USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 84
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All these buildings were constructed by inmate labor with the services of a competent foreman as teacher. They are considered the finest buildings of the kind in the United States. The granite is quarried by the inmates, dressed by them, and put in place by them.
At this writing the population is 471, and there is only accommodation for 400 individuals, the others are sleeping on cots in the corridors.
The Hon. Frank L. Randall resigned on the first day of June, 1913, and accepted a position as superintendent of all Penal Institutions in Massa- chusetts.
The Hon. Charles S. Reed, former Warden of the State Prison at Walla Walla, Washington, was appointed to succeed Mr. Randall as the superin- tendent of the State Reformatory, and took charge June 1, 1913. He not only made many needed improvements, such as beautifying the frontage and streets, and renovating both the officers' and inmates' dining halls, but also finished a number of jobs that were laid aside during the last administration. He did away with the striped suit and locked-step, modified restrictions on si- lence, formed a prison baseball league, giving the prisoners their first outdoor sport, and organized a band of thirty pieces with one of the finest lot of
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instruments to be found in this state. The band is composed entirely of the inmates of the institution, who under an experienced instructor have made great progress, giving both indoor and outdoor concerts.
After a year's efficient service as superintendent Mr. Reed was appointed in June, 1914, warden of the Minnesota state prison at Stillwater, to succeed Henry Wolfer, resigned.
Mr. Reed's successor as superintendent was Henry K. W. Scott, of Con- cord, N. H., who had been warden of the state prison at that place from 1905 until December, 1913, when his term expired. Mr. Scott arrived in St. Cloud the latter part of the month and promptly entered on his duties.
During his seven months' administration, aside from his many other official duties, Mr. Scott has been superintending the construction of a new cell house, power house, and tunnels leading to same. These buildings, some of which are nearing completion, are a fit criterion and just tribute to the keen interest and zealous initiative Mr. Scott has taken in their construc- tion, conscious of the imperative and fast approaching need of adequate quarters to provide for the rapidly increasing population. Perhaps in no period of equal length have such tangible and beneficial effects, both mate- rial and reformatory, attended the efforts of the Minnesota State Reforma- tory administration.
In the year 1889, Superintendent Meyers appointed Albert Garvin as principal keeper and disciplinarian. Mr. Garvin resigned in 1892 to take the position of warden at the State Prison at Stillwater. Dee Norton suc- ceeded him and died in 1899. F. H. Whitney succeeded him, and still occu- pies the position.
What, indeed, could be more important than the reclamation or reforma- tion of those who have gone wrong; of those, who, through environment, or perhaps inheritance, have been induced to leave the path of righteousness?
Until comparatively recent times, the theory of punishment for wrong doing to society had been prominent in the minds of the people; but, with the development of a better understanding, and more careful study into the causes which brought about the undoing of so many young persons, it became a fact well established that the mind, as well as the body, was amenable to careful and intelligent treatment. Man being essentially a creature of habits, and habits being the direct result of environment, it follows that a person, who, in his youth, had been subjected to environments of a low or demoraliz- ing character, would be more prone to fall by the wayside than one who had been brought up in the midst of a family of high moral standing and char- acter.
The principal cause of failure is undoubtedly the habit of intemperance. When it is considered that more than four-fifths of the inmates of our prisons and reformatory institutions, more than one-third of the paupers, and more than one-fourth of those confined for the public good in insane asylums at- tribute their condition, directly or indirectly, to intoxicating liquors, the dark picture thus presented is surely most humiliating to us as a nation.
In the year 1889 the Minnesota State Reformatory was completed and ready for occupancy. Since that time it has met with the most brilliant suc-
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cess, and the results obtained have amply rewarded the efforts of those who have endeavored to restore to society the young men who have been sent to it. It is not a place of punishment, but an institution established to uplift those who have fallen, to strengthen the weak, morally and physically, and to give a chance to succeed in life and become useful to themselves and to the world the young persons who in some cases have never had such a chance before.
Persons between the ages of sixteen and thirty years who have been found guilty of a felony in the courts of the state, and who, so far as can be ascertained by the judge are first offenders, may be committed to the reformatory.
Since the establishment of the institution more than three thousand young men have been received. They are of many nationalities, and vary from the lowest state of mentality to persons of high degree of efficiency and edu- cation. Thus the handling of each case must be an individual one.
