Minneapolis City (part 27 of 80)

The Constitutioii.al Convention con¬ vened on the 15th of July, at 12 o'clock AI. The Republican members had as¬ sembled at 12 o'clock of the preceding night and taken possession of the hall of the House of Representatives, and sat in solemn, silent conclave until the hour which had been designated for the meet¬ ing of the convention. The Democrats, including the four rejected delegates from St. Anthony', assembled in the Senate Chamber, and at 12 o'clock AI. entered the hall of the House in dignified and orderly procession. Chas. L. Chase, as Secretary' of the Territory', and Hon. John W. North, who had been requested by the Republican delegates, claiming to be a majority of the Convention, to call the Convention to order, simultane¬ ously entered the Speaker's desk from opposite sides. A motion was made on the part of the Democrats to ad¬ journ to the following day', and was put to vote by Air. Chase, and declared car¬ ried, whereupon the Democrats with¬ drew, and the Republican delegates re¬ mained and proceeded to organize the Convention. From this time the two bodies met in separate rooms, and eacli proceeded to form a Constitution. At the close of the sessions it became ap¬ parent that the officers of the United States having control of the money' ap¬ propriated for expenses of the Constitu¬ tional Convention, wordd recognize the Democratic wing, and that the others would get no pay'. Committees of Con¬ ference were appointed, and a Constitu¬ tion, made up in part from that framed by each bodyqbut mainly from the work of the Democrats, was agreed to and formally ratified by' each body'. With a few amendments which have been from time to time adopted, the Con¬ stitution thus ft'amed has constituted the fundamental law of the State to the present time.

Opposition To Issuing Bonds

At the ensuing election the Democrats carried the State, securing the election of their candidates for Governor, Judges, the Legislature, Members of Congress, and United States Senators ; but the Republicans elected their candidates in Hennepin County. Erastus N. Bates, Delano T. Smith and Jonathan Chase were elected Senators, and R. B. Gibson, Geo. H. Keith, William S. Chowen, J. B. Hinkley, L. C. Walker, and William H. Townsend, Representatives.

The next year, 1858, David Heaton was elected Senator from the eastern distl'ict, and W. D. Washburn and A. C. Austin, Representatives from the west¬ ern ; the latter never took their seats, no session of the Legislature occurring during their term of office.

The railroad land grants had passed into the hands of corporations possess¬ ing little capital, and in the depression of that period, land was not available to secure the requisite means even to make a beginning of the work of con¬ struction. It was therefore proposed by the friends of the roads to issue five mill¬ ions of dollars of State bonds, to be appropriated to the several companies, as a loan of public credit. A bill pro¬ posing an amendment to the Constitu¬ tion, to carry this scheme into effect was introduced into the Legislature in Feb¬ ruary, 1858, which, though opposed by many of the ablest citizens of Alinneapolis, was speedih' adopted. A special election was authorized to be held about the middle of April, to vote iipon the amendment. The wildest excitement followed. Public meetings were held to discuss the measure. The press gener¬ ally supported it, but the Atlas, con¬ ducted by Colonel King, fairly blazed in opposition.

Minneapolis b\' such able men as Col. Cyrus Aldrich, M. S. Olds, F. R. E. Cornell, W. U. Wash¬ burn, Charles E. Vanderburgh, George A. Brackett, E. B. Ames, C. A. Tuttle, Edwin Hedderly, Henr3' L. Birge, R. J. Baldwin, D. Morrison, J. S. Elliott, Geo. E. Hu3', W3'man Elliott, Leonard Da3^ D. M. Coolbaugh, P. H. Kelley, and W. P. Ankeny. On the other hand. Senator Bates, Representative George H. Keith, and man3' others, approved of the measure.

So violent became the excitement that the night before the special election, Mr. Cornell, who had been conspicuous in the opposition, was carried through the streets by a howling procession, in effigtb mounted on a cow, to be butted off the track by a fiery locomotive. The opposition was of no avail. On the fol¬ lowing day the amendment was carried by a vote in St. Anthony of 1,164 yeas to 66 nays, and in Minneapolis, yeas 234, nays 46. The approval in the whole State was carried by a majority, amounting almost to unanimity.

The vote of approval was followed by the first issue of the bonds, not, how¬ ever, without scruples on the part of Governor Sibley', who refused to sign the bonds, until he was coerced by a writ of mandamus from the Supreme Court. Work was soon resumed on the railroad lines, and a few miles of each road were graded, but no rail laid. Colonel King continued his opposition, and poured his editorials denouncing the bonds as a "swindle," and predicting their repudi¬ ation, into the avenues of negotiation, so that their credit was destroyed ; and no moi'e than two million two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars of the five million authorized, were ever issued. These were paid to contractors, and to open a market for them, the Legislature was induced to authorize their receipt as security^ for the note issue of local banks. No bank in Minneapolis availed itself of the privilege, but banks in St. Paul and other parts of the State used them as the liasis of circiilation, and with the exception of one owned by Erastns S. Edgerton, the banks failed to redeem the notes, and they became a dead loss in the pockets of the people. The State railroad bonds were repudi¬ ated. A Representative of Hennepin county, Hon. David A. Secombe, intro¬ duced "into the Legislature another amendment of the constitution, ex¬ punging the bond amendment, and forbidding the Legislature to provide means for payment of principal or in¬ terest of the bonds, which was adopted. This amendment was declared by the Supreme Court void, but not until its baleful work had been accomplished. For more than twenty years no pay¬ ment was made. At last it fell to an¬ other distinguished citizen of Minnea¬ polis, Gov. John S. Pillsbury, to initiate measures, which, through a compromise with the bondholders, settled a cpiestion which had agitated the people for so long a time, and caused the most serious solicitude to those who were jealous of her honor.

At the general election of 1859, David Heaton was elected to the Senate from St. Anthon3', and D. A. Secombe and George P. Baldwin to the House. At the same time Charles E. Vanderburgh was elected District Judge, in which ])osition he was continued until his ele¬ vation to the Supreme Bench in 1888.

The following 3'ear David Heaton was elected Senator from St. Anthon3', and Rufus J. Baldwin from Minneapolis, and F. R. E. Cornell was chosen Repre¬ sentative from the cit3' district. These gentlemen were re-elected to the same positions in 1861, the Senatorial term having become two 3"ears. During these 3'ears the most important questions touching the status of the railroad companies were presented and happil3' settled. Air. Heaton had recentlv set¬ tled in St. Anthony with his famiho He came from Ohio, and sought a residence here for the benefit of his health, being afflicted with pulmonar3" disease. He was a law3'er 1)3' profession, though never engaging in active practice while here. He was an elegant gentleman, dignified in bearing, eomeh' in appear¬ ance, cultured iu mind, and courteous in intercourse. He made an able and use¬ ful Senator. Although the apparent in¬ terests of his constituency led him to take views of the railroad policy proper to be adopted, opposed to the position of the Representatives of the west side of the river, their confidence in his integrit3' was not diminished, nor their friendship alienated.

