History of Wabasha County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. : gathered from matter furnished by interviews with old settlers, county, township, and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources, Part 62

Author: H.H. Hill and Company. 4n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill & Co.
Number of Pages: 1176

USA > Minnesota > Wabasha County > History of Wabasha County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. : gathered from matter furnished by interviews with old settlers, county, township, and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources > Part 62

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The city continued to show a gratifying increase in trade and improvements. The amount expended in buildings was $109,000. The shipments of grain were much in excess of previous years ; barley began to assume importance as an item of freight, and flour shipments largely increased also. The shipments of wheat this season were 618,531 bushels, which, with the 23,800 barrels of flour, equivalent to 119,000 additional bushels* at that time, and the 86,165 remaining in store, would give a total of 823,696 busliels of wheat as the season's business. To this may be added 20,645 bushels of barley, and some other shipments of oats and corn not tabulated, which would bring the grain business of the season to about 850,000 bushels.

The year 1870 was that in which the United States census was taken, and the returns as filed by the enumerator gave the town of Lake City a total population of two thousand six hundred and eight, of whom two thousand one hundred and seventeen were within what may be denominated the limits of the city. * This was some-

811

LAKE CITY.

what less than was expected, as from the assessor's returns of 1868 it was confidently believed that the population would not fall below three thousand. The winter of 1869-70 a rivalry arose among the various drivers along the stage-route from La Crosse northward as to the quickest possible time between the terminus of the railroad, La Crosse, and Lake City. On Wednesday, February 9, one of the up-stages left La Crosse at 7:15 A.M., and making stoppages aggre- gating fifty-eight minutes at Winona, Minneiska and Wabasha, reached Lake City at 4:38 P.M., making the distance of eighty-eight miles in nine hours and twenty-three minutes, or, deducting stop- pages, in eight hours and twenty-five minutes. It was not always, however, that the drivers were so fortunate. The south-bound stage on December 28 went through the ice about three miles above Read's Landing, drowning the wheel horses and losing express, mails and freight. Two passengers on board escaped, one dry-shod, one with an ice-bath in Pepin. The mails, express and freight, with the coach, were hooked up by a party of volunteers from Read's Land- ing, and the horses only were a total loss. This year witnessed the organization of the First National bank, and the completion of the Methodist Episcopal church so far as to enable the society to occupy the basement, which they did, on December 18. These matters will be more fully treated of under "Churches " and "Banks." The expenditures for buildings during the year footed up $88,125. The volume of grain business was: Shipped, wheat, 861,000 bushels ; barley, 62,100 bushels ; oats, 27,000 bushels ; corn, 3,000 bushels. The shipments of flour were not tabulated. There is a record of one shipment of eight hundred barrels, and as there was considerable local Wisconsin demand, it is within bounds to say that of wheat (and the equivalent in flour), barley, oats and corn, the actual shipments from the wharves here were in excess of one million one hundred thousand bushels. The year 1871 marked an era in the history of the town of Lake City, and was the beginning of the end of that anoma- lons existence in which the city that was not a city enjoyed all the privileges of a full-fledged corporate existence. As before cited, it was during this year that the attempt to incorporate through petition to the judge of probate was made. The retiring board of town supervisors made a tabulated report of the town business at the close of their term of office, March 14, 1871, for which, at the town mneet- ing held on that date, they were handsomely complimented in a resolution of thanks, as also for their efficiency and economy in the

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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.