When a young man is received at the institution he is at once given an entire change of clothing, bathed, assigned a serial number, and his clothing is immediately disinfected and taken care of, to be returned to him when he leaves the institution. He is then brought before the physician who ex- amines him thoroughly for physical ailment or defect, as well as to his mental capacity. Next he is interviewed by the superintendent to ascertain as ac- curately as possible his entire previous record, habits, inheritance, degree of education, employment and other information which may be thought of value in the successful treatment of his case. All information thus secured is en- tered in a record. Later, inquiries are sent to all persons named as reference, previous employers, relatives, etc., with a view to ascertain the authenticity of the information secured, and enable the officials to more intelligently ad- minister to his special needs. If it develops that he has misrepresented his standing to the court and that he has previously served one or more sen- tences, and that his presence in the institution is liable to prove detrimental to other inmates, he is transferred to the State Prison.
After his history has been secured, he is taken to the Bertillon room, where his picture, Bertillon measurements and finger prints are taken. He is then taken to the officer in charge of the quarters, who assigns him to a room and ex- plains to him the rules governing discipline. Each inmate has a room to himself. Each room is absolutely clean and furnished in the most modern manner, well ventilated and lighted, etc. When an inmate is received he is placed in the sec- ond or intermediate grade. If his conduct is without reproach, he may at the end of five months be promoted to first grade. If, however, his conduct is wilfully bad he is reduced to third grade and deprived of certain privileges. An inmate in the third grade may be promoted to the second grade after two months of perfect conduct. Before placing him at work particular attention is given to his physical capacity, inclinations and adaptability. Those who are stronger and in good physical condition are given the heavier work, while those who are small or otherwise incapable of doing hard manual labor are given lighter work. A number of trades are taught in the institution, namely, quarrying, stonecutting, carpentering, blacksmithing, tailoring, steamfitting, tinning,
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plumbing, barbering, gardening, laundrying, printing, baking, farming, but- termaking, etc.
The farm is especially adapted to extensive farming and dairying. It consists of about one thousand acres of land, some four hundred acres of which are tilled, besides meadows and pasture for a fine herd of selected thoroughbred Holsteins. All the farming and dairy work is done by inmates, who are selected according to their adaptability and trustworthiness, under the direction of a competent farm foreman. The dairy furnishes all the milk and butter used at the institution. The principal farm products are potatoes, corn, sugar beets and roots. Enough potatoes and vegetables to supply the institution are grown, and a goodly part of the meat supply is raised. The meadows produce from three to four hundred tons of hay yearly. The garden is also a very productive field of industry and furnishes vegetables and the fruits, besides adding to a considerable degree to the attractiveness to the grounds.
The quarries produce all the building material which constant construc- tion demands, the better part of which is cut into dimension stone, while the chips, spall and rubble that cannot be used otherwise are crushed, and the product furnished free of charge to the State Highway Commission for the improvement of the roads of the state.
The tailoring department is one of considerable importance, as besides making all the clothing for the inmates, all outer garments for the male in- mates of all other state institutions, except the reform school and the prison, which are furnished in part, are manufactured.
Many of the boys who have learned a trade there continue in that line of work after they leave the institution, and many who before their being committed to the reformatory had been forced to depend upon common labor as a means of support come out with a trade which enables them to earn bet- ter wages and be assured of steady employment. The greatest advantage, however, is the fact that the regular habits of work, study, cleanliness and good behavior which are strictly enforced are conducive to right thinking and self respect.
There is also an excellent school in connection. It is graded according to the rules of the State Board of Education and would be a credit to any com- munity. When an inmate is first received the degree of his education is established as closely as possible and he is assigned to a class. School is held three nights each week, but any inmate who is not able to do third grade work is assigned to a day class, of half-day sessions, six days each week during winter months. School examinations are held every four months and an aver- age of about thirty graduate from the eighth grade. Excellent opportunity is also afforded for religious education. All are given an opportunity to at- tend a class in religious instruction of his own particular denomination every Thursday evening, besides which services are held every Sunday in the chapel. These services are conducted by the clergymen of St. Cloud in turn.
As often as it is possible to secure the service of a competent lecturer, lectures are held in the chapel. The subjects most desired are those upon ethics and actuality. From time to time it has been possible to secure the
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services of concert companies or other forms of entertainment; it is unnec- essary to say that these are always highly appreciated.