The raih'oad companies had foiTeited all their engagements. No part of 31)3'- line had been constructed, and interest on the State aid bonds had not been paid. The most obvious remedy was first adopted bv the foreclosure of the railroad mortgages, and bidding the properties in for the State. The fran¬ chises were declared forfeited 1)3' act of the Legislature. But now the embar- I'assment was as gi'eat as ever. The State had resumed the railroad lands, and recalled the franchises of the corpo¬ rations, and was in statu quo. What the public needed and demanded was the construction of the roads. Here arose propositions most dangerous, if not fatal, to the interests of Alinneapolis. Contractors holding large amounts of the rail bonds issued for various lines, proposed to organize a single trunk line of I'oad, which should substantially fol¬ low the Alississippi River, and b3' con¬ structing this single line have their bonds recognized and validated. This insidious scheme brought to its siipport all whom the contractors could infliience, as well as the communities to be served b3' the trunk Hue. The Represen- tative of St. I'aul warmly supported it, and was seconded by Senator Heaton, and the east side delegation. The Representives of Minneapolis opjjosed it, and demanded that each land grant line should be preserved intact, with all its original resources, until its friends coidd secure the construction of the line. This policy was, after a most intense agita¬ tion, both in the Legislature, and throughout the State, adopted. The franchise of each line, together with its appurtenant lands, and such work as had already been done Iw the old com¬ panies, was granted to corporators named by those i)romoting each line, but really in trust, to make the best dis¬ position possible to secxire the building of the roads. Long delays followed, but eventually the surprising growth of the State, and the gradual recovery of the country from the financial depres¬ sion brought capital to take up the tempting offers, and one after another, the original lines of road were built, and on the original routes. The onh' excep¬ tion was the branch of the Southern Minnesota line, from St. Anthony to a point of junction in the Minnesota val¬ ley near Shakopee. The Alinnesota Yalle}" line having fallen into the con¬ tract of a St. Paid com])any, that road was built from St. Paul, but the obliga¬ tion to build from St. Anthony was persistenth" disregarded.

Alinneapolis owes a debt of lasting gratitude to Henry T. Welles, W. I). Washburn, and their associates, who, after many years of patient waiting, organized the Minneapolis & St. Louis Rail Road Company, and without land grant or aid, other than that furnished bi' Minneapolis, jmt in the "missing link;" and, strangely, that neglected branch has become the main line of the company now owning the road - the "Omaha" - and Minneapolis is the

The common school system of the State was placed u])on a sound financial liasis by this Legislature. Two sections of land in each township had been granted by Congress to the State for school uses. Governor Ramsey had rec¬ ommended in his annual message that a minimum price of not less than five dol¬ lars per acre be placed upon the land ; but the land speculators who had made princely fortunes out of the school lands of some of the new states, had fastened covetous eyes on the rich school lands of^AIinnesota, and opposed the minimnm price. Without it, through ma¬ nipulation of ajjpraisements, and the blindness or apathv of the land officers, they might secure choice lands at nom¬ inal ])rices. A bill authorizing the sale of the school lands had gone to its final passage without the minimum clause, and had been committed to a conference committee, at the last hour of the ses¬ sion, when, by the firmness of a senator from Minneapolis, this invaluable safe¬ guard of the school lands was inserted, and the bill then passed into a iiermanent law.

The outbreak of the War of the Re¬ bellion hushed all partizan disputes and united the people of all political faiths in a zeal to preserve the Union, and in efforts to furnish the recpiired cpiota of soldiers, and to su])port them and their dependents while in the field of conflict.

During the 3'ears from lcS61 to 1865 if there was any political issue before the people it was who should do most for the soldiers. Minneapolis was not behind her neighbors in the zeal. More than one election turned on the point of de¬ votion to this cause, even after the war was over. Such was the case at the election in the fall of 1866. Opposed to the regular Republican ticket for legis- lative and county offices, was a so-called "Soldier's ticket," suppoi'ted by Demo¬ crats and such Repul^licans as could be alienated from the nominees of their party l)y the virulent personal calumnies launched by Dr. Thomas Foster, an ed¬ itorial Don Quixote, who had lateh" obtained conti'ol of a short-lived news¬ paper in Minneapolis, called The Chron¬ icle. These calumnies related to the cpiestion of adjusting in some ecputable wa}" the repudiated State Railroad bonds, the Republican candidates for the Legislature being charged with a purpose to favor such adjustment.

At this election John S. Pillsbuiw was for the second time elected to the State Senate from the St. Anthonj" district, a X^osition to which he was rejieatedly re¬ elected.

Upon the bond issue his opinions, so ])ronounced when he became Governor, were ke^jt in abeyance, so that he escajDed falling a victim to popular prej¬ udice on that subject.

After X3eace had been secured, atten¬ tion was again turned to the develo^Jment of the resources of the State. No question of moment has arisen outside of ordinary x)olitical lines, and the cit}' of Alinneax^olis has shared in the general ])rosx3erit3q and grown in numbers, in wealth and in [jower to her jDresent pre¬ eminent x^osition, as is told in other ax^x^rox^riate chax^ters of this histoiy.

During these years she has been rexJresented in the Legislature b}^ many of her ablest and most x)ublic spirited citizens. To the Senate she has sent, besides those already named, Dorilus Morrison, Curtis H. Pettit, Charles A. Pillsbury, Dr. Levi Butler, R. B. Langdon (who served seven terms), William

Lochren, J. R. Gilfillan, D. M. Clough, L. Swenson, John Da^^ Smith, J. C. Oswald, S. A. March, T. G. McMillan, E. M. \¥ilson, and J. W. Bell; and to the House of RexDresentatives Curtis H. Pettit, Heniw Hicks, Loren Fletcher, Dr. 0. J. Evans, Josiah Thomx^son, James \¥. Griffin, Cyrus Aldrich, A. A. Ames, A. C. Austin, H. E. Alann, W. D. A¥ashburn, Frank L. Morse, Chas. H. Clark, C. D. Davison, Daniel Bassett, John H. Stevens, George A. Camx3, John Baxter, F. H. Boardman, \¥. H. Grinshaw, S. P. Snider, E. J. DavenxDort, Freeman P. Lane, Emerson Cole, Matt Walsh, C. McC. Reeve, and others of like x^tominence.

Among the Representatives, Chester D. Davison was elected Speaker of the House, at the eleventh session. A. R. Hall, who rex^resented the Minneaxjolis distinct, though a resident of the north¬ ern x^ai't of the count}^ was Sx^eaker at the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth sessions, and Loren Fleteher filled the same honorable x^osition at the twent3^- second and twent3" -third sessions.

No citizen of Minneaxiolis had ever occuxfied a seat in the Senate of the United States until the election of Wil¬ liam D. Washburn in 1889.

An earl 3' immigrant to Minneax^olis from Maine, member of a famil3" dis¬ tinguished in the annals of Congress, for the number and ability of its mem¬ bers who had occuxfied x^l^ces in its councils - a Republican of unwavering loyalt3' - for thirty 3"ears an indefatiga¬ ble worker in every enterprise for the uXJbuilding of the cit3q especialh' in the imxDrovement of the water x^ower of the Ealls of St. Anthon3', in the x^rojecting and securing invaluable new railroad facilities, and in the enlargement of the lumber and flour manufacturing indus¬ tries, it was with the greatest satisfac¬ tion that his fellow citizens hailed his nomination to the Senate, obtained Iw a narrow nuirgin over a popular and ambitious opponent. And his services in the Senate have fulh' justified the an¬ ticipations, as the new Government building, the reservoirs of the iqjper Mississippi, and the improvement of the river navigation attest. It is not a matter of least consideration that his views of the business needs of the country led him to prefer financial legis¬ lation to political, and to break from the lead of the administration in post¬ poning the '' force bill."

At the expiration of the terms of the Democratic members of Congress who were chosen at the first State election, Col. Ct'rus Aldi'ich of Minneapolis, re¬ ceived the Republican nomination for Representative in Congress in 1859, and was elected ; and at the expiration of his term was re-elected.

Colonel Aldrich was among the most conspicuous citizens of Minneapolis. A native of Rhode Island, he had emigrat¬ ed to Illinois at an early age, and had there held imi)ortant offices of trust, and had accumulated £i modest fortune. He had been an intimate of Abraham Lincoln, whom he resembled in altitude, build £ind facial features, and was not dissimilar in the vein of humor which pervaded his conversation, in his ability to narrate illustrative anecdotes, and in the strength and tenacity of his opinions.

