USA > Minnesota > St Louis County > Duluth > Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota; their story and people; an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development, Volume II > Part 2
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First Village Hall .- After a year or so of the use of a rented room as council chamber, the village officials moved into a building of their own. The first village hall was a two-story frame structure, erected at a cost of $656.69, in 1895. It was built upon lot No. 36, in block 12, of the "old town," the village paying the townsite com- pany $200 for the lot. Eventually, the hall was moved to the new town, and now stands on Grant Avenue, "next to Max Stipetich's saloon." Latterly, it has served as a cinema.
First Marshal .- Jerry Sullivan was appointed marshal on Novem- ber 1, 1894, at $30.00 a month, having secured the office by competitive sealed bid. The marshal's hours of duty were from 9:00 p. m. to 7:00 a. m. In 1896, the salary of the marshal was $75.00 a month.
First Fire Company .- A volunteer fire company was formed in June, 1895. It consisted of fifteen members, the compensation to firemen being fixed at one dollar for each call, with an additional fifty cents for each hour after the first. One of the first measures insti- tuted for the purpose of fire protection was the employment, in Jan- uary, 1895, of "a force of men to cut, pile and burn, for a distance of 250 feet back from the borders of the village."
First Board of Health .- A board of health was organized on February 4, 1895. Members of the board were Dr. H. L. Darms, John Grey, and B. J. McCormick. Dr. Darms was also one of the village trustees in its first vear, taking the place of W. H. Shea, who "moved away" carly in 1895.
First Hotel .- The first hotel was probably that built in 1893 by Archie McComb. But it was "not of much account." In May, 1895, owners of lots on Jones Street petitioned the trustees of the village "to condemn, as a street, the cast 120 feet of Jones Street, between
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blocks 10 and 11, and allow some to revert to the townsite owners," the Duluth Mining and Investment Company, provided they deed the land to David T. Adams "for immediate construction of a good first-class hotel building" thereon. Although that project did not carry, it is stated that David T. Adams built the first hotel in Eveleth. It was called the McInnis Hotel and was situated on the southeast corner of Grant Avenue and Jackson Street. Charles Jesmore was the first manager. The building still stands.
First School .- The first school was "in the valley by the creek." It was opened in 1895, and the first teacher was Florence Kent, who came from Virginia. The schoolhouse was "a one-story frame shack," and its furniture consisted of "two benches and a plank table," with a small table for the teacher. Some of the pupils enrolled at that school in 1895 were: Charlie Higgins, Rosie Walker, Fred Chilters, and several of the children of the Gross, Springer, and Van Buskirk families. There were five or six of the Gross children, three girls and two or three boys; they drove to school each morning from their homestead, about two or three miles away. There were two Spring-
THE PRESENT MORE HOSPITAL, EVELETH. (THE FIRST MORE HOSPITAL WAS "ON THE SLOPE" WITH THE PIONEERS; AND IT WAS "A LITTLE RED SHACK")
ers, Bert and Otis; and of the Van Buskirk family, Tony, Mae, and Anna attended the first school. By the way, Tony Van Buskirk, now city clerk, was the first boy to come to Eveleth, it has been stated. He came with his mother and sisters, from Crystal Falls, Michigan, in 1893, or 1894, to join their father, who had come earlier. They came by rail as far as Virginia, or rather as far as the Auburn mine, walking from there into Eveleth. The family had to live in a tent for a couple of weeks while a house was being built for them.
First Church .- The first church built in Eveleth was in 1896, for the Methodist Episcopal society, which was organized on Sep- tember 17, 1895. Services were held in the schoolhouse until March, 1896, when "a neat frame building was dedicated." The Rev. Olin J. Gary, a local preacher, was the first pastor. He and Russell and Howard Buckthought were the first trustees, and the church was built under his supervision. "On February 12, 1896, lots were secured, as donation, from E. M. Fowler, of Chicago, and a subscription paper
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was then started for the purpose of raising funds for erection of a church building." The next pastor was L. F. Merritt (1896-97). He was succeeded by C. H. Stevenson, and in 1898, Rev. M. O. Stockland was in charge. A new church was built during his pastorate, which ended in October, 1901, when Rev. R. J. Taylor came.
First Postmaster .- The first postmaster was P. E. Dowling. Hc also had the first drug store in Eveleth.
Pay of Pioneer Village Officials .- In 1896, the president received $10 a month ; the recorder, $25 a month ; the street commissioner, $2.50 a day, "for actual services"; the marshal, $75, and his deputy, $60 a month; the waterworks engineer, $75; the janitor at Village Hall, $30 a month, it being also his duty to light street lamps, without extra pay. Unskilled labor was secured at $1.75 a day, and a team at $4 a day.
