about 325,000 persons, while millions of people through their direct relation to the mails as daily patrons have opportunity and temptation for tampering with it — the sleepless vigilence involved in pre- serving its present wonderful integrity must command the admiration of all familiar with its achievements.
There are now over four hundred postoffice inspectors of all grades, their salaries ranging from $1,200 for beginners to $2,750 for inspectors in charge at the fifteen headquarters established throughout the coimtry. The organization and equipment of the service have been greatly changed within the past few years. The division has been placed under the direct control of the postmaster general, while the entire inspection and special agency force of the rural free delivery system has been consolidated with it.
In the postoffices of all large cities, screened galleries are now con- structed, from which all the employes, especially those suspected of steal- ing, can be watched. The inspectors can enter and remain in these gal- leries unobserved, and from that vantage ground patiently observe the work going on in the office below them. Honest clerks do not object, and the grumbling of the dishonest ones goes unregarded. The thieving em- ploye is usually caught with the stolen letter and money on his person, making the evidence conclusive. If it be a decoy letter, it contains marked bills or coin ; if a regular letter in transit, the arrest occurs, as a rule, before the tell-tale envelope can be disposed of.
The postoffice inspector requires special qualifications and training. He must have intelligence, education and the manners of a gentleman. He must be an accountant and a ready writer of lucid, comprehensive re- ports. He must be sober, honest, industrious, patient, affable, adaptable and, above all, discreet. He must be brave — in the purlieus of large cities he confronts desperate criminals ; in the mountains of the south he en- counters moonshiners and is mistaken for the hated revenue agent ; on western plains he collides with train robbers and road agents and footpads ; everywhere he must be instantly prepared to defend his own life in assert- ing the majesty of the law.
The headquarters at St. Paul is located in the postoffice building, and is under the supervision of R. D. Simmons, inspector-in-charge. His force of assistants cover a wide area, one section of them giving special attention to the establishment and satisfactory maintenance of rural free delivery.
R.JiiLw.w Mail Service
The headquarters of the Tenth division of the United States Railway Mail service is also located in the St. Paul postoffice building, and occu- pies a suite of rooms set apart for its clerical force. The division embraces the states between Wisconsin and Idaho. The division superintendent is Alexander Grant, long superintendent of the entire Railway Mail sys- tem at Washington. The assistant division superintendent at St. Paul is Capt. J. Stearns Smith, a veteran in the service.
310 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
There is little public appreciation of the laborious and dangerous service rendered by some classes of postal employes. It is certain that the work of railway mail clerks is not only extremely hazardous, but is performed under a severe mental and physical strain. The effi- ciency record of these clerks is a splendid exhibition of the skill of well- trained men, who reflect the greatest credit on their government. They stand for hours at a stretch in swaying, rapidly moving trains, working largely under artificial light, in cramped, close quarters, and subject to a score of other serious disadvantages. So perfectly are they drilled, however, that the ratio is only one error to 10,626 pieces correctly han- dled. Ninety per cent, of them oljtained ajipointment through the civil service. The condition of the men lias been vastly improved since the Civil Service Connnission has acted upon the suggestion of the department and rejected those whose physical defects would impair their usefulness. Other qualities are reciuired, both of body and mind, than those devoted to perennial output of chatter — a continuous symposium of baby talk and class yells.
The "casualty column" published a few years ago in a departmental report showed that with an annual average of 5,120 railway mail clerks em- ployed, there were 2,819 casualties in twenty-six years. From this it will be seen that should an individual serve in this ca])acity for the or- dinary period of an active lifetime, he would stand more than an even chance of losing his life or being maimed in the line of duty. Fifty- five per cent, of the average number of employes were literally killed or wounded on the firing-line. Take the services of an equal number of soldiers in our regular army during the same twenty-six years, in- cluding their arduous duty fighting Indians on the frontier and their military experience in the Sjianish and Filipino wars, and we will tind less than one-fourth of this proportion of deaths and wounds actually received in action. Therefore, aside from the other element of risk and exposure involved, our railway mail clerks arc sui)jected to four times the danger of death and serious injury encountered by the gallant offi- cers and soldiers of our military establishment.
Inquiry Division ("Nixie Office")
The Inquiry division, called the "nixie office" for short, while nom- inally attached to the St. Paul postoffice in the matter of appointing employes, etc., is, in reality, a branch of the Dead Letter office at Wash- ington. These inquiry divisions are established in all cities where there are headquarters of the railway mail service. It may therefore, in legal phraseology, be said to have privity of relations to three postal branches — the dead letter office, the railway mail and the local post- office. Its functions are to gather in, from the city office and from all the mail cars in railroads centering here, the letters, papers and jiarcels that bear addresses obscure or undeciiiherahle; to correct the errors and supplv the omissions of ignorant nr careless writers, and to for- ward the mail to the intended destination. The Dead Letter office in Washington is known everywhere for its marvelous skill in this line, but the employes of the St. Paul branch have become almost equally proficient. Over seventy-five per cent, of the badly addressed matter handled here is correctlv "worked" out and sent on its way. thus saving the <lelay and expense of sending it to Washington and bringing it back.
ST. PAUL AND N'lCIXITY
311
There are ten clerks in this division, of which W. B. Ryan is superin- tendent and Thomas Howard, assistant.
Other Government Headquarters
St. Paul is and always has been the port of entry for Minnesota. The duties paid on goods delivered through the St. Paul Custom House amount to about $1,500,000 annually. There are nine sub-ports in the district, all situated along the north boundary line of the district, except Minneapolis. The collector of customs is Hon. Marcus Johnson and the special deputy collector at the St. Paul office is Arthur W. Lyman. George .\. Welant is tea examiner. There are fourteen deputies, inspectors, storekeepers and clerks stationed in this city, with deputies, etc., at twelve other points throughout the state.
CUSTOM HOUSE
The office of the United States collector of internal revenue is in St. Paul. The collections, including the corporation tax, aggregate over $3,500,000 annually. The collector is Hon. Frederick von Baumbach, with a large force of deputies, special agents and clerks.
The United States Civil Service Board has its headquarters at 503 Federal building. J. M. Shoemaker is secretary, and he has the super- vision of civil service examinations for an extensive district.
The secret service of the United States treasury department, spec- ially charged with the investigation of frauds on the revenues and of counterfeiting the currency, has an office at 231 Federal building.
Special agents of the United States treasury department are located at 207 Custom House building. G. E. Foulkes is agent in charge.
The United States Geological Survey has a district headquarters at the old Capitol building. Robert Follansbee is district engineer.
The following United States government officers and agencies are located in St. Paul, at the places named : United States Engineer Office, Maj. F. R. Shunk in charge, 304 Custom House.
United States Engineer Office (River Improvement), 233 Federal building; J. D. Du Shane in charge.
312 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
United States Weather Bureau, 809 Pioneer Press building; local forecaster, J. Newton Ryker.
United States Army Recruiting Station, 97 East Fitlli; officer in charge, Capt. H. S. Whipple.
United States Navy Recruiting Station, 501 Federal building; chief cjuartermaster, Robert Restad.
As A MlLIT.\RY CeXTKR
The United States military post at I-\irt Snelling has, as its regular garrison in time of peace, temporarily reiluced by the Texas maneuvers of 191 1, a battalion of infantry, a squadron of cavalry and a battery of field artillery. It is one of the six most important stations of its kind in the United States. The reservation contains 2.381 acres and is lo- cated opposite the terminus of West Seventh street. The post was es- tablished in 1820. A new bridge across the Mississippi, connecting the reservation with the city, constructed jointly by the federal government and the city of St. Paul, is open to public travel. The war department has planned to make it a full brigade post at an early day.
Almost continuously since 1864, St. Paul has been the headquar- ters of the Department of Dakota. United States Army, with a succes- sion of officers of high rank in command, and a full departmental staff, including purchasing quartermasters and commissaries, paymasters, etc., and a large clerical force. Among the distinguished generals who have commanded here, involving usually a residence in St. Paul of several years' duration in each case, have been Major Generals John Pope, W. S. Hancock, A. H. Terry, T. H. Ruger, John Gibbon, John R. Brooke, James T. Wade and several brigadier generals scarcely less prominent. Of staff officers there have been Colonels O. D. Greene. S. B. Ilolabird, D. Ruggles, Samuel Breck, T. M. Vincent. Michael Sheridan, T. F. Barr, M. R. Morgan, Clias. Alden. H. R. Tilton, A. Brodie and E. C. Mason. For the time being the Department of Dakota has been discontinued and the headquarters of the "Department of the Lakes" has been established at St. Paul in its stead. This reduces the number of staff officers, clerks, etc., stationed here, but leaves the purchasing and forwarding operations intact. It is not believed, how- ever, that the new arrangement as to district organization is intended to be permanent, and the confident expectation is entertained that the historic importance of this city as an army headquarters will be re- established, perhaps augmented.
It will be of present interest to quote, as verifying our historic prominence in this line, a statement of the situation in 1889. Then the Department of Dakota, with General Thomas II. Ruger in command at St. Paul, covered these geograjihical limits: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota. South Dakota. Montana and Cami> Sheridan in Wyo- ming. The following were the stations occujiicd. and their garrisons :
Posts Officers Enlisted Indian
Fort Abraham Lincoln, S. D 8
Fort .Xssinniboine, Mont 39
Fort Bennett. S. D 3
Fort Buford. N. D 23
Fort Custer, Mont 28
|
Men |
Sco |
|
87 |
|
|
481 |
2 |
|
47 |
2 |
|
297 |
|
|
403 |
6 |
ST. PAUL A\D MCINITY 313
Enlisted
Posts Officers Men Scouts
Fort Keogh, Mont :iS 431 12
Fort Maginnis, Mont 10 156
Fort Meade, S. D 39 549
Fort Missoula, Mont 18 201
Fort Pembina, N. D 8 67
Fort Randall, S. D 14 17°
Fort Shaw, :\Iont 14 180
Fort Snelling, Minn 26 266
Fort Sully, S. D 14 169
Fort Totten, N. D 8 80
Fort Yates, N. D 23 327 2
Camp Poplar River, Mont 7 96 2
Camp Sheridan, Wyo. T 3 62
Fort Abraham Lincoln Ordnance Depot,
S. D I 6
Totals 319 4,075 25
Colonel A. F. Rockwell, chief quartermaster. Department of Dakota, St. Paul, ^Minnesota, reported for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, disbursements for :
Regular supplies $414,606.65
Incidental expenses 65,872.35
Cavalry and artillery horses 22,000.00
Barracks and quarters 78,749.78
Army transportation 239,166.65
Clothing and equipage 2,922.80
Hospital 3-064-57
Shooting galleries and ranges 2,371.64
Hospital steward's quarters 1,129.80
Military posts 51,150.00
Total $881,034.24
The army, as the forerunner of civilization has, of course, had its day. Elsewhere, as in Minnesota, the soldiers blazed the trail of en- lightenment. Into the wilderness of wood and prairie life came Indian and buffalo, soldier, fur-trader and missionary, freighter and home- steader, team and railroad. Each has played its part in an intensely dramatic history. Development began. Farms sprang into existence. The soil was tested and found to be prolific for agricultural purposes. Then followed the factory and the foundry, banks and mercantile houses, until today an industrial and agricultural empire has been built that is ruled by prosperity, governed by success and run by men who demand and enjoy all the comforts of life.
There is little left of the cherished surroundings of the days of the early pioneer in the northwest. An occasional coyote or timber wolf is seen along the streams, but is regarded as a novelty more than a nuis- ance. Here and there one sees an Indian, though the chances are that he has on store clothes, not blanket and paint and feathers. That is about all which remains of the day that is gone.
314 ST. PAUL AND \'ICIXITY
The officers and soldiers of the United States Army performed well their part in this wonderful transformation. It was a part of toil, pri- vation, suti'erinfj and sacrifice, whereof the peaceful settler and the prosperous citizen now reap the golden benelits. International peace may come, through arbitration — God s|)eed the day! Hut, accepting Mer- lin's blazonry on Arthur's shield, where, in the lowest, beasts are slay- ing men ; and in the second, men are slaying beasts ; and in the third, are warriors, perfect men ; and in the fourth, are men with growing wings, the wings are, even yet, mere bulb and prophecy.
At any rate, the army will no more meet hostile savages in bloody warfare on the American frontier — there is no longer a frontier. The cowboy is only seen as a comi)oncnl of current drama, which, other- wise seems to be mostly syndicated into tights, joy-rides and alimony. The army is to be concentrated in brigade posts, where better facilities for maintenance, instruction and discipline can be found, than at the small, scattered stations which formerly abounded. No locality can sur- pass Fort Snelling in attractive features, and the traditional prestige of St. Paul in army circles will never be permanently impaired.
Bro.\d Loc.\l P.\triotism
Probably the people of St. Paul do not yet realize what an important part the circumstance of this city having always been the capital and the "headquarters of everything," has played in developing the broad- ness of vision, the splendid public spirit, the intense civic consciousness and civic patriotism, with which we are universally credited. A dis- cerning local writer has noted that persons coming from other provinces of the Union express their astonishment at the intense patriotism which prevails among our people; it is such |)atriotism as is usually associated with southern states. There states' rights have been tested forth, and failed — and persisted, howbeit much of the verbose oratory, with its ante-penultimate scheme of accentuation and its antiphlogistic scheme of government, has vanished from the "New South." Because of that debate upon such status a half century ago, there has been a historic reluctance in admitting that any man had a right to regard himself as fundamentally a citizen of his birth state, and the great shifting of the nation's poimlation, during that half century, has made it almost im- possible that men should glory in their adopted state.
We have worked that half century to a difference, and ])opulation tends to become more stable. Men are learning to content themselves in the places which their fathers looked upon and found good. And, as soon as a tradition is evolved, as soon as a sense of place makes itself felt, patriotism is certain to follow. Massachusetts, V'irginia. Califor- nia, are notorious for their patriotism ; they have asserted it, on held, in legislative halls, in halls of fame. But the patriotism of which St. Paul and Minnesota would boast is of a different sort; an intense love of the state in which we live, like unto the |)assionale patriotism of mountain states in the old world, yet, unlike them, with an entire consciousness of our part and i)Iace and j^ower in the Union.
Possibly the people in others of the federated commonwealths, who have not visited us, do not appreciate this devotion of St. Paul men to their own. Few people study the map; few people have seen that Min- nesota is the keystone to the arch, the center of the states and jirovinces of the continent, and the source of those waters which arc the natin;d highway to south and to cast.
This writer concludes: "It remains for the future to develop such
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 315
outlander knowledge. History will some day take cognizance of this placing; if the American continent does develop some scheme of fede- ration between Republic and Dominion, the position of Minnesota will demostrate itself ; and future commerce, with its expected development of water carrying, must look to Minnesota as the source of carrying power, the state of the great deposit of 'white coal,' which shall move the traffic of the continent."
That this local loyalty, this civic consciousness, this state pride and national patriotism, will remain in the future the dominating spirit it has always been to this city, may be exultantly predicted. The combined prestige of commercial and financial metropolis, political capital, and Federal headquarters must ever stimulate the humblest as well as the most exalted citizen of St. Paul to unceasing effort and broad-gauge de- votion.
CHAPTER XXX
THE RENCH AND BAR
PioNEKR Lawyers and Judges — Letter of Chiee Justice Goodrich — First Territorial District Court — First Supreme Court — Earliest Minnesota Law Firms — The St. Paul Bar — Terri- torial AND State Supreme Court — District Court and Library — Probate and Municipal Courts — United States Circuit Courts and Judges — Terms of the United States Courts — Col- lege of Law and Bar Associations
The legal profession in St. Paul owes its enviable distinction for great learning and high character to the exalted standards established by its pioneer representatives and to the fact that a continuous line of worthy successors have been developed here or attracted hither, by the exceptional facilities for instruction and practice. As a commercial and financial enii)orium it furnished a large variety of lucrative business. As the capital of the territory and state and the seat of the Federal tri- bunals, there were opportunities for constant (levcloi)nient by oi)serva- tion and experience such as few localities afforded. These favoraljle ac- cessories to the practitioner which, for Wisconsin were divided between Milwaukee and Madison, for Illinois between Chicago and Si)ringfield, for Missouri between St. Louis and Jefferson City and for Ohio be- tween Cincinnati and Columbus, were for Minnesota concentrated in St. Paul from the very beginning of the history of its jurisprudence.
Pioneer Lawyers and Judges
When the territory was organized June i, 1849, there were three attorneys resident in St. Paul— David Lambert, William D. Phillips an<i Bushrod W. Lott. Three others — Henry H. Sibley of Mendota and Henry L. Moss and Morton S. Wilkinson of Stillwater — afterwards be- came residents of St. Paul.
David Lambert was admitted to the bar of Xew York and came from Aladison, Wisconsin, to St. Paul in 184S. He was a man of fine ability, but his career was short. Ht was drowned from a steamboat on the Mississipjii river in November, 1849, aged almut thirty years.
William D. Phillips was a native of Maryland, and was admitted to the bar of that state. He came to St. Paul in 1848. and was the first district attorney of the county of Ramsey, having been elected to that office in 1849. Under the administration of President Pierce he was appointed to a clerkship in one of the departments at Washington and never returned to St. Paul.
Bushrod W. Lott was a native of Xew Jersey, but removed to lUi-
316
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 317
nois in his youth and was admitted to the bar of that state. He com- menced the practice of law in St. Paul in 1848, was a member of the territorial house of representatives several terms and United States consul at Tehauntepec, and officiated in other positions. He did not practice his profession for many years previous to his death, which oc- curred at St. Paul in 1886.
Morton S. Wilkinson practiced law for many years in various Min- nesota towns, achieved much distinction in political life and held many high offices. His career is elsewhere noted.
Henry L. Moss was appointed United States district attorney for the territory of Minnesota under the organic act approved March 3, 1849. entitled "an act to establish the territorial government of Minnesota," and held the office during the administration under which he was ap- pointed, at one time practicing his profession with Lafayette Emmett, who was the first chief justice of the state. Mr. Moss was not in active practice during his later years, but devoted his attention to real estate and insurance.
Among the pioneers of the bar, Henry H. Sibley was probably the first person who announced himself attorney and counselor-at-!aw in Minnesota, having put up his professional sign at Mendota in 1835. He was also the first judicial officer who executed the functions of a court of law within the boundaries of the present state, having been commissioned a justice of the peace in 1836, with a jurisdiction ex- tending from a point below Prairie du Chien on the south to the British boundary on the north, and from the Mississippi river on the east to the White river on the west. After the organization of the territory Gen- eral Sibley was duly admitted to the bar, but was immediately called to the exercise of high civil functions and never afterwards practiced his profession.
By the organic act the judicial power of the territory was invested in a supreme court, three district courts, probate courts and justices of the peace. Aaron Goodrich was appointed chief justice, and David Cooper and Bradley B. Meeker, associate justices. The first district, embracing St. Croix county, which then included all of St. Paul lying east of the Mississippi river, was assigned to chief justice Goodrich, and the first term was opened at Stillwater August 13, 1849.
James K. Humphrey, who was the first clerk of the supreme court, still resides at St. Paul. He is a native of Hudson, Ohio, where he attended Western Reserve College. He was admitted to the bar at Canton in that state in December, 1846, and came to St. Paul in 1849, He was a clerk of the first supreme court ever held in Minnesota, as well as the first district court. He also held various responsible positions under the United States government.
Letter of Chief Justice Goodrich
The following letter from Hon. Aaron Goodrich, the first chief jus- tice of the territory, to the secretary of the Minnesota Historical So- ciety, printed in Vol. i of the Society's Transactions, gives an account of the first judicial organization, etc. :
"Hon. C. K. Smith, Secretary of the Minnesota Historical Society — Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th of December, 1850, requesting of me something statistical for this
318 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
society. Previous to a compliance with this request, permit me to con- gratulate you upon the prosperous condition of this institution, much of which is the result of your untiring energy in faithfully chronicling passing events.
"You have left but little for mc to say. Minnesota is not regarded by the world as classic ground. I know of no spot here which has been rendered immortal, either by song or story. We have not the lields of Marathon, Pharsalia, or Actium, nor yet the valley of Idumea within our borders. None of these, save those to which the Red man points us as the Golgotha of his fathers. We now daily behold and within but a short distance of our dwellings, the smoke of the Indian wigwams, curling upward amid nature's forest trees, from the place where it arose at a period of antiquity beyond which Indian tradition 'runneth not to the contrary.' On this very spot, which has been for centuries, and almost to the present hour
'Alike their birth and burial place, Their cradle and their grave ;'
our ears are greeted by the 'sound of the church going bell.' while the spires of our churches are glittering in the beams of the morning sun.
"If we have not the tattered banner, borne at the head of victorious legions in deadly conflict in the wars of freedom ; if we have not the sabre, the battle axe, the triumphant eagle, or the 'dyed garments of Bozrah' to deposit in the archives of this society, as mutely eloquent remembrances to call up associations of devoted heroes and gallant patriots —
'Names that adorn and dignify the scroll. Whose leaves contain their country's history,'
yet we have something to write that will be interesting to the genera- tions that are to come after us. It will be pleasing to them to trace the history of a powerful state back to its present terriorial existence; with pride will they point to the record of our lime, and say. these are the names of our ancestors; this is no Delphic oracle; this is not a doubt- ful translation of the inscriptions upon the Pyramids ui)on the plains of Gish, or the Statues of Nineveh — this is history.
"On the 19th of March, 1840. President Taylor appointed the fol- lowing named persons judges of the su])reme court for this territory, to wit: Aaron Goodrich, of Tennessee, chief justice; David Coojier, of Pennsylvania and Bradley B. Meeker. Kentucky, associate justices.
"Responsive to the call of the president; the undersigned bid adieu to Tennessee and embarked for .St. Paul, at which place he arrived on board the steamer 'Corah,' Captain Gormand. on Sunday, the 20th of May, 1849.
"On the Sunday following. His Excellency, Governor Alexander Ram- sey, reached St. Paul, and on the i.st day of June he |>roclaimcd the or- ganization of this territory, recognized its officers and required obedience to its laws. On the iith of June, 1849. the governor issued his second proclamation, dividing the territory into three judicial districts as fol- lows: The county of St. Croix constituted the first district, the seat of justice at .Stillwater; the first court to he held on the second Monday of August, 1849. The seat of justice for the second district was at the Falls of St. .Xnthony; the first court to be held on the third Monday
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 319
in August. The seat of justice for the third district was at Mendota ; the first court to be held on the fourth Monday in August.
First Territori.xl Court
"The cliief justice was assigned to hold the courts in the first dis- trict, which duty he performed in accordance with the governor's procla- mation. This was the first court held in this territory ; it remained in session six days ; sixty cases upon the docket. The clerk of the court of this district was Harvey Wilson. The following is a list of the mem- bers of the bar, who were in attendance at the court: C. K. Smith, M. S. Wilkinson. W. D. Phillips, P. P. Bishop, John S. Goodrich, John A. Wakefield, H. L. Moss, A. M. Alitchell, Edmund Rice, James Hughes and L. A. Babcock.
"Judge Meeker was assigned to hold the courts in the second district, which duty he performed. There was no cause pending in this court.
"Judge Cooper was assigned to hold the courts in the third district, which duty was performed by him. No cause pending in this court.
"There were at that period fifteen lawyers in the territory. Up to this time we have had two trials for murder ; the accused was in one case acquitted by the jury, and in the other, found guilty of man- slaughter, and imprisoned in Fort Snelling for the period of one year.
First Supreme Court
"The first term of the supreme court in this territory was held at the 'American House,' in the town of St. Paul, on Monday, the 14th of January, 1850, Judges Goodrich and Cooper being present.
"There is at this time, but one court house in the territory ; this is at Stillwater.
"Having been specially assigned by Governor Ramsey for that pur- pose, the undersigned repaired to Sauk Rapids, in the county of Ben- ton (this place is situated on the left bank of the Mississippi, seventy-- six miles above the Falls of St. Anthony) and on the nth day of June, 1850, opened and held the first court at that place. There was no busi- ness of importance at this term.
"The county of Ramsey now constitutes the first judicial district. St. Paul is the seat of justice ; it is also the capital of the territory. The clerk of the court, Mr. Humphrey, informs me that there are now one hundred cases upon the docket. The chief justice was assigned by an act of the first territorial legislature to hold the courts in this dis- trict.
"Stated terms of court, second Mondays of April and September.
"There are now thirty lawyers in Minnesota.
"I am sir, respectfully yours
"Aaron Goodrich." "St. P.\ul, M.\rch 4, 185 1."
Earliest Minnesota Law Firms
The first law firm established in Minnesota was formed by Henry F. Masterson and Orlando Simons, who arrived in St. Paul June 20, 1840. They were both from New York and were admitted to the bar of that state. They remained in practice until 1875, when Mr. Simons
320 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
was appointed by the governor one of the judges of the court of com- mon pleas. He was transferred by statute to the district bench and sub- sequently reelected to the same position. Judge Simons was possessed of common sense, sound judgment and clear insight ; he was courageous and impartial, of stern and inflexible fidelity, and not at all scrupulous in denouncing fraud or imposition. Mr. Masterson continued the prac- tice of his profession until his death, which occurred March i8, 1882.
The second law firm that was established in the county was com- posed of Edmund Rice and Ellis G. Whitall and was also formed in 1849. Later in the year George L. Becker entered the firm. Mr. Whitall soon after removed to St. Anthony and left the territory about 1852. He was succeeded in the firm in 185 1 by William MoUinshead, who came from Philadelphia to St. Paul in 1850, and who for several years was regarded as at the head of the bar. He died at St. Paul December 25. i8(k).
Rensselaer R. Nelson, a son of judge .^anuiel Nelson of tiie supreme court of the United States, arrived in St. Paul in 1850. He had been
*^
I.OWRY DUILDING
admitted in New York, and forming a partnership with Captain Wilkin, practiced his profession in this city until he was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the territory, in 1857. He held this of- fice until the admission of Minnesota into the Union, when he was ap- pointed United States district judge for the district of Minnesota, which position he held until retired by age shortly before his death. His ad- ministration was characterized by impartiality, fearlessness and vigor, and few magistrates ever jiossessed to a like degree liie confidence and respect of the bar and the jieople.
The St. P.ml R.\r
It would require a volume to enumerate and adequately portray the careers of the members of the bar who have resided in this city during the period embraced in these annals. Many of them have been emin- ent in their jirofessinn and at llie same time active in other spheres of
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 321
corporate or financial or political life. Their work has impressed itself on the city and the state at many points ; their illustrious careers have become an assential part of public history. Others, more strictly adher- ing to professional lines, have made their mark in celebrated trials, in- volving momentous questions of law and immense sums of money, or have been promoted to judicial positions, where they have acquired en- during fame. As a whole, the record of the St. Paul bar has been in the highest degree honorable. The standing which the pioneers es- tablished for it has been steadily maintained. Integrity and profes- sional honor have been recognized and rewarded, while the meretricious arts which distinguished the "shyster" from the lawyer have received condign reproach.
The city directory for 1912 gives the names and office locations of 259 lawyers practicing in St. Paul.
The legal profession is held responsible for legislation. It furnishes the leading legislators and all the judges. The senators, the lawyers and the judges, between them, make our laws. The science of pleading abhors a negative pregnant. If the modest and magnetic type artist succeeds in getting the evidence of her common-law marriage to a wealthy employer, deceased, on straight, and this irregularity puts on regul- arity by a course of the courts, post mortem — thus and then it may be fulfilled that was spoken by the cynics saying "anv proposition that is boldly asserted and successfully maintained is sound law."
The bench has deserved and received the respect of the bar, and through the vicissitudes which have marked the growth of our city from a frontier trading post to a metropolis, the bar has stood shoulder to shoulder in the common cause of advancing her interests. Many a gen- erous act, unheralded to the world, has found expression in the inter- course of its members, who have well maintained and advanced the usefulness of their noble profession.
As previously stated, the organic act lodged the judicial power of the territory of Minnesota in a supreme court, district courts, probate courts and justices of the peace. The constitution has preserved this respository of the judicial authority with the addition of the words "and such other courts, inferior to the supreme court as the legislature may, from time to time, establish by a two-thirds vote."
Territorial and State Supreme Court
Although the supreme court is not a court of Ramsey county, yet, as it has always been held in this city, we will give its organization from the beginning. In the days of the territory it was composed of a chief justice and two associate justices, a clerk and a reporter, and its organi- zation remained the same after the admission to the state until 1881, when two additional associate justices were provided.
The chief justices during, the territory were: Aaron Goodrich, June I, 1849 to November 13, 1851 ; Jerome Fuller, November 13, 1851, to December 16. 1852: Henrv Z. Havner, December 16, 1852 (never pre- sided) ; William H. Welsh, April 7, 1853, to May 24, 1858.
Associate justices during the territory; David Cooper, June i, 1849, to April 7, 1853; Bradley B. Meeker, June i, 1849, to April 7, 1853; Andrew G. Chatfield, April 7, 1853, to April 23, 1857; Moses Sherburne, April 7. 1853, to April 23, 1857; R. R. Nelson, April 23, 1857, to May 24, 1858; Charles E. Flandrau, April 23, 1857, to May 24, 1858.
Vol. I— 21
322 ST. PALL AND \ ILINTIA'
Clerks during the territory: James K. Humphrey, January 14, 1850, to 1853; Andrew ]. Whitney, 1853 to 1854; George \V. Prescott, 1855 to May 24, 1858.
The supreme court of the state consists of one chief justice and four associate justices, elected by the people and holding office for six years, and until successors are elected and c|ualified. Two terms of court are hekl in each year, commencing on llie tirst Tuesdays of A])ril and October, at the capitol in St. Paul. This court has original jurisdiction in such remedial cases as may be prescribed by law. anrl appellate juris- diction in all cases, both in law and equity.
The chief justice is Hon. Charles M. Start; associate justices, C. L. Brown, C. L. Lewis, D. F. Simpson and George L. Bunn ; clerk, L A. Caswell ; reporter, H. B. Wenzel : marshal, \V. H. Yale.
St. Paul has always had distinguished representation in the sujjreme court of Alinnesota. Of the judges of that tribunal, since the organi- zation of the state, the following have been, before or after their service, permanent residents of this city: Chief justices Lafayette lunmett, Thomas Wilson, James Gillillan and S. J. R. McMillan ; Associate jus- tices Chas. E. Flandrau, George B. Young, Greenleaf Clark, V\'. B. Douglas, E. A. Jaggard and George L. Bunn.
Within the walls of the capitol epoch-making cases have been ar- gued and decided, and the course of history of some of the most power- ful corporations of the country changed, the effect of which has been felt in every part of the United States. Men engaged in these cele- brated cases, litigants, lawyers and judges have obtained national repu- tations. Decisions, first rendered here, and sustained by the higher courts, have modified the law of the land in many particulars.
District Court axd T.ip.rary
The district courts are created by the legislature, the stale being divided into nineteen judicial districts, with one or more judges in a dis- trict, as the exigencies of business may require, antl the judges are elected for six years. The district courts have original jurisdiction in all civil cases, both in law and equity, where the amount exceeds $100, or the punishment shall exceed three months" imprisonment or a fine of more than $100. Also, in criminal cases where presentments are made by grand juries.
The district court, second judicial district, Ramsey county, is located at St. Paul. It holds general terms on the first Monday in each month, exce])t in July, August and September. .Special terms every ."Saturday, excejJt during the nmnlhs uf July ;ind .\ugust. Court rooms in ct)urt house.
An element not to be overlooked in the efficiency of the legal machin- ery of this district is the s|)lendid law library in the state capitol. and which, as the ])roperty of the state, is naturally located at the seat of go\ernnK'nt. The stimulus of a fine library, with the most com])lcte and comprehensive reports embracing the oldest, as well as the latest, deci- sions of all .\mcrican jurisdictions, together with invaluable original state records, cannot be overestimated in its elTect upon the lawyer.
At the first state election. !•'. C. Palmer was elected, and ])resided from May 24. 1858. to December 31, 1864. He was succeeded l)y W'est- cott Wilkin who held the position by successive elections until his death in 1897. In i8(')7 the court of common pleas of Ramsey county was
ST. PAUL AND XICINITY 328
created, and William Sprigg Hall was appointed its first judge. He served until his death, which occurred February 25, 1875, when he was succeeded by Hascal R. lirill. The same year an additional judge of the court of common pleas was jirovided, and Orlando Simons was ap- pointed to the position. In 187O the court of common pleas was merged in the district court and Judges Brill and Simons were transferred to that court, to which positions they were reelected at the expiration of their respective terms. In 1887 an additional judge was provided and William Louis Kelly was appointed to the position and elected for the term of si.x years at the state election held in November, 1888. By act of the legislature of 1889 two more judges were added and Charles D. Kerr and Levi j\L \'ilas were appointed to the positions thus created.
The judges of the district court of Ramsey countv now in service are H. R. Brill, William L. Kelly. Grier M. Orr, O. B' Lewis. Oscar Hal- lam and F. N. Dickson.
Prod.\tf. .\ni) Municipal Courts
The probate courts are created by authority of the constitution, one for each county, the judges to be elected by the people for two years. The courts are governed by a code adopted by the legislature of 1889. The probate court has jurisdiction over the estates of deceased persons and persons under guardianship, and the examination and commitment of insane persons to the asylums. The probate court of Ramsey county is presided over by Judge E. W. Bazille, with F. W. Gosewisch as clerk. The court room and offices are at 51 court house. The general term is lield on the first Monday of each month ; special terms are held dailv.
The mtmicipal courts have the power of disposing of all criminal cases for infraction of city laws, and of hearing and committing for trials on arrests for violation of state laws, under Chapter 146, General Laws of 1891 : "An act relating to cities and villages of over 3,000 in- habitants, and providing for municipal courts therein." By the provi- sions of this act a municipal court has judisdiction in civil actions where amount does not exceed $500; also, in all cases where a justice court has jurisdiction, and over certain criminal actions. Its jurisdiction is co-extensive with the limits of the county where located.
The St. Paul municipal court office is room 18; criminal court, room 1 1 ; civil court, room 6 ; all at the court house. Regular terms for trial of civil actions are held every Tuesday at 10 A. M. Criminal trials are held daily from 9 A. M. to 12 M. and from 2 to 5 P. ;\L Judges: John W. Finehout and Hugo O. Hanft.
The municipal court has largely superseded justices of the peace, but the county still has several of those judicial officers. Among those who have thus administered the law in past years are the following; B. W. Lott, John A. W'akefield, Orlando Simons, Nelson Gibbs, Joseph LeMay. Truman M. Smith, Fleet F. Strother. Thomas Howard. H. M. Dodge. B. A. M. Froiseth, Archibald AIcElrath. Oscar F. Ford, E. C. Lambert, Eugene Burnand, Theodore F. Parker, E. H. Wood. S. V. Hanft, Fred- erick Nelson. F. C. Burgess, W. H. R. McAIartin. Henry L. Mills and Joseph Smith.
L'nited St.\te.s Circuit Courts .\nd Judges
St. Paul has always been the head(|uarters of the highest grade of federal courts outside of the national capital. Prior to the admission
324 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
of the state, all the federal judicial power was vested in the territorial courts and administered by them. The organization of these courts has been heretofore given. When the state was admitted on May ii. 1858, it was constituted a judicial district of the United States with a dis- trict court possessing circuit powers. By the act of July 15, 1862, it was made part of the Ninth circuit; and by the same act the district court was deprived of its circuit powers, and circuit courts were appointed to be held in the district by the associate justice of the supreme court of the United States, who was assigned to the Ninth circuit, together with the district judge of the district, either of whom made a quorum. Hon. R. R. Nelson was appoined judge of the United States district court on the admission of the state, and held the position for forty years. He appointed George W. Prescott clerk of the court, and W. B. Gere having been appointed United States marshal of the district, and Eugene M. Wilson United States district attorney, the court was fully organized. Justice Samuel F. Miller of the supreme court of the United States, having been assigned to the Ninth circuit, presided at the first circuit court ever held in the district in October. 1862, assisted by Judge Nelson. At this term H. 1*2. Mann was appointed clerk of the circuit court. He filled the position until July i, 1883, when he was succeeded by Oscar B. Hillis.
The business of the federal courts having increased with the growth of the country beyond the power of the judicial force to cope with it, a circuit judge was added to each circuit by act of April 10, 1861, with the same powers as the supreme judges when doing circuit duty. In pursuance of this act, Hon. John F. Dillon, of Iowa, was appointed to this circuit, and filled the position to the end of the June term of 1879, about which time he resigned to accept the law professorship of Colum- bia College in New York. Judge Dillon was succeeded September i, 1879, by George W. McCrary, who held the position until 1886. when he was succeeded by David J. Brewer of Kansas. In 1892 the United States circuit court of appeals was created by act of congress, and Walter H. Sanborn of St. Paul was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison as the presiding judge.
Terms of United States Courts
The organization and term-times of the United States courts are as follows: Terms of circuit court of appeals — first Monday in Decem- ber at St. Louis, Missouri ; first Monday in May in St. Paul ; first Monday in September at Denver, Colorado or Cheyenne. Wyoming, and at such other times and places as may be designated by the court.
Terms of circuit and district courts are held, for the first division, Winona, on the third Tuesday in May and the third Tuesday in Novem- ber; for the second division, Mankato, on the fourth Tuesday in .\pril and the fourth Tuesday in October ; for the third division, St. Paul, on the first Tuesday in June and the first Tuesday in December; for the fourth division, Minneai>olis, on the first Tuesday in April and the first Tuesday in October; for the fifth division. Duluth on the second Tuesday in January, and the second Tuesday in July; for the sixth division, Fergus Falls, on the first Tuesday in May and liie second Tuesday in November.
Judges: Associate justice of the United States supreme court. Hon. Willis Devanter; circuit judges — Hon. W. H. Sanborn, St. Paul, Min-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 325
nesota, Hon. W'm. C. Hook, Leavenworth, Kansas, and Hon. Elmer B. Adams, St. Louis, Missouri; clerk circuit court, ]\Iiss L. B. Trott, St. Paul ; United States commissioner, C. L. Spencer ; district judges — Hon. Page ;\Iorris, Duluth, and Hon. C. A. Willard, Minneapolis ; clerk dis- trict court, C. L. Spencer, St. Paul ; district attorney, C. C. Houpt ; assistant district attorneys — J. AI. Dickey and E. S. Oakley, St. Paul; United States marshal, W. H. Grimshaw ; referee in bankruptcy, Gideon S. Ives, St. Paul.
United States circuit court of appeals law library, 431 Federal build- ing; I. L. Mahan, librarian.
College of L.\w and Bar Associations
No commentary upon the legal profession of St. Paul would be complete without reference to the College of Law. Although a private institution, its relation to the public is as important as any educational institution in the city. It was organized in 1900 by some lawyers, "whose incentives to the work involved were their interest in the ad- vancement of their profession and their ambition to establish in St. Paul a creditable law school." Started thus in a small way by men who were actively engaged in practice, it has grown in influence and reputation until it is the equal of any law school in the country. It has already between two and three hundred alumni. Its course covers three years and its graduates are admitted without further examination to the bar of Minnesota.
A very large proportion of the lawyers and judges of St. Paul be- long to the Ramsey County Bar Association, organized in 1898 "for the purpose of forming and preserving a more perfect union of the mem- bers of the bar of the Second judicial district of the state of Minne- sota." The annual meeting of this association is held on the anniver- sary of the birth of Hon. Wescott Wilkin, for many years a judge of the district court of Ramsey county, in order to honor the memory of a man whose ability and probity entitle him to the grateful recollection of all of the members of this association. This organization of a semi- social character, meeting several times during the year at banquets and on other occasions, preserves and augments the fraternal spirit of the profession.
The State Bar Association is a much larger body, embracing not alone the lawyers and judiciary of this district, but of the entire state. Their annual meetings covering several days, are notable events, and the reports of the standing committees often have an important influ- ence on subsequent legislation. These meetings close with a banquet at which addresses by distinguished guests or members of the association give the function a permanent interest.
The following tribute to the judiciary of the state, uttered at a re- cent banquet, is well worthy of repetition : "No greater compliment can be paid the bar of Minnesota than to speak of the excellence of its judi- ciary, which has always occupied high rank in comparison with her sister commonwealths and against which the faintest suspicion of dis- honesty or lack of the highest type of integrity has never been directed. The judiciary of our proud state has contained the names of many of the men whose memories are closely associated with the marvelous growth and development of the great northwest, and who were conspicu- ous factors not only in the moulding and enactment of our superior
;!-_>ti ST. r.MI. AND \1CIXITV
code of laws ami in putting our courts on a praiseworthy ami enviable basis, but in influencing and directing ])ublic sentiment and in many ways aiding in our progress and achievements. This is true, of the dis- trict as well as the supreme bench, for the latter usually comprises those who have attracted attention bv faithful service on the former."
CHAPTER XXXI
^NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLISHIXG HOUSES
Newspapers, (jold Mines of History — "'Register," First Minnesota Newspaper — Murder of Its Founder — The "Minnesota Pioneer" Founded — "Chronicle and Register" — "Pioneer and Demo- crat"— Old "Pioneer" Editors — "St. Paul Daily Press" — "St. Paul Pioneer Press" — "Daily Dispatch" — "Daily Glop.e" — "Daily News" — The "Volkszeitung" — St. Paul Newspapers, in Short — The West Publishing Company — R. L. Polk &■ Company
The di.scovery of the art of printing opened vistas of hope to the world, and the pubhc press is the most significant of its developments. Books were printed profusely in Europe during two hundred years be- fore newspapers were thought of ; newspapers were printed two hundred years before the journalism of today became ]30ssible. The functions must not be confused. Books are the solid specie basis of literature. Newspapers are the circulating medium, the instrument which necessity has devised for increasing the thought-currency of mankind. Journalism is the science which, finance-like, presides over the adjustment of the proper relations of this currency to its basis and the demand for its issue.
St. Paul's journalism has always been one of its most important institutions. No other agency has done more toward advancing the city's growth and ])rosperity. It has been fortunate in always having an able and energetic press. From the very first foundation of the news- paper in this city, men of brains and experience have been managing its journals. The latter were at all times far in advance in ability and in- terest of the press of larger cities in the eastern and middle states, and the spirit with which they have been maintained has been creditable to our pride, as it gave us a good reputation wherever those journals cir- culated. It may be truly said that the character of a city is known from its journals; and the converse is true that the joiu'nals largely derive their tone and s])irit from the people in whose midst they are printed.
Newspapers, Gold Mines of History
.Above all other institutions, journalism writes its own history. It has the ability, the facilities, the incentives and the inclination. A vast accumulation of the collected volumes of newspapers on the shelves of the State Historical Society at the capitol, constitutes not only an inex- haustible gold-mine of history for the city and the state, but furnishes, in addition, the best possible history of the publications themselves. Furthermore, a very elaborate and accurate compilation of the annals
327
328 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
of the press of Minnesota, involving infinite labor and care, has been made by D. S. B. Johnston, of St. Paul, himself a pioneer editor and has been printed in the Collections of the State Historical Society. .Also H. P. Hall, J. Fletcher Williams, T. M. Newson, Earle S. Goodrich and others, have written instructively on the subject. Hence a minute record of all the newspapers ever printed in the city or state has been preserved and is available. It will only be necessary here to give some space to the beginnings of St. Paul papers, with tracings of the pedigrees of ex- isting publications, omitting even the mention of scores of ephemeral sheets which lived si.x days or six months and died unhonored and un- sung— also unwept, except by their creditors. The ballet queen may circumvent excess baggage charges by carrying her stage wardrobe in her purse; the proprietor of a defunct newspaper may circumvent post mortem obloquy, by invoking the charity of merciful silence — and he usually does so.
