History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, Part 53

Author: Warner, George E; Foote, Charles M., joint author; Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota. 1n; Williams, J. Fletcher (John Fletcher), 1834-1895. Outlines of the history of Minnesota
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Minneapolis, North Star Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 684

USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota > Part 53

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The business of the new government was carried on in rooms secured in the Central House, no other place being obtainable. IIere, on rough benches in the dining room, was convened the first legislature that sat in Minne- sota. But it meant business, that body of men. Soon they got to work and without wasting time or consuming red tape to any appreciable extent, commenced to enact such laws as were necessary. In compliment to the governor the first county

was named Ramsey; be it observed also, in pass- ing, that its boundaries when first constituted, were very much greater in extent than now. Eight other counties were created. The session lasted sixty days, the adjournment taking place on November 3d.

Two days previous to thiis the act to in- corporate the town of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, was passed and approved. This act provided that "so much of the town of St. Paul as is contained in the original plat of said town made by Ira Brunson, together with Irvine and Rice's addition, be, and the same is, hereby created a town corporate, by the name of the town of St. Paul." This act contained seventeen sections and made the usual provisions for the election of officers, mode of government, etc. The original plat referred to in this aet as made by Ira Brun- son, was the one previously spoken of as having been made in 1847, and embraces the tractalways referred to in old deeds as St. Paul proper.

A perusal of the acts passed by the first body of legislators affords much interesting information. It serves as an index to the characters of the men, and to the spirit of the times. Many of these early settlers were from New England, and the traditional influence of early puritanism is seen in their efforts to secure a regard for law and order. Among some of the acts passed at this first session was an "act regulating grocery licenses." It evidently applied however to those who kept "wet groceries," as section four provides that, "a grocery shall be deemed to include any house, or place where spirituous, vinous or intox- icating liquors are retailed in less quantities than one quart." The license fee was fixed at $100 or "in the discretion of the board a greater sum, not exceeding two hundred dollars."

Its provisions were stringent, and were no doubt needed at that time. They next passed an "act providing for the proper observance of the Sab- bath." It provided that, "any person performing any secular employment or business on the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday (works of neces- sity and mercy excepted) or shall use and practice any unlawful game, hunting, shooting, sport or diverson whatsoever on the said day, to the dis- turbance of the community, shall on conviction thereof, for any such offense forfeit and pay the sum of $3." So says section two. The next

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. section says that "any person or persons who shall by any disorderly, riotous, or profane con- duct, wantonly desecrate or abuse the Lord's day (Sunday) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be liable to a penalty, not exceeding ten dollars." With prophetic visions of the future mixed pop- ulation hereafter to be congregated in St. Paul, they provided in section five, "that no person who conscientiously believes that Sunday, or any other day of the week, ought to be observed as the Sabbath, and who actually refrains from secular business and labor on that day, shall be liable to the penalties of this act, for per- forming secular labor or business on the Lord's day, or first day of the week, unless he wilfully disturbs some other person." An- other act was passed, that, had it been rigidly enforced would have saved much misery; it was one "to provide against the traffic in ardent spir- its with the Indians." Punishment for an infrac- tion of the law was by fine and imprisonment, and the testimony of any Indian was declared to be admissible in any action brought for a viola- tion of the provisions of the act.

Quite a contrast is afforded between the appro- priations made by the first territorial legislators and those in vogue now a days at national and other seats of government. Chapter XXVIis "an act to provide for the payment of the expenses of the legislative assembly of the territory of Min- nesota." It is quite lengthy and contains many noteworthy items. The fourth appropriation is to "J. W. Bass, postmaster, postage of members during the session of legislature, as per bill, two hundred and twenty dollars and forty-eight cents." The smallness of the sum for postage for these members is only equalled by the exact- ness with which the account had been kept as witness the "forty-eight cents." If the newspa- pers had much advertising at legislative rates the business of publishing must have been a prosper- ous one as the following will show: "To James Hughes for publishing in Chronicle, governor's proclamation, as per bill, one hundred and sixty- one dollars," and towards the end again "To James Hughes for publishing in the Chronicle governor's proclamation, as per bill, one hundred and sixty-one dollars." It is not recorded whether or not the two separate ap- propriations were for the same or a separate

set of proclamations. Wisconsin evidently furnished a pattern for our early statutory enactments as is evinced by the item "Henry A. Jackson, to five volumes statutes of Wis- consin and rent for committee room for the legislature, as per bill, ten dollars," from which it would appear that either the statutes were sold very cheap. or the price asked as rent was very low.

