Washington County, Minnesota - Chapter 39: Incorporation - Municipal Affairs - First, 1881

Chapter 39: Incorporation - Municipal Affairs - First

The name first given to this town was Buena Vista. It was organized in the spring of 1849, laid off by act of the board of county com¬ missioners, at a meeting held at the house of Philip Aldrich, February 28th, of the same year. The name of Buena Vista was suggested by Joel Foster, at the time it was laid out. He had just come to the settlement, and had been in the bat¬ tle of Buena Vista. The excitement over the victory made it a popular name, and it was .ac¬ cordingly adopted. By an act of the legislature in the winter of 1851, the name of the town and all villages therein were changed to Willow River, under which title it remained until November 9th, 1862, when by petition of the citizens it was changed to Hudson.

Incorporation Of Hudson

after by W. Steetsand Joseph Sauperson, known as Joe Lagrew. The four men and their fami¬ lies were the first settlers on the land that is now occupied as Hudson city. In 1846, Capt J. B. Page with his family, from the Mormon settle¬ ment of Nauvoo, landed on these shores and made a claim. Next came Mr. Perrington, who with Mr. Paye, built a saw-mill in 1847, at this point.

Thus began the settlement of this wild and ro¬ mantic country, which was destined to be one of the finest in St. Croix valley. About that time J. W. Stone and the Nobles brothers came. In the spring of 1848, Philip Aldrich, Ammah An¬ drews, Moses Perrin, James Sanders and Joseph Mears, joined the settlement. The nearest store and post-office was at Red Rock, on the Missis¬ sippi river. The enterprise of the new settlers was not long in overcoming these inconveniences. In 1848, James Stone erected a store and kept a general stock of goods ; also opened a law office in connection. A mail was received once in two weeks from Prairie du Chien, Philip Aldrich, act¬ ing as post-master. About the same time Moses Perrin built an hotel. Mrs. Page in connection with her other duties practiced medicine. Thomp¬ sonian. Substantial dwellings sprang up all over the site of this then wild spot, which had but a short time before been occupied by the wig¬ wam of the Chippewa. The records tell us that Louis Massey entered his claim August 23d, 1848, the east half of the south-west quarter of section 24, township 29, range 20. This claim of Louis Massey w-as fust occupied by him in the spring of 1838, and when finally entered for record, in 1848, was the first recorded in the county.

At the same time, Peter F. Boucliea made a claim of the west half of the north-west quarter, of section 25, township 29, range 20. September 16th, 1848, a portion of Mr. Massey's claim was layed out and platted as Buena Vista. June 3d, 1850, Messrs. Gibson, Henning, Boucliea, Stone and Crowns, layed out and platted twenty acres adjoining Buena Vista, and called it Willow River.

At this time the settlers began to make this an objective point. The same year Dr. Otis Hoyt appeared on the scene with his surgical instru¬ ments and medicines, and the settlement was provided with a physician.

the east, began to think of their children and to make arrangements for the improvement of their minds. The subject of schools was discussed, and a district called number one was formed September 22d, 1849. A meeting was called at the house of M. V. Nobles, and the district or¬ ganized by the election of the first board of offi¬ cers, as follows: Moses S. Gibson, director; F. P. Catlin, treasurer; Pascal D. Aldrich, clerk. The first school was taught by E. P. Pratt in what was known as the stone house. S. C. Simonds taught the school in the winter of 1868-'64. It was no small matter to maintain a school in those days. Money was scarce and teachers not very plenty, who wished to teach at the small wages settlers could pay. At the next annual meeting, September 30th, 1860, Ammah Andrews was elected director and J. J. Putman treasurer; P. D. Aldrich clerk. The meeting voted $40 tax to pay for a six months' school.

Miss Charlotte Mann took charge of the school for about eight years, and by industry, culture and high character obtained a reputation among the settlers as valuable in her more limited sphere as that of Horace Mann, the great champion of public education.

In the winter of 1861-'52 two separate plats, or villages, of Buena Vista and Willow River were united and changed in name to Willow River. 'The next spring the first church was es¬ tablished, which was the First Baptist under the ministry of Rev. Mr. Catlin.

As the village increased and the town back from the river became more thickly settled the people became dissatisfied with the name of the village and township. A vote was taken which resulted in a petition being presented to the board of county commissioners to have the name of the town and villages therein contained changed to Hudson, which name was suggested by Alfred Day.

