USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 58
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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
well of the State University also addressed the party. At six o'clock the detachment started for St. Paul. There they were addressed by Gov- ornor Davis, and there was a parade, etc. They were most hospitably received and entertained at the State Capital, and returned the next day.
Ou Sunday, the 2d of August, an insane stu- dent of the Divinity School attempted to shoot Bishop Whipple. He started from the audience and walked into the chancel, where he raised a pistol to shoot the Bishop, but he had forgotten to cock the weapon, and his arm was siezed; others interfering, he was secured and subsequently sent to St Peter.
The church of the Immaculate Conception, in Faribault, was consecrated on the 9th of October, with imposing rites.
A Building and Loan Association was organ- ized. C. W. Andrews was president.
THE YEAR 1876.
On the 22d of February the Masonic Hall was dedicated with suitable exercises.
William A. Shaw, of the firm of Carpenter, Smith & Shaw, clothing dealers, died on the 11th of March. He was a native of Seneca Falls, New York, and came here in 1857. He left a widow and one child.
A veteran re-union of the First Minnesota Regu- lar Volunteer Infantry of the war of 1861, occurred in Faribault on the 15th of June. An address of welcome was presented by Mayor Nutting. H. C. Whitney was the President of the Veteran As- sociation. A collation was served, new officers elected, and an enjoyable time passed.
The Grange Mill was burned on the 8th of No- vember, entailing a loss of $10,000.
The new engine house in Faribault was built in this year, at a cost of $7,300.
The flouring mill of Bean Brothers & Tennant, on the Cannon River, a mile and three-fourths from town, was burned on the 9th of December, at a loss of $25,000.
THE YEAR 1878.
At the spring election of 1878, the question of "License" or "No License" for the sale of intoxi- cating beverages was sharply contested at the polls, and the "No License" party succeeded in obtaining a majority on the direct question, but the other side elected their candidates for the sev-
eral offices, which proved to be a distressing state of affairs.
The telephone, with its interminable "Hello," struck the city this spring.
A golden wedding on the 17th of May was a notable affair. The happy couple who had seen a half century of realization of "loves young dream" were Rev. and Mrs. J. Hoover. As the parties began to arrive on this semi-centenial, it was soon found that their parlor was much too small for the company and so Mr. T. H. Lewis, who lived near, kindly opened his house. Among those present were, Mr. and Mrs. J. Jepson, Mr. and Mrs. George Dampier, Mr. and Mrs. N. Travis, Mr. and Mrs. W. Neel, Mr. and Mrs. D. Buckham, Mr. and Mrs. E. Hanes, Mr. and Mrs. W. Walrod, Mr. and Mrs. E. Hoover, Rev. and Mrs. Guyton, Miss Alice Neel, with the host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Lewis, and others. The dinner at half-past two was an en- joyable affair. The aged couple came here from Ohio in 1855, in the month of April, and he was the first resident minister, as stated at the time, and organized the first worshiper's congregation. A beautiful poem of a dozen stanzas, composed by a daughter, was read by Miss Alice Neel. A few lines are here transcribed as a specimen of the whole:
"TO FATHER AND MOTHER."
When in a world of fancy my spirit will roam, Memory carries me back to my childhood's home, The meadow, the orchard, and each shady nook, And hack of the house the laughing, silvery brook. The orchard my father grafted with such care The rosy-cheeked apple that yearly hung there. * * * *
* But there's a bright circle forming above, In that home, prepared by infinite love." * * *
*
The company separated at a seasonable hour, well pleased with the display of affectionate re- gard thus bestowed upon the venerable and worthy pair.
The board of trade was reorganized on the 24th of June.
The most disastrous fire that ever happened in Faribault was on the 17th of June of this year. Almost an entire square was consumed, including two banks and ten stores; the losses were estimated at $125,000, and embraced a long list of sufferers.
THE YEAR 1879.
A company to erect and operate an amber cane sugar refinery was organized in Faribault in 1879,
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CITY OF FARIBAULT.
with a capital of $9,000. S. H. Kenney, John Mullin, and I. B. Spencer were the officers.
The wind-mill company was organized in this year.
THE YEAR 1880.
The silver wedding of Captain and Mrs. E. H. Cutts was celebrated on the 9th of January, 1880. There were about forty friends of the worthy couple to congratulate them on arriving at the half-way station on the road to the golden wedding- The ancients considered silver to be the emblem of wisdom, while gold was the representative of love, and among the tokens of regard, the cake baskets, the butter dishes, and knives, enough of them were gold lined to signalize the beautiful correspon- dence of these two grand divisions of the human mind and which are so indispensable in married partners. Mrs. Cutts, on this occasion was arrayed in her original wedding suit, and after a repast, the joyous occasion was concluded with promises, with that inevitable if, to be there when the golden period should roll around.
