USA > Minnesota > Goodhue County > History of Goodhue County, Minnesota > Part 62
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the past few years planted Virginia creeper around nearly every stone and brick building in Red Wing with the exception of the Episcopal church and the malt house of the Red Wing Malting Company, both of which already had vines in profusion when the crusade was started. To hundreds of people much credit is due for the work of the Civic League, but those who have been most active in the work have probably been John II. Rich, Mrs. C. A. Betcher, W. F. Kunze, George H. Cook, Dr. M. W. Smith, the Red Wing Daily Republican and Frances Densmore, the latter of whom has devoted her interest to the ledge on Barn Bluff, which now provides so excellent a spot for picnic parties. The organization is divided into a senior and junior league. The officers are : President, Dr. M. W. Smith ; vice-president, Frances Densmore; secretary, K. A. Hawkanson; treasurer, J. H. Peter- son. An elaborate park system has been planned which will em- brace the present parks of Red Wing, the entire river front as far west as the Red Wing Boat Company property, the island, of which eity officials already own a part, and all of Barn Bluff. In former years Barn Bluff was offered to the city as a park by Dr. W. W. Sweney and efforts were made to plant trees and otherwise beautify the spot. People, however, persisted in cut- ting down the planted saplings for whips and in otherwise de- spoiling the place, so after many discouragements, the commit- tee decided not to accept the proffered gift. Colville Park is situated on a neck of land which was formerly a part of the farm of Col. William Colville. It is maintained by the ladies and af- fords an excellent pienie and bathing place.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The present efficient fire department of Red Wing. consisting of a paid department and three volunteer companies, dates from the earliest days. The early settlers considered it a part of their duty to belong to a fire company, even before the days of the bucket brigade and the hand engine. In those times, to hold an office in a fire company in Red Wing was a great honor, and official positions were eagerly sought, being made as much a mat- ter of wire-pulling as the municipal offiees.
The first fire company organized in this city was in 1858-59, and was called the "Protection Hook and Ladder Company." The first officers were: Chief engineer, Jesse MeIntire; first as- sistant, R. N. McLaren ; seeond assistant, J. C. Pieree ; seeretary, T. N. Lee; treasurer. T. J. Clark. The organization lasted, in name at least, until 1870.
On December 6, 1858, "Torrent Engine Company No. 1" was
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organized, this being in some respects a reorganization of the first named company. The officers were: Foreman, M. B. Lewis; assistant, W. E. Hawkins; secretary, J. C. Hawes; assistant, W. H. Wellington; treasurer, T. J. Clark; steward, W. B. Philleo. This organization existed up to June 7, 1865, without an engine, and failing to secure one, the company adjourned sine die.
On September 1, 1865, a reorganization of the Torrent Com- pany took place, it being known as "Cataract Engine Company No. 1." The officers for this company were: Foreman, W. E. Hawkins ; first assistant, A. Wright ; second assistant, J. A. Wood- bury; foreman of hose, B. C. Stephens; assistant, John Winter; secretary, J. A. Wright; assistant, P. Lovgren ; treasurer, T. J. Clark ; steward. L. Cornman.
The "Niagara Engine Company No. 2" was organized on July 26, 1869, with the following officers : Foreman, Stiles Raymond ; first assistant, J. J. Quayle; second assistant, William Graves; foreman of hose, William Jones; assistant, George W. Hawkins; secretary, P. Skillman; assistant, E. F. Grow; treasurer, C. H. Bostworth; steward, S. W. Park. Later this company was reor- ganized and became "LaGrange Company No. 2."
In May, 1875, the "Champion Fire Extinguisher Company No. 1" was organized. The officers were as follows: Foreman, Oliver Lovgren ; assistant. Fred James ; secretary, D. Cole; treas- urer, Fred MeIntire.
"Red Wing Hose Company No. 1" was organized in May, 1873. with John Luhn, foreman; George Diepenbrock, secretary, and L. Hoffman, treasurer.
In 1885 the department was reorganized. Companies were limited to fifteen men, only one assistant chief was provided for, and the power to elect the officers was transferred from the de- partment to the city council.
From that date the history of the fire department appears on the records of the city council found in this volume.
In 1906 a paid department was organized. The present de- partment consists of: Chief engineer, Hart N. Cook; assistant engineer, Aug. P. Olson; fire marshal, Hart N. Cook, superin- tendent fire alarm telegraph, Hart N. Cook.
Combination Ladder and Hose No. 2-Louis Kruger, H. F. Warnson, Herman Saupe, J. H. Kruger, Karl J. Blad, Karl M. Lundgren.
