;i^^ h(oO(o Clas Book. .\ -r GopyiiglitK^?- COFfRiGirr DKPOsm ®i)e ^torp of jWinnes^ota By GRACE EMERY AND RHODA J. EMERY COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR First Edition, 1916 PREFACE This book is an attempt to interest the children of Min- -nesota in the history of their own great state by presenting to them a series of her stories arranged in a eontinuons nar- rative. For our material, we are indebted to the valuable collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, including histories of Minnesota by Folwell, Flandreau, Niell, Folsom, Castle, Upham, Holcombe and Winchell. OCT 30 1916 1^ 'CI.A44816S »P>EM3IN/K ■.^^^ 5^0' t**^^ •CROOKSTON XOWER* 0" JD^ <^ • EVEL.ETH BRECKIN RIDGE L..TRAVE ST. F^ETER « FAIRIBAUL.T V.O >^ ^^ V^f" OWATONNA* ROCHESTER J •UACKSON • •AUSTIN J* torp of iflmnes^ota CHAPTER I GEOGRAPHY OF THE STATE NAME Minnesota is an Indian name meaning "tur- bid-water." This name was originally given to the Minnesota Eiver and, in 1849, it was applied by Con- gress to the newly organized territory. When the state was admitted in 1858, the name was retained. SIZE ]\Iinnesota is the tenth state of the Union in size. Its combined land and water surface is 87,196 square miles, including that part of Lake Superior within the state. The land surface alone is 80,858 square miles. The least width (from Stillwater, near the mouth of the St. Croix Eiver, westward to the Dakota boundary) is —5-- about 180 miles; while the greatest width, which is in the northern j^art of the state, is about 350 miles. The great- est length from north to south including the projection into Lake of the Woods, is 408 miles. LOCATION The "Xorth Star State" lies between 43° 30' and 49° 23' north latitude. The lati- tude of Duluth is about that of Vienna, Austria, while that of St. Paul, and Venice, Italy, are the same. Its situa- tion in the heart of the continent on the crest of the Great Central Plain, and freedom from mountain barriers were primary advantages in the settlement and growth of this prosperous state. SURFACE The surface of Minnesota is a rolling plain diversified by moraine hills, valleys, nnd ridges of rock. Its elevation varies from 602 feet, near Lake !Su- perior, to 2,230 feet in the Misquah Hills, Cook County. Its average altitude is 1,200 feet. CLIMATE Although its temperature ranges from 30° below zero in winter to 90° or 100° above zero in summer, the state has a most healthful and invig- orating climate. The mean annual rainfall is about 30 inches and, as this occurs during the growing season, it is sufficient to assure the farmer of an abundant crop. The large lake area has a considerable influence in tempering the climate. This is most appreciable near Lake Superior. FORESTS Originally, over half of Minnesota was cov- ered with forests of pine, spruce, tamarack, cedar, birch, basswood, oak, poplar, ash, elm, cottonwooci, maple, and butternut. A large share of this timber was found in the northern counties. Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Itas- ca, Beltrami, and Koochiching. The new settlers found ex- cellent timber in abundance from which to build their log houses, and make homes in this wilderness. FISH AND Minnesota lakes, streams, and forests (7AM£ abounding in fish and game supplied a large share of the food and clothing of the In- dians and early white settlers. Deer, moose, beaver, bear, badger, fox, lynx, sable, rac- coon, skunk, mink, muskrat, wolf, and wild cats were found in great numbers. The buffalo that roamed the plains in herds are now extinct, but the other animals are still represented. BIRDS Minnesota woods afforded a real paradise for song birds while game birds as duck, geese, prairie chicken and partridges' were also found in abun- dance. RIVERS AND As early explorers entered the coun- ACCESSIBILITY try by way of its lakes and streams, the location proved of peculiar sig- nificance. Within its boundaries is the highest part of the Great Plain lying between Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. We find here the sources of three great river systems, the Red Eiver of the T^orth, the St. Lawrence, and the Miss- issipi. Their tributaries permeate every section of the state and, leading in different directions, make the country easy of access. In its later development, they became im- portant commercial highways. The native red men and the early white explorers, mis- sionaries and fur-traders, in their light birch canoes, trav- ersed the streams through the wild, wooded region of north- ern Minnesota and its southern undulating prairiesi. Besides her extensive river systems, Minnesota has about 10,000 lakes, 8,000 of which are over a mile wide. The largest lakes are Red, Leech and Mille Lacs. These add scenic beauty to the state and furnish attractive summer resorts. SOIL iSTo state in the Union has a soil surpassing that of Minnesota in the high percent of plant food it —7— contains. The combination of glacial soil brought from north and east with its own rock soil made a thick layer, rich in its variety of mineral matter, and free from alkali and other injurious soil elements. The southeastern part of the state, known as the drift- less area, was untouched by the glacier; its principal soil is a most fertile clay loam of light yellow color. The Red Eiver valley has a particularly productive soil owing to the mixture of decayed animal and plant life with a fine rock dust. -8— CHAPTER II INDIANS EARLY As you travel by automobile or the INHABITANTS swift passenger train from the cut- over pine and swamp lands of north- ern Minnesota, through the beautiful lake region and its southern rolling prairies, across streams with steel arched or cement bridges, past cities and towns whose prosperity is rivalled only by that of the surrounding agricultural or dairy districts, pause to note the changes time has wrought in the seventy years since our grandfathers came to the territory of Minnesota. Then this area was inhabited by savage red men of the Dakota and Chippewa nations. These strong races, each having many tribes were always at war with one an- other. They made their homes along the lakes and streams finding an easy subsistence in the game of the forest and the fish and wild rice of the lake regions. SIOUX Centuries before the discovery of America, In- dians, descendants of the Iroquois, followed the Ohio Eiver to the upper Mississippi and Missouri Elvers. They called themselves Dal'ot-a, meaning allies or con- federates; but their enemies, the Chippewas. gave them the hated name of Nadotvessiotix, meaning snakes or enemies. Sioux ifi an abbreviaton of this longer name used by traders, and it has served the white man ever since. There were seven councils or tribes of this powerful nation; prominent —9— among them were the Yanktons, Sissetons, and Mende Wah- kantoan. These Sioux tribes spoke the same language. While quarrels among them were frequent, they often united to protect themselves against a common enemy. These In- dians were strong and hardy, they were good runners, skilled bow^men and adept riders. They owned many horses, which were regarded as a source of wealth to the tribe. The Sioux were skillful in making pottery. CHIPPEWAS The Ojibways, familiarly known as Chippewa, were not so numerous in the middle west as the Dakotas, but were confined mostly to the forests of northern Minnesota. They were always bitter en- emies of the Sioux, but they were not so dreaded by the white settlers as the other Indians. If you could have visited this tribe you would liave admired the fine appearance of the warrior. As Gilfillan describes him, he was often six feet, eight inches tall, with a well developed chest, small limbs and hands, a springy step and graceful, easy carriage. He had abundant hair whicli did not turn gray until very late in life; white, even teeth; and a high, resonant voice. The women were the burden bearers. They built the wigwams ; cultivated the little fields ; cut the wood ; and carried heavy, cumbersome packs, often made heavier by the addition of a lively papoose, who was strapped on the top. They lost their grace and agility early in life and be- came bent and slow; but even the overworked and tired squaw was artistic in the beautiful bead work which she wrought and sold for a slight sum. The Ojibways were fond of their children and loved their native home, from which they wandered less frequently than the Sioux. Besides being able to endure intense cold, the Chippewa could walk long distances without tiring. After the white settlers came, and the only means of carry- ing mail was by packing, an Indian was engaged to walk —10— between White Earth and Red Lake, a distance of ninety miles. He accomplished this journey in two and a half days, carrying a mail sack weighing from fifty to seventy- five pounds. For remuneration he received two and a half dollars, which he considered ample. DRESS The dress of the early savage was made of skins, ornamented with the teeth and claws of animals. His copper colored skin was painted and daubed with the juice of berries or roots; and on his coarse black hair, he wore a head dress of gaudy feathers. If a brave wanted to appear as fierce as possible, he shaved his hair leaving only a scalp lock. With his sharp, black eyes and high cheek bones, he was a foe most terrible to look upon. During the heat of summer, the furs and skins were discarded leaving his hideously painted body clad only m a breech clout. In later years, the skin garments gave place to those made of coarse cotton cloth. HOMES The trader, journeying from one fur station to another, was happy if, as night overtook him, he saw the smoke from an Indian wigwam; for here the stranger was always sure of a welcome. This conical wigwam was made of a number of small poles, set in the ground a few feet apart and joined at the top. It was covered by large skins so arranged as to leave an opening at the apex for ventilation and the exit of smoke. The Indian's guest did not knock or otherwise announce his coming, but silently lifted the tent flap and entered. After a long, cold journey across the uninhabited plains, ]et us imagine the cheerful scene before the tired and hungry traveler. In the center of the tepee, burns a bright fire, over which hangs a large kettle which contains the evening meal, while around it, sit the members of the family. The trader is given a place in the circle and is served a palatable and sat- isfying repast, consisting perhaps of a buffalo hump, or the tail of a beaver. —11— After supper the dishes are gathered and placed to one side until thej are again needed. The remainder of the evening is spent in listening to the news brought by the traveler and in jokes and merry laughter, for the Indian enjoys the life of his fireside. The little one runs al)Out the wigwam clothed only in a loose cotton dress, seemingly oblivious to the rigor of the northern winter. As each one grows sleepy, he wraps his single blanket about him and lies down with his feet toward the fire as happily as we do in our warm homes and comfortable beds. The trader with all his clothing and his blanket, shivers with the cold and often rises to warm himself and feed the dying fire. The Indian's manner of welcoming strangers varied in different tribes. If pleased to see one, they patted their own arms and legs and then those of the guest. Some- times the host w^ould rub the limbs of the visitor, probably to relieve him of fatigue. Some tribes showed their good will by washing the traveller's feet, blowing into his ears, scratching his shoulders, and often by kissing and hand- shaking. FOOD The natives made use of the edible plants and fruits found wild in the region. First among these were wild rice, berries and nuts. Wild rice grew very abundantly in the swamps and along the lake and river bottoms of all parts of the state. To harvest it, the Indians tied the heads of several stalks toofether in bunches, which were arranged in rows. Whole villages went together to the rice lakes and each fam- ily had a specified number of rows. The squaws paddled a canoe between these rows, and the heads of grain were beaten off on to a blanket laid in the bottom of the boat. The grains were then parched and could thus be preserved for years. The Indians taught the early settlers the cultivation —12- and use of the potato, tomato, beans, pumpkin, squash and maize. Maize, or Indian corn, was so easily cultivated that it was a staple article of food. A hill was usually selected as a good growing place; stone implements scratched the soil ; and the seed was planted. The neighboring trees were killed to let in the sunshine, and a good harvest usually resulted. It was easy to pick the ears as they were needed, as the stalks were left standing. MAPLE SUGAR The Indians were fond of maple sug- ar. In the cold, early spring, before the sap had begun to move in the trees, the clan broke camp and left for the maple grove. The braves marched proudly ahead carrying their guns while the squaws gathered the tent poles, wrapped the skin coverings carefully about them, folded the blankets and fas- tened all on the ponies. Then, with their papooses strapped on their backs, they followed. The Indians Avere too shiftless to provide a sufficient store of food for the winter, and often the spring found them in want. Therefore, the sugar season was anxiously awaited, when they became joyously active, wandering about all day, gathering the sap, returning to the wigwam at night, tired and wet, having \vaded in the melting snow and icy water. From this, they apparently experienced little suffering, and were often rewarded by several hundred pounds of the pur- est maple sugar. The game of field and forest supplied an abundance of animal food; the Sioux tribe was sometimes called "The Na- tion of the Beef" because of its dependence on the buffalo. BUFFALO The flesh of this animal supplied a most delicious food; and the milk, a drink; while its hide furnished clothing, covering for the wigwam, and strong ropes. The sinews, hair, and horns also found a use in the economy of savage life. —13— The Indian made great preparations for the buffalo hunt. In addition to the need of the game was the savage joy of the chase. However, until the advent of the avar- icious fur trader, the Indian seldom killed more animals than his needs demanded. When the brave returned with his prize, his work was finished. The faithful squaw, after giving her family a delicious repast of the fresh buffalo meat, cut the remain- der into thin broad slices and hung it on poles in the not sun for two or three days, a time sufficient for its pres- ervation, making the dried or jerked beef which was a com- mon food among the Indians. She then took the large green buffalo skin and, after stretching it out upon the ground, fastened its edges with strong pegs to keep it in place, and vigorously applied a sharp bone knife to remove all particles of flesh. Then she turned it and scraped off the hair as dexterously, with a sort of iron plane. If the hide was to be used for moc- casins or clothing, it was worked by the hands until soft and pliable. Sometimes it was smoked to make it more nearly waterproof although darker in color. LANGUAGE The Indian had only a spoken language, as he had no use for the written form. Dif- ferent bands of the same tribe spoke various dialects; while the languages of Sioux and Chippewa were totally unlike. Both w^ere figurative and rather musical. Our language is rich with Indian terms as tomahawk, wampum, squaw, papoose, succotash, toboggan, hominy, pem- mican, moccasin, totem, and names of native animals as rac- coon, wood-chuck, chip-munk, moose, caribou, oppossum, skunk, and many others. Hills, mountains, villages, cities, lakes, counties, and states bear names derived from the language of the lirst dweller. Among those most common to us are : Mississippi — meaning Great Eiver. Mankato — blue earth. —14— Winona — first Indian daughter. Cliaska — first Indian son. Minnetonka — big water. Minnehaha — laughing water. Wabasha — red battle standard. RELIGION The Indian race has many superstitions, and believes in many gods. They fear the spir- its of the dead and worship ghosts of men and animals. They are as zealous in worshipping a painted rock, a tree, or a turtle drawn in the sand with a stick, as they are in their reverence for the god of the sun, the moon, or of thunder. These spirits are supposed to be both good and evil; the former must be satisfied in order to grant the blessings they were able to bestow; while the latter must be appeased to prevent some calamity which they were cap- able of bringing to pass. Thus, throughout the year, their worshippers dutifully engaged in dances and feasts as re- ligious ceremonies, each having its peculiar significance. Among the best known are the scalp dance and the war (lance. MEDICINE Great number of ^^medicine-men," imposing MEN upon the superstition of the race, gained power among them. It is surprising that so keen and shrewd a nation should have been so duped by men skilled only in deceit and craft. If an Indian were sick, he immediately sent for the medicine-man, who came only upon the assurance of liberal payment. Upon his arrival, he was escorted to the tent where the patient lay and there, with the most ridiculous contortions and hideous noises, he attempted to frighten away the evil spirit which possessed the ill. A dry gourd filled with stones, served as a rattle which was kept in mo- tion over the body of the sufferer, and was supposed to be helpful but, in spite of all demonstrations, the soul of the afflicted often took its departure to the land of the "Great Spirit." —15— RELICS AND Today are found, usually along the INDIAN MOUNDS lakes and rivers of Minnesota, sev- eral thousand conical shaped earth mounds varying in height from one to fifteen feet. Writers once maintained that these mounds were built by a distinct race of partly civilized people, known as mound builders, who dwelt here before the Indians; but this theory has now given place to a more generally accepted one, that these mounds were built by the early ancestors of our Am- erican Indians, and that they were used by them as Durial places for their dead. The mounds which have been excavated, have been found to contain human bones, skulls, etc., besides beads, pottery, shells, and Indian relics. Many of these, including war clubs, peace-pipes, flint arrow heads, tomahawks, shells, teeth and jawbones of animals may be seen among the cur- ios in the museum of the State Historical Society. CONDITION OF The Indians of early centuiies INDIANS AFTER loved their native land, enjoyed COMING OF the streams in their bark canoes, WHITE MEN and roamed the forests and prairies whose wild birds and animals were as familiar to them as the domestic animals are to us. They were satisfied to fish and hunt only to gain food and cloth- ing, and supply the necessities of savage life. When the civilized fur-trader with his greed for wealth came among them, the Indians were supplied with guns and ammunition and taught the practice of killing for skins alone. The savage, having no idea of the value of money and being an excellent hunter and trapper, secured an abund- ance of pelts for the white man for very small pay. From this slaughter, came a scarcity of wild animals and lack of food for the savage tribes, which made them dependent on the v'hites. The white, careless of the degradation brought upon his own race through liquor, brought fire-water to the redmen. —16— His indulgence led to wild debauchery and abject poverty. Large numbers, sometimes whole tribes, also lost their lives through small-pox, measles and other diseases hitherto un- known among them. —17— CHAPTER III EARLY FRENCH EXPLORATIONS 1608-1763 CHAMPLAIN As most of the early explorations were made by means of water-ways and by bands of fur traders, it is not strange that Minnesota was entered early. The head waters of the three great river sys- tems of America are in the state, and their branches per- meate nearly every section of it. In her abundant forests of ' the north, thrived thousands of fur-bearing animals while great herds of buffalo grazed on her southern prairies. About the time that Jamestown was settled, and sev- eral years before the landing of the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Samuel Champlain was made Lieutenant of New France, which then included the Lower St. Lawrence valley, Nova Scotia, and the region of Lake Champlain. Champlain was very ambitious. He hoped to find a western route to China and organized expeditions for that purpose. He founded the city of Q'uebec; enlarged the area of New France somewhat by Indian wars ; and instituted fur trading companies who reaped a great harvest in their trade with western Indian tribes. These early fur traders led a life of privation and hard- ship but one of excitement and adventure. They were called coureurs des hois and were often young men who had spent months or perhaps years, among the Indians, learning their languaa^e and their manner of hunting, and wood-craft. Re- sponsible merchants provided an outfit consisting of canoes, —18— food, ammunition, clothing and also a collection of cheap, tawdry articles for Indian trade; and the voyageurs set out into the untracked wilderness. Sometimes a trader might be absent a year or more; but often he came back with his canoe laden with valuable furs and with stirring accounts of the new lands he had visited. Champlain died in 1635, but he had accomplished much in creating an enthusiasm for exploration of the new coun- try and establishing a profitable enterprise there which con- tinued to expand. GROSSEILLIERS In 1560, two voyageurs returning from AND an expedition of two years, reported RADISSON that they had traveled far to the west and visited many Indian tribes, among them the Xadowessioux. It is believed that these men were Sieur des Grosseil- liers and Sieur des Eadisson. Their story is based on a manuscript supposed to be written by Eadisson and pre- served for over two hundred years in the library of Oxford University. According to this report, Grosseilliers and Eadisson traversed Minnesota from Lake Superior into Kanabec County. If we can believe the account, these two men were the first white men to visit Minnesota; however, they left no map to teach others their route, and they did not otherwise establish their claim as discoverers of the land so that their story, while interesting, is of no real importance to us. FUR TRADERS About 1660, France awakened to the importance of her possessions in Amer- ica, and New France was taken from the hands of the Company of N"ew France, which had hitherto managed its afi'airs; and it became a royal province. Frontenac was ap- pointed its governor in 1672. About this time, also, many Jesuit Fathers of France came to Canada hoping to convert the Indians to their faith. —19— They were men of determination and of learning and they contributed largely to the explorations of the French. Note. Marquette, in his description, gives an in- of the Xorthwest, a remarkable class of religious zealots, the Jesuits, had explored the region of the Great Lakes and the head waters of the Mississippi. These missionaries were true heroes. They left homes of comfort and study and cast their lot with the wandering tribes of Indians. They suffered toil, privation, and often martyrdom with unflinching courage that they might carry the Gospel of Christ to the savages of the wilderness. Williams gives us this quotation from Bishop Kip : "Amid the snows of Hudson^s Bay; among the woody is- lands and beautiful inlets of the St. Lawrence; by the council fires of the Hurons and of the Algonqiiins; at the sources of the Mississippi, where, first of all the white men, their eyes looked down upon the Falls of St. Anthony, and then traced down the course of the bounding river as it rushed onward to earn its title of Tather of Waters' on the vast prairies of Illinois and Missouri; among the blue hills which hem in the salubrious dwellings of the Clierokees, ana in the thick cane-brakes of Louisiana — evers^where were found the members of the Society of Jesus." Through the efforts of the traders and the Jesuits, the northern valley of the Great Lakes became comparatively well knoA^Ti and in 1679, a Company of Canadian traders conceived the idea of establishing a permanent trading post at the head of Lake Superior. Daniel Greyloseson, the Sieur DuLuth, became the first agent of that post which he lo- cated on the left bank of the Pigeon Eiver. Du Luth was therefore the first white man known to establish himself in Minnesota. He has a very interesting history and for many years he was closely associated with the story of Minnesota. —20- DULUTH This early promoter of French and Indian trade was born near Paris. He had been an European soldier and made several voyages to New France. In the fall of 1678, with several Frenchmen, Du Luth made a journey by canoe to Lake Superior. He spent two years here exploring and trying to secure Indian fur trade for the French. During this time, the French government made it a crime to engage in trade without a license from the King. Many of the strong and active young men in the French settlements along the St. Lawrence, realizing the profits to be made, deserted their homes to become outlaws or bush- rangers. They became a menace to the government, and this free life in the wilderness let them into many dan- gers. Du Luth was accused of being a leader of these de- serters, but he denied it and gave proofs of his fidelity to the government. He had great influence with the Indians, promoted peace among them, restricted the Indian trade with the English Hudson Bay Company, and tried to save them from the evil of intoxicating liquor. MARQUETTE About two hundred years prior to this AND time (15-il), De Sota had discovered the JOLIET lower Mississippi Eiver. But little im- portance had been given to the fact, and, because means of communication were few, it was probably not very generally known. The Indians of the Northwest told the Jesuits and the traders of a great river to the west- ward which they called Mese Seepi or "Great Eiver" and the French resolved to visit this stream. Accordingly, Joliet, once a priest but now a fur trader, and Marquette, a Jesuit, set out, May, 1673, with five other Frenchmen on an expedition for that purpose. ]\Iarquette has provided us with a description of this journey which, however, he was obliged to write from mem- ory, as his papers were lost during his return voyage. He was especially well fitted for the undertaking from his long —21-- residence among the Hurons and his knowledge of their habits and language. His Indian friends tried to dissuade him from his pur- pose by describing the fierceness of the tribes to be en- countered and the dangers of the Great Eiver which they said was full of frightful monsters capable of devouring both men and canoes. In reply, Marquette explained to them that he would be glad to lose his life if by so doing, he could save the souls of the natives. Their course lay through the Green Bay into the Fox Eiver. From the head of this river, the Indians guided them through swamps, and fields of wild oats into the wa- ters of the Ouisconsing (Wisconsin.) This they followed un- til they came into the Mississippi, June 1673. Note Marquette, in his description, gives an in- teresting account of the strange fish and animals which ihey encountered. He describes one animal as "a hideous mon- ster, his head was like that of a tiger, his nose was sharp, and somewhat resembled a wild cat, his beard was long; nis ears stood upright; the color of his head was gray; and his neck was black. He looked upon us for some time but, as we came near him, our oars frightened him away." Like others recounting past adventures, Marquette must have allowed his imagination considerable play. They followed the Mississippi past the mouth of the Missouri and to the Arkansas. Here, Marquette says: "Having satisfied ourselves that the Gulf of Mexico was in latitude 31° 40' and that we could reach it in three or four days' journey from the Arkansas, and that the Mississippi discharged into it and not to the eastward of the Cape of Florida, nor into the California Sea, we resolved to return home. We considered that the advantage of our travels would be altogether lost to our nation if we fell into the hands of the Spaniard from whom we could expect no other treatment than death or slavery; besides, we saw that we 22 were not prepared to resist the Indians, the allies of the Europeans, who continually infested the lower part of this river." About the middle of July, they returned by way of Illinois Eiver to Lake Michigan. Marquette died two years, later at the age of thirty-eight. The voyage of Marquette was important because his re"-- port proved the truth of Indian accounts of the existence' of the Great River. In 1682, there was fitted out another expedition for further exploration of the Mississippi. LA SALLE La Salle was a descendant of a noble French family; he was once a Jesuit but became a fur trader. The story of Marquette's voyage filled La Salle with eagerness to follow the Mississippi still farther tov/ard its mouth. He consulted Gov. Frontenac, who encouraged the plan, but was unable to fit out the expedition and per- suaded him to return to France to get a patent from the King. La Salle returned; but four years elapsed before he secured the royal support. After this, money was supplied and about thirty vol- unteers arrived at Quebec in 1678. With him on this voy- age was Father Louis Hennepin. They soon started west- ward, traversed Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, and Michigan, and after many discouraging experiences, the winter of 1680 found them in a fort built on the bank of the Illinois Eiver, near the present site of Peoria. This they named Ft. Creve Coeur (Heart-break). La Salle left a small company here, while he returned to New France for provisions. HENNEPIN La Salle had been authorized by the crown to continue the explorations made by Joliet of the lower Mississippi to its mouth. The fact that the King had not specified the upper Mississippi in his patent, did not daunt this enthusiastic leader. He selected three of his men, Hennepin, the priest, and Angnelle an'l Accault, two traders, to accomplish this part of the journey. Father Louis Hennepin was born in Belgium in 1640. —23— He had entered the order of St. Francis in his youth, and served it in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Germany. He had the- double "purpose of adventtire for adventure's sake, and the concerting of savages to Christianity. This trip was a dangerous undertaking, but the men were ambitious and Hennepin encouraged them in the be- lief that they would would follow the river to the sea and find a passage to Japan, which he believed was on the same continent as America. Loading their canoes with merchandise to be used as presents for the savages they might encounter, and also as money in their trade with them, our three heroes left their comrades, Feb. 29, 1680, and started out on an expedition iilled with hardships and peril. ^ By the' middle of March, ■ithej reached the mouth of the Illinois and proceeded up the .Mississipi Eiver. This attempt had never before been made Tby a white man. They continued in safety until April 11, when, coming down the river, they saw a sight, which, brave as they were, made their hearts beat faster. Here 'were thirty-three canoes filled with Indian war- riors of the Dakota tribe, going forth against their ene- mies, the Illinois Indians. Learning from the French that the Illinois tribe had crossed the river to hunt, they de- cided to return home and compelled the Frenchmen to go with them as captives. These Indians were called Lake Villagers, and lived near Mille Lacs, in several different ^'illages.. While going up the river, the white men often excited the wonder and curiosity of the Indians. Hennepin tells us that when he was at prayer, the Indians thought he was a magician, and followed him about through the woods, not wishing to leave' liim. alone. The mariner's compass which he showed theni filled them with apprehension. Once one of the white men, seeing a wild turkey, • fired his gun, not only killing ijie turkey but terrifying , the savages who had never heard the. report of a gun. . Our French hieii had in their possession an iron kettle .; .: ;•! .,: . —24— ■: . ■• with feet like a lion's paw. The Indians refused to toucli this with their hands. Many times, they contemplated killing their captives, but spared them in the hope of entering into fur trading with the French. After traveling for about twenty days, the party reached the present site of St. Paul and went over- land past Dayton's Bluff and the shores of Lake Phalen to Mille Lacs. This strenuous march from St. Paul to the Sioux villages took them five days. When they reached Mille Lacs, Hennepin and his followers were sent to separate vil- lages, uncertain as to what fate awaited" them. Note. The Frenchmen were stiff and sore from their long walk. In kindness, the Indians treated them to a steam bath. Their way of doing this was to build a small lodge of poles- covered with buffalo skins. Jnto this they put several red hot boulders. The patient, stripped of his clothing, poured water on the stones. He was enveloped in a dense cloud of steam, which he endured as long as possible; then he was taken out and given a vigorous rubbing. This treatment was veiy helpful in relieving the muscles of their fatiaue. The following July, the chief allowed Anguelle and Hennepin to go in -a canoe down the Mississippi to the mouth of the Wisconsin, where they expected to find reinforce- ments of Frenchmen with food, ammunition and goods sent by La Salle. During this time, Accault was still a captive and on a hunt with the savages. On this voyage, they passed the falls of St. Anthony, which Hennepin so named for St. An- thony of Padua. The party proceeded to the Wisconsin but found there no trace of the expected supplies and returned to Mille Lacs. On his return voyage, Hennepin met Du Luth and some French soldiers coming from the Lake Superior region. They accompanied him to the Lake Villages. Duluth had —25— met the Indians of Mille Lacs the year before at a great coun- cil where he had persuaded them of the advantages of French trade. They respected his counsel and the next fall, allowed Hennepin and his party to accompany Dn Luth upon his departure under a supposition that they wouM return bring- ing goods to establish a trading post. The French party followed first the Eum Eiver, then the Mississippi to the Wisconsin. From this river, they port- aged across to Green Bay, and, free at last, returned to France. The name of this explorer is perpetuated in that of Hennepin County. Father Hennepin published his first account of this voyage, under the title '^Description of Louisiana," which he dedicated to the king of France, in 1683. While he has con- fused geograjDhical ideas, this story is in the main, considered truthful. A second account, "New Discovery of a Very Great Country Situated in America," contains many exaggerations which may have been introduced by some editor unknown to Hennepin. LA SALLE'S La Salle returned to the Illinois SECOND VOYAGE river in 1682 and proceeded aown the Mississippi to its mouth. Here, with elaborate ceremonies, he took possession of the Missis- sippi and all her tributaries in the name of the King of France. LE SUEUR Another French subject, Le Sueur, had built a trading post on an island ("Isle Pelee,"' now Prairie Island) in the MississiiDpi, about nine miles below Hastings, through an order of Governor Frontenac. He be- lieved that he had discovered copper in this region and has- tened to Montreal and from there to Paris to gain permis- sion to open mines in New France. He received permission and returned to Minnesota in 1699. He and several com- panions ascended the St. Peter's (Minnesota) River which -26-- they followed to the mouth of the Blue Earth. Here they built a fort, "L Huillier/' and filled a boat with a peculiar bluish green earth found in the bluffs of this region. In 1702, he set sail for home. The mineral he carried proved worthless and he never returned; but he has left his name among us as another, willing to adventure and endure much in an effort to explore the resources of this new world. FAILURE OP The French, at the beginning of the 18th FRENCH IN century, had some knowledge of the re- AMERICA gion of the Great Lakes, almost the en- tire length of the Mississippi valley and a portion of each of her great tributaries; but in all of this extensive territory, she had made few permanent settlements. She established trading posts, forts and missions, but she did not establish homes. Her out posts were not self-sup- porting, but, with the exception of supplies gained by hunt- ing and fishing, w^ere almost entirely dependent upon the mother country. The period between 1700 and 1763 was one of dis- turbance in France. She was at war almost continuously and was unable to give her explorers and colonists as lib- eral support as formerly; certain Indian tribes. Sacs, Foxes, and Sioux were often hostile in their behavior : and French exploration in the Northwest languished. Probably the great value of this enormous extent of territory was not appre- ciated in France when, in 1763, she relinquished to Eng- land all her territory east of the Mississipr)i except Xew Orleans. -27- CHAPTER IV ENGLISH EXPLORATIONS 1763-1783 ENGLISH AND 'Now, the history of Minnesota is di- FRENCH OWNER- vided for several years into parts, "for SHIP the territory east of the Mississippi be- came an English holding while that west of the Mississippi, under the name of Louisiana, be- longed to the Spanish. To the men who for the most part, occupied our great state at this time, the change of ownership signified very little. Far removed from the dissensions of Europe, they hunted deer and bison, fished, gathered wild rice, raised corn, built their homes and made their clothing. Their canoes floated down the quiet stream; the hills echoed their songs; only occasionally through some passing trader, they heard the name of the "Great White Father'' beyond the waters. Foremost among the explorers sent out by England into her new, far western possessions was Jonathan Carver. JONATHAN Jonathan Carver was born in Connecticut CARVER in 1732. His father was a Justice of the Peace, a much more important office at that time than we consider it today. Jonathan studied medicine, but finding that he disliked this profession, he gave it up. He became an ensign in a Connecticut regiment during the —28— French and Indian War where he distinguished himself for his courage and leadership; though he nearly lost his life at the massacre of Ft. William Henry. In June, 1766, Carver left Boston and reached Mack- inaw, a well-established English post, in August. From there, accompanied by a French Canadian and a Mohawk Indian, he followed the regular route of travel to Green Bay and by the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, reached the Mis- sissippi. The account of his voyage describes his trip up the Mis- sissippi Eiver as far as Lake Pepin and up the Minnesota as far as New Ulm. At the latter place, he found a band of friendly Sioux with whom he spent the winter. In the spring, he accompanied about three hundred of these Indians, who, after their custom, brought the bodies of their dead to be buried at the Indian mounds on Dayton's Bluff — now part of St. Paul. He tells us that here the Indians knew a wonderful cave which they called the dwelling of the Great Spirit. Its walls were covered with Indian characters. This was the council chamber of the natives. Carver's description of a funeral oration given in this cave furnished the theme for Schiller's ^^Song of the Nad- owessee Chief," which is considered one of his best works. The explorer expected a supply of goods when he reached the Falls of St. Anthony to be sent by Eogers, the officer in command at Mackinaw. Eeceiving none, he went on to Prairie du Chien, a French town, whose name means ''Bog Prairie," so called after an old Indian chief titled, "The Dog." It was at this time, a village of about three hundred people and was the chief center of the fur-trading industry. Carver was disappointed here also in receiving supplies and decided to go to the traders on Pigeon River, on the northern shore of Lake Superior. This was a long and hazardous journey and after reaching his destination, he found these traders, too, were unable to supply him. Necessity compelled him to return to England to seek -29— aid from the government. He never returned to America, but published a full account of his travels, in which he pro- phesied the future commercial value of the Great Lakes and river systems of Minnesota. After his death, Carver's heirs produced a deed which they said he obtained from two Indian chiefs. May, 1767, while he was at Carver's Cave. This grant included St. Paul and much of Wisconsin, but the claim of the heirs was refuted by both the English and the American govern- ments. Much of Carver's story is now discredited. Note : Carver's cave was well known to early explorers of Min- nesota, but in later years, the location of its entrance was forgotten. During 1913, the Mound Park Improvement Associa- tion of St. Paul succeeded in their efforts to re-discover and open the cave. 30— CHAPTER V EARLY EXPLORATIONS BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 1783-1838 EASTERN By the treaty of 1783, in which England MINNESOTA, acknowledged our independence, the U. S. western boundary of the United States TERRITORY was the Mississippi River. Thus Min- nesota, east of the Mississippi, belonged to the United States. It was a part of that unorganized western territory claimed with some show of justice by Vir- ginia, Massachusetts, Xew York and Connecticut. These states finally relinguished their claims (1787) and the N'orthwest Ordinances were passed. By these ordinances, Eastern Minnesota became nominally under the government of the Xorthwest Territory, but her trading posts were still in the hands of British companies, and her laws were prac- tically made by the agents of these companies. WESTERN In 1803, the United States purchased MINN. COMES Louisiana from France. This territory UNDER U. S. extended from the Mississippi to the GOVERNMENT Eockv Mountains thus including West- ern Minnesota. The entire area of our state was now held by the United States. —31— PIK&S JOURNEY PURPOSE In 1805, Jefferson order Zebulon Pike to \dsit the upper region of the Mississippi to discover the source of that river; to make alliances with the Indian tribes; to attempt to bring about peace between contending tribes ; and to ascertain the behavior of English fur traders regarding governmental regulations. DIFFICULTIES In his diary, Pike describes some of the OF JOURNEY difficulties of his undertaking : "In the execution of this voyage, I had no gen- tleman to aid me and I literally performed the duties of astronomer, surveyor, commanding officer, clerk, spy, guide, and hunter, frequently preceding the party for miles in or- der to reconnoiter and returning in the evening, hungry and fatigued, to sit down in the open air, by the fire light, to copy the notes and plot the course of the day." No one can read Pike's account of this voyage without feeling that he was ably fitted for his commission. He was steadfast, earnest and apparently untiring. Pike left Dubuque, September 2, 1805. Up the Mis- sissippi River, which has since become, in a comparatively short time, one of the great commercial highways of the world. Pike then journeyed many miles without encounter- ing a man or looking upon a single human habitation. LAND OF On the morning of September 10, one of THE SIOUX his men fired at a pigeon and the shot was heard at a Sioux encampment near. The chief, La Feuille ("The Leaf") also called Wabashait\ sent Pike a friendly message and invited the company to visit his camp. The next day, they accepted the invitation. They were well received by the chief and allowed to witness a religious dance. Note 1: "Men and women danced indiscriminately. They were all dressed in the gayest manner; each had m his hand a small skin of soone description, and would fre- —32— qiieiitly run up, point this skin at a companion, and give a puff with his breath when the person blown at, whether man or woman, would fall and appear to be almost lifeless or in great agony; but would recover slowly, rise and join again in the dance. This they called 'The Great Medicine' and they believed that they actually puffed something into each other's bodies which occasioned their falling." Minn. Hist. Coll.. Vol. 2. Note 2. The present city of Winona occupies a plain long known as Wabashaw's Prairie. The chief village of this land, Keoxa, was located at the upper end of the valley. L. H. Bunnell gives us an interesting account of the first Chief Wabashaw, and the derivation of his name. The Indians of Minnesota did not welcome the Eng- lish traders when they came to ^ supplant the French and often opposed their establishment. One English trader hold- ing a post near the mouth of the St. Peter's was shot by a Sioux Indian and the English decided to abandon that post. This soon became a great hardship to the Indians for there was no other source from which they could obtain sup- plies of fire-arms and ammunition and they were at a great disadvantage in their contests with the Chippewas, their ancient enemy, who were well supplied with both. After much deliberation, the Sioux decided to give up the murderer to the British authorities at Quebec and beg for the re-establislnnent of the post. It was a serious band of warriors and their families who, under the leadership of their chief Wapa (The Leaf) began their Journey to the distant stronghold. Before they readied Quebec, many became disheartened and turned back and the murderer made his escape. Only six remained with the chief. To give up the project, meant the possible annihilation of his band and finally, Wapa volunteered to give himself to the British instead of the escaped criminal; and, if need be, sacrifice his life for the better welfare of his people. Xeedless to say, the British released him when they heard his story and sent him home happy with the promise —33— of a renewed trade and with a splendid uniform wliicii in- cluded a bright red cap. Upon his return, clad in his gorgeous apparel, he marched at the head of his followers into his own village and his people hailed him as Wapa ha sha (red cap). This title was thereafter hereditary in the tribe. Among both white men and Indians, Wabasha was re- spected as a brave warrior and wise counselor. It was his son who was met by Pike on this voyage and his grand-son, Wabashaw, was chief of the band when they were finally re- moved to the reservation in accordance with the treaty of Pike urged Wabasha to make peace with the Chippewa and finally the great chief gave him a peace pipe that he might carry to them as a token of friendliness. Feeling well pleased with the result of his encounter with this band. Pike resumed his journey. Xow it led him through the beautiful Lake Pepin and to the present site of Red Wing. Here, Pike found encamped another great Sioux chief, Shakea (Red Wing). Eed Wing also received him courteously and moreover offered to accompany him to the village of Ka])oja, about ten miles below the mouth of the St. Petei*'s (Minnesota) River. This village was a little east of the site of the present city of St. Paul, probably ly- ing on the flats below Dayton's Bluff. The tribal name of the Indians -of this village was Ka- poja and the hereditary name of their chief was Petit Cor- beau (Little Crow). Sheltered from cold winds, and close to their fishing grounds, their huts were gathered about the base of the bluffs;' but on the wide plains above, w^here now are broad avenues and beautiful homes, they hunted deer, bison, and 'bear. When Pike reached this village, September 21, he found the Indians gone to gather wild rice in distant marshes. Along the winding river, through the woods that then grew -34— close to its banks, past the great bluffs called by the In- dians, In im i ja Sl-a White Eock), he reached the same day, the temporary encampment of Jean Baptiste Faribault, near the mouth of the St. Peter's and below the present villasfe of Mendota. Note 1. On his way from Eed Wing, Pike camped at Eed Eock, Washington County. Here was a famous stone called by the Indians, Red Medicine Stone. It was a sye- nite rock deposited long ago by the great glacier. The In- dians painted it red; and before it, they worshipped and left gifts for the Great Spirit. The first Methodist mission of Minnesota was established here and it has since been the scene of many religious encampments of both Indians and white men. Note 2. Jean Baptiste Faribault. The name of Jean Baptiste Faribault is closely associated with the early his- tory of Minnesota. For about fifty years, he was a prom- inent fur-trader of the northwest. Previous to the war of 1 SCHOOL- The Upper Mississippi was not nnknown to CRAFT Schoolcraft. In 1820, Lewis Cass, then gover- nor of Michigan, organized an expedition to explore this most western county of his jurisdiction and Schoolcraft was a member of this party. They followed the Mississippi to Cass Lake which they determined upon as its source. Schoolcraft did not agree in this decision and we may imagine that this call to return to the Chippewa Country was not unwelcome to him. He was not asked to return to explore but to restore peace; however, he must have read his commission to suit himself, for he proceeded at once to trace the water courses to determine the true head of the great I'iver. Upon its discovery, he asked Eev. Boutwell, who was of his party, for a name meaning true source, and was given tlie words Veritas caput; Veritas, truth ; caput, head. School- craft eliminated the first three and the last three letters of these words and produced the name Itasca. He returned to Sault Ste Marie without fulfillino^ his real mission. END OF Reverend Gideon Pond, a missionary living THE WAK with the Indians, accompanied a band of young Sioux from Lac qui Parle on a hunt- ing trip into the Chippewa Country in 1838. Some of them made camp near the forks of the Chippewa Eiver. Here they were visited by a band of Chippewas. They received their guests liospitably and invited them to spend the night. When all were sound asleep, the Chippewas rose and murdered all their Indian hosts except one young girl whom they took prisoner. Thus they felt they retaliated for the similar crime of 1829 and were willing to give up the war at least for the time. Their motto seemed to be "an eye lor an eye and a tootli for a tooth.'' — 55— THE TREATY It was not until 1837 that people be^an OF 1837 to realize the value of the timber land of Eastern Minnesota and planned to secure it of the Indians. During that year, Gov. Dodge of Wis- consin territory held a council with about twelve hundred Chippewa Indians at Fort Snelling, an assembly which Talia- ferro said was the largest gathering of Chippewas ever held in the territory. During this convention, the tribe ceded to the United States all pine lands along the St. Croix river system. Later, during the same, year, a delegation of twenty-six Sioux Indians from Kaposia, Red Wing, and Winona ac- companied by H. H. Sibley and Maj. Taliaferro, went to Washington and there ceded to the government their agri- cultural lands east of the Mississippi