History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 27

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222

USA > Minnesota > Wabasha County > History of Wabasha County, Minnesota > Part 27

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Early in 1867 the question of formally organizing as a city was discussed, and meetings held to consider the question. The matter was finally disposed of in a meeting of the citizens held at Williamson's hall, on the evening of

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Saturday, January 19, 1867. The objection to the existing order of affairs was urged, on the ground that as now administered, the town authorities lacked the power properly to administer the affairs of a community like this, and corporate powers had become a necessity. To this it was answered that the power in the hands of the supervisors was ample, and only needed to be exer- cised. Also that if more legislation was needed it could be obtained, but that it. was unadvisable to saddle the town with the burdens of maintaining a cor- porate existence. The test question, as submitted, was that a city charter be drawn up, and the proposition was negatived by a very decided majority. The meeting instructed the supervisors to rigidly enforce such by-laws and ordi- nances as were already in existence, and a committee was chosen to draw up amendments to the then existing regulations, increasing the power of the town supervisors so as to include the various subjects afterward specified in the legislative act of March 9, next ensuing. Matters remained in this state so far as the exercise of governmental powers was concerned, until the formal incorporation of the city-although one more attempt to incorporate was made, which led to no definite result. By act of legislature- of 1870, it was provided that any community, within any specified district, numbering not less than 2,000 souls, and not more than 15,000, might, upon filing with the judge of probate for the county within which such district was located, a petition for incorporation signed by not less than two-thirds of the legal voters of said district, become thereby incorporated, and it was made the duty of the judges. of probate, before whom such petition should come, to order an election for the purpose of filling the various offices set forth in the charter as petitioned for. Such petition so signed by 322 legal voters residing within a certain described district (substantially the corporate limits of the present city of Lake City), came before A. Z. Putnam, judge of probate for the county of Wabasha, on May 15, 1871. The judge gave notice of election to be held July 1, 1871, for the purpose of filling the various offices, and designated the place of holding such elections. Caucuses were held, and a full ticket nominated, but owing to opposition on the part of some, and a general distrust of the legality of such an incorporation, the polls were never opened, and the election passed. The friends of the measure were not satisfied with the disposition of the case, and C. N. Sterry secured the opinion of Hon. Thos. Wilson, of the city of Winona, and also of Messrs. Bigelow, Flandrau & Clark, of St. Paul, as to the constitutionality or otherwise of the city charter. The opinions in both cases sustained the action of the citizens as legal, and the incorporation as a valid act. The opinion of the St. Paul attorneys was also to the effect that failure to hold the election in no case vacated or dissolved the corporation. The re- course as contained in the opinion, was to re-petition for a designated day of election, or apply to the legislature to appoint a day. The former was not done, and instead of the latter, an act of incorporation was duly passed at the next session of the legislature in the winter of 1871-72, in accordance with which Lake City was incorporated as a city, and the long-vexed question finally settled.

The new corporation retained the old name "Lake City," and the city limits were materially enlarged, extending west from the lake shore, along the line separating Wabasha and Goodhue counties, a distance of one and a half miles, thence south one and one-half miles, thence east two and one-half miles to the lake shore, thence northwesterly along the irregular shore line to the boundary of the county on the north. The landed area of the city thus em- braced about three and one-quarter sections of land; and there was not far from the same area, as its boundaries were legally described, that were covered' by the waters of the lake. The city as thus limited was divided into wards, as follows: All that part of said territory lyingg and being westward of a line beginning in the southern boundary of said territorial limits at a point twenty- seven and one-half [rods ] west of the center of section 8, in T. 111 N., of R. 12;

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W., thence along the middle of the public road north to a point where a line running through the center of Pearl street in the plotted town of Lake City continued southwestward will intersect the same; thence northwestwardly by said line running through middle of Pearl street and the continuation thereof to Greenwood avenue, thence through the alley between blocks E and F in said town of Lake City, thence northerly to the northern boundary of said territorial limits, shall constitute the first ward. All that part of said territorial limits lying and being eastward of said described lines constitute the second ward. The error in this description is in making Pearl street run northwesterly- should be northeasterly. The division of the city into wards may at present be practically stated to be by a line running through the center of Lyon avenue and extending from the southern limits of the city to the lake. This does not differ materially from the division as expressed in the act.