management of the town business. The meeting also expressed the hope that their successors would imitate their good example, and fur- nish each year a full statement to the press for publication. The year's expenditures for bridges, roads, streets, drains, tools for road- work, etc., were $853.48. The ordinary town expenses were $536.26. Legal services in the county-seat contest were $591.53, and for build- ing a lock-up they had expended $378. With uncollected taxes, taxes levied, delinquent highway tax and cash, the total assets of the town from these sources were $9,128.89 ; town bonds, town orders, and bond orders outstanding, with interest to date, $4,533.31, show- ing a balance in favor of the town of $4,595.58. The treasurer's report showed total receipts for the year, $7,140.73 ; all accounts audited and a balance in the treasury of $334.47. The Patrons of Husbandry organized a grange of the order in Lake City, June 3, and steps were taken to consolidate the work of the grange through- out the county, so as to secure some practical results. This year was rendered memorable by the completion of the railway to this place, and the arrival of the long-expected locomotive. The track- layers crossed the county-line from the north on Tuesday, July 11, and by nightfall the rails were laid half-way through town. On the 25th regular trains were put on between Lake City and St. Paul, and the road at the south was rapidly extending itself up the river. Work on the depot here was being rapidly pushed and matters wore a very businesslike air about the railroad terminus, the only objec- tion to which was its location so far from the business portion of the city. The first through train for Winona came down on Wednesday, September 6, and the following day regular trips commenced over the road. One train a day each way, meeting in this city at 1:15 P.M., was the arrangement, and it was no longer possible to say the upper river towns were out of the world six months of the year. On Friday, October 13, the United States mails were brought in on the trains, and so closed the old era of stages and steamboats as mail transports for Lake City. The new order of things was brought about by the personal attention of congressman Averill, who gave a day of his time in Washington to matters and secured the benefits of railway mails without the usual delay. This year was also marked by the organization of the public library and the opening of its shelves to the reading public. The matter was consummated August 22 by the organization of the Lake City Library Associa- tion, with the following board of officers and trustees, who also con- stituted the directory : J. Fletcher, president ; Mrs. C. A. Jewell,

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LAKE CITY.

vice-president ; W. J. McMaster, secretary ; C. W. Hackett, treas- urer ; L. H. Garrard, C. A. Wood, Mrs. Hulett, Mrs. Williamson, Mrs. Guernsey, trustees.

About the middle of November the reading-room in Richard- son's block, on Center street, was opened. It was a free reading- roomn, neatly and comfortably furnished, and provided with all the leading northwestern dailies, as also those of New York and Wash- ington. Foreign reviews and home periodicals were provided, and the doors thrown open every evening at half-past six o'clock, made it a very desirable place for young people to visit, and was a decided rival to the saloons. The library began to arrive about the middle of December, the first installment consisting of two hundred and seventy volumes, to which, two weeks later, many more were added. These, with occasional donations, gave at the close of the year a very respectable selection from whichi to make choice, and the opportunity was not neglected. To add to the attractions of the association, a lecture course was organized, and during the winter seven lectures delivered under its auspices. The report of the school directors of the Lake City district also showed a very satisfactory condition of educational affairs, as will appear under the head of "Lake City schools." Elevators were erected during the fall and winter along the railroad track, and a decided impetus was given to business, already flourishing, by the advent of railway communication. Other things seemed also to have come in with the railway, which were not so acceptable. Lake City wheat buy- ers had long before established the policy of paying as high prices for grain as the market would possibly justify, and this because it was just to the producer, conserved the interests of the trade of the city, gave the market at this point the preference over others, and so centered trade at this point. In order to compete with the buy- ers in this market, shippers at other points were therefore necessi- tated to pay the very top price the market would justify, and the speculators concluded to manipulate the market at this point. All the large wheat-buying houses were interested in the scheme: Culver & Graves, of Duluth ; Kellogg & Mann and Angus Smith & Co., of Milwaukee ; the Davidson and the Diamond Jo line of steamers were all interested. An arrangement was effected with the Lake City warehousemen by which a uniform price of twenty- five cents below the Milwaukee quotations should be paid for wheat in this market, and all profits were to be pooled. The . monopoly extended wherever the river and railway lines extended,

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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.