Arriving in Alinneapolis he erected on Fifth street a fine brick residence, the best which the town at that time ex¬ hibited, which he made his home, and identified himself with all measures for the advancement of the eommunit}". Particvilarly he devoted himself to the organization and propagation of the Republican party. In Congress he was a most indefatigable laborer for his con¬ stituents, and for the interests and repu¬ tation of Minnesota. He was in Wash¬ ington during nearly the whole period of the war, and gave especial attention to the needs and comfort of the Alinnesota soldiers, many of whom were eng£iged in or about Washington. During his term of service Col. W. S. King was appointed post-master of the House, and the kite Secretary William W'indom, represented a district in Southern Alinnesota in the House. These three consti¬ tuted a Minnesota triumvirate, whose attention and solicitous regard for the soldiers of the army, but espeeialh' of those from Minnesota, will not be for¬ gotten till the last survivor and j)£irtaker of their bounty shall have passed away.

At the Senatoric'd election which oc¬ curred in 18G4-, his friends and admirers presented the name of Colonel Aldrich as a candidate for Senator of the United States. The Legislature was strongly Republican, so that a nomination was equivalent to an election. His opjjonent for the nomination was Gov. Alexrinder Ramse\'. Both men had been conspicuous in the scenes of the war. Colonel Aldrich at Washington, and (Governor Ramse\' at home, but officiat¬ ing cis the War Governor of the State. Both were stalwart Republicans, and neither had an avowed private or public enemy, nor a stain upon his reputation.

Local and official influences about the Capitol favored the latter, and his hand had signed every militaiw commission in the State. The Republican caucus was ec[ually divided, neither receiving a nmjorit}' of votes, and unable to come to an agreement, adjourned. On convening at a subsequent dciy. Governor Ramsev had secured the vote of a w£ivering rei^resentative, and was nominated find elected .

was chosen a director of the compain'. Colonel Aldrich was subsequently ap¬ pointed postmaster of Minneaijolis, and was serving in that capacity when his lamented demise occurred.

Minneapolis and St. Paul were in the same congressiontd district. To the capital of the State naturally gravitated man3" of the men who were ambitious to hold official positions, and her own cit¬ izens were not averse from presenting their claims, so that Minneapolis did not again receive the honor of naming the representative in Congress until 1869, Avhen through an unhappy divi¬ sion among Republican leaders, Eugene M. Wilson, the Democratic candidate, secured an election. His term was sig¬ nalized b\" no event of especial import¬ ance. He acted with the Democratic part3q with which a majorit3' of the people of Alinnesota and the District were not in S3'mpath3'. In attention to the business of his constituents, and the general interests of the state, no faidt was ever found.

The next i"e])resentative chosen from Minneapolis was Col. William 8. King, who was elected as a Rei^ublican candi¬ date in 1875. He had been much about Congress for man3r 3'ears, and was so influential in making Congressmen and Seneitors that his official position was overshadowed b3^ his x^olitical power and prestige in other respects.

John B. Gilfillan was returned to the House of Representatives in 1885, but on renomination at the expiration of his term was beaten bv Edmund Rice, of St. Paul.

AVilliam D. Washburn served in Con¬ gress from 1879 to 1885, and S. P. Snider from 1889, for one term, with marked ability, and to the satisfaction of all, except that both wei'c stalwart Repub¬ licans, and politically were not acce])table to the Democrats.

W. W. McNair, O. C. Alerriman and A. A. Ames were at different times nom¬ inated b3'' the Democrats for Congress, but after making creditable runs, especiall3" in their own cit3q went down be¬ fore the crushing preponderance of Re¬ publican votes.

Col. Hans Mattson has been repeatedl3" elected Secretaiw of State. His selection has been rather as a represen¬ tative of the Scandinavian population, than as a tribute to the cit3" of his resi¬ dence. Gen. H. P. Van Cleve held the office of Adjutant-General from 1866 to 1870, and again from 1876 to 1882. He was a graduate of the AIilitar3^ Academy at West Point, and while serv¬ ing as an officer at Fort Snelling mar¬ ried Charlotte Ouisconsin Clark, who was brought an infant with the militar3' expedition that built Fort Snelling in 1819, and still survives her distinguished husband. General Van Cleve was ap¬ pointed Colonel of the Second Regiment of Alinnesota Volunteers, and served with so much distinction that he was made bv brevet Major-General. No other State office has been filled b3" a citizen of Alinneapolis wdth the excep¬ tion of Attorney-General and of three successive executive terms, in which John S. Pillsbury held the office of Gov¬ ernor with distinguished abilit3^

He gave the weight of his official authorit3' and large jDersonal influence to the settlement of the State railroad bonds, which, through a liberal compro¬ mise on the part of the creditors, were adjusted 133^ the issue of new bonds. Thus the only stain which has ever I'ested iqDon the otherwise untarnished fame of Minnesota, 133'' the long continued repudiation of her obligations was re¬ moved, so far as a settlement acceptable I0 her creditors, was able to efface it. However much credit is due to the Gov¬ ernor for his bold stand and persistent cfifort to settle the vexed question, these could not have prevailed had not the way been prepared by the indefatigable effort through many years, of citizens in private station, who so influenced public sentiment, that the final aet became pos¬ sible and suecessful.

Among these private citizens were Horace Thompson, a banker at St. Paul, ex-Governor Henry H. Sible}' and Geo. H. Keith, and other citizens of Minne¬ apolis.

Though no other citizen of Minneap¬ olis has filled the chair of State, several have been candidates, and but for ad¬ verse Republican majorities, would have had the distinguished honor. Henry T. Welles, William W. McNair, A. A. Ames and Eugene M. Wilson, were Democratic candidates and nominees for the Gov¬ ernorship.

At the first State election nomina¬ tions were made for Judges of the Su¬ preme Court Iw both political parties, the candidates of the Democratic part\' being elected.

Judge Atwater was a New York bo\', who b\' his own industry' and persever¬ ance had secured a bachelor's degi'ee at Yale College, and a professional edueation, and at the age of about thirty came to Ylinnesota to carve out his own wa}' to fame and fortune. He had resided in St. Anthony and Minneapolis for seven years, and was known as a clear and forcible editorial writer, a laborious practitioner at the law, and had identified himself with la^'ing the foundations of religious and edueational institutions. He was one of the first vestrymen of the ehurch of Gethsemane, and a regent of the State University.

dicial la1)ors with the cordial good will of his neighbors and fellow citizens of all ])arties, and conducted himself Avith so much dignity, impartiality and industry, as to heighten their esteem and admira¬ tion. The first eight A'olumes of the Ylinnesota reports are embellished AAuth many opinions from his facile pen, and remain as monuments of his rare judicial discernment. In the new State, law and equity jurisdictions had been united in the same courts, and the eode, then a comparatiA'e innovation on time hon¬ ored methods of procedure, had been adopted as a rule of practiee. It w'as no small labor to harmonize and bring into SAunmetrical action the new meth¬ ods. Questions of practice were pre¬ sented and settled, AAdiile the fundamen¬ tal principles of equity AA'ere recognized, and administered, in cases calling for their application .

In March, 1864, Judge Atwater, find¬ ing the salar\" of the office (then onW $2,000 per year, paid in depreciated State orders) insufficient for the support of his famil}', resigned. HaA'ing receWed a luerative offer to resume praetiee in Carson Cit}', NeA^ada, he accepted it, AA'ithout, lioweA'er, remoAung his famih', or intending to make it a jjermanent residence. At the end of three A'ears, he returned, and resumed practice for seA'- eral years in this citA'. Of late years, hoAA'eA'er, his attention has been deA'oted entirely to his priA'ate ljusiness.

Francis R. E. Cornell, the most brill¬ iant laAVAer aaIio ever practiced at the Hennepin countA' bar, after having filled the position of Attorne3--General Avith distinguished abilitA', AA'as chosen Justice of the Supreme Court in 1875, and occu¬ pied the ])Osition until his death six A'ears later. He was a native of Chenfingo countv. New York, a graduate of Union College, and had entered the ju'actice of laAA' in Stuben countA', Ncaa'

York. 'At an early age he was eleeted to the Senate of his native State, and in the capaeit3" of Senator, was a member of the Court for the Correction of Errors, and as it chanced during his term, of a High Court of Impeachment, for the trial of a high State officer, im¬ peached bj' the House for malversation in office.