Additions were made to the original plat from time to time until quite a large city, on paper, stretched from the banks of the lake back up the sides of the bluff and along the more level valley of the Willow river. In the winter of 1856 -7 a charter was procured and the first municipal elec¬ tion was called for the first Monday in April of the same year. The following officers were elected:

Mayor, A. D. Gray; aldermen for the first ward, James B. Gray, J. M. Fulton, M. V. Nobles; aldermen for Second ward, Alfred Day, R. A. Gridley, C. E. Dexter; aldermen for Third ward, Chas. Thayer, II. P. Lester and, N. Perry.

The first meeting of the city council was called at Ilendee's Ilall, May 4th, 1877, his honor the mayor presiding, J. B. Gray, clerk pro tern. The election of the minor otticers was made by ballot with the following result: City clerk, O. Bell ; city attorney, Cyrus T. Ilall; city surveyor, Michael Lynch.

On motion, the council fixed the bonds of the city treasurer at $5,000, with three good sureties; the same to be approved by the council. It was voted to appoint a committee to draft by-laws and ordinances; J. B. Gray, Charles Thayer, O. Bell and J. M. Fuller were appointed as said committee. It was voted to appoint Day, Nobles and Lester committee on printing. On motion, Dexter, Gray and Day were appointed to draft laws for the regulation of the council. On motion, it was voted to fix the salary of the city clerk at $250 per year; voted to fix the salary of the city surveyor at $5 per diem for the time actually engaged; voted to fix the sal¬ ary of the city attorney at $200 per annum; also voted that the city engineer receive $1.50 per day. On motion, it was voted that the following shall be the standing committees of the council, claims, ways and means, streets, lire dc|xirtment, printing, health, taxes and licenses. The mayor made the following appointments : on claims, Day, Fulton and Perry; ways and means, Gridley, Gray and Lester; health, Thayer; fire depart¬ ment, Nobles; taxes, Gray, Dexter and Lester; on printing, Day, Nobles and Lester; on licenses, Fulton, Gridley and Berry. On motion, a committee was api>ointed to procure rooms for the meetings of the council, and Nobles, Gridley and Thayer were ap|)ointed said com¬ mittee. The subject of establishing grades was discussed and referred to committee on streets. On motion, it was voted to hold the council meetings at city hall the first Tuesday of each month, at 7:30 p. m. At a meeting of the council held May 13th, 1857, it was voted to charge the following rates for licenses: for hotel keeper to sell intoxicating liquors, $50.00; bowling allies, with saloon, $25.00 in addition to the other license charged; wholesale dealers, $200; billiard saloons, $25 for each table, aside from any other license charged. The first license issued by the city was to John Cyphers; said Cyphers to receive license on presentation of a receipt signed by the treasurer for $40 for whole¬ sale, $100 for saloon and $24 for two billiard tables. At its organization the city was divided into three wards, as follows: all that i>ortion o the city lying south of a line drawn through the center of Walnut street, from the west to the east boundary of said city, shall constitute the First ward; all that portion of said city being north of said line and south of a line drawn through the center of Division street, from the eastern to the western boundary of said city, shall constitute the Second ward, and Ml that portion of said city lying north of the Second ward shall constitute the Third ward. The cause of education has so advanced that at this time they have three fine graded schools. The first school house was erected in 1855, in the Second ward, a large two story-house, at an exj»ense of about $1 ,000. Two wings larger than the original have shiee been added to the building. A new school house was built afterward in the First ward. At the organization of the city, the follow¬ ing officers for school commissioners were elected: J. W. Peeis and M. A. Fulton for the First ward; S. C. Simonds and A. D. Gray, for the Second ward; Charles Thayer and II. F. Bond for Third ward. The steady onward progress of school interests in the city has brought them to a very favorable showing. On August 31st, 1871), the report was: amount on hand, $2,022.08; tax for school purposes, $4,004.38; tax levied by county sui>erintendent, $229.95; state school fund, $250.40 ; total, $6,506.70. During the school year amounts paid for male teachers, $800.00; paid for female teachers, $2,410,00; school fur¬ niture, $120.00; for all other purposes, $1,323.98; total paid out during year, $4,653.98; amount on hand August 31st, 1880, $1,852.78.

At the enumeration of 1880, it was found that there were children in the city over four years and under twenty: Males, 355; females, 323; total, 678. In the public schools over four and under twenty, 590.