"Register," First Minnesota Newspaper
The first steps toward establishing a newspaper in St. Paul, or in Minnesota, were taken in August, 1848, by Dr. Andrew Randall, who was then an attache of Dr. Owen's geological corps, engaged in a survey of this region. The project grew out of the "Stillwater convention" of that year, which first suggested to the mind of Dr. Randall that if there was to be a territorial organization it would be necessary to have a news- paper. Having the capacity and means to undertake the enterprise, he set about it.
Randall proceeded to Cincinnati, wliich was at that time his home, to purchase his press and material. Meantime he concluded to await the issue of the bill to organize the territory, which did not finally pass until the last day of the session in March, 1849. By this time Randall, annoyed at the delays, concluded to set up his press in Cincinnati and get out a number there. While in Cincinnati he formed the acquaintance of John P. Owens, a young man engaged in the jirinting l)usiness who had al- readv imbibedthe Minnesota fever, and a partnership Ijctween them was the result. Thev printed a number of their paper, which was to be called the Minnesota Register. It was dated "St. Paul, April 27, 1849," but was really printed about two weeks earlier than that date. Messrs H. H. Sibley and H. M. Rice had passed through Cincinnati on their way home from Washington, and contributed valuable articles on Minnesota to the Register. These, added to Mr. Randall's extensive knowledge of the coimtry. gave the paper a very interesting local character. It was the first Minnesota newspaper ever printed and dates just one day in ad- vance of the Pioneer, althmigli the latter must be recorded as the first paper actually printed in Minnesota.
Murder of its Founder
Dr. Randall being a man of roving disposition, caught the California fever and sold out his interest in the newspaper before he left Cincin- nati. He arrived safely in the golden land in the fall of 1840 and soon became a man of note on the Pacific coast, lie was murdered in San Francisco, July 24, 1866, by a ruffian named Hethcrington. This crime led to the formation of the second vigilance committee, which executed summary justice on his slayer.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 329
The purchaser of the assets and good-will of the infant journal, the Minnesota Register, was Nathaniel ^IcLean, of Lebanon, Ohio, who had determined to emigrate to Minnesota. He was a brother of the eminent John AIcLean, of the L'nited States supreme court, and a man of ability and high character. j\lr. ]McLean was at that time sixty years of age, but strong and active. His associate in the enterprise, John Phillips Owens, a native of Ohio, already had some experience as a journalist in Louisville, New Orleans and other cities. The firm name was McLean & Owens. The press materials were shipped to St. Paul by steamboat, and in Alay Mr. Owens arrived here. Major McLean was detained until late in August. This seriously injured the chances of the paper. The Pioneer had already quite a start and the Chronicle had been estab- lished by James Hughes about June 1st.
The "Minnesota Pioxeer" Founded
The debates in congress on the ^Minnesota bill attracted the attention of men of energy all over the L'nion to the proposed territory, and many were looking to it as their future home. Among these was James M. Goodhue, a gentleman every way fitted to be the pioneer editor of the new territory. He was a talented and enterprising young lawyer, who w^hile temporarily in charge of the Wisconsin Herald, at Lancaster, found it a more congenial field than the law, and chose it as his profes- sion. When ^Minnesota territory was finally organized, Mr. Goodhue at once purchased a printing press and material and shipped them by steamer to St. Paul, issuing meantime a prospectus for a paper to be called the Epistle of St. Paul but which name he changed, before the first issue, to the Minnesota Pioneer. The first number was printed and dated April 28, 1849.
The press upon which this number was printed had been used in Cin- cinnati twelve years before its migration to St. Paul in 1849. It was used by the Pioneer until 1856, when it was sold to the Sauk Rapids Frontiersman, published by Jere Russell, and afterwards used by the Neii' Era, published in the same place by W. H. Wood ; next tipon the Minnesota Union, by S. B. Lowry and C. C. Andrews, at St. Cloud; next upon the St. Cloud Union, by Spafford & Simonton, at St. Cloud; and the first number of the St. Cloud Times was printed upon it. It then lay idle until the winter of 1866-7, when it was transferred to Sauk Center for use in the publication of the Sauk J^alley Netvs which was superseded by the Sauk Center Herald in the spring of 1867. After other services and vicissitudes this press was secured by the ]\Iinnesota Historical Society more than twenty years ago, and remains one of its valued possessions.
"Chronicle .\nd Register"
In May, 1849, Colonel James Hughes, of Jackson county, Ohio, ar- rived at St. Paul with a press and material, and on June ist issued the first number of the Minnesota Chronicle. The Chronicle was published by Mr. Hughes until August following, when it was consolidated with the Register under the name of the Chronicle and Register.
It therefore came about that in June, 1849, three papers were pub- lished in the embryo town. This could not last, and in August the Chronicle and Register were consolidated, as above set forth. Col. D. A. Robertson established the Minnesota _ Democrat December 10, 1850, and
:5;jO ST. I'ALl. AXD \ ICIXITV
within a short time absorbed tlic Chroniclc-Rcyistcr concern. In Septeni- l)cr, 185 1, the Miiiiiesotiaii a]jpeare(l. with John P. Owens, one of the founders of the Register, as editor.
All of these papers were weekly, as was the Pioneer, which went steadily on through all the mutations of fortune undergone by its rivals. Tlie Pioneer became a daily on May i, 1854; the Miiuiesofian on May 11. 1854 and the Democrat May 15, 1854 — the last named published by l)a\ id Olmsted. Editor Goodhue of the Pioneer had died .August 2~. 1852. under circumstances narrated in a previous chapter; he was suc- ceeded by Joseph R. Brown, and he by Earle S. Cjoodrich, who estab- lished the Daily Pioneer.
"PlONEMR .\.M) DeMC)CK.\t"
I'hus in .Ma\, 1854. there were three daily ucws]japers in St. i'aul — as serious an oversup])ly as had i)een the three weeklies of June, 1849. The surplus was reduced, however, in the fall of 1855, by the consoli- dation of the Democrat with the Pioneer. The new paper, called the Pioneer and Democrat was conducted by Earle S. Goodrich for a num- ber of years. In 1861, he associated his two brothers, Andrew J. Good- rich and Frank Goodrich, with the publication, under the corporate name of the Pioneer Printing Conii)any. In January, 1864, the word "Demo- crat"' was dro]iped from the title, and in Xovemhcr. 18^3. the Messrs. Goodrich sold the Pioneer to Davidson iK: Hall.
( )i.ii " I'|()\i;i:r" ['"Dnous
Earle S. Goodrich still resides in .St. Paul, a vigorous gentleman eighty-six years of age, having a wonderful record of observations, ex- periences and achievements to look back upon with satisfaction. J. Fletcher Williams says of him: "Mr. Goodrich edited and i)ublislied the Daily Pioneer, or Pioneer and Democrat as it was entitled part of the time, for ten years, with signal success. lie gained the reputation of being the most gr.iceful. polished, and, at the same time, caustic writer. ever connected with the ])ress of Minnesota, while his skill, good judg- ment and tact as an editor were of the first order. Mis business manage- ment was no less successful. The Pioneer was a prosj^erous and profit- able concern. It made money, even during the desperately hard times from 1858 to 1862, when other journals barely lived or went under."
From ail appreciative sketch of several of his associates an<l con- temporaries, written more than twenty years ago by F.arle S. Goodrich, we condense the following; "Josejih R. P.rown was editor of the Pioneer when 1 took charge of it in 1854. He was a massive man of sjilcndid contraritics. .\s editor he lacked nothing but training. lie came to Mimiesota among the earliest days as drummer boy — a runaway, insjiired by a love of arlventurc. lie gratified that jiassion. for his life was full of it. Mis term in the arni\ ended, he became Indi.in tr;ider. townsite lo- cater. i)oIitician. and, that he might cover all iiuman exiierience in the northwest of that day, editor. In his rude, unimlished fashion he could cr.am more argument into a cohnnn. and enliven it with more genial himior, and point it with more jjregnani wit. than any one of his suc- cessors. He was a man of the largest, broadest, keenest native sense of all the earlier settlers with whom I came in contact, sujiplying not only his own needs in this particular, but fiunishing more than one of his
ST. PAL'L \.\l) \ ICIXITV
331
compeers their re]niteil modiciiiii as well. He will always remain a striking figure in the early history of Minnesota."
Charles J. Henniss. an editorial writer on the Pioneer in 1855-6, was a man of refined tastes and of the most generous culture. Before coming to the west he had contributed papers of marked ability to the Phila- delphia Gacette on the drama, music, painting and kindred arts. It cannot be said that he found in the early days of St. Paul journalism, a field for the exercise of his special talents and tastes. Negro minstrelsy, in concert, drew the paying houses; in drama, Sallic St. Clair, of jirotean
sT' *; - J-- i; -ri ?- - -
t^=:^r
PIONEER BUILDINC, COR. FOURTH .KND ROl'.ERT STREETS
fame, was the reigning queen hotli of tragedy and comedy; while Phil- lips, of Salvator Rosa air and hair, represented a school of painting of which he was at once master and the only living or dead disciple. So, the fine phrases with which the practiced critic furnishes his work, could hardly be utilized upon the artistic productions of the early days ; and Henniss, dying before his time, did not live to see the later and better develop- ment in art, as in everything else, and which has given to everything else ti inches of grace and beauty.
.\ndrew Jackson Morgan, in fancy tlic generalissimo, in fact the drill- sergeant of the territorial democracy, blew many a blast upon his bugle horn through the columns of the old f'imierr. a <|uaint. erratic, kindly
332 ST. PAUL AND \ICIN1TY
personage, whom one never knew how to treat, whether as man or boy. He occasionally, in spite of his eccentricities, or by virtue of them, showed signs of power that compelled respect, and of fertility that ex- cited admiration.
Joseph A. Wheelock, during the year following the suspension of the Financial Advertiser, though an invalid, contributed to the editorial col- umns of the Pioneer some of the best of his editorial work — mostly of a statistical character and upon topics connected with the industrial de- velopment of the northwest. I'.ut aside from these soberer labors, there were essays on morals or of sentiment in which his vagrant ]X"n took de- light, and which the genial Elia would not have blusheel to own. During this year's connection with the Pioneer, Mr. Wheelock accompanied the Nobles expedition to Manitoba as correspondent, and by his interesting letters from that region directed early attention to its beauties and capa- bilities. Or his subsequent splendid career it is unnecessary, as it would be superfluous in this connection, to write.
"Of Louis E. Fisher." says Mr. Goodrich, "it is difficult to write in terms of cold and sober compliment. T never knew- a modesty so genu- ine and ingrained. He was a compositor in the old Pioneer book-room, and it was a year and a half after I measured his qualities before I could induce him to undertake editorial work: and this from a real self-distrust of his own abilities. How truly valuable a newspaper man he became, the public, which always highly appreciated him. never really knew. He had so patient a temper, so accurate a mental and moral equipoise, and a sagacity so unerring that he became a source of inspiration to those around him and multiplied himself Ijy suggestion. His heart corres- ponded to his brain; it was warm, clean, even-beating and true."
"St. Vavl D.mly Press"
Among other editors and publishers in the city during the territorial era, whose work has been chronicled in complimentary terms, were Dr. Thomas Foster, T. M. Newson, J. C. Terry, George W. Moore, M. J. Clum, W. A. CrotTut. David Ramaley and .-\. C. Smith. .Mr. Newson published the Daily Times, from 1854 to i860, and made of it an influen- tial Republican ])aper. In January, 1861, the Ti)nes and the Miunesotian were both purchased by W. R. Marshall, J. A. Wheelock and N. Brad- ley, who consolidated them under the new name of the St. Paul Daily Press.
Die Daily Press had its origin in the want of a Republican organ which should have ability, dignity and cajiital. Hon. William R. Mar- shall, its projector and principal proprietor, hail not previously had any practical experience as an editor or publisher, but his business ability, his widely extended reputation in the state, together with much skill as a writer, had admirably fitted him for the work and was well calculated to give confidence to the new enterprise. His editorial writer, Joseph .\. Wheelock. was a journalist of the finest ability, and he was assisted also by Hon. James W. Taylor, likewise an exjicricnced writer for the press. Mr. P.radley was a very skillful business manager. Thus the Daily Press, established on a good patronage already secured and ably managed, had a notable success from its start. It soon secured the state printing and was the chief recognized organ of the party in the state, as well as the most prominent champion and mouthpiece of the loyal people during the great struggle for freedom and the Union which was then beginning.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 333
In the fall of 1862 a daily paper called the Union was established in St. Paul by some advocates of the election of Cyrus Aldrich to the United States senate, and at the session of the legislature ni January following F. DriscoU, its manager, was chosen state printer. I'his re- newed the old complication of two party organs, and in order to remedy it a consolidation was etfected on Alarch i, 1863, Mr. Bradley retiring and Mr. Driscoll replacing him as business manager. Mr. JNlarshall had previously left the paper to serve as colonel of the Seventh Minnesota Infantry, where he made a record which was instrumental in promoting him to the governorship of the state at the close of the war and to other important positions later.
"St. Paul Pioneer Press"
Mr. Wheelock and Mr. Driscoll thus became the sole owners of the Press and began an association that lasted for forty years. Mr. Driscoll was a consummate business manager and the paper became a highly profitable enterprise, as well as a powerful factor in the political and material development of the northwest. On April 11, 1875, the St. Pail! Daily Pioneer was merged into the Daily Press, under the name of the Pioneer Press. On December 27, 1879, it was first printed on a Hoe "web perfecting" press, the first used in newspaper work in Minnesota.
"St. Paul Daily Dispatch"
On February 29, 1868, appeared the first number of the St. Paul Daily Dispatch, an evening paper, size, five columns. Its publishers were Harlan P. Hall, David Ramaley and John W. Cunningham. The latter gentleman soon after withdrew from the firm. The paper had great success and was enlarged twice during the year, and once subse- quently. It secured a membership in the Associated Press. In 1870 Mr. Ramaley withdrew from the concern, and Mr. Hall continued it as editor and publisher. It became first "Liberal Republican" and then Dem- ocratic in politics. As the Pioneer Press, after its consolidation, assumed an independent attitude in politics, the Republicans, during the presidential campaign of 1876, felt the need of an outspoken advocate. A company was formed which purchased the Dispatch of Mr. Hall, and on Septem- ber 13, 1876, it was transformed "over night" into an aggressive Repub- lican organ. Henry A. Castle was made editor-in-chief. One year later he became, also, business manager, and in September. 1881, sole editor and proprietor. In IMarch, 1885, owing to impaired health, due to the exacting w-ork of his dual position, he sold the paper at a very large profit to George K. Shaw. After a few months Mr. Shaw sold the es- tablishment to George Thompson, who has since retained the ownership and editorial control.
In 1909 Mr. Thompson, owner of the Dispatch, purchased the Pioneer Press and removed its ofifice of publication to the Dispatch building, Fourth and Minnesota streets. The two papers retain their old names and their distinctive morning and evening features ; have distinct corps of editors, reporters, etc. ; but are united under one corporate ownership and business management ; are printed from the same type and on the same presses. Mr. J. S. McLain is the editor-in-chief of both publica- tions. In all practicable ways they cooperate. They have the same sub- scription clientage as both papers are supplied at the price of one.
834 ST. I'ALl. AND \ ICINITY
In the lengthy and (hstinguished annals of St. I'aul journalism no name appears more conspicuously than that of George Thompson, proprietor and publisher of tlie St. I'aul I'ionccr I'rcss and the St. I'anl I)ispatcli. His twenty-seven years' consecutive service in the nianagenieni of one daily journal covers a period that has been excelleil by only one or two contemporaries; the unintcrrujiled career of prosperity and advance- ment, achieved by his puljlications, has been equalled by none. Air. Thompson has continuously displayed great executive ability in securing the service of able, devoted assistants in every department, and excep- tional business skill in conducting the complicated affairs of the wide- spreading enterprise which lie controlled. His professional, political and tinancial success has been continuous and increasing. Xo backward steps have ever been taken in bis onward niarcli nf nearly thirty years.
"St. Paul U.mlv Globe'"
The St. Paul Daily Globe, a Democratic morning paper, established by H. P. Hall in 1878, had a checkered career for about twenty-five years. It was, at times, edited with an ability that promised fmal business suc- cess, but it never reall}- achieved that most essential reciuisite. It was discontinued at last, leaving the Pioneer Press the sole occupant of the morning field. The city of 6,000 population in 1854 had three morning dailies; the same city, with about a quarter of a million people in igii has only one. But it is worth them all — and then more.
"St. Paul D.mi.v Nkvvs"
The St. I'aul Daily Xczi's is an evening i)aper founded May i, 1900. Althougli it bears the name ado])ted by two or more jjredecessors, it bad no connection with them by jjedigree or inheritance, and has escaped their fate by a vigor and ability which eleven years of success have shown to be permanent attributes. It was established in the belief that a pajier giving the news in a clean, condensed and reliable way, and aiipealing to popular patronage by an honorable editorial policy, dedicated to the interests of the peojile at large, would command a sufficient clientage to justify its existence. Results have vindicated the faith of its founders and the wisdom of their management. It has a large and growing circu- lation ; a profitable advertising business, and a publishing plant well equipped with ui3-to-date facilities. It is printed at 92 to 96 East Fourth street by the Daily News Publishing Company, of which L. V. Ashbaugli is president. W. H. Mc.Murchy is the editor-in-cliicf and X. A\'. Reay is business manager.
Tin-: "VoLKSZEiTuxr,"
The Volkszcitung, a successful German daily, is the outcome of a long series of papers ]>rinted in that language, since the weekly Zeitutuj was established in St. Paul in 1856. It was the Staats Zeitiiitc/ and the Volkshlatt. at different times. .Mhert Wolff as editor and Tlieodore Sander as publisher conducted it for several years. It was published as a daily in 1878, hut afterwards discontinued. .\t)out 1882 Charles H. Licnau purchased the pai)er. then a w-eekly : soon established an even- ing daily, and placed it on tiie prosperous foundation it has since occu- pied. It is now published at Jackson and Third streets. C. II. Berg-
ST. PAUL AND \ICIX1TY 335
meier is secretary and treasurer of tlie company. It has a well ecjuipped editorial and business staff, supplying one of the best all-around journals printed in the west for the large and exacting German-American element. Even a cursory review of the relations of journalism, or the public press, to modern civilization, must embrace a very comprehensive recog- nition of its attributes and elements. Whether as a science, or as a lib- eral art and learned profession, it is interwoven with every phase of cur- rent progress. Its influence is impressed on every page of contemporary annals. The press has enabled public opinion to become the paramount force in society and politics, confirming the Psalmist's utterance: "There is no speech or language where its voice is not heard."
St. Paul XEw.srAPERs in Short
The daily papers now printed in St. Paul are the Pioneer Press, Dispatch, Ncivs, ]'olkszcituug, Finance and Commerce, South St. Paul Reporter and Raikvay and Hotel News — the last three, as their titles indicate, being devoted to special interests. Of weeklies, monthlies, etc., there are so large a number, that we can give to each only a brief mention.
■■i. O. U. W. Guide: 49 East Fourth. Published Thursdays; David Ramaley, editor.
Appeal (The) ; 49 East Fourth. Afro-American. I'ublished Satur- days; J. O. Adams, publisher.
Bulletin, (The) (Catholic) ; 315 Xewton building; Rev. J. W. Reardon, editor.
Courant (The) (monthly) ; 405 New York Life building. The Cour- ant Publishing & Printing Company, publishers.
Crescent (The) (monthly); 174 East Third. ]. Harry Lewis, pub- lisher and editor.
Cupids Columns (bi-monthly) ; 922 East Fifth. Henry Jahn, publisher.
Daily Record (The) (weekly); 329 American National Bank build- ing. J. L. Crump, manager.
Dayton Avenue Presbyterian Church Record (monthly) ; 423 Laurel avenue. Rev. M. D. Edwards and L. A. Gilbert, editors.
Der Wanderer; (German Catholic weekly) ; 321 Minnesota. Wanderer Printing Company, publishers ; Joseph ^latt, editor ; William Bauni- gaertner, business manager.
Deutsche Farmer (Der) (semi-monthly); Third and Jackson streets. Volkszeitung Company, publishers.
East Side Star (weekly) ; 834 Payne avenue. G. W^ Atherton. editor and publisher.
Farmer (The) (weekly) ; 61-67 East Tenth. Webb Publishing Com- pany, publishers.
Farmers Weekly; Dispatch building. Dispatch Printing Company, publishers.
Farmer's Wife (The) (monthly) ; 6167 East Tenth. Webb Publish- ing Company, publishers.
Furniture Dealer (monthly) ; University and Raymond avenues. Mid- way Publishing Company.
Guide (The) (monthly) ; 27 LTnion block. Guide Publishing Com- pany, publishers.
Hardware Trade (The); 401 Scandinavian American Hank building. Established 1800. Published every other Tuesday; Commercial Bulletin Company, publishers.
336 ST. PAUL AND MCIKITY
I^ic/li School li'orld; High School building. Fletcher Graves, editor- in-chief ; Frank McFadden, business manager.
Home finder (The) (iiuarterlyj ; 2239 Commonwealth avenue. Chil- dren's Home Society of ^linnesota, publishers.
Jolly Elk (monthly) ; 49 East Fourth street. R. F. Eldridge, publisher.
Life Line (The) (monthly) ; 158 East Third street. Rev. J. M. Bal- tinger, editor.
Aiidzi/ay .Advertiser (The) ; 1041 Raymond avenue. Published Satur- days. Established 1906. The Park Advertising Company, publishers.
Midzvay News; Saint Anthony and Prior avenues. Published Satur- days. Established May i, 1888. Ed. A. Paradis, publisher and editor.
Minnesota Farm Rez'ieiij (monthly). Published by the Alumni Asso- ciation of the School of Agriculture.
Minnesota Stats Tidniny (Swedish weekly) ; Volkszeitung building. Published Wednesdays. A. P. J. Colberg, treasurer and general manager.
Minnesota Union Advocate (The) ; 49 East Fourth street. Published Fridays. Cornelius Guiney, publisher.
Minnesotskc Noviny (The) (Bohemian weekly) ; Y. M. C. A. building.
F. B. Matlach, editor and manager. Published Tuesdays. Minnesotsky Pokrok (The) ; 409 Erie. Jos. Strnad. editor.
Xatioiial Real Estate Journal (monthly) ; 216 National German Amer- ican Bank building. R. L. Polk & Company, publishers.
National Reporter System. Nine weekly publications, one semi- monthly, one monthly, law reports and digests; by West Publishing Company, 52 West Third.
New Cathedral Bulletin (The) (monthly) ; 419 Pioneer Press building, L. M. Hastings, manager.
North Central Progress (The) (weekly) ; 892 Rice street, M. G. Muel- ler, editor.
North St. Paul Sentinel; Margaret street ; Published Fridays by
G. I. Trace. Established 1887.
Northwestern Chronicle (weekly); 516 Globe building, Joseph A. Westhauser, manager.
Nortlnvestern Dairyman (semi-monthly) ; 503 Scandinavian American Bank building, T. T. Bacheller, publisher.
North Western Magazine (The) (monthly); 167 Union block, C. F. Thorpe, manager.
Northxi'estern Furniture Revieiv (The) (nionthly) : Northwestern Furniture and Stove Exposition building. Midway Puiilishing Company, |)uljlishcrs.
Odd Fellows Rez'iew (monthly) ; 602 Pittsburgh building, Winn Pow- ers, publisher.
Oracle (The) (weekly) ; Hamline University, R. T. Hambleton, edi- tor.
Peoples Gazette: 6 Globe building, J. R. .Steiner, publisher.
Pierce's Farm Weeklies: 202 Dispatch buildig.
Poultry Herald (monthly) ; 61-7 East Tenth, Webb Publishing Com- pany, publishers.
Razoo (The), no Dispatch building, Eeavitt Corning, publisher.
Rural Weekly (The) : 92-4 East l-'ourth. The Daily News Publishing Company, pulilishers.
St. Paul Herald. ^13 Union block, Pulilished Saturdays. J. TT. P.urns, publisher.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 337
St. Paul Medical Journal: yo Lowry arcade, Burnside Foster, editor; J. M. Armstrong, manager.
St. Paul Enterprise (weekly) ; Espy building, W. L. Abbott, pub- lisher.
St. Paul Review; 330 Wabasha. Published Saturdays, Review Publishing Company, publishers.
St. Paul Tidende (Danish and Xorwegian Weekly) ; 201 Court block. Published every Friday, C. Munkholm, manager.
Smuler (The) (monthly) ; 043 Thomas, O. S. Hervin, publisher.
Tzvin City Commercial Bulletin; 401 Scandinavian American Bank building. Established 1883. I'ublished Saturdays, Commercial Bulletin Company, publishers.
Tzvin City Guardian (The) ; 6 Globe building. Published Saturdays, J. R. Steiner, publisher.
Vereins-Bote (monthly) ; 530 Globe building, J. Q. Junemann, mana- ger.
VolkszeituiKj (weekly) ; Third, southwest corner Jackson street, Volks- zeitung Printing and Pubhshing Company, publishers.
West St. Paul Times; 175 South Wabasha. Published Saturdays', C. S. Schurman, editor and publisher.
JVest End Bee (weekly) ; 932 West Seventh street, Jas. Blaha, editor.
Thi-; West Publishing Comp.xny
The largest law-book and periodical publishing house in the world is located in St. Paul. This is the West Publishing Company, which prints immense editions of legal te.xt books, statutes, court reports, etc. Also a series of law journals, as follows : Federal Reporter, Northeastern Reporter, Pacific Reporter, Southzvestern Reporter, Southern Reporter, Supreme Court Reporter, Northzvestern Reporter, Atlantic Reporter, Southeastern Reporter and American (monthly) Digest. These ten pub- lications constitute the National Reporter system, a complete and una- bridged series of law reports, including every current decision of the United States supreme, circuit and district courts, and the courts of last resort of all states and territories. The Northzvestern Reporter, the pio- neer in this new departure, was begun in 1879, and its extraordinary suc- cess drew the energies of its publishers to the extension and development of the method of reporting thus introduced by them. It was followed in 1880 by the Federal Reporter, now i^robably the best known legal publi- cation in the country ; in 1882 by the Supreme Court Reporter: in 18S3 bv the Pacific Reporter; in 1885 by the Northeastern and Atlantic: in i\886 by the Southzccstern : and, finally, in 1887, by the Southern and South- eastern— completing the cycle of the Union. The company has extended its publishing business to great proportions. Twenty years ago it erected on purpose for it an immense building on upper Third street, eight stories higli and equipped with all the machinery and material for the extensive trade. Composing rooms, press rooms, bindery, stereotyping department, editorial rooms, counting and packing rooms, sales rooms, and a large vault for the storage of their several hundred tons of stereotype plates, in all of which six hundred employees are engaged, give one, at first glance, some idea of the magnitude of their publishing business.
The Keefe-Davidson Company also publish law books on a scale worthy to be classed among the most prominent industries of St. Paul.
338 ST. PAUL AND VICIXITY
R. L. Polk & Companv
R. L. Polk & Company, publishers of City Directories, State Gazet- teers and National Trade Directories have the most extensive directory publishing house in the world. They publish directories of 125 cities from the St. Paul office, National German-American Bank building. Hiey maintain in a library for free reference, directories of all the princijjal cities in the United States and Canada. They also maintain an informa- tion bureau.
There are many other publishing houses in St. Paul devoted to spe- cial lines of work. The leading printing establishments also print many large editions of books, for general circulation and private accnunl, besides the numerous public documents, blue-books, etc., issued b\ the state government, and the volumes published for patriotic or fraternal associations. Thus the imprint of St. Paul publishers may be found in an immen.se variety of books, circulated in all the states and in foreign coun- tries.
CHAPTER XXXII
MEDICAL PROFESSION AND HEALTH CONSERVATION
Physicians Who Came Prior to 1850 — Arrivals During 1850-60 — Later Accessions to the Profession — Medical Societies — Medi- cal Education — Hospitals — Epidemics and Public Hygiene — Healthiest Large City in the World — Harriet Island Park and Baths — Present Day Health Plans — Economic Importance of Sanitary Precautions
The physicians of St. Paul have at all periods been so zealous and so successful in handling its problems of health and sanitation that the lion's share of credit for the city's national and international reputation for healthfulness must, in fairness, be assigned to the medical profession. Not only have the doctors been highly skillful in curing disease, and in surgery, but they have been foremost in all movements to promote the public health, to build hospitals, to circumscribe contagion, to establish adequate sewerage, garbage collection, public bathing facilities, fresh air resorts, and to encourage everything that secured the blessings of good health for the people.
Dr. J. H. Murphy, an eminent surgeon of Union volunteers, was first and most persistent, forty years ago, in agitating for the elaborate sys- tem of sewers then devised, when many deemed it wildly extravagant. Dr. A. E. Senkler helped build and manage hospitals. Dr. Justus Ohage was the father of the Harriet Island public baths. Dr. A. B. Ancker has advocated the widest dissemination of practical sanitary information. Dr. Howard Lankester is keeping up the unceasing warfare against germs and contamination. A hundred other earnest practitioners are using their influence in similar lines of sanitary reform.
Physicians Who C.\me Prior to 1850
St. Paul's first inhabitants had no medical or surgical aid nearer than Fort Snelling. In 1847, when the place contained not more than fifty inhabitants. Dr. John J. Dewey settled here, and was the first regular practicing physician in St. Paul. He arrived July 15, 1847, and in 1848 established the first drug store, not only in St. Paul but in the state. He was a native of New York and a graduate of the Albany Medical Col- lege. He was well equipped for his calling and soon ac(|uired an extend- ed practice. For more than thirty years he led an active professional career, but during his later years lived a retired life. He was a member of the first territorial legislature and held many offices of trust and honor. For two years Dr. Dewey pursued his calling alone and was the only phys-
339
340 ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY
ician in the place, but in iS^o Drs. David Day and Tliomas R. Potts en- tered the tield.
The career of Dr. Day has Iseen outlined in a preceding chapter. Dr. Potts was the last physician to settle in St. Paul prior to 1850. He was born in Philadelphia, February 10, 1810, and graduated at the medical de- partment of the State University of Pennsylvania in 1835. After a resi- dence of ten vears in Natchez, Mississippi, he removed to Galena, Illinois, and in 1849 to St. Paul. Here he practiced medicine for twenty-six years, being at the time of his death in October, 1874. the senior physician in the city. He was at one time consulting surgeon at Fort Snelling, pen- sion surgeon, medical purveyor of the district and physician to the Sioux. He was elected first president of the town board in 1850, an office equiva- lent to mayor, and also held the office of city physician in 1866 and health officer of St. Paul in 1873. He was married to Miss .\bbie Steele, sister of Mrs. H. H. Sibley, in 1847. ^I^s. Crawford Livingston is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Potts.
Although Dr. John H. .Murphy did not settle in St. Paul until 1864, he had lived and practiced in St. Anthony, as a near neighbor, since 1849 and must be classed as a pioneer physician. He was born in Xew Jersey in 1826; brought by his parents to a farm near Quincy, Illinois, in 1834; graduated at the Quincy high school and at Rush Medical College. Chicago. Coming to St. Anthony in 1849, he practiced there continu- ously, excein durnig his army service, until 1864. and in St. Paul during the remainder of his life, making always something of a specialty of sur- gical operations in which he acquired great fame. He was surgeon of the First, Fourth and Eighth regiments, Minnesota Infantry between 1861 and 1862, and medical director of a divi.sion in McPherson's corps during the Vicksburg campaign. For many years after coming to St. Paul he was the accredited surgeon of most of the railroads centering here. He was surgeon general of the State National Guard for seven years. He held several civil offices and refused many others. In 1852 he was a mem- ber of the territorial legislature of Minnesota ; of the state legislature in 1885; and he was also a member of the State Constitutional convention of 1857. He was president of the city school board. He was a Knight Templar in Masonry ; an Odd Fellow ; prominent as a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Loyal Legion ; and no assem- blage of the surviving veterans of the L'nion army was complete without his presence and participation. He died in 1894.
Arruals During 1850-60
From 1850 to 1855 nu'iierous accessions were made to the medical fraternity of St. Paul, comprising among others Drs. W. H. Morton, I. G. Goodrich, L H. Stewart, Samuel Willev. I. \'. Wren. lohn Steele, "William H. Miller, A. C. Brisbine, F. R. Smith, T. T. Mann and E. A. Boyd.
Dr. T. H. Stewart was born in Columbia county. New Jersey. January 15, 1829; graduated at the University of New York in 1831, and from that date to 1855 practiced medicine at Peekskill. New York. In May, 1835, he came to St. Paul, where by his skill and learning he soon gained a leading position in his profession. In uS^i) he was appointed ])liysician for Ramsey county and in 1850 was elected state senator. He was com- missioned surgeon of the First Minnesota regiment in 1861 ; taken prisoner at Bull Run ; held a prisoner at Richmond, hut was finally exchanged.
ST. PAUL AND VICIXITY 341
In 1864 he was elected mayor and in 1869 was appointed postmaster, hold- ing the latter position for five years. In 1868 he was again elected mayor- and reelected in 1S72. He represented the Fourth District in congress for one term, and in 1879 '^'^'^^ appointed surveyor general of Alinnesota, a position he retained for four years. He died August 25, 1884.
It will thus be seen that five of our pioneer physicians, Drs. Dewey, Potts, Day, Murphy and Stewart, attained local, state or national promi- nence in political life. There is a reason. They were men of intellectual ability, public spirit and honorable ambition. Their wide professional clientage and their lifelong generosity in administering to the ailments of the poor gratuitously, gave them a personal popularity that no opposition could break down at the primaries or at the polls.
Doctors Willey, F. R. Smith (father of Dr. Charles E. Smith), Steele, Brisbine and Mauer acquired great professional and social distinction by long residence in St. Paul and active participation in current affairs.
From 1855 to i860 the following physicians settled in St. Paul: Alfred Wharton, Joseph A. \'ervais, William Caine, D. W. Hand, [ohn B. Phillips, H. A. L. von Wedelstaedt, T. C. Schell, George Hadfield, J. C. Merrill, Gustavus Rosenk, J. H. Studiford, Francis Rieger, Thomas J. Vaiden and Peter Gabrielson.
Dr. Thomas C. Schell, homeopath, was born in 1823 in England, where he was educated at a branch of the King's College. In 1836 he came to America and studied medicine at Rochester, New York. He practiced one year at Detroit, Michigan, and three years at Geneseo. He was then appointed physician to the Marine Hospital, Sandwich islands, where he remained two years. After a Ijrief residence in New York City, he loca- ted in St. Paul, where he continued to reside, engaged in the practice of his profession until his death in 1883.
Dr. Alfred Wharton was long a partner of Dr. J. H. Murphy. He served in the medical department of the army during 1863 and 1864. After a highly successful professional career in this city, he retired from active practice some years ago. and still resides here.
L.\TER Accessions to the Profession
The physicians who settled in St. Paul during the period from i860 to 1870, and who remained here sufficiently long to become identified with the place were Thaddeus Williams, C. D. Williams, Samuel D. Flagg, Brewer Mattocks, C. H. Boardman, E. H. Smith, J. B. Hall, J. T. Alley, M. Hagan, B. F. Adams and William Ray.
Of these. Dr. Samuel D. Flagg still resides here and is in active prac- tice— being thus, probably, the senior practicing physician in the city. Dr. Flagg was a surgeon in the United States navy during the Civil war.
The medical profession of St. Paul received many recruits during the years from 1870 to 1880. Those especially deserving of mention were : Francis Atwood, Charles Griswold, H. C. Hand, William Richeson, A. J. Stone, E. J. Abbott, James Davenport, Charles N. Dorion, W. F. Fisher. E. F. Horst, Henry Hutchinson. Daniel Leasure, Angus Mac- Donald. H. A. Olston, Jay Owen, J. A. Quinn, James W. Routh, Albert E. Senkler, A. J. Simons, Gotfried Stamm, C. G. Higbee, J. E. Voak, Edward Walthers, Frederick Dedolph, Talbot Jones, James J. Dewey and C. A. Wheaton.
Nearly all of these achieved state-wide ].irofessional prominence and several of them are still practicing here. Dr. Leasure had been a fighting
342 ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY
brigadier general from I'eniisylvania during the war for the Union. Dr. A. J. Stone was long surgeon general of the Xational Guard, president of medical colleges and medical societies, and a specialist in some branches of surgery. Ur. C. G. Higbee was a line officer in a Wisconsin Civil war regiment ; was honored by the Loyal Legion and the Grand Army of the Re]niblic and was. for many years a successful jiractitioncr of the Homeo- pathic school in St. Paul.
.\fter iiScSo St. Paul made rapid strides in population, commercial influence and general prosperity, and with this growth the medical pro- fession kept pace. During the lirst years of this period the most promi- nent additions to the fraternity were A. B. .\ncker, O. A. Beal, C. E. Bean, W. S. Briggs, Ignatius Donnelly. A. .M. Eastman, J. C. Markoc,
C. E. Riggs, Parks Ritchie, C. B. Wethcrlee, J. E. Fulton. P. IL Millard, Anton .Shimonek. A. J. Gillette, E. S. Wood, J. Godfrey Walker. Corne- lius Williams, ]. E. Sawyer, I^. N. Denslow, George A. Hewitt, William Davis, .\rchibald .McLaren, (iustav .\. Renz and Ered \'an Slyke. I'er- haps a majority of these physicians are now in active practice here, and have helped maintain the high standing which the profession has always held in the community. The medical profession here has of late donned metropolitan proportions and customs, most of the ])hysicians practicing specialties and (|uite ;i niniibcr contining themselves entirely thereto.
Medical Societies
Proi)ably the lirst medical society in St. Paul was the Academy of Medicine and Surgery, which was organized in 1861, existed for several years and had a beneficial effect upon the profession. It supplied the place of the medical organization of the present day. The objects of the association were the advancement of rational scientific medicine and surgery, and the promotion of harmony in the profession. The officers in 1866 were A. G. Brisbine, i)resident : Samuel Willey. vice president; J. IT. Stewart, secretary: John Steele, treasurer; .\lfred Wharton, li- brarian. For two or three years prior to 1870 this society had only a nominal existence, and after the formation of the Ramsey County Medi- cal Society it ceased to exist.
The Minnesota Orthopedic Institute was established in 1875 by a few of the leading physicians of St. Paul, and existed for some ten years. It was an association of physicians for the treatment of ile- formities, sjiinal curvature, etc. The first officers were Dr. J. H. Stew- art, president; Dt. D. W. Hand, chief surgeon; Dr. C. E. Smith, assist- ant surgeon, and R. O. Sweeney, chief surgical mechanician.
The Ramsev County Medical Societv was organiz.ed Fcbruarv 14. 1870, i)v Drs. E. H. Smith, J. B. Phillips. William Ray, Samuel Willey. Alfred Wharton, D. W. Haiid, William Banks, Samuel D. Flagg. .\de- land Guernon and C. IT. Boardman. The first officers were D. W. Hand, president ; A. Wharlon, vice |)resi(lcnt ; W'illiam Banks, corre- sponding secretary; C. II. lioardman, recording secretary; and Samuel
D. Flagg. treasurer. The objects of the society are to i)romote mntu.il improvement ; to avoid all sources of trouble arising from real or sup- posed breaches of etiquette, and for the advancement of medical science. At each of the meetings |)a|iers are read and a debate follows. The so- cietv holds monthly meetings, and the various branches of medicine, purgerv and allied science are all discussed during the year. The society has been a great promoter of iuutu;il improvement rimong the itrnfcssion
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 343
since its inception and continues to do a vast amount of good. It now embraces among its members nearly all of the physicians of the "regular" school pf practice in the city in good standing. The officers for 191 1 are Dr. J. S. GilfiUan, president; Dr. F. Leavitt, secretary and treasurer.
The Ramsey County Homeopathic Society was organized in Febru- ary, 1872, by the following physicians: C. D. Williams, T. C. Schell, E. Walters, J. T. Alley, C. G. Higbee, H. A. L. von Wedelstaedt and C. Wiegman. The officers for 1872 were T. C. Schell, president; E. Wal- ters, vice president; J. B. Hall, secretary; C. D. Williams, treasurer; J. T. Alley, C. G. Higbee and C. Wiegman, censors. In 1874 two new members were added, E. A. Boyd and A. E. Higbee. In 1877 Electra R. Smith became a member, and in 1878, J. W. Routh, H. Hutchinson and C. D. Dorion joined the society. In 1879 W. F. Fisher, W. H. Caine and Alonica Alason united with it, and in 1880, Charles Griswold, mak- ing at that time a membership of nineteen. In 1881 dissensions arose which resulted in another organization. But in 1889 they were united under the original society name.
The city directory for 191 1 enumerates nearly 250 physicians and sur- geons practicing in St. Paul and classified as Allopath, Homeopath and Eclectic. In addition are many Osteopaths and other professionals — the Osteopaths having, after protracted litigation, established their legal status as medical practitioners in Minnesota.
There are over 150 practicing dentists in the city who support a live dental association.
Medical Education
The proximity of the State University, with its well-appointed col- leges of medicine, always supplied with St. Paul professors and attended by St. Paul students, has reduced the field for medical schools in this city. Nevertheless successful efforts in that direction have been wit- nessed. In 1870 a number of the physicians of St. Paul, believing that greater facilities should be afforded students desiring to obtain a pre- paratory medical education than could be obtained from any single in- structor, organized the St. Paul School for Medical Instruction. The object of this school was not to take the place of a regular college, but to prepare students for a better understanding of the lectures they might hear in a college course. The first officers of the school were Samuel D. Flagg, president; Charles E. Smith, treasurer, and Alexander J. Stone, secretary. The faculty was composed of D. W. Hand, professor of sur- gery ; S. D. Flagg, professor of therapeutics, materia medica and diseases of children; William Richeson, professor of anatomy and chemistry; P>rewer Mattocks, professor of physiology, hygiene and medical jurispru- dence; Charles E. Smith, professor of principles and practice of medi- cine, and Alexander J. Stone, professor of obstetrics and diseases of women. This enterprise was transferred to Minneapolis in 1878. The faculty in 1880 was composed of Alexander J. Stone, president, profes- fessor of obstetrics, gynecology and medical jurisprudence ; Francis At- wood, professor of ophthalmology and otology; Charles A. Wheaton, dean, professor of anatomy and clinical surgery, and others. The school remained at Minneapolis until 1885, when the faculty differed among themselves, and the St. Paul portion withdrew and established the St. Paul Medical College at 204 West Ninth street.
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ST. PAUL AXD MCIXITY
Hospitals
The provision of hospitals was an early care of the physicians and philanthropists of the city. In 1853 Bishop Cretin, Catholic, built the original St. Joseph's Hospital on the grounds at Exchange and Ninth streets, still occupied by the extensive institution which has been so great a benefaction. Sister M. Bernardine is now the prioress.