First Teamster .- John Morrow was the first teamster in Eveleth. David T. Adams, in February, 1920, wrote: "John Morrow, who I believe is now living in the old Adams camp, was teamster for the company during the explorations, and is the only one of the old em- ployees left on the Mesabi range." He lives with his wife in the log cabin which was originally the office of the Adams Mining Company, which cabin it was reecntly stated had "been purchased by the city, and will be given a permanent place in one of the city parks as a monument to the early mining industry."
First Storekeeper .- The first storekeeper was Stetton, it has been stated, so possibly the "store" of Hy. Hookwith, upon which "Notice of Election" was declared to have been posted in June, 1893, was not a store at all, but a hotel.
First Sawmill .- The crection of a sawmill was a necessity as soon as it became evident that a community would develop near the Adams explorations. One was built by David T. Adams near what is now No. 5 shaft of the Spruce mine. It was burned down in 1896 or 1897.
First Bond Issue .- On May 9, 1895, the voters approved the issu- ance of bonds to the amount of $3,000, "for the construction of a sys- tem of waterworks." Bond No. 1, of one thousand dollars denomina- tion, and bearing date June 1, 1895, "payable one year later," was bought by David T. Adams. The interest was 8 per cent, and Mr. Adams became "security" for the whole issue. In July, 1895, he took up the whole issue, "at face value."
Water System .- Thus, the village was enabled to build its first water plant. It served until 1905, when a new system was installed, at an expense of $60,000, providing "an excellent supply of water from St. Mary's lake, two and a half miles distant." In 1914, "an en- tirely new system of waterworks" was completed, at a cost of $65,- 000. The water plant in 1920 comprised two motor-driven centrifugal pumps, with a capacity of 1,600,000 gallons daily, and two steam pumps of one million daily capacity. Two mains, one 16-inch and the other 10-inch, "carry the water from St. Mary's lake to the ele- vated tank of 300,000 gallons capacity, located at the highest point in the city." The water is "soft and pure." About fifteen miles of water mains are in use. In July, 1920, 26,000,000 gallons were pumped at a cost of 6 cents a thousand gallons. The superintendent is F. E. Forristel.
Lighting .- On May 28, 1896, Frank McCormick, of Duluth, was given a franchise, "for ten years," to supply Eveleth with electric light, the village "contracting for seven arc street lights at ten dollars cach per month," and stipulating that private users be supplied at
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"not to exceed one cent per hour per light of 16 c. p." McCormick did not complete the installation within the time limit set, but, re- ceiving an extension of time, he ultimately established a satisfactory lighting system. His plant and franchise eventually passed, by sale, to C. H. Webster, who later met his death at the plant, being instantly killed when struck by fragments of a flywheel that broke. His widow sold the plant to Alexander Hughes of Duluth, who, on August 9, 1901, was confirmed in the ownership of the franchise, and also some time later was granted a franchise to establish a heating system. In 1914, there were, on Eveleth main thoroughfares, fifty-one standards of five lights each, making a "white way" for seven blocks; and in addition, eighty-four arc lights. A public heating system had just been installed, extending "to most parts of the city." At about that time the "Home Electric and Heating Company, of Eveleth," offered to sell its plant to the city, for $134,655.05. The proposed bond issue, however, did not carry, and the lighting, heating, and power utilities at Eveleth are still in private ownership. The Minnesota Utilities Company, of Eveleth, was organized in 1917, with an authorized cap- ital of $650,000. The first president was Neal Brown, of Wausau, Wis. He was succeeded by Cyrus C. Yawkey. Mr. R. M. Heskett is the only officer living at Eveleth ; he has been secretary and treas- urer since the organization. In addition to the Eveleth service, the company supplies power to Chisholm, and at various places from Eveleth to Deer River, and the company maintains local electrical distributing systems in Kinney, Chisholm, Carson Lake, Kelly Lake, Stevenson, Nashwauk, Calumet, Marble, Taconite, Bovey, Coleraine, Grand Rapids, Cohasset and Deer River. It is only at Eveleth, how- ever, that the company furnishes steam for heating purposes. That utility is a comprehensive one, "most business places and a considera- ble number of residences" in Eveleth being connected with the steam mains.