and as the freight was only twelve cents, commissions one cent, elevator charges one cent, and cost of buying three cents - at which there was a good profit- the cost of wheat here was justly within seventeen cents of the Milwaukee quotations, a clear gain beyond legitimate trade profits of eight cents per bushel, or a dead loss of that amount to the wheat raisers of the state. The merchants and press of the city opened upon the combination, and an agitation was begun by which, within thirty days, the ring was completely " busted "- as it was graphically expressed - and a return to honor- able competition became once more the order of the day. Control- ling as they did the whole wheat purchases of the market, the transportation lines forbid all warehousemen from paying more than the dictated price, from buying any wheat or shipping on his own account, or from receiving into the warehouse grain which had been purchased above the stipulated price. The large wheat mer- chants of the centralized markets and the transportation companies enforced, or attempted to enforce, their measures, by making non- compliance a ground of expulsion from the market, and set their own spies, with power to enter a warehouseman's office and examine his books, as a special police to enforce these regulations. The reputable wheat merchants of the city had entered very reluctantly into the arrangement at the outset, and only acquiesced under protest, to see how matters would turn out, not clearly seeing the depth of the business to which they were asked to com- mit themselves. The "ring" lasted about three weeks, and then collapsed, dishonesty getting so distrustful of its partners, that the Duluth members, finding their own interests suffering through the keener operations of their eastern partners, suddenly withdrew from the combination, and wheat went up by a rebound to within ten cents of the Milwaukee market. During the continuance of the monopoly, wheat here was lower than in the adjacent cities off the river and St. Paul railway, and the receipts were largely diminished. As a result, the members of the ring, no longer in combination, were pitted against each other, and the following week (after Duluth withdrew) the price ruled twenty to twenty-five cents higher than at Rochester, and by Saturday night the grand total of $130,520.20 had been paid for grain received in this city. The improvements for the year 1871 were largely in excess of all previous years, and some of them of a very costly and substantial character. The list aggregated $150,000. The more important structures were : W. H. Lyon's brick block, on Lyon avenue,

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LAKE CITY.

$35,000 ; C. F. Young's block, $12,000 ; the Chicago & St. Paul railway depot and improvements, 89,400 ; John McBride's brick store, $8,000 ; George Patton & Son, store, $8,000, dwelling, $8,000; II. Gillett, foundry, $5,000, and Amsbry & Fletcher, elevator, $5,000. The most important - or certainly not the least important - of the changes and improvements made this year, was the widening of Pearl street, now Lyon avenue, from a width of seventy to that of ninety feet. This work was the liberal donation of Mr. W. H. Lyon, of New York, who had extensive property interests in the city, and has always been liberal in devising for the little city by the lake. What property he did not own he purchased from High street to the lake, and, setting the buildings back the required distance, opened a street ninety feet in width. Purchasing some blocks about the depot, also, he meditated the widening of the entire street from the lake to the city limits, but was tempora- rily prevented by the owners of some property along the streets. The city, however, in 1873, took the matter in hand, condemned the lots that jutted out into the street (of which there were only three), and gave the city a beautiful avenue of the uniform width of ninety feet throughout its entire length. Other improvements meditated at the time, and which would have been of immense advantage to the city, were prevented by shortsighted opposi- tion to Mr. Lyon's plans, which so nettled him that he abandoned them and made his investments elsewhere.

From the assessor's books of this year we gather the following statistics of the property, real and personal, and the agricultural products, stock, etc.

ACRES.

BUSH.

Wheat

3,493

60,407

Oats

589

23,760

· Corn

411

16,960

Barley

158

5,205

Buckwheat

425

Potatoes

1,215

Beans

ACRES.

TONS.

Hay, cultivated.

133

228

Hay, uncultivated

Honey, number of hives 50, product

1,200 pounds.

Apples, number of trees in bearing 5,987

2,000 bushels.

Strawberries, acres 5, produce 6,000 quarts.

Wool

98 pounds.

Butter

18,975

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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.

MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTIONS IN VALUE.

Whole number of acres cultivated 4,874

Number of farms

Number of horses. 358

Number of mules

Number of cows

253

Number of sheep

Number of hogs

176

Increase of acreage over 1870, oats

209

wheat

353

168

Amount of personal property, 1871

Increase of personal property over 1870

The report of the board of supervisors for the year ending March 12, 1872, the last in which the town and city were to be included together, showed that the total expenses for highways, bridges, sidewalks, crossings, sewers, city marshal's salary, etc., was $2,025.25. The assessed valuation of town property was $638,767.00.