and the islands of thef river. In payment for these lands, the United States gave the Indians about $500,000. A large part of this sum was invested for the tribe, the interest being paid them annually. Previous to this treaty of 1837, the land now included in Minnesota was owned and held by the force of the red men. and the white men were able to settle here only by their permission. Now, as the ownership of the land changed from savage to civilized hands, conditions improved rapidly. The countrv^ was opened for settlement, and the hardy pioneer cut his way through the forests or plowed his way through primeval sod. The new era of progress began in Minnesota and the natives were gradually expelled from the land. -56— NOTES INDIAN The Sioux Indians had some very beautiful PIPES pipes which were made by the squaws. The stem was sometimes two or three feet long, made fiat, usually about two inches wide and half an inch thick. It was often painted with blue clay, which, after be- ing exposed to the atmosphere, turned green. The ornaments were porcupine quills, birds^ feathers and dyed hair of the deer. The bowls were of red stone. The designs were thoughtfully wrought and displayed much artistic skill. The Chippewas had pipes, quite similar, but showing variety in style. STORY OF WEXOXA. When the passengers on board our steamers of today are tra^'eling down the Mississippi Eiver, and through the beau- tiful waters of Lake Pepin, they are sure to hear some one ex- claim : "There is Maiden's Eock !" And if one's curiosity prompts him to ask why it is so called, he is apt to hear the Indian legend connected with it. Maj. Long's party, upon reaching the spot nearly one hundred years ago, had the same story told to them as a true romance in Indian life. It is as follows : In the Indian village of Keoxa, lived Ta ianl'a Manne or Wall-ing Buffalo, with his many sons and beautiful daugh- ter, Oholoaitha. Oholoaitha, being the eldest daughter, according to tiie Sioux custom, was called Wenona. She had that grace and charm, which made her a favorite with all the Wabasha tribe. Even her grandfather, the old chief Eed Wing, indulged her many whims and fancies. The young braves of the village vied with each other in attempts of noble valor, that they might win her ap- proval. Many came, decked in gay feathers, with painted faces, and dressed in their best buffalo skins, as suitors for —57— her liaiid ; but Wenoiia found time for only one, a hunter of their tribe. The young lovers^ roaming through the forest or sit- ting beside its sparkling streams, thought only of each other. Their happiness was complete and they planned soon to wed. When the hunter presented himself to Wenona's family, and told of their hopes, he was rejected, and driven from the village. Wenona's parents favored a young warrior who was popu- lar with the tribe also on account of his bravery in defend- ing the village when it was attacked by the Chippewas. Her brothers and father praised him, recounting his deeds and triumphs. This did not interest the maiden. She artfully argued for the hunter; that she loved him; that he would be with her always to protect and provide meat for her while the warrior would be away much of the time. When her family saw that they could not persuade her, and that argument was of no use, they sought to compel her. She begged to remain single, saying if she could not be al- lowed to live in happiness with the hunter, she refused to be made unhappy by marrying the warrior whom she loved not. A party was formed to go up Lake Pepin to get the bluBv clay found along its banks, and used for coloring by the Indians. The day was clear and fine, and Wenona went wit them. The warrior was again encouraged to try to persuade her to be his bride; but he was obstinately refused. This made her family angry and after chiding her for her un- grateful conduct, they told her that they would not listen to her lorn^er, and she should be obliged to do as they re- quested. They immediately began to prepare the feast to celebrate the weddina: ceremony. Wenona said, "Is this the love my father and brothers bear for me? Thev have separated my lover from me and now torment me with one of their own choice !" She sighed for the hunter, who roamed alone in the for- est with no squav/ to prepare his wigwam or cook his food. —08-- As her friends were busy and rejoicing over the occasion soon to be celebrated, Wenona withdrew from them and climbed to the high rock overlooking the lake. When she reached its top, she called to them and chided them for their unkindness to her. She then looked out over the water, and began singing her death song. Frantically, her friends and family cried to her to stop, only to listen to them. Some ran up the side of the clift, trying to reach her before it was too late; others remained at the foot of the cliff to catch her body. Her father called, "0, Wenona, I forbid that you be further annoyed; all prep- arations for this wedding will cease if only you will come back to gladden your father's heart V In vain did they call. Wenona finished her song, paused, leaped from the cliff, and fell dead at their feet. A true Indian story — showing that the heart of the savage beats as lovally for the one it loves, as does that of its civilized friend. LOVE TALE OF ST. ANTHOXY FALLS. A love tale is connected with St. Anthony Falls. In this valley many moons ago, a young Dakota Indian married an Indian maiden of whom he was very fond. With their two children they were abundantly blessed, and dwelt in peace and happiness. The brave was a hunter and because of his prosperity and ability to supply his friends and members of his tribe with fish and game, they were drawn to his lodge, and favor was bestowed on him. He soon began to accept this as a great honor, and when the members of his tribe suggested that he, like other great red men, should have more than one wife, his ambition led him to be persuaded, and he secretly married the daughter of an influential man of the village. He disliked to offend his worthy helpmate, and used all his powers of diplomacy when breaking the news to her. He artfully told her, how he loved her more than any other woman; but how his fame and popularity among his people, —59— brought many hardships on her and to relieve her from this arduous toil, he, for her sake, had decided to take a second wife. This wife, he assured her, was always to be a subject of her will. Not doubting his solicitation in her behalf, she told him how well and strong she was; she rehearsed the tale of their love and happiness in the past. Seeing that 'bis argument failed, the hunter finally told his wife, that words were un- necessary as he had already married and his second wife must be received. If she could not come with favor, then she sliould be accepted without it. The faithful squaw's life of peace and harmony was changed and gloom and dispair took its place. Under the cover of the darkness of night, taking her two children, she fled to the wigwam of her father. She stayed here until he and his friends went up the Mississippi River for their annual winter hunt. She accompanied them. The Indians spent sev- eral months killing the animals of the forest, and in the early spring, with their canoes loaded with skijQs, glided back down the river. They camped at St. Anthony Falls. The next morning, as they were about to pursue their way, the squaw put her children into the canoe, leaped in herself, and paddled down the stream. iVbove the noise of the water, could be heard her death song in plaintive accents, bewailing the loss of her husband's affection, and reciting his past love and their former happiness. Xearer and nearer to the falls she came, and as the last note of the dirge died away, the canoe with its three passensrers, was swept over the precipice to be lost forever from the sight of man. The Indians tell us that often in the earlv morning, her sad voice is still heard haunting this beautiful waterfall. THE LEGE]N^D OF PIPESTONE. Ages ago, a great flood came upon the Indian lands. The lowlands were covered and all the tribes gathered for —60— refuge upon the Coteau des Prairies, Mountain of the Prairies. Still the waters continued to rise until the people knew that even here they were not safe. As they waited for death, a great war eagle circled above them and came so near to a beautiful Indian maiden that she grasped his foot. Clinging to it, she was carried by the great bird far above the flood to a ledge at the summit of a distant moun- tain and so was saved. Her people were all drowned and the Gitche Manito (Great Spirit) turned their bodies into red stone; but the maiden married the war eagle and their children became the ancestors of the present Indian tribes. The Mountain of the Pl-airies with its red stone com- posed of the bodies of all races has ever since been sacred to peace; from this stone, the peace pipes are made and they are decorated with carvings representing the eagle and with eagle's feathers. -61- CHAPTER VI SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION AS A TERRITORY 1839-1858 The news of the ratification of these treaties of 1837 was received at Fort Snelling, June 15, 1838, and imme- diately, claims were staked out by citizens who had eagerly awaited this opportunity. One of these early settlers was Joseph Brown who filed a claim on the St. Croix, laid out the town-site of Stillwater, and built the first house there. Franklin Steele and Angus Anderson started before day- break, so fearful were they that some one else would fore- stall them in a claim they had in view on the north side of St. Anthony. JOSEPH BROWN Joseph Brown was born in Maryland AND in 1805. When fourteen, he ran away STILLWATER from home and came to Mendota with the detachment of troops who arrived here in 1819. He was a typical pioneer and was in turn, a trader, a lumberman, a prominent politician, and an editor. He married a Sioux and this fact gave him a certain in- fluence over the natives. Brown had a trading post at Grey Cloud Island, about twelve miles below St. Paul. When the treaties of 1837 were ratified^ he realized the fact that settlers would soon arrive -62— to take up the rich timber lands along the St. Croix and that the natural location for a village would be at the head of the St. Croix Lake. Accordingly, he with several others, took a pine claim on the river and in 1839, he laid out a tovrn site Avhich he called Dakotah, at the head of the lake, and half a mile above the original site of Stillwater. Brown also began the erection of a large log house, the first within the present limits of Stillwater. Two or three other cabins were built in 1840. In 1843, a company called the Stillwater Lumber Com- pany was organized and erected a saw-mill on the shore of the St. Croix. The name ^'Stillwater" was suggested by John McCusick, a member of this Company, in memory of his former home in Maine ; and the name soon came to be ap- plied to the village as well as to the mill. In 1844, the Lumljer Company did considerable business; a hotel, and a genei\al store with lumberman's supplies were built, and in 1846, a post office was established. Lumber from the Stillwater mill was used in building the first frame houses of St. Paul including the Central House, which was our first "Capitol." Major Brown aided in staking out the first road from St. Paul to Prairie du Chien and also the first from Menclota to Lac qui Parle. He was a member of the Wisconsin legislature in 1840, '41 and '42 and was a member of the Territorial Legislature of Minnesota, most of the time from 1849 to 1857; he was also a member of the Constitutional Convention. His was a most eventful life, and he w^as so closely associated with our early history, that Brown County is most appropriately named for him. FRANKLIN Another pioneer who anxiouslv awaited the STEELE signing of the treaty of 1837 \'as Franklin Steele. Franklin Steele was born in Penn- sylvania. President Jackson advised him to come west and in 1838, he secured an appointment as post sutler for Fort —63— Snelling. He was then twenty-four years of age. Eealizing the magnitude of water power in the Falls of St. Anthony, as soon as the treaty was signed by the Chippewas, he hurried to take up a claim on the north side of the river adjoining the Falls. In 1848, he built here the first mill with the exception of the old government mill and so was the real founder of the great milling industry of Min- neapolis. Mr. Steele was closely associated with the early develop- ment of Minneapolis and of the state. He built the first suspension bridge across the river just above the falls; he urged Congress in 1855, to extend the pre-emption laws over a portion of the military reservation; it finally did so, thus opening up a large part of the area now Minneapolis, west of the river. Mr. Steele was also chosen a meml3er of the Board of Regents of the State University in 1851 and con- tributed largely toward the establishment of the preparatory department. EJECTION OP We have read that a few families of the RED RIVER Red River refugees had been allowed by REFUGEES Col. Snelling to settle lands near the fort. By Pike's treaty of 1805, this had become government land and the settlers believed they w^ere entitled to make homesteads here as on any government land; but the successors of Colonel Snelling looked upon them as in- truders and were not disposed to treat them kindly. Finally, in 1837, Major Plympton, commandant of the fort, and certain of his associates urged the government to reserve a portion of land near the fort as a military reserve and to eject from it all other persons. The reasons given for this ejection was the fear that the timber about the fort would be insufficient for the needs of both fort and settlers, and the fact that settlers near the fort supplied Indians with liquor. The latter claim was undoubtedly true but it w^as never proved that the Swiss settlers were the ones at fault; how- ever, these "Pilgrims of Minnesota" were again obliged to leave tlie little homes they had built and the farms thev had laboriously prepared for cultivation. Some of them left Minnesota and located at Prairie du Chien; others settled east of the Mississippi near Fountain Cave and within the present limits of the city of St. Paul. Here, they were soon joined by other settlers and the nucleus of the capital city was formed. NAME OF The early name of this settlement had NEW SETTLE- a curious derivation. ^N^ear Fountain MENT Cave, also located an intemperate, ill- looking old man called Pierre Parrant; he afterwards held a claim lying between the present streets of Jackson and Minnesota and back from the river to the bluffs. Still later, he held a claim on the flats below Dayton's Bluff. In each of these places, he built a hovel where he sold liquor to Indians and to traders in defiance of the laws of the fort. This Parrant had one good eye, the other was so ugly to look upon that he was called Pig's Eye. Partly in fun, a young man of the settlement, when writing a letter gave as his address, Pig's Eye. The an- swer, when it came, repeated the name and the settlement was for some time known by this ugly title derived from the nick name of one of its most undesirable citizens. THE MILITARY T^^ 1839, there arrived the expected or- RESERVATION der allowing the military reservation and giving its boundaries. Xote. Tliese were: ''Five miles up the Minnesota (St. Peter's) from its mouth; thence seven miles to include Lake Harriet; thence to Lake of the Isles; thence above St. An- thony Falls and across the Mississippi, about five mnes; thence southward to the Mississippi below Fountain Cave — the last line passing near Seven Corners in St. Paul.^' This reservation included a large part of what is now St. Paul and Minneapolis. It was granted in opposition to several remonstrances sent by settlers and by prominent men of the territory who felt that the request for the reservation arose from greed of men connected with the post, who wished perhaps to gain control of lands about the Falls where they had already made claims. In any event, this driving the settlers from the reserva- tion prohibited the building of a city at the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers which was its most prob- able location; and led to the founding of two cities on the Mississippi at the extremities of the reservation but as near as might be to the fort from which they hoped for pro- tection from the Indians, and a market for their products. ilQUOR From the time of the earliest fur traders, liq- TRAFFIC Qor had been inchided in the list of articles supplied by the merchants and carried by the traders to exchange with the Indians for their valuable furs. The crime and misery resulting from this curse can hardly be described. An entire nation who, before the coming of the whites, had been self-supporting and contented, became cruel and lazy, ready to dispose of guns, blankets, food, any- thing, for this curse brought among them by the race who should have aided civilization. The Indians congregated about the early settlement of St. Paul where liquor could be obtained and wandering away, often fell from the bluffs, and were frozen, or were devoured by wolves. Often intoxicated liands were a menace to the isolated settler. Thus our capital lield in its early history, a most undesirable reputation. CHAPEL OF There were, however, also elements working ST. PAUL for good. , In 1839 Bishop Loras of Du- buque visited Mendota and became interested in the settlers there and felt their need of church services. Accordingly, the next spring, he sent Father Lucien Gal- tier as a missionary into the field. He established a church —66— at ^leiulota and, in 1841, wishing to extend his work amon^ the settlers on the right bank of the river, encouraged the people of Pig's Eye to build a little chapel which he dedi- cated to St. Paul. The landing near the chapel was soon called St. Paul's Laiiding and finally the name St. Paul came to be applied to the entire settlement. James Goodhue, an early resident of the town, com- mented on this in a New Year's address in 1850: "Pig's Eye, converted shalt thou be like Saul; Arise, and be, henceforth, St. Paul." FIRST POST In 1846, a regular line of steamboats was OFFICE IN established on the Mississippi and, dur- ST. PAUL ing that same year, a post office was opened in St. Paul with Henry Jackson as first postmaster. Williams thus describes the first post office : "Out of some old packing cases, or odd boards, he constructed a rude case about two feet square, and contain- ing sixteen pigeon-holes. These were labelled with initial letters." BATTLE OF :\reantime the deadly feud still existed be- KAPOSIA tween the Chippewa and the Sioux tribes in spite of all interventions for peace. When in the spring of 1841, three Dakota Indians were killed near Fort Snelling by three lawless Chippewa desperadoes, Little Crow with a band of Kaposia warriors attacked the enemy at Saint Croix Falls, while another party from the Sioux tribe sought revenge at Pokegama in the Ojibway ter- ritory. They did little damage, but aroused the hostility of that tribe. In 1842, a war party consisting of forty Chippewas from Fond du Lac, started from their part of the country to make trouble for the Sioux enemy. They first went to council w4th the Chippewa band at Mille Lacs. The time spent there was one of feasting and Indian revelr\', then, accompanied by members of this tribe, making a party of one hundred —67— warriors, they decided to -attack the band of Big Thunder (Little Crow Xo. 4). They passed along the St. Croix valley reaching Pig's Eye in the evening. Here they camped for the night, in- tending to raid the settlement by daylight. The following day, scouts went out to find the exact location of the Sioux. The scouts ran across a half breed whom they recognized as a Chippewa, and asked him questions concerning the Sioux. This half-breed, who had come from Selkirk Colony, was now employed at the Eed Eock Mission. He instantly re- turned to the mission, which sent out two Sioux runners to notify the Ivaposia Indians of the enemy's approach. Francois Gammel, a French Canadian, who was married to a Sioux, lived on the lowland at Pig's Eye. Creeping along through the brush, the Chippewas came across Gam- mers hut, and being blood thirsty, and eager for an attack, they shot and killed three persons engaged in hoeing corn on the Gammel place. These shots were heard by the Ivaposia Sioux, who, hav- ing also received notice from Eed Eock, shook off the drunk- en sleep in which they were indulging, aroused themselves to action, and met the Chippewas on the flats at the foot of the bluff. Here was one of the fiercest Indian battles which lasted several hours. The soldiers from Ft. Snelling, who were sent out to stop the attack, arrived in time to see the Chippewa forced to retreat and driven through the timber toward Stillwater. THE TERRITORY In May, 1848, Wisconsin was ad- ORGANIZED mitted as a state with the St. Croix as its western boundary; thus the part of Minnesota previously a county of Wisconsin was left out of the state. As no other provision had been made for the government of that area between the Mississippi and the St. Croix, it was supposedly still the "Territory of Wisconsin." A? such, a convention regularly called, elected Henry Sibley as terri- torial delegate from that territory to Congress. After some difficulty, he was allowed a seat and devoted himself during the session to urging upon Congress the passage of a bill then before the house, to organize the territory of Minne- sota. On the very last day of the session, the bill passed, March 3, 1849. Xote. Williams' Hist, of St. Paul. "A communication in the first number of the Pioneer graphically describes the reception of the news of the organization of the Territory," under the caption, "The Breaking up of a Hard Winter :" ''The last has been the severest winter known in the North- west for many years. During five months the communication between this part of the country and our brethren in the United States has been difficult ' and unf requent. A mail now and then from Prairie du Chien, brought ui> on the ice in a train drawn sometimes by horses, sometimes by dogs, contained new^s so old that the country below had forgotten all a])0ut it. When the milder weather commenced and the ice became unsafe, we were completely shut out from all communication for several weeks. We had to wait for the arrival of the first boat to learn whether our Territory was organized and who were its Federal officers. How anxious- ly was that boat expected ! The ice still held its iron grasp on Lake Pepin. For a week the arrival of a boat had been looked for every hour. Expectation was on tiptoe. Monday, the ninth of April, had been a pleasant day. Toward evening, the clouds gathered, and about dark com- menced a violent storm of rain, wind, and loud peals of thunder. The darkness was only dissipated by vivid flashes of lightning. All of a sudden, in a momentary lull of the wind, the silence was broken by the groan of an engine. In another moment, the shrill whistle of a steamboat shrilled the air ; another moment, and a vivid flash of lightning re- vealed the welcome shape of a steamboat just rounding the bluff, less than a mile below St. Paul. In an instant the welcome news flashed throughout the town, and, regardless of the pelting rain, the raging wind, and the pealing thun- 'der, almost the entire male population rushed to the land- ing. At length the news was known, and one glad shout resounding through the hoat taken upon shore, and eclioed from our bluffs and rolling hills, proclaimed that the bill If or the organization of Minnesota territory had become a law/' Boundaries of territory : The boundaries were the same as at present except that it extended on the west to the Missouri River making its area about double what it is at 'present. SUCCESSIVE 4nd now Eastern and Western Minne- GOVERNMENTS sota were united under one territorial OF MINNESOTA government. Eastern Minnesota had previously been under the organized government of the Xorthwest Territory, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Western Minnesota had been in the Territory of Louisiana, and in Missouri, Michigan, Wis- consin, and Iowa. Iowa became a state in 1845 with her present boundaries and, until 1847, western Minnesota had no organized government. GOVERNOR In April, 1849, Alexander Eamsey was ap- RAMSEY pointed by President Taylor to be our first territorial governor. Mr. Eamsey was tlien thirty-four years of age. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and a staunch Whig, and had served two terms in Congi-ess. From the date of his appointment until his death, he was one of the foremost citizens of the state. POPULATION OF We have seen that the boundaries of TERRITORY Minnesota were greatly extended at the time of her territorial organiza- tion ; but in all this 166,000 square miles, the census shows us that in 1849, there were only 4,680 people. 317 of these —TO— were connected witli the army and 637 were at Pembina. St. Panl boasted a population of 840 and Stillwater, 609. This was a meager population for so great an area but with the announcement of its organization as a territory, immigration increased rapidly. E. S. Seymour in his ^^Sketches of Min- nesota," tells us of St. Paul at this time : ^'Everything here appeared to be on the liigh pressure principle. A dwelling house for a family could not be rented. The only hotel was small and full to overflowing. While travelling in Minnesota, I made my headquarters in St. Paul, wdiere I occasionally tar- ried a day or two at a boarding house, consisting of one room about 16 feet square in which 16 persons, men, w^omen, and children contrived to lodge." When Gov. Ramsey arrived wath his wdfe in May, he was the guest for some time of Mr. Sibley of Mendota. FIRST Among the early arrivals in the new ter- NEWSPAPER ritory was James Goodhue, who came lo St. Paul from Wisconsin and established liere the first newspaper of Minnesota, The Minnesota Pioneer. Mr. Goodhue was a typical pioneer, energetic and enterprising with a considerable fund of good humor and common sense. The present Pioneer Press is a direct descendant of the Minnesota Pioneer. 