Cataract Hose Company No. 1 (volunteer)-Captain. Henry Risse : first lieutenant, Charles Fredell ; second lieutenant, Alfred Peterson ; secretary, Otto Howe; treasurer, Edward Vanberg; pipemen, Henry Sieg, Henry Maetzold, George Anderson, Carl Erickson. C. B. Phillips.
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LaGrange Hose Company No. 4 (volunteer)-Captain, A. G. lleglund; first lieutenant, W. C. Herlitz; second lieutenant, Al. Johnson; secretary, HI. F. Vanbronkhorst; treasurer, W. J. Seiz; pipemen, Al. Anderson, T. Seiz, Arno Metzler, C. A. Estgaard, Charles Bartlett; teamster (paid), Edgar Jackson.
Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 (volunteer)- Captain, William Johnson; first lieutenant, J. HI. Seastrand ; second lieutenant, Charles Nute; secretary and treasurer, John A. Gross; truckmen, Joseph Reinboldt, Otto Sell, Jens Loye, II. Nordholm, H. A. J. Green, William Youngquist.
The officers of the volunteer fire department are: President, Otto Sell; vice-president, Arthur Heglund; secretary, Otto Howe.
Since Chief Cook's arrival there have been but three large fires, and in every instance the work of the department saved the endangered surrounding property. The three fires were: Furni- ture factory, corner Main and Dakota streets, December 9, 1904; Beteher saw mill and lumber yards, October 5, 1905; Methodist Episcopal church, December 22, 1907.
The officers of the Fire Department Relief Association are: President, O. II. Sell; vice-president, C. H. Phillips; secretary, C. A. K. Johnson; treasurer, W. J. Diepenbrock. The officers of the relief committee are H. F. Warnson, W. J. Deipenbrock, F. L. Rethschlag.
WATER WORKS.
After several disastrous fires had occurred in our city, which resulted in the total destruction of the Diamond and Red Wing flouring mills. the opera house. Webster & Perkins' livery stable, and several stores and dwelling houses, amounting in value to nearly or quite half a million dollars, the citizens of Red Wing began to agitate the question of how to prevent the frequent recurrence of such calamities. These discussions among the peo- ple caused the city council to move in the matter. Thereupon the county representatives in the legislature, at its session in the winter of 1883, were asked to procure the enactment of a law granting to the city of Red Wing the power to issue its bonds for the purpose of constructing a system of water works, and for other local improvements in the city, to an amount not to exceed the sum of $100,000. The act was approved March 1, 1883, and provided that before it should become operative it should be sub- mitted to the legal voters of the city for their approval or other- wise, at a special eleetion. In pursuance of such provision the city council, by resolution, fixed the time of such election on the second day of July, 1883, and at the same time fixed the amount
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of bonds to be issued at the sum of $35,000. The vote upon the proposition resulted in its adoption by a large majority. On March 15, 1883, by resolution of the city council, the mayor was instructed to appoint a committee of five citizens, who, with Mayor S. B. Foot and Alderman Jesse MeIntire. were to con- stitute a committee on water works, whose Anty should be to examine. devise and recommend the best plan for an efficient sys- tem of water works for the city. Thereupon the mayor appoint- ed as such committee on the part of the citizens. H. B. Wilson, I. B. Howe, W. E. Hawkins, Daniel Densmore and Andrew Dan- ielson.
At the spring election of 1883. Mayor S. B. Foot and Alder- man Jesse MeIntire having retired from their respective city offices, the committee was reorganized. by resolution of the new council. by substituting for the old committee, Mayor F. B. Howe, the city engineer, and Aldermen William Robson and G. A. Carlson, who constitute the committee making this report. In, the discharge of its functions the committee visited, by sub-com- mittees. Decorah, lowa, Stillwater. Faribault, Minneapolis and St. Paul and examined and carefully inspected their systems of water works. for the purpose of securing the best plan : and did a large amount of correspondence with cities in which similar works had been constructed. for the purpose of obtaining infor- mation and ascertaining what their experience had been. Corre- spondence was also had with the best hydraulic engineers and contractors of large experience in the business of building water works in different sections of the country. During these investi- gations, H. H. Harrison. the superintendent of the water works at Stillwater, was recommended to the committee as a competent hydraulic engineer. He was accordingly invited to visit the city. examine its location, streets. buildings and water supply, with the view of devising the best plan of affording fire protection to the city, as well as furnishing her citizens with wholesome water for domestic use and manufacturing purposes. His visit and interview with the committee resulted in his being employed to draft and recommend suitable plans and specifications for prosecuting the work. He was also engaged as consulting en- gineer during its progress.