In the summer of 1880, a stone manufactory was added to the industries of Faribault.
On the 29th of October the Matteson flouring mill, on the Cannon River, was destroyed by fire, loss $23,000; insured for $18,000.
In this year J. D. Greene & Co.'s mill was revo- lutionized and transformed into a new process mill, and its capacity put up to between three and four hundred barrels a day, of the very best of flour.
The railroad business in Faribault during this year was as follows: freight forwarded, 32,305,222 pounds; local charges, $85,516; freight received, 19,316,901 pounds, local charges, $48,364; ticket sales, $24,667.
Births in the city, 772; deaths, 340; showing a natural increase of 432.
The Faribault elevator was burned on the 10th of June, at a loss of $65,000. It was built in the winter of 1865, was 52x162 feet, and had a storage capacity of 100,000 bushels. The losers were A. W. Pratt, Pratt and Robinson, Hartford Brothers & Tennant, J. D. Greene & Co., James Murphy, with numbers of farmers who lost from one to two hundred dollars worth each.
THE YEAR 1881.
Another golden wedding occurred on the 30th of June, 1881, the subjects of the hearty demon- stration being Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Crossett,
the parents of H. N. Crossett, of the United States Express. They were married in East Berkshire, Vermont, on the 30th of June, 1831. Beautiful gifts of cut flowers, a purse of gold from the Masonic brotherhood, of which he was one of the oldest members, and other tokens of esteem and regard were presented. As a sequel to this joyous occasion it must be added, that on the 16th of August following, Mr. Crossett's spirit took its flight, to a land unknown, heyond our mortal sight.
THE YEAR 1882.
Early in 1882, the city was numbered on the Philadelphia plan, by George W. Cheney, agent of the Pennsylvania Numbering Company.
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Winter were treated to a sur- prise silver wedding on the 20th of January. They were married in Amherst, Massachusetts, on the 20th of January, 1856, Miss Harriet N. Kellogg being the name of the bride. Several who were present at the original wedding were here at the quarter century reunion, among them being Mrs. Levi Nutting, James A. Winter, and Mrs. E. N. Leavens.
On the 13th of January there was a fire on Third street, a building owned by Godfrey Flecken- stein was burned.
Faribault City Mills changed to Hungarian system in the winter of 1882. It delivers 125 barrels a day.
On the 1st of March a fire practically destroyed an old landmark in Faribault, Maj. Fowler's store, which was used as the first Deaf and Dumb school, and some other buildings were injured.
On the 25th of February, Orrin Wilson, one of the pioneers of the county, died in Ohio at the age of 78 years.
The Barron House was burned on the 17th of March; Hummel's photograph gallery and Joseph Thompson's confectionery store, and the Post- office apartments were also burned, but the con- tents of the office were safely removed. The loss on the hotel was $22,000, and there were many personal losses. The hotel is rebuilding by G. E. Cole, J. B. Wheeler, and H. W. Pratt.
The railroad business for 1881, in Faribault was as follows:
Flour shipped, barrels 146,935
Millstuff, pounds 6,894,000
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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
Wheat, pounds
6,182,000
Dressed hogs, pounds
357,000
Cattle, cars.
28
Live hogs, cars
12
Horses, cars
1
Sheep, cars.
4
Total produce slipped, pounds. . . 48,436,960
Total freight received, pounds. 41,187,650
Charges
$125,482
Tickets sold
25,620
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
Faribault was at first a town embracing perhaps a half of Cannon City, defined by an irregular line running diagonally across the original govern- ment township in a southeast and northwest direc- tion. But, as elsewhere mentioned, it was finally, for the most part, restored to Cannon City, and three miles square was determined as the form and size of the city. In this way the government went on in an uneventful manner until the grow- ing town began to realize that a city government was required.
On the 22d of January, 1870, a meeting of the citizens of Faribault was held at the office of Gor- don E. Cole. H. E. Barron was called to the chair, and J. C. Parshall was appointed secretary. A committee was appointed to take the subject of procuring a city charter into consideration, and report at a subsequent meeting. This committee consisted of the following gentlemen: Gordon E. Cole, T. B. Clement, and Hudson Wilson. About forty of the leading citizens were present, and sev- eral meetings were afterwards held to formulate the matter.