Inmates receive compensation for their labor. This varies from six cents to twenty-two and a half cents per day according to conduct and proficiency. A fund has also been set aside by the legislature which is expended by the superintendent, with the approval of the State Board of Control, for the help of the families and relatives of those who are dependent for support on the young men who have been committed to the institution.
When an inmate has been in the first grade for a period of six months he may present his application for consideration by the State Board of Parole for a release on parole, or a final or conditional discharge. However, an appli- cation for discharge is not generally looked upon with favor except under extraordinary circumstances. After he has served a period considered suit- able to his case, he is expected to go out and try his strength for a time, usually twelve months. If it is found that he is fit to live in absolute liberty, and that he is putting into practice the training, education and good advice which he has received he is released finally; but if he fails he is returned to the institution and given further training and attention, and later given an- other trial. It has been found that the education they receive while in the institution is of considerable value to them after they leave. Oftentimes it has been found that they are enabled to hold positions much higher and de- mand more salary than formerly.
While on parole they are in charge of a State Parole Agent, who visits them occasionally and keeps himself informed as to their progress, their man- ner of living, etc. All paroled inmates are expected to report each month in writing to the superintendent and the parole agent. They are expected to show a statement of their earnings and their expenses in detail, also of the manner in which they spend their spare time. Each report contains also a statement by the persons in whose employ the young man is, as to his general conduct, from observation, his reliability, and any information which he may think should be made known to the authorities. Paroled inmates are expected to cultivate a habit of thriftiness and to save a certain part of their earnings. In fact this is a matter which has considerable weight when the Board is con- sidering the final discharge of an inmate on parole.
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CHAPTER XXXVI.
ASSESSED VALUATIONS.
Compilation of Statistics Showing the Wonderful Progress in the Develop- ment of Stearns County-Totals for the County and Individual State- ments of the Three Cities-Moneys and Credits.
The tax assessment rolls of the county from 1858 to the present time, tell a most interesting story of wonderful growth in prosperity and develop- ment. Year by year land has grown in value, more buildings have been erected, and the comforts and conveniences of life have grown more and more abundant.
1858 to 1860. Towns of: St. Cloud, $186,600; Brockway, $82.52; Maine Prairie, $15,060; Munson, $2,542; St. Joseph, $19,185; Sauk Centre, $3,065; Verdale, $5,477.
1860. Total county valuation, $387,198.
1861. Total county valuation, $409,932. This is the first year in which the town lots in the City of St. Cloud appear to have been assessed. Their valuation was placed $180,590.
1862. Total county valuation, $565,729. St. Cloud town lots, $127,041.
1863. This year only the personal assessment appears. It was placed .at $131,420 for the whole county. Since then the personal assessment has been taken but once every two years.
1864. Total county valuation, $752,473. St. Cloud town lots, $92,487. Sank Centre town lots, $1,218.
1865. Total personal assessment for county, $306,682.
1866. Total valuation of county, $1,087,241; St. Cloud town lots, $133,- 112; Sauk Centre town lots, $6,107.
1867. Total personal assessment, $582,078.
1868. Total valuation of county, $2,100,092. In this year, St. Cloud is first mentioned as a "city," and assessed separately, its real estate being placed at $345,041, and its personal property at $158,947. The Sauk Centre town lots were placed at $30,935.
1869. Total personal assessment, $695,642; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $165,309.
1870. Total valuation of county, $2,145,251. St. Cloud real property, $380,834; St. Cloud personal property, $143,524; Sauk Centre town lots, $56,535.
1871. Total personal assessment, $729,108; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $160,341.
1872. Total valuation of county, $2,672,419; St. Cloud, real and personal, $693,683. Melrose town lots, $7,540. Sauk Centre town lots, $56,223.
1873. Total personal assessment, $869,388; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $216,051.
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1874. Total valuation of county, $3,337,625; St. Cloud real and personal, $654,637; Melrose town lots, $12,648; Sauk Centre town lots, $63,361.
1875. Total personal assessment, $830,778; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $195,737.
1876. Total valuation of county, $3,363,818; St. Cloud, real and personal, $693,965. Melrose town lots, $22,617; Sank Centre town lots, $191,521.
1877. Total personal assessment, $917,747; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $218,683.
1878. Total valuation of county, $3,596,319; St. Cloud, real and per- sonal, $683,874; Melrose town lots, $21,057; Sauk Centre town lots, $105,343.