'Note. Mr. Goodhue says in his first issue: "We pre- sent and issue this number of the Pioneer in a building through which out-of-doors is visible by more than 500 aper- tures ; and as for our type, it is not safe from being pied on the galleys by the wind." Another notice describes further his difficulties : "Stop That Rooting Under Our Floor! We are no Jew, but a gentile, or the rooting nation under our editorial sanctum, instead of respectful notice w4th our pen, would get punched with a sharp stick. N'ot that we would find fault w^ith the pigs, for this is all owing to their bringing up. But really, our equanimity is somewhat ruffled, if —71— our chair is not jostled, by the movement of their hard backs under our loose floor." FIRST In July, Gov. Eamsey divided the territory ELECTION into seven council districts and ordered the first election, Aug. 1. The first territorial legislature met in the Old Central House of St. Paul^ Sept. 4, 1845). It consisted of nine councillors and eighteen lep- resentatives. FIRST Some of the actions of this first legisla- LEGISLATURE ture are especially noteworthy. They founded the Historical Society of Min- nesota, and they organized a system of free schools. Every +o\vnship containing not less than five families was to be considered a school district. It had hitherto been customary in every newly organized territory, to grant one section in each township for school purposes. Minnesota was the first territory in which this grant was doubled. Owing to this fact we have one of the largest school funds of the United States. With an area of over 53,000,000 acres, this grant has already receipted us over $20,000,000. Of this only the interest is exjDended for school purposes being distributed to the counties according to school attendance. Besides this grant, liberal areas have been allowed for a state university with an agricultural college and experimental farms. FIRST In 1846, Dr. Williamson, then a missionary SCHOOL among the Dakota Indians wrote Ex-Governor Slade of Vermont, president of the National Popular Educational Society, asking him to send to Min- nesota a teacher for the white children of the village of St. Paul. In response to this call, in 1848, came Miss Harriett Bishop to St. Paul and Miss Amanda Horsford to Stillwater. In 1849, Miss Backus arrived at St. Anthony, also as a teacher. Miss Bishop began her work in St. Paul' in July, 1848, and thus describes her first school house: "Some wooden —72— pins had been driven into the logs across which rough boards were placed for seats. The luxury of a chair was accorded to the teacher, and a cross-legged table occupied the center of the loose floor." Only five pupils were enrolled at the opening of this school; but in the spring of 1849, a second school House was built, another teacher, Miss Mary Scofield, arrived; and ample means were provided for the instruction of 150 pupils. Harriet Island of St. Paul was named in honor of Miss Bishop. MISSIONARY Missionary schools had, before this, been WORK established among the Indians in various parts of the state. In 1834, Samuel and Gideon Pond came to Minnesota from New England as mis- sionaries. They established a mission at Lake Calhoun. Here also, they built a school and sought to teach agriculture. Oth- er similar missions were established about 1835, at Lac qui Parle and Traverse des Sioux by the Presb3'terian Board, with Dr. Eiggs and Dr. Williams as missionaries. The Swiss olso sent two men into this field, Messrs. Denton and Ga- \in, who located at Red Wing. These early missionaries were most zealous workers. At their schools they taught English but devoted a great deal of time, also, to a study of the Dakota language. Por- tions of the Scripture and many school books were translated into the Indian tongue. They brought looms and taught the Indian women to weave. Probably the first cloth manufac- tured in Minnesota was some linsey-woolsey woven by Indian girls at Lac qui Parle mission in 1830. The missionaries also brought plows and cultivated small farms, w^hile they tried to teach the Indians to do the same. Their experiments proved the agricultural possibilities of the state. The trad- ers, in most instances, opposed the education of the Indians and often stirred up opposition to the missionaries among the Indians themselves. Their cattle were sometimes killed and their fields destroyed. Besides these discouragements, they met the usual hardships of the pioneer. —73— In the spring of 1837, Mrs. Denton heard that her hus- band was very ill at Ft. Snelling. With two Indian women as companions, she made her way to him np the river, about a hundred miles, in a canoe, sleeping two nights on the snow covered ground. This is only one instance of many that could be given showing the courage of these pioneer women. The mission at Lac qui Parle was the most successful, largely through the help of Joseph Eenville, chief trader of that region. A church was built here in 1841 and its bell was the first in Minnesota. In 1846, Little Crow invited Dr. Williams to establish a mission at Kaposia. When, after the treaties of 1851, the Indians were re- moved to their reservations, Drs. Williams and Riggs went with them to continue their labors; other missionaries re- mained to preach to the incoming white settlers. Note. The father of Joseph Eenville was a French fur- trader who spent many years in Minnesota. When he be- came old, he felt the need of someone to hoe his corn and prepare his food and, according to the custom of the coun- try, he purchased a wife. She was of the Kaposia band of Sioux. The white settlers in Minnesota were then very few and, •until little Joseph was ten years of age, he had seen no white man but his father. At that time, the Indian mother de- serted her white husband for one of her own tribe and the elder Renville, remembering the associations of his own youth, took his little son with him across the wilderness to the settlements of Southern Canada. Here he left the boy /Under the care and instruction of a Catholic priest and re- turned alone. The priest was kind and a faithful instructor and taught young Joseph the principles of the Christian religion and to speak French. In a few years, the elder Renville, knowing that death was near, sent for his son to return. Renville's life there- after was among his mother's people; but he was honored —74— b}^ wiuTco as well as Indians for his courage, honesty, and sound counsel. His knowledge of French made him valuable as an interpreter. Dickson, the British officer, employed him as a coureur des hois and, while he was still a youth, he had guided a canoe from Pokegama Falls to St. Anthony Falls and knew well the trail from St. Anthony to the Missouri. He was Pike's interpreter in 1805 and Pike was so well pleased with his services that he recommended him strong- ly as United States interpreter. When the war with England began in 1812, Renville was persuaded by Dickson to take up arms against the Unite(? States. He was given an appointment as captain in the British army and with other Indian warriors from the upper Mississippi, engaged in the frontier warfare against the Americans. Penville was with Little Crow when in 1815, at Drum- mond's Island, he met a British officer who gave them pres- ents and thanked them for their participation in the war. Little Crow pushed the gifts aside with the words ; "You persuaded us to make war on a people we hardly knew. You make peace for yourselves and leave us to get such terms as we can. We will not take your gifts but hold them and yourselves in equal contempt.'^ After the war, Eenville lived in Canada for awhile working for the Hudson Bay Fur Company but he returned to Minnesota and for many j^ears had an important trading post on Lac qui Parle (The Lake That Talks). He it was w^ho invited Dr. Williams to establish a mission there. He had married a Sioux by Christian rites and desired that his chil- dren should be educated. Until his death, he was a stanch supporter of the mission. TRANSPORTATION Most of the early pioneers of Min- nesota settled along water courses, and the birch bark canoe of the native was a con- venient means of transportation. In 1823, as already noted, the first steamboat made its way to the mouth of the St. Peter's. This was followed by others ; a trip to the ^^'ilds — 75— of the Upper Mississippi," became a favorite pleasure ex- cursion for people of the lower river valley. In 1851, a regular steamboat route was established from St. Louis to St, Paul and Stillwater. In these early days, steamers were also able to ascend the Minnesota as far as Mankato; and in 1860, the Burbank Company organized a line of steamboat transportation on the Eed Eiver of the Xorth. The means of inland transportation was always more difficult to find. A pioneer in this line was Xorman Kitt- son. PEMBINA The Red River Valley had, from the time of CARTS earliest exploration of Minnesota, furnished great quantities of furs. Prior to 1844, these were carried to the Atlantic via. the Hudson Bay route, a long and difficult journey. In 1844, Norman Kittson in connection with the American Fur Company of Mendota, es- tablished a fur-trading post at Pembina in the extreme northwest corner of Minnesota. This village then con- sisted of a few hundred French half-breeds. Kittson col- lected here, in 1848, about two thousand dollars worth of furs which he transported to Mendota in carts. The carts returned loaded with goods. This was the beginning of a trade which lasted until about 1867 when the St. Paul and Pacific Railway was built. In 1855, about fifty thousand dol- lars worth of furs were carried over the route. At that time the trade was about at its height. In 1857, five hundred carts came over the trail to St. Paul. Her fur trade for that year amounted to $182,491. The Pembina cart was a curious vehicle. It was made entirely of wood and leather, had two wheels and carried from six to seven hundred pounds, and was drawn by an ox or ]:)ony. The carts left Pembina in a train early m June and were usually a month or six weeks in making the jouruey. Sometimes one driver managed several carts by tying eacli pony to the tail of the preceding cart and guid- ing tlie leading animal. —76— As the wheels were never greased, the screeching axles of these primitive wagons gave warning long in advance, of the approaching train. The drivers were half-hreeds called Bois B rules, dressed in odd, half-civilized garments with bright sashes and bar- baric ornaments. When the party camped for the night, the carts were arranged in a great circle with the poles toward the cen- ter and camp was made within the circle. Thus was ar~ ranged a fairly good fort. The encampment w^as carefully guarded against the attack of marauding savages or wild beasts. The Red Eiver trade was a very profitable one for Mendota and later, for St. Paul; and the arrival of the Pembina carts was an important event to the city mer- chants and traders. Xote. Xorman Kittson was a Canadian and a grand- son of a noted explorer of Revolutionary days who explored the Lake Superior region and Manitoba and Saskatchewan districts. In 1830, when Mr. Kittson was a boy of sixteen, he was employed by the American Fur Company and stationed at a trading post between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, where he remained for two years. In 1834, he came to Ft. Snelling as sutler of the post and later established a trading post at Cold Spring near the Fort. In 1843, be became a partner in the American Fur Company having charge of all their business at the head waters of the Minnesota, and along the British line. He made his head quarters at Pem- bina and there collected furs to send to Mendota. In 1854, he removed to St. Paul and became partner in an establishment called "The St. Paul Outfit" which was a supply house for traders. Mr, Kittson was a member of the Council of the Min- nesota Legislature for four years, 1852 to 1856. Two items given in the Pioneer of that time, help us to appreciate —77— somewhat the difficulty with which he represented that dis- tant district. In 1852, a correspondent from Sauk Eapids writes : "The honorable members elected to the House and Council, from Pembina, viz: Messrs. Kittson, Roulette, and Gingras, arrived at Crow Wing on Christmas Eve, in six- teen days from home, stopping two days at Eed Lake on the way. Each had his cariole, drawn by three fine dogs, harnessed tastily, with jingling bells, and driven tandem, at 2 :40 at least, when put to their speed. They usually trav- eled from 30 to 40 miles per day and averaged about thirty- five miles. They fed the dogs but once a day, on the trip, and that at night, a pound of pemmican each. On this, they draw a man and baggage as fast as a good horse would travel, and, on long journeys, they tire horses out." Again, in 1853, the Pioneer notes that Messrs. Kittson, Gingras, and Roulette, members from Pembina, walked the entire distance to St. Paul (about five hundred miles) on snow shoes and over snow two feet deep. It was largely through the enterprise of Mr. Kittson that the Northwest was opened for development and in recognition of that fact, two counties, Norman and Kittson, were named for him. Later, Mr. Kittson was associated with J. J. Hill in ])uilding the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Rail- wav. ROUTE The first regular stage route in Minnesota was STAGE established by Amherst Willoughby and Simon Powers between St. Paul and St. Anthony in 1849. The following winter, they opened a line from St. Paul to Prairie du Chien ; and, in 1854, another from St. Paul to Shakopee. In 1851, they put on the first Concord coacli brought to Minnesota. This was a heavy closed vehicle built to withstand the rough roads and heavy loading of those days. —78— In 1853, another coach line was opened from Stillwater through Minnesota and Iowa to Dubuque and thence to Galena, Illinois, to the nearest railroad. This trip was ad- vertised to take four days. A line in opposition to this was opened two years later and ran from St. Paul through Lakeville, Owatonna and Austin to Dubuque; another line was organized from St. Paul to Superior, Wisconsin. At this time, (1855) eight coaches left St. Paul daily for Minneapolis, Crow Wing, Mankato, New Ulm, Hudson, Wisconsin, and Stillwater. These stages were often open wagons with two or four horses. Their trips were begun in the very early morning; sometimes ten miles or so were traversed before breakfast. The wagons were piled high with freight; roads were ungraded; streams were often un- bridged and delays were frequent. Sometimes it would be necessary to spend a night at a frontier cabin. The journey was worse during the winter wlien it was not unusual to be snow-bound at some wayside for days. EXPRESS The first express line was started by James Bur- bank in 1850 and ran from St. Paul to Galena, Illinois. ^Ir. Burbank also carried mail over this route. His ])usiness was at first very light and he was able to carry all the mail in one bag and all the express in one pocket; but it grew so rapidly that, the following year, the North West- ern Express Company of which Burbank was a member, was organized and offices were established in all the larger vil- lao-es. 79— OCCUPATION WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI TREATY OF Before 1850, very little was known of TRAVERSE the territory west of the Mississippi Riv- DES SIOUX er. As there were no railroads, the only entrance to this wild, fertile, prairie land was by canoes np the Minnesota River or by the Indian trails; but, as soon as steamboats began making excursions on this stream, the beauty of scenery, and the undeveloped wealth of this Sioux territory became generally known to the people of the east. The flow of westward immigration had increased rapidly so that the unoccupied area was coveted by the settlers who crowded into St. Paul and St. Anthony. The authorities at Washington were pressed on every side to secure this ter- ritory from the Sioux tribes who held and guarded it well. Hon. H. H. Sibley and Gov. Ramsey went to Waslnngton and their persuasion, together with a memorial from the legislature, led to the appointment of a commission to ne- gotiate a treaty. Gov. Ramsey and Col. Luke Lea, the na- tional commissioner of Indian affairs were appointed as the commissioners. The fur trading companies, who had formerly opposea any terms that would lead to the settlement of the land were now in favor of the western cession; animals had been hunted so mercilessly for their pelts that their numbers had suffered a remarkable decrease and the returns of the fur trade had correspondingly dwindled ; the years immediately preceding had been marked by destitution among the sav- ages and the companies claimed that the Indians owed them about five hundred thousand dollars. A provision of tne treaty arranged for the payment of the "just debts" of the Indians, out of the money received from the government, and the traders were hopeful. Traverse des Sioux (crossing) on the Minnesota River about two miles east of St. Peter and the natural Capital of the Sioux, was selected as the meeting place of the tribes —80— . with the whites. The Indians were reluctant to make the treaty but finally, July 2'S, the upper Sioux sold all their lands to Minnesota for $1,665,000, except a reservation of twenty miles along both sides of the Minnesota from its source to the Yellow Medicine. On August 5, a similar paper was signed by the lower Sioux at Mendota. The low- er reservation was from the Yellow Medicine to New Ulm. This territory included about 21,000,000 acres. TREATY The Sioux Indians owned the long narrow 1858 strip of territory on both sides of the Minne- sota River. This included some of the most fertile land in the state; but w^as little used by the savages who lived mainly on the south side of the river. The land owned by the government had been rapidly taken by settlers* from eastern states and the increasing immigration led to a fervent and frequently expressed desire for the ^'wasted land^^ of the Sioux. Major Brown, Sioux agent, used all his influence to bring about a treaty of cession of this territory. Some of the chiefs and leading men of the bands of Sioux were per- suaded to go to Washington, where they were royally treat- ed. June 19, 1858, a treaty was negotiated which gave to tlie government a strip of land north of the Minnesota, ten miles in width and extending from the western boundary to a few miles east of St. Peter, including about eight hun- dred thousand acres. The price paid was $30 per acre, and from the sum To l)e received, the Sioux must pay the ever hungry trader debts to the amount of $140,000. As soon as this land was opened for settlement, its oc- cupation began; and rapid strides were made in its de- velopment. EARLY The conclusion of the treaties of 1851 SETTLEMENT and 1858 with the subsequent removal of the Indians to reservations, threw open a great territory to settlement. —81^ The northern portion with lier rich deposits of iron ore and her magnificent forests, was out of the reach of steam- boat transportation and hence was not settled so early as the more accessible southern portion. Southern Minnesota, between the Minnesota river and the Iowa boundary, is an elevated plain or table land. Along the rivers are often high blufls but back of the water courses extend broad undulating prairies interspersed with belts of forest. Xumerous lakes dot its surface and water power is abundant. The land was ready for the plow and yielded an abund- ant harvest the first season of its cultivation. Xever did a land give fairer promise to the immigrant and it is not strange that, in these years of a mad rush of immigration to the gold fields of the far west, many turned aside to the quiet vales and fertile prairies of Minnesota, there to find a safer, surer road to prosperity. About 1855, land districts were established and land offices where titles could be obtained to pre-empted lands were opened at Brownsville, Eed Wing, Winona and Min- neapolis. IMMIGRATION The years 1855, '56, '57 were the three great years of immigration in our terri- torial history. The census of 1855 announced a population of 53,600. This number was doubled in 1856. The sale of pub- lic lands which had been 314,000 acres in 1854 rose to over one million acres in 1855, and to over two million acres in 1856. The greater portion of these settlers came from the Middle States, the Northwestern States and from Xew Eng- land. From this great increase in the sale of land, it is evi- dent that many came intending to stay and make here their permanent homes, but an unusually large proportion re- mained in tlie villages. SPECULATION The country at large was wild with speculation. With the great rise in population, it seemed a natural conclusion that the price —82— of bind should rapidly advance. Speculators were every- where; towns were platted in anticipation of coming rail- roads: town lots were sold at exorbitant prices; money was scarce : every one was in debt ; and rates of interest were as high as 3 per cent a month on notes which, if not paid at maturity, promised even 5 per cent a month. PANIC OF '57 Suddenly, with the failure of some large eastern corporations, the bubble burst; and cities like St. Paul and Minneapolis were left without mon- ey to carry on business. There was a sudden revulsion among tlie people away from speculation and toward the cultivation of the soil. Thousands of farms were opened; experiments in rais- ing wheat, corn and other grains were surprisingly success- ful : and, in about ten years, Minnesota had a surplus of over forty thousand bushels of wheat for export. EARLY SETTLEMENT OF MINNEAPOLIS St. Anthony Falls had been the site of a government flour mill as already noted and in 1847, a saw mill was Imilt there and the town site of St. Anthony was laid out. The first settlers of Minneapolis were mostly lumbermen from the east, particularly from Maine. They were honest and industrious, typical j^ioi^eers. In 1850, however, St. Antliony had only about five hundred forty inhabitants. The settlement nearest the falls was called Upper Town while a collection of cabins on the present university campus and near a hotel owned by Mr. Cheever was called Lower Town or Cheever Town. This hotel stood on the old territorial road. On the west side of the river a little settlement called All i^ainff( was started by Colonel Stevens who built there for himself and Mr. Steele, the first frame house of Minne- apolis. In recent years this house was removed to Minne- haha Park by the school children of Minneapolis. Charles Hoag of All Saints devised for it a name Min- —83— ?ie ha polis, meaning "City of Laughing Water." In 1855, this town had a population of over three thousand; a sus- pension bridge connected it with St. Anthony; and it boast- ed a newspaper, a sawTiiill, post office, government land of- fice, and three organized churches. In 1872, Minneapolis and St. Anthony were united un- der one city government with a population of twenty thou- sand. Even in the early territorial days, we find the founders of Minneapolis anxious to provide schools for their chil- dren, and in 1856, the Board of Education selected the block where the City Hall now stands as the site of a Union School building and they built here "a double brick school house, the best school building north of St. Louis" and about two- hundred fifty pupils enrolled as students during the first year, 1857. Unfortunately this building was burned in 1864, but the Washington was erected on the same site and opened m 1867. Within a year, there were twenty-seven teachers em- ployed in the city and the system wdiich has since achieved sucii notal)le results in the educational world was well be- gun. Minneapolis was from its beginning a manufacturing center, and in 1868, her manufactured products were valued at five million dollars. Of these flour was chief. The mill- ing industry is treated elsewhere. SETTLEMENTS OF SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA The first territorial legislature had created eight coun- ties in Minnesota; Itasca, Wabasha, Dakota, Wahnahtah, Mankato, Pembina, Washington, Ramsey, and Benton. Of these, two, Wabasha and Dakota, embraced all the territory lying south of the Minnesota River. Some of the earliest settlements of -these counties were made at Winona, Red Wing, and Wabasha. —84— The first white settlers who visited this region v/ere missionaries and fur-traders. For several years, the Swiss maintained as one of their "foreign missions'^ a station under Messrs. Denton and Gavin on Lake Pepin. In 1842, Father Eavoux constructed a log building for a church, and floated it on a raft from St. Paul to Wabasha where it was set up with ceremony and used for several years. In 1850, Congress constructed a military road from Mendota to Wabasha, a distance of about seventy-five miles. Trading posts were frequent along the river. A half-breed, La Bathe, held several; one on the present site of Wabasha, one where Minnesota City now stands, and another at the mouth of the White Water near Bald Bluff. WINONA Explorers, traversing the prairies west of Wi- nona, Red Wing, and Wabasha saw the pos- sibility of the location of a large commercial city at a point on the river affording a good steamboat landing and a dis- tributing center for outlying