USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > A history of the city of Saint Paul, and of the county of Ramsey, Minnesota > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
374
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1857
but could get neither transportation or proper ammunition. Two of the female captives, who were rescued soon after, were brought to Saint Paul and presented with a purse by our citizens.
Hon. SAMUEL MEDARY, who had been appointed Governor of the Territory, arrived on April 22, and at once assumed the gubernatorial chair.
This spring two new volunteer companies were organized. One was the "Saint Paul Light Cavalry," Capt. JAMES STARKEY ; the other was called the Shields' Guards, Capt. JOHN O'GORMAN.
On April 27, the extra session of the Legislature convened, and continued until May 25. Among the local acts passed, affecting Saint Paul, were: To incorporate the Saint Paul Water Company ; to extend Rice street ; to incorporate the Saint Paul Fuller House Company ; to incorporate the Saint Paul Dramatic Joint Stock Association ; to open and extend Seventh street, &c.
The spring of 1857 was one of the latest ever known. The " first boat" did not arrive at Saint Paul until the morning of May I. Once the barrier was broken, however, the season was inaugurated with a fleet of boats. On May 4th, eighteen were at the levee at one time, and, a few days afterwards. twenty-four, the largest number ever seen at our landing. . Each of these were crowded with passengers and their goods, so great was the rush of immigration that spring.
SCRAPS.
On May 5, the city election occurred, with the following result :
Republican. Democratic.
Mayor ...... John B. Brisbin, (Democrat-had no opposition, ) . . 1876 Treasurer .. Daniel Rohrer 961 ' Edwin Heenan. 858
Marshal .... Wm. R. Miller 1143 John O'Gorman 735 Those in italics elected.
Aldermen elected .- First Ward, Luke Marvin; Second Ward, A. L. Larpenteur; Third Ward, H. J. Taylor.
On the night of May 10, a murder took place at the " Cave," a low sink of crime above town. A man, named PETER W.
375
1857] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota.
TROTTER, was stabbed by a roustabout, named "MIKE SMITH," alias GOLDEN, and died in a few moments. The murderer escaped. and was never detected, although Deputy Sheriff J. W. PRINCE pursued him to Saint Louis.
Saint Paul was well supplied with theatres this season. "SALLIE ST. CLAIR's Varieties" opened at Market Hall on May 20, with a very good company.
On June 27, H. VAN LIEW opened the "People's Theatre," in a frame structure, built for the purpose, on the northeast corner of Fourth and Saint 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 AL- BERT COLGRAVE, the first scenic artist in Minnesota. He came from Columbus, Ohio, and was a young man of prom- ising ability and talent. In 1862, he enlisted in the Sixth Regiment, and died at Glencoe, in March following-an un- timely ending of a noble life.
A few days subsequent to the opening of the People's Theatre, a Mr. SCOTT brought a small company here, and opened a theatre in a hall in Irvine's Block. Thus there were three theatres going at one time, and all doing well. The panic, a few weeks later, soon closed them up. The hall used by SCOTT's troupe was subsequently used for a while by the House of Hope congregation.
The election for delegates to the Constitutional Convention occurred on June 1. The Democratic nominees were all elected, as follows :
Moses Sherburne, Geo. L. Becker, Michael E. Ames, D. A. J. Baker, John S. Prince, Patrick Nash, Lafayette Emmett, Wm. P. Murray, W. A. Gorman, Wm. H. Taylor, W. B. McGrorty, Paul Faber.
The total vote cast in the city was 2,820, which would have shown (if not fraudulent) a population of 17,000, or more, but one journal asserts that " several steamboat crews voted several times in each ward !"
376
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1857
WAIFS:
On August 4, a severe fire occurred on the north side of Third street, between Market and Saint Peter, which de- stroyed some twenty buildings and much of their contents. The fire was undoubtedly the work of an incendiary.
On August 18, another fire swept the west side of Robert street, between Third and Fourth, then occupied by frame. business buildings. This fire was also, beyond doubt, the work of an incendiary.
These two fires, taken in connection with a number of bur- glaries, attempted and successful, and the presence of a gang of hard characters in the city, and the insufficiency of the small police force to properly guard so extensive an area as they were expected to protect, led to the formation of an organiza- tion similar to that of the preceding summer-a volunteer patrol, or vigilance committee. This was kept up for several weeks, and rendered good service in clearing the city of vaga- bonds and criminals. The fires also demonstrated the neces- sity of fire engines, and the City Council set about procuring them, though it was fully a year before they were received.