In due time. the plans and specifications for the entire work were submitted for the examination and consideration of the committee : and after many amendments and alterations they were adopted and recommended to the city council, which also approved and adopted them. By resolution of the council. the committee was instructed to advertise in a New York, a Chicago
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and a St. Paul newspaper for proposals for doing the work, in accordance with the plans and specifications. Some half dozen or more proposals were received in due time. The contract was awarded August 28, 1883, to the Northwestern Water and Gas Supply Company, of Mineapolis, Min., it being the lowest re- sponsible bidder, for the sum of $80.400.
The pump house is of stone, facing Levee street, at the foot of Hill street. 40 by 52 feet, divided into a pump room and a boiler room, and a brick coal shed adjoining. The water is taken from the main channel of the Mississippi river, through a four- teen-inch cast iron intake pipe, extending 800 feet from the pump house across the bay. The water is conveyed by gravity into a screen well, where it is cleared of leaves, chips, small fish and other impurities; thence it is conveyed through an arch from the bottom of the filter well to an adjoining pump well: thence it is pumped into the street mains, and forced into a 1,000.000 gallon reservoir located on Sorin bluff. at an elevation of 275 feet above the river. By the original contract the reservoir was to be built by tunneling into the side of Sorin bluff, but after digging and experimenting for some time, expending a consider- able sum of money, and laying down two blocks of pipe on Fifth and Bluff streets, and the fourteen-inch pipe from the foot of the bluff to the mouth of the tunnel, which they had excavated, the contractors made a proposition to the committee. that they would build a 1,000,000. gallon reservoir on top of the ground, and cover it with a good substantial roof, on such site as the city might select on the point of Sorin bluff, and remove and relay the pipe already laid, so far as to conform to the new location, without any additional expense to the city. Accordingly, by the mutnal agreement of both parties, a new plan and specifications were prepared and adopted for the reservoir, and the original contract was so far modified as to conform to the new arrangement. For the new site of the reservoir, the city purchased three acres of land, and the right of way thereto, for the sum of $400, on which the reservoir now stands. It is constructed circular and is eighty feet in diameter, and averages twenty-seven feet in depth. It is covered with a conieal roof, consisting of a very strong and sub- stantial timber truss, supported in the eenter by a stone pier. and is covered by shingles laid on light board sheeting.
Plans are now under way for furnishing the city with water from an artesian well sunk seventy-five feet east of the pumping station from which a flow was obtained, July 2, 1909. A contraet was let in the fall of 1909 for a reservoir with a capacity of some three-quarters of a million gallons.
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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY
FERRIES.
The history of transportation across the Mississippi river has ever been an interesting one, from the time of the Indians who paddled their canoes from the foot of Barn Bluff to the islands of what is now the Wisconsin shore. So near as can be learned the first means of communication between the two shores, aside from canoes and skiffs, was a horse ferry between Red Wing and Trenton, operated by Captain Edward Speck, under a charter held by Francis Ives. This was in the late fifties or early sixties. The ferry was an old flat boat, with two side wheels, each wheel provided with a tramway, worked by a horse. Two round trips a day were made and the charge was one dollar a trip, each way. Later Mr. Speck installed steam as motive power in his boat. About 1866 the ferry flat boats came into existence as a means of transportation here. One ferry was operated from the foot of Broadway, Red Wing to the Island, which was crossed by a rude road. swampy and often flooded during the wet seasons. Across the Wisconsin channel another ferry was in operation. The charter for these ferries was held by William Howe and T. B. Sheldon, and among the early operators were D. W. Carson, J. Van Sherk, William HIntcheson and Allen Adams. These ferries, it should be noted. were simply flat boats attached to cables, by which they were pulled across. The city records con- tain accounts of appropriations for the purchase of cable, and for the building of roads and bridges across the island.
