USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 38
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 38
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The most costly fire in Faribault's history, when between one hundred thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of property was destroyed, including some of the best buildings on the west side of Main street, might have been easily subdued when first discovered with such facilities as we have now, but in 1878 our little engine failing. we could only keep the fire in check until it burned itself out. This fire showed the need of better fire protection, but it was not until five years later, when our water works were completed. that Faribault could boast of the best fire protection of any town or city in the state. On St. Patrick's day, 1882, the Barron house, our prin- cipal hotel. after a prosperous history of a quarter of a century. took fire and was entirely consumed. This was another fire that proved the necessity of some better appliances for fighting fire. A subsequent examination showed that the pump of the engine had been injured by pumping sand when taking water from the shallow river, which rendered it incapable of doing good service. A three story stone building had been added to the original hotel.
TH PUBLIC GRAY
ASTON T.
11. E. BARRON
BARRON HOUSE
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having two rooms on the first floor, one of which was occupied as a dining room, and the other by the postoffice, while the upper stories were finished in parlor and guest rooms. The fire began in the wooden building while the guests were at dinner, and it was thought when the alarm was first given that it would be a small matter to extinguish it, but when it was found that the engine could give but a feeble stream that hope was abandoned. The wooden building, filled with combustible material, served as kindling for the stone addition, and both were soon in ashes and crumbling walls. The fire communicated with the upper stories of the stone building first, and thus gave opportunity for many hands, with brisk work, to remove the contents of the lower story safely, and there was no loss to either postoffice or music store.
Horace E. Barron was another of Faribault's pioneers who deserves a prominent place in its history. I think it was that the freezing we felt one night in January, 1856, in the "school section" of the principal hotel of the town that first called his attention to hotel keeping. Be that as it may, that night and those that followed it were long remembered by the guests of the hotel who tried to "knit up the raveled sleeve of care" with balmy sleep. The sleeping room (there was but one) occupied the whole floor of the second story and was inclosed by one thick- ness of basswood boards, the cracks between the boards covered by battens when they were covered at all, while outside the wind was blowing from the northwest almost a hurricane, with mer- cury marking thirty-five degrees below zero. Before Mr. Bar- ron left town he made arrangements with Michael Cook and others to begin the erection of the Barron House in the spring on the site now occupied by the Brunswick, which is its legitimate successor. I believe it is not generally known that foundations were laid before Mr. Barron's return in the spring of 1856 for a building fronting on Willow street, which, in the judgment of his agents was destined to become one of the best if not the best business street in Faribault. Mr. Barron kept the foundation already laid for the future barn, and rushed the building soon to be the most popular hotel in Minnesota, so that July 4, 1856, it was opened to the public.
From that day till the day of his death Faribault had no bet- ter friend. He represented Rice county in the lower house one term and were it not for the unwritten law forbidding the same locality to have a representative more than once in many years, he might have continued in office, if he had so desired. Not long after the burning of the Barron House he was made steward and superintendent of construction for the State Institute for De- fectives, and it was this position that occasioned his death. On
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the night of February 26, 1892, the Greene residence took fire and, being in line of vision from Mr. Barron's house with the Imbecile school, he, as well as many others, concluded that that institution was burning. Although providing shelter for imbe- ciles and idiots was not strictly within his line of duties, he hur- riedly harnessed his horse and rushed around town to find shelter for the poor unfortunates. The excitement and unwonted exer- tion developed an unsuspected disease, and before the dawn of morning that great heart had ceased to beat.
CHAPTER XVI
FARIBAULT MUNICIPALITY.
Historic Meeting of 1870-City Charter Passed by Legislature and Approved by the Governor, February 29, 1872-Election of April 2, 1882-First Officers-Mayor Tower's Inaugural Address-List of City Officials.
Faribault city embraces a tract of land three miles square, set apart by the legislature and duly incorporated in 1872. At that time several of the sections in the old township of Fari- bault were restored to Cannon City, a small corner was taken from Cannon City, and portions also from Wells, Walcott and Warsaw. This division brought the county seat within three miles of the geographical center of the county. The city itself was divided into four wards by lines running east and west along Third street and north and south along Second avenue.
Faribault was at first a town embracing perhaps a half of Cannon City, defined by an irregular line running diagonally across the original government township in a southeast and north- west direction. But 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 growing town began to realize that a city government was required.