A "FAST" TOWN.
During the summer of 1857, Saint Paul was said by trav- elers, to be the fastest and liveliest town on the Mississippi River. Emigration was pouring in astonishingly, several boats landing daily loaded with passengers. Those intending to go back in the country, usually purchased their supplies here, and the stores were almost overtaxed, so profitable was their trade. The hotels and boarding houses were crowded to overflowing. The principal business streets fairly hummed with the rush of busy life. Building was never so brisk ; an army of workmen and mechanics labored night and day to keep up with the demand for dwellings and stores. Another small army was engaged in grading streets, and laying gas pipes, the air being continually shaken with the concussion of blasting rock. Saloons, of course, throve as they always do, be times flush or hard. That season they coined money ;
1857] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota. 377
so, also, did the livery stables. The city was continually full of tourists, speculators, sporting men, and even worse char- acters, all spending gold as though it was dross. Perhaps this "floating" population amounted to two or three thousand persons during most of the summer, until the crash scattered them like leaves before an autumn gale.
THE SUNRISE EXPEDITION.
During the summer, settlers near Cambridge, Sunrise, &c., complained that the Chippewas were very troublesome, steal- ing, &c. Gov. MEDARY ordered Capt. STARKEY to take a part of his volunteer cavalry company, and proceed to the spot, and arrest any Indians known to be committing depre- dations, or order them to return to their Reservation. Capt. STARKEY took 20 men, and, on August 24, started for the settlements named. On August 28, they overtook six Indians near Washington, and, while talking to them, the Indians broke away and ran. Capt. STARKEY ordered one of his men, FRANK DONNELLY, to head them off and tell them to stop. DONNELLY did so, when one of the Indians, named Sha-go- ba, shot DONNELLY, killing him instantly. The other cavalry- men fired on the Indians, killing one and wounding another. Securing the four Indians, and putting the other two, together with DONNELLY's body, in a wagon, the cavalry returned to Saint Paul, arriving on the 29th. The scene, when DON- NELLY's bloody corpse was left at his house, can better be imagined than described.
ยท The funeral of DONNELLY took place on Sunday, August 30, from the Jackson Street Methodist Episcopal church. ".Rev." JOHN PENMAN preached the discourse from the text : " To live is Christ, and to die is gain." (This was a subject well suited to the piety of that holy and eloquent divine !) The military of the city did the accustomed honors to their fallen comrade.
The Indians were kept in confinement for several days, when they were released by Judge NELSON, on a writ of habeas corpus, brought by Maj. CULLEN, Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Sha-go-ba was sent to Chisago county, to be
25
378
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1857
tried for the murder of DONNELLY, but soon cut his way out of the " jail" with a knife, and escaped.
ITEMS.
On August 31, the Washington school house, which had been built that season, was dedicated. This was the first school house built by the Board of Education, and cost $8,433.
On September 3, the City Council subscribed $50,000 to- ward the Saint Paul bridge, which had been commenced the previous winter, and stopped for want of funds. The work was now pushed forward night and day, to complete the piers before frost, and the wood work was built during the winter.
On September 7, the District Court, second judicial district, assembled, Judge R. R. NELSON presiding. There were 400 cases on the calendar, no term of the court having been held for two years.
On September 16, the "Mercantile Library Association" was organized. It maintained its organization quite success- fully for several years, accumulating a considerable library, keeping up a good reading room, and getting up two or three interesting courses of lectures. In 1863, its library was united with the Young Men's Christian Association, and formed our present well-managed and excellent " Saint Paul Library."
This fall, the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad was completed. The nearest railroad connection east had hitherto been at Dunleith. Step by step, the iron horse was advancing toward our city.
379
1857] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1857 .- CONTINUED.
THE REAL ESTATE MANIA-THE PERIOD OF THE "FLUSH TIMES"-THE PANIC- THE REAL ESTATE MARKET RUINED-HARD TIMES-THE CENSUS-ELEC- TION-CURRENCY TROUBLES-PERILOUS BALLOON ASCENSION, &C., &C.
T 'HE real estate mania, before mentioned, was now at its height. No description that can be given of this singu- lar era of our history can convey an idea of it. Only those who lived through the "flush times" will ever know what they were.