districts. Wabasha's Prairie appeared to answer these qualifica- tions but there was a tradition among the Indians that this ^•alley was sometimes entirely overflowed; hence the first actual settler, W. B. Bunnell, located his claim at Homer, 1849, believing it the better site; and Xathan Brown, ar- ]ivin,2f tlie same year, located at Dacotah. ^ The first to select Wabasha Prairie as a town site was Capt. Orrin Smith, a steamboat captain, whose many years of experience navigating the Mississippi had led him to dou])t the story of the flooding of the valley. In 1851, Capt. Smith made his claim in this valley including both the up- per and lower steam boat landings. Other settlers of the same year were Silas Stevens, George Clark, and Edwin Hamilton. An organization known as "Western Farm and Village Association" was established in New York in 1851. Its pur- pose was to aid its members to leave the city and form a —85— colony in the lands opened for settlement in the west. The founder and president of the association, William Haddock, and one companion, • exploring for a favorable location for this colony, arrived at Wabasha^s Prairie February, 1852. After encamping here for a night, they proceeded up Straight Slough on their skates under the impression that this was the Mississippi, and followed it to the valley of the Eolling Stone. An opening in this valley seemed to Haddock an ideal place for the location of his colony and, reaching an agreement with the settler who had already taken a claim here, he took several adjacent claims for the Association and began the business of laying out a town plat. During the summer that followed, nearly five hundred settlers consisting of members of the Association and their families arrived at this settlement which they named ^lin- nesota City. A post ofi^ice was establshed, religious serv- ices were held, wheat was planted, a good harvest gathered, and the colony seemed well under way; but the failure of any boats to navigate the Slough even during high water and an epidemic of fever through which several lost their lives, so disheartened the community that most of the settlers aoan- doned their new homes. Some sought employment In :^t. Paul or La Crosse; others settled in the little village now growing about Captain Smith's steamboat landing. The summer of 1852, brought immigrants with every boat to this village. Like St. Paul, it was crowded to its utmost in the attempt to accommodate new settlers. Abner Goddard, built that summer, a large shanty which served as a hotel, the first hotel of Winona. This hotel was an im- portant building of the time; the first school assembled here; here church services were held; and it was tlie scene of many social affairs. A post office, Montezuma, was established at the Prairie but this name was not approved by the settlers and in 1853, it was changed to Winoifa. In 1854, the county of Winona was created and it had then about eight hundred inhabitants; but in 1855, with —86— the filial removal of the Indians to a reservation and the estahlishment of a land office at Winona, the lands west of the village were thrown open to setters. So great an immi- gration followed that in January, 1855, tlie population of the village alone was three thousand. Some of the industries that still tlirive in the city were begun. A steam flour mill, two steam saw mills and a steam planing mill were put in operation. A city charter was granted in March, 1857. Winona, a gateway for the shipping of agricultural products raised on tlie fertile plains at her west, with her facilities for lumber manufacture and river transportation, had a steady growth. Wlieii railroad commerce in a measure superseded that of the river, she still thrived as a railroad center. RED WING T?ed Wing, at the head of Lake Pepin, re- ceived much of the early river commerce. This city is Ijesides, in the center of a deposit of clay suit- able for bricks, tiles and cement. In the later years of the state's history, the manufacturing of these products has con- tributed largely to the growth of the city. SOUTHEASTERN In the midst of fertile prairies lying CITIES south and west of Winona were settled tliriving villages where now are tlie cities of Rochester, OAvatonna, Xew Ulm, Mankato, Albert Lea, and Austin. These settlements received many of the immigrants of 1855-'57 and, depending almost entirely tor their progress upon the agricultural interests of the sur- rounding country, have steadily grown as those interests thrived. Their founders were usually of the sturdy stock of New England or of the Middle Atlantic States but later immi- grants sometimes came directly from European states, j ar- ticularlv Scandinavia. 87-- NEW ULM The early settlement of New Ulm was an- usual. A German association of Cincinnati, in 1854, sent out explorers to find a location for a town m the new west, and the}^ selected the present site of New Ulm. They laid out a town plat comprising a large area, and many members of the association arrived during 1855 and 1856. For a time New Ulm was governed as a community but later, it applied for and received a city charter. ATTEMPT TO An interesting incident of this period REMOVE was the attempt made during the Terri- OAPITAL torial Legislature of 1857, to remove the capital from St. Paul to St. Peter. The movement had many friends and a bill to effect the change passed both the House and the Council; in the latter, by a vote of eight to seven. It was then sent to a committee lor final enrollment. Joseph Eolette from Pembina was a member of this committee. He probably liad no especial interest in defeat- ing the measure other than a general friendliness for St. Paul; but, on the next day after the bill had been submitted to t]ie committee, Polette was absent and the bill could not be found. A sergeant-at-arms was unable to find tiie missing member and a copy of the bill was procured. The president of tlie council refused to sign this, though the governor did so. Tlie following July, the Supreme court decided that the law was not passed. Polette had been quietly hiding in an upper room of the Fuller House during their search and appeared imme- diately upon the adjournment of the session. -88- CHAPTER VII ORGANIZATION AS A STATE 1858-1860 ENABLING In 1857, our territorial delegate to Congress, ACT Hon. Henry M. Eice, introduced a bill to enable the people of Minnesota to organize a state and apply for admission into the Union. The enabling act was granted February, 1857. By this act, the western boundary which, under the territorial gov- ernment, had extended to the Missouri Eiver, was to be re- stricted to the line of the Eed Eiver of the North. This act embodied grants for public lands for common schools, a uni- versity, and public buildings and also a grant of about 4,- 500,000 acres to aid in the building of railroads. CONSTITUTIONAL The legislature of 1857, called a CONVENTION Constitutional Convention to pro- ceed under the enabling act to pre- pare a constitution which must be presented to congress with the request for admission as a state. Some of the ablest men of the territory were elected to this convention. Among them were Wm. Holcombe (Father of the Xormal School System), Colonel Gorman, J. E. Brown, James Xorris, A. D. Balcombe, Lorenzo Babcock, and L. C. AValker. They were all men of high standing in their respective communities, but, unfortunately, party feeling was strong; and Democrats and Eepublicans met in separate bodies dur- ing the greater part of the session. They finally wrote a constitution which both parties accepted and submitted, to Congress in January, 1858. ADMISSION We remember that this was during the AS A STATE period when the admission of states from the ^orth and the South was anxiously balanced lest the equality between the two sections oe ais- turbed in the Senate. A steady opposition met the bill for the admission of Minnesota on that account; and it was jiot until May, 1858, that it was passed. In June, Governor Sibley was inaugurated with Wil- liam Holcombe as Lieutenant Governor. While the bill for the admission of Minnesota was still before Congress, the state legislature had met and elected Messrs. Eice and Shield as our first senators. Xote. Henry Eice, born in Vermont in 1816, was a descendant of Warren Hastings, famous in English history. He studied law about two years in his native state and in 1839 came to Ft. Snelling as sutler. Later, he became an Indian trader in the Upper Mississippi valley in the land of the Chippewas. He became very familiar with the great area of Northern Minnesota and was well known among the Indians. He was of great assistance to the governin-^nt in procuring the Indian treaties of 1851. Subsequent^, he removed to St. Paul and was there identified closely with all plans for the development of the city and the territory. In 1853 and again in 1855, he was our delegate to Congress and worked faithfully for the establishment of post-roads, postoffices, land offices, and other means of de- velopment . In 1857, Mr. Eice was elected as one of our first sena- tors. \ —90-- Xote 2. James Shields, one of our first senators, led a most eventful life. He was born in Ireland, 1806, of a family notable in Irish history. When sixteen, he left Ireland expecting to make his home with an uncle in America; but he sufl'ered shipwTeck off the coast of Scotland, being one of onl}^ three survivors. Not daunted, he started the second time, and reached the continent only to find that his uncle had died. He became a sailor, but during an accident was badly injured, and was brought to a hospital in Xew York where he was obliged to remain three months. Both his legs had been broken, but, directly on his recovery, we find him among the volunteers for the Seminole war. At the close of this war, he settled in Illinois. Here, while serving as a schoolmaster, he studied law and was lat- er elected to the state legislature where he served four years. He was an associate of Lincoln and Douglas, and became an intimate friend of the former though Lincoln often told the story of an early quarrel between them when they threatened to fight a duel. When the war with Mexico opened, Shields entered as a brigadier general. He won distinction at Vera Cruz, at Cerro^ Gordo and at Chapultepec, where he commanded some South Carolina troops; and he was the first to carry the Stars and Stripes into the ancient castle of the Montezumas. For his courage, he was made major general ; and was pre- sented with two beautiful swords, one by Illinois valued at tliree thousand dollars and the other by South Carolina val- ued at five thousand dollars. In 1849, he was elected senator from Illinois and served six years. In that congress, having an unusual number of notable members, he was counted an important personage. Mexican soldiers were given land grants by the govern- ment and in 1855, General Shields came to Minnesota to locate a claim and became one of the founders of Fari- bault. He was then about fifty years of age, five feet and nine —91— inches tall, graceful, dignified and of distinguished bearing, a good statesman and a fine orator. No wonder that he found many read}^ admirers. General Shields fought also in the Civil War bringing upon Jackson at Winchester, his first and only defeat. After the Civil War, he made his home in Missouri, from which state he was also elected United States Senator. His resi- dence in Minnesota was not of long duration and he was rather a citizen of all United States than of any .one state but in the "Hall of Fame'^ in Washington, Minnesota is rep- resented by General Shields. % STATE SEAL As every state must have an official seal for its papers and documents, one must be designed for the new state, Minnesota. At the request of Hon. Chas. F. Lowe, a member of the Constitutional Con- vention, a beautiful design was prepared by Mr. Buechner of St. Paul. When it was formally presented to the legis- lature for adoption, it was considered an admirable and ap- propriate emblem, and was sent to the Governor who returned it with his signature of approval in July 1858. It was an unpleasant surprise to these members, when several months later the new seal was first used, to see, not the one adopted, but one credited to Piev. E. D. Xeill. This was devised from the old territorial seal and presents an idea of progress. In the foreground is the farmer turning the , virgin soil witli his plow, while his gun and powder horn lie within reach ; speeding from him toward the west is the native savage ; and St. Anthony Falls can be discerned in the distance. The motto "L Etoile Du Xord" (the North Star) is above the picture; the whole design is encircled with the Avords "The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota f and underneath is 1858, the date of its admission. Although not formally adopted by the state legislature, this seal nas continued in use, and in 1907 a new die of the same design was made to replace the much worn first one. —92— NEED OF With the settlement of claims dis- MEANS FOR tant from the great rivers of the TRANSPORTATION state, there arose again necessity for better means of land transportation. Farmers in Olmsted, Dodge, and Mower counties car- ried their wheat and other products to the nearest Missis- sippi Eiver port, usually Red Wing, Lake City, or Winona, a distance sometimes of sixty miles. Most of this hauling was in the late fall sometimes with ox-teams. The men had less comfortable foot-wear tnan now, usually heavy cowhide boots, and no overcoats. Their routes lay over poor roads and almost insurmountable hills, across unbridged rivers and all but impassable sloughs. Us- ually several neighl)ors undertook the journey together in or- der that they might asvsist one another in times of difficulty. Undoubtedly, they made the trip as jolly as they could l)ut we can see that with such difficulties of transportation, a crop of forty bushels of wheat to the acre was not an unmixed blessing, while the price received for it was only about thir- ty-five cents a ])ushe]. AID FOR Under the provision of state aid for STATE railroads in the enabling act, four com- RAILROADS panics were organized; their routes were planned : and thev were promised each one hundred twenty sections of the allotted lands upon the com- pletion of each twenty miles of road. It was supposed that the companies could raise money upon this promise of aid but the plan did not succeed. They asked the legislature of 1857-8 for further aid. A section of the constitution tnen awaiting the approval of Congress, forbade the loan of the credit of the state in aid of any individual or corporation but the people clamored for the railroad ; and the legisla- ture finally submitted to the electors an amendment \ "^o- viding an exception to this rule and allowing a loan of the state's credit for the purpose of aiding railroad construc- tion, to the amount of five million dollars. The amendment —93— passed with a large majority and, in accordance with it, special Minnesota state railroad bonds were issued and an arrangement was made by which a road should receive one hundred thousand dollars of these state bonds upon the grading of a ten mile stretch and one hundred thousand dol- lars more in bonds when the road was completed with cars I'uiming. The railroads were to pay interest on the money thus loaned and were to secure the state by giving mort- gages on their property. However, a sufficient amount of grading was done to entitle the companies to receive over $2,000,000 in bonds; although not a mile of road, was ready for traffic. The state saw that this plan of road-building was an absolute failure, and work on the roads was aban- doned for the time. The whole country was suffering from the great financial panic of 1857 and Minnesota was deeply involved. NEED OF People generally felt tiiat the first legislature REFORM had been very extravagant. Upon Gen. Sibley's retirement as Governor, he is quoted as saying: "The embarrassed condition of the state finances and impoverished situation of the people impeia- tively demand retrenchment in expenditures.'' The state then had afloat $184,000 in scrip and $250,- 000 in state bonds, but had actual cash to the amount of six cents in the treasury. Taxes were delinquent and could not be collected. •^\s the end of their labors drew nigh, in dog-days, it became known that there would be a residue of some ten thousand dollars of money appropriated by Congress for ter- ritorial expenses. It seemed a pity not to keep that money in Minnesota. After a variety of proposals consuming much time had failed to receive concurrence, the two houses agreed to a compromise by which six thousand dollars was appro- priated for stationery and three thousand, five hundred dol- lars for postage, the members to share equally." (Folwell's History of Minnesota.) Thus to their lasting discredit, these legislators allowed - 94— pcr^^tmal greed to overcome good statesmanship. SECOND It was with a keen sense of the need of LEGISLATURE reform in state administration that the voters chose an almost entirely new stafi of state officers for the next term. Alexander Eamsey became governor; and among the legislators are names that since became prominent in our state history; John Sandborn, Gen. Wilkinson and Igna- tius Donnelly. Governor Eamsey was so determined upon retrenchment that he cut his own salary from two thousand five hundred dollars to one thousand five hundred dollars. This legislature enacted many laws tending toward re- forms which were immediately beneficial, and have been val- uable as precedents. There w^ere stringent provisions for the collection of all taxes, a practical road law, a law regulating the business of insurance companies, and another for the organization of companies for the smelting and manufacture of iron, cop- ])er and other minerals. To encourage these latter indus- tries, then not well estal)lished, no taxes should be levied on their out-put. The interest rate on contracts between in- dividuals was lowered to 12 per cent. In I860, the constitution was again amended by ex- j)unging from it that clause which allowed the state to is- sue state railroad bonds to aid the building of roads. At the same time, another amendment was passed which for- bade tlie payment of such bonds or their interest until the ])eopIe by vote signified their desire that this should be done. This virtually repudiated the state railroad bonds and, even though the purpose for which the bonds were issued iiad failed and proved to be lacking in business forethought, still their repudiation placed the state in a questionable position. Finally, in 1881, under Governor Pillsbury, a way was found to settle tliis old difficulty; the bonds were redeemed and the credit of the state was preserved. — 95 — CHAPTER VIII CIVIL WAR, 1 860-65 SECESSION Lincoln was elected president in November 1860. The Southern states having already lost equality in the senate through the admission of Min- nesota, California, and Oregon, felt that, in his election^ they saw the death blow to slavery if they remained in the Union. They resolved to secede. Before Lincoln's inauguration, «even states. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi- ana, and Texas passed acts of secession. The seriousness of this action was scarcely comprehend- ed in the Xorth, until on the 14th of April, 1861, the Con- federates fired upon Ft. Sumpter, a Federal fort off Charles- ton harbor. FIRST Consternation was everywhere. When the REGIMENT news of this bombardment reached Wash- RESPONDS ington. Governor Eamsey was in that city. He immediately visited the capitol and of- fered the president the services of Minnesota. Lincoln ac- cepted the offer and Gov. Ramsey telegraphed Lieu. Gov. Ignatius Donnelly to call for volunteers. The response was immediate. More men than the call had asked were eager to enlist, and by April 27, the ten companies of the First Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers were mustered in at Ft. Snelling. Willis Gorman was appointed their Colonel. —96— Their time was spent in drill until June 22, when, after a short ceremony closing with a prayer and the Hebrew benediction: "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his lace to shine upon you. The Lord lift up iiis countena^iice upon you and give you peace," pronounced l)y Re\. Edward Niell, they embarked for Prairie du Chieit from thence to take their place in the battle lines of the Army of the l*otomac. MINNESOTA The great struggle which now com- VOLUNTEERS menced, called for sacrifice from every corner of the Union and no state gave more liberally nor courageously than Minnesota. With our comparatively scant population of 170,000 in 1860, we mustered eleven full regiments of infantry be- sides other organizations of cavalr}^^ sharp-shooters, heavy and light artillery. In all, 22,970 men were sent forth. We cannot trace here the history of each regiment. Only Olio, the Third, surrendered. The story of all the others is the story of steadfast, cheerful courage and lion- orable discharge of duty. No story of ^linnesota would be complete, however, without an account of a few instances of exceptional hero- ism. FIRST, AT IMic First Minnesota wlvich liad already GETTYSBURG won an enviable record, gained greatest renown at the battle of Gettysburg. On the morning of July 2nd, 1863, the second cor])s of wliicli the 1st Minnesota was a part and the 3rd corps under command of Gen. Sickle were stationed at the left of the cemetery famous on that battlefield and at the gate- way of the Xorthern position. About noon. Gen. Sickle ii(lvanced about half a mile to the front near the base of Little Tiound Top. Here he was attacked by the heavy forces of Longstreet and Hill and, after a gallant figiit, was forced to give way and retreat. This retreat began in order; but — 9T— before they reached a positiou in the rear of the 1st, the troop was in disorder and panic. On came the victorious division in glad pursuit. It seemed for a time that our regiment, standing between them and their prey, was about to be overwhelmed, and its important position occupied by the enemy. ''What regiment is this?" asked Gen. Hancock, com- mander of the division as he rode up at full speed. ''First Minnesota," replied Col. Colville. "Charge those lines," was the command. The need was urgent, lieserves were coming forward on the run, but the enemy must be held back until they could reach the position. Every one of this little band of two hundred sixty-i wo men knew that the charge ordered meant the probable sacri- fice of the regiment and death or wounds for all, but there Avas no liesitation. In perfect line they swept clown the slope in face of a fearful storm of lead from tlie whole Con- federate front, straight for the center of the opposing band. With leveled ,l)ayonets, they rushed upon it and held it at l)ay while the reserves came up and occupied the endangered position in the rear. Lieu. Wm. Lochren in his story of the First Regiment comments on the charge thus : ''What Hancock had giveu lis to do was done thoroughly. The regiment had stopped the enemy and held back its mighty force and saved Hie position. But at what a sacrifice! Xearly every officer was dead or lay weltering with l)loody wounds, our gallant col- onel and every field officer among them. Of the 26'3 men who made the cliarge, 215 lay upon the field, 47 were still in line, and not a man was missing. The annals of war <-ontain no parallel to this charge. In its dcvsperate valor, <:omplete execution, successful result, and in its sacrifice of men in proportion to the number engaged, authentic liis- tory has no record with which it can be compared." Can we wonder that while many a frontier home was desolated by this terrible sacrifice which war had made nec- -98— cssary, every true Miimesotan thrills with pride at the name of this gallant regiment. Another encounter of which Minnesota is justly j^roucl occurred on the field of Chickamauo^a. '&' SECOND The Second regiment left Fort Snelling REGIMENT Octoher 14, 1861, and was assicrned to the AT CHICKA army of the Middle West. They took a MAUGA considerable part in the actions at Shiloh, Corinth, and Perryville. On September ll)-20, lrS63, was fought the stubborn battle of Chickamauga. Both sides fiercely contested the field during the 19th; en the 2()th, Tiosecrans, with the right and center divisions l)rokcn and in great confusion, retreated from the field. Tiiomas. the Rock of Chickamauga, to cover this retreat and save the retiring army from terrible disaster, threw liis division, the left, across a. ridge called Snodgrass, thus intercepting the pursuit of the victorious Southern division. From early afternoon until evening he held that ridge, meet- ing onslanghF after onslaught of the enemy but yielding not at all. At tlie front of Tliomas' division was placed the Sec- ond ]\[innesota and, inspired no doubt by their unflinchinst leader, tliey held their post through the long, hot afternoon with tliroats parched Avith thirst, forcing l)ack rank after rank of tlie enemy until the slope before them was covered so thickly with dead and wounded that they could scarcely see the ground. Gen. Thomas, appreciating the difl'iculty (•f the position, sent an aide to their commanding officer. Colonel George, asking how long they could hold on. ■^'Till we are mustered out of service, sir," answered tlie Colonel, voicing the grim determination of his men. When twilight finally stole over the dreadful field, Thomas' detachment moved back to Eossville and finally rejoined Eosecrans at Chattanooga. Tlie brigade commander said in his official report of —99— the battle: ''It is a noticeable fact that the Second Min- nesota regiment had not a single man among the missing nor a straggler during the two days' engagement/' FOURTH The Fourth regiment was mustered