Another item reads, "To steamer Senator, freight on three barrels (boxes?) of books for library, one dollar and fifty cents." This, how- ever, could not have been the extent of the terri- torial library, these three barrels of books, as the next paragraph reads, " To Thomas Foster, libra- rian, as per bill, one hundred and sixty-five dol- lars." Esthetic tastes evidently prevailed, as the · following would seem to show : " N. McLean, for bust of General Z. Taylor, president of the United States, for the use of library, five dollars." How the library used the bust is not recorded. Here is another appropriation "To Freeman, Larpenteur & Co., for clock for House of Representatives, freight on stoves, candlesticks, shovel and tongs, freight on books for territorial library, &c., as per bill, seventy-five dollars and thirty cents."

Class distinction was evidently unthought of in those days, and one man's labor was as good as another's, and worth as much ; as the services of president of the council, secretary of the council, sergeant at arms, messenger to the council, fire- man to the council,speaker of the house, chief clerk of the house, assistant clerk of the house, services as chaplain, etc., etc., were all computed and paid for at the rate of three dollars per day. Literary services, however, were paid for at a higher rate. as " Louis M. Oliver, for translating governor's message into the French language, one hundred dollars," is among the expenses.

Three divorces were allowed at this session, viz: Catherine from Isaac Hathaway, Stanislaus from Mary Bilanski, and Louis Laramie from Wa-kan- ye-ke-win.

Several charters and privileges were accorded to persons for the purpose of effecting improve- ments of a public nature. The St. Paul and St. Anthony Plank Road company, with a capital stock of $25,000, was incorporated. W. B. Dib- ble, Theodore Furber, and B. W. Brunson, were appointed commissioners to lay out a territorial

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road from Point Douglas, by way of Cottage Grove, to the town of St. Paul.

The incorporation of the Minnesota Mutual Fire Insurance company was effected November 1st. The same day was passed an act to locate a territorial road from the town of St. Paul to Lit- tle Canada.

To illustrate and perpetuate the history and set- tlement of the territory, an act was passed giving birth to the Historical Society of Minnesota, the names on the charter being those of C. K. Smith, David Olmsted, II. II. Sibley, Aaron Goodrich, David Cooper, B. B. Meeker, A. M. Mitchell, T. R. Potts, J. C. Ramsey, H. M. Rice, F. Steele, Charles W, Borup, D. B. Loomis, M. S. Wilkin- son, L. A. Babcock, Henry Jackson, W. D. Phil- lips, Wm. II. Forbes, and Martin McLeod. A number of memorials to congress were also pre- pared at this session, of which the following were the most important as affecting the interests of St. Paul : No. 2, relative to the purchase of the Sioux Indian lands west of the Mississippi river ; No. 3, for a mail route from St. Paul to Point Douglas ; Nos. 9, 10 and 11, for additional mail facilities. Increased mail facilities were certainly most urgently needed. During the winter of 1849-'50, according to the Pioneer, it took a month to get a letter from Washington. The reason for this poor service was the villainous state of the roads, or rather the fact that there were no roads. The usual winter route from Prairie du Chein to St. Paul was on the solid ice-bound river, In the two last months of the year a fairly passable road was constructed by Wiram Knowlton,from Prairie dn Chein, via Black River Falls to Willow River (now Hudson), Wisconsin. In this work several streams were bridged, and the entire ronte blazed and marked. William P. Murray participated in this work, and the service rendered by him was in no way recognized in a remunerative manner.