Everybody seemed inoculated with the mania, from the moneyed capitalist to the humble laborer who could merely squat on a quarter section, and hold it for a rise. The buying of real estate, often at the most insane prices, and without regard to its real value, infected all classes, and almost ab- sorbed every other passion and pursuit. Town-sites and additions to towns were laid out by the score .* Many of these town-sites were purely imaginary, and had never been surveyed at all. Lots in these paper cities were sold by the hundred east, at exorbitant prices. Agriculture was neg- lected, and breadstuffs enough for home consumption were not raised. Their import formed a large branch of trade. Honest labor was thrown aside for more rapid means of wealth. Farmers, mechanics, laborers, even, forsook their occupations to become operators in real estate, and grow suddenly rich, as they supposed.
" Real estate dealers"-some of them honorable men, like HENRY MCKENTY, but many without character or conscience,
* D. C. COOLEY, " Governor of the Sovereigns," in one of his inimitable messages to the Third House, recommended, with bitter irony, that a small portion of the land be reserved for agriculture, and not all laid out in town lots. There was almost some grounds for the advice.
380
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1857
mere shysters-flourished in Saint Paul by the score. A large share of them were purely street sharpers, having no office but the sidewalk, and no capital but a roll of town-site maps, and a package of blank deeds, yet all fairly coining money, and spending it, in many cases, as rapidly as made, on fast 'horses, fast women, wine and cards. These operators would board boats, on their arrival, or hang around hotels, and, by a little sharp maneuvering, as "confidence men," find out and manipulate unsuspecting strangers, who had money, and fleece them of their means, by selling them lots in moonshine towns, for several hundred dollars each, not actually worth as many cents, even if they got a title at all. Such operations were repeated by the score, until Saint Paul and Minnesota got a name abroad anything but enviable.
This mad, crazy, reckless spirit of speculation, which char- acterized those times, was appalling, to look on it now from a soberer stand-point. Perhaps in no city of America, was the real estate mania, and reckless trading and speculation, so wild and extravagant, as in Saint Paul. It could not last, and must soon bring its own punishment in general ruin. Indeed, the storm was near at hand.
THE BUBBLE BURSTS.
On August 24, occurred the failure of the Ohio Life Insur- ance and Trust Company, of New York, which gave rise to the memorable panic or financial revulsion of that year.
To Saint Paul, this pricking of the bubble of speculation was more ruinous and dire in its consequences than perhaps to any other city in the west. Everything had been so infla- ted and unreal-values purely fictitious, all classes in debt, with but little real wealth, honest industry neglected, and everything speculative and feverish-that the blow fell with ruinous force. Business was paralyzed, real estate actually valueless and unsaleable at any price, and but little good money in circulation. Ruin stared all classes in the face. The notes secured by mortgages must be paid, but all values- were destroyed. No device would raise money, for no one had any to lend. Everybody was struggling to save himself.
1857] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota. 381
The banking houses closed their doors-nearly all the mercan- tile firms suspended or made assignments. All works of im- provement ceased, and general gloom and despondency settled down on the community. In a few days, from the top wave of prosperity, it was plunged into the slough of despond.
And now the " hard times" commenced in earnest. No description of this terrible and gloomy period will convey any idea of it. With many, even those who had but shortly be- fore 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 humble poor, of course, suffered ; but the keenest suffer- ing 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 business houses or firms weathered the storm, despite the most desperate struggles. The population of the city fell off' almost 50 per cent., and stores would scarcely rent at any price.
BREVITIES.
On September 19, the gas works having been completed, and got in running order, gas was for the first time let on the city.
On September 21, A. C. JONES, Deputy Marshal, com- menced to take the census of Ramsey county, pursuant to section four, of the Enabling Act, the object being to ascer- tain the population of the State when admitted, and fix its representation in Congress. The census was completed in about six weeks, and showed the population to be as follows : Of Saint Paul, 9,973 ; of Ramsey county, 12,747, and of the Territory, 150,037. [It was the wish of the writer to have given the names of adult male citizens in this census, but the length of such a list precluded the attempt, after the list was prepared, and alphabetically arranged.]
THE FIRST STATE ELECTION
occurred on October 13. The State had not yet been admit-
382
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1857
ted, though it was supposed this would be done in December, and State officers were therefore elected. The vote in Ramsey county was as follows :
Republican.
Democratic.