The charter also provided for the election or appointment of the various city officers, defining their duties, specifying the length of their terms of office, and providing for their remuneration by salary or fees. It defined the general powers of the council and board of alderman in all matters concerning the general well-being, peace, healthfulness, good conduct and safety of the city.

By the same act of incorporation it was provided that "all that part of the town of Lake City, under this act, shall constitute and be a town by the name of 'Lake,' with all the authorties, rights and powers of towns under the laws of this state."

Section 11 of chapter 8 of the charter authorized and empowered Asa B. Doughty, Merrell Dwelle and Carlos Clement to appoint three discreet and judicious persons in each ward to act as judges of the election to be held on the first Tuesday of April, 1872; and also to locate and provide a place in each ward for holding the election. March 30, 1872, under call previously published a union caucus for the nomination of city officers, irrespective of political par- ties, was held at the opera house, and a ticket put in nomination. The ward caucuses were held after the general caucus, one at the opera house and one at the Washington street school building. The caucus was numerously at- tended, and the proceedings were of a character to show a deep interest on the part of the best citizens that a city government of approved ability should be chosen. The nominations were made, and on the following Tuesday, April 2, 1872, the polls were opened for the first charter election for the city of Lake City. The balloting resulted in the choice of the following officials : Mayor, Joel Fletcher; recorder, M. R. Merrell; treasurer, W. A. Doe; alder- men, first ward, J. C. Bartlett and M. A. Baldwin; aldermen, second ward, G. M. Dwelle and J. Manning; justices of the peace, Geo. F. Hatch and W. J. Jacobs; constables, L. E. Thorp and Oliver Young. The total vote cast was 529. The vote in the town of Lake (the election in March having gone by default, that the city and town elections might be held on the same day and all conflictions avoided) was 76, making a total vote in city and town of 605, an increase of 97 over the vote polled at the presidential election in 1868, and an increase of 66 over the state election of the previous fall. The ratio of five inhabitants to one vote would thus give Lake City at the time of incorporation a population of 2645. It was generally conceded that the city officers-elect were as good timber for the new city government as could have been selected, and the result was hailed by the citizens as an omen of a good administration of city affairs.

The first informal meeting of the officers-elect was held on April 6, and an adjournment made to the evening of the 9th, at which time the members of the council were all present and took their respective oaths of office. F. M. Wilson, was appointed city attorney, and J. W. Matthews street commissioner. At the meeting of council held on the 28th inst., Elijah Stout, who had run Mr. Fletcher a good race for mayor, was chosen assessor by a unanimous vote. The committee on settlement between the city and the town of Lake reported,

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and they were instructed to draw up an agreement to be signed by the proper officers, to perfect settlement. This was accordingly done, and the settlement made. By the terms of this agreement all moneys on hand, whether in hands of town or city treasurer, were to be divided between the city and town, ac- cording to the assessed valuation of property in each, and all unpaid accounts were to be paid by each in the same proportion. The assessed valuation of city property was found to be $536,787; of town property, $102,000; the money standing to the credit of the former town of Lake City, after all outstanding orders were paid, amounted to $1,932.60. Of this sum the town received $337.13 and the city $1,595.47. The committee on city ordinances performed their work as expeditiously as possible, and presented the results of their work to the council before the close of the month.

One of the most important ordinances passed May 4, 1872, provided for the creation of fire limits, and establishing regulations for the erection of buildings within such limits. On December 21 following, an ordinance pro- viding a market for the sale of hay, straw and wood within the city, and for weighing and measuring the same, was adopted. The fire limits included all of blocks one, two and three, blocks nine to sixteen inclusive, and twenty-three to twenty-six inclusive. All buildings within the limits were to be of fire- proof material, but some portions of this territory were exempted from a rigid construction of this ordinance, at the discretion of the council. This limit included practically that portion of the city enclosed between Chestnut, Park, High and Dwelle streets.