1879. Total personal assessment, $10,447,797; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $199,211.
1880. Total valuation of county, $5,700,628; St. Cloud real and personal, $654,731; Melrose town lots, $27,505; Sauk Centre town lots, $109,286.
1881. Total personal assessment, $1,420,140; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $303,936.
1882. Total valuation of county, $5,123,921; St. Cloud, real and personal, $969,100; Melrose town lots, $31,995; Sauk Centre town lots, $169,964.
1883. Total personal assessment, $1,694,735; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $357,490.
1884. Total valuation of county, $6,132,106; St. Cloud real and personal, $1,606,648; Melrose town lots, $34,602. In this year Sauk Centre first ap- pears as a village with a personal valuation of $157,719; and a real estate value of $233,614.
1885. Total personal assessment, $1,885,536; personal assessment of St. Cloud, $483,473; personal assessment of Sauk Centre, $178,856.
1886. Total valuation of county, $6,206,630; St. Cloud, real and per- sonal, $1,715,451; Sauk Centre, real and personal, $405,954; Melrose town lots, $129,002.
1887. Total personal assessment, $1,905,852; personal assessment of St. Cloud, $510,195; personal assessment of Sauk Centre, $164,726. It is this year that Melrose appears as a village, with a personal valuation of $72,170.
1888. Total valuation of eounty, $7,275,662; St. Cloud, $2,410,096; Sauk Centre, $406,730; Melrose, $128,518.
1889. Total personal assessment, $2,005,065; St. Cloud, $434,526; Sauk Centre, $170,930; Melrose, $75,600.
1890. Total valuation of county, $8,834,408; St. Cloud, $2,648,734; Sauk Centre, $467,487; Melrose, $248,723. In this year Sauk Centre appears as a city.
1891. Total personal assessment, $2,031,932; St. Cloud, $443,125; Sauk Centre, $154,280; Melrose, $64,506.
1892. Total valuation of county, $9,053,932; St. Cloud, $2,773,801; Sauk Centre, $503,413 ; Melrose, $137,294.
1893. Total personal assessment, $2,006,226; St. Cloud, $514,194; Sauk Centre, $176,708; Melrose, $56,265.
1894. Total valuation of county, $8,596,770; St. Cloud, $2,919,839; Sauk Centre, $631,777 ; Melrose, $141,181. -
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
1896. Total valuation of county, $6,526,809; St. Cloud, $1,799,777; Sauk Centre, $399,583 ; Melrose, $106,649.
1897. Total personal assessment, $1,924,926; St. Cloud, $466,509; Sauk Centre, $274,994; Melrose, $82,910. Melrose is mentioned as a city for the first time this year.
1898. Total valuation of county, $7,938,641; St. Cloud, $1,934,870; Sauk Centre, $612,960; Melrose, $231,738.
1899. Total personal assessment, $1,888,754; St. Cloud, $442,677; Sauk Centre, $187,864; Melrose, $83,894.
1900. Total valuation of county, $8,650,146; St. Cloud, $2,047,423; Sauk Centre, $635,880; Melrose, $249,127.
1901. Total personal assessment, $2,178,342; St. Cloud, $563,094; Sauk Centre, $187,222; Melrose, $101,486.
1902. Total valuation of county, $9,124,686; St. Cloud, $2,086,565; Sauk Centre, $677,693; Melrose, $238,768.
1903. Total personal assessment, $2,377,116; St. Cloud, $632,801; Sauk Centre, $216,453; Melrose, $90,037.
1904. Total valuation of county, $11,331,555; St. Cloud, $2,397,983; Sauk Centre, $742,284; Melrose, $269,153.
1905. Total personal assessment, $2,466,593; St. Cloud, $617,050; Sauk Centre, $239,535; Melrose, $107,812.
1906. Total valuation of county, $11,762,727; St. Cloud, $2,483,386; Sauk Centre, $807,095; Melrose, $333,171.
1907. Total personal assessment, $2,646,858; St. Cloud, $711,361; Sauk Centre, $239,152; Melrose, $111,526.
1908. Total valuation of county, $16,504,269; St. Cloud, $2,796,780; Sauk Centre, $901,167; Melrose, $479,672.
1909. Total personal assessment, $3,146,406; St. Cloud, $641,512; Sauk Centre, $202,646; Melrose, $151,375.
1910. Total valuation of county, $16,593,991; St. Cloud, $2,673,825; Sauk Centre, $862,635; Melrose, $477,563.
1911. Total personal assessment, $3,397,761; total of moneys and credits, $1,401,414; personal assessment in St. Cloud, $738,688; moneys and credits in St. Cloud, $399,762; personal assessment in Sauk Centre, $196,089; moneys and credits in Sauk Centre, $100,381; personal assessment in Melrose, $158,- 109; moneys and credits in Melrose, $219,058. In this year moneys and credits were assessed separately under the new law.