Destruction By Fire

-'Terrible conflagration - the city in ruins - sixty-four business houses in ruins and twenty-five families homeless - only one store left standingtotal loss, $325,000 - insurance, $75,000. The fire broke out at 1:30 p. m., in the rear of II. A. Tay¬ lor and Company's building, used for furniture rooms and printing offices. No fire had ever been used in the shed. It was supposed to have origi¬ nated by sparks from the saloon or the pipe of a drunken man, found lying where the fire origi¬ nated, and barely saved from burning with the building. The rapidity with which the flames spread was almost impossible to believe. Not even the books and personal effects from the Star and Times office were saved. Merchants in the adjoining stores had barely time to secure their valuable papers. The wind blew a gale. The flames seemed to break in every direction. The City hotel was enveloped in flames before the alarm was hardly given. The family and guests escaped with only what they had on. In an hour the scene was terrific; the billows of flame and the blinding smoke with the explosion of gun¬ powder; the piles of goods hastily moved only to be destroyed; the approaching darkness, which caused uncertainty, terror and despair; the blackened ruins of what a few moments before were marts of merchandise and elegant homes; the crowds of toiling, anxious men and terrorstricken women; all formed a scene alike terrible and grand.

"In about two hours the fire fiend had done its work. What at noon was the mart of a thriving city, at sundown was a blackened ruin, with only one standing store. The proceeds of years of toil, the abundance which brought affluence and elegance, the little that had been saved from the proceeds of toil, all perished and gone. It is due to the business men to say, no men ever bore losses with more fortitude, or set to work with more, cheerfulness and energy to retrieve their losses. Most were able to go on without any very serious embarrassment. The fire had not ceased before the work of re-building was planned, and the city rose from the ashes with finer pro¬ portions than before."

John Bartlett assistant foreman and A. Freer sec¬ retary. There were thirty members at its organ¬ ization. In 1865, the company established a free library for the use of its members. The company was well equipped and did efficient work at the great fire.

The city had hardly recovered from the first great conflagration, when it was once again visited by the fire fiend, destroying a large part of the busi¬ ness portion. This time the fire broke out in the Chapin Hall hotel, standing on the present site of the Chapin Hall house at 12 o'clock, noon. Every effort was made by the fire company and citizens to keep the fire from spreading, but to no avail. It seemed as though the city must be en¬ tirely destroyed again. It was found impossible without assistance from abroad to check its mad career. It was also impossible to get assistance in time to do much good, when the fire was at last subdued, it was found that about thirty dif¬ ferent firms had lost more or less. The aggre¬ gate loss estimated at $100,000, with only $15,000 insurance. Misfortune never comes single-handed, so with our devoted city. The smoke of this great conflagration had hardly subsided when the alarm was once again sounded. This time the seat of the fire was in the elevator and the ware¬ house of Coon ami Pratt, with their contents. The elevator contained about 30,000 bushels of wheat. The warehouse of C. D. Powers was also destroyed. The total amount of the loss dis¬ tributed among several parties, was $60,000, with $16,355 insurance.

The city authorities began at this time to see the necessity of supplying some means of pro¬ tection against the devouring elements. In Sep¬ tember of the same year, the city purchased their present fire engine, which was place in the hands of the old hook and ladder company. In March the old company was disbanded and a new com¬ pany organization effected, under the title of the Hudson City Fire Company, with the following officers : M. Whitten, chief engineer; G. Ander¬ son, first assistant; J. B. Martin, second assistant; M. D. Aldrich, secretary; D. W. Coon, treasurer; George W. Willis, in charge of engine. The company is well equipped with a good machine and all necessary additions to enable them to cope with a fire. The city has a fine building for the engine house, central)' located, with fine rooms above for the use of the city council, where everything is kept in line order by J. A. Bunker, city clerk, who, in 1870, was elected to the position. He was also in 1873, elected secretary of the fire company. The library of the old hook and ladder company was transferred to the new fire company, November, 1872. J anu a 17, 1877, the city was once again visited by fire and the Dippo block destroyed, with a loss of $6,000 and no insurance.

The First National Bank was organized under the general banking law with a capital of $50,000 and the following officers: John Comstock, presi¬ dent ; A. E. Jefferson, cashier. The original di¬ rectors were L. P. Wetherbv, Alfred Goss, Wm. II. Crown, John Comstock, Amos E. Jefferson, Alfred I. Goss. The bank deals in foreign ex¬ change and transacts a general exchange and col¬ lection business. A safe and thriving business is being done at this time under the management of the following gentlemen: John Comstock, president ; A. E. Jefferson, cashier ; H. A. Tay¬ lor, John C. Spooner, T. D. Harding, A. L. Clarke, and Jas. A. Andrews, directors.