In 1873 the city purchased the line residence and grounds of Dr. J. H. Stewart, and founded there the enterprise which has grown to mam- moth proportions as the City and County Hospital. This was established virtually by an act of the legislature approved February 22, 1889. Charles D. Kerr. Kimball P. Cullen and Dr. Arthur B. Ancker were appointed special commissioners to carry into effect the provisions of the act, one of which rec|uired the erection of a hospital building on block fourteen, of Stinson. Brown and Ramsey's addition to the city. The commission- ers were allowed $400 a year for their services and required to give
^
crrv HOSPiT.\L
bonds in the sum of $5,000. The city clerk was appointed secretary of the commissioners and allowed $400 a year. Previously, by an act ap- proved January 31, 1887, the city was authorized to issue bonds to the amount of $50,000 to be used in constructing the hospital buildings men- tioned. Many additional buildings have since been erected on the spa- cious grounds, until the institution has become one of the large ones of the country. One feature is a tine park of two or three acres. Ueautifully adorned with trees and flowers. The average number of patients is 384. The cost of operation in iQii was $i62,050.g7: receipts from pay patients $37,009.00. 'i'he hospital is managed by the board of control. Tiie offi- cers are. .Suiierintendent and physician and surgeon in charge, .Arthur B. Ancker, M. D. ; superintendent of training school for nurses, Mrs. Frances D. Campbell; matron. Miss Mary A. Fdwards. Doctor Ancker has been in charge from the beginning, and to his splendid executive abilities, as well as to his recognized jirofessional skill, the city is indebted for the high reputation wliich its hospital enjoys, at home and abroad.
ST. PAUL AND VICIXITY 345
Other hospitals in the city are as follows :
Ilethesda Hospital; 249 East Ninth street. Owned and controlled by the Tabitha Society of the State of Minnesota. Superintendent and manager, Rev. C. A. Hultkrans ; directing sister, Eleonora Slattengren.
Cobb Hospital ; 2056 Iglehart avenue. Superintendent, L. H. Keller ; medical director, Sheridan G. Cobb.
Cuena Sanatorium ; Bass lake. St. Paul Anti-Tuberculosis Commit- tee, managers. Office, 401 AlcClure building.
Dale Street Infirmary (city smallpox hospital) ; Dale street, near city limits. City health department in charge ; superintendent, Emil Rueckert.
Kneipp Institute; 612 Lafayette avenue. Organized November 21, 1893. Francis M. B. Friederich, director.
Luther Hospital Association; 397 East Tenth street. President and manager, H. G. Stub ; secretary, O. H. Negaard ; treasurer, E. H. Hobe ; medical director. Dr. Edward Boeckmann.
r^Iounds Park Sanitarium ; east side Earl between Burns and Thorn avenues Owned by the ^lounds Park Sanitarium Association. Presi- dent, R. O. Earl ; secretary and treasurer, ]\Iagnus Larson ; superinten- dent, Mrs. Bertha Morris. '
Nugent Sanitarium (The) ; 144 Bates avenue. J. M. Nugent, presi- dent and treasurer.
St. Luke's Hospital ; Smith avenue, northeast corner Sherman street. President, W. F. Myers ; secretary, Edward Kopper ; treasurer, R. B. Whitacre ; superintendent. Miss A. H. Patterson.
St. Paul German Hospital ; 225 Prescott street. President, Rev. David Lebahn ; secretary and treasurer, Herman A. Drechsler.
Epidemics and Public Hygiene
St. Paul has been remarkably free from the epidemic diseases which have proved destructive in many cities. In 1849 two cases of Asiatic cholera occurred. In 1850 cholera again appeared and became quite an epidemic. Several deaths occurred from the malady. The Pioneer de- clared that not a case had originated in the city. In 1854 cholera again made its appearance. Several deaths occurred, mostly among the boat- men. The freedom from all epidemic diseases in St. Paul and the uni- form healthfulness which prevails, can in a measure be ascribed to the climate, which is pure, tonic and bracing, and almost proof against the usual pulmonary complaints. And it would be difficult to conceive of a city more admirably located, viewed from the standpoint of public health. Its topography is rolling and is thus admirably adapted for drainage. These natural advantages are supplemented by a supply of pure water and by a network of sewers which reach every section, their total length being more than 100 miles. The city is therefore exempt from all forms of paludal poison and there is an entire absence of malaria.
All this has been supplemented, for many years, by an intelligent and unwearied attention to municipal sanitation on the part of all schools and individuals, of local physicians, and of a succession of remarkably efficient health officers.
The public accepts the ubiquitousness of the tax man. It is his busi- ness, and conceded to be ; still he does not touch the average citizen at nearly so many points as the modern aggressive health officer. From the time one squalls for his first breath until he is tucked carefully away un-
346 ST. PAl'I. AXn \"!CIXITV
der several feet of kindred clay, the health officer is at one's elbow, "meddling" in the most intimate affairs of life. He validates for your proud parents the certificate showing that you have really arrived; he gives the undertaker the paper which tells what corner of the mold you are to occupy pending tiie coming of (ial)riel.
Xot only do important things like births and deaths interest him, but he wants to tell you what you shall eat ; what you shall drink ; how you shall perform these sacred rites ; how you shall keep your garbage can ; paper your house; let smoke issue from your chimney; deal with Scarlet fever, diphtheria and smallpox ; manipulate your milk pitcher ; expector- ate in public, and even how you shall keep your vacant lots and back alleys.
In his inaugural message to the council in 1856, ^Mayor George 1.. Becker laid ]:)ariicular emphasis on his recommendation for a thorough cleaning of the city and for the adoption of rigorous sanitary measures. Among the expenditures for the year ending Ajiril 30, 1S57, is an item of $319.25, by the Hoard of Health, as against $1,150.00 for the lioard of Education . The office of city physician having the functions of a health officer was held during the earlier years as follows: 1856, Samuel Wil- ley; 1857, J. V. Wren; 1859, I- A. Vervais ; i860, T. R. Potts; 1862 to fune, 1866, A. G. Brisbine; 1866, T. R. Potts; 1867, Brewer Mattocks; "1871, M. Hagan; 1872, T. R. Potts; 1874. Brewer Mattocks; 1876, C E. Smith; 1877, Brewer Mattocks; 1881, Stewart i^ Wlieaton ; 1884, Henry F. Hoyt; 1885. Talbot Jones; 1888, Henry F. Hoyt.
By an act of the legislature approved February 25, 1887, the depart- ment of health was reorganized and made one of the executive depart- ments of the city. Its officers were made to consist of the commissioner of health, the chief of police, the corporation attorney, and certain as- sistants and employes provided for in the act. The commissioner was required to be a competent physician. He was to hold his otiice for four vears, at a salary of $2,500 ])er year. He had the power to appoint an assistant commissioner, health officers, two meat insjjectors, etc. This was the beginning of more systematic sanitary work, and has been modi- fied into the system now in operation.
Healthiest I..\rge City in the Worf-D
Insisting that there are no classes of facts which outrank in real im- portance those which relate to the healthfulness of a city which is seek- ing to luultiply its industries and augment its wealth and poinilation. Dr. Henry F. Hoyt, in his report for 1888, directed public attention to this particular feature of municii>al history, and asked for it that careful con- sideration which its importance merits. From that annual report the fol- lowing facts are taken: "St. Paul enjoys the distinction of having the lowest death rate among the cities of 100.000 population, or over, in the United States. Indeed, there are no large cities, whose death rate is re- corded, either in this country or Europe, which begin to compare with St. Paul in the matter of healthfulness."
Tlie table published with that report shows that the death rate in St. Paul, which was 16.52 per thousand in 1882, had decreased to 12.08 in 1885, and 11.80 in 1888. The report goes on to say: "This decrease has been achieved notwithstanding the fact that St. Paul is a popular sanitarium and numerous ])atients — especially those with ]nilmonary com- plaints— resort to this city for the benefit of the air, which is pure, tonic
ST. PAUL AXD \"ICIX1TY 347
aiul bracing. The winter season is the heahhiest portion of the year; the maximum death rate being in the summer and the minimum in the winter. St. Paul is singularly exempt from all forms of paludal poison. Malaria is not indigenous to this city or state; and persons whose sys- tems are saturated with this poison, contracted in the south or east, al- ways get rid of their plague bv a residence of greater or less length in St. Paul."
The reputation of St. Paul as the healthiest large city in the United States, thus established more than twenty years ago, has been steadily maintained. It was no accidental or tem.porary preeminence. The offi- cial report of the United States census bureau for 191 1, awards this dis- tinction. The Paris Exposition years ago gave St. Paul a medal as the healthiest city in the world. Health is the greatest of earthly blessings. The conceded healthfulness of this city is an asset that appeals to all the thinking people of the nation and other nations.
Commenting on these revelations Mayor H. P. Keller said, in a news- paper interview: "It affords me great gratification to know that St. Paul is the most healthful city. This remarkable record must be attrib- uted to our salubrious climate, excellent drainage system, pure water, strict sanitary regulation, and the manner of living of our citizens. One should feel proud, indeed, to live in a city holding such a record."
Exploiting the friendly rivalry between St. Paul and Minneapolis for the record of healthfulness, the health commissioner of this city, having received the Minneapolis vital statistics for May, 191 1, made these comparisons: "The death rate for May in Minneapolis was at the rate of 1,035 to the 1,000 for the month, or 12,420 for the year. For the same month the St. Paul death rate was .903 to the 1,000 or at the rate of 10,836 for the year. Last May in St. Paul showed a death rate of .923 as compared with .903 this May.''
Elements contributary to St. Paul's healthfulness are clean streets, abundant water supply and the public baths. The water system will be treated in another chapter. St. Paul is a clean city. The miles of asphalt, brick and stone pavements are swept daily during the summer season. The streets in summer are well sprinkled ; the expense for this service is paid by the city and charged to the property abutting on the streets sprinkled.
H.\RKIET LSL.\ND P-\RK .\ND B.VTIIS
The Harriet Island Public Park and Baths are a unique institution, without a peer in this country. "During the ten years of their exist- ence," says the health commissioner, "they have been visited by over 12,000,000 people. They have proven to be a large benefit to our people during the hot days of summer, have prevented the drowning of many boys and men and have been to them a school of deportment and a place of safe and wholesome recreation." Band concerts are given during the season and no admission is charged. Besides the public baths, Harriet Island has quite a zoo for the instruction and amusement of children. There are large picnic grotmds and a ptiblic kitchen ; two outdoor gym- nasiums, one for men and boys and one for women and girls ; two ten- nis courts ; two hand ball courts, and a day nursery for small children.
It was reported that during the summer of 1912, 25,000 people vis- ited Harriet island on one Sunday, a generous percentage of whom pat- ronized the public baths. That showing emphasizes the importance of the island as a park, regardless of the batli feature. Harriet island is
348
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
accessible to thousands who are not near or cannot well afford car fare to Como, Phalen or any of the city's recreation grounds. It is a beauty spot that attracts citizens from all parts. A wooded island in the center of the city that will attract 25,000 on a Sunday is a profitable proposi- tion, as a park-, even if it does not yield a cent of revenue. But there is a substantial money return from the refreshment stands and the baths.
Prese.\t-d.\y Hn:.\LTH Pl.vns
The present health commissioner. Dr. Lankester, is nobly sustain- ing, perhaps improving, the records of his predecessors. He assumed the duties of the office in March, 191 1, and some months later, the Pioneer Press placed these achievements to his credit:
Enforced more stringently the anti-spitting ordinance. Got better results in enforcing the anti-smoke ordinance.
PUBLIC B.VTHS, H.\RRIET ISL.\ND
Inaugurated a stricter sujiervision of dairies.
Enforced the law as to disposal of cesspool contents.
Had an ordinance passed requiring the protection of food from flics.
Promoted an ordinance regulating bakeshops and another regulat- ing barber shops.
Had an ordinance passed requiring the sterilization of second-hand goods before they are offered for sale.
Requires the report, within ten days of birth, of sore eyes in in- fants, thus securing attention which may prevent permanent injurv to sight.
Has "outlawed" the common drinking cup.
Has provided for thorough cleaning before rcpapcring or calcimin- ing in houses where there has been contagious disease.
Has made some progress toward getting an ordinance which will prevent the scattering of refuse from wagons on the street.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 849
Is enforcing the muzzling of dogs or their restraint on the premises of the owner.
Has suppressed smallpox in the Hill school.
Has had full repairs made at Harriet Island and has equipped it better than for some time.
Even these successes, however, have not entirely satisfied him. The article says: "As a matter of fact, Dr. Lankester has scored thus far in the greater number of his undertakings. His aggressive policy, will entail larger expenditure, and in getting additional funds he is facing his first great dilSculty."
Here are some of the things the Health Commissioner still hopes to do:
Secure an ordinance restricting the kinds of coal used in railway loco- motives.
Establish paid amusements (a pike) on Harriet Island.
Get an expense fund for his department.
Induce the people generally to be vaccinated.
Reduce the number of smallpox cases.
Prevent complaints about garbage removal.
^Meantime there is more or less hostility to the health officer's vigorous programme. It is sometimes manifested in sarcastic verse, thus:
"Bubble, bubble. Toil and trouble; No more micro- Bates for me, When a steril- ized invention Lets me from the Germs go free. But I long to Get a mouthful From a horse trough Or a tub; Just to guzzle Like I once did When they used to Call me 'Bub.'
"Take me back to Harker's Corners ; Take me back to Hick'ry Hill, For I'm chokin' On the bubbles. Me an' Sue an' Brother Bill."
Economic Importance of Sanitary Precautions
The economic importance to a community and to the nation of sanitary precautions is only realized, when we are confronted with authentic statements as to the waste and cost of disease. An expert recently presented to a national association of physicians, figures which
350 ST. PAUL AXU \ IClXiTV
showed thai the tutal yearly revenui; to ihc governnieiil from the tariff law is twenty per cent, less than the actital annual loss of wages and cost of sickness and death from tuberculosis in the United States. .\ greater number of persons are taken out of the productive industries in this country each year than there are wage earners in Massachusetts. He quoted statistics to show that the total loss to this country in two years from preventable disease would purchase all the wheat, corn, oats, rye, barlev, buckwheat, potatoes, hay and tobacco produced in the United .States last ^ear. One year's loss from ])revcniablc disease would pa_\' the national debt, it would provide capitalization for all the national banks and leave enough over to pay for digging the Panama canal. The loss of energy by people in Southern states from malaria and hook-worm, would build all the good roads they need in live years. Minnesota suf- fers from neither of these ills.
It is apparent, in view of such figures, that pre\enlable disease is an important factor in the cost of living. If the waste involved were avoided, not only would much suffering and many deaths be prevented, but there would be a greatly increased sup])ly of food products for a demand that would be increased only moderately. It is a well known fact that tuberculosis, for example, takes most of its victims from the productive years of life. Tens of thousands who should be adding to the wealth of the country are a drain upon its resources because of ill- ness that might be avoided.
Looked at from this viewpoint, ilic labors of the skilled and re- sourceful physicians of St. Paul, and csi)ccially of those who have been influential in sanitary matters, have an economic as well as a humani- tarian aspect. The doctors have not only cured many diseases for us and prevented many more, but they have contribute(l right royally to the growth and prosperit\- of the city.
CHAPTER XXXIII
POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION AND WATER SUPPLY
Creditable Police Protection — Present Department — First Fires
AND \'oLUNTEER DEPARTMENT PaiD FiRE DEPARTMENT St.
Paul Water Company — City Buys Water Works — Sources of Water Supply — Future Needs — Changed Water Standards
On May 30, 1856, the St. Paul City Council authorized the appoint- ment of four policemen. Up to that time the city marshal, William R. Miller had been the only officer with powers equivalent to a policeman. The first appointees were John Gabel, Nicholas Miller, M. C. Hardwig and Edward Maher. \\'illiam R. Miller remained chief until 1858. His successors were: 1858, John W. Crosby; i860, John O'Gorman; 1861, H. H. Western; 1862, James Gooding; 1863, Michael Cummings, jr.; 1864, J. R. Cleveland; 1865, C. W. Turnbull (resigned July, 1866); 1866, John Jones; 1867, J. P. McElrath ; 1870, L. H. Eddy; 1872, J. P. McElrath; 1875, James King; 1878, Charles Weber; 1882, John Clark; 1892, A. Garvin; 1894, John Clark; 1896, M. N. Goss; 1898, John J. O'Connor; 1912, F. M. Catlin.
Creditable Police Protixtion
It is a historic and creditable fact that during a long series of years the number of flagrant crimes committed in this city has been far below the average in cities of similar population, while the detection, arrest and pimishment of criminals has been phenomenally prompt and cer- tain.
In 1876 the chief of police reported the total number of policemen in the city to be thirty-one and that the whole number of persons ar- rested during the year was 1,145, oi whom 195 were females. The amount of fines and costs collected was $8,900. The receipts of the treasurer's office during that year aggregated $454,456.97 ; the disburse- ments were $366,537.87 ; leaving a balance in the hands of the treasurer at the beginning of the year 1877 of $87,919.10. The amount received from liquor licenses was $20,251.64, at the rate of $100 a year for each license. The beer licenses amounted to $632.90.
In 1877 Mayor J. T. Maxfield, in his recommendations to the coun- cil referring to the cattle ordinance, said: "Many of our citizens who have for many years been trying to beautify their private grounds and our public parks and streets by planting trees, shrubbery and flowers, have utterly failed to accomplish their purpose from the fact that cattle are permitted the same privileges in this city of 40,000 people that they enjoy in the smallest backwoods villages, and the result is that the loss
351
352 ST. I'ALl. AND \ ICIXITY
in tlie destruction of ornamental shrubbery, etc., is about equal to the value of the milU supplied by the cows that do the damage. The cattle ordinance should be amended so as to mean something, or else repealed and the poundmaster discharged. The law at present is simply a farce." Nothing, however, was done in the matter during that year, except that at the next session of the legislature the office of poundmaster was abol- ished.
In June. 1878, on a report of the "Committee on the social evil." a resolution was adopted appropriating all tines collected from keepers of houses of prostitution, inmates of the same and resorters thereto, as follows: One-third to the city hospital; one-third to the Magdalen Home Society and one-third to the House of the Good Shepherd.
On the murder of Policeman Daniel O'Connel, who was shot by a burglar an the morning of the 17th of June, 1882, Mayor Rice an- nounced the fact to the council by a special message and commented on the high character of the officer. At the same time he recommended that a generous provision be made for his widow and three small chil- dren.
The "high license" law, by the terms of which enactment liquor sal- loons pay an annual license of $1,000, has been in effect since the be- ginning of the year 1882. The result is satisfactory. The number of saloons was at once cut dow-n from 780 to 355, and the revenue derived by the city from this source was increased from $78,000 to $355,000. It is the general belief, too, that the character and reputation of these es- tablishments were greatly improved, which fact, together with the en- tire elimination of many of the worst places, had an appreciable effect in reducing the labors and dangers of police supervision.
\\ hen, in February, 1912, John J. O'Connor, who had served since 1898 as chief of police, after long previous connection with the depart- ment, resigned, F. M. Catlin, then president of the board was made acting chief. Later, Mr. Catlin resigned from the board and was elected chief of police, having consented to serve in that capacity for one year, in order that certain important reforms, desired by Mayor Keller and the police board, might be inaugurated. One system instituted since Chief Catlin assumed control is a new plan of recording criminal cases. With- out records at the beginning of his administration, he has arranged for a report on every case, followed to the end, W'hether arrest and convic- tion ensues or whether the offender escapes justice.
Present Department
As now organized the police department is governed by a Hoard of Police Commissioners, apjiointed by the mayor, and comprises one chief, one assistant chief, one captain, four lieutenants, ten sergeants, fifteen mounted men, two hundred and five patrolmen, thirty-three detectives, and ten other employes. The five stations are fully equipped with pa- trol wagons, telephone and telegraph facilities. The police alarm system includes 130 signal boxes, also ii3)-4 miles of overhead and 310 of underground wire owned by the city, a total of 423^^:4 miles of wire. The annual cost of the dci)artment is $205,000. The number of ar- rests in 191 1 w-as fi.154. On July, 1912. there was organizetl a "traffic squad" of 20 men. with a distinctive uniform, and with the special duty of guarding congested centers.
The police commissioners now are: C. S. .^churman. ])resident : W.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 353
A. Hardenbergh, L. L. May, Harry Loomis and Percy Yittum. The principal officers of the force are: F. AI. Catlin, chief; Martin Flanagan, assistant chief; J. C. Fielding, chief of detectives. The stations are Cen- tral, Ducas street, Margaret street ; Prior avenue and Rondo street. A police surgeon, with ambulance crew is attached to the central station. The police department is one of which the city is proud. Every mem- ber of the force is a credit to the department. The policemen are care- fully chosen and every man must be able to speak, read and write the English language correctly and fluently ; must be of good moral char- acter and gentlemanly deportment, and must discharge his duty, under all circumstances, as an officer and gentleman. The discipline of the force is excellent. The result is seen in the remarkably good order of the city at all times. Under the present city administration, sincere efforts are being made to entirely divorce the police from politics. The tendency has long been in that direction. Our people have observed that, in other cities, vice, when seen too oft with police powers un- checked, they first endure, then threaten, then protect.
First Fires .\nd Volunteer Department
It is a remarkable fact that the first building burned in the infant village of St. Paul was a church. The Pioneer of May i6, 1850, says: "This morning about 10 o'clock, Rev. Mr. Neill's commodious chapel took fire, by some shavings and was burned to ashes." This was the first fire which occurred in St. Paul. Mr. Neill at once started east to collect funds for a new church in which he succeeded.
This shoidd have induced the citizens to take measures for protec- tion against fires, but did not at once have this effect. The Democrat said on November 18, 1851 : "St. Paul is entirely destitute of means for extinguishing fire. Measures should be taken to form a hook and lad- der company, immediately. Should a fire occur, let every citizen repair 10 it with a bucket of water."
On March i, 1855, the volunteer fire department was organized by the formation of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, with twenty- eight members. A wagon was purchased in Philadelphia, and paid for by popular subscription. A little later a small fire engine was bought.
In the boom summer of 1857 the city council ordered two new fire engines. In anticipation of their arrival two companies were formed to handle them: "Hope Engine Company No. i" and "Minnehaha Engine Company No. 2." R. C. Wiley, John H. Dodge, H. P. Grant, M. J. O'Connor, John B. Olivier and others afterwards prominent, figure among the organizers. The engines did not arrive until 1858, when they were manned by the waiting companies. Still another company was or- ganized in 1858 among employes of the Rotary mill, and was supplied with an engine by the enterprising proprietor, Hon. John S. Prince.
On August II, 1866, the first steam fire engine "City of St. Paul" was received and assigned to Hope Engine Company No. i. On July 2, 1872, two additional steam fire engines were purchased.
P.MD Fire Dep.'^rtment
By ordinance No. 28. passed September 3, 1877, the paid fire depart- ment of the city was established. All volunteer fire, hose and hook and ladder companies were disbanded; their meetings prohibited in the city
Vol. 1—23
354 ST. I'ALl. AXU \1CI.\1TV
buildings, ami the proijcrty uf the city uiulcr their eoiitrol was retjuired to be delivered to the chief of the fire department. As constituted by tile ordinance, the department consisted of one chief engineer, four en- gineers, four firemen, four drivers of steamers, four drivers of hose carts, one driver of hook and ladder truck, sixteen pipemen, six ladder- men, one tillerman and one superintendent of telegraph.
The department now consists of 307 men, including the chief engineer, three assistant chiefs, superintendent of lire alarm, master meciianic and assistant, electrical inspector and one assistant, veterinarv surgeon medi- cal officer, secretary, twenty-nine captains, thirty-two lieutenants, chauf- feurs, ])ipemen, truckmen, engineers, stokers, drivers, watchmen, line- men, operators and blacksmiths. This includes two new stations.
The chief and the lirst, second and third assistant chiefs have auto- mobiles and the department has an explosive type fire engine drawn by horses. An automobile sc|uad wagon has been purchased. Automobile engines and trucks will doubtless gradually replace those drawn by horses. Some of the best apparatus of this kind is made in St. Paul for use in eastern cities. There are twenty-one engine companies ; ten hook and ladder companies; one chemical company; one water tower; twentv-one hose wagons ; 2 supply hose comjxuiies and an efficient force of trained men, well equipped with modern apparatus. A pompier tower for prac- tice service is one of the features of the department. Civil service rules are maintained and intelligence and merit are the essentials for promo- tion. The tire department is in the highest state of efficiency. It is sujjerbly etiuijjped with all machinery and every ai5]5liance necessary to secure safety to the city from the ravages of conflagaration.
The value of the apparatus in charge of the lire commissioners is $195,625, and of all property, including real estate, $876,960.
The Fire Insurance Patrol located at 379 Cedar street, in the heart of the business district, is a valuable adjunct to the fire department. This patrol is maintained out of a tax on the fire insurance companies. The running expenses of the I-'ire Insurance Patrol for 1910 was $23,- 710.37. A valuable addition to the Fire Insurance Patrol was an auto- mobile service truck of 60-hor.se power with four cylinders, at a cost of $4,500.
'J1ie jiresent board of commissioners of the lire department are: John .\. Willwershied, i)resident ; .\. P)remer, vice president; F. C. Ban- croft, John F. Kelly and Reuben Warner. J. J. Strapp is chief engineer.
In the matter of water sujiply. St. Paul is and has always been re- markably fortunate. Like all towns, in the beginning it was dei)endenl on wells and cisterns. Inn the jiroximity of large and limjiid lakes, lying only a few miles distant, and at a much higher level than that of the original town site, directed the attention of tlu)nghtful, ])ractical men to the feasibility of obtaining a cheap and alnmdaiu sujijily from that source, .\mong the most thoughful and practical was Hon. Charles D. Gillillan, to whose sagacity and i)erseverance the jjeople are indebted for the inception and development of our present splendid system.
.St. I'.M'l. W.XTKR CoMl'A.W
The St. Paul Water Company was chartered in 1857, but nothing was done toward actual cnnstniction until 1865. when Sir. Cilfillan se- curefl control, .\ftcr much lalmr an<l the expenditure of about $300,000,
ST. PAUL AXl) \ ICIXITY 355
the company had completed on August 23, i8()9, the mains from Lake Phalen to the city, and distributing pipes through portions of the then business and residence sections. The system was managed by this cor- poration with Mr. Gilfillan at its head, for over twelve years. The pipes were extended as the city expanded and the service was measur- ably satisfactory. Hut there arose a popular demand for municipal ownership, which became irresistible.
City Buys W'atkk Works
On April nj, 1882, negotiations were concluded for the purchase of the property, rights and franchise of the St. Paul Water Company, by which the city became the owner of the water works. The committee conducting the negotiations on the part of the city consisted of C. W. Griggs, chairman; Charles E. Otis, E. C. Starkey, A. Allen, Joseph Robert, John Dowlan and J. M. McCarthy. The conditions of purchase finally agreed upon were as follows : The city agreed to give $340,000 and to take the property subject to the lien and incumberance of a trust deed made to secure the outstanding bonds issued by the water company, not to exceed $160,000 in amount. The transfer was to take place June I. 1882. The city was to indemnify and save harmless C. D. Gil- fillan on account of a certain guaranty signed by him on a contract dated January 25, 1869. between the water company and Benjamin F. Hoyt and others. The purchase was to embrace the lot and office thereon occupied by the water company and certain rights of flowage and drain- age on the private land of C. D. Gilfillan in White Bear and Mounds View townships.
By a resolution of the council adopted April 19, it was ordered that $340,000 in thirty-year four per cent bonds be issued and negotiated to secure the purchase money required. The contract was not closed at this time, however, and in August it was modified and again accepted by the council in the following form : "The city to give $37,000 in cash and $313,000 in four per cent bonds, dated June i, 1882, interest payable semi-annually, and to take the property subject to the lien and incum- brance of a trust deed made to secure the outstanding bonds ; the trans- fer to take place August 10, 1882." The provisions as to office build- ing and lot, the flowage rights, etc, were retained in this contract.
The first board of water commissioners appointed by the mayor was composed of C. D. Gilfillan, president ; C. W. Griggs, C. H. Boardman and P. H. Kelly ; and the mayor, Edmund Rice, ex-officio. John Caul- field was the first secretary, John B. Overton the first superintendent, and L. \V. Rundlett, engineer. The bonded debt of the city on account of the purchase at first was $510,000, of which amount $350,000 was in four per cents, running thirty years from June i, 1882, and $160,000 in eight per cents assumed by the city and due January i, 1889. The total receipts of the city on account of the water department from August 10, 1882, the date of purchase, to December ist of that year, were $27,541.75.
Sources of W.vtek Suppfa'
Extensions and improvements were rapidly made. In 1892, ten years after the water works became city property, the commissioners were [. F. Hoyt, Thomas Grace, P. H. Kelly, B. Kuhl and R. B. C. Bement.
At that time and ever since, the city could claim and abundant supj)l\-
356 ST. PAUL AND MCIXITY
of pure and wholesome drinking water for all present needs, brought from a chain of spring-fed lakes which extended to within ten miles of the city. The supply is drawn by two systems — gravity for lower town or St. Paul proper, and pump, for St. Anthony Hill, or the hill district. The high service reservoir is situated a short distance northeast of Lake Como on an elevation of above city datum 310 feet, with cai)acity of 16,000,000 gallons.
The report of the commissioners for that year showed a total of igSyi miles of water mains in operation, with 11.533 connections, 1,813 fire hydrants and 1,749 gates. The daily average of water used in the whole city that year was about 9,000,000 gallons, equal to eight acres of water, three feet deep. A pump of 6,000.000 gallons daily capacity had been contracted for, to be placed at the McCarron station. The five driven wells at \'adnais lake, together with the artesian well there, were vielding about 2,250.cx)0 gallons daily. The rainfall for 1SS9 was 17 inches; for 1890 it was 23 inches: for 1891, 21.71; inches; the average
HIGH BRIDGE .\ND CITY HOSl'lT.M.
for thirty-two years is recorded as a little better than 28 inches. During this time the least precipitation was in 1864. 14.83 inches; the greatest in 1881, 39.16 inches. The water sui)i)lied to St. Paul, whether from wells or spring-fed lakes is a marvel of jnu-ity, as i^requent analyses have shown, and is free from all sources of contamination, as the shores of the lake are wholly unoccui)ied by residences or factories.
In 1890 a system of artesian wells was started at Lake \ adnais, whicli now consists of ten wells with a daily average capacity of be- tween 4,000.000 and 5.000.000 gallons. As the city grew it became ap- I)arent that the Xadn'ais lake system would soon prove inade(|uate, and in 1896 the works were extended to Centerville, about eighteen miles away. This plant now consists of Centerville lake, twenty-eight artesian well's, of which ten are from 475 to 5(X) feel deep, and eighteen .liiout 100 feet deep, all connected with "each other but not with the lake, with a total capacity of about 8,000.000 gallons ; a 1 5.000,000 gallon punij), and two additional 5,000,000 gallon i)umps recently completed. \\'ater is
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 357
taken from the lake through a goo foot suction pipe and from the lake and wells combined, if the supply is sufficient, 25,000,000 gallons a day can be pumped. The water is raised forty feet through conduits and passes into Pleasant lake.
Another plant of six wells, 700 feet deep, pumped by a system of compressed air, is just being completed at the McCarron lake station. These are expected to furnish 6,000,000 gallons which will be pumped directly into the conduit and will thus benefit both the high and low service At West St. Paul two more twelve-inch wells, 500 feet deep, have been sunk, whose capacity is believed to be 3,000,000 gallons daily. They will be operated by electricity, will have a 150 foot head and are especially for the low service system. When these four sets of artesian wells are in operation they will have a combined daily output of more than 20,000,000 gallons.
Vadnais and Centerville lakes have been reinforced by connecting them from time to time through ditches or conduits with other adjacent or tributary lakes, such as Peltier, George, Watch's Ronds, Rice and Reshanan, Sucker, Bald Eagle and other lakes. This process could be further extended as it is believed that about 15,000,000 gallons a day run ofif which could be impounded and utilized, if the reservoir capacity were also correspondingly enlarged. Another means of increasing the reserve is by deepening the lakes, thus adding to their storage capacity and dredging is in fact proceeding at Centerville lake.
There are now more than 360 miles of water mains in St. Paul, rang- ing from four to thirty-six inches in diameter; 3,160 fire hydrants and 442 street sprinkling hydrants. Water rates have decreased since the city acquired the works from 50 to 80 per cent ; thus a seven-room house which would have been charged $20 a year in 1882, now pays $8.10 for the same period. The daily average consumption in 1910 was I.3i5'673 gallons, divided between high and low service in about the proportion of lYi to 53^. That year was exceptional, but normally the consump- tion is about fifty gallons per capita, which compares with an average daily consumption of gi gallons in Minneapolis; 100 gallons in Milwau- kee, 151 gallons in Detroit; 293 gallons in Buffalo (in igog) and 185 gallons in Philadelphia.
Up to January i, igii, the net cost of the work, including the pur- chase price, was $5,370,085.11 of which more than half or $2,760,085.11 has been met out of surplus earnings. The total bond issue is $2,610,000; but of this only $2,086,000 is outstanding, the board having adopted the policy of establishing a sinking fund and buying its bonds whenever it could do so to advantage.
Future Needs
The supply is sufficient for present needs, but some dread of a water famine during a recent exceptionally dry season, the rapid growth of the city and the experience of other cities, have combined to direct at- tention to the wisdom of amply providing for the future. Washing- ton, D. C, is confronted with a serious problem. There is enormous waste there. With only fifty per cent more population than St. Paul, Washington uses five times as much water. As a consequence the his- toric aqueduct carried over a creek gorge in the roadway of a great stone arch bridge, although nine feet in diameter, is proving inadequate to supply the city. Unless consumption is cut down, this aqueduct
358 ST. I'ALI. AXl) \ U'lXIIA'
must be enlarged. .\'e\\ Ynrk is spending $f)0,ooo,000 to get an addi- tional siii)]ily from the L'atskills. l.os .\ngeles will have invested $2_^.- ooo.ooo in a water project before it has a supply to meet its present needs. Chicago with an unlimited supply of water is unable to jnuuit enough to keep up pressure because of the waste from its pipes. With the growth of the modern city, the water problem is becoming acute. The most far-seeing niuniciiKdities are finding supplies at this time which in human probability will be imfailing. This is also the i)roiilem St. Paul must solve. That the same intelligent enterprise whicli has anti- cipated every ])ast emergency and provided for it will be e(|ual to those emergencies whicli are yet to come, may be conlidently predicted.
The i)resent board of water commissioners consists of Hans Madson. ])resident: Isaac Lederer, vice president; J. W. Lux, Louis F. Dow and C. P. Dahlby. John Caulfield. who was secretary of the old water com- pany and was the first secretary of the board of water commissioners, still holds that important executive ])osition. In 1012, an important reorganization of the department was made b\- the water hoard, on the recommendation of outside ex])erts. \ew and a|)proved jilans were adopted, which it is believed will increase the already creditable effi- ciency of the service.
It is undeniable that one of the greatest needs of any community is a supply of water that is clean and attractive for drinking and ])er- •sonal use : water that is not only free from the germs of disease, but is beyond the danger of such germs being ])resent ; water that is "jnire and wholesome" as the courts say, and for which freedom from ])()Ilu- tion is a first re(|uisite. A ])ublic water supply must not only seem to be pure, it must be pure in actual fact : and on the other hand, it must be not only bacterially safe, it should show its safety by its cleanness. For in spite of all statements of chemists or bacteriologists, and in spite of the warning of physicians and health departments, it is a fact that a large proportion of any community will (Irink the water sui)plied to their houses, if it looks good and tastes good.
Cii.\.\'('.i:i> W A ii;k .^t and \i;i>s
It is interesting to observe how water standards have changed. The earliest standards of jjurity were physical. Water that was clear, color- less, and without taste and odor, was accepted as good water. Such is the or<linary standard of the farmer tod.iy. Me I'mds such a sujiply not in the streams and lakes, but in the wells and springs. He mav not regard the \\;itr-r of a nearby brook as im|>nre, but he does not use it in his house, lie knows that cattle wade in it. that dead leaves decom- pose in it, that dirt is washed into it and he prefers the water of his well, even though k)cated in his barnyard, for he likes its clearness, he likes its coolness and he al.so choses it for its convenience.
.\fter the physical, came the chemical standards of puritv. Large communities were compelled to depend ujjon the use of sinM'ace waters. I'eing not always clean, such waters were suspected as to their jniritv and the chemist was called upon to reassure the consumers as to the safety of the water or to condemn it if need be. A generation ;igo chemical standards of purity were much in vogue. .'Sometimes the judg- ment was right, but too often it was of no value, as it was foinided upon meagre data and ignorance of local conditions prevented the chemist from using the saving grace of common sense.
ST. PAUL AND \ICINITY 359
Lastly have come the standards of the bacteriologist and the sani- tarian. Our water supplies are being judged not only by the chemical analysis but by the bacteria that are present or absent. The absence of objectionable bacteria is sometimes considered as giving a water supply a clean bill of health. Such tests are of value, and not to be omitted. Decency demands that indications of pollution be absent from water used for drinking but there are other tests than these and the homel\- virtue of cleanness is a sine qua non for every public water supply.
It is common also to say that the best test of the purity of a water supply of any city is the typhoid fever death rate among the consumers. As a general statement this is true, though there are exceptions to the rule. Decreases in the typhoid fever death rate following the tiltration of a public supply are also used for measuring the practicable efficiencv of a filter plant. Statistics abundantly prove that when pure is sub- stituted for impure water, the health of the city improves to a far greater degree than the mere elimination of typhoid fever accounts for. Many other deseases, even including pneumonia, are reduced. Further- more, an abundance of clean water tends to increase the use of water for drinking — a thing good in itself. It reduces the patronage of the soda fountains and the saloons, and it encourages personal cleanliness which promotes the public health.
In connection with all projects for the purification of water the pre- vention of pollution usually receives prominent consideration, and rightly so. It goes without saying that the greater the natural purity of the water the less work is demanded of a purification plant, and the greater is the margin of safety. This prevention of ]3()llution is the onlv "purifica- tion" process St. Paul has ever found necessary. That has been care- fully attended to and so pure is the original supply, that no filtration plants have ever been needed.
That an abundant supply of clean, safe water is a valuable asset to any community would not seem to demand proof, but when year after year bond issues for new water supplies or for the installation of filters are turned down by popular vote; when city councils continue to post- ]5one action in spite of known facts in regard to uncleanly and unsani- tary conditions, it is evident that the full significance of the subject is not yet appreciated. It would seem certain that there could be no higher standard than that involving the lives of the people who have to drink the water; yet if one may judge from the action of some cities, this standard is placed below the financial one, while both are sometimes al- lowed to give place to political considerations.
No such perversions have afflicted the administration of the water department in St. Paul. Not even the merciless warfare of partisan criticism has ever impugned the integrity of purpose and general sound- ness of judgment displayed by the commissioners in the discharge of their responsible duties.
And in the aggregate, the three administrative functions, treated of in this chapter, have contributed their full share toward the uplift of St. Paul and tlie [iromotion of its unparalled prosperitv.
CHAPTER XXXIV
CITY ANT) SUBURBAN ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
First Street Railway in Operation — Company Reorganized and Lines Extended — First City Electric Line — Work Commenced on GRtVND Avenue Line — St. Paul's Red-Letter Day — Twin City Rapid Tr.vnsit Company — Closer Union Between the Twin Cities — Beautiful Points Reached by the System — Ben- eficial Interurban Lines
The first movement toward rapid transit in this city resulted May 9, 1872, in an organization under the title of the St. Paul Street Railway Companv. It was composed of T. C. Burbank, Horace Thompson, E. F. Drake, George Culver, W. S. Wright. II. L. Carver, A. H. Wilder, John L. Merriam, P. F. McQuillian, John Wann, William Dawson, Peter Berkey, William Lee, Bartlett Presley and William F. Davidson. The officers were J. C. Burbank, president ; John Wann, vice president ; H. L. Carver, secretary; and William Dawson, treasurer. H. L. Carver was the active manager.
First Street Railway in Oper.\tion
The first contract was made for two miles of track, and when it was completed six cars were put on, which were operated by fourteen men and thirty horses (or mules). The first line, beginning at Lafayette and Woodward avenues, lower town, ran on Lafayette avenue and Lo- cust street to Seventh : on Seventh to Jackson ; on Jackson to Fourth; on Fourth to Wabasha; on Wabasha to Third, and on Third to Seven Corners. In winter covered sleighs were provided, it being thought impossible to keep the tracks free from snow. The sleighs, omnibus in size and form, ran on Third street from Jackson to Wa- basha, but otherwise followed the regular route. There was no heat, but straw was placed on the floors to keep the passengers' feet warm. In 1873 the main line was extended out West Seventh street nearly to the city hospital, and on Wabasha street and College avenue to Rice street. The first stables were located in a two story brick building, now a factorv, located on Exchange street and extending from Third to Fourth.
A few years later, after the lines had been extended, the down-town stables were established on the site of the present fourteen-story Lowry building on .St. Peter street, running from Fourth to Fifth streets. It was a well constructed three-story building of brick, with stalls for one hundred and fifty horses and room for thirty cars, besides repair and blacksmith's shops. The upper stories were used as the offices of
360
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 361
the company, sleeping rooms for employes, and for the storage of grain, hay and other feed.
' During the year 1880 the street cars carried 975,000 passengers, which was more' than twenty times the population of the city. Horses and mules were still the motive power, and the busy drivers performed the various functions of coachman, conductor, cashier, policeman and street directory.
C0MP.\NY ReORG.\NIZED AND LiNES EXTENDED
In November, 1878. the company was reorganized under the name of the St. Paul City Railway Company. Extensions of the lines of the company were made from year to year, and at the close of 1887 street cars were in operation on the following routes : East and West Sev- enth streets, from Lee street west to Duluth avenue east; Maria ave- nue, Seventh to Plum; Oakland, Grand and Victoria west, to Payne avenue east; University avenue and Mississippi street; Rice street and West St. Paul, from Front and Rice on South Robert, and on Concord street to Cambridge street ; Rice street extension, from Front street to ^Maryland street; Saint Anthony Hill, from Dale and Laurel streets to Smith Park.
On these various lines, constituting over forty-five miles of track, the company had 113 street cars and used 742 horses, and 200 mules. During 1887 the company built a cable line, the first in St. Paul, run- ning from Broadway westward up Fourth and Third streets and Selby avenue to St. Albans street, a distance of two and one-half miles. The line was finished in December, 1887, and was in active operation in the following month. It was a double track and cost about $100,000 per mile. Twelve cable motors were used and sixteen passenger coaches. Another cable line went into operation in June, 1889. It ran from Wabasha street, on Seventh street to Duluth avenue.
First City Electric Line
In June, 1889, Archbishop Ireland and Thomas Cochran concluded an agreement with the City Railway Company by which it agreed to build, equip and operate two electric surface motor lines, one running from Wabasha and Seventh street out Oakland and Grand avenues to Cleveland avenue, and the other beginning at Wabasha and Fourth street, and thence continuing out Fourth to Seventh, to Randolph and along Randolph to Cleveland avenue. The company agreed to have the road running within six months provided a bonus was raised and paid over to them in instalments extending over nine months, the first instalment not being payable until the rails are laid. This arrangement gave St. Paul its first electric line.