Moving of Village .- It was evident, even in 1895, that the vil- lage would soon, or eventually, have to be moved from the original townsite, because needed iron ore lay underneath. But it was not a matter that could be disposed of in a short period of time. Indeed, it seems that the removal was not completely effected until the early years of the present century. David T. Adams writes :
"In 1895, I re-explored the townsite of Eveleth (which was orig- inally No. 2 of the Adams selections), for the mineral owners, on a percentage basis. I developed a large body of ore on the townsite, and thereafter gave it the name of Spruce mine. It then became necessary, in order to mine out the ore, to vacate the townsite. To do so, I withdrew the lots from sale, and in company with the min- eral owners, proceeded to lay out the First Addition to Eveleth, on the east half of the se. quarter of section 31, in the same township. The plat of the First Addition was filed for record on the 31st day of August, 1896. The Village of Eveleth then annexed its first addi- tion, and the moving of the Village of Eveleth, with its twelve or fifteen hundred inhabitants, on an average of one-fourth of a mile, up the hill, to the east, ensued, at a cost of about $125,000, for moving and repairing the buildings alone, and exclusive of the bonuses paid to each improved-property owner, in the way of an additional lot, or in cash, according to their discretion."
Municipal action regarding the First Addition to Eveleth did not come until 1899. A "petition to annex land platted and designated 'The First Addition to Eveleth' was filed with the county auditor on
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April 4, 1899, and on June 26th, of that year. Village Ordinance No. 22 was passed. Said ordinance ordained that "the east half of the southeast quarter of section thirty-one, township fifty eight north, of range seventeen west. * designated as the First Addition to Eveleth' (be) declared to be an addition to the said Village of Eveleth, and a part of said village, as effectually as if said territory hereby added had been originally a part of said Village of Eveleth."
At that time, apparently, the removal had not been accomplished, or had not been completed. A 1910 history of the City of Eveleth states that "many of the buildings were moved thither (to the First Addition ) in 1900."
Bearing on the good fortune of the early merchants of Eveleth, Mr. D. T. Adams writes :
"The opening of the Spruce mine. by Peter L. Kimberly, who had taken another lease on it after the ore body had been thoroughly developed, and the additional men employed in the vicinity by the
EVELETH AUDITORIUM AND ARMORY
opening of the mines, stimulated the business and growth of Eveleth. The property started to rise in value, and it was not long before a business lot on Grant Avenue. 25x110 feet. would bring from $12.000 to $15,000, or more, per lot. according to the location. But the town- site people had disposed of all their lots, on the business streets, in the way of bonuses, and the inhabitants only profited. The result was that in a few years there were more well-to-do business men along the business street of Eveleth than there were on a like street of Virginia or Hibbing, the other two principal cities of the Mesabi range.'
That was a gratifying outcome, for in the early days of the village, its slow advancement must have caused its pioneers many regretful moments. David T. Adams, writing. on February 7. 1920, stated :
* * * had some disappointments with my early townsite enterprises. The influence of so many nonbelievers in the existence of ore in the southern part of township 58-17. had its effect, and was plainly revealed when I platted your now beautiful City of Eveleth. Platting the townsite of Virginia a few years earlier, and holding it
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up as the coming metropolis of the Range, made it, indeed, hard for me to induce people to purchase lots and settle in the Town of Eve- leth; and it was a long time *
* before Eveleth started to grow as it should have grown, and not until the old town was vacated and moved to its present location, to give room for the mining of the Spruce mine. did Eveleth come into its own. But now it is a beau- tiful and proud city, with enough of the best ore on the Range sur- rounding it on two sides to continue it as the most steady, pros- perous, and longest lived city on the Range, by a margin of many years."
Village Presidents .- The succession of presidents of the Village of Eveleth, from 1894 to 1902, in which year Eveleth became a city, was as follows: 1894-95. Marvin Van Buskirk: 1895-96. H. L. Darms: 1896-97, W. V. Caldwell: 1897-98, Marvin Van Buskirk; 1898-99. Chas. Jesmore: 1899-1900. P. E. Dowling: 1900-02. Chas. Jesmore.
Eveleth Becomes a City .- A petition was circulated in the vil- lage in January, 1902. by certain residents, who desired to advance the status of the place, which had reached a state of development that entitled it to a place among the cities of the state. The petition was delivered to the county commissioners on January 13th, and sworn to by Patrick McClory. Eric Gastrin. John A. Healy and Mather Prettner. Hearing of arguments for and against the chartering of the village was set for February 7, 1902, by the county commissioners. On March 4. 1902. they issued a certificate, ordering election to be held on April 1st. The voting showed that a majority of the resi- dents wished the change of status, brought into effect. 98 voting in favor. and 55 against.