The Hudson Savings Bank, formerly the Na¬ tional Savings Bank of Hudson, was organized October, 1870, with Alfred Goss, president, and A. J. Goss, cashier, having two departments, general banking axid exchange, domestic and foreign bills bought and sold. Savings depart¬ ment; dei>osits of one dollar and upwards re¬ ceived and interest paid, compounding every six months.

The Willow River flour mills, Comstock, Clarke and Company, proprietors. The south mill Was built by D. A. Baldwin in 1808, 30x40, three stories, purchased by Comstock, Clarke and Company, in 1877, rebuilt in 1880, by Messrs. Com¬ stock, Clarke and Company, with a fifty six inch Leffel wheel, 130-horse power, one set of corru¬ gated rollers, one pair of Smith rollers, two Smith purifiers, and turns out seventy-five barrels of flour per day.

The north mill was built by D. A. Baldwin in 1867, of wood 40x60, three stories above base¬ ment, with four run of stone. In 1877 it was purchased by Comstock, Clarke and Company, who enlarged and rebuilt, and added an eleva¬ tor, with a capacity of 15,000 bushels. The pre¬ sent mill is 54x60 feet, with a sixty-six inch

American turbine water wheel of 160-horse power. It has all the latest improved machinery for a roller mill, which consists of thirteen sets of corru¬ gated rollers, ten |>air of Smith rollers, and four run of stone, and thirteen Smith purifiers, with all other machinery necessary for a first class mer¬ chant mill ; capacity 300 hundred barrels per day. The past year it was overhauled and improve¬ ments made, which make it a first class mill with a capacity of 450 ban-els per day.

The St. Croix Valley mill was built by L. D. Bartlett, about 1861 and used as a warehouse un¬ til 1870, when it was purchased by Hall and Com¬ pany. In 1873 they placed in the building a forty-five horse power engine, one feed mill and coni-sheller. In 1675 they added four run of stone with other machinery for manufacturing new process flour. In 1880 the mill was over¬ hauled and new machinery added, which consisted of five sets of corrugated Stevens rollers, three sets Smith rollers, two run of stone, seven Smith purifiers, and other machinex-y for a first-class mill. The mill is 50x100 feet on the ground, three stories high and is a frame structure. The engine room is of brick and stone, 26x40 feet, one story high. The mill has a capacity for pro¬ ducing 100 barrels of flour per day, and furnishes employment to fifteen men, The property is owned by Hall and Goss, the mill being operated by A. W. Hall.

The West Wisconsin Railway Company, in building their road, had secured the right to bridge the lake at Hudson, to make a western connection with the St. Paul, Stillwater and Tay¬ lor's Falls railroad, and thereby securing an en¬ trance into St. Paul as its western terminus. The building of the bridge caused hard feeling to rankle in the breasts of the lumbermen at Still¬ water, because, as they claimed, the passages were not wide enough. We clip the history of the 'Battle of the Piles': "On the morning of the 7th of July, 1871, warlike preparations were no¬ ticeable at Stillwater. Six steamboats moved down the lake towards the nearly completed bridge at Hudson, Wisconsin. They carried a force of two hundred active, able-bodied men. The work on the bridge had been progressing rapidly, much to the satisfaction of the people of Hudson. The "pile drivers" had placed a long line of piles, or supports, in position, and had left space for a draw of ninety-eight feet in the main channel of the river. The bridge was looked upon with displeasure by the people of Stillwater for various reasons, but they urged principally that the draw was too small. It may be that the rafts could have been diminished in size. But 'may bes' don't count, and on Monday, July 3d, an injunction was formally served upon the bridge builders. Their work was suspended temporarily and an agreement was made, the Stillwater folks thought, to stop further proceed¬ ings and take the matter from the 'district' to the 'circuit court.' They found, however, that the bridge builders continued the work. When the steamers, with their forces, arrived near the Hud¬ son bridge, at ten o'clock that Friday morning, it was discovered, by the aid of a glass, that more piles were being driven. So three of the steam¬ ers - the Louisville, Whitmore, and Brother Jonathan - were lashed together and ordered to the attack. They proceeded under a Are of in¬ vectives from the Hudsonites, who had gathered at the bridge. Several of the attacking party were stunned by the force of the invectives, but they were carried to Doctor Morpheus, in whose care they soon recovered. At five minutes past ten a. m. the attack was commenced. A great hawser was uncoiled from the deck of one of the steamers. Several gallant, but slightly excited, men fastened it to one of the piles. The com¬ mander commanded, the bells rung, the engines moved, the wheels revolved, the hawser slipped off, and Hudson whooped with joy. The other three steamers moved toward the point of attack, hoping to be called upon. But the undaunted commander renewed the attack.