THE TREASURER'S REPORT SHOWED :

Cash on hand

$ 334 47

Licenses

1,651 05

Justice Court fines 78 00

Bounty tax 70 80

Town tax

2,812 75

Delinquent road tax

326 11

Special or bond

3,308 40

$8,641 58

Bonds redeemed

Orders redeemed, issued for road purposes.

837 38

lumber

839 35

" road damages

65 00

town expenses

1,728 41

Interest paid on bonds and orders

363 95

Treasurer's fees

100 14

Cash on hand, March 2, 1872

1,648 63

$8,641 58

INCORPORATION OF LAKE CITY.

Notwithstanding the failure to incorporate the city under the pro- visions of the general law of 1870, known as the judge of probate act, and under which, as before noticed, an attempt at incorporation was made in 1871, the incorporation at an early day was accepted as certain. The failure in 1871 arose from the uncertainty of the

corn

$2,992 72

817

LAKE CITY.

nature of the act, more than from any other cause. Accordingly, on the assembly of the legislature in the winter of 1871-2, an act of incorporation for the city claimed attention. A charter had been duly prepared embodying the views of those who had interested themselves in this matter, and a bill granting the charter prayed for was introduced by Mr. Thompson, representative from this district, early in the session. This bill passed the house under suspension of the rules on February 19, was as favorably received by the senate when it came before them the following day, was approved on the 26th of the month, and became of effect from and after its passage. The city limits as defined under the charter were materially enlarged from what had constituted the special district exercising municipal powers under the administration of the supervisors of the town of Lake City. The new corporation retained the old name "Lake City," and its boundaries as described in the act were : "Beginning at the northwest corner of the N.E. } of Sec. 6, in T. 111 N., of R. 12 W., running thence south one and one-half miles to the center of section 7 in said township, thence east along the quarter-section line and the continuance thereof to the center of Lake Pepin, thence up the middle of said lake to a point due east of the termination of the line between townships Nos. 111 and 112, thence to and along said line west to the place of beginning. Otherwise described, the city limits, so much of them at least as were not covered by the waters of Lake Pepin, extended 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 as thus defined embraced about three and one- quarter sections of land ; and there was not far from the same area covered by the waters of the lake. The city as thus limited was divided into wards, as follows: All that part of said territory lying and being westward of a line beginning in the southern boun- dary 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 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

818

HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.

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 city limits and ward boundaries remaining practically as they existed at the time the charter was granted. The elective offices, as established by the charter, were : For the city-mayor, treasurer, recorder ; for the wards-one alderman (except at first election, when one should be elected for one year), one justice of the peace and one constable, for each ward, whose terms of office should be for two years. The terms of office of city treasurer and recorder were fixed at two years, mayor to be elected annually. All candi- dates to office, to be eligible, must be residents within the city limits and qualified voters. The first Tuesday in April in each year was designated as the day for holding the charter election, of which ten days' previous notice was to be given by the common council, in which notice time and place of holding election, and the offices to be filled, should be set forthi. Provision was also made for removals from office by a fourth-fifths vote of the aldermen of the city, all such removals to be for cause after due trial or notice of trial to accused, the specific process in which was fully laid down. The city wards as established by law were to constitute the electoral districts for all state and county elections as well as municipal ; a refusal on the part of any officer-elect to qualify within ten days of his election, or his removal from the city, vacated the office ; the ward alderman and one legalized voter from each ward, to be designated by the council, should constitute the board of judges of elections, and all elections were to be conducted in the same manner as provided for in holding state and county elections ; officers-elect were to be duly notified by the recorder of their election ; terms of office were to be from the second Tuesday of April in the year in which the election was made, and continue one year, unless otherwise specified ; failure to elect on the day designated was made cause sufficient for holding a new

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LAKE CITY.