The requirements of the city were seen and ap- preciated by the State Legislature, and an act to incorporate the city of Faribault was passed, and approved by the Governor on the 29th of February, 1872. The question of its acceptance by the peo- ple was submitted to a vote on the 2d of April, and accepted, and the first city government insti- tuted by the choice of officers. The wheels of authority which were then set in motion have been almost noiselessly kept running ever since, and "Law and order everywhere prevails."
Hon. George W. Tower, the first Mayor of the city, was inaugurated on the 9th of April. The other officers elected were: Aldermen, C. D. Harn J. H. Harding, S. C. Dunham, L. C. Ingram, J. H. Winter, T. H. Nutting, W. L. Turner, and H.
E. Barron. H. E. Barron was elected President of the board, and Henry E. Sime was appointed Clerk; Justices of the Peace, Joseph C. Mold, O. F. Perkins, J. B. Quinn, and J. L. Smallidge; City Attorney, John C. Morrow; City Assessor, Henry Dunham.
The organization of the city government was a prominent milestone to mark the progress that had been made, and to show the direction in which it was moving.
The brief inaugural address of the Mayor-elect is here presented. He said: "I came to Faribault in October, 1855, and it has been my home ever since. Many of the voters, the business men, the wives, and the mothers of this young city were then pratting children in other States, or on the other Continent. The town itself, except as to the mere territory, was not in existence, having been subsequently entered as a town site by Judge Chatfield. The rapid settlement of the village commenced in the spring of 1856, and its location at such an important point very soon assured its success, and it became the most promising place in southern Minnesota. In 1857, Gen. James Shields, who had already been a United States Senator, by his influence in Washington secured this as a point to be provided for in the congres- sional land grant in aid of the Minneapolis & Cedar Valley railroad, which finally secured this most important railroad connection with the East. Early in the sixties our delegates in the Legisla- ture secured the location of the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institute in Faribault, and in due time the school was opened and the buildings erected. About the same time, in a humble way, was laid the foundation which has proved to be deep and broad, of the Bishop Seabury University, and we now point to these institutions with pride, and it becomes us as a city to cherish for them a friendly and fostering interest."
PRESENT CITY GOVERNMENT .- Mayor, H. W. Pratt; Board of Aldermen, Dennis Cavanaugh, Henry Chaffee, Patrick Devrey, E. Kaul, J. F. Lindeman, A. J. Mennell, E. J. Moran, J. D. Shipley; Recorder, J. J. Byrnes; Treasurer, S. I. Pettitt; Justices of the Peace, J. J. Byrnes and James Hunter; Street Commissioner, R. M. Lynch; City Attorney, W. H. Keeley; Health Officer, Dr. B. Mattocks; Clock Tender, J. Andrews; City Printer, A. E. Haven; Pound-keeper, Reuben Ran- dall; Chief of Police, J. D. Shipley.
331
CITY OF FARIBAULT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT .- The police depart- ment was organized at the time of the institution of the city government, in 1872. At first there were four members of the force. Moses Cole was Chief, and Henry Roth, David Reed, aud James Hunter were patrolmeu. Mr. Cole remained at the head of the force for two years, and then James Hunter was Chief for two years, and after him came S. C. Dunham and William Campbell. In the spring of 1882, J. D. Shipley was appointed, and there are still but four men on the force.
FIRE DEPARTMENT .- The fire department of Faribault is among the most efficient in the State. It was organized in a small way in 1866, as a hook-and-ladder company, and it kept branching out and extending and consolidating, until it reached its present condition of competency. In 1866, a hook-and-ladder truck was procured, and as the department grew others were added, with hose carts, etc. In 1874, the first steam fire en- gine was purchased of the Sillsby Company, in New York, at a cost of $4,000, and is considered the best kind made.
The department, as now composed, is made up of five companies, as follows: Engine Company, No 1; Niagara Hose Company; Young America Hose Company; Straight River Hose Company ; and the Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company.
Each of these companies has a separate organi- zation, with a foreman, two assistants, a treasurer, and secretary, all, however, amenable to the cen- tral department, the officers of which are: Chief Engineer, G. H. Palmer; First Assistant, J. F. Whalon; Second Assistant, William McGinnis; Treasurer, Thomas Mee; Secretary, William Mil- ligan.
The present equipment of the department con- sists of the Sillsby engine, a hook-and-ladder truck, and three hose carriages. The engine house is on the north side of Third, between Elm and Chestnut streets, and was constructed in 1876, at a cost of $7,300. The ground story is occupied by the engine, trucks, and other appa- ratus. The second story has a fireman's hall, neatly furnished, and city offices. Indeed, the building is sometimes called the City Hall. It is of brick, is surmounted by a cupola with a bell, and is a creditable building for a city of this size.