Down to the date of its incorporation in 1872 Lake City had suffered com- paratively little by fires. On December 9, 1870, the old grain warehouse on the Point, technically known as the Armstrong warehouse, and at the time of its destruction owned by Bartlett & Smith, was burned with most of its contents; and on April 20, 1872, Bessey & Burdett's wheat warehouse was burned, the building, on which there was no insurance, being a total loss.

After this came the fire of January 28, 1873, which started in the cellar of Glines & Gould, druggists on Main street, and before it was controlled had caused a total loss of $35,000, of which about one-third was covered by insurance. Then on March 12, 1875, came the fire which destroyed the Boston elevator, located on the north side of town. It had been erected in 1873 by a company of Boston capitalists, was thoroughly constructed and equipped with the best machinery, and was the most conspicuous building on the town site.

Two weeks later, on March 25, 1875, fire started in a wooden building at the corner of Franklin and Center streets, and destroyed several small build- ings, causing a loss of about $10,000. It was with difficulty prevented from reaching the hotels on Lake avenue. These fires, following so soon one after another, awakened public attention to the need of an efficient fire department, and its speedy organization was the result.

The fire department had been organized a little over three and a half years when it was called to battle with the most destructive fire that had heretofore visited the city, and whose ravages were not stayed (owing to an unfortunate circumstance over which the department had no control) until the First National Bank building, a brick structure, corner of Center and Washington streets, and seven wooden buildings were laid in ashes, involving a total loss of nearly $75,000, about one-third of which was covered by in- surance. It was about one o'clock on the morning of November 16, 1879, that flames were seen in the back part of J. E. Favrow's store. The alarm was given and the fire department was promptly on hand, and, in addition, a telegraph despatch for aid was sent to Red Wing, but, owing to train delays, help from that source did not reach here until about four o'clock, by which time the work of destruction was as complete as it was likely to be. The new arrivals did good service in cooling off safes and quenching the smouldering flames,

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for which the exhausted firemen of the city were deeply grateful. The fire gained headway through a whole hour, in which the fire engine was rendered absolutely useless by the supply pipe becoming choked with sand. About three years before the fire, after the other fire cisterns had been completed, it was deemed expedient to provide a water supply near the corner of Center street and Lake avenue, which would save about 150 yards of hose connection with the lake in case of fire in the eastern or southeastern part of the city. The well was dug in the low ground east of Neal & Johns, to a point consider- ably below that to which the water would rise through the sand in case of extreme low water in the lake. This well was not cemented on the botto:n, and the suction of the steamer's supply pipe drew the sand into this pipe and into the engine pumps, completely choking the engine, in fact packing it solid with sand and rendering it absolutely useless. During the hour spent in getting ready for even such work as in its damaged condition it could perform, the fire made fearful headway, sweeping round the corner of Washington street, and making clean work of everything between the bank corner and the heavy stone and brickwork of Patton & Son's store. The fire on Center street was not so destructive, and its progress was checked by the pail brigade and Babcock extinguishers so effectively that only one wooden building on the street adjoining the bank was burned down. Others were damaged, and stocks of goods so materially injured as to involve almost total loss; but the progress of the fire was stayed without spreading through the block to Main street. With the exception of the bank building, the structures consumed were wooden, and old city landmarks, representing the early palatial stores of pioneer days; and in their destruction some old relics were forever swept out of existence, the original Masonic and Odd-Fellows' halls among others. The First National Bank block was the pride of the city. It was erected in 1873 on the south corner of Center and Washington streets (the streets all running diagonally to points of compass), and was constructed of Milwaukee white pressed brick, with iron columns, galvanized iron cornice, white draped stone caps, sills and trimmings, and plate-glass windows. The office was elegantly finished with solid black-walnut counters, desks, doors and casings, and was a model bank office. On Center and Washington streets were stores owned by the cashier and president, respectively, L. S. Van Vleet and L. H. Gerrard. J. E. Favrow, who suffered so seriously in the fire of 1872, in the adjoining block on the south, was by this time completely wiped out. The Sentinel office was entirely consumed, with all it contained; and so was the law office of Stocker & Matchan, over the bank, with its library, including account books and old journals. The stores destroyed were those of Van Vleet & Gerrard, Peter Beck, H. C. Bronco, S. Lindgreen, Mrs. A. W. Ditmars, D. C. Corwin, H. L. Halsey and George Patton, each valued at from $1,200 to $2,000. The heaviest losers in merechandise and stock were J. E. Favrow & Co., H. D. Brown, printer, Stocker & Matchan, Henry Miller, druggist, E. M. Everson, and S. Lindgreen. The total loss on buildings was about $27,000, on stocks, $48,000. On the former there was an insurance of $8,715, and on the latter of $17,745. The morning light of Monday had scarcely broken before the debris was being cleared away and preparations made for rebuilding and resuming trade.