election, of which, as in the case of the regular elections, the council were to give ten days' notice. The appointive officers of the city were attorney, marshal, assessor, street commissioner, and such others as the council might see fit to elect, and the terms of office of city attorney and assessor were fixed at two years each; that of street commissioner, for one year. The mayor and aldermen were debarred from receiving any compensation for their services as such officers, and the compensation of the city recorder was limited to the sum of one hundred dollars per annum. The treasurer's fees were made to conform to the law fixing the fees of town treasurer, and the recorder was prohibited from being directly or indirectly inter- ested in any contract, job or loan, in which the city is a party or negotiator. Provision was also made for city printing, by designat- ing one paper printed in the city, in which all proceedings, ordi- nanees, acts or by-laws requiring to be published shall be printed, and it was made the duty of said city printer to file with the recorder a copy of all such publication, with affidavit of time that same has been published, and such affidavit shall be conclusive evidence of its publication. All city contracts in which any alderman might be interested were thereby rejected, and money paid on such contracts was made recoverable by law, as against all such contractors. The general powers of the council were amply set forth in the charter, and covered all matters to the well-being, peace, healthfulness, good conduct and safety of the city, as well as all matters affecting her credit and finances : as, to regulate and prescribe fees for all exhibitions, shows, auctions, sports, sale of liquors, spirituous, vinous or fermented; to abate gambling, drunkenness, disorderly persons, houses of prostitution, and all nuisances, physical and moral alike ; to prevent fast and reckless driving in the streets, or the incumbrance of streets, sidewalks, public grounds, etc., by any unnecessary articles ; to prevent all cattle, swine, poultry, etc., from running at large ; to make and establish public cisterns, hydrants, and other receptacles for water, and control all waterworks estab- lished ; to regulate and control all carrying of passengers and freight within the city, by hacks, omnibuses, trucks or other like vehicles, and to provide for lighting the public streets and grounds ; to make all necessary market regulations, provide for board of health, estab- lish hospitals, to regulate runners or porters, and other soliciting agents, for boats, cars, hotels, etc .; to regulate the sale of combus- tibles, and prevent the use of firearms in such way as to endanger

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HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY.

life, comfort or property ; to provide standard weights and measures, and for the inspection of liquors and provisions, measurement of materials for building, and the appointment of the necessary officers for such inspection ; to prescribe fire-limits, and make all needed regulations to prevent their occurrence and spreading ; to provide workhouse for persons convicted of offense, and put such offenders at work therein, or upon the streets of the city ; to establish a fire department and purchase the necessary engines, hose, and other apparatus, and to exempt members of such fire department, after certain terms of service, from poll-tax, jury service or militia duty. All ordinances were to receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the council, be approved and signed by the mayor, and published in the official paper of the city for ten days before becoming law ; and provision was made for auditing all accounts of officers and agents of the city, and making full' record of the settlements made. Their powers in levying taxes, collecting and disbursing same, were duly declared, as also their control of the streets and side- walks, alleys and public grounds, and methods of procedure in all cases specifically set forth. All property of the fire department, or of the several companies that might compose it, all markethouses and their furniture, city-hall and council-room furniture, pounds and the lots on which they stand, and school property, was exempted from levy and sale under execution, save in the case of action of sellers of property to recover for property thus sold to the city. All private property was exempted from levy and sale for city corpora- tion debts ; all contracts for city work were to be to lowest bidder, of whom a bond was to be required for all contracts in excess of twenty-five dollars, unless work was done under supervision of some city officer. All city property was made free from taxation, and the power of the city to purchase, hold or lease both real and personal property for the city was specifically declared. By the same act of incorporation it was enacted that "all that part of the town of Lake City, not included in the limits of the said city of Lake City, under this act, shall constitute and be a town by the name of 'Lake,' witlı all the authorities, rights and powers of towns under the laws of this state. "

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History of Wabasha County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. : gathered from matter furnished by interviews with old settlers, county, township, and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources, Part 62

Author: H.H. Hill and Company. 4n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill & Co. Number of Pages: 1176

Author: H.H. Hill and Company. 4n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill & Co.
Number of Pages: 1176