In 1868. a steamboat, the Nellie Sheldon, was operated, with David Hancock as captain. and the following year with J. C. Hawes as captain, but this venture did not prove a success. The next plan proposed was the digging of a canal into Mud lake. The plan of building a pile bridge across the island to be oper- ated in connection with the ferries met with greater favor than the canal project. and as outcome of this preference. the Red Wing & Trenton Transit Company came into existence February 15. 1875. The corporation was to commence business April 1, 1875. and the capital stock was fixed at $50,000, divided into 2.000 shares of $25 each. The incorporators were William P. Brown. D. C. Hill. T. K. Simmons, E. L. Baker, (. Cogel. Jesse MeIntire. J. C. Pierce, T. B. Sheldon and J. M. Hodgman. The first directors were Messrs. Sheldon, Cogel, Simmons. Baker. Brown and Hill. T. B. Sheldon was the first president and W. C. Williston, secretary and treasurer. On December 31, 1877, after obtaining the necessary legislative consent, the city of Red Wing voted to issue bonds to the company for the sum of $25.000 and thus began the connection of the municipality with the corpora-
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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY
tion April 20, 1878, the $25,000 in bonds was given by Red Wing to the treasurer of the company in return for that amount in stock, the object being to provide the people of Pierce county with an easy access to Red Wing. Contracts for the work were soon let. They provided for a road across the island, ten pile bridges to allow the passage of the overflow of the river during high water, and in addition to this a bridge across the Wiscon- sin channel. Lawrence and Lindell did the grading and D. C. Hill built the bridges. In the spring of 1879 this work was com- pleted and the flat boat which had previously crossed the Wis- consin channel was brought around to the Minnesota channel and run in connection with the one already running there. The company leased the ferry to J. W. Day until 1884 and to W. E. Hawkins from 1884 to 1886. In the latter year. the company became dissatisfied with the leasing arrangement and from then until the completion of the high bridge, ran the ferry under the direct supervision of its officers.
The date of the beginning of the bridge agitation in Red Wing lies in obscurity. As early as 1872, congress authorized the build- ing of a draw bridge here. In 1883, the Minnesota Central rail- road asked the assistance of the city in building a combination wagon and railroad bridge, but the city meeting held to con- sider the matter ended in a row. In 1889 the Red Wing Pontoon Bridge Company was organized, but nothing came of this ven- ture. In 1888 the city voted $25,000 to assist the Duluth, Red Wing & Southern railroad in building a bridge, but the company did not take advantage of the offer. The agitation which resulted in the present bridge started in the fall of 1892. On January 6, 1893, the matter was brought before the city council and Alder- man C. E. Friedrich, J. C. Seebach and G. A. Carlson were ap- pointed a committee to investigate. This committee, after in- vestigation, rendered a favorable report and drew up a resolu- tion for submitting to the voters the proposition of issuing bonds to the amount of $50,000. March 10, the officials of the Duluth, Red Wing & Southern railroad asked that the resolution be with- drawn making the bridge a combination one. During the spring the necessary legislative measures were taken, and on October 20 the council took up the matter with renewed vigor. The city voted in favor of $75,000 bonds on February 8, the vote standing 1,353 to 286. Then the bonds were sold, contracts let and work started, the whole reaching a joyful consummation on May 1, 1895. The present officers of the Red Wing & Transit Company are Peter Nelson, president; M. Kappel, vice-president; S. H. Haynes. secretary, and W. H. Putnam, treasurer. In addition to
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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY
these, C. A. Erickson and Iliram Howe are also directors of the company. All of the pile bridges on the island have been removed and the places filled, making a solid roadway. The making of a solid fill across the Wisconsin channel is being investigated and may be done, as the bridge has been in poor condition for some time and a fill would not be of much more expense than re- building the bridge.
WAGON BRIDGE.
The high steel bridge spanning the Mississippi is the realiza- tion of a dream that was entertained since the days of the earliest settlement, and was the natural outcome of the ferry sys- tem which prevailed for so many years. The bridge is a magnifi- rent structure, a veritable triumph of the bridge builder's art. In beauty of design as well as in solidity of construction, and the carefulness displayed in the details, the bridge has few equals and probably no superiors in this part of the country. At the point where the bridge crosses the river, the channel is about 650 feet wide, with a depth of seventeen feet in mid-channel at low water. On the Minnesota side an earthwork approach com- mences at the intersection of Main and Bluff streets and runs northerly on Bluff street a distance of 333 feet. The bridge proper consists of four spans and a trestle approach on the Wis- vonsin side, all constructed of steel and resting on masonry foun- dations. The substructure consists of two high channel piers, a smaller pier on the Wisconsin shore, four short piers under the short span on the Mississippi shore and sixty-two small piers under the Wisconsin trestle approach. The total cost was $66,- 800. The bridge was opened with appropriate ceremonies May 1. 1895. The work on the substructure began in June, 1894. It was practically completed in November of the same year. Work on the superstructure began in January, 1895, and was completed in the latter part of April. The earthen approaches and the small piers were built by the city during the summer and fall of 1894. The three large piers were built by D. D. Smith, of Minneapolis ; the sixty-six small piers were built under the direction of City Engineer L. P. Wolff and Street Commissioner P. M. Luft, the stone being furnished by Andrew Danielson. The contract for the steel superstructure was filled by the Toledo Bridge Com- pany. of Toledo, Ohio. In addition to that provided by Mr. Dan- ielson, stone was furnished by Gust Lillyblad and John Johnson. The lumber was furnished by the Charles Betcher Lumber Com- pany. The original board which considered the advisability of building the bridge, and had much to do with the successful
.