By this time the control of the City Railway Company had passed into the hands of Thomas Lowry, who with his associates also con- trolled the Minneapolis system. When the electric construction was undertaken, the office of the St. Paul City Railway Company was lo- cated on Ramsey street between Oak and Forbes. The officers of the company were : Thomas Lowry, president ; P. F. Barr, vice president ; A. L. Scott, superintendent; A. Z. Levering, secretary; W. R. Merriam, treasurer.
A narrative of the progressive official steps Ijy which this consumma-
362 ST. I'AUL AND \TC1X1T\-
lion was reached may he of interest. When he was lirsi approached, -Mr. Lowrv was incredulous as to whether electricity had become a ]jrac- ticable motive for street railway piir])oses. but linally agreed, if his com- pany was protected against loss, to extend the existing Grand Avenue line, from its terminus at the corner of X'ictoria street, along Grand ave- nue to the Mississippi river; and to build a new line from the junction of West Seventh and Randolph streets along the latter thoroughfare due west also to the banks of the Mississippi river. In pursuance of this agreement, an ordinance was introduced into the Common Council giv- ing the necessary rights to the City Railway Company, to enable it to use electricity, not only upon these lines but upon those interior lines of the city upon which these extensions w'ould dejiend for communication with tiie business centers. Whatever other rights the City Railwa_\ Company had, it was agreed ui)on all hands that neither its charter nor any of the amendments thereto gave it the right to em])l(i\- any- thing but horse power upon the streets of the city.
l!y the time the ordinance mentioned had been referred to the proper committee and had reached the council for consideration, it was onl\- one of half a dozen ordinances which other corporations had applied for to build rival and comjieting lines to those of the system already in existence, and to its extensions which the new ordinance jjroposed. This preci])itatc(l a contest, which for some time threatened to arrest all improvement. The City Railway Company gave public notice of its intention to protect the exclusive rights which it claimed it possessed : and at once proceeded to lay its rails upon Sixth street, which, by com- mon consent, had theretofore been left unobstructed. On the other hand, many citizens resisted the claim of the City Railway Comjiany to ex- clusive rights and insisted that it could not be successfully maintaineil in law. .Xfter much agitation and discussion the president of the City Railway Com])any addressed a letter to the Chamber of Commerce, in which he proposed the ap])ointment of a committee by that body which should confer with the proper committee of the Common Council and with the representatives of the City Railway Company, to see whether amicable adjustment could not be reached.
The consideration of this communication by the board of directors of the Chamber, resulted in the appointment of a committee of thirteen, to whom the whole subject was referred with ])ower to act. The first stej) taken by this comniillcc was to hold a |)ub!ic meeting to which the whole Chamber, the members of the City Council, the representa- tives of the Street Railway Company and the public generally, were in- vited. This meeting resulted in the appointment of a sub-committee of seven, with instructions to confer with the committee on streets of tlie Cominon Council and the ])resident of the City Railway Company for the purpose of formulating such an ordinance as would be acceptaiile to all parties. This sub-comn)ittee met for nearly a monlh in almost daily deliiieration with the committee on streets of the Common Council, and with the j)resident of the t'itv Railway Company. ( )ne argument which was freely used during all the debate ujion the subject, was the neces- sity of so modifying the existing charter and ordinances, as to make them less burdensome to the city and more favorable to the demands and needs of the ])ublic. It was urged that the present was a fit time to flo this, inasmuch as the corporation was substantially asking for a new grant of privilege in demanding that it be alUjwed to emjilov elec- tricity instead of horse-])ower. The railway comjiany ni.iintaineil upon
ST. PAUL AXl) \1C[XITY 363
the other hand that in asking permission to use electricity it only sought to improve the service which it was rendering to the public, and that it was both unwise and unfair to seek to make this the opportunity of abridging, or destroying the corporation's legal and vested rights. The result of the many conferences was the granting to the St. Paul City Railway, by the Common Council, by unanimous vote, the right to oper- ate all of its lines of railway by cable, electric, pneumatic or gas power, at the option of the company.
Never was the value of the Chamber of Commerce to the city more plainly shown. The council and the railway company seemed to be divided by an insurmountable obstacle. The former was righteously determined to protect the city's rights ; the latter claimed that its rights were in danger of being sacrificed. The public, the third party to the contest, maintained on the one hand that the city's rights must be pre- served, but on the other demanded that rapid transit must be obtained and was impatient of any postponement of its accomplishment. The solution, satisfactory to all concerned, was a notable triumph of pa- tience and diplomacy.
Work Commenckd on Gr.\nd Avenue Line
Ijy its acceptance of the ordinance which the company promptly filed, it agreed to build and electrically equip 32 4-10 miles of double- track extensions to its present system, during the years of 1890 and 1891. Under this ordinance work was at once commenced upon the Grand avenue line and it was completed and opened to the public on February 22, 1890. Perhaps the most important of all the lines built, as it was the next to be finished, was that along University avenue, by which magnificent thoroughfare it communicated directly with the cen- ter of jMinneapolis.
The introduction of electric power was accomplished by an immense outlay of capital and energy, during a period of financial stringency. But the comfort of the new and commodious cars and the economy of time and expense in traveling to all sections of the city were appreci- ated by a grateful public, as was soon demonstrated by the greatly in- creased amount of travel on the street car lines.
St. P.\ul's Ricd-Letter Day
On the final passage of this great ordinance by the City Council September 19, 1889, two prophetic addresses were made, from which we only have room for brief extracts. Alderman Walter H. Sanborn, now judge of the United States circuit court said, just before the vote was taken: "Every alderman should vote for this measure. In my view it opens up to the city of St. Paul a career of prosperity such as has never been opened up before. With over thirty miles of street railway to be built, all within two years, St. Paul ought to take on a boom the like of which has never been witnessed. If the property of citizens does not appreciate, and if the citizens themselves do not advance in wealth and prosperity and in all things that are for their materia! interest, then I am no prophet and see no possibility of anything like prophecy. But defeat by a single vote this ordinance and you go back to the old litigation, and for five years longer you will have nothing but horses
364 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
and mules hauling your cars up the steep hills. You strike a blow at the prosperity of the city."
When the applause that followed this speech had subsided the vote was taken, and every alderman answered "aye" as his name was called. The result was greeted with applause loud and long. Everybody felt that a great victory had been won and rejoiced that the long struggle was at last over.
On motion of Alderman Kavanagh, Hon. Frederick DriscoU, chair- man of the Chamber of Commerce committee, was invited to address the council and he said : "The large attendance here evidences the wide- spread interest in your action, and on behalf of the Chamber of Com- merce and the citizens of St. Paul, I thank }ou from the bottom of my heart. I have lived in this city nearly twenty-eight years and I believe that we tonight have reached a point in our career far beyond anything we have touched before, and that we have brighter prospects today than we have ever enjoyed. The citizens have labored to bring this com- promise about. The Chamber of Commerce was solicited by Mr. Lowry to try to have the council adopt views which would give him a charter under which he could raise the necessary money for laying these sixty-odd miles of track, which he is to put down within the next two years. But I wish to say that we are indebted to you, the Common Council, for fighting at every point for the rights of the city, while at the same time you have made it possible for Wt. Lowry to construct a street car system whereby the city's prosperity will be greatly en- hanced."
It was certainly a red-letter day for St. Paul. It gave to St. Paul an exclusively electric system long in advance of many larger cities — twenty years in advance of New York. The anniversary of the day is worthy of annual celebration, and the event itself is worth v of com- memoration by a tablet, inscribed with the names of those who brought it about. Two years later, when the system had been installed, the Pioneer Press coinmented: "If the old horse cars were to be restored for a single day on any line in the city, the people would find the change almost intolerable. VVe have now all the advantages of real rapid transit. There is an incident of the new regime which is of more actual practical imi)ortance to our jieojjle, perhaps, than all others put to- gether. This is the obligation imposed upon the company by its new charter to furnish passengers with transfer checks, for a continuous ride in one direction at all points of intersection on its line. Everybody knew that this would be a great convenience. But how great the con- venience and economy no one could have foreseen. When a man can go from Arlington Hills to Merriam Park for five cents, and from the har- vester works near Lake Phalen, to Lake Harriet, on the most distant frontier of Minneapolis territory, for ten cents, he has jiretty nearlv achieved the maximum of comfort and economy in street railway travel. This service has been al)solutely revolutionized in a way that is worth more to St. Paul than ten booms in real estate."
A newspaper writer, notes that with the demolition in i<)ii of the old Ramsey street car barns, which also at one time housed the general offices of the company, the last connecting link which liinds St. Paul with the past in the matter of street railway transi)ortation is broken. .Xlthough the citv has long since established for itself a |)lace among American munici))alities, it does not seem so very long ago that St.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 365
Paulites who attended the performances in the opera house at Fourth and Wabasha streets stood shivering on the corner while the old horse cars drew up and took them aboard, where they continued to shiver until they reached their homes. The city had not attained any growth to speak of beyond the limits of the street car tracks, which ran from Dale and Laurel avenues on the West to Burr and Lafayette on the east. Nor is it a very long time since the driver of the mules or horses, had to be both motorman and conductor on the little bobtailed car. And to add to the troubles of the driver of the days when the old Ramsey barns were built, along in 1882 and 1884, the driver had more than once been compelled to take a turn of the reins about the brake handle and chase thieves from the car who were bent upon robbing the tin box on the front platform in which the change collected from passengers was held.
It is gratefully remembered by the surviving car-mule drivers of the olden time, and by the early motormen of the electric line, and by all who have a memory for humanitarian deeds, that Hon. Jas. A. Tawney, state senator from Winona, was the originator and successful advocate of the law compelling street railway companies to put vestibules on their cars. Before that time, drivers and motormen stood exposed to the sub- zero weather and few thought it possible to give them protection.
Twin City Rapid Tr.xnsit Company
In due time the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, owned and managed by the same men who had operated the electric lines of both cities, came into control of the St. Paul Company, and all the roads in St. Paul and Minneapolis, together with the suburban lines leading to other towns, were practically merged into one system. Successive ex- tensions and improvements have followed until the present splendid trunk line reaching from Stillwater to and beyond Excelsior, with its maze of branches in the twin cities, has been achieved. Immense car shops have been built on Snelling avenue, St. Paul, and a solid building for general offices has been erected on Wabasha street. This is in ad- dition to the big power house, the great terminals at Duluth avenue, etc.
The company operates 383 miles of track, serving a populous terri- tory of 786 square miles, and it enjoys the reputation of being one of the most progressive and prosperous electric transportation companies in the United States. Its equipment and service are the best that money and skill can provide. Every known device for the comfort and safety of passengers is employed. The tracks are unusually heavy and the forty-six-foot cars, built by the company in its own shops, are of the most approved and modern construction.
There are four Interurban lines connecting the twin cities. Cars on one line are marked "Minneapolis & St. Paul :'' on another "Como-Har- riet," or "Como-Hopkins," on another "Selby-Lake," and on the fourth ''Snellinsf-Minnehaha." The fare from city to city is ten cents, collected in two fares of five cents in each city, entitling the pas^nger to transfer at either end to any local line desired. The cars run from five to fif- teen minutes on the different routes, each giving ample facilities for through travel, as well as excellent service for the intermediate terri- tory, which on some parts of all the routes is compactly settled.
366 ST. PAUL AND X' I CI MTV
Closer Union Between the Twin Cities
Altliougli there are nmv fcnir lines, Ijusiiiess mcii of Si. I'aul and Minneapolis are considering the i)Ossil)ility of additional service. Tiie plaint is it takes too long to get from one city to the other, so that a tirni's trade is restricted unless there are two salesrooms. If residents of either city could trade in the other without loss of time, they figure the business of both towns would be accelerated.
Responsible contractors of St. Paul have made tentative estimates of the cost of building an interurban line either on the surface, in a ditch or a tunnel. These ])lans were investigated some time ago, but on account of the proposition to construct the interurban line to the south they were jjermitted to rest. The tunnel i)lan was dismissed for the present because its cost would be too large for the amount of through traffic now moving. Surveys have been made to (ind the most direct route from one city to the other. The University avenue line misses be- ing an air line by three-tenths of a mile.
Local capitalists have been keeping their eyes on plans to bring the two cities together in a closer commercial way. "Rapid transit is bound to come some day," said one official, lie ])ointed out the ])ossil)ility of running the University cars without the fre(|ucnt stops which interrupt the trij). The ])lan of an elevated structure over the ])resent tracks has also been suggested to business men. .Another plan is to widen Univer- sity avenue so it would accommodate four tracks. Owners of large tracts of land near Snelling and Prior avenues have already given their assent to this propo.sal.
Beautiful Points Re.vciied iiv the Sv.stkm
Lake Minnetonka is 20 miles long and four miles wide, with a charmingly irregular shore line of over 300 miles, its channels, islands and bays are continually revealing new vistas, and its shores are dotted with handsome summer homes, hotels and club houses. The lake is alive with yachts and motor boats, launches and steamboats, all arlding life and color to the scene. .Minnetonka is one of the most beautiful lakes in the state. It is reached, from St. Paul. b\' electric lines, via Minneai)olis, to Excelsior and Deep Haven.
Points of interest within the city, to which the St. Paul electric lines directly lead, are Conio Park, Phalen Park, Indian .Mounds Park. River Boulevard, etc., described in another chapter ; they lead also to the Town and Country Club; to Fort Snelling, Minnehaha and the Sol- diers' Home; to the Fish Hatchery; to the Minnesota Transfer; to the colleges, manufacturing establishments and beautiful homes located in the midway district; to the State Fair (Irounds and the State Agricul- tural schools. The service is ample, as a rule, for all demands, and al- though there are complaints at times there is more found to praise than to blame, in the management.
Selby subway is worth some passing mention. It enables cars to pass from the lower level of St. Paul's business district. 100 feet above the river, to the higher lever of St. Anthony hill, the city's best residence district, 220 feet above the river. The subway's greatest depth is 50 feet; length, 1,500 feel; grade, 7 iier cent; width between walls. 23 feet; height, 15 feel. Leaving the car. it is but a few steps to .Summit avenue, an<l a walk .ilong ibis beautiful avenue may be enjoyed, ,'^nni-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
367
niit avenue's location, high above the city and on the edge of towering bluffs overlooking the river, gives it a natural beauty ah its own. It is esteemed one of the most beautiful residence avenues in America. From the Lookout at Ramsey street, some little distance out Summit avenue, there is a great panoramic view of St. Paul's business section, as well as the winding river. No part of St. Paul presents such natural rugged beauty.
Suburban lines, under the same control, reach to South St. Paul and Inver Grove, on the one hand, and to North St. Paul, White Bear Lake and Stillwater on the other.
The electric trip from St. Paul to Wildwood is through rural scenes whose beauty is the deligiit of thousands who travel this highway. There are distant views of the Twin Cities as the train rolls over the panoramic coimtry. Past North St. Paul, Silver Lake and Long Lake, with farms and village homes and ever-changing pictures on all sides, the line sweeps
E.VST EXTR.VNCE TO .SELBY .WENUE TUNNEL
into Wildwood, where one may tind comfort, coolness, and kindred de- lights. It has the best bathing beach in the northwest. Wildwood is on the south shore of White Bear lake and is one of the loveliest spots in the country, combining all the features of a park, lake and summer re- sort, and oft'ering clean, wholesome entertainment. As a place of pleas- ant recreation Wildwood is unexcelled. The handsome new brick Casino contains a dance-hall, a restaurant and a Inroad observation porch over- looking the lake.
Silver lake, at North St. Paul, is a beautiful sheet of water, about half a mile in diameter. It is on the "dividing ridge" between the Mis- sissippi and the St. Croix, its level being 300 feet higher than these rivers, and 60 feet higher than White Bear lake. Its shores embrace an attractive park, and many eligible lake-front sites occupied by neat sum- mer cottages.
Long lake, between Silver lake and Wildwood. is one of a chain of four fine lakes that are all, as vet, substantiallv in a state of nature.
368 ST. I'AUL AXD \ICIXITY
From Wildwood, a branch electric line runs around the southern and western shores of White Bear lake to the village of White Bear, pass- ing en route through several villages occupied by summer residents. Another l^ranch line runs to MalUoniedi.
The main electric line runs through Wildwood to Stillwater. The latter is a busy city of 10,198 ixipulalion on Lake St. Croix, which is really a widening of the St. Croi.x river. It lies in a circle of gently sloi)iiig hills crowned with beautiful residences embowered in trees. The high bluffs on the Wisconsin shore, half a mile distant, give the far- sweeping hillside an aspect peculiarly grand. In Stillwater is the Min- nesota State Prison, newly constructed, a model of its kind, and only a short distance from the center of the city.
Benefici.xl Interurd.^n Lines
Steady progress is being made on the new trolley line which the Hast- ings Construction Company is building between Inver (irove and Roches- ter. The company was granted a franchise by Dakota county, and the various cities and towns along its route have already granted passenger and freight franchises. The survey as now completed, follows the river quite closely from Inver Grove to Hastings, then running nearly south to Cannon I'"alls, southeast through Goodhue county to Line Island and then ijarallelling the route of the Chicago Great Western's Rochester line from Pine Island to that city. The new road is expected to bring into closer communication with the South St. Paul stockyards, a large stock shipping territory which is now compelled to ship to Chicago. It will also, of course, give cheap and rapid passenger transit, whereby the people of the rich and populous region it traverses, may reach St. I'aul, on Inisiness or pleasure trips.
That the building of interuri)an electric lines over the state will have a large inlluence on the rapid development of the smaller towns is the i)elief not only of the promoters but of the residents who have looked up the experience of towns in other states. At present there are under construction or being promoted in Minnesota 300 miles of electric ni- terurban railway. Most of these lines will have the Twin City as one of the terminals. This shows that many persons are convinced of the practical use of interurban railways as means of developing both the cities and villages of the state. This idea is borne out by the experience of towns in Indiana, where the interurban railway has reached a high stage of develojiment. On this subject J. H. P.eek, general secretary of the Association of Commerce, sent letters to merchants and others in the small towns about Indiana|)olis, and asked them what effect the interurban railways had had on their business. Replies show that th« peojjle of the country have gone to the cities and have absorbed ideas. Merchants in the smaller cities also have made the trip and have re- turned with many ideas about the best way to arrange the stock ni a store to be attractive to customers. The result has been that trade has increased in the small towns.
Among the lines in Minnesota which arc now under construction, the Dan Patch line from Minneapolis to Rochester and the south, opening up a rich farming territory, is further develojied than any other. The line proposed by the St. Paul Railway Promotion company from .St. Paul to Lake City also will pass through some of the richest portions of the state. The line from St. Paul, via Inver Grove ;ind Hastings, is
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 369
alluded to above. There is part of a road already built from Buffalo toward the Twin City. A line to Anoka, Elk River and Princeton also has been projected, although plans have not been announced definitely. A line in the southern part of the state will run from Faribault to Wor- thington and possibly to Sioux Falls. This line is being promoted by Chicago capitalists and surveys already have been made.
That the country within a radius of one hundred miles from St. Paul will, at no distant day, be well supplied with electric roads may be accepted as a settled fact. That these improvements will greatly en- hance the prosperity of the regions penetrated, as well as add to the com- merce and prestige of the city, is equally certain.
CHAPTER XXXV
THE PARK SYSTEM OE ST. PAUL
Rice, Irvine and Smith Parks — Como Park Purchased — Board of Park Commissioners Created — System Sustained and Extended — Riverside Boulevard and Park — City Public Grounds in 1891 — Present Park System — Fort Snelling and Minnehaha Falls — Cemeteries — The "Play Ground" Movement — Modern City Beautiful
The park and boulevard system of St. Paul has been laid out on an elaborate and elegant plan. The parks with the boulevards, all under control of the park board, are to form a complete circle about the city, giving charming views from the many hilltops. St. Paul is unsurpassed by any city in the Union for park sites, commanding extensive views, which combine every element of picturescjue lieauty.
Rice, Irvine and Smith Parks
The first parks in the city, and now the oldest in the number of years elapsing since their dedication, were the squares now called Rice and Irvine parks. These were donated to the city July 2. 1849, by Henry M. Rice and John R. Irvine, the proprietors of Rice and Irvine's additions, and were named after the donors respectively. The plat of these additions, as recorded, was acknowledged by David Lambert, the attorney for Messrs. Rice and Irvine, and designates Rice Park as a "public sciuare." Next came Smith Park, wliich was donated to the city three weeks later than Rice and Irvine, or July 24. 1849. Its donors were C. S. Whitney and Robert .'^mith. of Illinois, who were the pro- prietors of Whitney and ."Smith's addition. It was named for the junior member of the firm. Hon. Robert Smith, of .\lton. Illinois, who at one time was a member of congress. At the time of its donation, and dur- ing a long period thereafter, the site of this park was about fifty feet above its present level. The large boulders now distributed upon its surface are from the drift composing it originally.
For many years little or no attention was paid to the ])arks. There was not much necessity for their close care and attention, since there were numerous vacant tracts within the city limits, and the surrounding country was practically unjjroken. By reason of its situation Rice ]iark was the most important and the best known. It was keju in tolerable order, and at one period in its early history it was occupied by a German florist, who was allowed to cultivate flowers and vegetables upon it in return for his care over it.
The first trees in Rice park, many of which are yet standing, were
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ST. J'ALI. AXL) \ ICINITV
;j71
planted in 1862, and were furnished by Hon. John S. Prince, then serv- ing his second term as mayor. The work of transplanting and setting out was done by chief of police James Gooding and the members of the police force under him, by direction of 'Mayor Prince.
In 1867 the city council created a committee on parks which there- after had charge of the squares of the city, and renovated and improved them from time to time as the circumstances demanded and permitted. This committee long controlled the original ])arks, viz: Rice, Irvine and Smith, and others acquired prior to the organization of the commissions hereinafter described. Hon. W. A. \'an Slyke was placed at the head of the original committee, and was continued in that service for a long period. It was under his supervision, and mainly owing to his efforts that the parks were developed and made what they now are.
In the winter of 1872 the authorities began a movement for the ac- quisition of a park worthy of the name. The movement contemplated the future interests of the citv rather than its existing needs, and not
EN'TK.\NXK .\Nli \\Alll.\l, KOO.M, COMO PARK
being clearly under.stood or its pur])oses fully comprehended met with some opposition. Its definite object was the purchase and improvement of the present Como park.
CoMo Park Pukci[.\sf,i)
By an act of the legislature approved February 29, 1872, the judge of the district court was required to appoint five commissioners whose duty it was to contract for and i^urcliase not less than five nor more than 650 acres of land within a convenient distance of the city of St. Paul, "but beyond the present limits thereof," for the uses and pur- poses of a public park. The council was empowered to issue the bonds of the city to an amount not exceeding $100,000, and running thirty years, for the purchase of the tract selected l^y the commissioners. The council was also authorized to lay ofif the ac(|uired property into lots and blocks, to be known and designated as Grand Park lots, "not to exceed 200 acres thereof," and to sell the same. This act was amended in
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1873, providing that the said park might be located within the "future limits" of the city and allowing the council to condemn or a])propriate any land or real estate "within the present or future limits" of the city for the uses of public parks and grounds.
Pursuant to the provisions of the act the district judge. Hon. West- cott Wilkin, appointed the five commissioners, who were General H. H. Sibley, J. A. VVheelock, Samuel Calhoun, \V. P. Murray and J. C. Bur- bank. After some months of inquiry and survey the present magni- ficent Como Park was purchased. The main jiortion of the tract was bought of ex-Governor W. R. Marshall, but thirty acres, running down to the shore of Lake Como, and connecting the jiark therewith, was ob- tained from W. B. Aldrich. The total price paid for the park was in round numbers $100,000, and for this sum the city council duly issued the bonds. A number of leading citizens were ardent advocates of the proj- ect from the first, and did much toward carrying it out. Mr. Horace Thompson was an active promoter of the enterprise, and one of its stanchest champions was Colonel Girard Hewitt. At that period the sum of $100,000 was a large one for the city to pay, and many people were opposed to the scheme. But its promoters prevailed in the end, and time has signally vindicated their wisdom.
Board of P.\rk Commissioners Created
The legislature of 1887, by an act approved February 25th, created a board of park commissioners in and for the city of St. Paul. This board was to consist of seven jiersons, who, except the members of the first board (designated bv the act), were to be appointed bv the mayor. W. A. Van Slvke, Green'leaf Clark, John D. Ludden, Stanford Newell, Rudolph Schiffman, William M. Campbell and Beriah Magoffin were constituted the first board. The first four named were to serve one year, and the others two years from March i, 1887. The commission- ers were to receive no compensation for their services, but their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties were to be defrayed.
It having been held by Judge Wilkin, of the district court, that the act creating the board of public works conflicted materially with the act constituting the board of park commissioners, the legislature of 1889 interfered in behalf of the latter body and reenacted and confirmed the act which had called it into existence. The act creating the commission was also amended and its powers and duties in connection with those of the common council and the board of public works were clearly de- fined so that there might be no conflict of any sort.
System Sustained and Extended
The same legislature passed additional acts to sustain the jiark sys- tem of the city. Among these enactments was one authorizing the city of St. Paul to issue bonds for the improvement and maintenance of public parks; to provide funds to acquire a certain tract for park pur- poses, and for the improvement and maintenance of the boulevard on Summit avenue. .Another act authorized the city to issue $25,000 in five per cent thirty-year bonds for the improvement of I^ake Como and its shores, and to make the same a i)art of Como Park, .'\nother au- thorized the issue of bonds for the purpose of securing the Indian mounds
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 373
on Dayton's Bluff for a public park, the proceeds of these bonds to be expended under the direction of the St. Paul Park Commission.
From April i8, 1887, to January 14, 1888, the board held weekly meetings, at which many petitions and communications were received from citizens and associations with regard to the location of parks. The board also listened to a large number of gentlemen on the same sub- ject at its meetings. The board or committees of the board during the year visited all portions of the city available for park purposes, either of their own motion or in compliance with petitions presented by citi- zens.
The board during the year, in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it, designated, had surveyed and platted, and made orders direct- ing the board of public works to condenm the following parcels of land for public parks.
West St. Paul Park, bounded by Gorman avenue, Morton street and South Robert street ; eleven acres. Order transmitted to board of public works July 30, 1887.
Indian Mounds Park, at junction of Thorn and Hiawatha streets; twentv acres. Order transmitted to board of public works October i, 1887.'
Carpenter Park, at junction of Summit avenue and Ramsey street ; two acres. Order transmitted to board of public works October 8, 1887.
Hiawatha Park, on [Mississippi river, near Cleveland avenue ; forty- nine acres. Order transmitted to board of public works October 8, 1887.
Riverside Boulev.xrd and P.'Vrk
In an address at the state capitol May 10, 1887, H. W. S. Cleveland gave this prophetic forecast of the greatest glories of our Riverside boulevard and park: "The grand topographical feature of the whole region between the two cities is the river, and in considering the ques- tion of parks it will be found not only that its shores afford the best position in relation to the two cities, but their character is such as to offer advantages which can very rarely be secured in the vicinity of a city. For that very reason they are unfitted for other use and if not thus improved must almost of necessity become a constant source of expense and annoyance. Thus, instead of the richest ornament the city can boast, they will simply constitute a hideous blot which can- not be kept out of sight and must forever mar the beauty of the whole extent of their course. The wonderful variety of picturesque natural scenery on both sides of the river, within half a mile of its shores, between the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad bridge and the mouth of the Minnesota, can only be appreciated by personal examina- tion, which must be made on foot, and no one need attempt it who is not a good pedestrian. The river banks are more than a hundred feet in height and covered with a dense growth of primeval forest. They are very steep, often precipitous and abounding in picturesque features of jutting crags clothed with wild vines and shrubbery from which one may look down from a dizzy height into the tops of giant trees growing far below. Yet here and there they afford opportunity for the con- struction of winding paths down their sides, and occasionally they open out into bits of level area or natural terraces commanding pretty vistas or fine views up or down the river. .At intervals they are intersected by deep ravines or gorges at the bottom of which a stream of pure water
374 ST. PAUL AND \ ICIXITV
may be seen and heard, brawling over rocks or tumljling in cascades over jutting ledges. Xo expenditure of money or exercise of engineering skill could create such scenes as nature has here ])r<ivi<led with a lavish hand, and in close proximity may be found extended areas of gracefully un- dulating surface, on which broad lawns and all the needed accessories of a great park may be secured."
During the year 1888, in pursuance of this suggestion, a survey was made for a boulevard along the east bank of the Mississippi river, from the city boundary, near the Milwaukee railway bridge, to the bridge across the river at Fort Snelling. Plans submitted by the surveyor showing the general features of the boulevard were approved by the board. Meantime, the city of Minneapolis had acquired the Minnehalia Park and the Soldiers' Home grounds, donating the latter to the state. Subse(iuently Minneapolis constructed the River r)lurf boulevard west of the Mississippi, which completes the splendid system.
The members of the park board during the year commencing Marcii I, 1888, were William M. Campbell, John D. Ludden, Beriah ]\Iagoffin, Stanford Newell, Rudolph Schifl'man. Iliram F. Stevens. William .A. Van Slyke and Asahel G. Wedge. The officers were: President. Wil- liam A. Van Slvke ; vice president, Hiram 1-". Stevens; secretary. Frank G. Peters.
On June 15, 1888, John D. Rstal:)rook was ai)pointed superinlcndeni of parks, at a salary of $150 per month. On .August 27th following 11. W. S. Cleveland was employed to prepare designs and plans for tlic improvement of the parks and parkways of the city, and to supervise all work thereon ordered by the board.
The question of maintaining Lake Conio was considered Jjy the com- mission during the year 1888, and in October the supeiMntendcnt made a report upon the advisability of attempting the jirojcct by means of an artesian well. It was resolved, however, that, while in favor of in- creasing the water supply of the lake, no steiis should be taken in liiis regard until the owners of abutting property shall have tirst dedicated a suitable driveway around its shores. This was soon afterward ac- complished and a pumping apparatus was installed, which kept up the water-level. For the year ending in February. 1889. improvements on l^arks under the control of the commission were confined to Como ]Kirk. The Citv Workhouse is located in this park, and during the year an average of twenty-eight of the male inmates per day were enga.ged at work on the improvements in progress. These improvements consisted of grading, leveling, surfacing, construction of roads and drives, ])lant- ing trees and shrubs, etc. The amount pn'nl for labor during the year was about $10,500. .Mraut 5.500 trees and shrubs were ])lanted. The park now contained a nursery for the reception and propagation of trees, vines and shrubs, a propagating house for bedding plants, and became a most attractive place of resort.
City I'liti.u' (Irounus in i8()i
In Decemlier 180T. these were the parks and public s(|uares of the cit). belonging to the municipality and under the control of the park commissioners, with the area in acres:
Central section of the city — Rice Park. 1.62; Irvine Park, .V58; Park Place, 0.40; Central Park. 2.29; .Smith Park, 2.03; La Fayette Square.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 375
0.80 ; Summit Square, 0.75 ; Carpenter Park, 2.04 ; Crocus Place, 0.05 ; Oakland Park, 1.83; Ilolcombe Park, 0.40.
Northern section of the city — Como Park and Lake, 281.55; Van Slyke Place, Warrendale, 0.12; Sunshine Place, 0.12; Le Roy Place, 0.13; Foundry Park, Como Avenue, 0.95; Lewis Park, 0.85; Stinson Park, 1.23; Lyton Park, Park Avenue, 0.33; Stewart Park, 1.36.
Eastern section — Lockwood Park, 0.73; Skidmore Park, 0.39; Clif- ton Park, 0.45.
Southern section — Alice Park, 0.53 ; West St. Paul Park, 10.40.
Western section — Langford Park (St. Anthony Park), 8.66; Alden Square, 0.36; Hampden Park, 2.75; Clayton Park, (Midway Heights), 0.83; May's Park, 0.75; Lake Iris (Union Park), Merriam Park, 7.71; Fountain Park. 0.50; Dawson Park, 1.81 ; Walsh Park, 0.83; Haldeman Park, 1.48; Hiawatha Park, 49.00.
During the past twenty years successive boards of park commission- ers have gone steadih- on laying out boulevards, as well as securing and improving park sites. The present board has several extensive proj- ects well in hand, which when carried out will add to the charms of "the city beautiful." In all these plans, St. Paul commands the ap- plause and cooperation of the people of the entire commonwealth. The capital is always and everywhere the exponent of the grandeur and power of the state, and every enterprising inhabitant of Minnesota feels a personal interest and pride in securing the adornment of the capital city, as a fit setting to the magnificent capitolean edifice in which all Minnesotans have an inspiring sense of ownership. The Anglo-Saxon regard for home, for law and for freedom finds expression in the seat
"Our fathers died for England at the outposts of the world ; Our mothers toiled for England where the settlers' smoke upcurled ;
By packet, steam and rail,
By portage, trek and trail. They bore a thing called honor, in hearts that did not quail, Till the twelve great winds of heaven saw their scarlet sign un- furled. In the North they are far forward, in the South they have begun, The English of three continents who take their rule from none.
But follow on the gleam
Of an ancient, splendid dream. That has manhood for its fabric, perfection for its theme. With freedom for its morning star, and knowledge for its sun. And slowly, very slowly, the gorgeous dream grows bright, \\'here rise the four democracies of Anglo-Saxon might; The Republic, fair, alone ; the Commonwealth, new-grown ; The proud, reserved Dominion, with a story of her own ; .A.nd One that shall emerge at length from travail, war and blight."
The members of the .St. Paul Board of Park Commissioners in 191 1 are : R. O. Earl, president ; William Hamm, F. M. Bingham, A. T. Reasen and C. R. Smith : superintendent of parks, Fred Nussbaumer. To Mr. Nussbaumer, who has held this executive position for more than twenty years, universal praise is given for our wonderful park system.
376 ST. PAUL AND \ICIX1TY
Present Park SysteiM
There are eighty parks, squares, boulevards and play grounds, ag- gregating fifteen hundred acres. The two principal parks are Como and Phalen, the former with 425 acres and the latter with 465 acres. Indian Mounds Park has 70 acres and Riverside Boulevard 178 acres. The total expenditures for parks up to January i, 191 1, was $2,396,966.63.
Como Park embraces 425 acres, 323 acres of parkway and 102 acres of park lakes, and is the largest park in the northwest. It is visited every year by over 2,500,000 persons. In the rural loveliness of its natural landscape, with its hills and dales, groves and meadows, and its charming lake nestling in the encircling tree-clad hills, it has few peers among the parks of America. Here are found graceful fountains, grassy lawns and wonderful flower beds; a curiosity in the shape of a lily pond and a Japanese garden, containing dwarfed trees over three hundred years old, as well as rare Japanese plants and shrubs. A large pavilion affords many entertainment features, including band concerts. Como lake offers delightful boating. There are miles of boulevard drives around the lake's winding shores and through the park, while line paths through the open meadows and cool woods invite walking.
Phalen Park, comprising 465 acres, is one of St. Paul's newest and most attractive parks. It is distinctively an aquatic park, although it might also be called a forest park, for the primeval woods which clothe its western border form one of its most characteristic features and are inviting for picnic parties. Phalen lake, which has a shore line of 3.23 miles, offers a fine watercourse for boating. It is being connected with a chain of other lakes.
Occui)ying 135 acres on the margin and slopes of the lofty bluff, at the apex of the elbow of the Mississippi river, Indian Mounds command far-reaching prospects of the hill-bound valleys of the Missi.ssippi and Minnesota rivers, which are rarely equaled in their extent and magnifi- cence. It is. without doubt. "The Pro.spect Park of the Northwest." The edge of the blufi'. which takes in this wide sweep of view and makes it a i>ortion of the park itself, is crowned with five superb cone-shaped In- dian mounds, the graves of old Indian chieftains. Roadways and walks lead from the Indian mounds through rugged gulches and beautiful vine- clad ravines to the State Fish Hatchery. In the ponds may be seen all kinds of trout, and in the hatching rooms, spawn and fry at all stages of development. One of the buildings contains a collection of Minnesota game birds.
The work of man on Harriet island, opposite the heart of St. Paul, has so imjiroved on that of nature as to furnish one of the most sui)erl) public baths in the country, enjoyed in 1910 by 200.000 bathers. The island is a park, covered by shade trees and always tem])cred by the cool breezes of the river. It has outdoor gj'mnasiums and bathing pools for both sexes ; a free day nursery where mothers who work may leave their children ; a zoo, and refreshment pavilions. Upon the island stands a memorial fountain erected in honor of Dr. Justus Ohage, through whom this splendid project was realized.
The Riverside Boulevard Park extends along the river banks of the western city limits, and from the water's edge to the bluffs two hundred feet above the river, winding along a distance of several miles. It is one of the scenic parks of the world. Only the boulevard has been culti- vated up to the present time, but there are opportunities to improve the
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 377
landscape on the sides of the hills and along the water's edge, that are not excelled.
All these, and all the smaller parks and squares, under control of the city park board, are easily accessible by electric lines, making them communal property of all the people for the purposes of rest and recre- ation. That they are gratefully appreciated and abundantly patronized, is demonstrated both by common observation and by the statistics of street railway traffic.
And there are other public or semi-public tracts within or immedi- ately adjacent to the city limits, open to visitors and accessible by street cars, that may be classed, for all practical purposes, as features of the St. Paul Park system. Among these are the capitol grounds ; the State Fair grounds; the Agricultural College enclosures; the Fort Snelling reservation : Minnehaha and Longfellow park and the Soldiers' Home tract. Although the three last named are within the city limits of Min- neapolis, they are only a few rods from our boundaries, and are reached without change of cars by the Snelling-Miniiehaha electric line.
Fort Snelling and Mixnehaha Falls
Grim old Fort Snelling exhibits our cherished antiquity, the round stone tower being built in 1820, when the white and the red man were struggling for supremacy. It is grandly situated on the commanding, high, rocky cliffs at the junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota riv- ers, in the Government Reservation of over 2,300 acres. The views of the Mississippi, Pike Island, the historic village of Mendota ("The Mingling of the Waters"), the oldest settlement in Minnesota, and the surrounding country, obtainable from the new bridge over which the "Snelling-Minnehaha" line crosses the river, are incomparable. The round tower is the most precious building in the northwest. There is nothing of similar rareness, in a similar state of preservation, in all the Northwest. For at Prairie du Chien, where old Fort Crawford stood at the mouth of the Wisconsin, between old Fort Dearborn at the mouth of the Chicago river and Fort Snelling at the mouth of the St. Peters, there is nothing left but scant remnants of foundations. Nothing of the dignity and perfection of this round tower. It is the sole sentinel, the only relic of the old northwest which back in 1819 stretched vaguely to the Rockies and the Pacific.
Minnehaha Falls, which were immortalized by the poet Longfellow, are unrivaled for picturesque beauty. No cascade has ever been so cel- ebrated in song and story and none claims a surer charm for the visitor. The falls are about forty feet high and the whole region about them has been made accessible by rustic paths and bridges. The falls are main- tained in their pristine beauty in the heart of the largest and most beau- tiful park in Alinneapolis, of 124 acres of hill and dale. Below the pretty falls which "laugh and leap into the valley" the creek flows through a deep glen for half a mile to the Mississippi. On the high banks of the Mississippi, adjoining the gorge of Minnehaha creek, will be seen the imposing buildings and splendid grounds of the Minnesota Soldiers' Home. The views from the parapets are enchanting.
Cemeteries
It may, also, in a sense be allowable to include the beautiful ceme- teries of St. Paul in any mention of its parks and public grounds. The
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ST. PAUl. AXD \1CINITY 379
old conception of a burial ground as a place of gloom, a charnel house, a Golgotha, has been superseded by one more in consonance with our hope of a blessed immortality, and the homes of our precious dead are given as attractive surroundings as are the homes of the living. The following are the cemeteries :
Calvary (Catholic): Front street, near Como avenue; office, St. Peter street, entrance to Cathedral. A large and beautiful tract, on the Como electric line, embellished with many fine monuments.
Forest Cemetery Association, near city limits.
German Lutheran: Dale, northeast corner Nebraska avenue.
Mount Zion: Mount Zion Hebrew Congregation; Payne avenue, northeast corner Larpenteur aveiuie.
Norwegian Lutheran : West side Rice street, one mile north of city limits.
Oakland Cemetery Association : Incorporated June 27, 1853 ; Cem- etery head of Jackson street. Comprises one hundred acres.
Roselawn Cemetery : Larpenteur avenue opposite Ouincy street. This location is just north of Como Park, on an eminence that overlooks not only the park, but the city. It promises to be a fit companion to the park as a beauty spot.
Russian Hebrew : East side Duncan, one mile north of Maryhunl.
Sons of Jacob : South side White Bear road, one mile east of L'ayne avenue.
Union Cemetery Association : Between Seventh and Minnehaha, one- half mile east of limits. Office, 329 East Seventh.
West St. Paul German Lutheran: Annapolis, northeast corner llrown avenue.
Oakland Cemetery has been for nearly sixty years subject to the solicitous care of leading citizens who have, in succession, administered the affairs of the Association, and it has served as a model for the oth- ers. The association consists of lot owners only. The trustees control the business and are elected by the lot-owners. Each lot-owner has one vote and no more. No speculation in lots is allowed, and any transfer is subject to the approval of the board. No salaries are paid except to the actuary and the treasurer. There are no dividends. All profits are used for improvement of the grounds. The trustees cannot alienate property. They serve entirely without pay. Accounts and vouchers are examined monthly. The strictest economy is used, and all transac- tions are recorded — burials, lot-sales, improvements, etc. The entire system is one that meets all objections on sanitary grounds. The prop- erty is exempt from taxation, and the ownership of any lot is not sub- ject to suit or judgment. The system of "perpetual care" guarantees the care of lots and graves for all time. The natural beauties of a wooded site have been enhanced by skillful landscape gardening, as well as by the lavish use of flowering shrubs and plants, provided by the lot owners, mostly from the extensive greenhouses within the grounds. There is a neat mortuary chapel, with vaults ; also a residence for the superintendent near the ornamented entrance. The purchase price of a lot covers perpetual care of the same — the entire amount being care- fully invested in the permanent fund. The income from this fund is used for maintenance and is ample for the purpose. There are many fine monuments.
380 ST. PAUL AXD VICINITY
The "Play Ground" Movement
The "play ground" movement is well under way in St. Paul and promises good results. There are a dozen recreation fields under the jurisdiction of the park board, with equipments valued at $10,000, and a large tract beyond Lexington avenue, adjacent to the new Central High School will add materially to the system of public play grounds. The value of this new departure in civics is beginning to make itself seen. The most significant statement made at a great National Play Convention held in Pittsburgh, was as follows; "When the family splits up for its recreation there is danger. When young ])eople take their places apart by themselves, without a wholesome inllucncc of fam- ily life, there is danger. Only when the family stays together do we have wholesome conditions. Our social traditions are the most precious elements of civilization and of cultivated life. These great traditions are not carried by the individual, but by the group."
London has a recreation committee which publishes and makes avail- able full accounts of all the recreation privileges of that city. The New York City Recreation Committee has issued a pamphlet describing and directing people to the public recreation facilities of the great metropo- lis. When Chicago builds the proposed social center on the lake front in Grant Park, another monument will have been erected to this social instinct which lies just back of the entire series of manifestations which children and adults reveal in their recreations, seeking companionship; testing and measuring themselves against each other; enjoying, imitat- ing and emulating; in other words, ripening socially.