This route was regularly used during the winter seasons by Willoughby and Powers' stage line, and by II. M. Rice, who had the contract for the mail service. The only other mail lines in the territory at this time were : from St. Paul to Fort Snelling and back, weekly; from St. Paul to the Falls of St. Croix, via Stillwater and Marine Mills and back, weekly, with one additional trip to Stillwater and back. each week. Sixteen post-offices were all there were in the ter-

ritory in 1850. On February 27th, 1850, the Pio- neer says: "The number of letters passing through the post-office at St. Paul averages nearly 700 per week. The mail to St. Anthony alone is larger than the whole mail of the territory was one year ago." As noticed earlier, the first post- master at St. Paul was IIenry Jackson, who was commissioned April 7th, 1846, but long anterior to this he had been in the habit of receiving all letters directed to this point. But early as was the establishment of the St. Paul post-office, "Lake St. Croix post-office" antedates it, it hav- ing been created July 18th, 1840. This was after- wards named Point Douglas. Stillwater post- office was established four months before Henry Jackson was officially recognized. Jacob W. Bass was the second postmaster, he being put in commission July 5th, 1849. The first daily mail between St. Paul and the East was not se- cured until 1854.

At this time there were no brick buildings in the entire region north of Prairie du Chien. A brick-yard, however, was started during the sum- mer of 1849, by a man named Brawley, who em- ployed some ten men and two mills. From the brick burned in the first kiln, the Rev. E. D. Neill, during the same summer, built a dwelling on the lot near the present residence of D. W. In- gersoll, which building still stands and is occu- pied by J. W. Bond. The second brick building erected in Minnesota was the Methodist church, now occupied by the Swedenborgians, and it was first used in an unfinished condition in November of the same year.

The first Protestant church, however, was a Presbyterian one; the one erected by Rev. E. D. Neill, the entire cost of which was defrayed by himself and a few personal friends living in the city of Philadelphia. It was a small frame struc- ture and stood on Washington street, opposite Rice Park, the land being donated by II. M. Rice. It was destroyed by fire in 1850, but in less than six months afterwards the Presbyterians were worshipping in a new brick church erected on the corner of what is now St. Peter and Third streets. The place used as a steamboat landing was diffi- cult of access, owing to the uneven nature of the ground, and so to reach the bluffs above, where stood Jackson's store, Messrs. Freeman, Larpen-

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SAINT PAUL-EARLY CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.

teur and others constructed a stairway. It re- mained and was used for many years.

The first school organization was effected tow- ards the close of the year and three schools were instituted, the teachers of which were Miss HI. E. Bishop, Miss Scofield and Rev. C. Hobart. Messrs. Wm. H. Forbes, John Snow, Edmund Rice, Rev. E. D. Neill, Rev. B. F. Hoyt, J. Par- sons and B. W. Brunson, were the first trustees to be appointed.

It will be seen that this initial year of the town of St. Paul saw considerable progress. The foun- dations were well laid for future prosperity. The men who were foremost in its affairs were ener- getic, enterprising, capable men, thoroughly in earnest in all they did. They had faith in the future of the young territory, and that faith gave them strength to work'and live, and many did live, and even now live to see their efforts in that di- rection crowned with success. Though many of the old veterans have passed away, yet will their memory be long preserved by the works of their youth.

The spring of 1850, was rendered memorable by the "great flood" which occurred early in April. Warm rains had been long continued so that the snow, all too rapidly dissolved, caused the streams to rise to an unprecedented height. The ice was still firm at St. Paul, but under the enormous pressure soon gave away. Not much damage was done, and the flood subsided only to rise with equal violence several weeks later. Before the advent of railways, the opening of navigation was anxiously looked for, the arrival of the first steamboat was an event attended with great re- joicing, the light from the outer world illumined their darkness, the feelings of the population were like those of a besieged garrison receiving tidings of a declaration of peace. On April 25th, the "Highland Mary," arrived and an immense multitude crowded the landing place to give her welcome. Welcome indeed she must have been, as it is recorded that nearly five hundred passen- gers were on board. The organization of the terri- torial government as before intimated had much to do with the heavy immigration that poured into Minnesota this year. It was an accomplished fact and was a means of advertising the natural resources and beauties of what before had been regarded by the majority of people as a bare in-

4 hospitable region, a country of arctic severity inaccessible and desolate, and peopled with a lawless disorderly population. Despite the large floating population at this time St. Paul was or- derly, Sunday was observed, churches were at- tended (there were five churches) and a good moral tone prevailed. During the continuance of the flood already referred to the steamer "An- thony Wayne" made a trip as far up as the Falls of St. Anthony. The Minnesota river was also nav- igated for the first time by the same steamer, and by the "Yankee" and "Nominee" at a later date. Of these the "Yankee" ascended the highest, running a distance of three hundred miles up the river.