When the first fire company was formed it was a mere "bucket " company. A pair of wheels were procured, the boys manned the ropes, and with
their "Hi! hi! hi!" made a tour of the village, stopping at every shop and store to seize buckets, which they hung upon their primitive truck, and thus the first fire extinguishing apparatus was se- cured.
POST-OFFICE .- Alexander Faribault was the first Postmaster, and E. J. Crump was his deputy. The office was opened on Main street, opposite the location of the Arlington House. This was early in the spring of 1855, and a mail route was es- tablished between St. Panl and Owatouna, with a weekly service. The first mail carrier was Mr. Davis, and afterwards J. J. Brackett, who was a well-known character; and for some time he could carry the whole mail in his pocket, as not unfre- quently Mr. Hulett's New York Tribune would be the only paper received in a week.
The service under Mr. Crump was satisfactory, as he was a man of education, and of an accomo- dating disposition. After a time a Mr. Young became the deputy and acting Postmaster, and he severely tried the patience of those having busi- ness with the office. He was too indolent to rise from his chair and hand over a letter, so he would declare there was " nothing," and having thus committed himself he would stick to it until the next weekly mail came before delivering it. After a time he was removed, and the office was located in the Moses Cole block, on the corner of Willow and Front streets.
In 1857, George S. Skinner was appointed Post- master, and the office was then kept ou the west side of Main, between Third and Fourth streets, in a building belonging to Skinner himself. The office was afterwards moved across the street, and he held the keys until the change of administra- tion in 1861, when James Gibson succeeded to the position, and kept it eight years. Prescott Fish and Frank Roberts were at diffierent times his deputies, and did most of the work.
In 1869, J. S. Fuller was appointed, and he con- tinued in the place until 1873, when E. N. Leav- ens was commissioned. He kept it in the same place for four years, when it was removed to the Barron House, between First and Second on Main street. This was burned on the 17th of March, 1882. By strenuous exertions and careful management nothing was lost, and the same evening the office was in running order at its present location, on Third between Main and Elm streets.
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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.
There are three assistants in the office-the deputy, J. S. Bemis, Mrs. Nellie Williams, the mailing clerk, and Will. Wilson, who attends the general delivery.
In 1873, the amount of stamps sold was $5,000. Now the sales amount to $10,000 a year. It was made a money order office during Gibson's term, and the whole number that have been issued is 41,000. The business of this department amounts to eighty or ninety thousand dollars annually.
There is a daily mail to Waterville, via War- saw, a tri-weekly to Red Wing, one to Holden, and one to Rochester, and twice a week to Shielda- ville ; these are by stage routes. By railroad there are two or more mails each way every day. The office is accessible, well-managed, and well- appointed, with Yale lock and other boxes. The mail is promptly delivered in a gentlemanly way, and gives general satisfaction.
INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES AND MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
Faribault may be said to be, to a large extent, a manufacturing city, its citizens realizing that mere trade in this age of the world is not the principal source of wealth and prosperity. The endeavor is made to notice the principal manu- facturing and industrial enterprises, that the his- torian of the next generation may, by a compari- son with what may be found then, appreciate what changes may have been wrought. The transfor- mation that has taken place within a quarter of a century is most marvelous, and if progress in the future should be equally extensive and wonderful, a comprehension of the changes at the present time would draw upon the imagination in a way that the possessor of only the broadest idealty could honor. The purpose of this part of the work is not to give a business directory, but rather a bird's eye view of the material interests of the city, and without doubt many meritorious enterprises have been overlooked, but they can console themselves that they will grow into notice by real merit.
STRAIGHT RIVER FLOURING MILL. - This is usually called Greene's mill. It was originally built by Mr. Faribault and got in operation on the 1st of April, 1862. In the building of this mill a large amount of energy and enterprise was dis- played. Mr. Faribault was induced to go into the undertaking quite as much in the interest of the town as with the idea that it would be remu-
nerative. It is one of the pioneer mills of the county, and in itself illustrates the progress that has been made in city and county.
In 1872, the mill was bought by Greene & Carnfel who immediately made extensive improve- ments and operated it until 1878, when an addi- tion of 40x40 feet, four stories, was made, and a complete transformation effected at a cost of $30,000. Among other improvements a Corliss engine of 120 horse-power was put in, and the Hungarian system of reduction with corrugated porcelain rolls was adopted. The mill was run in this way until 1880, when, learning that there was still another system which was an improvement on this, another extensive reconstruction was made, and Stevens' corrugated chilled iron rolls were in- troduced. This machinery is made by the John G. Noye Manufacturing Company, at Buffalo, New York. A great point gained, as is claimed, is in "granulating the grain without cutting it." The process of manufacturing flour is now very complicated, it is done by gradual reduction, the grain is squeezed a little at first, and what flour results is carefully sifted out, then it is squeezed again, and this process is repeated five or six times with variations in the manipulation, and three grades of flour result from all this handling. The wheat itself, after being received, goes through various machines to separate other grains or foreign substances and to thoroughly clean it.