1912. Total valuation of real and personal property, $17,396,212; moneys and credits, $1,589,450; real and personal property in St. Cloud, $3,043,446; moneys and credits in St. Cloud, $459,401.22; real and personal property in Sauk Centre, $745,585; moneys and credits in Sauk Centre, $80,315; real and personal property in Melrose, $446,448; moneys and credits in Melrose, $197,256.
1913. Number of acres assessed, 850,087.45; value of acreage property, $10,843,202; value of farm and city lots, $4,053,688; value of personal prop- erty, $3,248,026; value of moneys and credits, $1,710,970; total taxable value, $19,855,886. Average value per acre, $12.75. Average rate of taxation for
JOHN L. WILSON
ST. CLOUD UPPER LEVEE, 1856
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
county, 28.2 mills. State taxes levied, $119,419.17; county taxes, $106,710.30; city and village taxes, $86,142.16; school taxes, $169,792.93; total levy, $560,- 936.52.
1914. Number of acres assessed, 850,159.60; value of acreage property, $12,711,697; value of town and city lots, $4,430,829; value of personal prop- erty, $3,679,983; value of moneys and credits, $2,267,830; total taxable value, $23,090,339. Average value an acre, $14.95. Average rate of taxation for county, 28.1 mills. Taxes levied: State taxes, $126,311.28; county taxes, $153,999.69; city and village taxes, $94,887.69; town taxes, $88,670.42; school taxes, $185,194.47; total levy, $649,063.55.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW.
Interesting Facts Gleaned from the Life and Career of Many of the County's Leading Men-Pioneers who Helped to Subdue the Wilderness-Citizens Who Have Come Later and Taken Their Share in the Growth and Prog- ress of the County-Leading Men.
John L. Wilson. This patriarch of Northern Minnesota pioneers was by common consent known as the "Father of St. Cloud," a designation to which he was justly entitled, as it was he who secured the land on which the city was originally located, platted it and built on it the first frame house, and this was his home continuously from the date of his settlement here in 1853 to the day of his death, January 3, 1910, when he lacked but a few weeks of rounding out full ninety years. Mr. Wilson was of New England birth, his parents living at Columbia, Washington county, Maine, where he was born February 24, 1820. After one change of location in that state the family moved in 1830 to New Jersey, and a little later he went to New York city and secured employment in a printing office. During the ten years of his residence there he was engaged in various occupations, until in 1840 the family moved to what was then the new West, locating at St. Charles, Ill. Mr. Wilson, an active young man, took up the business of contracting, giving especial attention to the building of saw mills and flouring mills. In 1851 he came to Minnesota and the following year crected a saw mill, as also a house, at Sauk Rapids; then completed a sawmill, which had been previously begun, at Little Falls, and afterwards built at St. Augusta Stearns county's first sawmill.
It was in 1853 that Mr. Wilson decided to locate at St. Cloud, purchasing a claim made by Ole Bergeson, a Norwegian squatter, platting the townsite, and giving it its present name. New settlers quickly came in and the embryo town grew in population and in importance. Mr. Wilson encouraged settle- ment by giving to those who first came lots on which to build. He was exceed- ingly liberal so long as the supply of lots held out, encouraging both public
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and private improvements. Mr. Wilson held a number of offices, having been Judge of probate of Benton county in 1853; a member of the legislature in 1855, 1856 and 1857, while Minnesota was a territory, and again in 1870 after it had been admitted as a state of the Union. He was chairman of the board of county commissioners of Stearns county. When St. Cloud was incor- porated as a town in 1856 he was the first president of the council, and served both as an alderman and as city justice. Mr. Wilson was married in May, 1847, to Cordelia Morgan, of Buffalo, N. Y., who died in Minnesota in Novem- ber, 1852, leaving one son who died the following January. At Aurora, Ill., November 13, 1855, he married Mrs. Harriet N. Corbett, whose death occurred in this city November 6, 1897. Of the four children born to them but one, a daughter, Nettie E., survives him.
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