He removed to Alinneapolis in 1854, at the age of thirt3^-four r'eai's, and at once formed a partnership for the prac¬ tice of law with D. M. Hanson. Upon his death, he associated Charles E. Van¬ derburgh, who had just come to Minne¬ apolis from New A^ork State, the part¬ nership continuing until the election of the latter to the District Court bench.

The law practice of those da3'S was not lucrative. It consisted chiefl3' in contests before the land office, and in the entering, transfer and care of the public lands. If mone3^ was wanting, the law¬ yer who had successfidh^ conducted a contest, sometimes received a part of the land as his fee. Often Judge Cornell was put to straits for current living ex¬ penses, but at his death, the landed in¬ terests which he had accumulated, be¬ came a liberal patrimony for his famil3^ He interested himself in the public schools, serving as Trustee, and at great personal sacrifice, served as Alderman in the municipal government.

As the courts became occupied with a variety of forensic subjects, his versatile abilities began to mark him as a brill¬ iant practitioner. His orator3" was vig¬ orous and thrilling, his voice a shrill treble, and whether before a juiw, or on the platform, he seldom failed to cariw his case. His skill as a cross examiner was remarkable, and he seldom failed to establish truth, and strip the mask from falsehood and cunning. With all, his knowledge of law was profound, and his judgment cool and discriminating.

While a member of the Legislature, he, in concert with the late Judge John M. Berr3", then a Senator from Rice count3^, devised the measures, intricate, and without the guide of precedents, which carried the railroad interests safeU' through the complications of the bond entanglement, defaults and forfeit¬ ures, involving the consideration and decision of difficult and obscure legal ciuestibns. As a proof of his sagacit3', almost ever3' question then raised has been the subject of controvers3^ in the courts, and everv point made by him in these laws has been sustained.

While holding the office of Attorne3'- General he was called to remote parts of the State, to assist the prosecuting offi¬ cers in important cases - several capital cases being among them - and never failed to convict where he decided that guilt existed.

No citizen of Minneapolis was more beloved b3r his fellow citizens, nor more sincerely mourned when called awa3' from life in the maturity of his powers.

John AI. Berry rvas a resident of Fari¬ bault when first elected a Justice of the Supreme^Coui't, but soon afterwards re¬ moved to Minneapolis, which was his home through the remainder of his life. He was repeatedh' re-elected at the ex¬ piration of his term of office, and was eminent as a judge, and honored and re¬ spected as a citizen.

A vacanc3" occurring in the office of Supreme Court Judge, during the Gov¬ ernorship of Hon. Cushman K. Davis, George B. YMung was appointed, and served out the remainder of the term. He was not re-elected, but at the expira¬ tion of his appointment removed to St. Paul, where he has since been a leader at the bar.

Political Organizations

of the Fourth Judicial District since 1859, and since his first election has been continued in office to the present time. Judge Vanderburgh enjo3's the reputation of being the best adminis¬ trator of the equity' jurisdiction of the court who has ever occupied the Su¬ preme Bench, besides eminent ability in other departments.

For many j'ears Judge Vanderburgh was the onh' Judge of the District Court. As the volume of litigation in¬ creased, other judges were appointed and the position has been filled with abiliti' bj' maiw eminent law3^ers; con¬ spicuous among them is Judge William Lochren. Arriving in Alinneapolis in 1857 he entered into practice as a law- 3'er, and soon gained a leading position at the bar. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in the famous First Regiment of Alinnesota Volunteers, as a private, and served as such during the whole war. Though probabW the ablest man in his regiment, he saw others of far less merit preferred in rank, and ma3' be excused if he cherished the suspicion, that partisan considerations influenced militaiw appointments, as well as patriotism. He was a Democrat, and never suffered his political faith to waver, or swerve him from the line of dut3'. Escaping the perils of more than twenty battles, during which were the fier3' da3's of Gettsburg, he resumed the practice of his profession at the close of the war, and was associated with W. W. AIcNair and J. B. Gilfillan, until he received the af)pointment of Judge. His judicial labors have been indefatigable, and so satisfactor3" in character, that no

A. H. Young received an appointment as District Judge in 1877, and occupied the position until Januar3q 1891, when he was retired through failure to receive a non- partisan nomination, and b3' the impairment of Republican ascendanc3" in the district, through the diversion of the Farmers' Alliance.

It is probable that the Republican part3' is as preponderant in the citv of Alinneapolis as it has ever been. At the Presidential election of 1889 it gave the Republican ticket 19,248 votes, the Democratic 13,307, and the Prohibition 1,427. At the state election in 1890, Alerriam, Republican, received for Gov¬ ernor 9,840 votes; Wilson, Democi'at, 13,461; Owen, Farmers' Alliance, 5,784, and Pinkham, Prohibition, 1,571.

The Alliance candidate was a respect¬ ed citizen of Minneapolis, while the Re¬ publican nominee was a resident of St. Paul, and had not been favored for the notiiination by the Republicans of Alin¬ neapolis. A comparison of the votes cast in 1888 with those cast in 1890, shows that while the Democratic vote increased only 154, the combined Repub¬ lican and Alliance vote fell off 3,618.

For man3^ 3'ears the Union League has been a sti'ong political club in Alinneap¬ olis, numbering in its membership man3' of the 3'oung, able and aggressive Repub¬ licans, and has done much to keep up the organization and efficienc3' of its part3'.

No city in the Northwest, and per¬ haps it would be sale to saj^ in the United States, can boast of a more per¬ fect system of public schools, than that of Minneapolis. The first settlers, chief¬ ly from New England and the Middle States, brought with them an inherited love of schools and churches. These were their first cai'e. Other desirable things might wait - these could not. These were the corner stones of relig¬ ious, social and political life. On foun¬ dations broadly and securely laid by the founders of the city, in educational mat¬ ters, their successors have wisely built. And to-day, what with her public and private schools, her University, her theological schools, libraries, news¬ papers, periodicals, and large numbers of learned professional men, Minneap¬ olis stands easily first as the literarj^ center of the Northwest.

This prominence has not been achieved without great sacrifice of labor and money. The city has been peculiarly fortunate from the beginning, in the large number of its leading citizens who have given unstintedly of the time and money to the cause of edueation. She has not been less fortunate, in securing men and women of exceptional ability to take the charge of her public schools. And the people have liberally responded in voting large sums of money to sus¬ tain these institutions. No taxes have been paid more cheerfully than those de¬ voted to the building and equipment of school houses, and providing competent instructors. And so rapid has been the growth of the city, that these have often seemed a heavy burden. But whatever cries of retrenchment have been raised, the universal feeling has been, that it must not begin with our public schools.

With the growth of the city, the pride of its citizens in, and devotion to the in¬ terests of her public schools, has in no respect diminished, but on the contrar3^ is increasing. The scope and efficiency of the system is year by year enlarging. Within the past three or four years, evening schools have been established for those who cannot take the regular course, and are largely attended. Train¬ ing in industrial occupations has been introduced with most gratifying results. And instruction in the higher branches pertaining to college preparation is car¬ ried to a greater extent than ever before thought practicable or desirable. True, there are some who strenuously object that the system is being stretched be- yond its legitimate limits, and is becom¬ ing too heavy a burden on the commun¬ ity at large. But it is believed the num- Ijer of these is comparatively small, and there is not likely to be anv retrograde step taken in regard to the SA'stem no\v established.