This mill now has six porcelain sets, one large iron set, and six sets of Stevens' rolls, with the reels, the middlings purifiers, and other apparatus to make the highest grade of flour in the market. The choice brands are "Old Hickory" and "Olympia." The mill has a capacity of about 400 barrels a day. In relation to the water-power it may be mentioned that the fall is from twelve to fourteen feet.
CROWN POINT ROLLER MILL .- This mill was the incidental outgrowth of a saw-mill which was built by Henry Riedell in 1856, at the corner of Fifth and Willow streets. The saw-mill was run by a portable steam engine and had a circular saw. In 1857, Mr. Riedell concluded to construct a grist- mill, and so he ripped out the lumber for that pur- pose and put it up and got it enclosed the same year. W. H. Dike, who still resides here, and Wil- liam Judd, now of Minneapolis, at this stage pur- chased the building, put in the machinery, and had it completed and in running order in 1859. The
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CITY OF FARIBAULT.
mill was 30x40 feet, three stories high and had four run of stones, with six reels, and could make 100 barrels of flour a day, which was an enormous amount in those early days. The power was derived from an upright engine with two boilers and two flues in each. In 1862, Mr. Judd sold out and the firm became Dike & Greggs. It was thus ruu until the year 1867, after which Mr. Dike run it alone up to 1870. Previous to this time it was known as the "Rice County Mills." It is claimed that this mill was the first to ship flour to New York from Minnesota, and that it was thus the pioneer in the business which has become so colossal in Minneapolis. The first consignment of flour was to Plummer & Co., in 1859, and the brand was "Cannon River Mills." It was what might be called a straight grade of flour. While Mr. Dike was sole owner he made an addition of an elevator to the mill with a capacity of 25,000 bushels.
In the fall of 1871, Turner & Riedell leased the mill, and the following year the property was pur- chased by the present proprietor, W. G. Turner, who increased its size and capacity and trans- formed it, in obedience to the milling revolution which was sweeping over the country, into a roller mill, and it now has three run of stones and eight sets of corrugated rolls, with purifiers and all the improved modern machinery for the manufacture of the finest grades of flour. The power is de- rived from an eighty horse-power engine, made at the North Star Iron Works in Minneapolis, it be- ing their first flouring mill engine. It now turns out 150 barrels of flour a day, and the mill is well managed by John N. Gwathmey, the head miller.
FARIBAULT CITY FLOURING MILL .- In 1877, Mr. J. S. Hillyer leased from A. L. Hill, in his furniture establishment, certain rooms, 30x50 feet and four stories in height, and a basement 50x100 feet, with sufficient power, and at once put in machinery for the manufacture of flour, consisting of three run of stones, and a capacity of 100 barrels a day. In 1881, George Tileston became an equal partner in the concern, and it was transformed into a roller mill with eight sets of rolls and three run of stones, two of which have been discarded since then. It contains all the newly improved machin- ery for a first-class flouring mill and turns out 140 barrels a day, also Graliam flour, corn meal, and feed. The best brand is "The Belle of St. Mary's." It is what may be called a custom, sale, and merchant mill, and its production has a wide repu- tation.
FARIBAULT GRANGE FLOURING MILL .- A milling company was organized and incorporated in July, 1874, with a capital of $30,000. The stock was owned by the farmers, and the following gentle- men were directors: G. W. Fox, John Thomson, Robert Hedges, John H. Passon, Isaac Hamlen, E. A. Rice, James Murphy, William Close, Patrick Healy, J. A. Mathers, S. M. West, N. H. Stone, and Joseph Goar; about forty farmers were stock- holders. Six acres of land was purchased, and a mill was built and running in September. It was 50x60 feet, a frame building three stories high with a stone basement, and there was an engine house 34x50 feet, aud a 125 horse-power engine. The mill had seven run of stones and the machinery was fully up to those times. It could deliver about two hundred barrels of very superior flour per day, which ranked as such in the eastern market. The whole cost of the building and machinery was about $30,000. This mill had a successful career until the 8th of November, 1876, when it was de- stroyed by fire. J. H. Passon was president and general superintendent, and Miles Hollister, secre- tary and financier.
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