Towards the end of the year construction on the court house was commenced, the land being deeded as a free gift by Vetal Guerin. Dr. David Day drew the plans, and the money was raised by the issue of county bonds. Soon after the jail was built, it being the first prison erected in the territory. It was a small log edifice and very insecure. It, however, answered the purpose until 1857, when it was removed to make room for the one now standing. Much building was accomplished this year, and a steady growth was perceptible in the permanent population. 102 boats arrived during the season of navigation, and the Federal census just taken gave the num ber of inhabitants in St. Paul as 1,294, the num- ber of families being 257. The total population of the county was 2,197, and of the entire terri- tory 4,780.

The Indians were present in numbers and begged, stole or traded, as circumstances fa- vored. Their trade was considerable how- ever, dependence being had upon them for fish, wild fowls, venison, cranberries and other nat- ural fruits; moccasins, bead work, etc., were also offered for sale. And be it observed that barter was not indulged in to any extent, gold and sil- ver being invariably demanded, of which they fully understood the purchasing power and were shrewd in their bargains. They were expert thieves, both Sioux and Chippewas, and needed close watching. Much destitution prevailed, however, as a paragraph in the Pioneer of No- vember 21st relates an incident showing great suffering. It made reference to a Sioux squaw who had found the body of a dead dog and who

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had been seen gnawing the head to appease her hunger. A great deal of drunkenness prevailed among the Indians at this time. It is a remark- able fact that this is about the first vice that al- ways follows the contact of the white with abo- riginal races. In pre-territorial days the chief attraction this region had for men of the Pierre Parrant description was the fact that the Indians had such a keen appetite for whiskey, and would trade anything they had for it. The missionaries for some time vainly fought this illicit traffic.

In the spring, Governor Ramsey received a del- egation of Winnebagoes, and a grand council was held at the store of Olmsted and Rhodes. The Indians were represented by One-Eyed Dekora, Winneshiek, Big Canoe, Good Thunder, Little Dekora, Carimona, Little IIill and other celebrated warriors and chiefs. The cause of the conference was, that the Indians were not well pleased with their reservation, and wanted a change. They were placated, however, and re- turned without giving any trouble. John Haney, Jr., and Wm. H. Forbes acted as interpreters. At this meeting Governor Ramsey took occasion to speak to the savages of their intemperate hab- its, and sought to induce them to lessen their in- dulgence in the fire-water. It had not very great effect, however, nor could it be expected to have had, when the example of too many of the whites was anything but favorable to the Indians.

A curious journalistic enterprise was started during November, it being no less than a paper printed one-half in English and one-half in Daco- tah, and called the Dacotah Friend, or, Dacotah Tawaxitku Kin, in the native dialect. It was a monthly, and was edited by Rev. Gideon II. Pond. Its half in the Indian language was prob- ably not much sought after by the noble red man, but its other side gave much valuable information regarding the habits. customs and religion of the Dacotahs.

The first term of court was held April 8th, and many indictments were found, chiefly against gambling-house keepers. There was then no jail, and prisoners had to be sent to Fort Snell- ing for detention.

A slight cholera scare existed during the early summer, but few deaths occurred, and it soon passed away.

The manufacturing interests of St. Paul were augmented on November 14th, by the starting of a saw mill, which was got into operation on that day by Captain Dana. It was situated near the lower landing, and here were the first boards cut by steam power in Minnesota.