The hawser was again fastened, the command given, and this time steam was victorious. The pile was drawn, and from up river went a yell of delight that was repeated by the re-inforcements, and again and again repeated by both. Through¬ out the day eighty piles were drawn.

During the next day a steamer was left to guard the passage, and not till evening did she leave her post. Even then she finished the fight by cap¬ turing that great machine, the 'pile-driver,' winch she delivered into the custody of the good city of Stillwater. No record has been kept of the wounded feelings of the lost spirits. It is a matter of regret that they cannot enter into the

'Battle of the Piles.' A flag of truce was sent, a couple of conferences were held, and finally on Saturday, July the 16th, 1871, an agreement was entered into under which the building of the bridge went on, and the draw was made 140 feet clear above, and 136 feet clear at the water line for the passage of rafts. Thus was effected the bridge compromise; and soon Hudson celebrated the completion of the West Wisconsin railroad."

The first newspaper printed in the St. Croix valley was the "St. Croix Banner," the first num¬ ber of which appeared January 20th, 1850, edited by Mrs. E. Hugh, Colonel James Hugh proprie¬ tor. Late the same year the "St. Croix Inquirer," was established by Sexton and Johnson. In 1860, H. A. Taylor edited a paper known as the "Hud¬ son Chronicle." He changed the name to "Hud¬ son Times," which he published for four years, when he purchased the "Hudson Star," estab¬ lished by Dr. Otis Hoyt in 1854. Mr. Taylor con¬ solidated the two under the title of "Star and Times," which title it still retains, and is now ably edited by Messrs. Taylor and Price. The "True Republican" was established by M. A. Fulton in 1875, who sold it to Sharrattand Cline, in 1876. In December, 1878, Sharratt sold his interest to James Coggswell, and it is now edited by Messrs. Cline and Coggswell.

The St. Croix Agricultural Society was organ¬ ized in 1857. It held its annual fair on grounds fitted up near Hudson until 1867, when the two counties of St. Croix and Pierce united and held a fair at River Falls in the fall of 1868. Not suited with that arrangement, the society rented grounds near Richmond, and held their fail's until 1879, when they purchased grounds one-half mile south of the city limits on a beautiful plat of ground located on the bluff. The grounds are nicely laid out with race-track and fine buildings. The people from all parts of the county take pride in contributing to support and maintain a first-class fair.

Since the great fires of 1866 and 1872 many fine, large blocks have been erected, which give the city a new appearance. The City hotel, burned in 1866, was rebuilt 1868, as Chapin Hall house. It was burned again in 1872, and rebuilt in 1879 by Messrs. Taylor and Andrews. The Hosford block was built in 1866 by Messrs. Hosford, Crowe, Chubback brothers, Clarke and Jefferson

Henning block was built by John O. Henning in 1867. The Taylor block was built in 1868 by Horace A. Taylor. First National Bank, built 1870. The Goss, Boyden block was built iu 1871 by Messrs. Goss, Boyden and Martin. The North block was built in 1872 by Lemuel North. The Schneider block was built in 1872 by Charles Schneider. The Commercial house was built as a blacksmith shop in 1875 and rebuilt in 1876, with additions, by Charles Schneider. It is now 26x110; addition, 20x88; three stories. Music Hall block was built in 1873, with a flue public hall in the upper story, 44x80 feet, seating 300 people. The Hippo block was built in 1877 by David Hippo. The Rickard block was built in 1879 by A. Rickard. The post-office block was built by Frank H. Harden in 1879. Crowe block was built in 1880; contains a beautiful hall, finely arranged for the comfort of large au¬ diences; will seat 500 people quite comfortably; building, 55x80; hall, 46x60; built in 1880 by W. II. Crowe. The Taylor and Goss block was built in 1881 by Messrs. Taylor and Goss.