So, Eveleth became a city. Charles Jesmore becoming first mayor. There was no further change in status until 1913, when. as the result of an election, held on October 7. 1913. a new city charter was adopted. and the city government changed to what is known as the commission form. The mayor and four commissioners assumed direction of, and responsibility for. city affairs. The council. in 1920. consisted of : Victor E. Essling, mayor, with direct responsibility for the depart- ments of Public Health. Sanitation, Police, and General Welfare : Robert Meyers. commissioner in charge of the department of Ac- counts and Finances: William Morrey, commissioner in charge of department of Parks. Public Grounds, Buildings, and Fire Protection ; D. A. Murray, commissioner in charge of department of Waterworks and Sewers; Andrew Anderson, commissioner in charge of Streets and Alleys. Anthony Van Buskirk is city clerk.
Mayoral Succession .- Chas. Jesmore. 1902-03; Mike Maxwell, 1904-05: Chas. Jesmore. 1906-07 : M. B. Maxwell. 1908: W. J. Smith, 1908 (M. B. Maxwell having died), 1909. 1910: J. S. Saari. 1911-13: J. J. Gleason, for portion of 1914: J. S. Saari. 1914-17: E. H. Hatch. 1918-19; V. E. Essling, 1920.
City Hall .- The present city hall has been in use for many years. It was built in 1906, at a cost of $20.000. The architect was W. T. Bray, of Duluth, and the contractor. Edward Jackson. The corner- stone was laid June 16, 1906, and the hall was at first fitted so as to serve the purpose of police and fire departments on ground floor. and the second floor was alloted to the several other city purposes. When the Fire Hall was built, the quarters in City Hall, vacated by that department, were at once taken over by other departments.
Auditorium .- The Auditorium, which also is the armory, is a community building of distinct usefulness. It was erected in 1912,
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at a cost of $35,000. The main hall is 68x72 feet, and is provided with opera chairs for 780 persons. The stage is 50 feet wide. There are club rooms, shower baths, kitchen and dining room. The building is open at all times to the free use of all local associations that may have need of its hall for free gatherings. In the basement is a rifle range. The auditorium is in keeping with the community-hall spirit that was engendered by the leveling of class distinctions during the war, but it gives Eveleth this distinction-that it was projected be- fore the time when the shock of war demonstrated that currency is but a symbol; that the world goes forward only by the good will, confidence and fellow-feeling of its peoples.
Recreation Building .- The Recreation Building is another indica- tion of the community spirit that manifests itself in Eveleth. It was built in 1918, at a cost of $125,000. There are two main floors, the first being devoted to the winter sport of curling, and the second to indoor skating in the winter, and to various athletic games at other times. The institution is a municipal enterprise, and the membershp
CITY HALL FIFI E
CITY HALL, EVELETH
of the Eveleth Curling Club embraces all classes in the city. The city did its work thoroughly, engaging, as director, Robert Dunbar, curling champion of the Northwest.
Masonic Temple .- In October, 1920, the Eveleth Masonic bodies dedicated a new Masonic Temple, having elaborately remodeled a somewhat historic building for that purpose. The Masonic Temple, which stands at the north end of Adams Avenue, was until 1910 out- side the city limits. The building was originally built by the town- ship administration. W. T. Bray was the architect, and Harry Pcar- son, of Duluth, the contractor. Construction began on August 20, 1906, and the building was ready for occupancy on December 20th of that year. The cost was $10,000, and, until it came within the city limits, the building served as the Missabe Mountain Township Hall. Other quarters were eventually found for the township administration, and the building passed to the local Masonic fraternity at a satisfac- tory price. The furnishing of the old township hall, as a Masonic Temple, has been thoroughly, but tastefully, carried out, the hand- some furnishings and exquisite interior decorations giving Eveleth a Masonic Temple of very high grade. One of the most active and enthusiastic Masons responsible for the housing of the local body
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of that order in this magnificent center, was J. C. Poole, chairman of the building committee. Others associated closely with him in that work were W. R. Van Slyke and A. E. Bawden.
Transportation .- The city is served by two steam railways, the Duluth and Iron Range, and the D. M. and N. In early days, the D. and I. R. station was "on top of the hill, about three-quarters of a mile from the village, the D. M. and N. station being nearer the vil- lage." By the way, Mike Maxwell operated the first dray line in the village, and it was well patronized.
On January 4, 1910, the city passed an ordinance granting to W. H. and E. M. Prindle, "the right to maintain and operate motor railway lines *
* in and over streets and avenues of the City of Eveleth" for a period of twenty-five years. In due course there- after, the street railway that connects Eveleth with Gilbert, on the east, and Hibbing, on the west, came into operation.