St. Paul led the procession of western cities in general park devel- opment, but has had good following. Ten years ago the city of Cleve- land began the work of transforming a hideous lake front and business center — a district composed of dumping grounds, tumble down brick shacks, and ante-bellum public buildings that were an eyesore — into a civic center which in its spirit, in the architecture of its buildings, and its permanence, should be an inspiration for the whole great metropolis that is destined to grow up around it.
At the same time Kansas City began the task of making over a natu- rally ugly city of bumpy hills into a jjlace of beauty by creating a sys- tem of parks, parkways, and boulevards that places it well at the liea<i of municipalities of its class as a park city.
At the same time, or approximately so. Chicago began the active work of supplementing its park system with a series of city squares ef|uipped as playgrounds for children.
Modern City Be.m'tiful
Since then, in a brief, busy decade, the park area in our cities has increased more than 500 per cent. ; play-grounds have increased from half a dozen to more than two thousand; the architecture of public buildings has undergone a revolution ; civic centers, grouping of build- ings, and town ])lans have become a part of every city life, and the epoch of tlie physical regeneration of .American cities may he said to have got- ten fairly under way.
Chicago, since its colossal blunder of letting a railroad spoil what ■ilioiiM li;ivi' liccn rine of the finest cit\ frnni-- in llic world, lias learned
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 381
its lesson and is making amends for the past. The lake front is not re- claimed, but it is saved for the people. Only Chicago, dirty and care- less, but doggedly persevering when it begins to dream, would have conceived and executed the idea of building out in the lake a new lake front after the natural one had been thrown away. And it is charac- teristic of the city that much of the dirt that helped make this new recreation ground for the people should come from a subway tunnel, built in accordance with a franchise that cheats the people of much rightful revenue. Yet when this park is completed, as it will be soon, Chicago will be the first city to take proper advantage of the obvious values of its water front. Imagine New York's Battery Park multiplied some hundreds of times and we have an idea of what the new lake front — Grant Park by name — will mean to Chicago.
Along with this urgent movement for parks has come the more ideal- istic desire for improvement in public architecture and in city plans. With a few exceptions, such as Washington, Indianapolis, Philadel- phia, Buffalo and Detroit, our cities have not been planned. Like Topsy they have "jus' growed." Philadelphia was laid out on a careful plan because William Penn had his own ideas about city making. Washing- ton got the benefit of Major L'Enfant's engineering ability because the Frenchman had served with President Washington in the army. In- dianapolis was planned for a capital. Buffalo was deliberately laid out as a large city by a Holland land company, and Engineer Joseph Elli- cott came from Washington to draw the plans. Detroit was burned in 1805 and, before rebuilding, the city was laid out on a definite plan — the "judges' and governor's plan" — and the city, in spite of its recent phenomenal growth, has had no desire to change to this day. Four of these cities, Washington, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Detroit, have incor- porated the first principle of all city planning, establishing a definite civic center from which the whole city radiates. Upon this scheme a few new ideas have been imposed, but the central idea remains supreme as it was a hundred years ago.
The St. Paul City Club, a new but very strong organization of pub- lic spirited men and women, has taken up the agitation for civic better- ment with zeal and enthusiasm. Concentrating and stimulating all the agencies working toward that end, cooperating with everybody who desires to do something in that direction, this asociation seems to come in at the right time to accomplish a lasting beneficence.
A Scheme for Linked Lakes
Accepting the inevitable conclusion that the entire present area of Ramsey County will ultimately, and at no distant day be incorporated within the city limits of St. Paul, a wide vista of park extension, to in- clude and connect the many fine lakes within that area, is opened before us. We have been so content with the large scheme of river boule- vards that we have well nigh lost sight of the possibilities of an inter- lachen system of parkways. The Father of Waters curves through the city in a sweep like the letter "S," and the topography is so determined bv this double curve that the parkways planned have naturally been drawn with reference to this geography. As a consequence the possi- bilities of the lakes to the north of the citv have not been fully con- sidered until the present moment. The leading lake for half a century has been Como and the oldest inhabitants can recall when Como as a
382 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
summer resort held a place similar to White Bear today. Within llie past few years Phalen has come into much notice, with its superior banks and its beautiful woodlands. Como and Phalen are too far apart to be regarded as sister lakes, although one of the tinest boulevards in the city commanding wonderful views will bind these two together by land, and the lakes themselves will simply be jewelled pendants of a city- encircling parkway. But in the new scheme there are a dozen large lakes which could be connected by both canals and driveways and make one of the most interesting city lake regions in the country.
The plan to iniite Phalen, Gervais, Kohlmanii, .Spoon and X'adnais by canals for water craft, and by parkways for vehicular travel, may seem rather large and remote today. But to the citizens of forty years ago, Como was a remote region, and few suspected that the city would push its residence districts out that way. The Phalen region belongs to the future, but there are such attractions thereabout that the turning tide of residence making is certain to set more and more strongly in that direction. While the Riverside region will long command a place, the lake district will enable peoj^le to i)ossess larger tracts of land, and to live more the "Garden City" life which will be the approved method of the future. Thus the whole of Kanisey county will be gathered in as a St. Paul suburb, and all her beauliftil lakes, bordered by parkways, con- nected by boulevards and canals, will become an integral ■ part of the greater city's magnificent park .system.
CHAPTER XXXYl
STREETS, AVENUES AND HOMES
Truthful Rhapsody — "Father Randall" — Advantages of Good Streets — Correcting old Errors — Organized Official Work — Steady Increase of Real Estate Values — Illustration of "En- lightened City Planning" — "The City Better" — Beautiful and Comfortable Homes
Unlike most trade centers, the situation of St. Paul is one of great natural beauty, offering many attractions to the tourist. The approach by the winding river which sweeps past the white sandstone bluffs, from which its Indian name of Im-mi-ja-ska is derived, is one affording grat- ification to all lovers of scenery. Within easy distance are a number of beautiful lakes, chief of which are Lakes Como, Elmo, Phalen and White Bear, while the walks to the heights afford views of extreme loveliness.
Truthful Rhapsody
When in 1896 the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic met in this city, a patriotic lady resident here, Mrs. S. L. Howell, wrote for the souvenir volume a stirring poem of welcome, these being the first and last stanzas :
"On the heights beside the river. By the great majestic river. In her beauty calm and queenly. Waits our beautiful St. Paul. Waits with smiles of summer sunshine ; Waits with outstretched hands of greeting ; Waits to echo royal welcomes From the cottage and the hall.
".Shout the people: 'Welcome! Welcome! Ring the bells from every steeple ; Greet the brave with waving banners : Beat of drum and bugle call ! Welcome those whose grand endeavors Purchased Freedom ; ke])t the Union : Saved the flag, whose starry splendor Is the glory of St. Paul.' "
There is truth as well as rhapsody in these glowing words of de- scription; there was heart as well as intellect, in the exultant greeting.
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384 ST. PAUL AN'.D VICINITY
St. Paul has long been known as a Citj' of Wealth, as the home of millionaires and noted for the general pros'Perity of its citizens. It is growing and its reputation is attracting men of wealth and culture who are daily locating in St. I'aul on account of its educational facilities, its invigorating and healthful climate, the beauty of its dwelling districts, the opportunities for investment and profit, the i^ulture of its society and the many means offered for recreation and ainusement. .All this great wealth being added to the community increases its advantages as a manufacturing and wholesale center and enlarges iti>, influence. The Comn^ercial Club suggests for a slogan, in 1912: "See 5t- Paul First." To the resident this means "Know your own city." To' the inquiring visitor it says: "If you see St. Paul first you need look no further."
The elevation of the city above the sea level is 695 feet at the river dock, 875 feet at the state capitol and 1,0 lO feet at the hi^rhest point. There are 16 miles of river front. The exact area of St. PaJil is 54-44 miles, being 10 miles east to west and 5.44 miles from north to south. There are 1,290 streets, 51,900 buildings of all descriptions arid 46,720 families.
.■\t present the chief energies of the citizens are turned to more utili- tarian ends; to the erection of the huge business blocks; the constrnetion and paving of city streets; the opening of sewers, and other obje'ets of more direct practical value made prcssingly necessary by the growth of the city. But when this pressure shall be partly lifted, the increa.se of population and wealth will result in improvements for merely est'ietic purposes, and St. Paul will then become one of the most beautiful resi- dence cities in the world. The natural advantages she offers w'ill be utilized to their highest, and the enjoyment that comes from the ciJn- temj)lation of the beautiful, having a retlex influence upon the minds of the ])eople, will manifest itself in many ways to the advantage of the community at large. .Architecturally considered, the city already pre- sents a good appearance, and when the numerous immense buildings now in course of construction in the district devoted principally to wholesale trade are completed, few places of like size can boast of finer structures than St. Paul. In many portions of the city the era of w'ood has closed, and the age of brick and stone has taken its place.
"Father Rand.\ll"
It is well to remember with gratitude the men among the first set- tlers, who turned public attention in the right direction. The French Canadians who made the original claims on the town site, had little idea of streets and no conception wiiatevcr of the future growth of the city. William H. Randall, born in Massachusetts May 8, 1806, gave the first impetus to street building. He came here in 1846 and seemed to have, from the first, a firm faith in tiie future greatness and prosperity of the place. He soon after, with his brother and A. L. Larjienteur, suc- ceeded to Mr. Hartshorn's inisiness, and became owner of a large amount of valuable property in the heart of the city. He was one of the pro- prietors of the town of St. Paul when it was laid out in 1847. This property became immensely valuable, and just prior to the crash of 1857 "Father Randall," as he was called, was considered a millionaire. In the early days of St. Paul, he was one of its more prominent and puiilic-s|)irited citizens. In 1848, he built the stone warehouse at tlie foot of Jackson street. It was a great building for thai day. He also
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 385
graded the levee, improved streets at his own expense and always sub- scribed hberally to every pubHc enterprise. His son, John II. Randall, long a prominent citizen, now lives in retirement on Summit avenue.
Advantages of Good Streets
When a comparison is made between the good streets of foreign cities and the poor ones in this country, Berlin is usually cited as an ex- ample of excellence abroad. Those who try to apologize for the condi- tion of the streets in American cities usually call attention to the fact that Berlin is a very old city and has been at the task of street-making for ages. J. Ogden Armour, of Chicago, who recently returned from a tour of Europe, points out that practically all of the improvements in Berlin have been made in the last forty years and that the new Berlin is no older than St. Paul, Chicago and other American cities that are still struggling with the street problem.
Air. Armour attributes the unprecedented prosperity of Germany largely to the fact that the cities have fine streets and the country dis- tricts admirable roads. He contends that forces move along the lines of least resistance and that the city with the best streets attracts the most people because there the most business can be done with the great- est profit. The country districts where good roads prevail are always prosperous, while millions of farmers are paying a heavy financial pen- alty each year because they have to haul their produce over bad roads.
St. Paul has not yet attained the Berlin standard of excellence, but compared with other American cities our street department is efficiently managed and supervised. No city in the Union has more substantial or more attractive thoroughfares. The most valuable of modern in- ventions have been employed in making them and many of them are models of taste, beauty and engineering skill. Hundreds of laborers are constantly employed in their construction and care. The laws provid- ing for sprinkling streets and cleaning sidewalks, to be paid for by front- age assessments, have been declared valid by the supreme court, and any attempt at their obstruction must be futile. The greater part of the time and attention of the authorities is taken up in opening, grading and improving the streets, and the work is intended to be of a perman- ent and durable character. Street grading and paving, and most of the sewerage, are paid for by assessments on the abutting property.
As stated in the chapter relating to changes in the city's topography, the transformations wrought by immense cuts and fills, and by bridg- ing deep chasms, have been innumerable. The labor of making the site for St. Paul has only been secondary to that of making the city itself. The report of the board of public works for 1892 tells of some achieve- ments: "One of the most important improvements of the year was the erection of the Sixth street bridge, nearly a quarter of a mile long, stretching across the railroad yards in the Trout brook and Phalen creek valley, and rising from the outer edge of the business center to the brow of the sightly bluff opposite. From the west end of the bridge to Rosabel street further work is in progress, which is to make Sixth street the available thoroughfare which its position demands. By a change of grade the hill between Broadway and John street has been eliminated : and the awkward "jog" at Broadway has been modified by the widening of one block west. The hill at the west end of the street also has been paved with pine blocks, and early in the coming season a continuous
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ST. PALI- AXU \ IClXilA'
block pavenicni will extend from Sumniit avenue lo Davtoii's IMuff. The great cut through Jackson street hill by way of l-'airview street con- templated for several years, has at last been finished, and the street is ready for the tracks of the city railway company."
It is to be regretted that the founders of .St. Paul were too much oc- cupied with the multifarious concerns of their then present to look much ahead into the future. Had they possessed sufficient ])roi)hetic insight to see the ultimate destiny of their town, they would undoubtedlv have given us wider streets; but had any of these pioneers given expres- sion to .sentiments implying that such mighty ])rogress was likely to be made in the near future, he would lia\e been stigmatized as a visionary and a dreamer. Though there is unmistakable evidence of the streets having been laid out according to a preconceived plan, many of them show plainly that in their infancy they had a wavward will of their own
Be?
jL .M.MIT .WK.NUIC
that has been since corrected; that, necessarily, however, had lo leave many parts somewhat compressed. Much of the second plateau on which the city is built is a bed of limestone rock, some twenty feet in thick- ness, which affords a splendid building material. In some instances the excavations necessary to make the ground ready for building have fur- nished sufficient stone for the entire structure. Underlying this lime- stone rock, in the main business portion of the city, is a friable white f|uartzose sandstone of great dejuh. easily cut into, and through which all the sewers in that section have been tunneled.
CoRRiXTiNT. Old Mkkors
KlTori> ii. correct the errors of the original settlers are still going forward. City planners have given us a larger vision of future ])of- sihilities. Regardless of whether these possibilities may be realized literally, it will make for the betterment of .'<t. Paul. Thinking will be stinuilafed along correct lines of urban evolution. So far as the down- town district is concerned, it is in the hands of real estate owners. Un-
ST. I'AL'L AND VICINITY 387
less ihe)- are willing to bear the burden, down-town streets will not be widened. Such widening is not of nearly such great importance to other sections as to them. If they do not widen the streets the city will probably outgrow- them, and business will move to broader streets far from the present business centers. In so doing it will spread itself over more territory. The present business streets will not be abandoned, but they will share their business with other streets. As to the broader plan, it will affect the city as a whole. ISut it will not be looked upon in the light of making a show spot for advertising ptn^poses. The plan must be directed toward making the city a better place to live in. That in the end w^ill be the best sort of advertising. The Pioneer Press, dis- cussing these phases of improvement, says : "One can scarcely imagine anything more important in this connection than the elimination of the possibility of future slums. If land in the city still vacant, as well as all land hereafter added, were platted so as to make sites for the best homes at the lowest cost, it would do more for the future than any other one thing. Summit avenue and the river boulevard are important, but they are not nearly so important to the fiUure of the city as condi- tions in the Sixth, Xinth, Eighth, Tenth and other wards where the average citizens live. Men with money can secure pleasant surround- ings. All intelligent city government must cooperate with the man of moderate means in getting the best."
The beautiful cities of Europe, those that are constantly taken as illustrations of what modern cities should be, are almost without excep- tion the result of a picturesque, almost accidental growth, regulated, it is true, by considerable common sense and respect for art, but improved and again improved by replanning and remodelling to fit changed condi- tions and rising standards. It is here that we fall short. Throughout the United States there are cities with relatively easy opportunities be- fore them to improve their water fronts, to group their public buildings, to widen their streets, to provide in twentieth century fashion for trans- portation and to set aside areas now considered indispensable for public recreation, and yet most of these cities have until recently stood listless, without the business sense, skill, and courage to begin the work that must sooner or later be done.
Org.\nized Oi-'Ficr.vr. Work
Legal restrictions greatly hampered the early efforts of St. Paul to- ward street improvements. For many years the authorities had been embarrassed and the development of the city had been retarded by a constitutional objection to the levying of special assessments for local improvements, in the manner generally adopted by municipal corpora- tions. Sidewalks could not be put dow'n nor streets graded by special assessments upon the property fronting thereon and particularly bene- fited thereby, but the expense of such improvements must be borne by the public generally. The legislature of iSCxj provided for the sub- mission of an amendment to the constitution authorizing the legislature to allow special assessments for local improvements. The amendment was ratified by a popular vote, and in course of time laws were enacted to carry it into effect. Thereafter, street improvements were controlled and paid for by property owners interested, instead of being the foot-ball of personal and political favoritism.
At last, the city charter was so amended as to permit the appointment.
388 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
by the mayor, of a board of public works, which, subject to judicious restrictions, had jurisdiction over the construction, maintenance and re- pair of streets, sewers, sidewalks and bridges, with discretion as to levying assessments to pay therefor. The impetus given to this kind of work, after the new system began to operate, may be seen in the fol- lowing coniparision of receipts from the sources named, during the two years compared:
Nature of work 1881 1887
Assessment for grading streets $51,859.26 $794,566.46
Assessment for opening and widening streets 21,912.26 170,124.93
Assessments for paving streets 413,567.76
Assessments for change of grade 31,155.01
Assessments for sprinkling streets 74,472.21
Assessments for sewers 39,500.25 148,665.90
Assessments for sidewalks 9,599.94 125,906.36
The city engineer is e.\-officio commissioner of public works, and with his large staff of assistants performs all the engineering operations, prepares estimates, frames contracts and acts as the executive agent of the board in carrying out its decisions. Thirty years of a fairly success- ful operation of this system have justified it. Complaints are often heard from aggrieved property owners and mistakes have undoubtedly been made, but mistakes and complaints are inherents in all human in- strumentalities. The enormous expansion of the city and the generally satisfactory condition of its streets, sidewalks and sewers, testify that, on the whole, the plan has worked well.
The board of public works is now constituted and officered as fol- lows: J. J. O'Leary, president; E. L. Murphy and W. T. Lemon; R. L. Gorman, clerk ; Oscar Clausen, engineer and commissioner of public works.
The streets of St. Paul are artistically lighted. This is the first city to adopt this scheme of illuminating its principal business streets, and it is being followed by all the leading cities of the Union. This plan which was inaugurated here a few years ago is now known to the world as the "St. Paul System of Street Lighting;" this feature has advertised St. Paul far and wide and is making it the most talked of among the progressive cities of the Union, not only by those who have visited here, but by those who have heard of it and who are discussing its value with a view of placing it in their own communities.
There will be a comprehensive plan for the future city, and the plan will not be restricted to present limits. It would then be impossible to do what is now possible in the way of wrap])ing the city about with shackles of bad taste, bad engineering, bad builrling and ugly designs. Any man may plan streets outside city's limits as he jileases. He may slice up the ground into the most conlein|)til)le little lots of which he can dispose. He may build thereon the meanest little typhoid-fever traps his greed may compass. He may in many cases shirk and scant in his buildings so that they will hardly stand a single generation. No one will stop him, for he is outside his city's limits. .After awhile he dies, and passes to his well earned reward. The section on which his greed was exercised is taken in and the municijiality must struggle with the
ST. PAUL AND \'ICINITY 389
problem of crowding, poor sewers, bad levels, wretched curbing and all the other defects which go to make a good city impossible.
Steady Increase of Real Estate \'alues
In looking over the real estate situation in St. Paul, especially in reference to the retail district, it is interesting to note the steady in- crease of values that has been going on for the past five years. To illustrate: Six years ago a piece of property on Minnesota street, be- tween Fifth and Sixth streets, sold for $340 per front foot, and another piece on Minnesota street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, for $325 per front foot. Both of these properties today would sell, without any improvements, for $800 to $1,000 per front foot. Values also have in- creased materially on Fifth, Jackson and Eighth streets.
It is noticeable that the traffic on many of our streets is increasing at a very rapid rate : on some corners as rapidly as twenty-five per cent a year. Perhaps the greatest increase is on Fifth street, from Robert street to the St. Paul, and also on Minnesota and Cedar from Fourth to Eighth streets. The retail district being hemmed in by the river on one side and the wholesale district and bluffs on the other sides, always will be limited and compact, which will continue to cause rising prices and greater demand upon the space that must always be limited.
Illustration of Enlightened City Planning
More and more attention is being paid to up-to-date requirements, in platting new residential additions. More than 300 acres, three miles in length, fronting on the Mississippi river boulevard in the vicinity of St. Clair street and Cleveland avenue and tapering down toward the river bluff, have been platted under the direction of the city plan com- missioner, according to the most enlightened schemes of city planning. Through the efforts of the owners of this tract, the first platting of the property has been abandoned. All streets through this district have been vacated and the plats prepared under the direction of the city plan commission have been filed. The o^vners contemplate the develop- ment of this section into a district which will reflect the advantages of scientific platting of suburban property. One winding thoroughfare one hundred feet wide has been surveyed through the section. This street provides for forty feet of street and thirty feet on each side for parking purposes. The property owners hope to open this tract up for residence by getting a street car line on Cretin street.
The three approaches to the new state capitol, tentatively proposed by its architect, converging upon a spacious semi-circular plaza in front of the capitol, merge into Como parkway, and thus become a magnificent part of the approaches to Como park and of the parkway system of the city. The broad garden extending from the capitol grounds, between Wabasha and Cedar streets, down to those of the old capitol; the mall on the axis of the capitol at least to Seven Corners, both reaching down to the most important business districts of the city; and, finally, the boulevard connecting the finest monument of civic architecture in the city with the splendid Catholic cathedral, now being erected at the por- tals of its finest resident district, will not only illuminate the capitol with a new splendor and bring its noble proportions into brighter relief, but
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will diffuse ihc charm and clcvalint,' iiiHiieiuc of tlie several forms of parkway embellishment throughout tlie city.
A city, like a man, is body, mind and spirit. It is more than the in- dividual citizens, for it lives on, and is not only a legal but an actual entity sejiarate from them. Now that the whole world has been made a neighborhood by the marvelous facilities for intercommunication and measurably a brotherhood by the marvelous develojjment of fraternal interest, everv city learns from all others. We comiiare notes, discuss failures, plan successes and hearten one another to new endeavors.
GROUND J'L.\N OF SEVEN COR.N'ERS .M'l'RO.MII TO C.M'ITOI.
.Manv liiited States cities have recently caught the idea of city plan- ning, until over fifty of them have ado])ted plans for developing a civic center of jirincipal public buildings, and from that parks, avenues, boule- vards which shall in the course of years embrace every natural oppor- tunity for making the city beautiful. Over one-half million dollars has been expended in such i)lans in the L'nited Slates and they call for the cxpeniliture of at least five hundred times as much within the next fifty years. No such progr.im of city embellishment was ever dreamed of before. It is the united endeavor of our modern municipal civilization even though each city has acted separately. .Ml ntlicr cities will follow the example and manv of ihcm lia\i' already taken steps toward it. .\t
ST. PAUL AND \TCINITY 891
the end of this century, cities of incomparable beauty will be found in all the states and provinces of America. With the start it has and the advantages it possesses, St. Paul ought to be at the head of the splendid procession.
"The Citv Better"
More and more American cities are beginning a new life. The old standards common to city and country and to all men alike have been tlisplaced by higher standards, and more important still is the enthusiasm of civic endeavor. Civic patriotism has come to many cities ; men and women have learned that they are responsible for their city and can make it what they will. They have learned that they must know their city to learn the causes of municipal ills — and knowing the causes, they have found that most of the ills are not only curable, but i^reventable.
This is the warrant for the new optimism or meliorism of cities. We are sure of making everything better : so that the new word is "the city better" rather than the "city beautiful" alone, unless we compre- hend all under "the lieauty of holiness" that is of wholeness, of health, of elemental decency in all things.
While it is misleading to say that the municipal business is just like other business, since the element of profit-making ordinarily should be lacking and efficient service should be the one thing considered, it is true that the problems are chiefly business [jroblems in a large sense. Therefore the desire for a small executive body, so as to secure the advantages of private corporate management to our cities, has prompted the movement for a change from mayor-and-counci! form of govern- ment to the commission form of government which also makes it easier to place responsibility. Over a hundred United States cities have adopted it, and twice as many are now considering it. But all agree that it is the spirit of the community and not the form, or machinery of gov- ernment, which is the all important thing. Good government can be had under bad forms and bad government under good forms. We can even imagine that useful legislation might, occasionally emanate from Car- lyle's suppositious sufifragette parliament, with its "screams from the op- position benches" and "the honorable member borne out in hysterics."
St. Paul and its environs have many picturesque drives, available for carriages or automobiles, abounding in very extensive views, which al- ways extort the admiration of visitors. We may here enumerate: Mer- riam hill outlook on the north ; Saint Anthony hill. Crocus hill. Sum- mit court and Summit avenue and boulevard ; the High bridge and bluffs on the south; Indian Mounds and Dayton's blufT on the east; Como Park and lake. State Fair grounds, Hamline and Macalester, and the river boulevard on the west. To Fort Snelling, Minnehaha Falls and Soldier's Home is still another drive, as each place has attractions that are exceedingly interesting. Nearly all these places can also he reached by electric cars. There are fine drives about the city in every direction, including .Silver lake. White Bear, Bald Eagle and other lakes.
Be.\utiful and Comfort.mu.e Homes
For nearly fifty years St. Paul has commanded the admiration of visitors by the number of its beautiful and elegant homes. These have always been in numbers as well as in architectural style and tasteftil sur- roundings, amply projiortioned to the advancing population. The resi-
392 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
dence districts have greatly changed in location, but the characteristics mentioned, have always been retained.
As early as 1866, when St. Taul had a ])oi)iilalion of only about 12,000, there were dwellings that would have been, as some of them still are, creditable in a city of 250,000. Aniou<^ these were the homes in "lower town," near Lafayette I'ark, of Horace Thompson. E. F. Drake, H, H. Sibley, John L. Merriam, John S. Prince and others formmg, with the mansions built shortly afterwards by Messrs. Bass, McQuil- lan, Beaupre, Shiere, Becker, Hardenburgh. Auerbach and Borup, a collection of sumptuous residences, within a small compass, such as is seldom seen in any town. At the same early period there were, scat- tered through the city, others of equal merit. Of these were the homes of J. E. Thompson and \Vm. F. Davidson on Dayton's bluff; of J. C. Burbank and Benjamin Thompson on Summit avenue ; of Russell Blake- ley and William Dawson on Jackson street; of Col. D. A. Robertson and Nathan Myrick on Fort (now West Seventh) street, and several on Pleasant avenue and in the vicinity of Irvine Park.
By 1880 circumstances had conspired to force a new alignment of residence districts. The lower town region, once so attractive, became too contracted, too central and from the multiplication of railway trains and tracks through the Trout brook valley, too noisy for comfort, and a rai)id hegira for the hills was well imder way. The movement con- tinued until practically all the former inhabitants of the Grove and Woodward street region had disappeared. Such of their houses as re- main are now mostly transformed into hospitals, tenements, etc., while many have been demolished to make space for railroad terminals. As we write it is announced that even St. Paul's and St. Mary's churches, the nuclei of the old domain, are soon to succunil) to the insatiate archery of commerce.
flilUvard and largely westward, the home-builder wended his way. By grading and bridging and paving, by the construction of street car lines, the extension of water and gas mains and sewerage systems, the hills became accessible and available. A little later the interurban dis- tricts came into vogue, and still later the beautiful suburbs. Dayton's bluff, with its terraced streets and sightly outlooks, clothed itself with handsome abodes. Arlington hills, from Collins street to Lake Phalcn was covered with serviceable domiciles. On Merriam hill were built as many costly habitations as it could tind space for. The West .'seventh street and Pleasant avenue region received its share. .Across the river in the Sixth ward, with its benches and blufi's, an enterprising congenial population established their households. St. Anthony hill, in its larger and largest sense, with its enormous area and room for indefinite ex- pansion, became the hill of homes.
.'summit avenue: Crocus hill; .'Summit lioulevard; Macalestcr; River boulevard ; .Shadow falls ; Merriam Park ; University avenue ; St. Anthony Park; ITaniliiic; Warrcndalc; Como Park; down Como avenue to Rice street and thence around to the place of beginning at the grounds of the new cathedral — these are points and boundaries of a territory marked by nature and destiny for one of the world's noteworthy as- semblages of luxurious and palatial or substantial, comfortable, pleas- ant homes. Many thousands have been built and embellished with taste- ful accessories; hundreds arc added every year; the intermediate spaces with the same attractions, suffice for the requirements of another half- centurv.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 393
St. Paul is proud of her long avenues of stately and luxurious man- sions, embowered in magnificent trees, set in the midst of close-shaven lawns of vivid green, adorned with floral embroideries. Summit and Dayton and Portland and Lincoln and Western and a dozen more, are a perennial joy to all the people as well as to the fortunate residents thereon.
But man cannot subsist entirely on angel-cake and whipped cream; neither can a city consist solely of palatial mansions. The home of the average citizen is the ultimate criterion. St. Paul has. in its various residence districts, an aggregate of many square miles of hom- ogeneous, well-built, well-kept, comfortable dwellings, varying in style and material, but all with adequate grounds, mostly owned by their occupants, and each the abiding place of a contented family circle. This is a happv and hopeful guarantv of solid prosperity, a crowning glory of St. Paiil.
CHAI'Tl'lR WW II
THE IXFLUEXCE OF \\UMi:.\
Patrons ok the City Beautiful — God's "Canvons of the City" — Women's Influence on the "Playoround jMovement" — The Home Garden Club — Domestic Science — Women's Clubs and the "City Plan" — Work Throuc.h the Women's Clubs
In the slates wliere women have the right to vote on all questions, it would naturally be exjjected that they would be active and influential in matters of civic advance and city betterment that specially affect the family and the home ; in questions relating to parks, play grounds, schools, and all phases of moral reform. Minnesota has, as yet, granted "votes for women" only as to school interests, but the women of St. Paul and of the state have not waited for this, to begin a good work along many lines of intelligent effort where beneficial intluences ma\- be ex- erted.
They are falling in with a general movement that is full of solid present accomplishment and of golden future jiromise. Peo])le have never before cared so much about other ])eople as they do now. Social thought and sympathy are growing more intense, both among men and women. The woman of today is dilTercnt from the woman of yester- day, not so much in her ideals or sympathies as in the expression of these ideals. Women have always been naUir.illy idealistic, but the dif- ference between their present and past idealism lies in the fact that to- day it is more far-reaching, extending to the interests of their neigh- bors and the community at large.
P.\TRO\S OF THE ClTV PiEAUTIFlM.
Women have always set the moral and esthetic standard in the com- munity in which they lived, and when they once get into this new lield of making our cities more beautiful, a Held which is really closest to their natural bent, they ought to accomi)lish wonders. Their confined life of former years gave them no chance to demonstrate their fitness for this sort of work. I'ut new interest in outdoor life together with new social relations is bringing out the wonderful esthetic and monil qualities that have been so long diverted from the problems of the city beautiful, and are now demonstr.'iting a woman's superior tltness to do inuch in this new field.
In the one item of shadeil avenues :md well-kept j)arks. the |)ro- vision of trees, modern women find a fielfl for effort that will make our surroundings better and healthier; a field that stimulates good taste, love for the beautiful, patience and perseverance.
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These movements are being manifested in widely separated locali- ties. It was a Massachusetts woman who founded the first improvement society in the United States, .\bout ten years ago women formed a civic improvement association in South Park, Chicago, and within a few years not only changed the esthetic and sanitary appearance of their own section, but extended their influence to the whole city. At Lincoln, Nebraska, the women started their civic work on the school grounds, where they planted trees and encouraged the children to care for them. In California the women saved the famous Calveras grove of big trees, averting a national disaster and extorting universal com- mendation.
In Brooklyn it was women who organized a national city tree asso- ciation and who started the first tree clubs among school children in this country. The association is located at the Children's Museum in Brooklyn. Everywhere we find that it is the women who fight for the preservation of their trees when some public service corporation tries to injure them. It was a woman who started the Children's Farms in Ijrooklyn.
There is no doubt that women are the natural leaders for the realiza- tion of the city beautiful — i)eautiful not with a lot of expensive cut stone, formidable fences or marble columns, but beautiful with natural parks, with avenues lined with fine trees and with front yards covered with verdure and blossoms, and beautiful with healthy children.
In the State of New York women were instrumental in securing legal redress for civic vandalism. A construction company doing some work on a street found that the trees hindered their progress. They thereupon cut down the trees without so much as considering for one moment their value to the owner's property. Suit was at once brought against the company, the damages being laid at $500 for each tree cut down. The plaintiff recovered for the full amount as the value of the trees, and the court added $1,000 more for punitive damages. This ver- dict was carried to the appellate court and has been sustained.
Women are constitutionally intolerant of evils and impatient with wrongs, but they can. if occasion requires, supply the essential element of patience in dealings with great issues. The problems of the commu- nity, social, political or commercial, cannot be solved in a day nor dis- posed of in a burst of feeling. Declamatory or defamatory protests are of little value. Americans are impulsive, ready for a fight, but sometimes less temper would be good for us as a nation. What the country is said to lose through its hot-headed impulsiveness, its lack of foresight and thoroughness, it makes up in superior energy and enter- prise. Let us grant that, but why not use foresight and thoroughness in the performance of our tasks, especially in the shaping and the mak- ing of our cities. In these directions the counsel of women has been found ])articularly helpful.
God's "Canyons of the City"
That there could be a poetry of the city, even of the "skyscraper" features, remained to be demonstrated by a "country editor" of the far northwest. In the winter of 191 1, James A. Metcalf, editor of the weekly Dawson County Rcvicrv at Glendive, Montana, visited New York City for the first time. During his stay, he wrote the following remarkable poem, which was printed in the Nnv York World :
396 ST. PAUL AND \ ICI.XITY
"Talk about your yawning canyons in the Rocky mountains grand! They're the product of a mighty and a wonder-working Hand, In whose grasp the shreds of chaos spring from out the formless mass, And beneath that touch supernal into whirling planets pass.
"But the canyons of the city, through whose shadows millions rush, Were not carved from broken mountains in Creation's morning hush — No great cataclysm formed them, but the 'hillsides,' mounting high, Tell the story of man's greatness to the ages passing by.
"Almost shutting out the da_\light. how they rise in stately pride ! .Ml but just a narrow skyline, with their covering lines they hide. Depths abysmal have no echoes such as run the mountains o'er. But the chasm ne'er grows silent from the city's constant roar.
"As I stand and gaze with reverence at some towering mountain height In that land where nature's greatness is around one day and night, In my heart there comes a feeling that man's part is mighty small In the handling of these forces — sometimes subject to his call.
"But I'm forced to change my musings when the city hems me in. Here the sway of nature ceases, triumphs great of man begin. Then I wonder if these contrasts form a part of one great plan ; Whether God's work still grows greater jiassing through the hand of man.
"Yes, I think I sec the meaning, and the story grows more sweet — There's a certain path of progress to be traversed by man's feet. God supplies the strength of nature, and it well may stand alone, But it has a greater mission when man takes it for his own.
"Those w^ho toil to build the city, if they do it in His name, Rear great tributes to His glory, and they please Him just the same As the matchless, mighty mountains, when they lift up to the blue — Almost to the bright star-windows, with the angels looking through.
"Mountain-top and lowly valley: city great and country-side; Rivers rolling to the ocean and the heaving of the tide ; Nature's voice or man's harsh clamor, softening through the ages long, Rise to greet the Throne Eternal in one grand celestial song.
Women's Influence on the "Playground Movement"
Safe, sane and hapjn- recreation for the young, is another subject that commands the solicitous attention of women's organizations. .\t all ages the plea "let us play with our children" has been the crowning grace of many mothers; but far more of the mothers have stopped their play when the baby could walk by itself, and it has gone stumbling on in an unguided attempt at play, trying to anuise itself with all the de- lights of its ten meddlesome fingers and its restless feet, until the kin- dergarten arose and caught the baby so weary of its numerous jiossibili- ties and at so infinite a loss as to their proper use. and taught it plav- ful. free and satisfying. lUit after the kindergarten there catne long, dull years in the t,'rades with little to rest or rel.ix the eager sjiirit and
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 397
limbs of the working-girl type. Soon the girl is mature enough for the factory, and the city streets become her only playground. Her amuse- ment is either nil or vicious. Clean, decent amusements are almost im- possible to a girl outside of the social centers. Here under proper supervision girls and boys can dance, can play, whole hearted, happy and safe.
Playgrounds have passed out of the experimental stage and have stood the great American test — they pay. To some people this utilitarian aspect of play deprives it of its widest charm. However, it is a fact. Not only is every city in the country providing and developing play- grounds for the children, and opening them evenings for grown people, but manufacturers are providing playgrounds for their employes. It is now a truism that recreation recreates. Not only educators and philos- ophers from the Greeks to Schiller, Fenelon. Locke, Ruskin and Jane Addams, but all natural, normal, and healthy people everywhere have realized that in the last analysis, health, happiness, sanity, are the results of a life of pleasure; disease, insanity, death, of one of pain.
While St. Paul has pursued a conservative policy in regard to play- grounds it has not been mossgrown in method. Indeed, it is only just to say that so far no mistakes have been made. This is the more re- markable, as the playground movement started here before it was out of the experimental stage. :Mrs. Leonora Austin Hamlin was the first to propose it in this city. She was at that time president of the Civic League, and it was through her efforts that a joint committee was formed from the Civic League and the Commercial Club, a committee that suc- ceeded in inducing the Common Council to let the experiment be made on city property and to appropriate a small sum for the expenses of the first year. When ^irs. Hamlin left town Mrs. Bramhall took her place as president of the Civic League and chairman of the playgrounds com- mittee. Dr. Dunning was chairman of the Commercial Club committee. A competent supervisor was engaged. He designed and built the first shelter house, on what became the Como playground. But the tract of land loaned by the city was too small. Nearby was an available strip of ground ; the struggle to get it was a long laborious one. The ground •was finally acquired, and a base-ball benefit, gotten up by the Commer- cial Club provided for its equipment.
Later, an amendment to the city charter was approved by the people, after a woman's campaign for votes through the school children. The council voted the maximum appropriation to the support of the play- grounds. They thus received a legal status, an income (by no means adequate), and were made a permanent part of the city development. The committee hopes to develop the playgrounds already established and to open new ones in the most thickly populated districts and in rapidly growing sections of the city. It proposes to convert the seven blocks near the new Central high school (land that used to be the farm of the old reform school) into an athletic field for the benefit of tlie whole city.
There are now playgrounds adjacent to most of the public schools. The .'-Krlington Hills grounds are the most fully equipped. Last year they were especially successful in the athletic contests between the dif- ferent playgrounds teams. They have also done well this year. In gen- eral the equipment of all the grounds is similar. All supports are of iron pijiing sunk from four to six feet into the ground in a bed of cement ; tlie ropes are spliced over pulleys ; the giant strides move on
398 ST. PAUL AND \ ICIXITV
ball bearings ; horizontal and parallel bars, climbing pules and ropes are securely fastened and easily put up or taken down. There are May poles and slides on most of the fields; baseball diamonds, used in winter for skating rinks, and sand boxes for the little children.
The experiment of opening the ground to older people three even- ings a week has proved well worth while, and will undoubtedly be con- tinued. Saturda}- afternoons the Mercantile League is ]X'rmitted to use the playground baseball field for its games. It is expected to send in applications for the privilege beforehand in order to avoid embarrassing complications.
On the whole the playground situation is very promising. A good start has been made. The most crying needs seem to be trees and bubble fountains, a shelter house for the Sylvan jjlayground and — more money.
The '"clean city" movement was started with the organization of the various school districts into Junior Civic leagues, and the school children were asked to cooperate by cleaning uj) their own school neighborhoods. Prizes were offered and awarded in 191 1, to the .schools making most progress and an interest was aroused that w ill bear good fruit hereafter.
The TIomk Garden Club
The women uf the Home Ciarden Club of the .Sunbeam I'and. make a sjjecialty of encouraging healthful recreation during the summer months through systematic garden work by the children of the city. They have met with cheering success. The club distributed seeds to eight public schools during the spring of 191 1, besides giving a large (luantity to home gardeners and to philanthropic institutions, including the Boys' Detention home ; the Protestant orphan asylum ; Jewish Home for Aged; Salvation Army Rescue home; ^'oung Strivers' Club of the Xcighliorhood House, west side; the I'.ethel Junior Sunshine Club, for di.stribulion ; the Home for Aged Colored People and Orphans. Re- sides this distribution to schools and institutions the darden Club has helped a large number of poor families establish small home gardens ancl aided in their support.
>rany of the members of the Garden Club distributed seeds to Sun- day schools, and have encouraged in a great measure the work of the Junior Civic League. The Kdison school was given the largest quantity "of seeds, the children in that district using 1,225 Packages; the \'an Piuren school came second with 1,006 jiackages. In all 8,510 packages of vegetable and flower .seeds were given away.
The club has begun raising funds to carry on the work next year. Tt is proposed to make the area covered more extensive, and a systematic investigation of poor people who need garden assistance will be made. Garden work by the children will be encouraged in every way possible, and all junior organizations will be visited by committees from the Sun- beam banil ami instructed in the work.
Domestic Science
P)Ut recreation, even productive recreation, is not the only object of the women's clubs. Useful study, the study of home economics, is also included. The topics considered in a series of sessions are suggestive and illuminating. The introductory meeting is devoted to a discussion on the "Home as the L'nit of Civilization," "The Place of the Home
ST. IWUL AND \ICIN1TY ;i9y
Maker in the Jicononiic World" and "Evolution of the Home." These three topics are carried through the entire program, and auxiliary topics are studied in their relation to them.
That these yield practical results of great value, is appreciated, at last by the business men and the workers who reap their benefits. Man who has always borne the brunt of many things, today hears less com- plaining. His home is a better place to live in. He has seen methods of so-called cookery handed down, as a favorite rocker, from mother to daughter for generations ; he has suffered from dyspepsia and other in- terior ailments ; he has been forced to cultivate an appetite for heavy pastry and fried meats. As an office man he has been given foodstuffs suitable for a laborer who works hard in the open ten hours a day ; and as an artisan he has frequently gone to his task carrying a dinner pail filled with the sweets of mistaken kindness in the shape of products of amateur experiments. He has, in fact, seen more time spent on the study of food for animals and plants than on his own food.
However, since domestic science has taken him and his family in hand, he has discovered that it means more than the cooking and serving of swell dinners and the making of cakes with twelve eggs ; that it not only means satisfying and nutritious meals, but other things as well — for instance, economy in buying.
Wome.n's Clubs .\nd the "City Plan"
Mrs. C. G. Higbee, of St. Paul, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs, has, for several years, devoted the major portion of her time and strength, to an unselfish, zealous and intelligent propaganda of the varied features of the noble work, in which these organizations are engaged. One of the principles which the federated clubs are try- ing to inculcate is, that in civic affairs, as in many others, beauty is not only pleasant but profitable. The experience of Kansas City with her boulevards is cited. By detailed computations which the park board says would be received as competent evidence before any court of rec- ord, the board demonstrated in its report just how profitable the con- struction of certain boulevards has been to the owners of property fronting them. "On Benton boulevard," the report says, "it is shown conclusively that the increase in value has been more than 183 per cent since the establishment of the boulevard."