The first record we find of an}' school taught within the present limits of the city, is as early as 1836. It was estab¬ lished on the bank of Lake Harriet by the Rev. J. D. Stevens, missionary of the Presbyterian Church. The pupils were all native Americans, to wit, Sioux In¬ dians. Writing of this school in Jan¬ uary, 1836, Mr. Stevens says :

On the 19th instant, we commenced a school with six full blood Indian children, at least so in all their habits, ^ress, etc. ; not one could speak any language but Sioux. The school has since in¬ creased to the number of twenty -five. I am now collecting and arranging words for a dictionary. Mr. Pond is assiduously employed in preparing a small spelling book, which we may forward next mail for printing.*

We find no record of how long this school continued, or what afterwards became of the pupils. It is jirobable that none of them became eminent in literature or science, as history has not preserved their names. It would be in¬ teresting to know whether any of them were connected with the Sioux massacre of twenty -five years later, and if so, whether as friends or foes.

The next school taught in what is now the city of Minneapolis was opened, as near as can be ascertained, June 1, 1849. It was taught as a private school by Miss Elizabeth Backus, who came out to Minnesota with Governor Slade's missionary teachers. There was then no school house, and the school was opened in a small frame building or shanty on Second street, near Secondavenue south, St. Anthony. The room would accommodate only about twenty scholars - indeed, did not accommodate that number. The increase during the summer and following autumn, was such, that the necessity for a school house became imperative, and one was erected in the fall of the same year, and was occupied in the winter following. This was built on Second street and near the point above located. Mr. Lee taught the first public school for a time. The school house was built by subscrij)- tions of a few pioneers, who had noth¬ ing to spare from their scanty earnings, and who relied on the justice of the fu¬ ture to reimburse them. To some extent this was done. But these first efforts show the determination of the early set¬ tlers to have the common schools to which they had been accustomed, at all events, regardless of how great were other privations which they must suf¬ fer. Among those who attended this first school and the most of whom are still living, were Helen and Abner Godrey, Mortimer, Daniel, John, and Sarah Rollins, Luella Tuttle, Emery and Elmer Worthingham, and children of Charles Mosseait and Piei're Bottineaii.

The next building erected for school purposes was a two story frjimc struc¬ ture, situated on a reserved block in the original town site, between Central ave¬ nue and First avenue south, and north of Second street. This block was origi¬ nally donated by Franklin Steele as a site for the University of Alinnesota. The building erected thereon was in¬ tended to be used for the preparatory de]jartment of that institution. Two rooms only in this building were finished at first, callable of accommodating about fifty pupils each.

In November, 1851, the Rev. E. W. Merrill, a graduate of Middletown Col¬ lege, Conn., opened in this building a school, which was known as the Priniar\^ School of the University of Min¬ nesota. True, there was no University building yet in existence, but it was fondly hoped there would be by the time pupils were prepared for entrance. Mr. Merrill was invited by the Board of Regents to take charge of the school, and was given the rent of the building free, and derived his compensation from term fees from the pupils. This school was continued by Mr. Merrill, aided by an assistant, for three years and a half. There was an average attendance of about sixty scholars. After this, Mr. Merrill's sister took charge, and carried on the school foi**some time longer. The building was used for school purposes until 1864, when it was burned.

In this connection it may be stated, that Mr. Merrill was Superintendent of Schools in the Territory for some years, receiving his commission from Gov. Wil¬ lis A. Gorman, August 13th, 1853. He succeeded Rev. E. D. Neil, who had pre¬ viously held the office, and in that 3^ear resigned. Mr. Merrill is still a resident of the cit3% but from impaired health not engaged in any active occupation. He resides with his son. Rev. George G. Merrill, on Bryant avenue.

It ma3" here be observed, that in the charter of the cit3' of St. Anthony, ap¬ proved Alarch 3rd, 1855, no mention is made of public schools. The inference is, that up to that time, the3' had been managed to the satisfaction of the peo¬ ple, and that no interference was desired from the cit3" government. The3" con¬ tinued to progress in numbers and efficiency with the increase of popula¬ tion. Unfortunately, we find no district records in existence previous to the 3'ear 1860, and the presumption is that if such were kept, they have been lost or destroyed. After that date, however, full records were kept until 1878, when the schools of the East and West divi¬ sions were united under one head. Commencing with the year 1860, and continuing to 1878, we find the fol¬ lowing well known names, serving for longer or shorter periods as Directors on the Boai'd of Education on the East side of the river, viz :

In the earlv days the salaries of teachers were fixed at a very modest sum. Tlie male principal of the high school was paid thirtj^-five dollars per month, the female teacher twenty dol¬ lars. Teachers of intermediate schools were also paid twenty dollars, and teachers of primarj^ schools eighteen dollars per month. In 1864, these sal¬ aries were increased five dollars per month. Certainly not a very remuner¬ ative occupation, and yet it would seem the Board had no serious difficultj' in finding fairly competent teachers at those rates.

The high school on the East side was kept in the old Academy, or "Univer¬ sity" building, as it was sometimes called (to which reference has heretofore been made), rmtil it was burned in August, 1864. The intermediate and primary schools occupied rented rooms in the different wards. The gensus taken by

The Schools Consolidated

David Edwards in 1861, showed 1,032 children between the ages of five and twent\'-one years. The School Directors on the East side were nnifonnh' selected from the most intelligent, prudent, con¬ servative business men, and while the schools were managed with great econonu', the results obtained were highly satisfactory to the Directors and the community generall}'.

It was not till April. 1865, that act¬ ive measures were taken in St. Anthony to secure sites for school houses, suit¬ able to the growing needs of the cit}'. A public meeting was then called to con¬ sider the subject, but nothing was at that time accomplished. In August fol¬ lowing, however, at a citizens' meeting, it was voted to recommend the purchase of lots one and two in block eighteen, in St. Anthony Falls, and lots seven and eight in block two, in Trader's Addition to St. Anthony, also to raise by tax $6,000 for purposes of purchasing sites and erecting buildings.

Nothing further seems to have result¬ ed from the proceedings. Another cit¬ izens' meeting was called for May 17, 1866. At this meeting it was voted to purchase lots one and two in block eighteen in St. Anthony Falls, and lots two and three in block three, in St. An¬ thony Falls, as sites for school houses, also to I'aise the sum of $7,500 by tax¬ ation for purchase of sites and erection of school houses. These lots were pur¬ chased, and in March, 1867, a contract was made for the erection of a schoolhouse on block eighteen, above men¬ tioned. In April, 1867, a meeting of citizens was called, at which it was de¬ cided to purchase five more lots in said block, thus furnishing, perhaps, the fin¬ est grounds for a school house in the city. These lots were ])urchased at a cost of $3,250. The contract price for the building was $16,250. This build¬

At a meeting of citizens held in May, 1871, it was voted to purchase lots one and two in block twelve, in the town of St. Anthony, as a site for another school house. In 1872 another site was jjurchased, and a school house erected in the Fourth ward.

In the act of the Legislature approved Februai'y 28, 1872, consolidating the two cities, it was provided that "the school system heretofore in force in each of said Divisions (Fast and West), shall remain the same,'' except that the^^ were to be known respectively as "The Board of Education of the East and West Di¬ visions of Minneapolis." This state of things continued until 1878, when by an act of the Legislature, approved March 7, of that year, the schools in both di¬ visions were united and placed under control of a new Board of Education, repi'esenting the whole city. This action made the cit}' in both divisions tinited in all departments of municipal govern¬ ment. The last vestige of power, how¬ ever, was not surrendered by the East Division without a sigh of regret, as we infer from a monument erected at the end of its records by Dr. Ortman, who had long been the faithful and accom¬ plished president of the Board of Edu¬ cation, viz:

From the aforesaid records we learn that one Secretaiw of the Board was elected Iw "acclimation." It is the first I'ecorded instance where this Cjualification was deemed essential and suffi¬ cient for the discharge of the duties of that office. It is possible, however, that the wortlu' Secretary intended to have written an "a " instead of an " i " in the second svllable, which would materially alter the sense. Suffice it to sy'D' that in

Turning now to the West side of the river, we find that in 1851-2, a school was opened by Miss Mary Schofield, in an old government log building on the bank of the river, near the intersection of Second street with Eighth avenue south. At the first the pupils were ver}' few, consisting of the children of the squatters, who had obtained permission of the authorities at Fort Snelling to settle on this part of the reserve. Miss Schofield was suceeeded by Miss Mary E. Miller in December, 1852. Settlers on the reservation eontinued to increase in 1853 and 1854, and were much in¬ commoded in their school accommoda¬ tions, from the fact that no arrange¬ ments could be made for erecting a pub¬ lic school building, so long as the title to the land remained in the government. .\nd it was not till after the opening of the reserve to pre-emption in 1855, that definite measures were taken for the ereetion of a pid:)lic school building.