District Judge .... E. C. Palmer, (Ind., ) 1936
J. W. Selby . II43
Senators Martin D. Clark . 1048
J. M. Marshall
James Day I297
Daniel Rohrer 1224
Charles Colter 1073
Representatives
B. F. Irvine. II25
A. Varenne
IO88
V. B. Barnum
1078
Probate Fudge.
f C. T. Cotton 973
Clerk of Court ... E. Ingalls. 986
J. W. Prince, (Ind .; ) . 684
Sheriff . R. B. Galusha, (Ind.,) 382
Treasurer R. A. Smith, (no opposition,) .
Attorney I. V. D. Heard, (no opposition,) . .3196
.2659
Register Deeds. Louis Demeules . ..
370 Edward Heenan. . . 1285
S. Hough, (Ind.,) ... 622
Coroner J. M. Castner 948
Dr. F. V. Wren . . . 1708
Surveyor . James. A. Case. 303 W. F. Duffy . . . . . . 1236
Those in italics elected.
Wm. P. Murray . . . 1253
Isaac Van Etten . . 2040 Charles S. Cave . . 1690 156 . Wm. Sprigg Hall . 1754 John W. Crosby . . 2076 Wm. Davern. .. . . 1986 Wm. B. Mc Grorty . 1676 Charles Rauch . . . . 2037 Fames Starkey. . 2024 Geo. L. Otis . ... .. 2079 "Rev." F. Penman 1291 A. C. Jones, (Ind.,) 691 R. F. Houseworth. 2016 F. r. Caldwell . . . 1698
CURRENCY TROUBLES.
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 up. Ex- change on the east was 10 per cent. ! To devise some meas- ures for relief, meetings of the merchants were held, and various measures recommended to the Legislature-a stay law, general banking system, &c. The city and county boards were advised to issue " denominational scrip," to use as cur- rency. This scheme was soon after put in operation, and the scrip was in circulation for two or three years. Every old settler remembers it-not with pleasure, perhaps. But it was of some use.
1857] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota. 383
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. Our own home destitute were also cared for, and public improvements were projected to give them employment.
The City Council this summer ordered two new fire engines. for the use of the city, In anticipation of this, two fire com- panies were organized-" Hope Engine Company, No. 1." on September 14, and "Minnehaha Engine Company, No. 2," on December 4. Of the former, M. LEVOY, R. C. WILEY, JAMES HERY, JOHN H. DODGE, and others, were the organ- izers ; and of the latter, H. P. GRANT, M. J. O'CONNOR, R. G. SHARPE, L. E. CLARKE, J. B. OLIVIER, S. T. RAGUET, &c. .
WILLIAM MARKOE built a handsome balloon this summer, and made two ascensions. The last was on October 8, at the Territorial Fair, in the Capitol grounds. S. S. EATON and H. H. BROWN went with him. The balloon descended on Rice Creek, about 18 miles northward, throwing Mr. EATON out, and breaking the valve ropes off in the neck of the bal- loon. The balloon shot up rapidly, and when a mile high, Mr. BROWN climbed up to the neck of the balloon by the net- ting, and secured the cords ! It was a perilous feat, but saved their lives.
From a report made to the Chamber of Commerce, it was ascertained that 343 buildings, costing $591,500, had been erected this season. Among them were several churches, a county jail, a school house, bridge, &c. For street improve- ments, sewers, &c., $133,153 had been expended.
384
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1858
CHAPTER XXIX.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1858.
THE "FIVE MILLION LOAN BILL"-CREATION OF THE FOURTH WARD-ADMIS- SION OF THE STATE-DULLNESS OF BUSINESS-CABLE CELEBRATION-FIRE ENGINES ARRIVE-HOMICIDE-DEDICATION OF SCHOOL HOUSES-ELECTION STATISTICS.
O NE of the most noticeable events in 1858, was the "Five Million Loan," which was passed this spring, by the Legislature, and was voted on April 15. The debate on its merits was short, but somewhat acrimonious. Meetings were held, pro and con, handbills circulated, &c. R. O. SWEENY prepared an amusing caricature, which was litho- graphed by the opponents of the measure, and made much merriment. When the loan measure was voted on, it was carried by a majority that was surprising. In the city, the vote was, ayes 4,051, noes 183 !
In common with other cities of the country, Saint Paul was, that winter, visited by sweeping revivals of religion.
Navigation opened on March 25-one of the earliest dates on record-but travel and business on the river were painfully dull. The Northern Line Packet Company was put on this season.
The papers about this period frequently mention the " Sons of Malta." One of our citizens rose to the high rank of Car- dinal in this ancient order.