PRESCRIPTIONS:
GRANT AVENUE, EVELETH. (BUSINESS LOTS ON THIS AVENUE WERE ORIGINALLY GIVEN AWAY, AS BONUSES, LATER TO BE WORTH FROM $12,000 TO $15,000 A LOT)
Banking .- Eveleth has three banks, the First National, the Min- ers National, and the Peoples State. The combined deposits, more' than two and a half millions, indicates the wealth of the city.
The First National Bank of Eveleth was organized in 1900, with the following named board of directors: D. H. Bacon, G. W. Wallace, W. J. Smith, W. E. Harwood, and G. A. Whitman. The original capital was $25,000, and the first officers were: George A. Whitman, president ; and Walter J. Smith, cashier. In 1901, the private bank- ing firm of O. D. Kinney and Company was absorbed, E. B. Haw- kins joining the directorate of the First National. A cash dividend of 100 per cent was declared in 1910, and, by unanimous consent of the stockholders, was used to increase the capital to $50,000. In 1920, the bank had a surplus of $25,000, undivided profits of $15,000, and deposits of about $1,000,000. Present directors are: Geo. A. Whit- man, R. J. Mitchell, Peter Peterson, Thomas H. Davey, R. N. Corn- wall, W. P. Chinn, and Dr. C. W. More.
The Miners National Bank of Eveleth was incorporated in 1903. Its original capital was $25,000, and the following-named people of Eveleth and vicinity were its principal organizers and first officers : Walter J. Smith, president; Jas. A. Robb, vice-president; R. H. Pearce, cashier; C. W. More, F. W. Bullen, N. B. Maxwell, R. R.
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Bailey, J. C. McGilvery ; Jas. A. Robb, and W. J. Smith, directors. Its capital is still $25,000, but its development is indicated by its sur- plus, which now is $36,000, there being also undivided profits amount- ing to $3,620.66. The present directors and executives are: Chas. B. Hoel, president; Jas. A. Robb and J. C. McGilvery, vice-presi- dents; L. E. Johnson, cashier; J. C. Poole, Jas. A. Robb, J. C. McGil- very, Albert Roher, R. M. Heskett, L. E. Johnson, and C. B. Hoel, directors. The Miners National Bank of Eveleth stands in good place among national banks of Minnesota, and gets its due proportion of banking patronage in its sphere.
The Peoples State Bank of Eveleth was organized on July 2, 1918; with capital of $25,000. The first officers were: J. S. Saari, presi- dent ; C. R. McCann, vice-president : Joseph A. Quinn. These three, with Sam Seigel, Peter Peterson, J. J. Brince, and E. M. Moline,
EF
LEEE
- Recreation Building, Evcleth, Minn.
RECREATION BUILDING, EVELETH. THE HOME OF CURLING AND INDOOR ICE SPORTS
formed the original directorate. The only changes since 1918 are : H. J. Coleman, cashier, in place of J. A. Quinn, taking that gentle- man's place on the directorate also; and Edward Smith, director, in place of Peter Peterson. The capital is still the same, but there is now a surplus of $12,000. The directors of the Peoples State Bank of Eveleth have good reason to be pleased with the development of the bank during the few years it has been in existence.
Public Library .- The Eveleth Public Library, one of the city's most elevating influences, is also one of the city's most artistic build- ings. It was built in 1913-14, at a cost of $30.000, half of which amount was contributed by Andrew Carnegie, of worthy memory. The library has already outgrown its quarters, and plans have been passed for its enlargement. The cost of maintenance in the first year was about $8,500, and its circulation of books was about 45,000. When opened, on July 1, 1914, the library had 1,721 books, but in the first year of service was increased to 4,387 volumes, "acquired by
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purchase and gift," and an inter-library loan gave Eveleth readers facility of collections from Duluth, Virginia, Hibbing, Chisholm and Two Harbors libraries. It was estimated that 43,872 people were "accommodated in the reading room of the library during the first 305 days of its operation," and that 2,463 men had used the smoking room. "The Sunday attendance has totaled about 6,784 readers," stated the same review, adding that "The juvenile department has maintained a steady growth, the children having borrowed 26,405 volumes."
According to the "Sixth Annual Report, for the Year Ending June 30th, 1920," the circulation has increased to 67,970 volumes, with corresponding increase in other phases of the work. The club- room, for instance, was used for 226 meetings during the year. The juvenile department had grown so much that the number of juvenile books on the shelves in 1920 far exceeded the total number of books owned by the library when it first opened.
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