January 22, 1870, a meeting of citizens was held in the office of Gordon E. Cole, for the purpose of considering the making of an application for a city charter. Some forty persons were present at the meeting, of which H. E. Barron was chosen chairman, J. R. Parshall secretary. A committee of three, con- sisting of Gordon E. Cole, T. B. Clement and Hudson Wilson, was appointed to confer with G. F. Batchelder, state senator, and devise some form of incorporation and report at the adjourned meeting on the following evening. At the adjourned meeting some seventy-five persons were present. No action had been taken by the committee, but the subject was fully discussed, the principal speakers, as appears from the report, having been Senator G. F. Batchelder, George E. Skinner, F. W. Frink, J. Mullin, Messrs. Babcock and Bean. F. W. Frink presented the views of the opponents of the measure. They feared that with an increase of dignity would come a corresponding increase of
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style and expense. On motion of R. A. Mott, a division was taken, which resulted thirty-nine in favor of incorporation and thirty-six against. Senator Batchelder introduced in the legis- lature a general law for the incorporation of cities not exceed- ing 15,000 inhabitants, which it was believed would render a special act of incorporation unnecessary, and no further action appears to have resulted at this time.
A bill for a special charter which was drawn by F. W. Frink was introduced in the legislature of 1872 and passed, being approved by the governor February 29. This act provided for a special election to be held upon the question of its accept- ance or rejection on the first Tuesday of April of that year.
The town supervisors had charge of the election, and ballots were cast in two boxes. The first box contained the vote on the acceptance of the city charter. This box was opened first, the understanding being that should the charter be rejected, the box of ballots on the officers of the proposed city should be destroyed unopened. The charter being accepted, the other box was opened and the city officers declared duly elected. The whole number of votes polled was 846, the number of votes in favor of incorporation being 555 and those against being 291, the majority for incorporation being 264. The victory was celebrated by the firing of cannon and general rejoicing. George W. Tower was the candidate of the Republican party for mayor and was nominated in a mass convention of that party held in Loyhed's hall and of which Gen. Levi Nutting was the chairman. The Democratic candidate was George W. Newell.
Hon. George W. Tower, the first mayor of the city. was in- augurated on April 9. The other officers elected were: Alder- men, C. D. Harn, J. HI. 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. F. Smallidge.
The mayor appointed and the council confirmed officers as follows: Chief of police, Moses Cole ; policemen. James Hunter and Charles Kiekenapp; city attorney, Gordon E. Cole; city surveyor, R. Il. L. Jewett ; street commissioner, William Dickin- son ; assessor, Henry Dunham. Mr. Cole declined to accept the attorneyship and J. C. Morrow was appointed. A. W. McKin- stry was appointed city printer.
The organization of the city government was a prominent milestone to mark the progress that had been made and to show in what direction it was moving.
The brief inaugural address of the mayor-elect is here pre- sented. He said: "I came to Faribault in October, 1855, and
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it has been my home ever since. Many of the voters, the busi- ness men, the wives, and the mothers of this young city were then prattling children in other states or on the other conti- nent. The town itself, except as to the mere territory, was not in existence, having been subsequently entered as a townsite by Judge Chatfield. The rapid settlement of the village com- menced in the spring of 1856, and its location at such an impor- tant 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 congressional land grant in aid of the Minneapolis & Cedar Valley railroad, which finally secured this most impor- tant railroad connection with the East. Early in the sixties our delegates in the legislature 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."
CITY OFFICERS.
The first officers of the city of Faribault are given above. Since then the annual elections and appointments have resulted as follows :
The following is a list of the members of the council elected each year after the first, since the organization of the city in 1872 :
1873-Mayor, Thomas Buckham; aldermen, E. Fleckenstein, William Lee, L. C. Ingram, A. Mortenson, D. Cavanaugh.
1874-Mayor, G. N. Baxter; aldermen, M. Goetzinger, A. Moore, W. B. Brown, J. Mullin.
1875-Mayor, G. N. Baxter ; alderman, E. Fleckenstein, G. S. Woodruff, A. Mortenson, D. Cavanaugh.
1876-Mayor, Levi Nutting; aldermen, Warren Allen, H. Pierce, Sr., J. Sumner, John Mullin.
1877-Mayor, T. B. Clement ; aldermen, T. J. McCarthy, E. R. Wood, Miles Hollister, D. Cavanaugh.
1878-Mayor, J. R. Parshall; aldermen, C. P. Pike, S. L. Crocker, A. W. Pratt, John Mullin.