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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY
carrying out of the plans consisted of Aldermen C. E. Friedrich, J. C. Seebach and G. A. Carlson. The board under whom the bridge was completed and opened consisted of Mayor A. P. Pierce, City Clerk W. E. Taylor and Aldermen E. H. Druse, Wil- liam Hendel, H. L. Mckinstry, D. H. Tandy, Ed Johnson, C. A. Erickson, J. P. Patterson, E. H. Hoard and B. F. Seiz.
ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS.
The Red Wing Manufacturers' Association was organized April 25, 1900, in the office of Charles A. Betcher, who was the principal advocate of its formation. Those present at the orig- inal meeting were John H. Rich, P. Jorgenson, D. M. Neill, B. Gerlach, E. HI. Blodgett and C. A. Beteher. The first officers were : President, C. A. Betcher; vice-president, P. Jorgenson ; secretary, C. E. Sheldon ; treasurer, B. Gerlach. At present there are about twenty-five members representing practically all the manufacturing interests of Red Wing. The present officers are : President, C. S. Sultzer; vice-president, E. H. Foot; secretary, Hiram Howe; treasurer, William Weiss. The object of the asso- ciation is the promotion of the manufacturing interests of Red Wing and the exploitation of the city in general.
The Red Wing Yacht Club was organized July 20, 1903, with about eighty boats represented. The first commodore was A. F. Anderson. His successors have been : C. Il. Boxrud, J. H. Rich, C. E. Sheldon, Dr. M. W. Smith and Walter Sheldon. The present officers are : Commodore, Walter Sheldon; vice commo- dore, B. A. Herrick; secretary, M. E. Chamberlain ; treasurer, E. C. Erb; fleet captain, W. A. Seott; directors, L. Penfold, M. W. Smith and J. Reichert. In 1905 the club built a landing float at a cost of $200. This was wrecked in 1908 and a new float was at once built at a cost slightly in excess of the original one. The club is in a prosperous condition and has done much to encour- age aquatic sport in Red Wing and vicinity.
The Red Wing Commercial Club has had an important part in the civic and business improvements of the city. Its social side has brought the business men of the city in closer touch with each other, while its more serious side has had much to do with every public movement of any consequence since its organization. After the organization the stone house at the corner of Fourth and Fulton streets was leased for a period of three years. The club then moved to the upper floor of the Gladstone block and there remained until January, 1905, when the present beautiful quarters on the fourth floor of the Goodhue County National
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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY
Bank building were secured. There are now about 175 active members and the present officers are: Jens K. Grondahl, presi- dent; J. L. Silvernale, vice president ; O. A. Ulvin, treasurer; J. F. Merrill, secretary; C. F. Hjermstad, J. E. Kyllo and N. A. Peterson, directors. At the first meeting, held in the office of A. P. Pierce, October 23, 1894, the following business men were present : John H. Rich, S. B. Foot, J. Il. Webster, E. H. Blodgett, Hiram Howe, R. A. Pratt, C. W. Barber, J. S. Brenneman, E. S. Hoyt, George D. Williston, D. M. Baldwin, Edwin Foot, J. V. Anderson, F. M. Parker, J. W. Brown, Frank Sherman, John D. Warner, E. H. Hoard, P. Jorgenson, H. L. Hjermstad, W. C. Krise, C. Beckman, T. B. Sheldon, L. J. Boynton, Joseph S. Wing, G. W. Hauenstein, L. F. Hubbard and A. P. Pierce. The first officers were: President, John H. Rich; vice-president, T. B. Sheldon; secretary, A. P. Pierce; treasurer, Hiram Howe; direc- tors, E. II. Blodgett, C. W. Barber, C. A. Betcher, R. A. Pratt and E. II. Hoard. Mr. Rich has been followed as president by C. A. Rasmussen, C. W. Barber, A. P. Pierce, C. A. Betcher, J. S. Pardee, W. S. Vent, D. M. Neill, E. H. Foot, W. P. Putnam, E. H. Foot and H. J. Iljermstad.
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