Adelbert K. Hartwell, who was one of the early settlers in West Minneap¬ olis, made a claim of government land, and built a house on the corner of Fourth street and Fourth avenue south, in 1854, which is now standing. His sister (now Mrs. J. D. Taylor, residing at 820 Fifteenth avenue north) opened a sehool July 5th, the same year, with an attendance of twenty -five scholars in a frame building, corner of Hennepin avenue and Fourth street. The building was entirely unfit for the purpose, being roughly boarded with green lumber with wide open craeks, throtigh which wind and rain had free aceess. Indeed, in September she was fairly driven out, and was compelled to complete the last three weeks of her term in the parlor of John Jackins, which had been kindly fiu'- nished for^the purpose.

In 1855, Mrs. Taylor taught another school in a frame claim shanty erected by Henry Angell, located somewhere be¬ tween Thirtieth and Thirty-Fifth streets, and about half a mile east of Fake Cal-. houn. Sidosequently, Mrs. Ta3dor re¬ moved to Belle Prairie, and for some time was engaged as a teacher in the Indian school established at that place.

On the 5th of December, 1854, Charles Hoag was emplo\'ed to teach the dis¬ trict school of Minneapolis for a four months' term. It opened with fiftt' scholars, but before the close the enroll¬ ment reached nearl}' one hundred. Mr. Hoag had been a successful teacher in Philadelphia, before locating in Alinneapolis. We do not learn that his occvipation as a teacher continued more than one term. Not from lack of capacity" or support, but because moi'e lucrative opportunities opened. He made a claim of land, now known on the map (and including a part of the original claim) as Hoag's addition to Minneapolis. It embraces now some of the most valu¬ able property in the city. Mr. Hoag secured the same, and had he retained it unencumbered, would have been at his death, a very wealthy man. But at an earh' day when its future value could not be foreseen, he encumbered the same with moi'tgage, and with a comparativel}' small receipt in cash, lost the greater part of the land. His case is only one of man\q of the old settlers, who lost the fruits of their early enter¬ prise, by accepting a small amount, for what afterwards proved of iminense value. It is gratif\dng to know, how¬ ever, that Mr. Hoag retained sufficient to end his daj'S in comfort and peace.

Arrangements For Building

pose of voting a tax for another district school. , Editorially, the call was supple¬ mented by remarks, showing the crowd¬ ed condition of the school taught by Mr. Hoag, the large number of scholars who had not access to it by reason of dis¬ tance, and the urgent need of more school facilities. We do not learn, how¬ ever, that this resulted in any jiractical measures in the direction expected.

On May 5th, 1855, it was announced that the Primary Department of the Minnesota Central University, would be opened on the 15th of that month in Fletcher's building, under the superin¬ tendence of Miss Martha E. Boynton.

It was not until December of 1855, that active and energetic measures were taken, to meet the pressing demand for greater facilities for common school education, with which the young village was confronted. A meeting of citizens was called in that month to consider the cpTestion, and Col. John H. Stevens, J. N. Barber and F. R. E. Cornell, were appointed a committee, to report on a plan of action to obtain the desired re¬ sult. The same month they submitted the following report, viz :

Resolved, that this meeting respectfully petition the Legislature to pass an act, authorizing the trustees of this school district, either by loan on such terms, and payable at such times, or assess¬ ment and levy, at such times and such amounts, a sum of money, not exceeding in the aggregate $10,000, as maybe determined, by a majorit}' of the qualified electors in such district when duly convened, for the purpose of purchasing a suitable site, and erecting a school house, such as shall be determined by said school district.

This inaugurated the first movement for the erection of a school building on the West side of the river. This action boi'e fruit in the passage of an act of the Legislature, approved March 1st, 1856, authorizing the Trustees of School Dis¬ trict Number One, in Hennepin countv, to borrow a sum of money not exceed¬ ing in the aggregate $10,000, on such terms as they shoidd deem most advan¬ tageous to the District, for the purpose of purchasing a site, and erecting a school house or school houses thereon. Or instead of borrowing the mone}", in case the voters so decided, to raise the same amount by taxation.

In this connection it may be stated, that an act was passed by the same Legislature, approved February 16th, 1856, authorizing the Trustees of School District Number Five, in the city of St. Anthony, to borrow money not exceed¬ ing $12,000, for the same purposes, at a rate of interest not exceeding twelve per cent. Such were the humble beginnings of what has since become one of the grandest school systems in the North¬ west.

April 30, 1856, a meeting was called at Barber's Hall to consider the ques¬ tion of raising funds for purchase of a site for a school house, and to elect a trustee in place of F. R. E. Cornell, re¬ signed. This meeting apparenth^ did not materialize, and another meeting was called for the same purpose. May 14th following. And it may be noticed in this connection, that in main^ in¬ stances in those eaidy 3'ears, it was diffi¬ cult at these called meetings to secure an attendance sufficient to transact business, notwithstanding urgent ap¬ peals in the newspapers, showing the importance of energetic action. This does not, however, so much argue apathy and indifference on the part of the people to the subject, as that they were so intenseh' occupied, in providing a comfortable shelter for their families in their newl_v aecpiired homes, that the matter of schools must temporarily stand in abe\'ance.

Sites wei'e discussed, but not agreed upon. At an adjourned meeting on the 29th of the same mouth the north¬ west half of block sevent3"-seven, in the town of Minneapolis was selected. The ground was purchased of W. D.- Bab¬ bitt for $2,500. The location was in eveiw way suitable and desirable, and served the purpose for which it was in¬ tended until 1888, when it was sold to the city and county for a court house site.

At the same meeting it was voted to proceed immediately' with the erection of a building, and the trustees were authorized to issue the bonds of the dis¬ trict to defray the expense. On the 12th of September following, it was voted to raise Iw tax $2,500 to furnish the Union school house.

But meanwhile, the Trustees found themselves embarrassed in the prosecu¬ tion of the work from lack of funds. The act only' authorized the expenditure of $10,000, and one quarter of this went for the site. It was estimated that no building at all suitable coidd be erected, at an expense of less than twelve or thirteen thousand dollars, without furnishing, (the actual expense complete, did finally exceed $19,000.) It became necessary' to call a halt, and further proceedings were temporarily' suspended. But in September, 1857, it was voted to raise $2,500 by tax to furnish the building and have the same in readiness by the first of December of that year. In this, however, the Trustees were again disappointed. The financial cyclone which struck Minne¬ sota that year utterly wrecked the for¬ tunes of thousands, and rendered it im¬ possible to raise money on the securities the District had to offer. It was not, therefore, till June, 1858, that the build¬ ing was finally complete and ready for occupancy. It was intended to accom¬ modate 400 pupils.

Meanwhile, the Trustees made such arrangements as were possible for a dis¬ trict school. Mr. Hawkins was engaged to teach in 1857, in a hall in Woodman's Block (then occupying the site of the present St. James Hotel).

Miss Jefferson the same year also was engaged to teach in a building on Third street, and on or near Eighth ave¬ nue south. A. A. Olcott, advertised to open a high school in Woodman's Block in Jvme of that y^ear.