1879-Mayor, Gordon E. Cole ; aldermen, E. Kaul, I. B. Spen- cer, A. Mortenson, D. Cavanaugh.
1880-Mayor. George W. Batchelder ; aldermen, M. J. Shee- ran, S. L. Crocker, J. F. Healy, John Mullin.
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1881-Mayor, George W. Wood; aldermen, B. Schmidt, Henry Chaffee, A. J. Mennell, D. Cavanaugh.
1882-Mayor, H. W. Pratt ; aldermen, J. F. Lindeman, J. D. Shipley, G. W. Stafford, G. A. Weston.
1883-Mayor, H. W. Pratt ; aldermen, E. Kaul, H. Chaffee, William Wachlin, D. Cavanaugh.
1884-Mayor, C. L. Lowell ; aldermen, L. Hawley, L. D. New- comb, E. J. Moran, G. A. Weston.
1885-Mayor, C. L. Lowell; aldermen, Thomas Carpenter, J. H. Ashley. E. N. Leavens, R. M. Evans.
1886-Mayor, T. B. Clement ; aldermen, F. Lockwood, L. D. Newcomb, L. Carufel, F. J. Vogelsberg.
1887-Mayor, J. L. Townley ; aldermen, William O'Brien, A. Fuller. A. H. Hatch, B. J. Sheridan, D. Cavanaugh.
1888-Mayor, Stephen Jewett ; aldermen, C. P. Pike, J. J. Van Saun, F. W. Winter, Adam Weyer.
1889-Mayor, Stephen Jewett ; aldermen, J. D. Fuller, B. B. Sheffield, W. E. Jones, John Volz.
1890-Mayor, F. W. Winter ; aldermen, E. Meyer, F. Laufen- burger, Warren Nutting, Adam Weyer.
1891-Mayor, F. W. Winter; aldermen, E. Kaul, M. L. Emery, L. Thilmane, D. Cavanaugh.
1892-Mayor, Donald Grant ; aldermen, R. Ochs, M. L. Reyn- olds, E. J. Moran, P. F. Ruge.
1893-Mayor, Donald Grant ; aldermen, William Kaiser, B. B. Sheffield, L. Tuttle, D. Cavanaugh.
1894-Mayor, B. B. Sheffield ; aldermen, William B. Hawley, M. L. Emery, F. W. Winter, P. F. Ruge.
1895-Mayor, B. B. Sheffield ; aldermen, W. W. Trafton, G. T. Smith, Jacob Fink, John Kasper.
1896-Mayor, P. F. Ruge ; aldermen, L. F. Miller, C. H. Birchi, P. B. Lamoreux, Adam Weyer.
1897-Mayor. A. D. Keyes; aldermen, C. M. Wall, R. E. Orne, J. Fink, J. Kasper.
1898-Mayor, P. F. Ruge ; aldermen, John A. Hough, Charles H. Birch, P. B. Lamoreux, Charles F. Wendt.
1899-Mayor, R. A. Mott; aldermen, C. M. Wall, H. F. Klemer, P. J. Harger, John Kasper.
1900-Mayor, K. D. Chase ; aldermen, John Ilaug, John Jep- son, George F. Lieb, G. W. Murphy.
1901-Mayor, P. F. Rige; aldermen, C. M. Wall, H. F. Klemer, G. F. Lieb, John Kasper.
1902-Mayor, Charles S. Batchelder : aldermen. F. L. Glotz- bach, James R. Smith, E. Van Saun, H. C. Theopold.
1903-Mayor, C. S. Batchelder ; aldermen. C. M. Wall, H. F. Klemer, Fred Bartlett. John Kasper.
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1904-Mayor, A. H. Hatch; aldermen, Albert A. Dodge, James R. Smith, Ed. Van Saun, H. C. Theopold.
1905-Mayor, F. L. Glotzbach; aldermen, C. M. Wall, H. F. Klemer, F. W. Bartlett, John Kasper.
1906-Mayor, S. Kingsley ; aldermen, Nicholas Klopp, J. F. McCarthy, F. A. Kiekenapp, William H. Holden.
1907-Mayor, George L. Smith ; aldermen, C. M. Wall, W. A. Retzlaff, Kelsey S. Chase, John Kasper.
1908-Mayor, G. L. Smith ; aldermen, Edward Swanson, J. F. McCarthy, Fred A. Kiekenapp, William H. Holden.