in, in the AND fall of 1861, with John Sandborn as colonel, FIFTH but several of the companies were occupied among the Sioux until the following summer. They were then sent to Corinth, Missouri, where they w^re met by the Fifth Regiment. In Oct. 1862, Price and Van Dorn made a stubborn fight to drive Eosecrans from Corinth and succeeded m breaking through our lines. Col. Hubbard, in command ot the Fifth Minnesota, threw his regiment upon the invading force and drove them back. Eosecrans wrote of this encounter : "Veterans coulc hardly have acted more opportunely and effectively than did tlie ofallant Fifth Minnesota on that occasion." The members of the regiment were proud to recall the gallant behavior of their young chaplain who won special distinction on that field. His name was John Ireland, now Archbishop of St. Paul. We all remember the fearful battle of Xashville fought during the last year of the war, when an entire Southern army was not merely defeated, but was absolutely destroyed as an arm v. Four Minnesota regiments, the Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth, were in this battle and were all in tlie Second and Third Brigades when they made their final great charge against the Confederate left, putting it to rout and ending the battle. Thus the regiments sent out by Minnesota, composed of frontiersmen inured to hardship, accustomed to out floor life, resourceful in emergency, and steadfast in danger, won grateful recognition among the troops of the Union. The women left at home did their part. Only one who went throu.s^h that period, can appreciate the anxiety, priva- tion, and sacrifice of the time. —100— A\'hen, in September, 1865, the Minnesota troops were mustered out and returned home; 2,587 of our boys were left on the Southern fields. The uprising of the Sioux Indians in 1862, added its horror to that of the Civil War, IGNATIUS DONNELLY. Note 1. Ignatius Donnelly, often called ^'The Sage of Xininger," was one of the most able politicians, profound thinkers, fluent speakers, and finished writers which the State has produced. Born in Philadelphia, November 3, 1831, he there studied law and was admitted to the bar. He removed to ^Minnesota in 1857 and settled on a farm at Nininger, a few miles west of Hastings. He was twice elected Lieuten- ant Governor, was sent as a representative to Congress, and later served in the state legislature. Those who ridiculed liis advanced views of popular education and the preservation of timbered lands lived to see their practical import. He was foremost in the Farmer's Alliance movement and a leader in the Populist Party. He set forth his views in the Anti-Monopolist -which he edited for several years. Among his ablest works are Atlantis Ragnarok, The Great Cryptogram, and his published addresses. His later years were spent in farming and literature. He died in ^Minneapolis, January 1, 1901. JOHN IRELAND Note 2. John Ireland, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. Paul, was born in Burnchurch, Kilkenny County, Ire- land, September 11, 1838. With his parents he came to the United States, settling i n Chicago i n 1849, where they remained three years, then coming to the village of St. Paul. When he was fifteen years of age, he went to France, where he studied for eight years, and upon return- ing to St. Paul was ordained a priest. He was consecrated —10] — bishop in 1875, and Archbishop in 1888. Arc-hbishop Ireland, besides being a beloved leader in the Catholic church, is a man of. national reputation, and world wide influence. It has been fittingly said: "No other American churchman has so combined the devotion of the parish priest and the wisdom of the Statesman.'' He served as Chaplain of the Fifth Minnesota Eegiment during a part of the Civil War, organized the first Total Abstinence Society in 1869, was president of the St. Paul Law and Order League, National Chaplain of the Grand Army of the Republic, president of the State Historical So- ciety. He was a factor in advocating a settlement with Spain in 1898, and in the adjustment of the trouble in the Philippines. His style and eloquence give him popular place among the orators of the day while his books, ''The Church and Modern Society/' and ''Lectures and Addresses'' show liis ability as an author. REV. EDWARD NEILL Xote 3. A leader most heartily beloved and respected by the early settlers of Minnesota was Rev. Edward Neill. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1823 and came to St. Paul in 1849. Here he erected the first Protestant church of Minne- sota. In 1855, he organized the "House of Hope,"' a Pres- byterian church of St. Paul. Mr. Neill served as the first State Superintendent of Public Instruction and was also secretary of the State His- torical Association for several years. When the First Minnesota went South, he went also and served as their chaplain for two years when he became U. S. Hospital Chaplain. In 1864, he became oue of President Lincoln's pri- vate secretaries and later served in the same capacity for President Johnson. He was sent to Dublin as cousul in 1869 and remained —102— about two years, at the end of wliich time, he returned to Minnesota. Rev. Edward x«^eill was one of the founders of Macal- ester College and has written several books, among them a Historv of Minnesota. —103— CHAPTER IX INDIAN OUTBREAK, 1 862 INKPADOOTA Inl-padoota (Scarlet End,) was a native of the Cannon River country, and a member of the Wahpakoota band nntil the murder of its chief. Tab sab gee. Inkpadoota was suspected as the mur- derer and he and his friends were compelled to flee from the enraged tribe. They sought refuge with Black Eagle's band in the Blue Earth region, until they escaped to Northern Iowa, where they committed the blackest crimes and lived ])y plunder of their victims. MASSACRE lu March 1857, Morris Markham, a settler OF SPIRIT at Spirit Lake, Iowa, returned to his home, LAKE after an absence of a few days, to find all the inhabitants of Spirit Lake and Okoboji murdered by Inkpadoota's' renegades. Markham warned the settlers at Springfield (Jackson) in Southwestern Minne- sota. This small village, having only fifteen able-bodied men, feared a similar fate. They gathered in two houses for protection while awaiting aid from Ft. Eidgely. ATTACK ON Inkpadoota with only a small band fell SPRINGFIELD upon Springfield, March 26th, and killed several people; the remainder of the col- ony fled to Iowa towns. Two messengers made a trip througli tlie deep snow to Agent Flaudreau at the Lower Agency. Officers Capt. Bernard Bee and Lieutenant Alex- —104— juider Murry with forty-eight men in sleighs drawn by 11111 les. were sent to aid the western settlement, but it was found deserted. Inkpadoota's villains had fled to Dakota. SIOUX SEEK In June, 1857, the annuities of the Sioux INKPADOOTA were withheld by the Commissioner of Indian affairs until they sliould kill or capture Inkpadoota's liand. With no sympathy for the out- laws: tint a knowledge of their own innocence, the Sioux tril)e felt this to lie an unjust trick, prompted by the fear felt ])y the whites, of this small Indian band. Little Crow, a friend of the settlers, led one hundred Sioux in i)ursuit of the offenders*. He caught jmrt of the band, and returned two women prisoners; but the agent de- manded tlie destruction of the entire band before any money shoukl be paid the Dakotas. Fortunately, through a tem- jiorary change in tlie Indian Commissioner, this decree was rc^voked and the annuities paid to the tribe. Tliis episode may have been one of the first causes of the Minnesota massacre which followed, although Inkpadoota fled fartlier west and did not return to Minnesota during the Indian war. As late as 1876, he lived in eastern Mon- tana but later fled tn Manitoba where he died. LOCATION When the Civil War began, and Minnesota OF TRIBES was offering her strongest and best men to serve in the regular army, the Indians of the state were located on their several revservations. The Chippewas occupied the northern lake region; a tribe of Winnebagoes were in Blue Earth County; while. the Sioux were consigned to a long, narrow strip of territory along the I^pper Minnesota River. West of Lake Traverse, in what i< now Xortli Dakota, were over four thousand Sissetons jiiid Walipetons. — 105- CONDITION 111 1857, Joseph E. Brown was made agent OF THE of the Dakota tribe. Brown, a man of good TRIBES reputation, had lived among the Sioux tor fort}^ years, securing their confidence and friendship. His influence brought about many reforms in their dress and manner of living. Many had discarded the blan- ket for the white man's dress; and frame houses, supplied with chairs, beds and stoves, were slowly taking the places of the Indian tepees. Doctors and missionaries aided in Indian reforms; while the government supplied the ^'Farmer Indian" with oxen, wagons and machinery. Many of the bands were self- supporting when, in 1861, Thos. J. Galbraith of Shakopee became Sioux asfent. '&^ CAUSES OF The Sioux were not reconciled to the THE INDIAN treaties of 1851 and '58 which compelled WAR them to settle on reserves after they had forfeited large tracts of land for a small sum. The Indians obtained goods from the traders on credit. Payment for these just or unjust debts was collected by the traders when the government paid the Indian annuities. The rascality of some of these men and the presence of soldiers to keep order during the ' yearly payment, aroused a feeling among the Indians, that they were being cheated of their money. These suspicions gave rise to an unfriend- ly feeling toward the government and the white settlers. In 1861, crops had been poor; the following winter was a severe one and many of the Indians were suffering fiom want of food and clothing. Agent Galbraith did what he could to relieve them, but his sources of supply were lim- ited. Flour and pork were provided; but this did not last long. Fifteen hundred Wahpetons and Sissetons, who were destitute, having eaten all their horses and dogs, were fed from the agency from December 1861, to April 1862. The ^^Farmer Indians'^ worked during the winter cutting and liauling fence rails and logs, and for this received suppjie;?^ —106— from the agency; but the band sorely needed the money due them in 1862^ so that when the payment which was ex- pected in June, was delayed by the authorities at Wasinng- ton until the following August, the turbulent feeling exist- ing among them was increased. FIRST Unwise traders had teased the Indians by ACT OP telling them that their money had been HOSTILITY spent, and there were to be no more yearly payments. This increased their hatred and distrust, so that Agent Galbraith found it hard to keep peace with them. Presents of tobacco and provisions served to quiet them but for a time. At Yellow Medicine, the upper agency, a band of Sioux, who were assembled to wait for their money and received only jn'omises, became fiercely savage and with wild whoops dashed through the warehouse door, carrying away flour and provisions. MURDER August 17, four Indians from Eice Creek AT ACTON were in Meeker County hunting. One of the party took some eggs from a hen's nest, found in a fence corner in the village of Acton and one of his companions who asked him to return them as they belonged to a white settler, was tauntingly accused of being a coward and afraid of the white man. To settle this con- troversy, it was agreed that they should go to the home of the owner and show their bravery by murdering Jiim. They went to this settler's house and, as a pretext, asked for liquor. Being refused they became violent and killed five of the settlers. Then, realizino^ the enormity of their crime, they made their escape on stolen horses and fled for protection to their own band. After a mad race of forty miles they reached the village and told their story. The chief and leaders de- cided to ask Shakopee for advice as to whether it should l)e left for the white man to lounish the offenders, or allow — 107— this attack to be considered as a declaration of war. Shako- pee said they would go to Little Crow's settlement to bold council. Although it was then night, the Indians at once departed, and reached the lower band before morning. Little Crow had lost much of his influence with the red men. hut he now saw the chance to regain his leader- si lij). Tlie Indians had not forgotten the failure of tlie wiiitcs to capture Inkpadoota, and they knew too, that when even our untrained men were being called to aid the govern- ment, the Civil War was serious. They were quick to appre- ciate that this was a convenient time to fall upon the unpro- tected settlers, and decided to begin a general massacre of the whites. ATTACK AT Early the next morning, August 18th, the REDWOOD the Indians proceeded to the lower agency at Eedwood, killed the clerk, burned hou:?- c>, and destroyed stores. Other Indians roamed the ad- joining country, torturing, killing, and often terribly mu- tilating tlie bodies of the unsuspecting settlers, who in ter- ror, vainly tried to escape the savage demons. To those who liad befriended them in times of peace, the savages showed no mercy. They suffered the common fate. When the end of this day came, the country along the lower Min- nesota Eiver was in the throes of a bloody massacre. CAPT. MARSH Capt. Marsli was in command at Ft. AT REDWOOD Ridgely, which was established on the FERRY north bank of the Minnesota River, a few miles from St. Peter. As soon as tlie news reached the fort, Capt. Marsh with forty-eight men started for the lower agency, to settle the trouble; but at Redwood Ferr}^, the company was surrounded by Indians: Marsh was drowned and half of his men were killed. Those wlio escaped returned to the fort, better realizing the mag- nitude of the uprising. Re-enforcements were sought from P't. Suolling and Lieut. Sheehan. who had started for Ft. — 108— Ripley on the upper Mississippi Eiver, was recalled. FIRST AT- August lOtli, Little Crow, with a band of TACKS ON three hundred twenty warriors, started to NEW ULM take Ft. Ridgely which at this time had only thirty men to guard it, as the re-enforce- ments had not yet arrived. Little Crow was balked in this at- tempt however, as about two hundred of his men were so bent on plundering, that they left him and wandered along the Cottonwood River, later making an unsuccessful attack on Xew Ulm. The Indians, with increased numbers, came upon Xew Ulm again on Saturday, August 23rd. Judge Flaudreau led the white settlers in a most gallant -defense, and protected the inhabitants until the next day when the Indians with- drew. During this conflict, many buildings were burned. These smouldering fires, stench from the unburied bodies, scarcity of provisions and ammunition, and fear of the re- turn of the savages, caused the people to desert the town. A train of one hundred fifty wagons with women and chil- dren fled to Mankato, where they were welcomed and af- forded care. Settlers from the outlying districts left their homes, cattle and unharvested fields of grain, and went to the fort and the towns on the lower Minnesota River. FT. RIDGELY Little Crow, bent on. taking Ft. Ridgvlv, returned there with a force of eigi it- hundred Indians, who surrounded the fort ; but the heroism of its defenders and the successful operation of tlie cannon which they used, dispersed the savages. The arrival of Col. Sibley with re-enforcements on August 28th, brouglit a feeling of security to the people who- had fought against great odds. SIBLEY When on August 19th, Gov. Ramsey received word of the Indian trouble along the Minnesota River, he made Ex-Governor H. H. Sibley, then of Men- —109— dota. Colonel. Sibley was well fitted for this position; but he had only about fifteen hundred poorly equipped men. BIRCH COULIE August 31, 1862, Sibley sent a force of one hundred fifty with teams un- der Major Jos. R. Brown and Capt. H. P. Grant to the lower agency to ascertain the location of the Sioux, the condition of the country, and to bury the dead. They moved up the Minnesota River to a place called Birch Coulie, where they encamped for the night. A corral formed by horses and wagons was their only protection; but, seemingly un- mindful of the danger, all but the pickets were soon asleep. At this time Gray Bird, a farmer Indian, and about three hundred fifty savages started to plunder the deserted city of Xew Ulm. Arriving at Birch Coulie, Gray Bird's ])an(l fell upon Brown's camp in the night; they killed nijicty horses, riddled the tents with bullets, killed twenty men, and left sixty wounded. The firing was heard at Ft. Iiidgely, whereupon Sibley sent out a detachment of men, which proved insufficient, so that lie followed with the rest of his soldiers, repulsed the Indians, and returned to the fort. Brown's calmness prevented the destruction of all his men and saved tlie towns of ^Mankato and St. Peter from an attack by this !)and. CAPT. STROUT Capt. Strout and seventy-five men, volunteers from Hennepin County, moved toward Hutchinson and Forest City. When they reached Acton, they camped for the night between two divi- sions of Little Crow's band, who were on a hunting expedi- tion in the Big Woods region. A scout from Forest City notified Strout that he was dangerously near the Indian camps, and early the next morning the militia forced its way through Little Crow's hand and fled to Hutchinson. They were chased about five miles by the Indians, who killed three men and stole horses, wagmis, guns, and cook- ing utensils. —no— These savages later made attacks on Forest City and Jlutchinson, burned buildings, and plundered the villages until they were routed by Strout's men. The settlers who liad gone back to their homes after the first Indian out- break were again panic stricken and fled to the lower set- tlements. Some of the people near St. Paul moved into the city to seek safety in numbers. FORT About fifteen miles north of Breckcn- ABERCROMBIE ridge, and west of the Red River, Ft. A])ercrombie was maintained to pro- lect the trade in tliis valley. In September the northwestern Indians made three unsuccessful attacks on this post, which was commanded ])y Capt. John Van der Ilorck. BATTLE OF Sibley, after failing to elfect a peacca')le WOOD LAKE settlement with Little Crow, decided to assemble his forces, now strengthened by ]\laj. Wclcli and the Third Minnesota Infantry, and advance into the Indian country. They left Ft. Ridgely September IHth, and when they arrived in the eastern part of Yellow ?>[e(licine County, were within three miles of the Indian camps. Little Crow, confident of success, desired to make a night attack u])on the encamped forces, l)ut the Indian council decided to wait until morning hoping to destroy llie army. But the next day, in the battle of Wood Lake, Little Crow was defeated, and the disappointed warriors retreated to ihv'iv camps south of the Minnesota River. CAMP Chief Wabasha then delivered about two RELEASE hundred fifty white prisoners to Sibley at "Camp Release," nine miles below Lac qui Rarle. This practically ended the Indian massacre in ^Im- nesot^. Little Crow with one hundred twenty-five Sioux- left the State for Devirs Lake, I^orth Dakota. He returned to Minnesota again in July, 1863, and, while he and his — HI — son were picking berries near Hutchinson^ was killed by Xathan Lamson. His skull, scalp and arm bones are now in the possession of the Historical Society. TRIALS AND Sibley, knowing that our prisoners PUNISHMENT were safe, began inquiring to ascer- OF THE SIOUX tain what members of the tribe had participated in the worst outrages and crimes of this recent massacre. A military -com- mission of five officers was appointed to try the savages. This court sat part of the time at "Camp Eelease/'' Lower Agency, and Mankato. Although this was a time of intense excitement and strong feeling, the procedure of this body was just and dignified, and the judgments given were upon reliable evidence. There were four hundred twen- ty-five prisoners tried, three hundred twenty-one found guilty of crimes, three hundred three sentenced to death and eighteen to imprisonment. The coudemned Indians were taken to Mankato where they were placed in a log guard house surrounded by sol- diers. Note. Flandrau tells us that as the prisoners were taken through New Ulm, where the inhabitants were mov- ing the bodies of their dead to regular burial places, the sight of these warriors, although chained in wagons, so in- furiated the whites that the prisoners were assaulted vvitli knives, stones, and hot water; oue was killed and scNcral others severely ])ruised. President Lincoln ordered that thirty-nine Indians lie hanged. One was pardoned and thirty-eight were executed on one scaffold at Mankato, December 26, 1862. The others were taken to the government prisons at Rock Island, Illi- nois, and Davenport, Iowa, where they served four years; then they were liberated and sent to the Sioux reservation at Ft. Thompson, South Dakota. — 112-- This Minnesota massacre was one of the greatest of tlie Indian wars. None equalled it in the number of settlers killed, fiendish dei3redations, and destruction of property. To commemorate the bravery of the defense by the unprepared settlers, the state has erected monuments at Ft. Kidgely, New Flm, Birch Coulie, Camp Release and Acton. LITTLE CROW NO. 5 Note. Tah-O-Yali-te-Doota was the son of Big Thun- der or Little Crow No. 4, head of the Kaposia tribe. He was a lazy, overbearing fellow, who by his haughty conduct to his half-brothers, and his had reputation,, was so dis- liked by his father\s tribe that he left it and made his home among tlie Wahpetons at Lac qui Parle. He reformed somewhat, and with his smooth tongue and wise judgment gained friends in his new home. In the fall of 1845 his father. Big Thunder, mortally wounded himself, and before his death, requested that his most loved son, Tah-0-Yah-te-Doota, be his successor. The son, upon receiving ^ notice of his father's death, was told tliat some .of his native tribe strongly opposed his father's choice, while others favored it. Notwithstanding this opposition, Tah-0-Yah-te-Doota prepared to return to Kaposia. In the spring of 1846, as soon as the Mississippi River was opened, he with his three wives and many Wali- ])eton friends, traveled in their canoes as far as Shakopee's and Black Dog's villages. Being joined here by other sup- porters, they went on to Kaposia. As the canoe drew toward tlie shore, a large crowd of Sioux, led by the half-brothers, gathered to prevent their landing and threatened to shoot the first one who made the attempt. Here Tah-0-Yah-te-Doota's boldness asserted itself, and, folding his arms across his breast he stepped forward. The half brothers, exasperated by this, shot him through his folded arms. This act caused a revulsion of feeling —113— among the villagers, who now hailed him as their new- chief — Little Crow. The half brothers immediately fled and when they re- turned later, Little Crow had them bound and carried to the bank where they were shot. Their corpses were thrown into the river. —114- STATE DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER X REORGANIZATION DISBANDING A new era commenced in Minnesota OF THE ARMY with the close of the Civil War. When the armies of the United States dis- banded at the close of the great strnggle^ and men returned to their homes after an absence of several j-ears, they found in man}' cases that their positions in factory or office had l)een filled. So great an influx of unemployed men into was fortunate in having great areas of western land lying cities inigbt have proved di>^astrous; but the United States ready for the home-maker. The homestead laws of 1862 and the soldiers' grants were liberal. Hosts caught up the song, "Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm," and again a great tide of immigration set toward the west. ]\rinnesota received her share. In 1870, our population had grown to 439,000; of these. 