Miss Tolman and Miss Stcinton were also teaching on the East side, and the latter opened a young ladies school. The St. Anthony high school was also opened in 1857, H. B. Taylor, principal. Miss Caroline Al. Hill, preceptress, and AI. J. Stimpson, music. These probably comprised all (or nearly all) the schools until 1858.

In June, 1858, Geo. B. Stone was en¬ gaged as Principal of the Union school, and the same was opened that month, with an attendance of 320 scholars. Air. Stone was an accomplished instruc¬ tor from Indianapolis, and under his superintendence the schools from the first were conducted on the most ap¬ proved methods, and took a high stand. The first rules governing the schools were published May' 15th, 1858. In that y'ear David Morgan, Edward Murphy and C. L. Anderson, were Trustees.

Under the superintendency of Pro¬ fessor Stone, the schools on the West side progressed favorably for several years - more or less hampered, however, for lack of funds to meet the full needs of the growing city'. Unfortunately the Union school building was destroyed by fire in 1864, and it is believed all records were destroyed with it, as none are now found earlier than 1865. Such facts as are here stated in regard to the schools previous to the date last aforesaid, ai'e gathered from such newspapers as were then published, and from individuals now living, who took an active part in the early establishment and history of the public schools. In collecting infor¬ mation in this wa3\ it is manifest that some errors or omissions are liable to occur, but it is hoped none of serious importance.

In 1865, William R. Smith, A. T. Hale, Henry Hurlbut and Hugh G. Harrison, constituted the Board of Directors. A building was leased on Helen street (now Second avenue south) near Wash¬ ington, at $240 per annum for thellnion school. Other buildings were leased in north and south Minneapolis to accom¬ modate the scholars in those sections of the cit}". The accommodations in all these wei'e very inadequate, and instruc¬ tion in all the schools was carried on under man}' disadvantages. The sala¬ ries of teachers (except Superintendent) ranged from $300 to $400 per year, averaging about $350. The Superinten¬ dent was paid $1,000. In 1865 fifteen teachers besides the Superintendent were employed.

In October of that year, it was re¬ solved to lay the foundation and con¬ struct the basement walls of the Union school house that fall. In January fol¬ lowing, A. M. Radcliff was employed to superintend the erection of the building. In 1867, A. S. Kissell was elected Super¬ intendent of the schools. In the spring of the same year W. D. Washburn and J. A. Wolverton were elected Directors, in place of Messrs. Smith and Hurlburt. In May, 1867, it was voted to purchase four lots in block five in Atwater's addi¬ tion, as a site for a school house. The same season a school house was erected thereon of brick, being the second school building erected on the West side of the river. In 1889-90, the building was torn down to give place to a larger and more commodious structure. Two other school houvses (frame) were decid¬ ed upon, one in North, and one in South Minneapolis, to be erected the same year (1867). Also a brick school house was voted, on lots two and three, block thirty, (corner of Washington avenue and Cross sti'eet), and work on same to be commenced same year. The contract for the two brick buildings was $15,500 each. The cost of the Central building with furniture exceeded $45,000. In 1868, the building was named the "Washington School.'' The same year it was voted to purchase lots nine and ten in block nine in Harmon's addition, as a site for a school house.

In 1868, the number of teachers had increased to twenty-seven. The average of salaries had also increased to $540 a year. In this year the Board of Direc¬ tors (after July 15th) consisted of H. G. Harrison, W. D. Washburn, I. At¬ water and Allen Harmon. W.O.Hiskey was elected Su])erintendent at a salary of $2,500 for the year. Mr. Harrison was elected President of the Board, R. J. Mendenhall was elected Secretary and Treasurer.

In 1869, the Board consisted of the above named Directors, with the addi¬ tion of J. A. Wolverton. The number of teachers had increased to thirty-five. R. J. Mendenhall was elected Secretary and Treasurer. Two more school houses were ordered during the year. This average was maintained for several suc¬ cessive years, and it is deemed unneces¬ sary to refer to them more in detail.

In 1870, the Board of Directors con¬ sisted of Messrs. Harrison, Washburn, Atwater, R. E. Grimshaw and A. AI. Reid. H. G. Harrisoti was elected Pres¬ ident, and R. J. Mendenhall Secretary and Treasurer. The number of teachers had increased to forty-five. The school expenses for this year (West side) were estimated at $59,700.

In 1871, Messrs. Harrison, Washburn and Reid, having declined a re-election, Dorilus Morrison and H. G. Sidle, were elected for two years, and S. C. Gale for one year. I. Atwater was elected Presi¬ dent, and R.J. Mendenhall Secretary and Treasurer. The long and faithful ser¬ vices of H. G. Harrison as a Director and President of the Board, were acknowl¬ edged by appropriate resolutions spread on the minutes of the board. For many 3"ears Air. Harrison was untiring in his devotion to the interests of the schools, and deserves a large share of credit, for the solid and liberal foundation on which they were estalDlished in their early da3^s. For several years previous to his retirement, Alusic, German, the Classics and Alathematics, had' become established branches of insti'uction, and the corps of teachers emploj^ed, for ac¬ complishments and efficiencr^, were un¬ excelled by any schools in the countr3^ The lamented death of Air. Harrison occurred August 12th, 1891.

On the 28th of September, 1871, Superintendent W. O. Hiskey died ver3' suddenly. He had been connected with the schools for five 3^ears, labored faithfull3^ to promote their interests, and was beloved by teachers and impils. Suit¬ able resolutions in acknowledgement of his services were spread upon the min¬ utes of the Boai'd.

In October, 1871, O. V. Tousle3^ was elected Superintendent of the pnblic schools of Minneapolis. This selection was an exceptional^ fortunate one. Professor Tousley graduated with hon¬ ors from Williams College in the class of 1854. President Garfield and Senator - Ingalls were in the same college at that time. After graduating he entered on the study of law, and graduated at the Albany Law School. Hon. Ira Harris, Amosa J. Parker and Amos Dean, emi¬ nent legal instructors, were then profes¬ sors in the school. For reasons of health. Professor Tousley did not en¬ ter on the practice of law, but went South, and for a time taught school in Saulsbviry, Tennessee. At the open¬ ing of the war he went to Indiana, and opened a school which became known throughout the State as Tousley's Academy. Here he took high rank as an educator, but desired a larger and more progressive field for the exercise of his abilities, and removed to Minneap¬ olis in the fall of 1869. Here he first entered the law office of Atwater & Flandrau, with the design of entering upon the practice of the profession. But soon a vacancy occurred in the high school, and he was strongly urged to accept the position of Principal. He re¬ luctantly consented, intending to fill the position only temporarily. But once again in the harness, he yielded to the increasing pressure to continue, until as above stated, on the death of Mr. His¬ key, he was elected superintendent of the schools of the West side of the river. This position he occupied for fifteen con¬ secutive 3'ears, with the exception of nearly two 3'ears spent as United States Consul at Trieste, and afterwai'ds Liepsig, under the administration of Presi¬ dent Arthur. Of course this ended his plans for entering upon the practice of law, a result which he was sometimes disposed to regret. But whether or not it was unfortunate for him, there can be no c[uestion but that the city of Minne¬ apolis was extremely fortunate in secui'- ing his invahiable services.