The "City Plan" was put up to the property owners of St. Paul in plain English, at an enthusiastic meeting of two hundred men and women, called by the City Club and held at the city hall one evening during the summer of 191 1. The guests were given an opportunity to examine the Nolen and Comey plans, together with plans and photo- graphs showing what had been accomplished in the way of improve- ments in old and new world cities. The exhibits were a surprise to many who heretofore have entertained the idea that city ])lanning was for beautification only ; whereas, it was demonstrated beauty is secon- dary to the practical, in the majority of city plans. Prior to the ad- dresses Mrs. Plamlin, Executive Secretary of the City Club, read the re- ports covering the city plan for the central district of St. Paul, the area bounded by the capitol, the cathedral, Irving park and the Union station. Mr. Nolen said in his report that the city had an unusual basis for a good city plan because of its topographical situation, and the controlling feature, its railroads, bridges, main streets and public build-
■iOO
ST. PAUL AND \TCiXlTY
ings. thus afford a relatively easy opportunity to make St. Paul one of the most convenient, liveable and picturesque cities on the continent. He believed that St. Paul would suffer, however, unless it made an ef- fort to eliminate two serious handicaps, these being narrow streets and an utter failure to consider the city as an organic unit and to properly and thoughtfully coordinate the various phases of city activity. He declared the remedy lay in prompt legislation and foresighted action, believing this combination would remove these limitations upon the city's prosperity.
The report of Mr. Xolen's assistant, .Arthur C. Comey, also read by Mrs. Hamlin, explained in detail the draft of the central district |)lan. covering the Capitol approaches. Cathedral approach and terrace. Ex- change place. I'ostoffice ])laza. Rice park, Mayall place, public gardens, river front improvements. Union depot i)lazas and approaches, levees, Robert street bridge approach. River park. Reserve highway and Recrea- tion park.
birdsevil \ii;w of sevkn corners, plan of .^ppro.vches
TO ST ATI-: CAIMini,
M. D. Munn, the last speaker of the evening, discussed the plan for the development of the river channel. He predicted the imjirove- ment would be completed within five years and told of the great ad- vantages which the city would enjoy therefrom. The S]3caker said that while there are many interesting things to be said about the harbor l)roject, the commission is in a j)osition where it cannot talk freely. He wished it understood, however, that there was no discord or danger of disagreement on the ])roposition.
The women of St. Paul and the men who cooperate with them in a championship of the combination of beauty with utility, may lind en- couragement in phenomenal rapidity with which Paris has. durnig tiie past few decades, carried on the work of practical embellishment. The beauty of Paris was not a thing of nature, as is that of St. Paul. There
ST. PAUL AXD VICINITY 401
was a time when the very spots which are now the most effective were ugly and forbidding.
Take the site of the Trocadero. It was once the garden of a con- vent and for decades remained but a barren waste like some old un- used tracts broken by uncouth gullies in some of our own cities. Since the e.xposition of 1879 these slopes have been laid out in gardens of rare charm, with a cascade which falls from the balcony of the palace toward the Seine, passing on the way through eight water basins. Both bal- corfy and basins are adorned with statues.
The site of the Garden of the Tuileries was simply old tile fields that existed in the time of Charles VI. The Place de la Concorde, the finest public square in the world, with its fountains and statues and the obelisk in the center, was but a waste irregular space imtil the reign of Louis XV. The Champs Elysees, or Elysian Fields, the superb avenue with promenades and groves running at the sides, was formerly cov- ered with little unsightly detached houses and small gardens and irregu- lar meadows. The new Halles Centralle are the most magnificent and comprehensive city markets in existence. There are ten pavilions, each 120 by 100 feet. Garden produce, fish, poultry, game, butter, cheese, fowls and butchers' meat are sold here. The roofs of the pavilions rest upon 300 cast iron coknuns ten meters in height and connected liy dwarf walls of brick.
The great things that have been accomplished for civic betterment by the women of St. Paul, and the yet greater things they have in view, have been achieved and will be attempted, despite the handicap, if it be one, of the lack of a general electoral franchise. The struggle for that franchise is for most of the women's clubs, a collateral not a dominant issue. But they are not unmindful of its importance. Perhaps they agree with the forcible and sensible suggestions on women in politics, by a writer on social questions, Ellen Key. ,
She bases her argument for women suffrage on the need which poli- tics has for certain qualities which are found more fully developed in woman than in man, enthusiasm and idealism. She admits that woman is less influenced than man by abstract reason, but claims that by her tenderness and her passionate feeling for wrong and suffering, she will bring to legislation a valuable contribution. She believes that if woman is to help in the regeneration of the state she must do it "not by liymns of praise in honor of her sex," but by inexorable claims on herself for education that will prepare her for this duty ; and education that will preserve the enthusiasm of her feeling, but purge it from the risks of caprice and foolhardiness.
She admits frankly that many women are unfit for political fimc- tions : that as one now sees herds of "electoral cattle" swinging the bal- ance in favor of wrong measures, so one may see crowds of "electoral hens" driven without personal opinion or choice, and without any feel- ing of shame. But she believes women will be educated by the ballot. She does not believe that fitness to vote will be found in the upper classes alone, but she declares worthy of a double vote that mother of the working class who with all her privations has cared well for her children and made a happy home for them and her husband, at the same time has acquired education and insight in social questions. Her "woman of the future" will not be the narrow-minded housekeeper, nor
402 ST. I'AL'L AND \ICL\1TV
the short-sighted woman's rights working machine, hut "the hitrli-hearted woman who loves her family and the race."
With or without the elective franchise, the women of .'^t. Paul are in the movement for better things for the home, the family, the school and the city, and they are in the movement to stay. They are ready to capitalize their ideals, to analyze them, to organize them and to ener- gize them. .\n ideal may be cherished with the most painstaking thor- oughness and yet be a thing without life. Inertia is a characteristic of ideals as it is of natural objects. It is fortunate that it is so; for inertia, we must remember, means not only the natural tendency of a bodv at rest to remain at rest, but also the equally natural tendency of a body in motion to remain in motion. In cither case, the inertia of the object can be overcome only by some external force. The French astronomer, Flammarion, has recently estimated that a single application of a force sut^cient to propel a projectile at the rate of five miles per .second from the earth's surface would overcome the attraction of gravitation and the resistance of the atmosphere, and send the projectile forever revolving as a new satellite around the earth.
The attraction of things as they are and the density nf an unen- lightened atmosphere are the inertia which many an ideal must over- come; but, in the words of Lowell
"Get but the truth once uttered, and 'tis like A star new born, that drops into its place.
And which, once circling in its placid round. Not all the tumult of the earth can shake."
^^'(|RK TiiN(iri;ii iiii-; W'umi'.n's (.'i.rns
More than ten thousand women in St. Paul are members of social, literary or civic associations, and the greater number of them are active workers in several clubs. St. Paul was a strong factor in the organiza- tion of the .Minnesota Federation of \\'omen's Clubs in 1895, and since that time the Fourth congressional district of the federation has been the strongest and most influential force in the club work of the state. This city is the residence of the state president, so that nuich of the splendid results which have come from the lc,i,'islative and civic efforts of the club- women during the past five years have been due to plans and cani|)aigns originating here. The official organ of the state federation, The Coiir- ant, which carries the news of Minnesota clubs to all parts of the coun- try, is published in St. Paul.
One of the important clubs of the city is the Woman's Civic League of more than 100 members. This league was organized to aid in improv- ing civic conditions in .'>t. Paul, obtaining better playground facilities for the city, and investigating along health and liygienic lines. The Political l-",f|uality Club has obtained a girls' detention home for the city and the institution will be in o])eration before the end of the year. Juve- nile work is being materially aided b\- the clubwomen of the city, federated and un federated.
Other federated clubs which are working along civic lines are the Bethel Woman's Club; Mamline Fortnightly Club; .St. .\nthony Park Association ; and the .St. Paul Council of Jewish Women, which also looks after the immigrant i)opulation of the city, finds homes and eni- plf)yment for strangers coming here and takes care of the Jewish poor.
ST. PAUL AND MCINITY 403
There are several mothers' ckibs, which study all questions pertain- ing to children and education — the Central Presbyterian Church Moth- ers' Club; Haniline ^lothers' Club; Katherine Pitts Mothers' Club; Lower Town Mothers' Club ; Plymouth Mothers' Club and St. Paul Mothers' Circle, are among the number.
The Guild of Catholic Women is the largest club of the federation, having nearly five hundred members. The guild does philanthropic work exclusively, and is now seeking a location for a working girls' home, where girls may be housed until they find employment and given lodging at a minimum rate when they are working.
The Sibley House Association is a new woman's club, incorporated this year for the purpose of restoring and maintaining the historic Sib- ley House site at Mendota. The railway mail service has an active woman's auxiliary. The school teachers of St. Paul are federated in two clubs, both affiliated with the state federation. The St. Paul High School Teachers' Club has a membershij) of eighty and was formed for the pur- pose of inciting greater professional interest.
There are five women's clubs in St. Paul which belong to the General Federation of Women's Clubs, a national organization of 430,- 000 members covering forty-nine state federations and 5,775 clubs. The Schubert Club of more than five hundred members, Mrs. W. S. Briggs, president, is one of the factors in the musical development of the city, and the Ladies' Symphony Orchestral Club, with Miss Nellie .\. Hojic, president, also helps in this direction.
Taken as a whole, the work of the federated and independent clubs of St Paul has been well worth while, and is being recognized by commercial and industrial organizations all over the state. In addition to the activities enumerated in preceding paragraphs of this chapter, they have done hundreds of useful things. They have kept up a crusade against improper bill boards. They have done much to eliminate dice gambling. Club women have made the success of Tag day possible, and have helped by the sale of Red Cross stamps the establishment of an outdoor school for tubercular children. The work of the Charities and Corrections Society has been greatly aided, and all the organized charities are being managed by the help of clubs. Early closing of stores has been advocated, penny lunches have been installed in the public schools and ungraded school rooms have been proved a success by the women of the city.
The Young Woman's Friendly Association is a club which cares for a large number of working girls. The Woman's Auxiliary to the Terri- torial Pioneers' Association holds most of its meetings in St. Paul. There are two auxiliaries to commercial clui)s, the Women's Auxiliary of the Dayton's BlufT Commercial and the Woman's Auxiliary of the East Side Commercial Club, both of which clubs are splendid aids to civic and social work in their respective districts. There are twelve unions of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in .St. Paul — Hamline, Mer- riam Park, Somerset, Eve Jones, Dayton's Blufif, East Side, Central, Grand View Heights, Seymour, Oakland and Arlington Hills. The St. Paul College Club is affiliated with the National Collegiate Association ; the Ladies' Auxiliary of the National Mindcgavekomite is a new organi- zation formed to help the gift to Norway in IQM- Almost every church has a missionary and a ladies' aid socict)- which helps in the charitable and social work of the citv.
CHAPTER XXXMII
ST. PAUL, THE COXVENTIOX CITY
Comparative "Value" of Conventions — St. Paul's Record for the Summer of 191 i — Why It Is a Convention City — Thirtieth Xa- tidnal Encampment, G. A. R. — Other Conventions.
Xatural advantages of location, accessibility, attractiveness and cor- diality of welcome, combine to make St. Paul a favorite place for the assemblage of conventions, national and international, state and sectional. Rut these advantages must be supplemented by organized, intelligent, unwearied effort to secure the more desirable of these meetings, in the face of the keen rivalry displayed by the progressive cities of the coun- try in that direction. It is now realized by all that no more potent plan to advertise and enrich a city can be devised than that of receiving and properly entertaining these large bodies of representative men and women, whose periodical convocations have become such a prominent feature of modern civilization.
Each competing city now has a convention bureau whicli has reduced the business to a real science. It wastes neither money nor energy. For a long time it was the practice of cities to distril)ute badges and lapel buttons. "Why not give something practical?" asked one city. .\nd her bureau gives away lead pencils, with the inscription "Mark it down and them come to "
Comparative \'alue of Conventions
How is the bureau to know where and what the conventions are? In answer to this question is a revelation of the extent to which tiiis kind of organization has gone. You can go to the convention bureau of a live Association of Commerce and find a complete file of the name, strength, method of selecting meeting-place, and the spending capacity of every organization that meets in the United States, It surprises one to learn that there are four thousand such organizations. Some only meet every four vears. Xumbers do not always count. For exami^le one bureau estimates that though the average religious convention makes a daily ex- penditure of a dollar and seventy-five cents a person, the usual daily siiending capacity for a visitor during a "Shriners" " meetin;,' is twelve dollars and seventy-five cents. On the .spending capacity depends the degree of work expended to get the ])rize; very little regard seems to be paid to the amount of "uplift"' connected with these meetings. We get some idea of the value of some conventions when we discover that the Knijjhts Templar alone left nine million dollars last year.
I'-ormerly a citv was satisfie<l when it got one convention of a certain
404
ST. PAUL AXD \ICINITY
405
kind at a time, but the bureaus have a plan that rounds up all the affil- iated interests. For instance, if it secures the national dairy-show it sets out to get the annual conventions of the butter makers, the cattle breeders', in fact, all lines associating with dairying. The result is that it makes the dairy-show bigger and better and at the same time brings ten times more people to the city. The campaign to secure a convention often involves months of correspondence and the attendance of a large active delegation of "boosters" at the preceding assemblage, a year or two in advance.
St. P.xul's Record for the Summer of igii
St. Paul is fully equipped by experienced, energetic committees of the Commercial Club and the Association of Commerce, to get its share of the conventions, and gets them. During the summer of 191 1, fiftv-one conventions were held in this city. The process of securing conventions
AUDITORIUM
is an easier one every year. With the fifty-one gatherings here, the beauty of St. Paul has been told throughout the length and breadth of the nation and far into Canada and other countries. The city is situated near enough the center of population to be reached easily by a national gathering, and is far enough north to escape the torrid heat which makes conventions in the middle west so often a burden during midsummer.
A partial list of the conventions which met in St. Paul during the season of 191 1, shows the important character of the gatherings, em- bracing nine national and four international associations.
State: Knights of Columbus, grand lodge. May 9th; William E. Reau, secretary, Minneapolis.
State: Knights of Pythias, grand lodge; second week in May; F. E. Wheaion, secretary, Minneapolis.
State: Pythian Sisters, grand lodge; second week in May.
State Association of Homeopathic Physicians : May i6th to i8th ; Dr. G. H. Dahl, secretary, Mankato, Minnesota.
40(5 ST. TALL A.\l) \TC1.\1TV
International: Switchmen's Union of North America, May i8th: M. R. Welch, ^e.retary. lUiffalo. Xew York.
Tri-State: Tri-State roslmasters Association: June 7th to 8th; C. A. Rasmussen, secretary, Red Wing, .Minnesota.
State: Minnesota State Postmasters' League: June jth to 8th: O. J. Kuntz, secretary, Waconia. ^Minnesota.
State: Knights of the .Maccabees, grand lodge: June 8th to 9th: E. X. Sutherland, secretary. .Minneapolis.
.National: Twin City .\ssociated Harvard Clul): June 9th to loth; E. P. Davis, local secretary, .St. Paul.
State: Grand Lodge, lnde])cn(lent ( )rdcr Odd hellows; June 14111 to 15th: A. L. Bolton, secretary, St. Paul.
State: Department lincampment. Grand .\riny of the Republic: June 15th to i6th; Captain Orton S. Clark, secretary. State Capitol, St. Paul.
State: State Lncam])ment, Women's Relief Corps; June 15th to lOth.
State: State Encani])nienf. ladies of the (!rand .\rmy of the Republic; June 15th to 1 6th.
.National: Lnitcd .Norwegian Lutheran L'hurch of .\merica: June I 5tli til J2iid : Rev. T. W. Dahl, president, Minneapolis.
Jnternatioiial : Freight Claim .Agents' .Association (L^nited States, Canada and .Mexico); June 16th, W. T. Taylor, secretary, Richmond, \"irginia.
International: Pioul and ."^lioe Workers' Union: June Kjth: C L. P>ain, secretary, Pioston, .Massachusetts.
National: .Norwegian I'"vangelical Lutheran Synod Church of Amer- ica; June 23ril to 30tii.
National: National 1 'hoiographers' .Association of .America; July 24th to 29th; Alanly \\'. Tyree, secretary. Raleigh, North Carolina.
National : National liarbers' Supply Dealers' Association ; .August 8th to loth.
National: Laundrymen's National .\ssnciation of .\nierica ; .August 2 1st to 23rd.
State: Northwestern Laundrymen's .Association; .August 21st to 23rd ; James Nankivell, secretary, St. Paul.
.National: National .Association of Stationary Engineers; August 20th to 23d.
International: .Association of Alunici])al Electricians, Se])tcnilHr ijth to i5tli; Clarence George, secretary, Houston, Texas.
National : American Association of General Passenger and Ticket .Agents; September i8th; C. M. Burt, secretary, Boston, Massachusetts.
State : .State Medical Association ; October 5th to Tith ; Dr. Thomas McDavitt. secretary. St. Paul.
National : .American Society of .Agricultural I'jigineers ; December 27th to 28th; J. P.. Davidson, secretary, .Ames, Iowa.
Wiiv IT IS A Convention City,
\iiioiig the arguments which seem to be conclusive in bringing these conventions to St. Paul, are the following:
1st — Its climatic conditions in summer are sujierior to any other city: a citv of 225,000 population : the metropolis of the northwest : an ener- getic, up-to-date people of retinemeni, culture and we;ilth.
-'nil — Its transportation facilities are of the best. ;md cm .iccninnid
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 407
date the largest conventions, the city having three trans-continental rail- roads and interstate lines reaching in every direction.
3rd — Street car service, both city and suburban, the finest in the country.
4th — Hotel accommodations sufficient for all, of the latest fireproof construction, with the most reasonable rates in the west.
5th — Convention halls to accommodate 15.000 people.
6th — Cafes, theaters and amusement places of the highest order.
7th — A progressive cosmopolitan population. Visitors meet their friends here.
8th — Parks, boulevards, lakes, flowers, fruits and sunshine in abun- dance.
9th — A genuine welcome and unstinted hospitality.
Elaborating some of these inducements, and calling the attention of delegates and visitors who come to these conventions to the best means of getting all the advantages of the trip, additional suggestions are made by the newspapers and entertainment committees. These are of special use when the numbers in attendance are large and the facilities for en- tertainment are taxed, as they frequently are on these occasions.
There -are hotels in plenty and if one does not care to go to a hotel and is so unfortunate as not to have a friend or relative in the city with an empty bed, there are plenty of private homes where one may rent a bed at a moderate price. The Commercial Club has a list of all such places, and a representative of the club will be ready at all times to give infor- mation. Hundreds of families gladly help the city extend an adequate welcome to visitors, and have opened their homes for these strangers. Those who are fortunate enough to get these places will have as many accommodations as they have at their own homes or more. The hotels make special preparations to care for extra guests, and the numerous conveniences of a hotel in a large city incline many to those places.
There is nothing so attractive as a big crowd with all the changing hues and diiiferent faces. In these crowds visitors often find friends from other places. There are hundreds of chance meetings of this sort, which enrich life and make a visit to the city so much the more interesting.
The incoming of the merchants from the smaller towns of the state to visit the wholesale establishments at this time of the year, always holds something of a family reunion nature. At these times the mer- chants who do not come to the city often have an opportunity to meet the heads of the firms with which they do business.
The widespread use St. Paul has made of oil for sprinkling the streets, both in the parks and along the street car lines and the boulevards is worthy of inspection by visitors interested in improving the streets of their own towns. The effects of the oil not only in laying the dust but in preventing the washing away of the street during a hard rain, are equally worthy of consideration.
The downtown portion of St. Paul is a blaze of light each evening on these special occasions. In preparation for the coming of thousands of visitors the merchants contribute each his share for lights across the streets, the festoons passing from post to post in the Ways of Tight all over the city, forty-one blocks of them in the retail district. The lights lead from the Union station to the retail streets.
A trip through the Capitol with one of the guides the state funu'shes is an education in art. The paintings on the walls are by America's great-
40t< ST. PAUL AND \KIXITY
est artists; the marbles and the color design ut the whole building has been the admiration of thousands of visitors from all parts of the world. The governor's office is open to the public, antl if he is not in the building and there are not too many in the party, his private office, lined with the paintings of all the governors of the state, is shown.
Besides Como Park, to which a trip by every tourist or convention delegate is almost a matter of course, the Indian mounds, in a park of that name on Dayton's BlufT, are well worth a visit. Here the races which l-receded the Indians had their outlook in the early days, and here many of them and their implements are buried. Just over the hill, near Indian Mounds jiark, is the Fish Hatchery of the state. Here each year millions of trout and pike are hatched and fed until they can take care of them- selves and then taken to various parts of the slate and put in the lakes and rivers. An interesting afternoon almost spends itself wandering about the pools and hatching houses.
Realizing '"a thing of beauty is a joy forever," the managers of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society are working to beautify in every possible way the State Fair grounds. It is their purpose to have eventu- ally a place that will attract by its beauty as well as by its jjossibilities of entertainment and instruction. The grounds are admirably adapted for the purposes to which they have been put. The work of the past few years has added much to the natural beauty, but there are still endless opportunities for beautification, and the property will lend itself most readily to the work of the landscape artist. When the present plans are carried out not only will there be shade and verdure to attract and give rest to the state fair visitors, but the place will be one of the show parks when the fair is not being held.
At present few realize how well nature and man have parked the 300 acres known as the fair grounds. To the minds of most the fair sug- gests only crowds and races and exhibits and excitement. To this ma- jority it would be instructive to visit the grounds in mid-summer. Peace broods over the scene. Far reaching rows of beautiful trees and great stretches of velvety lawn surround the quiet buildings. Bird bands fur- nish the most harmonious music. Bushes and flowering shrubs show in- telligent care, and help to make of the i)lace a most delightful haven. Flower gardens have been and arc being laid out and planted. Grass plots are being improved. .Streets arc lieing widened, rolled and oiled. .All this is being done in carrying out the board's plan of making the fair grounds beautiful. This will soon be a show-place of St. Paul, and a fa- vorite meeting ground for many kinds of state, national and international assemblies.
Sometimes complaint is made by the real working members of the delegate bodies which convene here, that the outside attractions are so numerous and the hospitable entertainments are so insistent as to seri- ously interfere with the business of tlie convention. P>ut even when the delegates are in business session, or the committees are most diligently occupied, there are always members of their families, or unattached visitors, w^ho may be fruitfully employed in sight-seeing and acquir- ing useful information. That "business" is not neglected, how- ever, at these times, may be conclusively seen from the following pro- gramme, rigidly carried out at the sixth annual meeting of the Tri-State Postmasters' .Association, representing Minnesota, North Ehikota and South Dakota, held in St. Paul June 7 and 8. 191 1 :
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 409
Wednesday, June 7. 10 A. M. — Convention called to order by president.
Address of welcome: Mayor Keller, St. Paul. Minnesota.
Response by the president: Postmaster Yanish, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Appointment of committees.
Address by Hon. F. C. Stevens, congressman.
'"Postal Legislation of the Last Session of Congress," by A. J. Veigel, Mankato, Minnesota.
Question box.
2 P. M. : Address by Hon. C. P. Grandfield, first assistant postmaster general, Washington, D. C.
"Postal Savings Banks." by E. H. Myhra, postmaster at Wahpeton, North Dakota; A. R. Erickson, postmaster at Bemidji, Minnesota; E- C. Weed, chief clerk postoffice department. Washington, D. C.
"The General Delivery : How This Department Can Be Improved," by H. C. Plumley, postmaster at Fargo, North Dakota.
"Postmasters' Conventions: Are They Worth While?" by Fay Cravens, post- master at Milaca, Minnesota.
"A Standard Rural Mail Box," by John Palmer, postmaster at Anoka, Minnesota.
Address by Hon. Alexander Grant, superintendent Railway Mail service. Tenth division.
Question bo.x.
Evening — The visiting postmasters were the guests of the St. Paul Com- mercial Club.
Thursday, June 8, 10:40 A. M. — Address: Hon. Rush D. Simmons, United States postoffice inspector in charge at St. Paul.
"The Recent Changes in the Registry System," by C- A. Von Vleck, post- master at Lake City, Minnesota.
"Fixed Compensation for Fourth-Class Offices," by A. F. Arndt, postmaster at Prior Lake, Minnesota.
"What is Needed by Postmasters in Third-Class Offices?" by Hon. S. Y. Gordon, postmaster at Brown Valley, Minnesota.
"What is Needed by Postmasters in Fourth-Class Offices?" by W. S. Bar- tholomew, postmaster at Avon, Minnesota.
"Should Fourth-Class Offices South of the Ohio and West of the Mississippi be Classified?" by F. F. Bloom, postmaster at Woodstock, Minnesota.
Question box.
2 P. ^f. — "Should the Entire Postal Department Be Under the Civil Service as a Business Proposition?" by. A. P. Cook, postmaster at Duluth, Minnesota.
"The Postal Laws and Regulations and the Otificial Guide : Are they printed in the best manner for ready reference? How can a ready reference be arranged?" by George N. Breed, postmaster at Brookings, South Dakota.
"Sunday Closing of Postofiices from a Moral. Business and Physical Stand- point," by W. E. Easton, postmaster at Stillwater, Minnesota.
"Common Errors and How to Avoid Them," by W. T. Callahan, postmaster at Long Prairie, Minnesota.
"Should Classification of Mail Matter be Simplified?" by E. Steenerson, post- master at Crookston, Minnesota.
Question box.
Reports of committees.
Election of officers.
By reason of being the territorial and state capital and the political headquarters, St. Paul has necessarily been a convention city for all po- litical organizations since the earliest days. Party policies have been prescribed here; the political fate of hundreds of ambitious public men has been settled here ; nearly all the important party councils during the past sixty years have sat here in judgment on measures and candidates. The name of these conventions is legion, and a detailed narrative of their doings, their incidental events and their ultimate consequences would fill volumes. The issues there fought out are musty rust and many of the participants are ru.sty dust ; likewise, the state-wide primary threat- ens what is left of the system. But the field for conventions has broad- ened until the partisan assemblage has lost its su])reme importance in the catalogue of yearly convocations which bring throngs of strangers to the expanding metropolis.
410 ST. PAUL AM) \ IIIXIIA
Thirtieth National Encampment, Ci. A. R.
Probably ihe greatest of all the conventions ever held in St. I'aul was the Thirtieth National Encampment, Grand Army of tiie Republic, during the week beginning :Monday, August 31. 1896. Notable for its magnitude, its spectacular incidents and its patriotic inspirations, as well as from the fact that no other such assemblage can ever convene here and few others anywhere, this event would seem worthy of somewhat extended record in the annals of the city which entertained it so royally. Already fifteen years have elapsed since that memorable occasion, al- ready perhaps a majority of its active participants, the veteran ex-soldiers of the army of the Union, have passed to their reward ; each of the sur- vivors has fifteen years added to his age and disabilities; neither indi- vidually nor collectively have they any successors.
In the fall of 1893 a movement was inaugurated in St. Paul to secure the National Encampment of the (Irand Army of the Kci)ul)lic for this city. A committee was formed, of which Past Department Commander C. D. Parker was chairman, D. A. Uanforth, secretary of the Commercial Club, secretary, and Hon. Alljert Schcffer, treasurer. This committee opened corresjjondence with various departments, and when the Twenty- eighth National Encampment assembled at Pittsburgh, September 10. 1894, a delegation of St. Paul citizens appeared there with an invitation for its next session. But the sentiment in favor of Louisville was found so strong that St. Paul withdrew from the field and cheerfully aided in making the selection unanimous.
The movement oidy gained greater impetus by delay. An earnest campaign was begun for the thirtieth encampment, and energetically prosecuted to a successful issue. On January 10, 1895, at the request of St. Paul citizens, the legislature of Minnesota unanimously passed a reso- lution of invitation, as did the St. Paul City Council on February jtii.
When the Twenty-ninth National Encampment met at Louisville. September 11, 1895, a numerous and influential St. Paul delegation was in attendance, with headquarters at the Gait I louse, to impress upon the dele.gales the claims of this city. J. J. McCardy, city comptroller of St. Paul, and then commander of the Department of Minnesota, Grand Army of the Rciniblic, was chairman of this delegation.
On the afternoon of the first day of the encampment, when the se- lection of the next place of meeting was declared to be in order, Capt. Henry A. Castle, postmaster of St. Paul and past dei)arfnient comman- der, Grand Army of the Repul)!ic. presented the formal invitation of the Minnesota rejiresentatives to the encampment. The following is an ex- tract from the address, as reported in the official proceedings : "There are i)ractical (|uestions which jiave to be settled upon these occasions, and it may be taken for granted that no city will tender this invitation except with a due regard to an honorable and a creditable fulfillment. \\'e know what this invitation involves and we are fully prei)ared to accept the con- sequences and carry them out, in letter and .spirit, from the beginning to the end. The funds necessary for the reception and entertainment of the encampment will be amply guaranteed. Within the limits of St. Paul and Minneapolis, easily coimccled by magnificent svstems of electric .street railways, are two hundred hotels, all of which will be open for the recejjtion and entertainment of our guests ; besides which, within a cir- cuit of ten miles from the two cities, easily reached by railway, are a large number of fine lakeside resort hotels, with accommodations for
ST. PAUL AND \IC1NITV 411
more than ten thousand people, all of which will be open and ready for your reception.
■'It has been stated, as we understand it, that St. Paul is a hilly city and that you may be obliged to march up hill, but I will say that we have plenty of level ground for all the streets that you will care to march on. We are now laying down the last of twenty-tive miles of splendid asphalt pavement, as smooth as that of Pennsylvania avenue in Washington, and on at least ten miles of those streets there isn't a grade of any account. If you come we will take advantage of the little grade there is and march you always down hill. Seven states of the new northwest unite with us unanimously in this invitation. The states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Montana are all with us. For all that vast territory, or nearly the whole of it, St. Paul and Min- neapolis are the center of transportation routes, easily reached from every direction. We have seven lines of railroad reaching Chicago, four to Lake Superior and other lines radiating in every direction, so that the facilities are ample."
Speeches in advocacy of the selection of St. Paul were made by Past Commander-in-Chief John P. Rea, Past Department Commander Henry G. Hicks of ^Minneapolis, and Comrades Rassieur of Missouri. Hoard of Wisconsin, Powell of Illinois, Allen of X'irginia, Kanitz of ^Michigan and Fainter of Connecticut.
Denver, Buffalo and Nashville contested with St. Paul for the prize, and eloquent speeches in favor of each were made by their respective partisans. The roll of departments was then called for a vote and re- sulted as follows. St. Paul, 393 ; Buffalo, 226 ; Denver, 103 ; Nashville, 23.
On their return to St. Paul, the delegation at Louisville formally re- quested the mayor, Hon. Robert A. Smith, to appoint a committee of citizens which should take charge of all preparations and arrangements for the coming great event.
About October i, 1895, Mayor Smith announced his appointees. These consisted of the officers and chairmen of committees which constitutefl the "Board of Managers" and were afterwards legally incorporated as "The St. Paul Grand Army of the Republic Thirtieth National Encamp- ment Committee." A few changes were subsequently made, but as organized for the final work of preparing for the encampment, it stood as follows : President — Gen. E. C. Mason, United States Army.
Vice presidents — R. A. Becker, Geo. R. Finch, W. J. Footner, O. B. Lewis, W. R. Merriam, P. H. Kelly and Alexander Ramsey.
General officers — General manager, J. H. Beek ; assistant general man- ager, C. P. Stine ; general secretary, J. S. Pinney ; treasurer, R. C. Mun- ger ; auditor, J. J. McCardy.
Executive commttee — E. C. Mason (ex-officio), f. 11. Beek, ( ex-offi- cio), H. A. Castle, A. R. McGill, J. J. 3>IcCardy, (ex-officio), J. S. Pin- ney (ex-officio), Albert Scheffer and R. A. Becker.
Committee chairmen — Finance, Albert Scheft'er ; transportation, M. D. Flower; invitation and reception. A. R. McGill; halls and camp fires, I. L. Mahan; accommodations. C. W. Horr; badges, E. O. Zimmerman; press, Henry A. Castle ; printing, C. W. Hornick ; parade and review, C. D. Kerr ; decoration and illumination, W. G. Strickland ; reunion and naval association, Fred Richter ; medical department. Dr. J. F. Fulton ; amusements, John Espy; ladies' committee, Mrs. R. M. Newport.
The National Encarnpment jsroper is a delegate body representing the state departments, and usually consists of about 800 members. But the
■il-2 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
annual meeting has, for nearly thirty years, been made the occasion of the convocation of several auxiliary national bodies, and also of a general re- union of ex-soldiers from all parts of the country — especially from the states adjacent to the place of assemblage.
There came to St. Paul to attend this reunion over 25,000 veterans of the Union army. The total number of excursion tickets taken up during the week was 143,000, in addition to many thousands handled at Minne- polis. These ligures testify to the magnitude of the celebration. Citi- zens placed their homes at the disposal of visitors; cots were put in all the school houses; a large encampment of tents was established at "Camp Mason" on the prairie beyond Dale street, with free quarters for the veterans. The splendid Kittson mansion, site of the new Catholic Cathe- dral, was secured as the Women's headquarters, and was kept ojien dur- ing the week under the auspices of Mrs. Newport's committees. The weather conditions were perfect during the entire week and everything worked out to the full satisfaction of all concerned. High officials of the order, delegates to many encampments, testify to this day, that no city has ever excelled St. Paul in planning and executing the arrange- ments for this great event.
The distinguishing feature of the week's proceedings was the mag- nificent parade of the Grand Army of the Republic on Wednesday morn- ing. Twenty-four thousand veteran soldiers of the Union, marshaled by departments and by posts, with numerous bands and drum corps and with lluttering flags, marched through three miles of St. Paul's splendid streets, walled in, four to eight deep, with cheering thousands of men, women and children — an object lesson of patriotism never to be for- gotten by the generation that beheld it. A "living flag" of six hundred costumed boys and girls on Si.xth street sang hymns of loyalty as the grand procession passed. Not an accident marred the perfect enjoyment of the sjiectacle ; not an untoward event occurred during this red-letter week in the city's calendar.
The following condensed official ])rogramme will convey some idea of the magnitude of the celebration and the work accomplished :
MoND.w. .'\iiBust"3lst — 8 A. M. : .Vrrival nf Coniiiiandcr-in-chicf I. X. Walker and staff, and escort to national headquarter?. Hotel Ryan.
8:30 P. M. : Reception to the commander-in-chief and Mrs. Walker by the citizens' committee and citizens of St. Paul, at Motel Ryan.
7 to 12 P. M. : Reception by the Woman's Relief Corps, Department of Minnesota.
8 to 12 P. M : General illumination of the city and band concerts.
8 P. M. : Military Order Loyal Legion, Commandery of Minnesota, head- quarters Ryan Hotel. Coinpanions welcome all the week. Indian display, games and athletic contests, day and evening.
TuF.SD.w, September ist — Sunrise: National salute, twenty-one guns, at Camp >rason. ,
ID A. M- : Parade of naval veterans and ex-pri?oncrs of war: escort, Third United States Infantry and Sons of Veterans. Department of Minnesota; review from Hotel Ryan by the commander-in-chief ; reunions throughout the day.
I P. M. : Minnesota veterans rendezvous at State Capitol, proceeding thence to Fort .Snclling for state reunion; reception at Fort Snelling to Grand .•Xrmy of the Republic by Col. John H. Page, officers and ladies of the post, followed by parade and review of troops.
3 to 6 P. M. : Reception of ladies of the Grand .Army of the Republic, De- partment of Minnesota, at Bowdby Hall.
8 P. M.: General reception to the commander-in-chief and Grand .Army of the Republic by ladies' committee, at Summit Park and on Summit avenue.
7 P. M. : iParade and contests of bicycle clubs, on Sixth street, between Smith avenue and Smith Park.
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 413
8 P. M.: Camplires at Auditorium, Marlvct Hall and West Side Opci-a House-
8 P. j\I. : Dog Watch by the Naval Veterans' Association, at headquarters, opposite Hotel Ryan, 144 East Sixth street. Indian display, games and athletic contests, day and evening.
Wednesd.w, September 2d — Sunrise : Salute to the Union, forty-five guns, at Camp Mason.
9 :30 A. M. : National salute, twenty-one guns ; commander-in-chief leaves national headquarters.
10 A. M. : Parade of the Grand Army of the Republic, starting from inter- section of Dayton and Western avenues, Western to Summit avenue, on Summit to Sixth street, and on Sixth to Smith Park, where the commander-in-chief re- view'ed the parade. Reunions throughout the afternoon.
4 P. M. : Regatta Minnesota Boat Club, on Mississippi river.
8 P- M. : Campfire for ex-prisoners of war at Auditorium ; other campfires at Market Hall and West Side Opera House; parade and display of the St. Paul Fire Department.
8 to 10 P. M. : Reception by ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, National President Mrs. C. E. Hirst, at Hotel Ryan.
8 to 10 P. M. : Reception to the commander-in-chief, by Woman's Relief Corps, National President Mrs. Lizabeth A. Turner, at Hotel Ryan.
9 to 10 P. M. : Informal reception by Daughters of Veterans, National Presi- dent Ellen M. Walker.
10 P. M. : Reception by the Military Order Loyal Legion, Commandery of Minnesota, to the commander-in-chief and staff, headquarters Ryan Hotel anne.x.
Thursd.w, September 3d — Sunrise: National salute, twenty-one guns, at Camp Mason.
9 A. M. : Parade of the National Guard, State of Minnesota, Governor D. M. Clough, commander-in-chief, and staff; Gen. W. B. Bend, commanding brigade.
9 :45 A. M. : Review of National Guard by Commander-in-chief I. N. Walker. Reunions during the day and evening.
10 A- M. : Escort of the commander-in-chief from national headquarters to the Auditorium and opening of the Thirtieth National Encampment, Grand Army of the Republic.
9 A. M. : Carriage drive for all visiting ladies, starting from ladies' liead- quarters, corner of Summit and Dayton avenues. Indian display, games and athletic contests, day and evening.
2 to 6 P. M. : Reception at ladies' headquarters to all visiting ladies.
8 P. M. : Campfires at Auditorium, Market Hall and West Side Opera House.
Frid.w, September 4th — 9:30 A. ^I. : Thirtieth National Encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, at Auditorium. Reunions throughout the day and evening. Indian display, games and athletic contests, all day and evening.
I P. M. : Excursion to Lake Minnetonka and Lake Park Hotel, for the com- mander-in-chief and delegates to the Thirtieth National Encampment and dele- gates to the Woman's Relief Corps.
I P. M. : Excursion to White Bear Lake for delegates, ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Daughters of Veterans and Loyal Home Workers.
8 P. M. : John Brown campfire at Market Hall; other campfires at Audi- torium and West Side Opera House.
S.\TURDAV, September 5th — Forenoon : Informal tours to Fort Snelling, Min- nesota Soldiers' Home and Minnehaha Falls.
.Afternoon and evening: Band concerts at Como Park and pyrotechnic display on lake at night. Indian displays day and evening.
Other Conventions
The National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Repubhc met at Minneapolis in 1884 and again in igo6. On both the.se occasions St. Paul co-operated to a very extensive degree in the entertainment of dele- gates and visitors, as well as in the antecedent movements to secure the location. In 1902 the Republican National convention met in Minneapolis and renominated President Benjamin Harrison as the party candidate. Again St. Paul did its full share in preparing for and taking care of the great assemblage. On numerous other occasions similar action has
414 ST. PAUL AXU \ k IMTV
been taken ; always reciprocated under like circumstances. Thus the facilities of l^oth cities have been at the command of either, when required.
The great Conservation Congress, held at the St. Paul Auditorium in September, 1910, was attended by many thousands. President Taft and ex-President Roosevelt were anions^ the speakers.
Conventions of the National Educational Association, the National Editorial Association and the National Federation of W'oman's Clubs have been held in this city — also general assemblies and general confer- ences of all the principal religious denominations.
CHAPTER XXXIX
HOTELS, AUDITORIUM AND THEATERS
Always a "Good Hotel Town" — Merchants' Hotel of Today — Cen- tral, American and Other Old Hotels — "Moffett's Castle" — International, Wild Hunter, Metropolitan, Etc. — Predecessor of "St. Paul" — Hotel Ryan — The "St. Paul" and Other Hotels — The Auditorium — Other Assemisly Halls — Amusement Halls AND Amusements — Improved Moving Picture Shows.
It would, perhaps be held paradoxical to assert that a man is known by the company his wife keeps — nevertheless it is, in the last analysis, strictly true. Equally parado.xical is the statement that a city is known by its hotels, where only a small fraction of the citizens live, and for the management of which a much smaller fraction is responsible. But that statement is likewise fundamentally true. A city with good hotels has, therein, one unassailable asset ; has made thereby, one long step in the march to metropolitan dignity and commercial greatness.
Always a "Good Hotel Town"
St. Paul has always been "a good hotel town." From the day in 1842 when Henry Jackson, storekeeper, postmaster, justice of the peace, etc., opened his hospitable doors to strangers, the welcome has always been cordial and the accomodations the best that current circumstances admitted. Jackson did not professedly keep tavern, but he did his best to make people comfortable who had no other place to stav, and that was a great factor in the growth of the embryo village. He continued for five years to extend his ministrations of comfort to all who applied.
The old "Bass tavern." originally the St. Paul House (later on, and to this day, the Merchants Hotel) was the first avowed institution for the entertainment of man and beast established in this city. The original structure was commenced in 1846 by Leonard H. La Roche. It was com- pleted and enlarged by .S. P. Folsom in the summer of 1847. It was partly built of tamarack logs, hewed square, and stood on the site of the Merchants' Tiotel of to-day. In .August, 1847, it was leased by Jacob W. Bass at ten dollars per month and opened for business under the name of the St. Paul House. In this hotel the territory was organized by Governor Ramsey and other officers in 1849. The post office was kept in it for two years, and in one of the suljsequent additions to the building the first lodge of Free Masons was held. The landlord. Mr. Bass, was soon compelled to make additions to the original building, which was only twenty by twenty-eight feet in dimensions and a story and a half high. When he retired from its management in 1852 great improvements
415
416 ST. PAUL AND \1C1X1TY
had been made in its interior and exterior, and it had been raised to two full stories.
Merchants' Hotel of Tou.w
During the four years succeeding the retirement of Mr. Bass, the Merchants' had several landlords. Finally, in 1856, E. C. Belote leased it and retained the management until 1861, when John J. Shaw and Wil- liam E. Hunt succeeded him. Mr. Hunt soon retired and Mr. Shaw con- tinued as its proprietor. During the hitter's control the old building was taken down to give way to the Merchants' Hotel of to-day. On June i, 1S70, the corner-stone of the present building was laid l\v the Old Set- tlers' Association with appropriate ceremonies. The building was com- pleted in 1871, and at that time was only four stories in height. In 1881 another story was added and the building was made to appear as it now stands. The dimensions of the building are two hundred feet on Jack- son street and one hundred and seventy feet on Third street. In 1873 Alvaren Allen succeeded Mr. Shaw as proprietor of the Merchants'. For fourteen years the hotel was under the successful management of Colonel Allen. In 1883 he purchased the property, the consideration being $275,- 000. In 1887 he leased the hotel to !•'. R. Welz. who. a few years later, transferred to the "Ryan" and was succeeded by George R. Kibl)e, the present proprietor. It has always been pojnilar as a place of social re- unions and is still the headquarters of political gatherings, its rotunda and corridors generally being crowded just preceding the organization of the legislature and state conventions.