This fire, though serious, was completely overshadowed by the great calamity of 1882, ever after referred to as "the great fire," which originated in an unused room of the old Sexton House on the Point. The fire was discov- ered at about two o'clock on the morning of Saturday, April 22, 1882. The wind was blowing a fierce gale from the lake, and carrying the flames into the old wooden rookeries in that part of town, fanning them into a roaring con- flagration, and sweeping the cinders, shingles and burning material of all kinds right over the western and norther parts of the town, threatening the whole with speedy destruction. The workmen in Neal & John's establishment saved that manufactory by almost superhuman exertions, and thus prevented

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the spread of the flames across the block to the west. The wagonshops of Curtis & Richardson Bros. & Co., John Dobner's blacksmith-shop, and the buildings on the east side of Washington, between Center and Marion, were consumed. Crossing Washington street, Sam Lindgreen's saloon, and the other brick buildings on that side of the block from the First National Bank to Patton's block, were soon in flames, which swept across Center street, and down both sides of Center to Main, leaving nothing standing in its track. Leaping across Main street, it swallowed up the fine brick stores of C. P. Young & Bro .; and on the north side of Center street, carrying destruction with it as far as the building of the Lake City Furniture Company, which was destroyed. The buildings on the lower side of Center street, between Washington and Main streets, were all destroyed except the lower corner room of the Lake City Bank building, a fine three-story structure, in which was the postoffice. The fire had quickly spread over the entire block bounded by Main, Center, Washington and Lyon streets; the fierce gale blowing the flames in a due westerly course diagonally through the block and across the corner of Lyon and Main streets to the Commercial hotel, which, having been destroyed, the destruction was stayed in that quarter for lack of material. The efforts of the firemen were principally directed to saving the block bounded by Center, Washington, Lyon and Franklin streets, in which was the Merchants' hotel, an immense three-story wooden structure. The burning of this block would in all probability have involved the destruction of the entire northwestern portion of the city, as far down as Center point. The firemen made a stand at Richardson's corner, where their brick building interposed some obstruction to the progress of the flames through the block; and the citizens, who had turned out en masse to save the town, were, many of them, so intent on fighting fire at its very center that their own properties were con- sumed before they were aware of the fact. Another stand was made against the progress of the flames at the wooden saloon on the Main street side of the National Bank Building block, as, had that building gone, nothing could have saved the block across the street, and its destruction would have involved the center of the residence portion of the city, including all the church build- ings. The efforts in both cases were finally successful, and the fire was finally stayed after sweeping through six of the best business blocks of the city. There were about fifty buildings burned, involving a loss of property in struc- tures and contents, as nearly as can be ascertained, of at least $370,000, upon which there was an insurance of about $178,000. Of this amount, however, a considerable proportion was insurance on damaged goods, and partially de- stroyed or damaged buildings; so that the loss may be fairly said to have been about one-third covered by insurance.