The first public thanksgiving was observed on December 26th, by proclamation of Governor Ramsey. Miss Fredrika Bremer, the Swedish authoress, visited St. Paul in the autumn of this year, and was the guest of Governor Ramsey. She afterwards published much of an interesting nature relating to St. Paul in her work entitled " Ilomes of the New World." Her description of St. Paul is pervaded with sentiments of the most kindly feeling, and she pays attention to its natural beauty and healthful climate. It is not more than possible that the words of this eminent novelist have had much to do with bringing into the favorable notice of her country people the advantages of this section as a desirable place to emigrate to, with much of its result seen in the large number of Swedes that have since settled here.

In the spring of the year an indictment was brought against Edward Phelan for perjury. The case was never brought to a trial as he -fled the country. Phelan, who could not write, had some business relations with Henry Jackson, who held certain notes of Phelan's which the latter alleged were not genuine ; that he did not sign them, and he so testified in court. He (Phelan) said he would never pay the notes, that he was persecut- ed and could not live in the community. Ilis at- torney, however, assured him that this matter would probably send him to jail, as Jackson had proved in court that Phelan had signed the notes. Previous to the assembling of the grand jury, feeling that his case was a bad one, he sold his claim (the fifth one he had held) to Edmund Rice and George L. Becker for $400 in gold. He sold his stock, to be delivered at a specified time, and when Sheriff Lull went to arrest him he found his shanty in ruins, he hav- ing arranged with a friend of his to stay in his cabin for a few days, so that it would be supposed from the ascending smoke that he himself was there, and at the end of three days to touch off a train of gunpowder ; which was accordingly done. He was never arrested, and it was afterwards re-

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ported that he had been killed while crossing the plains, by some of his companions, in self-defense.

The first municipal election was held in this year, on May 6thı, with the following result :

President-Dr. Thomas R. Potts ; Recorder- Edmund Rice; Trustees-W. H. Forbes, B. F. Hoyt, Wm. H. Randall, Henry Jackson and A. L. Larpenteur.

During the session of the first legislature an at- tempt had been made by Henry Jackson to obtain a charter for Isaac N. Goodhue to operate a ferry across the river, which privilege was not granted. The commissioners of Ramsey county, however, gave the right on January 7th, 1850, to James M. and Isaac N. Goodhue, to run a ferry across the river, from the lower landing, and to John R. Irvine to maintain one at the upper levee.

CHIAPTER XLIII.

POLITICAL DIFFERENCES-PROGRESS IN POPUT-

LATION --- CHURCHIES BUILT -EVENTS OF 1852-'3-GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.

Political issues in the second session of the ter- ritorial legislature, which met January 2d in a brick building then standing on a portion of the ground now occupied by the Metropolitan hotel, created much excitement and bad feeling between those of opposite views Indeed at this late date it is almost impossible to adequately 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 place of argument, and the fierc- est passions of humanity were aroused and blazed at a white heat. It required the lapse of many years to totally eradicate these angry feel- ings from the minds of many. One of the prin- cipal causes of this unwonted state of affairs was the attempt made to remove the capitol. This was compromised by giving Stillwater the peni- tentiary and St. Anthony the university, both of which places had striven hard to get the capitol buildings located within their respective bounda-

ries. The fires were not dead, however, 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 flame. Another topic of heated dis- cussion 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 published in the Pioneer. The article was a savage, undigni- fied attack upon "absentee office holders," and the language used was the reverse of polite. His chief diatribes were leveled against Col. Mit- chell and Judge Cooper, the latter then being in Washington. Judge Cooper he stigmatized as everything vile under heaven. Joseph Cooper, the brother of the judge, naturally resented such abuse as Goodhue had indulged in, and on the first meeting of the two men, a fight ensued in which knives and pistols were drawn, notwith- standing the efforts of Sheriff Lull who tried to preserve the peace; both were severely though not fatally wounded, Goodhue receiving 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 was "a conspiracy on the part of his enemies to murder him for po- litical revenge."

The corporate limits of St Paul were extended this year so as to include additions filed by Ba- zille and Guerin, Roberts and Randall, B. F. Hoyt and Whitney and Smith. The only other local legislative measures were the incorporation of "St. Paul division No. 1, Sons of Temper- ance," and of "St. Paul lodge No. 2, I. O. O. F." The capitol question having been settled, com-

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