Central, American and Other Old Hotels
The Central House was one of the well-known hotels of St. Paul at an early day. It was opened in 1848 by Robert Kennedy. It was at that time a small weather-boarded log structure on Bench street, and in 1840- 51 it was occupied by the legislature and territorial officers. During these years the town was so crowded and buildings were in such demand that the territorial officers were unable to secure better quarters. The place was designated by a flagstaff from which floated the national banner to mark the headquarters of the government, and here, in these narrow quarters, its business was carried on. The Central was from time to time enlarged, but was destroyed by fire thirty years ago.
One of the conspicuous landmarks of the city in the past was the old American House, a long, white wooden Iniilding. with a portico running the whole length, which stood on the corner of Third and E.xchange streets. This house was opened in 1849 by Mrs. Rodney Parker. It was originallv known as the Rice House. The name was changed to "Ameri- can" soon after it was oldened. I'roni this hotel the stages left \ot St. Anthony, and during the most prosperous era of stage travel in Minne- sota it did a large business. Edward and Stei)hen I.iMig were the pro- prietors of the .American House when it was destroyed by lire in 1863.
In 1850, besides the hotels mentioned, there were in St. Paul the Tre- mont House, kept by J. A. Wakefield, and the DeRoche's House. In 1854 a large frame structure, known as the Sintomine Hotel, was built by X. W. Kittson near the corner of Sixth and John streets. On October 3d, just as it was completed and ready for occupancy, it was burned.
The Winslow House, which stood at the junction of Eagle. Fort and Fourth streets (Seven Corners), was opened in 1853. It was built by
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 417
James ]\I. Winslow, who came to St. Paul in 1852 and died here in 1885. He was a pubhc-spirited man and was connected with various enterprises which were of great benetit to the city. The Winslow House, a large and good hotel, was conducted by E. S. Deuel for several years but was de- stroyed by fire in 1863.
"Moffett's Castle"
In 1848 or 1849, a ni^n well known to all the early settlers of St. Paul, Lot Moft'ett, erected in the ravine at Fourth and Jackson streets, a temperance hotel which was called by old settlers "Moffett's Castle" on account of its long unfinished condition. F"rom time to time he added stor- ies to his building, and at his death in 1870 he had three stories below ground and four above. Mr. Moft'ett ran this hotel until his death as a strictly temperance house. Rev. E. D. Neill, writing of Mr. Moffett and his hotel says : "His boarders were so many that they were obliged to sleep on the floor. A man by the name of Baldwin, born in Alabama, allowed me to sleep with him on a buffalo robe placed on a rough homemade bed- stead. I stayed ten days at ■Moffett's. He attended the first religious meeting I conducted. When I went to settle my bill he said '1 can't take full price, for I went to your preaching and it amused me.' Lot was a kind man and I did not consider his language sarcastic, but supposed that amused in his mind was the synonym of pleased."
Intern.\tional, Wild Hunter, Metropolitan, etc.
In 1856 when St. Paul was at the high tide of prosperity Alpheus G. Fuller proposed to build another hotel which would eclipse all the rest. J. W. Bass and William H. Randall gave Fuller the land upon which his hotel stood, and $12,000 was raised as a bonus. With this start Mr. Ful- ler erected an elegant hotel for some time known as the Fuller House, on the northeast corner of Jackson and Seventh streets, costing $110,000. It was a brick structure, five stories high, with ample balconies at the central windows. Stephen and Edward Long leased it. The hotel com- menced doing a splendid business and the Pioneer in 1856 stated that the arrivals at the four principal hotels (Fuller, Merchants,' American and Winslow) in one week amounted to over one thousand, and at the end of the summer season the number of visitors registered at all the hotels was twenty-eight thousand. The name was changed to International and it is best remembered by that title. The Long Brothers were succeeded by E. C. Belote, who was proprietor when the hotel was burned in the winter of i86g, and who shortly afterwards opened the Park Place Hotel on Summit avenue, near St. Peter street.
The Wild Hunter Hotel was erected in the early fifties by A. L. Lar- penteur on the corner of Third and Jackson streets, but in 1865 was moved a few doors on Jackson street, between Third and Fourth streets. The W'ild Hunter Hotel was a peculiar building, made so by the additions. It i)assed out of existence in 1885 to make room for a block of brick stores which now occupy its site. Besides the hotels mentioned there were several public houses classed under that head in the directory of the city, published in 1858. Some of these establishments were hardly more than boarding houses, and a few had exceedingly limited accommoda- tions for their guests.
In December, 1850, a three-story brick building, erected bv Rice and
Vol. 1—27
418 ST. PAUL AND VICLMTY
Banlil on West Third street, on the site where now stands tlie Metropol- itan Hotel building, was completed, and the territorial legislature met there in January, 1851, in the upper story. This building was destroyed by fire in November, 1856. In 1868 a number of citizens raised a bonus, bought the land, and gave James Winslow- a consideration to erect thereon the ,Metro[)olitan Hotel. Mr. Winslow failing to complete the building. Major Cullen, tieorge Culver and John Farrington assuniecl the responsi- bility and the partially completed edifice passed into their hands. The new owners completed the building, and on June 27, 1870, the hotel was opened to the public, with tiilbert Dutcher as proprietor. Mr. Dutcher died four years later, but his successors. Culver, then Belote, then Ferris and others kept up its record as a first class hotel for many years. It was finally closed about 1903.
Predecessor or '"St. P.\ul"'
The Windsor Hotel was erected in 1877 at a cost of $75,000, and stood at St. Peter and Fifth streets, on the site of the Greenman House, which was burned in May, 1877. It was opened January i, 1878, by Summers and Baugh, It was a brick and stone structure, five stories high, and had 200 rooms. The proprietors Summers and Monfort, en- larged it in 1889. Under the genial management of Colonel Monfort, the Windsor enjoyed for many years an enviable reputation and com- manded extensive patronage. After his death, in iqo2. the hotel was closed. In 1909 it was demolished to make room for the magnificent new "St. Paul."
Hotel Ryan
One of our modern and splendid hostelries, of which we are always proud, is the Hotel Ryan, which in elegance and aj^pointment ranks among the leading hotels of the country. After a bonus of $200,000 had been raised for the jiroject, Dennis Ryan undertook its construction in 1883. It was completed at a cost of over $1,000,000, and o])ened to the public on July i, 1885. It is located on the corner of Sixth and Robert streets antl has a frontage of over 300 feet on Robert street and 150 feel on Sixth street. This immense structin-e is seven stories high and rises to a height of 112 feet from the sidewalk, while its three towers extend to a height of 180 feet. The architectural appearance is very pleasing, consisting of a combination of modern Gothic and Moorish. The ex- terior is of St. Louis pressed brick and Joilet marble, with trimmings of sandstone and red and drab terra-cotta. The interior finish is of anti(|ue oak, and on every hand one is impressed with the taste and elegance dis- played. The hotel proper comprises 300 apartments. The grand rotunda is 170 by 50 feet, over which the cathedral dome, set with illuminated windows, permits the light to im]iart a peculiar rich charm to the fres- coed panels, quaint cornices, bronzed columns and fretted vault. Under the successful management of Welz and Fry for fifteen years, the Ryan had a high standing, which has been fully sustained bv Miv W.iltcr A. Pocock who succeeded them.
The "St. P.\fi," .\ni> Otiiicr Hotels
'Ihc ".St. Paul" is the last word in hotel magnitude, comfort'^ ,i'id splendors, not only of the city, hut of the great midrlle west. It i< lo-
ST. PAUL AND MCINITY
419
HOTEL RYAN
420 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
cated on the attractive site of the old Windsor at Fifth and St. I'ctcr streets and was opened April i8, 1910, in a literal blaze of glory. It was erected by popular enterprise of the citizens of St. Paul and is conducted by Henry D. Laughlin and John C. Roth, Great Northern Hotel, Chicago; R. H. Southgate. Congress Hotel, Chicago and Charles G. Roth, St. Nicholas Hotel. Cincinnati. The last named is the resident manager. The building is unique in that its great ground area is used to afford spacious and lolly apartments for the entertainment and comfort of patrons; while, by' sacrificing the opportunity for numbers, the quality of its bed chambers has been solely provided for. The building rises in two tiers of rooms making each actually a front room, with light, air and mag- nificent views. It is twelve stories in height and the superstructure is steel, faced with kiln burned tile, making the hotel both fire proof and fire resisting. At each end of the one central corridor is a concrete stairway encased in cement walls. The management proclaims that "the modern hotel is a luxuriaus wholesale home. \\'ith every care to provide for the private comfort of patrons, we have not for,m)ttcn their public entertainment. The lobby and lounge, the dining room and palm room, the bar, billiard room and barber shop — all are elegant in appoint- ment. We deem it an honor and a privilege to receive the patronage of women, by whose presence the tone of the hotel is guaranteed to be high class." A leading attraction is the roof garden at one of the highest at- tainable elevations in the city. All the finish and furnishings of the hotel, throughout, are the acme of sum]:)tuousness guided by artistic har- mony of embellishment.
The Clarendon Hotel was built by Rol)crt 1". Lewis in 1873 at a cost of about thirty thousand dollars. It is a three-story brick structure with a basement, extending one hundred feet on Wabasha street and .seventy- five feet on Sixth street, and has eighty rooms. Up to 1876 the first floor was occupied by stores, but that season it was remodeled as a hotel by J. B. Baker, who continued the business until June, 1S7X, when he was succeeded by C. T. McNamara who was followed by I". R. Welz. The present proprietor is Angus J. Cameron.
The Sherman Hotel, corner of Fourth and .Sibley streets, was first opened by Young & Son in 1873. In 1880 a brick structure fifty by one hundred feet, and four stories above the basement was added. The original building was the same size excepting the height, wliich was three stories. It has been rebuilt and remodeled throughout, within a few years and is now a favorite resort for busy men, being convenient to the Union Depot, and in the heart of the wholesale district. F.dward Norman is now projirietor of the Sherman.
The Hotel Foley, Daniel K. Foley proprietor, is located at Jackson and Seventh streets, a traditional hotel corner. It has one hundred rooms and ofTers a choice between the luiropean and the American jilan.
The Willard, at Tenth and Saint Peter streets, has behind it twenty years' record of popularity and success. There are two hundred roorns. The Willard is a favorite headquarters for conventions. W. O. Wil- liams is the proprietor.
The Frederick is an elegantly appointed, popular hotel at Fifth and Cedar streets. It has one hundred rooms, a cafe service of well-estab- lished excellence, and enjoys the steady i)nlronage of many wealthy but quiet visitors.
Other well known hotels, some of them with many years of success- ful management to their credit, are the Jewell, Kendall, Astoria, Liberty.
ST. PAUL AND MClXITY
421
ST. r.VUL HOTEL
4-2-J ST. PAUL AXD XlClXI'lA'
National. Aljerdeeii, Uoardmaii. luulid. Angus. I'crris. Maloney. Port- land and Reardon.
There are now a total of one hundred and twenty-five hotels in the city, of various {grades and dimensions. Several of the older houses are large, comfortable and thuroujjihiy well managed. There are some ex- cellent family hotels. adai)ted for both ])crmancnl and transient guests, as well as a numl)er of smaller business men's hotels, and he must be in- deed difficult to please who cannot lind in St. Paul a stopping place suited to his taste and i)urse.
Of the many excellent restaurants and cafes in the city we can only enumerate a few. Magee's, with hotel attachment, is of almost historic renown. Carling's "up town" and "down town" establishments cater to a high class patronage. hVenzel's, Sommerfield's. Fadden's, New Eng- land. Trocke's, Lenox, the W'oman's Exchange and others have estab- lished en\i;il>li- reputations.
Tiiic .\ri)irounM
The St. I'aul .\uditorium is in many resjiects one of the most re- markable buildings on the continent. I'uilt in a burst of popular enthus- iasm, half the money contril)Uled by a generous and public s|)irited com- nuniitv. the balance obtained through the sale of city bonds, it is a struc- ture in a very special sense belonging to and rci)resentative of the people. It contains the largest stage in .\merica, if not in the world. It is so con- structed that a portion containing proscenium boxes and balconies can be let down like a curtain, the walls contracted, and a perfect theater, capable of seating 3.200 people, cut out of the interior ; or by a reverse process the building may be converted into a convention hall with a ca- pacity of over 10.000. A movable stage extends, if required, the pros- cenium floor and adds to the seating capacity. No building could be de- vised that is more perfectly fireproof, or from which escape can be more readilv made. It is built of brick, steel and concrete and has so many exits that it has been described as occu])ying the center of an open stjuarc.
The building covers an acre and a quarter in the most accessible ]iari of the city, and its existence here attracts many conventions. It cost $460,000. It is a block in length, three-fifths of a block wide and five stories high. The upper floors are occupied by the St. Paul Institute and the Museum of Natural History. The dimensions are 301 feet long. 181 wide and 70 high.
To enumerate the uses lo which the .\uditorium has been a|>plie(l, in the four vears of its comjileted existence, would constitute a history of St. Paul for that i)eriod. I'.anquets. conventions, ))olitical meetings, grand opera, concerts, drama. i)alls. i)ageants. exhil^itions — every function of .1 large and active comnnmity ))asses in review within its walls. Tiic annual observances of Meiuorial Day are always held here and test the full cai)acitv of the immense building, with the spontaneous outpouring of ])atriotic citizens.
Oriii^R AssEMnLV Hai.ls
• )lher large halls, which can be utili/cil when .additional space is rc- r|uircd for simultaneous assemblages, are the .\rmory at Sixtli and l'"x- change streets; the People's church on Pleasant aveiuie. built witii sjK-cial reference to its acoustic properties for large congregations : the Central Presbvterian church, on Cedar street: the City Council chamber at the
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 423
court house ; the legislative halls of the old and new Capitols ; all the principal theaters, and numerous public halls in different sections of the city.
From the earliest period of its development St. Paul recognized the need of ample assembly halls, to comport with its position as the capital and convention city. There were various makeshift devices during the territorial era. In 1857 the German Societies built the Atheneum near Irvine Park, which sufficed for a long time. Market Hall, at Wabasha and Seventh streets was utilized for ten or fifteen years. In 1880 the Davidson Skating rink, on Fourth street near St. Peter, was transformed into a great hall, and used for concerts, conventions, etc. In 1890 a frame "auditorium" available for summer use with a seating capacity of 6.000 was built on Eighth street, near Cedar, and utilized until 1903. Not, however, until the construction of the present splendid and perma- nent building has the demand been fully and finally supplied.
Amusement H.\lls .\nd Amusements
The city oflfers a large variety and number of amusements which meet all tastes. Besides the very large affairs conducted from time to time at the Auditorium, the Shubert and Metropolitan theaters play the highest class of attractions that are produced on Broadway or in Chicago. At the Orpheum may be seen the best examples of international vaude- ville. Popular plays at popular prices, with frequent changes of bill, are produced at the Grand, while at the Empress are excellent vaudeville shows at popular prices, and the Gaiety presents a combination of vaude- ville and high class motion pictures. There are also a number of other moving picture houses, among which the beautiful Princess theater is easily the leader.
The drama was inaugurated in St. Paul in August, 1851 when the city's entire population was 1,083 — about half enough to fill one theater in 191 1. A portion of the troupe of "Placide's X'arieties," of New Or- leans, then closed as usual during the summer, wandered to St. Paul, partly for pleasure, partly for gain, and ojsened a theater in Mazurka Hall. George Holland was manager. One of the papers of the day says : "They performed to full houses for two weeks." Among the plays ad- vertised were "The Day after the Fair," "Swiss Cottage," "Betsey Baker," "Slasher and Crasher," etc.
"Langrishe & Atwater's Troupe'' commenced a theatrical season at Mazurka Hall, on May 22. 1832, and played to good houses for two or three week-;.
The next mention of early dramatic eft'orts comes in 1853, when Lin- den and Underbill's theatrical corps opened a short season at the Court House July 20. That year the original Market House was built, which in later years was a prominent home of the drama, but was superseded in 1881 by the much larger structure, the upper floors of which were used, in turn, for a public hall, a theater, the temporary .state capitol, and now for the public library.
The season of 1857, saw St. Paul well supplied with theaters, as with all other concomitants of "flush times." Sallie St. Claire's Varieties opened a prosperous run at Market Hall on May 20th. On June 27th, H. Van Liew opened the "People's Theatre" in a frame structure, built for the purpose at Fourth and St. Peter streets. .\ few days later Mr. Scott brought a small company and opened a theater in Irvine's Block. Thus
424 ST. PAUL AND \ ICIXITY
there were three theaters going at one time, and all doing well. The panic, a few weeks later, closed them up. The hall used by Scott's troupe was subsequently used by the House of Hope congregation as a tem- porary church.
From that time forward, St. Paul did not suffer for amusements, though for a time, on account of the difficulties of winter travel, its theatrical "seasons" were chiefly limited to the summer months. Simul- taneously with the establishment of rail communication with the east, our citizens provided a permanent, and, considL-ring the then pojiulation of the city, a highly creditable home for music and the drama. On Feb- ruary 22, 1867, was dedicated, with approiJriate ceremonies, the lirst .^t. Paul opera house, on Wabasha street, since transformed into the liethel hotel. This building, subsequently enlarged and reconstructed, filled all the requirements of the growing metropolis for more than twenty years.
Here all of America's greatest dramatic artists and concert singers appeared to large and appreciative audiences. John McCullough. Edwin Booth, John T. Raymond, W. J. Florence, Stuart Robson, Salvini, Law- rence Piarrelt, Joseph Jefferson, PL C. P.arnabee, Fmma Abbott, Madame Rhea, Margaret Mather, Mrs. Scott Siddons and Maggie Mitchell are only a few of the historic celebrities who exacted tributes of a])plause, etc., from our enthusiastic people.
The first opera house was built with its stage on the Wabasha street front, directly over the entrance a veritable fire-trap. It was used for twenty years without .disaster. In 1883 it was reconstructed, placing the theater on the ground floor and in the rear — a much safer arrangement. The new structure was burned in January, 1888, when it was fortunately emi)ty. Manager L. N. Scott transferred his business to Market Hall, which he retained until the Melr()])olitan was finished.
Years ago St. Paul outgrew the old "opera house," or any one theater, but the supply has generously ke]Jt pace with the demand. The Metro- politan, built and equipped in 1890 through the public sj^irit of Mr. A. B. Stickney and his associates, is even yet commensurate with the needs of a population and wealth vastly augumented. The Grand, built by Jacob Litt and first managed by F. L. Bixby. opened in 1S90. The Schu- bert, the Orpheum and others came later. Each in its s()here provides rational amusement for its patrons, and helps sustain the city's cosmo- politan dignity.
Improved Movino Picture Shows
The latest development in the dratjiatic and spectacular line is the moving picture show, which commands phenomenal popularity and has un- limited fields of instructive interest.
The picture speaks a language all may understand; it is visualized speech transformed into action. It is a play without words, but em- bodies much quick action. There is alnmst nothing in human affairs that may not be presented in it from the realm of the comjiound micro- scope to the latest prize fight, and it is all made intelligible and entertain- ing. Here may be bodied forth vast areas of tragic brainstorm ; here may be portrayed gushing outflows of emotional cloud burst. Most important of all, it is cheap. A nickel or a dime will obtain the very best.
The popularity of the moving picture is attestctl by hourly observation. It is estimated that there arc now fully 10,000 of these theaters in the United States, as against 1,400 of all other kinds. From 500.000 to Ttoo,-
ST. PAUL AND \ICIXITY 425
ooo children attend them daily ; not as they attend school, because they must, but because they want to do so. One investigator figures that 4,- 000,000 persons attend the moving picture theaters in the United States every dav in the year. These figures show that this has become a big factor in the recreation and education of the American people.
Both the quality and the character of moving pictures have improved wonderfully during the past few years. Inventive genius is largely re- sponsible for the first; the developing public conscience of film manufac- turers and exhibitors for the second — a conscience, by the way, which has been appreciably quickened by the disinterested work of the New York board of censors, a group of citizens who work in conjunction with the New York film manufacturers and pass on films before they are ex- hibited. Much, however, remains to be done, especially in regard to su- pervision and safety of moving picture houses. The dangers of fire and explosion are ever present and must be guarded against by stringent municipal regulations.
CHAPTER XL
THE STATE FAIR
First Territorial Fair — Fairs of Tiiii State Agriculti-ral Society Fair Grounds and Northwestern Exposition — Ac.ricultur.\l Interests of Minnesota — Comparatine State Exhibits — The 1912 State Fair — Distribution of Premiums — Special Features.
In Marcli. 1X53, there was incorporated by the Minnesota territorial legislature the Ileiinepin County Agricultural Society. In this society was started the movement resulting in the formation of the Minnesota Agricultural Territorial Society, the first meeting of which was held in St. Paul January 4, 1S54. ( iovernor Willis .\. (iorman was elected the first president of the society.
First Ti-.KurroRi ai, 1".\iu
No fair was held during the year of the society's organization, hut in October. 1S55, this body acting jointly with tlie Hennepin County Agricultural Society held the first Territorial Fair, which was the fore- runner of the greatest State Fair in the country. A. L. I.arpenteur of St. Paul was an exhibitor at the first fair, and has attended eadi one since held. In i860 the legislature changed the name of the corporation to that of "Minnesota State Agricultur.al .'Society," which name it has since retained.
Previous to the \ear 1885 the Minnesota .'-itate .\gricuhural .Society had no permanent abiding ])lace. .\t the annual meeting in 1883 the county of Ramsey tendered to the society the ]M-incely gift of her ad- mirably located county farm, with its two hundred acres of richest soil and its buiUlings, and said, in the language of her commissioner, that "the gift was but the token of her appreciation of the society, and her in- terest in its success and in the agricultural jirosperity of the whole state." The legislature appropriated $150,000 for buildings and im])rovements of the grounds, which was wisely used, and the Miiuicsota State .Agricul- tural Society soon had a "home" second to none in tlie Cnited .'States.
Fairs of the State A«;rici'!.ti-r\i. Society
In i860 a successful fair was held at Fort Snelling, but in i8^)i and 1862, owing to tlie Rebellion and the Indian war. none were attetniited. From 1863 to 1885 the agricultural society succeeded in liotding annual fairs. The following table gives, as far as it is possible to obtain them, the dates of holding fairs since the organization of the society, the jilace, the names of the i)residcnt, atul the total receipts for each ye.ar. It shows tl)c wonflerful growth of this remarkable institution.
426
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 427
Date of Fair. President. Place Held. Total Receipts.
1853. no fair Gov. W. A. Gor-
man, St. Paul. ...
1854, no fair John H. Stevens,
Minneapolis
Oct. 17-18, 1S55 John H. Stevens,
(joint fair) Minneapolis Minneapolis
Oct. 8, 9, ID, 1856. . Ex-Gov. Alex. Rani-
sev, St. Paul .... Minneapolis Oct. 7, 8, 9, 1857... H. H. Sibley, Men- St. Paul, Capitol
dota Square Not a success.
1858, no fair No election of offi- cers held.
Oct. 5, 6, 7. 1859. Moses Sherburne .. Minneapolis $4,000.
joint fair. Henn. & State Society. .
Sept., i860, under Chas. Hoa.s;, Henn.. J'"ort Snelling $1,619.06.
newly organized Minn. State Agric. Society
1861, no fair Chas. Hoag
1862, no fair Wm. L. -\mcs. St.
Paul
Sept. lO-Oct. I. 2,Wm. L. .\mes I-"ort Snelling $1,034.80.
1863 ■ Deficit of $67-48
Oct. 5, 6, 7, 1864 .... J a r e d Benson,
Anoka Red Wing
Sept. 27, 28, 29, Dr. T. T- Mann, Minneapolis I'/j mi. 1865. "Horace Cottage Grove ... so. Nicollet House Greeley's fair". . .. Oct. 2, 3. 4. 5. 1866 Dr. T. T. Mann,
Cottage Grove . . . Rochester Financial success.
Oct. I, 2, 3. 4. 1867 Dr. T. T. Mann Rochester
Sept. 29, 30, Oct. I. Gen. Alex. Chani-
2, 1868 bers, Steele Co... .Minneapolis $3-5oO-
1st legislative appro- Sept. 28. 29, .?o. Pet. Wm. H. Feller, Wa- priation, $1,000.
I, 1869 basha Rochester $2,300.
Sept. 20, 21. 22. 23, O. P. Whitcomb,
1870 Olinstead Co Winona
Sept. 26, 27. 28. 29, O. P. Whitcomb.. St. Paul, "Kittson-
1871 dale" $9,303.09.
Sept. 16, 17, iS, 19, O. P. Whitcomb.. St. Paul, "Kittson-
20, 1872 dale"
Sept. 2^26, TS73... .\ra Barton, North- St. Paul, "Kittson-
field dale" $12,465.00.
Sept. 8, 9, 10, II, .\ra Barton St. Paul, "Kittson-
1874 dale" $7,36.141.
Sept. 14, i.S, 16, 17, Wm. Fowler. Wash. St. Paul, "Kittson- Grasshoppers and
1875 ...'. Co dale" rain made fair a
failure. Oct. 3, 4, s- fi. 7. Wm. Fowler St. Paul , "Kittson-
1876 . dale" Cold, wet weather.
Sept. 3, 4. 1, 6 to Wm. S. King, St. Paul, "Kittson-
8, 1877, "Bill Minneapolis dale" $18,245.00
King's Big State
Fair"
Sept. 3-8, 1878 Isaac Staples, St. Paul. "Kittson-
(Pres. Hayes' Stillwater dale" $25,398.00
Fair)
Sept. 2-7, 1879 Saml. E. .'Vdams, St. Paul. "Kittson-
Monticello dale"
Aug. 30-Sept. 4. John S. Prince, .St.
1880 Paul Rochester $10,275.31
428 ST. PAUL AND VTCIXITY
Date of Fair President Place Held Total Receipts
Sept. s-io, 1881 Clark W. Thompson Rochester $11,143.10.
Aug. 31-Sept. I, Clark W. Thompson Rochester $17,660.54.
1882
Sept. 3-7. 1883 Clark W. Thompson Owatonna $14,068.78.
Sept. 8-13, i8<S4 Clark W. Thompson Owatonna $14,512.91.
Sept. 7-15. 1885 N. P. Clarke, St.
Cloud St. Paul $57,806.02.
Aug. 30-Sept. 4, Horace W. Pratt,
1886 Faribault St. Paul $43,084.30.
Sept. 9-17, 1887 W. R. Merriam, St.
Paul St. Paul $78,945.71.
Sept. 10-15, 1888 W. R. Merriam St. Paul $80,472.73.
Sept. 6-14. 1889 Wm. M. Bushnell,
St. Paul St. Paul $64,496.20.
Sept. 8-13, 1890 Fred C. Pillsbury,
Minneapolis St. Paul $62,132.30.
Sept. 7-12, 1891 David M. Clough,
Minneapolis St. Paul $68,659.52.
Sept. 5-9, 1892 Jule H. Burwell,
St. Paul St. Paul $50,318.98.
No fair, 1893 Col. John H. Ste- vens, Minneapolis St. Paul World's Fair, Chi- cago.
Sept. 10-15, 1894 Col. John H. Ste- vens St. Paul $33,630.08.
Sept. 9-14, 189s Edgar Weaver,
Mankato St. Paul $49.7,5.88.
Aug. 31-Sept. 5, Edgar Weaver St. Paul $6i.3"ii.87.
1896
Sept. 6-11, 1897 Edgar Weaver St. Paul $54,703.05.
Sept. 5-10, 1898 John Francis Coop- er, St. Cloud .... St. Paul $62,52-!.70.
Sept. 4-9, 1899.... John Francis Cooper St. Paul $94,384.78.
Sept. 3-8, 1900 John Francis Cooper St. Paul $105,754.97.
Sept. 2-7, 1901 John Francis Cooper St. Paul $132,121.34.
Sept. 1-6, 1902 C. N. Cosgrove, St. Paul $180,909.05.
LeSueur
Aug. 31-Sept. 5, C. N. Cosgrove St. Paul $215,676.66.
1903 $205,809.67.
Aug. 29-Sept. 3, C. N. Cosgrove St. Paul (Rain).
1904
Sept- 4-9, 1905 C. N. Cosgrove St. Paul $241,574.89.
Sept. 3-8, 1906 C. N. Cosgrove St. Paul $284,670.47.
Sept. 2-7, 1907 C. N. Cosgrove St. Paul $275,280.84.
Aug. 31-Scpt. 5, R. F. Nelson, Min-
1908 neapolis St. Paul $291,800.03.
Sept. 6-11, 1909 B. F. Nelson St. Paul $348,056.62.
Sept. 5-10, 1910 J. M. Underwood.. St. Paul $^!;9.445.82.
Sept. 4-9, 191 1 C. W. Clotfclter... St. Paul $,135.3.i4.73
Sept. 2-8, 1912 C. W. Glotfelter... St. Paul $.164,241.20
I'.MR Grounds .\nd Northwf.stf.rn Exposition
The establishment of the permanent home of the Slate I'air at the grounrls in the then siihurh of Tlamline, now a jvart of .'^t. I'aiil, in 1885, marked tlie beginning of a period of i)rosperity iinexani])led in the Iiis- tory of this or any similar institution. Tlie talile of annual receipts shows this growth. From tltat time until the ])resent with the e.xception or 189,^. when Minnesota's attention was taken up by her exhibits at the world's fair in Chicago, there has been a fair each year and, generally speaking, it has been a better fair each year. Since the days of its in- ception, the fairs of the State .Xgricultural Society have been appreciated as an advertisement of the state and its resources, as an incentive to bet-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
429
ter and greater things, and as an educator of the people. For these rea- sons it has prospered.
Today the Minnesota State AgricuUural Society controls real estate valued at $316,815 and buildings valued at $735,525. The people who paid a visit to the state fair and exposition in 1910 numbered nearly one- third of a million and the net profits of this fair in round figures amounted to $86,000, all of which was spent in permanent improvement on the grounds. Four years ago an additional tract of land was purchased, making the present area 324 acres.
Not only in this state, but throughout the entire northwest, the Minne- sota State Fair is commonly known as the Great Northwestern Exposi- tion. Today this fair stands alone in the forefront of similar institu- tions, approaching in its magnitude the proportions of an international exposition. In the matter of attendance and popularity it is without a peer. The total admission of 376,800 in 1912 is nearly double that of any other fair in the United States.
The controlling desire of the management is to make Minnesota and Minnesota's State Fair first in everything. Their aim is to increase the educational value of this great institution and, without lessening its in-
MINNES0T.\ ST.\TE F.\IR GROUNDS
terest from a recreative and amusement stand[)oint, to largely expand its capabilities for teaching the farmers and the whole people what they should know. The idea is to give them concrete examples of the best products of man's industry and ingenuity whether it is expended in the office, the factory or the field.
Extensive plans of enlargement in several of the departments, but . especially in the agricultural department, have been made and are being worked out for the coming years. The fair never stands still. More at- tention will be paid and more effort will be used to sectire agricultural exhibits from all of the counties of tlie state. Special attention will also be given to the exhibits of agricultural and other schools. The woman's department will be increased, as will the exhibits in the horse, cattle, machinery and other departments.
The announced objects of the officers of the '^Minnesota State Agri- cultural Society are :
To make the Minnesota State Fair and Exposition one of the great- est educational institutions in the state.
To make it a place where all classes and conditions of people can come and learn from observation what brains and time and money and perseverance have achieved in every line of industry.
To make it a mirror of the state's resources and thus Minnesota's greatest advertising asset.
430 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
To make it not only the greatest exposition in point of size and at- tendance, but the greatest in intrinsic educational value.
To make it a place where every one can go and be entertained royally, but entertained without resort to amusements that are not uplifting and moral
To make it a veritable short course in agriculture, stock raising, manu- facturing and in every industry that is worth while.
To make its three hundred acres and its week in September the place and the time that will furnish the greatest interest to the greatest num- ber of people in the northwest — increasing the interest and tlie attendance. year by year.
The great Northwestern Exposition which, from force of habit we call the State Fair, has an environment and a constituency, commensurate with its high ideals. Minnesota farm college ex])erts claim credit for the Burbank-like achievement of grafting the tomato plant on its generic twin, the Irish potato, and producing both fruit and tubers from the same stalk. It is reported that they are to cross the lire-fly with the honey-bee, thus enabling the latter to work all night. The Minnesota farmer, encouraged by these achievements, enlarges the boundaries of his professional ambition and revels in the i)remonitions of immeasur- able prosperity ; he raises bounteous crops from the fertile soil. In some regions he exacts sumptuous royalties from ores extracted from the substratum. He harnesses the air currents over him to windmills that pump and grind and saw and generate electricity for his automobiles. He is now planning to collect tolls from the aviators who will soon sail through the clouds above his plethoric domain — all heights and depths and elements thus contributing to his enrichment. To him, the State Fair brings an annual revelation of .still broader jiossibilities.
Agricultural Interests ok Minnesot.v
What the agriculture of Minnesota means, in dollars and cents, to the business interests of St. Paul and the other cities, may be partially gathered from the following official statement of approximate areas and values relating to 1909:
Total acreage 53,943,378.24
Number of farms 173,107
Acres of farms 2(\24S.4gH
Acres improved iS,422,585
Corn ? 30,582,240.00
Wheat 95,961,600.00
Oats 33,40<).56o.oo
I '.arlev 1 (>.43--000.6o
Rve ' ,459.200.00
Flax 7,875,000.00
May 10,380,800.00
iluckwheat 53.0^10.00
Potatoes <>,440,ooo.oo
I ,ive Stock, estimated 1 25.000.000.00
Dairv Products, estimated 50,000.000.00
Poultry, estimated 27,000,000.00
Miscellaneous, such as fruit, truck garden- ing, etc 25,000,000.00
Total value of Minnesota's farm products in 1909 $429.591 ,360.00
|
Cattle, |
number . . |
• • 1.^7 1,3-25. |
|
Horses, |
■ • (199,469. |
|
|
Mules. |
■• |
• ■ 8,339, |
|
Sheep, |
.. 589,878. |
|
|
Swine, |
. . 1 ,440,806, |
|
|
Goats, |
.. 3.8-' 1. |
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 431
value $36,248,958.00
" 42,255,044.00
486,580.00
■• 1,740,088.00
" 5,865,590.00
1 2,908.00
All domestic animals $86,620,643.00
The Minnesota State Fair and Exposition is the only self-supporting educational institution in the state, and thus, with practically no expense to the taxpayers, this institution is carrying on the work of making Min- nesota first in everything, and affords a meeting place where over three hundred thousand people annually gather to be entertained and to learn the best methods in every line of endeavor.
Most Minnesota people know that this state produces about 30 per cent of the spring wheat raised in the United States; that Minnesota is one of the banner barley states ; that she leads in dairy production ; that for a high quality of crops and live stock there is no state her superior. But there are many who do not know that in 1909 Minnesota produced a greater yield of corn per acre than did the state of Iowa, the pride of the Corn Belt states. It may be interesting to know that the fabled yields of Bermuda onions in the Gulf states have been excelled in the outskirts of the Twin City, with resulting profit as high as $800 per acre ; that celery experts from the fabulously priced Kalamazoo celery lands have pronounced the muck soils of northern Minnesota the finest celery lands in the country.. The lure of the press agent in far distant states where specialized farming is followed, has caused many Minnesota people to overlook the fact that there are few sections where crops yield better returns.
At present the officers of the ^linnesota State Agricultural Society are: C. W. Glotfelter, Waterville; E. J. Stilwell, first vice president, Minneapolis ; Eli \\'arner, second vice president, St. Paul ; J- C. Simp- son, secretary, Hamline ; Edgar L. 'Mattson, treasurer, Minneapolis. The board of managers are George x\tchison, Mankato ; W. W. Sivright, Hutchinson ; Robert Crickmore, Owatonna ; C. P. Craig, Duluth ; F. W. Murphy, Wheaton ; Thomas H. Canfield. Lake Park.
Comparative St.ate Exhibits
Bv the year 1910 the Minnesota State Fair had gone to the front, pass- ing all its rivals, in each of the elements of greatness. In paid admis- sions that vear, it took the lead, the receipts iDeing $150,306.55. Texas, which represented the interests of the great southwest, showed receipts for admission amounting to only $112,599.70. New York state fair was third on the list with admissions aggregating to $86,163.85. The Minne- sota State Fair also took the lead in the matter of amphitheater admis- sions, its receipts being $58,547.50. Iowa was second with receipts aggregating $26,000. Total receipts of the ^Minnesota State Fair for that year were materially in excess of the aggregate receipts of any other state fair. Minnesota received $288,961.84, its nearest competitor being Texas state fair with aggregate receipts of $208,961.84.
^Minnesota was second in 1910 in the matter of attendance, the aggre- gate being 318,264. Illinois state fair captured the largest attendance, its total being 333,911- The Minnesota State Fair expended for improve-
432 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
ments the sum of $78,877,12, this amount being exceeded only by the Texas state fair, which spent $124,325.92. The Minnesota State Fair, however, exceeds all others, save Illinois, in the matter of the valuation of its property, the aggregate here being $1,052,375, while the Illinois valuation is $1,105,000.
The 191 1 State F.mr
The figures of 1910 arc used for comjjarison because the figures for 1912 are not yet available as to other states, and the fair of 191 1, although by all odds the largest and most complete ever presented up to that time, was greatly damaged by unpropitious weather conditions. During "fair week," which began September 4, 191 1, rains fell almost continually un- til Saturday. The exhibits were in place and surpassed all previous fairs ; many of the entertainments and attractions were carried out, in spite of all obstacles; in the educational features, social reunions, lectures, etc., the programmes were duly fulfilled. lUit the attendance was neces- sarily much reduced by the bad weather, with a corresponding reduction in cash receipts, and in the inspiration which numbers alone can supi)ly. It cannot be said that the fair was a failure, although there was a finan- cial deficit, instead of the usual handsome surplus. In everything but the number of visitors its success was overwhelming, and the shrinkage of gate receipts was due to causes which no skill of management could have foreseen or prevented.
With favorable weather conditions the total receipts of 1910 would have undoubtedly been exceeded. As it was they fell off many thou- sands of dollars. But all obligations were promptly paid, and the losses will easily be made good by future expositions. That preparations for the fair of 191 1 were made on the usual scale of wise and generous enter- prise, and that the fair itself, in all its aspects not affected by the unpropi- tious elements was a splendid success, will fully appear from a brief resume of its forecasts and consummations.
Distribution ok Premiums
A grand total of $55,290 was set apart for prize-wiiming exhibitors in the various departments. This does not include $25,000 hung up as purses for the horse races and the large sums to be paid for sjiecial edu- cational and entertainment features. The distribution of premiums in the dift'erent departments was as follows:
Exhibits iQio IQII
Horses $ ".286 $1 1 .000
Cattle 1 7-39 '7.239
Sheep 3-74^^ 3-746
Swine 3443 4.095
Poultry 1 ,3*^4 1,850
Agricultural products S.ooo 9,000
Honey and bees 805 1,100
Horticulture and floriculture 2.372 2.500
Dairy 1.610 1.610
\\'( .nicn's department i ,538 2.500
Boys' judging contest scholarshi]). ... .... 650
Totals $47,423 $55,290
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 433
Special Features
A unique and valuable exhibit was that of the Minnesota Garden Club. This display was a practical demonstration of what a little brains and work can accomplish on a vacant town lot. The club has done much to beautify Minneapolis with vacant lot gardens, and many people interested m this kind of improvement gained inspiration from a visit to the model garden on the fair grounds.
The exhibit of automobiles, motorcycles and accessories occupied the large exposition room and balcony on the ground floor of the grand stand building.
Industrial and commercial exhibits were found on the second and third floors of the grand stand exposition room, in the building just east of the grand stand, and in one formerly used as a carriage building still further east.
Aside from the large regular exhibits the Horticultural building boasted of one of the most interesting and educational displays on the grounds. This consisted of a carload of apples, six hundred bushel baskets in all, grown in one Minnesota orchard and owned by one man. The exhibit was made by Howard Simmons of Howard Lake, Minne- sota. It was convincing that apples for commercial use can be grown successfully in Minnesota.
The mammoth steel and concrete grandstand erected at a cost of $275,000, forms a striking background for the Electric terminal yards. In these yards 175 cars may be loaded or unloaded simultaneously. The grand stand is 370 feet long, 171 feet deep, 105 feet high, has 100,000 square feet of exhibition space and seats 13,000 persons, while on either side it is flanked with bleachers seating 10,000 more.
Farm implements and machinery and manufacturers' exhibits were larger and better than ever before and occupied the sixty acres of exposi- tion grounds north of the Administration building. At the cement prod- ucts exhibit were many new ideas in the use of this building material.
Pain's "Battle in the Clouds" was the great spectacle and fireworks show given in front of the grand stand on the evening of each of the six days of the fair, when the weather permitted. It was a dazzling, effec- tive, pyrotechnic display by the acknowledged fireworks king of the world.
The valuable net restilts of the exposition of 191 1, in spite of its unavoidable handicaps, was very fairly expressed by Mr. J. H. Beek, general secretary of the St. Paul Association of Commerce, in an inter- view at its close : "This fair may not be successful from the finan- cial standpoint, but from the educational standpoint it is absolutely the greatest fair that was ever held. The Agricultural building teaches a most telling and instructive lesson, and the rains are doing one good thing at least in packing the building with State Fair visitors."
The State Fair of 1012
The weather during the "fair week" of 191 2, being September i to 7 inclusive, was ideal for the purpose and the success of the grand exposi- tion was great in proportion. Many of the leading features of previous years were duplicated and emphasized, while new ones were added, representing the latest developments of the commonwealth in industry and agriculture, with the finest samples of her various products.
In the matter of entertainments, an unusually interesting variety was
434 ST. PAUL AXU \ JLlXITV
offered in front of the grand stand, while a very close discrimination was exercised in granting concessions to exhibitors along the "Pike". There were six aeroplane flights every day when the wind permitted. Five balloons were sent up every afternoon, each accompanied by a lady aero- naut, who made sensational parachute drops at about the same time. There were harness and running races every day except Saturday, when a large number of automobile drivers competed for rich prizes. A com- bination of horse show, livestock and extraordinary vaudeville features made up the program of the night horse show, given Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, in the Livestock pavilion. This feature was particularly emphasized and was a popular society event. Seven regular bands, headed by the J. C. Weber band of Cincin- nati, Ohio, and three orchestras, furnished high-class music during the entire week. Every night there was given the dazzling spectacular ex- hibition "In Old Mexico," while music, fireworks and vaudeville features, including electrical lighted chariot races and other novelties filled out the evening programs.
Live Stock .\nd D.mrving
The display of horses and cattle exceeded anything heretofore seen, even at this greatest of all the state fairs. In number of exhibitors, num- ber of animals entered, and excellence of condiiinii. tlu- collection was unprecedented.
In sheep and swine, the number and quality of entries exceeded any- thing ever exhibited in Minnesota. The poultry show was larger than ever before. A change in premium oftering brought out a much greater showing of the more useful and popular breeds of chickens. Of the apiary department the superintendent truthfully said in advance: "The people who visit our department will not be stung. Minnesota is a bee state and our exhibit this year will jjrove it."