117,000 were from Scandinavia, Germany, and Great Britain. Her cultivated area q-rew from 630.000 acres in im\ to 1,863,000 acres in 1870, and 3,000,00 in 1875. NEED OF Continuously, the demand was made for RAILROADS railroad facilities and, at a great cost, sev- eral lines were finally in working order. The stoi-y of early railroad building in Minnesota is credit- —115— able neither to the companies engaged nor to the state; but it is too intricate to follow closely here. Finally^ in 1867, a line was completed connecting St. Paul with Prairie du Chien; and, in 1870, another connected St. Paul and Du- luth. Thus routes to the East were opened and Minnesota, for the first time, could carry on uninterrupted trade with eastern states during both winter and summer. A result was felt immediately in the higher prices obtained for prod- uce. The year 1871 was remarkable for further railroad Imilding. The Winona and St. Peter was built and St. Paul was connected by the Great Northern with both Moor- liead and Breckenridge on the Eed River. In land grants, bonuses, and rights of way, these roads cost the public over twice as many dollars per mile of com- pleted road as the necessary estimated cost. At the end of 1872, our mileage was about nineteen hundred. SPECULATION Again, speculation in western lands, in town lots, and in railroad bonds was commou. The roads were built far out where population was still scant and freight was light and they had a struggle for existence. PANIC The panic of 1873, like that of 1857, created OF 1873 many hardships in Minnesota ; however, it brought us the same lesson. Patient industry and cultivation of the soil was the surest means to compe- tence. Two railroads became bankrupt during this 2>anic and during the next four years, only eighty-seven additional miles of railroad were built; but a few more years found them es- tablished on a firmer, surer foundation than before; and since then, their growth has been steady. Minnesota's mile- age now is about ten thousand extending into all sections of the state. Through her railroad connections, the great — 116— markets of the East and of the West are open to her trade; and Minnesota -rain and dairy products are known on both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific. —117- CHAPTER XI AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT EARLY EXPERT- The earliest settlers of Minnesota ex- MENTS IN perimented in the raising of grains. AGRICULTURE We have read of Col. Snelling's at- tempt to raise wheat for his garrison ; of the cultivation of little farms by the missionaries: and of Taliaferro's school of agriculture for Indian boys estab- lished on tlie shore of Lake Harriet. The prevalent idea in the east and south was that all of Minnesota, except perhaps its very southern range of counties, was too far north for the cultivation of corn and that vre must depend upon wheat and barley for our main crops. Horace Greely, editor of the Xew York Tribune, ex- pressed his 1)elief tliat the territory was not even self-sup- porting. EXHIBIT AT Such a report hindered our development, WORLD'S but Minnesota has always been fortunate FAIR in having among her leaders, young men of broad vision and great faith in tlio future of our connnonwealth. Tn ] RAILROADS | The Xorthern Pacific was built from Du- luth to Moorhead and Fargo between 1870 and 1872 and the next year to Bismarck. The Great l^ortli- (^rn, then the St. Paul and Pacific, was next built to Breck- en ridge and to Crookston. The land thus opened up was rapidly taken by settlers and the years between 1875 and 1885 are noted for their great immigration into this valley of promise. !Many of the settlers were from southeastern Minne- sota an? others were from neighboring states, while still more were immigrants coming directly from Europe. Trains of "^prairie schooners" crossed Minnesota carrying the home- steader, his family, and all his goods. Within a few 3^ears. hundreds of sod shanties dotted the prairie; thriving vil- lages were built; and, as is usual on our frontier, schools and churches were established. — 121— BONANZA The homestead kw attempted to limit the FARMS land grants to actual settlers or homeseekers but sometimes, when these settlers became dis- couraged, they sold their titles to others more fortunate. These men bought railroad land grants also and in time ac- cumulated tlie rights to extensive tracts of land and es- tablished great farms called "bonanza"' farms. These con- tained several thousand acres and employed nuiny men. DALYRYMPLE The pioneer of "bonanza'' farmers in Minnesota was Oliver Dalyrymple. In 1875, he became convinced that this Eed Eiver Valley might become a great wheat region and made tests of the soil to prove his theory. Then he made a contract with certain holders of Xorthern Pacific land grants to cultivate their land and return to them a certain per cent of the profits. lie was very successful and, convinced of the value of the land for wheat raising, more settlers swarmed into the val- ley and planted thousands of acres to wheat. In one year, 1,500,000 acres were taken as homesteads and in ten years, nearly all available land in tlie vallev had been granted. The annual wheat crop in this valley is now about 50,000,000 bushels, while tlie entire output of the state for 1915 was 73,900,000. Xo wonder that this i.^ called the 1)read ])asket of the States. GRASS- This remarkable progress was not without its HOPPERS seasons of discoui-agement. An exploi-ci' of the Red Eiver A^alley in 1850 tells of en- countering a cloud of grasshoppers that ate the. seat of iiis saddle and the to]') of his boots. The year of 1873 was gen- erally unfortunate. In the spring of that year, swarms of Eocky Mountain locusts, called grasshoppers, settled over the western and southwestern counties and destroyed the crops so completely that the state legislature appropriated funds to relieve the distress caused by the crop failure and to provide seed. Every one supposed that the plague coald not survive another season, but in 1875, the "hoppers" ap- peared in increased numbers having been hatched from eggs deposited in the ground the previous year. Fields of gram nearl^y ready for harvest were so dev- astated by them in a few hours that not a spear was left standing. Twenty million dollars would scarcely cover the loss. The people were desperate; aid was again granted the afflicted districts; great sums were paid in bounties for dead lioppers; a day of prayer was appointed by Governor Pills- bury and was observed by all denominations. The Gov- ernor says, "The day following, it turned cold and froze every grasshopper in the state; froze 'em right up solid, sir; well, sir, that was over twenty years ago and grasshoppers don't appear to have been bothering us much since.'' The State School of Agriculture has been active in dis- tributing widely the results of their research work in rid- ding the country of these and other similar pests. GREAT In 1873, there also occurred a snow storm BLIZZARD long known to the pioneer as the "(ireat Blizzard." It was early in January of that year and lasted for three days. The forenoon of the first day had been unusually mild and many had left their liomes for the near by villao-e or wood-lot Avhen the storm sudden- ly overtook them. The air was dense with snow. This con- dition accompmied by a high wind, blinded and exhausted the traveller. Men were unable to make their way even from tlie barn to the hoitse ; in some of the cabins, the chimneys l>ecanu^ choked with snow making a fire impossible : a])out seventy persons lost their lives. CROOKSTON Among the cities of the Eed Eiver Valley today are Crookston and Fergus Falls. Crookston, situated on Eed Lake Eiver, is the county seat of Polk County. Being in the heart of this rich farm- ing district, it has attained a population of about ten thou- sand people. It is the site of an agricultural school and a —123- state experimental farm. The different industries are well represented ; but it ships principally wheat, potatoes and lum- ber. PERGUS FALLS Fergus Falls, a city of eight thousand people, is the County seat of Ottertail County, and was established in 1872. Among early pio- neers, were E. E. Corlies, Jacob i\.ustin, James Compton, Moses E. Clapp, L. L. Baxter, and Elmer E. Adams. The Ottertail Power Company has developed the wa- ter power of the Otter Tail Eiver which generates electricity and furnishes power and light for Wahpeton and Hankin- son in N^orth Dakota, and the Minnesota towns of Morris, Whe-iton, Hancock, and Graceville. Fergus Falls has three flour mills, woolen mills, bas- ket factory and foundry. CORN Even the most fertile soil will, in time, become impoverished by the continual culture of cne crop: and in southern Minnesota, as the wheat yield de- creased, the farmer saw the necessity of crop rotation and of stock-raising. He experimented in raising corn. Tried at first in the southern counties, its cultivation gradually ex- tended until now it is a standard crop in all parts of the state. This result has been accomplished largely through the efforts of the agricultural college with its instructions af- fecting seed selection and in its corn raising contests. These contests, participated in By boys of all sections of the state, have resulted in a yield of corn per acre which has aston- ished the experienced farmer and shown the possibilities of the state in this line. In 1913, we produced ninety-six million bushels of corn valued at $50,880,000. This was our greatest yield hut even in the less bountiful season of 1915, the crop was 62.933,000 bushels. Other grains as oats, barley, and rye also yield plenti- —124— fully, and the value of tlie hav crop alone in 1915, was $20,664,000 . FRUIT When our grandfathers came to Minnesota^ RAISING they found an abundance of cranberries in the swamps, particularly in the middle sec- tion of the state ; in the south, wild strawberries grew" in abundance and there were blackberries and raspberries. Sev- eral varieties of delicious wild plums were also found. Even the wild crab apple was so prepared for the table that it found favor; though, to the pioneer from Ohio or sur- rounding states, it must have seemed a poor substitute for the fruit of the old orchards he had known. For many years, it was believed impossible for Minnesota to raise winter ap- ples, but in no other field, has she made greater progress in the last twenty-five years. At the state fair held in Eochester, 1866, the entire exhibit of apples was from three orchards and twenty-seven plates held the entire exhibit. We have only to compare this with a recent state fair ap])le exhibit to be convinced of Minnesota's progress along this line. A factor in her success has been the importation of varieties of trees from the countries with the same climatic conditions as ours. The apple crop of Minnesota in 1903 was valued at $550,- 000. The chief problem now is the marketing. While chil- dren in our cities crave and are sometimes denied this lus- cious fruit, it is fed to tlie pigs or allowed to rot on the ground in orchards not a hundred miles distant. LANDS So great has been the interest in southern and SWAMP central Minnesota, that aside from its timber and iron mines, little attention has been given to the northern section of the state. Here are five million acres of swamp land which, when drained, will furnish an agi'i- cultural area, having a soil unexcelled for raising of roots, grain and hay. It is stated upon tests that a given area in — 125— this section will pasture twice as many cattle as the same acreage in the highly developed Mississippi Valley. The state is aiding in the settlement of this part of Minnesota and we now find there the thriving towns of Jiosseau, Warroad, Eeaudette and Spooner. 126 CHAPTER XII STOCK RAISING OF DAIRYING Several causes comi)iue to encourage INTRODUCTION dairying in Minnesota. We have acres of wild, natural meadow and hay is c.isily grown in all parts of the state; our climate is cool and oiir water supply pui'e and abundant; the many flour Jiiills aiul the flax seed mills furnish good food in their ln'-[)ro(lucts and we are within easy reach of great markets. Xot withstanding these advantages, dairying as an in- dustiy, was scarcely begun in Minnesota before 1884 when the farmers of' Southern Minnesota felt the need of crop rotation and the raising of livestock to restore the fertility of their fields. Rapidly, the industry spread to other parts of the state aud it is prophesied that the time is not far distant vrhen Xorthern ]\linnesota will take the lead in dairy ]iro(liu-ts. IMPROVED The agricultural college has done some of STOCK its most efficient work in animal husband- ry and throughout the state its influence is Jclt in the better selection and care of cattle. Prof. Haecker of the University made a careful survey of dairy conditions in the state in 1892 and published a report of his observa- tions. Especially, lie advocated the co-operative creamery as a nutans to improve conditions. James J. Hill has also done nuu-h to inmrove the stock, especially of Xorthern Min- nesota, by intro(hicing improved breeds of cattle. —137 — During the last fifteen years, the average product of butter fat per cow has increased 50 per cent, and Minne- sota has won thirteen out of fifteen of the national cham- pionship banners on her dairy products. By the census of 1910, she ranked third among the states of the Union in the amount of butter produced. CREAMERIES Creameries and cheese factories increase in numbers annually. In 1915, we had 850 creameries, 622 of which were co-operative ; we had 856,047 cows and 'made over 123,000,000 pounds of butter valued at $32,067,000 and during the same year we manu- factured 5,595,000 pounds of cheese. The entire value of our dairy products is about $96,000,000 annually. '^A gold mine in the state that is getting richer every day and can continue without limit. There are eight hun- dred fifty creameries : for every creamery there are a hun- dred farmers ; and for every farmer ten cows — a million cat- tle upon a thousand hills. To complete the picture, look again and see the crystal rivers winding, and lakes without number, with unsullied water reflecting the pure i)lue of the sky, unsurpassed in number and beauty, Xo wonder we make the best butter in the world. If you have a friend who does not live in this state, tell him about it."' — Report of State Dairy and Food Department, 1915. The remarkable success of the dairy industry through- out the state has encouraged the raising of other live stock as beef-cattle, hogs, and sheep. Their number is constant- ly^ increasing. The great packing indu.stries of several Minnesota cities, particularly those of South St. Paul, afford a ready market for the live stock produced in this section of the Xorthwest and her meat products are shipped not only throughout the United States but to foreign countries as well. —128 — POULTRY Another line of animal production is that of poultry. The raising of poultry was once con- sidered of very minor importance on the farm and was quite exclusively the wonjan's work, but the estimated val- ue of poultry production for the last year was over thirty seven million dollars; and the staunch old Plymouth Rock or the little Leghorn hen has 'laid for' the money lender and has scratched away the mortgage from many a Minne- sota homestead. BEE-KEEPING An industry that is yet in its infancy in our state is bee-keeping. Foremost in the state in this industry, is Rev. Francis Jager who produced m one year on a little farm on Lake Minnetonka over six tons of honey. The Regents of the University established in 1914, the Division of Bee Culture at the College of Agriculture and invited Rev. Jager to become its leader. Honey producing plants are fireweed, flowers, maples, dandelions, fruit trees, willows, basswood, and many others. The Professor tells us: "Tons of honey are going to waste and millions of dollars are lost, because there are practically no good bee-keepers in the state." — 12»— CHAPTER XIII MILLING FIRST MILL A state so well fitted for the cultiva- tion of cereals as Minnesota is, and hav- ing its abundant water power, would quite naturally be- come a milling center. The first mill known to have been erected in Minne- sota was the government mill built by Colonel Snelling near the fort. The first under individual ow^nership was \rcilt by Lemuel Bolles in Afton, Washington County. Between 1850-'55, many grist mills were built in dif- ferent parts of the state. [Tn 1853, Eichard Eogers and Franklin Steele built a merchant mill at St. Anthony Falls in East Minneapolis which was followed in 1854, by a much larger enterprise founded by Eastman, Eollins and Upton who built a mill on the lower end of HenneiDin Island at a cost of sixteen thousand dollars. This mill was called "The Minnesota;" it was forty feet by sixty feet and was the nucleus from ^^'hich has grown the great milling industry of Minneapolis. J In 185-^, two men, Gardiner of Hastings, and Archi- bald, who had a small mill on the Cannon Eiver, intro- duced into their mills a new process for grinding wheat. Heretofore, the purpose of milling machinery had been to grind rapidly and at high pressure, producing as much flour as possible at the first grinding. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Archibald each discovered that the heat generated by this method produced dark, pasty flour and they increased the —130— number of grindings and reduced the pressure. For some- time, the flour of these mills brought a higher price in the markets than did that from any other mills of the state and they gave Minnesota flour a good reputation. THE MIDDLINGS The middling is that portion of PURIFIER the wheat grain lying between the husk and the softer, starchy cen- ter. This portion of the kernel is its most valuable part but was formerly thought to be useless, and was cast out in making flour. In 1861, Alexander Faribault sent to Montreal for two brothers (La Croix) to build him a mill. These brothers were from France and were skilled millers. After they had finished building the plant for Faribault, they built one for themselves at Faribault. Here they experimented in con- structing an improvement in milling machinery already in use in France, known as a middlings purifier. By this ma- chinery, the middlings were used and the flour produced was far superior in its rising power and its nutritive value to that already in use. Before the La Croix brothers had their new machinery well installed, a freshet swept away their dam and Edmund La Croix moved to Minneapolis. He visited the millers of Minneapolis and told them of the middlings purifier. One, George Christian, had faith enough in his story to allow him to build and install the machine. It cost about three hundred dollars and it revolutionized the milling in- dustry of the state. The price of Minneapolis and Minne- sota flour increased from one to three dollars a barrel. By saving so large a portion of each grain, about four bushels of wjieat were now required to make a barrel of flour while five had been used before. Another very important result of the adoption of this bit of machinery was in the increased production of spring wheat. Minnesota always raised spring wheat rather than win- —131 — ter wheat, but since it has a much harder shell than the winter variety and consequently more "middlings," it had been thought of less value in flour making. The middlings purifier changed this rating. Hard spring wheat grew in demand and the wheat crop was almost doubled between 1870-1880. The La Croix brothers whose study led to such great good for the state, died practically unrewarded. Since this time, many other improvements have been made in milling machinery. The best processes in use in France, Austria and Germany have been carefully studied and some of them adopted. The old stones which ground the grain have been replaced by rollers of steel and por- celain which crush it. WASHBURN In 1878, the Washburn mill of Minneapo- MILL lis was totally destroyed by an explosion of flour dust. Several mills caught fire and eigliteen lives were lost. The property loss was about one million dollars. The mills were rebuilt at once. The Pills- bury mill constructed then was at that time the largest in the world. FLOUR The export of flour from Minnesota to foreign EXPORT countries began in 1878, when Minneapolis sent out 107,183 barrels; in 1890, we export- ed about two million barrels and ten years later, over four million barrels, or about one-fourth the entire flour export of the United States. This enormous output was again doubled at the close of the next decade when we shipped over eight million bar- rels. Duluth, as well as Minneapolis, is counted one of the •great milling centers of America; and outside of these two cities there are about two hundred mills in the state. At the World's Exposition at Paris, Minnesota flour and bread each took first premium, proving that we rank first in the world not only in the quantity but in the qual- ity of this production. —132— CHAPTER XIV LUMBERING LOCATION Originally, over half of Minnesota v:as OF FORESTS covered with forests, especially the north- ern counties of Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Itasca, Beltrami, and Koochiching. When eastern capital- ists heard of the immense areas of pine in this state, some of them became active in promoting lumber industry in this middle west, while others bought extensive tracts for specu- lation. EARLY Daniel Stanchfield of Wisconsin was LUMBERING sent up the Rum Eiver to ascertain the extent of this natural timber and when he reported on the immense forests with the navigable rivers for transporting the logs, it was but a short time until clams, logging camps, and saw mills sprang into existence along the Eum, Mississippi and St. Croix Elvers, as well as the streams along our northern boundary. Franklin Steele secured ten thousand dollars to build a dam and saw mill at St. Anthony Falls, and hired Chippewa Indians to cut down trees. Then it seemed impossible to use all, the timber of this state, and much was laid waste. Lumbering has been extensively carried on in Minne- sota for about thirty years, during which time more than lialf of our most valuable timber has been cut, or destroyed ])y fire. A large, share of our white and Xorway Pine has been destroyed. —133— Not until the logging camps became less numerous and several saw mills ceased operating, did the state awake to the fact that the trees were not growing fast enough to take the place of those destroyed. This led to a movement of the state and Federal government to preserve our forests, by setting aside reserve forest tracts, promoting a plan of reforestry, and also adopting means to prevent forest iires. FOREST FIRES Fires have caused great loss in our northern pineries. In 1871 a great conflagration swept over this district, then thinly settled. September 1, 1894, a fire started in Pine County, and before it could be checked, Hinckley and eight other vil- lages were totally destroyed. Over four hundred lives were lost and one million dollars worth of property destroyed. In 1908, the town of Chisholm on the Mesabi Eange was left in ruins, and two years later, one of the worst rav- ages swept away the lumbering towns of Beaudette and Spooner in Beltrami County. A large number of settlers made their escape on trains, while others remaining, saved themselves in the Eainy Eiver. After these disasters, the state promptly aided the suf- ferers by money contributions and general relief but the great timber loss awakened the people of Minnesota to the necessity of co-operation in protecting and preserving our timbered lands. Not only are they of industrial value but they conserve the lakes and streams, preserve the game, modify the climate, beautify the landscape, and furnish ex- cellent health resorts. This was so vividly portrayed, in the addresses of Gilford Pinchot, former United States For- ester, and in articles written by General C. C. Andrews of Minnesota, as to bring about a public sentiment which de- manded forest legislation. FORESTRY In 1895, the first forest conservation law LAWS passed the legislature, whereby the state auditor was made a forest commissioner with authority to —134— appoint a chief fire warden, who directed sub state wardens, and furnished printed notices warning citizens against dan- ger from negligence. This warden must be perfectly familiar with our for- ests, kind and condition of each, and the effort to promote new timber growth. Auditor Eobert C. Dunn appointed Gen. C. C. Andrews the first chief warden; he ably served in this capacity for sixteen years. It was largely through his efforts, and the circulation of his yearly report to the state fire commission- er, that a change in the method of cutting forests was in- stituted. Under present rules, loggers cut only those trees that are eight inches or more in diameter, and must avoid injury to younger growth. The legislature of 1911 abolished the office of Forest Commissioner a.nd established a state board of forestry. The institution of a College of Forestry in the State University and the appointment of city foresters show development in the right direction. A forest nursery at Cass Lake raises five hundred thou- sand seedlings a year, to be used in the reforestation of Minnesota, w^hile a smaller one in Superior National For- est furnishes about fifty thousand plants a years for that reserve. PRESENT At present there are fifteen hundred INDUSTRIES camps operating in Minnesota forests, where about forty thousand men find winter employment of which 260,000 are engaged in dif- ferent wood working occupations. NATIONAL The United States government has aided PARKS Minnesota in preserving her forests by es- tablishing wathin her boundary two na- tional reserves, one of which is near Lake Vermillion, and the other bordering Cass and Leech Lakes. — 135— ITASCA From time to time the legislature of STATE PARK the. state has created certain State Parks. Ill 1891 a tract of nearly twenty thoiifc^and acres, near the head waters of the Mississippi River, was set aside as Itasca State Park. This park contains over forty million feet of white pine, which is protected as well as the game and fish included within its borders. An annual appropriation is made by the legislature for the im- provement of this park which has become quite a sum- mer resort. Its three hundred lakes with their pike, bass, and pickerel are an attraction for the angler while the wild area with its native animals is a paradise for the student of nature. A large, log hotel called Douglas Lodge, has been Erected by the state, in the midst of a splendid body of Nor- way pine on the southeast corner of Lake Itasca. This, with a club house and several cottages, accommodate its guests, while others enjoy tent life. INTER-STATE In 1895, Geo. H. Hazzard started ac- PARK tion to induce the states of Minne- sota and Wisconsin to secure the Dal- les of the St. Croix at St. Croix, Wisconsin and Taylor's Falls, Minnesota as a park. This gigantic task was success- ful and the first inter-state j^ark in the United States was reserved. This spot with its waterfalls and various forms of plant life is most picturesque, while its rock features and giants' Kettles are of great geological interest. Inter-state Park lias been improved by the work of the government on the St. Croix River and hy the building of the Xorthern Pacific depot. OTH'^R Other state parks are at Minneopa Falls near STATE Mankato, Burntside, east of Lake Vermillion, PARKS Pillsbury near Brainerd, Alexander Ramsey at Redwood Falls, and the Horace Austin at