1909-Mayor, George L. Smith ; aldermen, C. M. Wall, W. H. Retzlaff, R. R. Hutchinson, John Kasper.
1910-Mayor, Nelson S. Erb; aldermen, Frank O'Brien, J. F. McCarthy, Charles S. Baker, A. M. Brand.
In addition to the above, the present city officers are: Vice- president of the council, C. M. Wall ; recorder, D. F. Mackenzie; attorney, James P. McMahon; city engineer, F. W. McKellip; chief of police, H. F. Smallidge; city justice, M. F. Donahue; city justice, J. C. Turner ; chief of fire department, E. F. Kelley ; water commissioner and plumbing inspector, I. E. Wilson; street commissioner, E. E. Norton; physician, H. R. Smith, M. D .; treasurer, W. H. Lindenberg ; assessor, S. M. West ; over- seer of the poor, Edward Van Saun; market master, Charles F. Kiekenapp ; official paper, "Faribault Pilot"; health officer, F. R. Huxley.
CHAPTER XVII.
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
Advantages and Location-Minnesota School for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind-Minnesota School for Defectives-Minne- sota School for the Deaf and Blind-School for the Blind- School for the Deaf-The Minnesota School for the Feeble Minded and Colony for Epileptics.
Next to the Episcopalian institutions in Faribault, the state schools located here have been a most important factor in the prosperity of the city, and their well kept grounds and beautiful buildings have added greatly to the beauty of the landscape. The heads of the institutions, Drs. A. C. Rogers, James J. Dow and J. N. Tate have taken their part in the development and life of the city, and in addition to this the corps of talented teachers have contributed much to the social and intellectual life of the community. The business men of the town have also profited to a certain extent by the presence here of these institutions.
MINNESOTA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.
The year 1858 was the year in which the seed was planted that in a large measure determined the future of Faribault, for in that year foundations were laid for educational institutions that have given character to the town and its society. By an act of the state legislature, approved August 11, 1858, Faribault was designated as the location for the school for deaf mutes, conditioned that the citizens should donate forty acres of land for a site. Forty acres in the adjoining town of Wells were purchased for the state of Minnesota for $360 for a site. Five years elapsed before anything further was done toward estab- lishing a school, and then that site was sold and the grounds now occupied on the heights east of Straight river purchased. In 1863, the legislature having made a small appropriation, George F. Batchelder, R. A. Mott and D. H. Frost, as a board of con- missioners, established the school in a building originally built for a store by the late Maj. Sterne H. Fowler, standing near the lot occupied on Division street by Westervelt & Ball. In 1866 a blind department was added and the combined school was
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MINNESOTA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
حام .
AST
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known as the Institution for the Education of the Deaf, Dumb and Blind. It was found, after a few years' trial, that an attempt at educating the blind and deaf under one management in the same institution was detrimental to both.
MINNESOTA SCHOOL FOR DEFECTIVES.
Therefore, in 1874 a separation was made and the school for the blind opened in the building bought of Mr. Faribault for that purpose. The legislature of 1881 established a school at Fari- bault for Idiots, Imbeciles and Feeble-Minded, and thus three separate and distinct state institutions, each with its own superintendent and employes but all under the same board of directors, were established under the title of "Minnesota Insti- tute for Defectives."
The history of the state educational institutions properly begins with the deed to the state of the forty acres of land pur- chased by the citizens with funds donated for the use and benefit of the state institution for the education of the deaf and dumb. This deed bears date August 9, 1857. By authority of an act approved March 1, 1864, Gov. Stephen Miller sold the forty acres above mentioned to the late John B. Braley for $700 and Braley sold to the state twenty acres of the present site for $1,250, the difference being made up by subscription. With this last purchase the donations of citizens ceased. It is fitting to say that each and every act of the legislature affecting the loca- tion, government, buildings and titles to lands belonging to all state institutions located in Faribault either originated with Judge Mott or are indebted to his support for their accomplish- ment, and all the time from the first organization of the school for the deaf and dumb to the establishment of the state board of control in 1901, he had been the secretary of the Minnesota Institute for Defectives, located at Faribault, save only two years of the time when the late Bishop Thomas occupied the position. Under date of July 25, 1866, a deed was obtained from Parmela Bouchet Giberton, a resident of France, for about fourteen acres adjoining the Braley twenty and the new site, and the one now on which all the buildings of the deaf and dumb school are located was considered complete. Additions, however, have been made from time to time.