There is no question that the fair had. in iqij. the best displav of dairy products ever shown anywhere. The butter and cheese were of the most uniform excellence ever exhibited. In both these classes, exhi- bits scored as high as 99. while the average was well above 90. In this show Minnesota furnished conclusive proof of her claim to the title of the bread and butter state. In addition to the contesting exhibits there were on exhibition a six thousand ])ound cheese, the largest ever exhiliited anywhere.
.'\ small |)er cent of Minnesotans know that the world's champion butter |)r()ducer is owned in their state. Ilolstein cow, Pietierje Maid Ormsby, belongs to John Irwin of Minneapolis, who was induced to bring his $10,000 beauty to the fair and place her on exhibition .so that the people might have an ojiportunily of seeing this greatest of dairy animals.
A fine disj)lay of Indian ])attern bead work was a feature exhibit in the woman's dejiartment. .\ number of Indian women from northern Minnesota were secured to give a demonstr.ilion of their ;irt fnr the benefit of those interested.
MlSrELL.ANEOUS
The .State Game and Fish Commission had its usual exhibit in the l)uilding oi)|iosite newspaper row. The center of the building was occu-
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 435
pied by a number of mounted specimens of moose and other big native game. A living moose illustrated current political conditions. Around the sides in a number of glass cases were small schools of various kinds of Alinnesota tisli. ranging in size from the little l^rook trout fry to the big cattish. One of the novelties in the building was the tank full of landlocked salmon, a variety of tish which the commission had, for the first time attempted to plant in the Minnesota waters. The commission got a large consignment of the salmon fry from the government hatch- eries and some of these were on exhibition at the fair.
The playgrounds were fitted with hammocks, merry-go-rounds, sand piles, gravel pits and numerous other attractions. The ground was in charge of one who for years has been a leading spirit in the playground movement. The nursery, where the babies could l)e checked and left for three hours at a stretch, was fitted up with twenty little beds of the latest type, with fences around them so the inmates could not fall out. This department was in charge of a trained nurse, who was pro- vided with every means of keeping the babies in the best humor. In the rest cottage proper, a room was arranged, with mirrors, combs, brushes and other paraphernalia, in charge of one whose work it was to look after the wants of the women visitors and make them feel at home. All the simple home remedies were on hand, and other things that give the domestic atmosphere. Clul? women years ago recognized the need of rest rooms on the fair grounds and have provided facilities of that kind for eight years, doing a great deal to care for tired women and children. The new cottage is simply a development of the work started by the clubs, and the playground is the carrying out of suggestions made in igio by the State Fair committee.
There were more than three hundred firms represented at the fair, showing something new intended for the lessening of woman's labor, and most of the devices were practical. Everything new in the way of kitchen utensils or farm equipment seemed substantial and really worth having. There were new ])aring knives ; handles to hold on lids of kettles while draining or pouring out the contents ; new washing machines run by electricity or gas ; dish washing machinery of various kinds ; slicing machines ; sanitary refrigerators ; bread and cake mixers ; kitchen cab- inets ; food choppers ; miniature churns, and other articles intended to lighten woman's labor.
The ore exhibit made by the state auditor's department attracted crowds. The exhiliit showed the different kinds of ore that are taken from mines on state land and gave figures on the amount of ore produced in Minnesota ; the amount produced on state land and the amount of royalties received by the state from this source. Large pictures of some of the state mines were also shown.
.SOMIC OF THE Cor.VTY ExTIIRITS
Year by year the number of agricultural exhibits made liy Minnesota counties increases, and the value of these exhiliits increases more visil)ly. Nearly half of the counties in the state sent exhiliits to the Exposition of 1912. The rise of dairying in Minnesota is illustrated in the nature of the exhibits in the booths of the counties in the central section at the .Agricultural building. This district excels in forage products, corn and potatoes, the counties therein having carried away the highest scores in the Irish vegetable class.
436 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
Douglas county, which took the bhie ril)hon in the central district. was distinguished particularly for the unique character of the arrange- ments. A map of the county was shown by townships, the townships being depicted in kernels of wheat and oats, the lakes in flax, the towns in buckwheat and the railroads in clover. A sign. "Douglas" done in grain kernels was suspended in the air from invisible supports, and the whole design was cleverly worked out.
Morrison county which took second honors and the red ribbon in the central section, featured dairying as the chief industry of the county. Hence forage crops were the principal exhibits of lo varieties of alfalfa, 15 kinds of millet, 42 brands of wild grasses and six-foot timothy. Pota- toes were shown which, according to affidavits, are from a yield of 614 bushels to the acre.
The third honors in the central section went to Stevens county with a large display of products incidental to the dairying industry. There were 42 varieties of apples, some canned fruits and 23 brands of pota- toes. The county is strong in the production of oats.
One of the most notable exhibits on the fair grounds was that of Kandiyohi county, in which was shown a model farm set back in the booth, surrounded by artificial foliage and showing every appointment of the up-to-date farm. Electric lighted buildings supplant the old log cabin exhibited to denote the contrast and development in farm life.
Superb samples of grains in sheaf and threshed were displayed in the Meeker county booth. There was an immense variety of wild grasses and the mounted skins of a fox and badger adorned the walls.
A complete barn made in grain kernels was shown in the Pope cuinUy exhibit. The county was strong in its display of grains.
Wadena, a strictly dairying county, recognized the fact by making a specialty in the exhibition of stock vegetables, roots and grasses. One extraordinary feature was a clover jjlant from one root of which has grown 112 stalks of clover. One stalk of clover measured seven and one- half feet.
A huge basket made of grains in the head, with the handle done in colored corn contained all kinds of garden products and was the feature of the Isanti county exhibit.
The Wright county booth received the first prize over the exhibitors of all sections in point of beauty. The harmony of arrangement and color was the basis by which the county was given the beauty honors. The booth contained a banner which said : "Wanted, 1,000 corn breeders to move to the corn belt of the North."
Pine countv was decorated with ribl)ons and silver loving cups won by the enterprise of the champion farmer of the state. S. B. Wells of Pine City. The Wells family this year won the sweepstakes in corn, wheat and oats and they showed fair patrons some of the samples of prize grains.
Wilkin county, winner of the good roads trophy given by the Minne- sota .\utomobilc association after its IQ12 tour, exhibited the trophy as the feature of its booth. The grains shown were the best on the grounds, scoring 146 out of a possible 150 i>oints.
The ginseng plant that yields about S500 per acre was shown in great quantities in the Todd county exhibit. The medicinal roots were shown in the first, second and third years of their growth. The county also excels in grains, grasses and fruit.
Samples of pulp paper in different stages of manufacture from the
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 437
wood, and perfect balls of granite were on display at the booth of Ben- ton county. Corn in sixteen varieties was shown, and there was a large assortment of potatoes.
\'ariety marked the exhibits in the Otter Tail county booth. There was a large display of grains, grasses and corn, which ranked well with the best of those on exhibition. The county also exploited its game witn mounted birds and fishes.
Anoka, the premier potato county of the state, played the Irish favor- ites to the skies. There were endless varieties of them and the center of the booth was covered with several bushels of some of the prize samples.
Washington county was given second honors in point of beauty among all of the forty-six counties represented by booths. The county also scored first for having the best vegetable array in the central section.
Sherburne county exhibited this year for the first time and made a good showing in potatoes and corn. The county also displayed four good-sized tobacco plants and an elephantine squash.
The AGRicrLTUR.\L Fe.atures
In order to fully realize the importance of the educational influence of our great annual state fair, or the prosperity of the people, we must recur to the magnitude of the agricultural interest in the state and the country. The last federal census showed that there are 155.759 farms in Minnesota and that the value of the crops marketed in 1909 was approximately $180,000,000. The crop was neither bumper nor poor, and may be accepted as what ordinarily may be expected. That is a return of approximately $1,150 for each farm in the state. There are in the United States 6,361,502 farms, containing a total of 878,798,000 acres, of which 478,452,000 acres are improved. The land in farms rep- resents somewhat less than one-half, 46.2 per cent, of the total land , area of the country, while the improved land represents somewhat over one-half, 54.4 per cent, of the total acreage of land in farms. Improved land thus represents almost exactly one-fourth of the total land area of the country. The average of a farm is 138.1 acres, of which on the average, 75.2 acres are improved. The total value of farm property reaches the enormous sum of $40,991,000,000, of which over two-thirds represents the value of land, about one-sixth the value of buildings, and about another one-sixth the combined valye of implements and ma- chinerv and of live stock. The average value of all farm property re- porting is $6,444. The average value of all farm property per acre of land in farms is $46.64 and the average value of land itself per acre is S32.40.
The magnitude of the farming interest emphasizes the policy of fostering it by all legitimate means, so as to increase its products and its profits through improved methods. This justifies the solicitude of the exposition management, to encourage legitimate agriculture, horti- culture, stock-raising and dairying by generous awards. Against an assertion that $25,000 had been devoted to speed events at the 191 2 fair and only $6,000 for agriculture, an official replied by quoting the pro- gram, which showed $12,723 offered in prizes for field crops, of which $8,917 is so distributed that each county must get something and $52,000 more for horses, cattle, dairy products and various other farm exhibits.
It is estimated that there were 25 per cent more young girls from
438 ST. PAUL AXD \1CI.\1TV
the -Minnesota farms at the fair this year tlian last. It is the object of the women's clubs of the state to have the farmers send their girls as well as boys to the fair, and to this end they arranged many educational and instructive demonstrations designed especially for the farm girls. One of the means by which the rural girls are interested in the fair is the ofTering of prizes for the best bread, cake and preserves sent from each county made by girls under sixteen years of age. This year, seventy- five chatelaine watches were given by the Federation of Women's Clubs to girls from each county in the state for bread i)remiums.
An enthusiastic newspaper contributor writes of the fair: " This is the j'early illumination. We often use the phrase, "that's quite illuminat- ing." What could be more illuminating than for a quarter of a million people — one-eighth — of the state's population — who live as neighbors but who never see much of each other, to get together and |)lay for a while. What if the educational exhiliits. lecture lialls and cattle shows hadn't lieen as popular as they were : What if the ])ike and the grand stand hadn't drawn all the attention all the time, the farmer from over, up or down yonder would have seen that it was all there just the same, he would have heard the lowing cattle and the squealing i)igs, and in the midst of tall men of a tall race, he would have stretched him- self a trifle till he could catch the whole thing in an all-inclusive glance and with arms wide flung we can hear him cry. "This is Minnesota and I Ijelong'.'"
Summing up For 1912
At the close of the fair of 1912, President C. W. Glotfelter said : "We have beaten all sorts of records this week. We have put more peo- ple through our gates this week than have ever been admitted to any state fair grounds in the world during a similar period. We have low- ered some world's weather record, too, and we are grateful."
Secretary Simpson corroborated this estimate in the following state- ment: "I am more nearly .satisfied with the fair that closes tonight than any with which I have ever been connected, and they now number nine- teen. I say this not so much on account of the splendid attendance we have had, as on account of the quality of the fair as a whole and the resiJonse made by the people of Minnesota and the Northwest to our efforts for a greater educational as well as amusement institution. I believe that the Minnesota State Fair of 1<)I2 has been the most comjire- hensive and the best balanced exposition of its kind ever held. There has not been one weak department, and the showing in some of them has been remarkable."
The following table shows the attendance for each day of "fair week". 1912, and the cash recei])ts from gales and grand stand therefor. The l)roceeds of sales of concessions, etc., added to these receipts make up the grand total income of $364,241.20.
.\ltendance Receipts
Sunday .^,000 $ 660.50
Monday .. 119.000 47,752.60
Tuesday 35-9.^'^ ^i .,S74i 5
Wednesday 44..^2o 25,857.70
Thursday ' 'I'l.i/.l 31 .018.85
I'>iday ' 4'.0O3 22,045.55
Saturday ... 72.602 38.121.60
376,800 $186,830.95
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 439
It is estimated that the net profit for 1912 is $50,000 while the loss in 191 1, owing to unfavorable weather conditions, was $17,800. It is sig- nificant that our nearest neighbor, Wisconsin, was highly pleased with an attendance at her state fair for 1912, held at Milwaukee, of 108,974. or less than one-third of the .Minnesota figure.
Plans for the Future
The phenomenal success of the exposition of 1912 has supplied the means and also the inspiration for a still further augmentation of its re- sources for the coming years. One of the revelations to visitors this year, was the greater attractiveness of the grounds, which vie with any park in the country, but will be made still more beautiful. The buildings have a setting of green lawns, carefully trimmed trees in symmetrical rows, and a profusion of flower gardens. The management was so pleased with the manner in which the crowds respected the floral decora- tions that it has decided to carry on more extensive landscape work. The care of the grounds has been as thorough as is given to any private park, and the crowds, while intent on seeing the big attractions appre- ciate the beauties of the adornments. Some indication of the elaborate- ness of the decorative work is shown by the fact that about 120,000 plants were put out. The gardening work was in charge of G. Rudolph, who came to the fair grounds three years ago, after serving at the Paris exposition. He has been assisted by high school and state farm school students.
Old fashioned flower beds which are again in popular favor, are seen in many spots, but a special efl^ort has been made to display the attractions of foliage. A bed has been planted near the officers' quarters, which for symmetry of color and shape is a marvel. \'arieties of coleus are here shown, the seeds of which v\'ere imported direct from Germany, presenting an assortment in this kind of foliage which cannot be dupli- cated in any section of the country. All these attractions will be repeated and amplified for future expositions.
Many substantial and permanent improvements are proposed. It is planned to build two new barns for the cattle and horses on the west end of the grounds. The Legislature will be asked to make appropriations for a new agricultural building for the county exhibits. If this is denied, the fair managers plan to add to the present building. One corner was built out this vear to serve as an annex for the L^niversity of Minnesota exhibits.
The fair board is also anxious to get an adequate administration building with departmental offices. If a new building cannot be secured, the present one may be remodeled so as to better suit the needs of the fair management. Another contemplated improvement is the extension of the grand stand roof. When the stand was erected three \ears ago, only ]iart of the roof was completed. It was so constructed however as to permit an extension and the board is anxious to complete the work.
Thus from year to year the work of expansion and improvement goes on, that the grand Minnesota State Fair, already the greatest in the coun- try, mav keen ud a march of advancement commensurate with that of the affluent commonwealth.
CHAPTER XLI
REAL ESTATE AND IXSURAXCE
Radical Land Hunger — Mission of Real Estate Dealers — The Col- lapse OF 1857 — From 1857 to 1873 — Real Estate in the Eighties — The Record Since — Personnel of Real Estate Men — Present- Day Values and Buildings — Public Attitude of Real Estate Exchanges — Agricultural Betterment Through Education — A Prophkcv \'erifikd — Tine Insurance Companies.
The land is the thing! The solid earth beneath our feet is the basis of wealth, the standard of values, the corner-stone of enduring prosper- ity. Investments in real estate, made at the right time and in the right locality, have been the safest methods of securing a competence and ac- quiring wealth. Some of the greatest fortunes in Xew York, Philadel- phia, Chicago, San Francisco and other great cities have been accumulated by a wise, persistent policy of buying and holding lots, blocks or acres, while the comfortable, substantial acquisitions of many thousands of land owners in all the growing towns of the country and in all of its farm- ing districts, have the same origin. In wild and reckless speculative plunges hundreds have lost, but in prudent investments thousands have gained.
Radical Land Hunger
Thoughtful men disagree as to whether the "unearned increment" which largely constitutes the profit of land-owning should inure to the person who happens to hold the legal title to a tract, but may have done nothing to augment its value, or to the state, for the benefit of all the peo- ple. But until radical changes shall be made in our policies and laws, the hunger for land will abide with us, as a fundamental element of current civilization. Literary critics differ regarding the i^ostulatc that the brain secretes thought as the liver secretes bile, but all concede that love-poetry is a bv-product of fatty degeneration. The economist, with an eligible corner lot for sale, who should neglect to demand a fair jirofit, would be a fit subject for inquisition of lunacy.
Thus grounded in human nature and yoked with human progress, the acquisition and ownership of real estate will unquestionably remain, for an indefinite period in the future, one of the chief concerns of men. And thus dealing in real estate will remain a useful and legitimate feature of the business activities of all developing cnnimimities.
Mission ni- Re.\l Estatf. Dealers
The real estate dealers are the men who know more about building up communities than does congress or any other legislative body. Thev mav
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occasionally paint things in artificial colors that would make Truth break her hitching strap and run away, but, at heart, they work for putting facts upon facts and creating real growth. Those who deceive and cheat do not last long in the business. Towering skyscrapers and giant structures of steel, stone, concrete and brick are not what make great cities. These are but material monuments. They catch the eye of the observer. They are interesting sights at which the inhabitant may point with pride, as he tells the wandering visitor all about it. Uut that does not make a city. No city can be greater than the composite mind and heart of the people. What the people who make up a city are that the city will be. And the aim of municipal government should be first of all, to make life better and more beautiful for the men, women and children whose lives are to be lived, whose souls are to be developed, whose minds and hearts are to be expanded in that community of human souls.
The dealers in real estate help to bring about these conditions, as a necessary part of their business, and hence are missionaries in every good cause of civic improvement. At the convention of the National Real Estate Exchange for 191 1, the president of that body, in his annual report said: "Today we are forceful factors in the business world. Our organization invites and will stand the closest scrutiny. We are identified with the most progressive and honorable business of the age — that of providing homes and proper surroundings for our people and the build- ing up of cities. Truly, we represent as much, if not more, of the nation's wealth than any other interest. Is there any reason why the national as- sociation should not occupy the same relative position in the confidence of the public as the American Bankers' Association? We are justified in our creation, and the results of the progressive spirit of this organization are daily becoming more apparent to the public. Our campaign of edu- cation of the value of real estate men to the community has not been without results. The aim and purpose of the national association is to- day better known throughout the country than ever before."
A newspaper, commenting on this address, says : "We rely on con- gress to give us what we need and want. There are in congress three hundred lawyers who know little or nothing about building homes. How many home-building real estate men? Mighty few, if any. But it is just our foolish habit in respect of many things. When we come to select fel- lows to build our homes, or give us better morals or health, or more justice, or less oppression, or to educate our children, or to pull our teeth, we do not select a body of builders, moralists, physicians, educators or dentists. We select a body of lawyers. They legislate and another body of lawyers on the bench knocks out the legislation, if it threatens to amount to much."
The growth of a city depends not only upon the enterprise and energy of its citizens, but also upon its natural beauty and advantages. Located at the head of navigation on the Mississippi, the richness of its valley surpassing that of the Nile, there is every reason to believe that St. Paul will be one of the leading cities of the inner continent. With such pros- pects, it is only natural that shrewd investors should be looking to this city as a place to make investments, which in time will yield handsome rewards.
The spirit of progress now pervading St. Paul, inspiring every citizen, is manifest in the wonderful improvements the last few years have wit- nessed. When we consider how brief has been the career of this city, how much has been accomplished in its existence, what institutions have been
442 ST. PAUL AXl) \ ICiXlTV
established, and then survey llie immense amount of uncultivated land tributary to St. Paul, we can only wonder what the future may be, what further strides will be taken. The materials for greater development than has yet been attained are abundant. \\'e may well believe that they will l)e wisely used.
Real estate transactions have always had their place in our annals, but in the beginning, of course, the volume was small and the prices were corres])on<lingly low. Prior to 1854 St. Paul was a struggling village of 3,000 inhabitants. However, the sudden influx of immigration to ^lin- nesota for the next three years caused the city to more than double its l)opubtion. The natural result was a boom in real estate. Many persons engaged in the business, some of them in connection with banking and brokerage. .\ trade directory of August 1, iH^U. mentions these as Real Estate Dealers: "W'm. Brewster. Lyman C. Dayton, Charles L. Emerson, B. F. Lloyt & Sons, Irvine, Stone & McCormick, Henry Mc- Kenty, MacKubin & Edgerton, Samuel G. Sloan, Truman AI. Smith, Starkey & Peltys and D. C. Taylor & Co." Of all these. Samuel G. Sloan is the sole survivor.
Tin. Collapse of 1S57
The year 1S57 was the culmination of an era of speculati\c extrava- gance in lands and lots, as in all other lines. .\t that time every one dealt in real estate, and while there were honorable dealers there were also many who were quite the oi)]50site. Of the latter description, few had offices; they infested hotels and other ])uhlic places, and even boarded in- coming steamers to offer their lots for sale. JMuch of this property had no value, being mere paper towns and cities, even where clear title could be given to the property. These operators did a thriving business and the proceeds of their speculations were spent in fast and riotous living. One of the most conspicuous of the schemers had a paper town located on Coon creek, then in Ramsey county, but now in Anoka county. He sold town lots at $100 each anci among the customers he found was his own grandmother. This lady had such an appreciation of their value, or was so wise to their worthlessness, that at her death she left the Coon creek lots to him as a legacy, and though possessed of much property it was all she left to him. But he had, at least, the consolation of knowing that he had received his share in advance.
Down to the very culmination everything was at the highest tide of a])parent prosperity, and few dreamed of the crash soon to come. All classes possessed the speculative mania, and nearly all were living beyond their means. Elegant equipages were seen on the streets, and costly en- tertainments were numerous. Many of the survivors of those times, later in liumble circumstances, lived on a scale of from ten to fifteen thou- sand dollars per annum, without counting the enormous sums that changed hands at cards. The city was full of gamblers and as in all such periods they did a thriving business.
Money, however, was not in circulation in sufficient volume for the needs of business, and loans were usually effected at rates varying from three to five per cent per month. This could not last. The crash came, with the deplorable incidents and conso(|uences narrated in a preceding chapter.
As early as 1851, the ever-wise Goodhue in the Pioneer, had sounded notes of warning against an undue inflation of town lot prices, then so
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
443
low as to now seem absurd. lUit Goodhue had died, and his expostula- tions were forgotten. Seemingly each generation must learn disagree- able lessons by practical experience. It is not always best to purchase when property is feverishly active or at its height. For, as sure as night follows day, reaction sets in. This usually happens when the owners of real estate are heavily mortgaged. Two bad results folloVv : they not only lose their holdings, but many liecome involved in judgments which take years to li(|uidate. In speculation as in locomotion, vou can never be sure that it is a joy ride until it is linished.
From 1857 ro 1873
Years of leanness and liquidation followed the terrible collajjse of 1857. The War of the Rebellion, the Indian outbreak and other circum- stances retarded the revival. Not even the greenback inflation of the mid- dle "sixties" which put the currency on the basis of about forty cents, as compared with the gold dollar, had the effect, felt in other states, of ad-
VIEW OF SITE OF Xl-.W i . ,.,i .,i i^Kc I. I.. II.UING, COUXER OF FOURTH AND \VAB.\SH.\, IN 1857
\ancing land prices. The year 1871 witnessed the first decided movement in real estate. The demand was better, and sales more ready, than for several years — better than since the fatal 1857. Woodland Park, bought in November as acres for $9,000, platted and sold in April for $20,000, and a number of other additions were, about this date, got into market. The rapid advance in prices, sometimes doubling in a few weeks, re- minded old settlers of the kiting days before the memorable collapse. It set the real estate market all ablaze and gave an impetus which continued until the Jay Cooke disaster of September. 1873, again checked it.
Real Estate ix the EnnrriEs
The depression of 1873 "^^^^ prolonged by the grasshopper invasion which for three successive years devastated many counties of the rich territory tributary to St. Paul. Investments in lands and lots were in- frequent for some time, and of si^eculation there was alisolutely none. I!ut the town grew steadily, if slowly, and in 1880 we had a jjoinilation of 41,000. That year marked the beginning of a new era for St. Paul.
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Immigrants began to pour into the northwest at a rapid rate. Tlie North- ern Pacific, followed by the Great Nortiiern, opened a line to the coast. The whole country was in a prosperous condition and St. Paul started on its onward and upward march. As this city was the natural gateway between the east and west, wholesale houses, railway terminals and all other lines of industry flourished beyond the most sanguine expectations. The state census of 1S85 gave this city a poi)ulation of 111,000, nearly three times our number five years before. This meant much for real es- tate. Business, residence and acreage property advanced rapidly and men made fortunes through wise investments. The rapid growth of the city and the surrounding country caused the boom of 1886 and 1887.
Enormous amounts were disbursed in the city for solid improvements, during the years 1883 to 1887. There was paid out, at that time, for the erection of Jnisiness blocks, wholesale warehouses, schools, churches, pub- lic buildings, dwellings and costly mansions, together with grading and paving many miles of streets and perfecting the sewer system, with miles of water mains and the construction of wood and stone sidewalks, a grand total of over sixty millions of dollars. These improvements were sub- stantial and permanent. The benefit that naturally accrues to real prop- erty in the expenditure of large amounts in the improvements of the same is sure. However, onlv a small percentage of this lienefit was immediately realized. Unfortunately, many who bought more than they could pay for were compelled to rclinc|uisli their holdings when the i)anic of 1893 set in. Being located in an agricultural district, .St. Paul stood the hard times as well, if not better, than any other city of the country.
The story of the rise and decline of business in real estate is vividly told in the following official statement of transfers filed in the register of deeds' office, during the decade of the eighties :
Years No. of Transfers. Consideration.
1881 2,427 $ 4.?,27.7b2
1882 4,447 0.354,841
1883 4.847 12.981.331
1884 S.12S 8,359,521
i8<S5 6,928 14,318,867
1886 II ,443 27,826,633
1887 16,070 58.174.768
1888 7.501 22,520.884
1889 7,104 22.755.60S
1890 5.608 20,502.820
As the entire assessed valuation of our real estate in 1887 was only about .S68.ooo.ooo. it would appear that 85 jier cent of it changed hands during the twelvemonth — a truly active market. Since 18S7, there has been an entire absence of speculative fever in the city realty.
The Rfxord Since
From 1893 *o '^97. there was real depression. P.ul with the revival of good times, in 1897, St. Paul resumed its onward march. an<l has been growing surely, steadily and rapidly since. This activity is due both to the revival of business in general and to an unitrecedentcd movement of immigration, not only from foreign countries, but from Iowa. Illinois, and other states further south and east. These facts, together with the
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building of many miles of new railroad, and the extension of the Chi- cago, Alilwaukee & St. Paul Railway to the coast gives strong reasons why St. Paul is now enjoying a greater degree of prosperity than ever before.
Personnel of Re.\l Estate Men
The personnel of the leaders of tlie guild in St. Paul during the past sixty years would be of thrilling interest and would richly justify more space than we have at our disposal. W. H. Randall graded the levee and portions of Third and Jackson streets at his own expense in the early fifties. Henry McKenty built and paid for a picturesque drive from the town to Lake Como, three miles, in 1856. Girart Hewitt bold, broad and benignant, died in 1879, after twenty years of incessant activity in immi- gration pamphleteering, boosting the interurban district ahead of time, and phenomenal fertility of schemes for the public good. Tracy M. Met- calf, brainy and aggressive, was full of resources and ever ready with suggestions for city and state development. Henry S. Fairchild, who came here in 1856, still with us and doing business at the age of eighty- five, is the Nestor of the fraternity. He has written more and talked more and done more for the real estate interests of St. Paul than any other man. To these, and to many of their compeers, was given the faculty of cheerfully accepting the lemons that Fate occasionally handed out, and using them to start a new lemonade stand for the refreshment of their fellow citizens.
In what may be called the golden age of the city, there were many notable names enrolled among the followers of this honorable occupation, each of them an ardent champion of St. Paul's progress at a time when championship was needed as never before or since. Among them we may enumerate John J. Watson, Rush B. Wheeler, W. G. Robertson, E. Simonton, George H. Hazzard, S. Harbaugh, A. M. Lawton, R. P. Lewis, J. W. McClung, C. A. Moore, W. S. Morton, Lane K. Stone, Thomas Cochran, H. A. Campbell, W. F. Graves, E. J. Hodgson, Charles Michaud, D. H. .Michaud, James Middleton, S. G. Sloan, C. R. Smith, Whitnev Wall, O. S. Tavlor, E. C. Dougan, S. B. Walsh, Newton R. Frost, F. E. Nelson, J. W. Shepard, W. W. Price and J. W. Taylor. The aggregate amount of effort these men and their colaborers per- formed in that critical era to make St. Paul what it is today is simply in- calculable. Hostile and jealous prophets were long busy with predic- tions that we were going to the dogs. On the contrary, we have gone to a quarter of a million population, and the disappointment of the dogs is immaterial. Even those among these industrious workers who devoted their special energies to building up suburban towns, with results some- what disappointing to themselves for the time being, were merely over- sanguine as to immediate returns. Most of these enterprises ultimately succeeded — some of them conspicuously so. All of them will finally contribute to the greatness of the magnificent metropolis, and all of them will, doubtless, in the end be included within its corporate limits.
In addition to the real estate dealers, or brokers, who did a com- mission business, there were several large owners of landed property in the city and suburbs who bought and sold on their own account, either personally or through agents. There were periods when the fortuitous drug-store experience of buying at five cents a pound and selling at fifty cents an ounce, was often paralleled by land operators, who bought an addition at fifty dollars an acre and sold it at five hundred dollars a lot. Among those who operated successfully, not as speculators, but as con-
446 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
servative ami (.-unlidcin investors, were W illiam Dawson, Juhu 1.. .\lcrriani, William K. .Marshall, Henry Hale, Charles T. Miller, Edward G. Rogers, A. Kalman, W illiam Lindeke, Conrad Gotzian, A. Oppenheim, Peter lierkey, C. E. Dickernian, D. S. B. Johnston, E. F. Drake, W. l-'. David- son and T. Reardon. All these men, at one lime or another, accumu- lated larjje sums from the profits on their real estate holdings, and many of them made handsome, enduring improvements in the business dis- trict, which are among the city's valued j^ossessions today. .\ few lost, in other enterprises, the fortunes thus acijuircd, hut thai was no im- ))eachment of-the good judgment which dictated their abiding faith m St, Paul realtv investments.
Present Dav X'ai.ues and llrii.DiNc.
The Englishman who ate a new variety of l)un — lo-wit, a cod-fish ball — in Boston, surmised that there was something dead in the bun, and was not sure that he approved of its flavor. There never has been anything dead about the real estate men of St. I'aul; the hundred and fifty or more individuals and firms now enlisted in the cause are fully maintaining the traditions of their worthy predecessors. They dis- courage ])lunging, but they always encourage moderate profits and safe investments. The healthy result is that the rise in real estate here has not kept pace with the city's growth. Comjiaring values with other cities not half so large, with not nearly so good prospects for future growth, we find the values in St. Paul are much lower. This condition of afifairs cannot last and shrewd investors, fully realizing that they are sure to make large profits in the near future, are buying and building freely, as the list of important buildings' recently erected or in course of con- struction will show : .Auditorium, Shubert and Empress theaters. The St. Paul, 1'. J. liowlin building, .\'ew .Manhattan building, ISenz building, new Cathedral, French Catholic church, l.owry building, l.indeke, War- ner & Son, .Association of Commerce, [•"inch, \'an .Slyke & McConville, the m.inii'iioth bakery of the St. Paul Bread Company, Masonic Te!U])le, Junior Pioneers' home, V. M. C. -K.. Y. W. C. .\., Northwestern Tele- phone Company building, Orpheum theater, i'rincess. Majestic and other theaters. Emporium building. City Hospital addition. Novices' Home, Hamm's Bottling works. Smith factory. Golden Rule building. State Savings Bank building. First National P)ank building, AlcGill Warner Iniilding, ( )'D()nnell Slioe Company; h'arwell, ( )znnui. Kirk & t'ompany, and West Side warehouse, Alichand Iiuilding, Booth it Company cold storage i)lant ; .\icols. Dean iS: Gregg, (i. Sommers & Company, J. H. Allen & Coiu])any, Northern Heating iS: [•".lectric jilant, four new high schools. Wilder Charity and Kretz buildings. The cost of some of these, as very conservatively stated in the building ])ermits. is as follows: Lowry Arcade, .$300,000; .Association of Comiuerce. $250,000; Y. W. C. A., $100,000; Finch. \an Slyke & .McConville, $500,000; luuiwrium, $200,000; Lexington high school, $4,25.000; Nortli Western' 'i'elephone, $150,000; St. Paid Bread Coni|)any, $300,000; Cit\ llnspital .uldilions, $150,000; Wilder .\dniinistralion, ,$_'tx),ooo ; Novices' home, $loo,OCX); llamm P.ottling works, ,Sioo,ooo: LiUheran College addition, $40,000: J, G, Smith factory, $So,ooo; Riciiards Gordon school, $40,000.
The benefit of these improvements has not been discounted. Owners of proiierty as a rule have been firm in their .prices, and values have been
ST. PAUL AND VICINITY 447
maintained, but not inflated. These conditions could not have existed had not the improvements in this city been on a grand scale.
Public Attitude of Re.vl Est.vte Exch.anges
The real estate exchanges. cit_\' and national, show intelligent, patriotic interest in all matters of general betterment. There are cities where material beauty commands the admiration of the world, yet where hu- man souls are starved shriveled by pestilential tenements, life-destroy- ing sweatshops, inhuman child labor, unwholesome factory conditions and other manifestations of man's inhumanity to man. In recent years the sane mind has found more delight in children's playgrounds, public parks and other public facilities for healthful recreation than in those - gorgeous public monuments of steel and stone that excited the wonder of the world and fed nothing but the eye. Public money expended for such purposes, having in view good health of body as well as soul, is money expended for the real lietterment of the future manhood and womanhood of the land.
In the field of national affairs the real estate exchanges have taken action in favor of many practical reforms. They demand that immi- grants be distributed ; that is, directed to the farm or to the hamlet, where they can hope to eventually own their homes and really become part of the nation. The dealers demand free lumber, "so that the build- ing of homes may be made cheaper." These dealers know all about the building of homes and the cost thereof. They, rather than the lawyers in congress, are to be believed when they state what would increase the building of homes. Other things they demand are extension of the re- clamation service and the work of the waterways commission, and rigid conservation of our national resources. More land, more irrigation and ditching, more protection of the public domain are good things per se. The real estate dealers want them. So does the whole nation.
They have a right to make these demands, and they have encourage- ment in high quarters, that some at least of their arguments will prevail. Frederick C. Stevens, the honored representative in congress from the St. Paul district once elaborated, in an eloquent speech, the quite un- usual thought that the grist of the legislative mill cannot come out in a way to suit everybody, but if interests, at first supposed to be contend- ing but found finally to be genuine efforts towards the common good, faced one another and threshed the proposition out, or combed it out, then "we get the golden mean, the best thing possible under the circum- stances."
The real estate exchanges on the whole, believe in Canadian recipro- city, as a potent aid to commercial prosperity and they believe that, in spite of set backs that beneficent policy will prevail at no distant day. "Canada, acceding to this confederation and joining in the measures of the United States, shall be admitted to this Union," said our first con- stitution. If Canada had acceded, the ruinous condition of absolute free trade would of course have existed between that territory and this. No protective duty would stand between ( )ntario spruce forest? and the consumer of printing paper this side the border, or between Canadian lumber and the builder of a house in Illinois. ^linnesota mills could grind Saskatchewan wheat without having to pay a duty of twenty-five cents a bushel, which is levied to protect our labor from pauper com- petition, although that same .Saskatchewan wheat is raised by the labor
448 ST. PAUL AND VICINITY
of Iowa and Dakota farmers, who certainly did not emigrate to Canada in order to pauperize themselves.
Agricultural Betterment Through Educ.\tion
In matters of state policy the real estate men assume the advanced position that would be expected of them. They manifest a particular concern for the extension of agricultural and industrial training, as an assured avenue to good fortune. A certain county in Minnesota was once pronounced the best county in the Middle West by an agricultural exjiert ; he based his opinion on the farms and farmers. It begins to look as though every county in the state had the ambition to outdo all the other counties, through increased wisdom in agricultural matters.
One does not know where this increase could come to more positive or wider influence than in the high schools of the state, which are fast becoming agricultural high .schools, with a deep attachment to the soil. There were established by legislative choice, two years ago, twenty high schools in the state where agriculture should be taught by professional graduates secured from the best colleges in the land. The state devoted an annual appropriation of $50,000 to this end. And the difficulty was not in inducing the schools to accept the olTer, but in selecting the twenty which should so profit. In the last legislature provision was made for fifty-eight more high schools in which agriculture is to be taught.
The four score high schools with agricultural courses are now in full swing, and the earnestness with which the state's provision is being met by the ambitions young farming aspirants is the amj^le reward. It is certain that within the next five years every high school in Minnesota will be ]5rovided with an agricultural course, by the state. It will be necessary to raise up a competent number of teachers for such a large project, since the eighty odd schools at present have to bring instructors from every part of the country.
In time the supjily will be adecjuate not only for instruction, Init for the end more specifically desired by the state. — the farm itself. Within a decade this scheme should bear fruit in a universally improved con- dition among the farmsteads of Minnesota. This is the i)ioneer state in such general agricultural teaching. Minnesota is laying the foundations for a future which cannot be gainsaid.
St. Paul's real estate dealers are watching all these steps of pro- gress with gladdened eyes, for they are the carrying out of their thirty years' propaganda of agricultural betterment. In the old Chamber of Commerce, E. J. Hodgson and TI. S. l-'airchild and Chas. K. Marvin and Girart Hewitt and General 1. W. Hishoi), used to talk to the public about crop rotation, and dairying, and fruit growing, and soil conservation, and better breeds of stock. The directors i)assed many series of resolu- tions on these topics, and indiviiluals among them, kejit up the agitation for a real live I^tate .Agricultural College until it was established as a department of the I'niversity and located in St. Paul. The real estate men furnished the ammunition for all this warfare, and loaded the guns, as a part of their campaign for the public good.
The St. Paul Real Estate Exchange, one of the city's oldest and most useful public bodies, still maintains a vigorous existence, with a live membership composed of ))rogressive citizens. It was well repre- sented at the natif)nal convention in Denver in .\ugust. 191 1. Its prcs-
ST. PAUL AND MCINITY 449
ent officers are \"al J. Rothschild president; H. E. Ware, vice president; J. I. Faricy, secretary ; F. L. Bayard, treasurer.
A Prophecy Verified
In 1888, H. S. Fairchild concluded a letter to the Chamber of Com- merce with these statements, which were true then and are true today, albeit there have been periods in the interim of twenty-four years when men of less enthusiasm have doubted them : "Will St. Paul continue to rapidly grow, and prices continue to advance? I aim in this paper to simply set forth plain facts, not to indulge in fine phrases, or to make extravagant predictions. Washington territory, Montana and Dakota are rapidly settling up, and their trade comes to us. North Wisconsin, rich in timber and minerals, is being made more and more tributary to us by new roads opened ; the great stock yards and packing houses re- cently established are stopping the live stock here that formerly went to Chicago : manufacturers from the east are rapidly changing their plants to St. Paul as a good point from which to supply the northwest.
"All calculations as to the future of our cities, notably a few of the northwestern ones, and all calculations as to the future of our country, its pofiulation, power and wealth, are startling. Our bankers, merchants and professional men, our mechanics and laborers, have been made com- fortable or rich by real estate investments in the past. They will con- tinue to be in the future, and twenty years hence as many will sigh over lost opportunities as do today.
"It is the safest and most profitable investment that can, as a rule, be made. It can't be burnt ; it does not decay ; it can't be cornered. The millions of people that dwell in St. Paul's tributary country are, by all their labors and expenditures, adding to the value of St. Paul's prop- erty while you wake or sleep."
We may supplement this deliverance of twenty-three years ago, by the oldest real estate expert in St. Paul, with a compilation from one by Frank C. Jones, of the younger generation, printed in the Pioneer Press of October 22, igii. Mr. Jones points out that, to the capitalist, investments in St. Paul business property have the double advantage of yielding good rentals while steadily increasing in value. So, also vacant property offers a two-fold inducement to a young man with a small amount of money, who is trying to get a start in life. By becoming a land owner he becomes a part of the city itself and will take more interest in civic aff'airs. Many men have acquired the habit of saving and started on the road to success, by purchasing a lot on a small pay- ment down and paying the balance in monthly instalments, when otherwise they would have spent their income each month. By the time the young man has made his last payment he not only has the lot to show for his months of saving, but also the increase in the value of the property dur- ing the time of payment, and the habit of saving formed.
There are opportunities in every part of the city for a young man with a small amount of money but with a keen foresight, to realize a large profit from his investment. In Hamline not long ago, in the dis- trict east of Snelling and north of !\Tinnehaha street, acre lots were offered for $1,400. A young man bought one of these and rearranged the acre into five lots about 45 by 160 feet, aggregating $2,100, giving him a profit of fifty per cent, on his original investment. Another young man purchased three lots fronting on a car line, one of them being on a corner. He rearranged these lots, changing them from west facing to
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south facing on the other street and has recently disposed of the last of the three, receiving for them all $2,400. As he paid $1,500 he had a hand- some prolit to show for his time. Prohts in vacant property are not con- fined, however, to subdividing and rearranging. There are always single lots in the market which can be purchased below the market value of the lots in the same neighborhood and a judicious investment of this kind never fails to bring satisfactory results to the purchaser, and results are always the determining factor in a business transaction.
The Insurance Companies
Nearly related to the real estate interest in the public mind and often directly connected with it in the hands of agents, is that of insurance. This great interest has never been neglected in St. Paul. Agencies, general, state and local, for the leading companies of the United States and Great Britain, in all branches and departments of insurance — lire, life, accident, indemnity and security — have al)ounded here and constitute today a prominent and most useful financial feature. The soundest and safest outside companies are always glad to do business here and are always represented by agencies, alert, prompt and reliable. The abun- dance of satisfactory agency service, combined with the disinclinalion cf our financiers and business men to encourage a multiplication of wild-cat local concerns, such as have discredited and humiliated many other cities, has resulted in limiting the luimbcr while vastly increasing the quality of our home institutions in this line.
The St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, which, from the beginning has commanded confidence by the high character of its managing officers, has grown to be a strong and popular institution, re- cognized throughout the country as a model of security and fair deal- ing. It was organized in 1865. with J- C. Burbank as president. C. II. Bigelow, who succeeded Mr. Burbank in the presidency, served continu- ously in that position nearly forty years, and until his death in 1911. The company's capital is $500,000; surplus $250,000. The present officers are : F. R. Bigelow, president, and A. W. Perry, secretary.
The Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Company was incorporated in 1880 and holds high rank as a .safe and conservative institution, with a constantly increasing business in the northwest. Its officers are E. W. Randall, president ; A. II. Lindeke, vice president ; T. A. Phillips, sec- retary and actuary.
The National Live Stock Insurance Company was founded Septem- ber 5, 1887, with an authorized capital of $100,000. H. T. Drake is president. G. H. Brown, secretary, and J. ^^'. Bishop, treasurer.
The St. Paul Title and Trust Company has headquarters in the New York Life building. Its capital is $250,000; president F. G. Inger- soll, and secretary and treasurer, C. A. Oberg.
In at least two particulars, the fire insurance, or "underwriters" or- ganization of St. Paul iierforms a valuable public function, of impor- tance to the entire community. It maintains, at a verv heavy annual ex- pense, the only comjiletc set of city maps, showing all improvements and the character thereof, continuou.sly revised and kept fully u|i-fn-date at all times. It also maintains, at a still heavier annual expense, a highly efficient patrol and salvage system by means of which projierty of enor- mous value is saved from destruction, while the official fire-fighters arc busy trving to prevent the spread of conflagrations.
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