The Fourth Ward was created by the Legislature this win- ter, out of the Third Ward.
THE CITY ELECTION
occurred on April 4. It was not a straight party contest, the Republicans making no nominations as such. The result was :
1858]
and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota. 385
Independent.
Democratic.
Mayor .Moses Sherburne. 1546
N. W. Kittson. 1788
Treasurer . Daniel Rohrer 1936
Mich. Cummings . . . .1334
Thomas Howard . . 119I City Justice. Orlando Simons. 1193
Nelson Gibbs. 857
Comptroller .. T. M. Metcalf. . 1615 C. W. Williams 1520 Those in italics elected.
Aldermen elected .- First Ward, C. H. Schurmeier; Second Ward, P. O'Gorman ; Third Ward, Nicholas Gross, three years; Wm. H. Wolff, two years; Thomas Grace, one year; Fourth Ward, Henry M. Dodge.
BRIEF MENTION.
The LaCrosse and Milwaukee Railroad was completed this spring to LaCrosse. Little by little the iron horse was ap- proaching our city.
On May 14, the papers announced that the State was ad- mitted, but no demonstrations were made over the event. The State officers were quietly sworn in on the 24th.
Business was depressingly dull all the season. Still, a num- ber of buildings were built, and public improvements carried on. The scarcity of a good currency was a great drawback to trade.
During July, at an adjourned session of the Legislature, an attempt was made to remove the Capital to Nicollet Island, but it did not meet with much favor.
On September 1, Saint Paul, with other cities of the Union, celebrated the successful laying of the Atlantic Cable to Eng- land. The celebration was carried out with much spirit and enthusiasm-a procession, orations, music, &c., and at night fireworks and general illumination.
Our Fire Department were gladdened, this fall, by the arrival of two new engines, which the city had procured at Philadel- phia. They were formally delivered to Hope Engine Com- pany, No. 1, and Minnehaha, No. 2, on November 1, and did good service for some ten years, when steamers were substi- tuted. This summer, also, Fort Snelling was abandoned by the Government, and Hon. JOHN S. PRINCE* purchased the
* Hon. JOHN S. PRINCE was born in Cincinnati, May 7, 1821, and resided in that city until 1840, being, during the latter part of that period, in the commission business. He
386
The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1858
post engine, and presented it to a company formed of em- ployees of his mill, called, " Rotary Mill Company, No. I." so that we had now a well-equipped Fire Department.
On October 18, an old man, named JAMES McCLAY, was killed at a disreputable shanty, near the jail, by two roughs. named "Chicago JACK" and CORMACK MALLOY. They es- caped without any punishment, by some technicality.
On November 13, Adams school was dedicated, and, soon after, Jefferson school. The latter burned down about nine years subsequently, and has been rebuilt on another site. Saint Paul had now three good school houses, and a good corps of teachers.
On December 22. "House of Hope," on Walnut street, was dedicated.
THE ELECTION
that fall was only for County Auditor and Representatives, the latter useless after all, as the session [of 1859] was never called. The following was the vote :
Democratic. John B. Brisbin . . 1770
Independent.
H. J. Taylor 941
W. A. Gorman . . . 1150 Wm. Branch 864
Representatives . . .
E. D. Cobb. . 130I Wm. Von Hamm . 1436
M. Groff. 615
W. B. Quinn 87
Wm. P. Murray . . 1209
T. M. Metcalf. 377
John S. Prince . . . 1523
W. H. Nobles . 1061
Alex. Buchanan . . 1084
County Auditor. ..... . L. P. Cotter. . . . 1026 Those in italics elected.
The business and financial outlook this fall was very discour- aging. Trade was almost paralyzed. The harvest had been poor. There was no immigration. Some "Glencoe" money,
then entered the employ of the American Fur Company, at Evansville, Indiana, and after the company suspended in 1842, he engaged with PIERRE CHOUTEAU, Jr., & Co., who assumed the business, and became their purchasing agent, throughout Ohio, Indi- ana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. In 1854, he came to Saint Paul, to look after their real estate here. Connected with it was a saw mill, long known by early residents as the Rotary Mill. This was carried on by Mr. PRINCE for 15 years. He also dealt largely in real estate, on his own account. Personally, no gentleman in our city has been more popular than Mr. PRINCE. He was a member from Ramsey county, in the Constitutional Convention, and has been elected Mayor five times, being one of the most faithful and valuable municipal officers our city ever had.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.