Austin. It is interesting to note tlie growth of a few of the —J 36— ities which liave been established in the lumber reo^ions to" LITTLE The first settlement was made at Little Falls FALLS in 1848 and the village was incorporated in 1880. Little Falls has now a population of al)0ut six thousand and it owes its growth in great measure to the development of its water power by the Little Falls Power Company. BRAINERD Brainerd, with a population of about eight thousand, was organized in 1871, soon aft- er the building of the Xorthern Pacific and owes its growth to the construction of a great dam across the Mississippi by Charles F. Kindred and Company. Much interest has recently been awakened in this lo- cality by the development of iron deposits in the Cuyuna Pange. CLOQUET Carleton County was organized in 1858. It is drained by the St. Louis River and its trib- utaries. The St. Louis River furnishes fine water power from falls occurring between Cloquet and • Duluth. The principal power plant is at Thomson. Cloquet began its milling industry in 1878 when Charles D. Harwood erect- ed its first steam saw mill with a capacity of fifty thousand feet. It is now a city of eight thousand inhabitants and numbers among its lumber industries, a box factory, three lath mills, five lumber mills, one paper and two pulp mills. AITKIN Aitkin County contains several localities of in- terest in our earlv history. Sandy Lake was visited by Pike in 1805-6. Here w^as lot-ated a trading post, the headquarters for twenty years of British and Indian traders, along the portage route from Winnipeg to Lake Superior. At Pokes^ama Falls was the famous battle between the Cliippewa and the Sioux. Aitkin is the county seat of this county and has large lumber interests. — 137— PINE CITY Covered with pine timber and traversed b_y many streams by which logs could be float- ed to the St. Croix, the region of Pine County was the scene of pioneer lumbering activities. It is now a well de- veloped agricultural and grazing land. As early as 1840, a mission was established by Rev. Mr. Kirkland at the present site of Pine City but was neces- sarily abandoned because of the hostilities between the war- ring Indian tribes. The present town of Pine City was organized in 1874 and is the county seat. INTERNATIONAL International Falls, the county seat FALLS of Koochiching County, in northern Minnesota owes its prominence to the development of the immense water power of the Eainy River at this place. This river which drains a vast basin com- prising fifteen thousand square miles, here falls from twenty- four to thirty-four feet. The total power, which averages from twenty-five thousand to thirty thousand horse-power is fully developed and used in pulp, paper, planing mills, and other in- dustries ; beside lighting and pumping water in Interna- tional Falls, and the Canadian city of Fort Frances, On- tario, on the opposite side of the river. Each city has a power plant, which furnishes a uniform and reliable sup- The credit of this great economic achievement is due chiefly to Mr. E. W. Barkus, who is president of the Min- nesota and Ontario Power Company on the Canadian side and the Rainy River Improvement Company on the Ameri- can side. He has secured the right to construct and oper- ate these plants, and through his efforts the new border towns secured a railroad to connect them with outlying district's, and to furnish them a market for their products. International Falls has one paper mill which produces from spruce pulp two hundred twenty tons of paper a day. —138— This is used principally by the daily papers of St. Paul and Chicago. The development of the industries made possible by this great power supply has been an influence in settling the adjacent farming district which is called upon for food and to supply much of the raw material used in its mills. — 139- CHAPTER XV MINING AND QUARRYING IRON RANGES While pioneer settlers were convert- ing the fertile rolling prairies of Min- nesota into rich agricultural and . dairying districts, and the woodman's ax resounded through its dense hardwood forests, there lay hidden in its northeastern counties, vast de- posits of iron ore which have proved a most notable re- source. Miimesota ranks first among the states of the Union in iron ore production. It leads the world, not only in the amount of mineral produced, but in its grade. There are three distinct ranges in the state. The Ver- million, Mesaba, and Cuyuna. VERMILLION In 1870, George C. Stone, a prominent RANGE business man of Duluth, who had in- vestigated and was convinced of the presence of mineral wealth in the Vermillion, put forth his effort to obtain capital for its development. The few who had sufficient faith in the existence of rich iron deposits to listen to Mr. Stone, believed them to be so far removed from civilization that the project would prove a failure. The per^-^istent efforts of Mr. Stone finally succeofled in interesting Charlemagne Tower, a capitalist of Pennsylvania, who furnished funds to open and operate the mines. The Minnesota Iron Company was organized. — 140— Four million dollars were spent on eighty miles of railroad connecting Duluth with the iron range. This road was completed in 1884 and 62,124: tons of ore were shipped from the Soudan mine near Tower. The mines near Ely, which is twenty miles east of Tower, were opened in 1886. MESABA The Mesaba Eange where have proved to be RANGE our most valuable deposits, lies about twenty miles south of the Vermillion range and par- allel to it. As early as 1850, Dr. J. G. Norwood found iron ore at Gunflint Lake at the eastern end of this range; while its presence at the Avestern end was discovered by H. H. Eames in 1866. It was not until about twenty-five years ago when the Merrith pioneer operators struck ore near Mountain Iron, that the development of the Mesaba began. When a railroad was completed in 1892, the llrst shipment of iron ore was made. A year later, the upturned roots of a tree revealed to a prospector, the presence of iron at Biwabik, and a mine was located there. This inexhaustible store of natural wealth is a soft hematite ore, often yielding 70 per cent of pure metal, and lying very near the surface of the ground. METHOD Much of the mining on this range is OF MINING the open pit system. The surface is stripped to a depth of from twenty to one hundred feet, when the soft red ore is exposed. Large steam shovels lift it from the heart of the pit into the ore cars which stand on temporary tracks ready to receive it. The powerful machinery operates with such ease that in a short time a train of from fifty to one hundred twenty-five cars drawn by a gigantic engine is moving on its way to Two Harbors, Superior or Duluth. When these cars reach the docks, the chutes which are raised and lowered by elec- tricity, remove the ore into lake boats where it speeds on its way to Pittsburg, Cleveland and other cities near the —141— eastern coal beds, where it is smelted and manufactured. This range shows the observer some of the largest open pit mines in the world. The deposits lying deeper are worked by the under-ground method. SETTLEMENT About 125,000 men are employed in the mines, and general offices and in trans- porting the ore. With the development of this great in- dustry, towns and villages sprang up in Northeastern Min- nesota. The thrifty farmers followed to supply the food demand which this new population created. Virginia, a place of nearly 12,000 inhabitants, is sev- enty-five miles northwest of Duluth, while only twenty-two miles farther west is Hibbing, about the same size and said to be the richest town in the world. Its school buildings cost $500,000; city hall $135,000; and library $35,000. The Hull Eust mine, located here, is the largest open pit mine in the world, while the Mahoning alone has produced about nineteen million tons of ore. It is connected by an elec- tric line to Gilbert situated at the eastern end of the range. The Oliver Mining Company has constructed a con- centrating plant at Trout Lake near Coleraine, at a cost of one and one-half million dollars, for the purpose of wash- ing the sand from certain ore, thus making it of market value. Several such plants are now being constructed. At the Brunt Mine, a drying plant to reduce the moisture of the ore is proving a successful experiment. Grand Eapids, Chisholm, Eveleth, and Biwabik are hustling mining towns. CUYUNA This iron range which lies in Crow Wing and RANGE Aitkin Counties was discovered and brought into prominence through the efforts of Mr. Cuyler Adams. It is about fifty-five miles long and con- tains magnetic low grade ore interspersed with deep beds of graphite which may prove a valuable resource to the —142— state. Mining operations began in this region in 1910. Minnesota produces three-fifths of the iron mined in the United States, and it is estimated that she will be among the greatest iron producing states for many years. From 1873 to 1889, this northeastern section of Minne- sota was open to purchase and settlement as other state lands; but in 1889, the state legislated to lease this prop- erty for a period of fifty years at a royalty of twenty-five cents on each ton of ore mined. The receipts which thus far have amounted to $4,000,000 go to increase our school fund. About one-tenth of the mines are owned by the state, and the others by private parties. The state auditor has charge of the mineral lands and mining affairs of the state. This office must employ expert mining engineers to oversee the methods used on leased mining properties and a large force or men to check out the cars of ore. The state has its offices and headquarters at Hibbing where about twenty men are employed as inspectors, car checkers, and office help. The inspectors must visit the mines every three months to see that conditions are keipt as free from danger as possible. DULUTH The vicinity of the St. Louis Eiver from wh^'ch St. Louis County derives its name, was vis- ited as early as 1680 by French travelers and Jesuit Mis- r^ionaries. It was then that Capt. Greyloson DuLuth reached tlie western end of Lake Superior. He was followed a few years later by his brother, Jean DuLuth, who established trading posts at the mouth of Pigeon River and on Min- nesota Point. The wealth of furs later attracted the Amer- ican and Astor Fur Companies with headquarters along the northern shores of Lake Superior. In these early days, prophecv favored Fond du Lac as being the future western lake post. — 143- FIRST The first permanent settlers who arrived at SETTLERS the head of Lake Superior located at Super- ior on the southwestern point of the lake, and this fast-growing village held unrivalled supremacy until 1870. At this time, the first railroad from St. Paul to the head of the lake was built, and finding it impossible to se- cure land titles for the terminus of the road at Superior, Wisconsin, it was located on the Minnesota side. A settlement here, which had existed since 1854, w^as named Duluth by Eev. Joseph Wilson, a Presbyterian min- ister. He was given two lots in the new town as reward for this service. A post-office was established in 1857 with pioneer J. B. Culver as its first postmaster. In 1869, a newspaper, "The Duluth Minnesotian'^ sprang into exist- ence with Dr. Thomas Foster, editor. GEORGE STONE In 1870, there came to Duluth, George C. Stone. His endeavors in the de- velopment of the mining interests of the section have al- ready been noted. Within three years through the success of his efforts, and the entrance of the railroad, Duluth boasted a population of five thousand. This boom was, however, followed by as rapid a depression. DECLINE In 1873 Jay Cooke, who had been one of the chief promoters of the newly proposed North- ern Pacific railroad, failed. This so reacted on the business of Duluth, that banks closed their doors; merchants be- came bankrupt; and three-fourths of the people left the town. The population soon fell to 1,300. It was five years before this railroad was completed and confidence restored. GROWTH Duluth being now connected with the wheat growing section of the Eed Eiver Valley, maintained a steady, prosperous growth until today its pop- ulation numbers 90,000. — 144-- Trade was greatly facilitated by the opening of the canal across Minnesota Point. This channel, now spanned by the only aerial bridge in the United States, is wide enough to afford entrance to the large lake boats, and gives Duluth the finest land-locked harbor in the world, and makes it a famous inland port. In 1913, the tonnage of its freight surpassed that of New York, Chicago, Liverpool or London. It is the largest flax-seed market in the world. The general offices of the United States Steel Corporation are located there, and the building of the twenty-million dol- lar steel plant at West Duluth ]3redicts a new era of manu- facture fur the upper ^lississijuii Valley. QUARRYING Besides iron ore, this state has exten- sive deposits of sandstone, limestone, granite, and jasper. Most important of these is granite, widely distributed through the state. There are three well defined sections noted for this product. A district surround- ing St. Cloud in Sherburne, Benton, and Stearns Coun- ties produces red and gray granite; along the Minnesota River from Big Stone to New Ulm, is another section. The region of Big Stone Lake furnishes gray granite. Mesaba range also supplies much granite. Bed Jas- per, so highly valued by the Indians, occurs in southwest- ern Minnesota; the rougher building stones, sandstone raid limestone, are quarried in abundance. Deposits of lime- stone occur along the Mississippi from Stillwater to Wi- nona, and on the Minnesota in the Mankato-Ivasota dis- trict. Clay suitable for making brick, tile, pottery and cement is found throughout the state. The annual output of these building materials is about three million dollars. ST. CLOUD St. Cloud, in Stearns County, and on the Mississippi Biver, was first settled in 1854. In the heart of an agricultural and timber region and with —145— easy river transportation, its growth was steady. In 1886, a dam having a granite bed was built at a cost of $200,000, furnishing water power for flour and saw mills. With a population of 13,500, this is one of the most modern cities of the state. Here are located a State Xormal School, and the State Reformatory. SAUK RAPIDS Sauk Eapids and Watab are on the sites AND WATAB of former Indian trading stations. They also have great quarries of granite; and the paper mill at Watab supplied by adjacent spruce forests, is one of the largest in Minnesota. Sauk Rapids was visited by a terrific cyclone in 1886; from which it suffered con- siderable damage, but it was at once re-built. —J 46- CHAPTER XVI EDUCATION Minnesota has special reason to be proud of its public school system. In no other state has there been a more steady effort to develop a school system that shall meet the actual needs of the people. FIRST We have read of the first school of the state SCHOOL established in 1847 in St. Paul with Miss Harriet Bishop as teacher. This first school building was a little hut about ten feet by twelve, built of log and chinked with mud and having a stick chimney and mud fire place. Poor as it was. it was probably as good as the majority of homes of that time. This school opened with an attendance of nine pupils of whom two were white, but before the year had closed, the number had increased to forty. FIRST In these early days of the territory SCHOOL BUILDING the "Ladies' Sewing Society" was as efficient as our ladies' civic leagues and our women's clubs of the present. In 1848, the Sewing Society interested themselves in building a house which should serve as a school, church, and place for all public meetings. The sum needed for its erec- tion would not seem very great now, (about $'300), but it took considerable effort then to raise that amount. However, the ladies succeeded and the school house was erected near St. Peter and Third Streets. As already noted, the reservation made Minnesota by the Federal government for educational purposes, when the territory was organized, was unusually large. By that res- -147- ervation, sections sixteen and thirty-six in each township were set apart for school purposes. ESTABLISH- Our first territorial legislature enacted a MENT OF law providing for the establishment of a SCHOOLS system of schools; and during the same year, the citizens of St. Paul held a school meeting in which they organized the town into school dis- tricts and made provision for the election of school com- missioners and establishment of a school in each district. STATE SUPT. The legislature of 1851 provided for the OF PUBLIC creation of the office of State Superin- INSTRUCTION tendent of Public Instruction and a state system of schools; but the salary allowed for this office, ($100 a year), was so meager that one of ability could scarcely afford to hold it; and from 1856 to 1860, the office was practically vacant. An attempt was then made to leave this department under the supervi- sion of the Secretary of State; but this plan also,' was un- satisfactory; and in 1867, when we had in the state 100,000 children of school age and when our school fund had in- creased to about one and a half million dollars, the opmion prevailed that the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction was one of greatest importance and should be better paid. Under a new system, Mark Dunn ell was appointed superintendent with a fair salary; and under his leadership, a state system was more carefully organized; a more thorough training for the teachers' profession was required; teachers met in institutes and a state teachers' association was organized. The system then fairly launched, has not ceased to ex- pand with the needs of the growing commonwealth. -148- DISPOSAL We should be very grateful to our early OF SCHOOL statesmen for their careful disposal of the LANDS great land reservations made us by Con- gress. Neighboring states sold their school lands at liberal prices in order to encourage settlement and consequent im- provement of the land. By doing this, they preserved only a comparatively small school fund. In Minnesota, the question of the disposal of the school lands was discussed long and thoroughly. Members of the Constitutional Convention were divided in their opinions. Some wanted the land in each county sold and its price reserved as a county school fund to be used entirely in the support of the schools of that county; others, particularly Thomas Galbraith 'and Thomas Wilson of Winona, debated against this county plan and urged that the sum received for all school lands of the state should be reserved in a cen- tral fund, the income of which should be used for the sup- port of schools in all parts of the state. It ^ was finally de- cided that "the school lands should be sold at public sale, the principal to be preserved forever inviolate and undimin- ished as a perpetual school fund of the state; and that the income arising from such fund should be distributed to the townships in proportion to the number of scholars between the ages of five and twenty-one years, the Legislature being given authority over the investment of the funds."' At this time, state lands were selling at one dollar and a quarter per acre but, anxious to accumulate as large a school fund as possible, our statesmen decided in 1861. to sell school lands at seven dollars per acre. This price was afterward reduced to five dollars. LEASING OF With the discovery of mineral '^^, there MINERAL arose a question as to whether school LANDS lands containing ore should be sold at all or not. Through the initiative of Capt. William Braden, State Auditor between 1882-'91, such lands --149— are not sold but leased by the state and pay 25 cents royalty on each ton of ore produced. Our school fund was in 1914, thirt3^-two million dollars. This amount, carefully invested by the Board of Invest- ment (comprising the Governor, State Treasurer, State Audi- tor, President of the Board of Eegents of the University and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) yields an annual income of about $1,320,000. This does not nearly meet the entire expenses of the schools of the state. The common schools receive in addi- tion, the proceeds of a local tax and of a state tax of one mill. Special aid is also given to districts that meet certain requirements in length of terms, better qualifications of teachers, or better equipment. These schools, according to their advancement, are classified as graded, semi-o-raded, rural, and state hidi schools and they receive from $125 to $1,500 state aid. NORMAL In 1858, largely through the influence of Dr. SCHOOLS John Ford of Winona, provision was made by the legislature for the establishment of three normal schools for the training of teachers. These schools were located at Winona, Mankato, and St. Cloud. The first of these normal schools was opened at Winona in 1860 with Prof. John Ogden of Ohio as its principal ; the second, at Mankato, 1868 ;* and the third, at St. Cloud in 1869. Two others have been established since, one at Moorhead in 1888, and the other at Duluth, in 1892. Through the efforts of these schools, teaching has come to be recognized as a profession and the standard of work in the common schools has steadily risen. UNIVERSITY In 1851, Congress allowed Minnesota a reservation of two townships of land ro endow a university to be located at or near St. Anthony Falls. The legislature established this university and pro- —150— vided for its government tJiroiigli a board of twelve regents to be elected by the legislature. The board was enthusiastic and set about to open the university as soon as possible. Franklin Steele, one of the regents, contributed several lots near the Falls as a building site, and the others subscribed money. Soon they had erect- ed a building of two stories, thirty by forty feet. For three years, classes were held in this building, but the regents were very ambitious for the rapid growth of the school and, in 1856, began the erection of a large building estimated to ^■^.st about $50,000. In order to do this, all the property of the university was mortgaged; the panic of 1857, with its attending misfortunes, made it impossible to continue the work on the building and it stood unused for ten years. In 1867, a board, appointed for that purpose, succeeded in clearing up the debts contracted by the former board of re- gents; the building was completed and classes w^ere again opened at the University. Thirty-one boys and girls were enrolled the first term. The story of the University since that time has been one of continual advance. In 1884, Cyrus Northrup accepted its presidency. It is doubtful if any man of Minnesota is known with greater love and esteem than is Dr. Northrup. For twenty-seven years, he w^as leader of this, its greatest institution. There is no section of the state where his influence is not felt through the work of men and women whom his counsel has directed. Largely through his efforts, the University holds its eminent place in the confidence of the people of the state. When Dr. Xorthrop became its president its enrollment was 310; when he retired in 1911, it had reached 3,960. Dr. Northrop has been ably followed by Dr. George Vincent. Under his administration the registration at the University has continued to increase until in 1915-16, it numbered over five thousand, eight hundred of whom were — 151— enrolled in the freshman class; while through the remarkable growth of its Extension Department the University has be- come a vital factor in the life of the most remote village of Minnesota. In 1915, the Mayo brothers of Rochester subscribed two million dollars for the establishment of the Mayo Surgical Foundation merged with the State University, and during the year of 1915-1916, fifty-nine medical students took the post graduate work which it provided. Rochester is the site of St. Mary's Hospital and the Mayo Clinic with its world wide reputation. This town was settled in 1854 and incorporated in 1858. It lies in a broad valley in the center of a most fertile agricultural region, and until the building of its famous hospital, was a typical coun- try town. It has now many miles of paving, large and beau- tiful hotels, and a transient population of about three thou- sand. In August, 1883, when Rochester numbered about five thousand people, a terrific cyclone swept through the valley. Much of the town was destroyed; twenty people were killed and many more were injured. The Academy of Lourdes, maintained by the Sisters of St. Francis in the western part of the city, was little disturbed. The Sisters opened their doors to the injured who were in need of shelter and Dr. William W. Mayo attended them. There was then no hospital in Rochester and this ca- lamity made its need so apparent that a plan was soon for- mulated by which the Sisters of St. Francis built a hospital and Dr. Mayo became its attending physician. Such was the beginning of St. Mary's Hospital. In time, Dr. Mayo gave over his practice to his two sons, Dr. William J., graduate of Ann Arbor, Michigan and Dr. Charles, a graduate of the Northwestern University oi Illinois, familiarly known as "Dr. WilP and "Dr. Charlie." These men are blessed with great genius but a genius founded on hard work, constant study, and most careful at- — 152— teiition to the minutest details of their profession. The}' have surrounded themselves with a staff of phy- sicians each an expert in his particular line of science; while their offices and hospital are remarkable in their perfect equipment. STATE AGRI- The act of 1851, which created the state CULTURAL university, provided that one of its de- COLLEGE partments should be a college of agricul- ture. Such a college was established in Olencoe in 1(S5