Thus, within a period of less than ten years, destructive fires had three times ravaged the business center of the city, involving a loss of over half a million dollars in a small town of about 2,600 population. The grit of the little city was fully apparent in this calamity. The common council met immediately, and, refusing all applications for permits to erect temporary wooden structures, extended the fire limits to the lake shore, upon which the fire had originated. Monday evening, following the destruction of Saturday, an enthusiastic meeting of the board of trade was held, and it was apparent that the enterprise and courage of the city was by no means in ashes, if the buildings of the city were. Capt. Seeley, the city postmaster, on the alarm of fire, left his own household goods to destruction, and used all his exertions to save the mails and records of his office, in which he was successfful, all letters, papers and office records being safely removed. The First National Bank officials were at work im- mediately, and resumed business in a building they put up on a corner across Center street from their own property. Work upon the bank corner was im- mediately begun, and the structure was soon ready for occupancy. The Lake City Bank moved into the reading-room in the Merchants' Hotel, and resumed. The Masonic fraternity lost all their furniture, including their records, the

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latter a serious loss. The destruction of the valuable museum of Dr. Estes was much to be deplored. Its collection had been the work of a lifetime; and, besides containing curiosities of very rare and valuable character, many of them impossible to duplicate, the Doctor's manuscripts and notes, the work of years, and which it was his intention to have given to the public in permanent form, were all destroyed, leaving him, in his own pathetic words, "Not a scrap of my life work; not a scrap, sir." This was a loss not to be computed in dollars and cents.

Fire Department .- As already mentioned, it was the fire of March 25, 1875, occurring only two weeks after that of the twelfth of the same month, which made the citizens of Lake City realize the need of a fire department, and the matter was at once taken up energetically. In response to a numerously signed petition, the council took the necessary action, appointing a committee to negotiate for the purchase of a steam fire-engine, hose, and other equipment, and accordingly a Silsby patent rotary steam fire-engine was purchased, with two hose carts, 1,500 feet of hose, and other apparatus. An ordinance was also passed providing for the organization of a fire department to consist of one engine company of forty men, two hose companies and a hook and ladder company, to consist of thirty men each. The companies met and perfected their organization on May 1, 1875, the roster as yet being incomplete; but other members were soon enlisted. The engine arrived May 14, and was given a satisfactory test May 22, delegations from Red Wing, Winona, and other places, being present. In the same month the council appropriated the sum of $450 for the purchase of a lot on the southeast side of Center street, between Oak and High streets, upon which to erect an engine-house, which was built at a cost of $630. It measured 20 by 50 feet, the front thirty feet being used as an engine-room, and the rear twenty feet for a council-room. Steps were also taken for the building of cisterns in convenient locations for water supply. A committee that visited La Crosse for the purpose of securing information, re- ported in favor of brick cisterns, and accordingly three were constructed at a cost of $630; one with a capacity of 1,000 barrels at the intersection of Center and High streets, and two others, each with a capacity of 500 barrels, one of which was at the intersection of Garden and Dwelle streets, and the other at the intersection of Oak and Doughty streets. A sad accident occurred during the excavation at the corner of Garden and Dwelle streets, caused by the caving in of the walls, by which two men, A. H. Sandford and Benjamin Kramer, lost their lives. A well at the rear of Neal & John's manufactory, on Center street, was also utilized as a reservoir, and together with the others furnished the city with a good water supply. Improvements were subsequently made to the engine-house and hose-tower, and other apparatus provided, in cluding hook and ladder trucks, Babcock extinguishers and firebuckets.

The department is now supplied with two hose carts, from 6,000 to 8,000 feet of hose, a hook and ladder, and pyrene extinguishers, no engine being needed on account of the 80-pound pressure supplied by the water plant. The department consists of from 30 to 35 volunteer members, who receive no salary, but are paid one dollar for reporting, and one dollar an hour during active duty at fires. This plan of recompense, however, does not apply to the chief and assistant chief, who receive a small nominal salary, the difference lying chiefly in the manner of recompense than in the amount received. The fire alarm system is automatic. On the discovery of a fire the central telephone office is notified, and the operator at once presses a fire button which rings an alarm in the home and pace of business of each member of the company, notifying them to repair at once to the fire station, where information as to the location of the fire has already been received from the central office. By the same contrivance the power plant is also notified. The system has proved efficient, and no big fires have occurred since 1882, except that which destroyed the Tennant & Hoyt grist mill in 1906.

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History of Wabasha County, Minnesota, Part 27

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Winona, Minn. : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1222