MINNESOTA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND.
Previous to the creation of the board of control one board of directors had charge of the Minnesota Institute for Defectives, which consisted of the School for the Deaf, the School for the Blind and the School for the Feeble-Minded. The law establish-
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ing the board of control placed the School for the Feeble-Minded under the exclusive authority of the board of control, and the schools for the deaf and blind partially under the management of the board of directors and partially under the board of control. In 1892 these changes were completed by the law which gave these last named schools the combined title, "Minnesota Schools for the Deaf and Blind," and prescribed that they should here- after be grouped and classed with the educational institutions of the state.
The present board is as follows: Governor A. O. Eberhart, ex officio; C. G. Schultz, superintendent of public instruction, ex officio; Benjamin B. Sheffield, Faribault, president ; Edward W. Johnson, Faribault ; E. L. Welch, St. Paul; Edgar P. Loyhed, Faribault; Dr. J. A. Dubois, Sauk Center. The board of directors are appointed by the governor, one member annually for a term of five years. The resident officers are appointed by the board, without term.
SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.
The School for the Blind is located on the Faribault home- stead. This, and lands purchased since the establishment of the School for the Feeble-Minded in 1881, constitutes a domain of nearly 500 acres of the best land and richest soil in Minnesota, situated on the heights bordering the eastern shore of Straight river, its massive main building with castelated towers, sur- rounded by the lesser buildings, Sunnyside for girls, Skinner hall for boys, the hospital, and power house where the dynamos are run, these, and many other buildings connected with the school, when seen from a distance have the appearance of a small, well-built city.
This school was not started until 1866, although the legis- lature of 1863 had passed a law establishing a department for the care and education of the blind, together with the deaf and dumb, and under the same management. During the summer of 1866, Miss. H. N. Tucker was employed as teacher, and three blind children were received, provided for and taught in the Fitzgerald house in the south part of the town. Subsequently this school was moved to the north part of the town, in the Tanner house, so called, and in May, 1868, soon after the deaf and dumb occupied the north wing of their building, the blind were removed to the same building with them. Here the blind remained until their removal in 1874 to their present quarters on the old Faribault place, where for one year they were under the care and instruction of Prof. A. N. Pratt, acting principal. J. J. Dow, the present efficient superintendent, took charge in
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1875. At that time Dr. Dowe was known as principal and resi- dent officer in charge. In 1881 he became superintendent, a title he still retains. The results accomplished in the school, and its wide reputation are the highest encomiums that can be written of Mr. Dow's work.
The school is open to all blind persons between the ages of six and twenty-five years, residing in the state of Minnesota. Board, care and instruction are furnished to all pupils free of charge. The school is organized on the basis of the school system of the state, with an elementary course of eight years and a secondary or high school course of four years. Manual and industrial training is given in sewing, knitting and fancy work, in sloyd, rattan and willow work, in hammock and net weaving, and in broom and whisk making. A course of musical study is maintained, including instruction upon the piano and pipe organ, the violin and other orchestral instruments, in indi- vidual and class singing, in the theory and history of music and in the art of piano tuning and repairing. A well furnished library in raised print, numbering more than 1,200 volumes is maintained in connection with the school. From it books are sent to all blind persons in the state who desire them, free of charge for transportation.
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
The first appropriation of the legislature for the support of the deaf and dumb was in 1863; the same legislature appointed George F. Batchelder, R. A. Mott, and David H. Frost as a board of commissioners to start the school. Mr. Mott was sent to Ohio, where he obtained the services of Prof. R. H. Kinney, an experienced teacher, who came to Faribault and organized the first deaf mute school in Minnesota. On the second Wednesday in September in 1863, the school opened with five pupils in attendance. The buildings occupied were the store and dwelling on Front street known as Major Fowler's store. The next year the school increased and George W. Chase was employed as assistant teacher. In 1864 the legislature appro- priated $4,100 for the support of the school; $850 of which was expended in erecting a small wooden building 18 x 24, just east of Fowler's store for a boys' dormitory. The building was subsequently sold and moved to Fourth street. Prof. Kinney experienced difficulties and some hardships in his work, and sore bereavement in his family. At the end of his third year he resigned the office of superintendent. About this time an important change took place, in the contemplation of a site for a permanent building. The original 40 acres of land donated
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