The thorough collegiate education Professor Tousle3' had received, and the long experience he had enjoyed in teach¬ ing before coming to Minneapolis, as well as his acc[uaintance with the schools as Principal, admirably qualified him for the position to which he was elected. But it was chiefly to his ex- traordinaiy executive abilit\^ comliined with reniat'kahle energy and enlhnsiasni in his profession, that was due the great success he achieved during the fifteen 3'ears of his professional life in Minne¬ apolis as an educator. At the time he took charge, discipline in some of the schools had hecome somewhat relaxed. A firm directing hand was needed, over hoth teachers and scholars. The schools

Professor Tousie\' was equal to the emergency". The schools soon learned there was a hand at the helm which meant business. A few cases of judicioush' administered punishment re¬ stored discipline where it had been lax. A liberal and comprehensive course of studv was established, which with fc\v changes, has since been continued.

were rapidly" increasing, and composed of Iw no means homogeneous elements. I'ive or six different nationalities were re])resented in nearly ever\" school. It needed wisdom and a broad grasp of mind to harmonize the different and conflicting elements, and firmness united with moderation, to carry out educa¬ tional plans, designed to meet the needs

Teachers who had been remiss in duLv, incompetent or inefficient, were cpiickened to diligence, or discharged. Above all, 1)3" an intimate ac([uaintancc with each school, and 1)3" a series of lectures to the teachers, he succeeded in inspir¬ ing them with great enthusiasm in their work, with an esprit dc corps, pro¬ ductive of the hai)piest results. They labored unceasingly to fit themselves for the most efficient discharge of their duties. Indeed the criticism was some¬ times made, that the Superintendent was too severe a taskmaster over his teachers. Unsparing of himself, of tire¬ less energy, he looked for an equal de¬ gree of devotion and labor on the part of every subordinate. As a consequence the schools of Minneapolis, in a com¬ paratively brief period, were recognized as having no superiors in the North¬ west.

The Board of Directors continued un¬ changed during the year 1872, the mem¬ bers whose terms expired during that year, viz: Messrs. , Atwater, Grimshaw and Gale, having been re-elected. The same officers of the Board were also con¬ tinued. At the census taken that year, the number of children reported between the ages of five and twenty-one years, was 5,318.

For the year 1873, the Board of Di¬ rectors continued unchanged, Messrs. Morrison, Sidle and Grimshaw having been re-elected. I. Atwater was re-elect¬ ed President, and R. J. Mendenhall Sec¬ retary and Treasurer. The estimated expenses of the schools for that year were $79,200.

In 1874, a new school house was con¬ tracted for at the corner of Franklin and Sixteenth avenues south. The site of a high school was also selected, being block three, Pennman's addition, pur¬ chased for the sum of $10,000. The cost of the building to be erected was fixed at $50,000. This site was after¬ wards changed to the present location on Fourth avenue south.

In 1875, Mr. Morrison having de¬ clined a re-election, Mr. Huhn was elect¬ ed in his place, and Messrs. Sidle and Grimshaw re-elected. I. Atwater was re-elected President, and W.W. Huntington Secretary and Treasurer. Charles

At the annual election for Directors in 1876, Messrs. Atwater and Huhn were re-elected for two years, and Mr. Gale for one year. Universal interest was manifested in the election that year, from a concerted effort to elect two women, Mrs. Harriet G. Walker and Eliza J. Bindley, on the Board of Direc¬ tors. Thej^ fell but little short of an election. The old officers were re-elect¬ ed. The school expenses for the year ending June 30, 1876, were $83,789. Seventy teachers were employed. A building was erected in Stinson's addi¬ tion, named the Sumner School. Decem¬ ber 12th of this year the Jefterson school building was burned, making the third school building destroyed by fire.

In 1877, Messrs. Gale and Grimshaw were re-elected Directors for two years, and A. T. Ankeny for one year. The sameofficers of the Board were re-elected.

ture passed that year, the two divisions of the city were consolidated into one for school purposes, and placed under control of seven directors, to be elected at large from the whole city. The title of the corporation is "The Board of Education of the City of Minneapolis.'' It was made the successor in law of the Boards of Education of the East and West Divisions of Minneapolis, and vested with the entire control of all common schools in the city.

By this union, the duties and labors of the Superintendent were, at least for a time, largely increased. The text¬ books and methods of instruction in the two divisions, had in some important respects, materially differed, and these wei'e to be harmonized. Under the able management of Professor Tonsley, this was efitected much sooner than could liave been expected, and in a brief period the new system was moving in perfect order, without appearance of friction.

At an election held under the law, Ajn'il 2nd, 1878, the following named persons were elected Directors, viz: D. Alorrison, Winthrop Young, S. C. Gale, George Huhn, Sven Oftedal, Chas. Simp¬ son and A. C. Austin. D. Morrison was elected President, and Sven Oftedal Sec¬ retary. W. W. Huntington was elected Treasurer.

Ry an inventory taken soon after the new Boa'rd was organized, the value of all school property in the city was esti¬ mated at $317,502. The number of teachers this year (not including super¬ numeraries) was 110.

The Board for the year 1879, con¬ tinued the same, Messrs. Austin and Simpson having been re-elected. The same officers were also elected, except that by a change in the law, T. J. Bux¬ ton, City Treasurer, became ex-officio Treasurer of the Board of Education. This office he continued to hold till 1886. In that year, E. H. Moulton was elected City Treasurer, and became thereby Treasurer of the Board, which office he held till 1891.

1881 - Sven Oftedal, Chas. Simpson, A. C. Aus¬ tin, Geo. A. Pillsbury, O. J. Evans, W. W. McNair, J. \V. Johnson. President, J. W. Johnson; Secre¬ tary, A. C. Austin.

188p - Same members and officers, except E. H. Moulton elected Treasurer. The Board this 3'ear lost two of its members. W. W. McNair died in September, and J. W. Johnson resigned in Novem¬ ber. Prof. Sv'en Oftedal was elected President in his place.

1887 - Same Board and officers, except that John G. Moore was elected a member of the Board in place of R. P. Russell. E. M. Johnson, Esq., wlio had served as Clerk of the Board for two j'ears, sent in his resignation which was accepted, and Wm. S. Pearson was elected in his stead at a salary of $1,500 per year.

The Board of Directors for the year 1889, con¬ sisted of B. F. Nelson, W. D. Hale, J. G. Moore, A. C. Austin, A.T.Ankenv, M.F.Gjertsen and Robert Pratt. The last four above named, were elected at the November election, 1888. The Board or¬ ganized Iw the election of A. C. Austin President, and M. F. Gjertsen Secretar3'. The same Board continued in office until Januar3', 1891.

From the foregoing record it will be seen that several of the Directors served continuously for quite a number of 3'ears. With the increase in the number of schools their labors became more engrossing, involving the sacrifice of much time and work. Their services were without compensation, save in the grateful appreciation of their fellow citi¬ zens. In the large amounts of money annualH disbursed, no breath of sus¬ picion has ever been aroused, that ever\' dollar has not been honesth' expended.

In 1886, Professor Touslevq after a service of some fifteen 3'ears,as Principal and Superintendent, resigned his posi¬ tion. Prof. John E. Bradlej" was elected in his place.

Professor Bradley was born in Lee, Mass., August 8th, 1839. He graduat¬ ed from Williams College in 1865, receiv¬ ing one of the class honors. Immedi- ately upon graduation he became Prin¬ cipal of the Pittsfield (Mass.) high school. After two years of successful service, he was elected Vice-President of the Massachusetts Teachers' Associa¬ tion, and editor of the Massachusetts Teacher, and was connected with vari¬ ous educational interests.

In 1868, Professor Bradley' was called to Albany, N. Y., where he remained un¬ til 1886, as Principal of the high school and academy. The high standing of this school has become widely known beyond the limits of that State. He was during this time Chairman of the Board of Visitors of Williams College, and is still one of its trustees.

In 1878, he was appointed Commis¬ sioner to the Paris Exposition, and made a valuable and exhaustive report thereon, to the Legislatui'e in 1879, of which an extra edition was ordered printed. In the following r-ear he re¬ ceived the degree of Ph. D. from the Re¬ gents of the State University of N. Y. He was Curator of the Young Men's Association from 1877 to 1884. He was also instrumental in securing im¬ portant legislation for the benefit of secondary education in New York State, and the re-oiganization of the work of the high schools of the State, in such a way as greatly to promote their effi¬ ciency.

He has during his career contrilDuted extensively to the educational journals of the countr\% and has written a large number of valuable treatises upon edu¬ cational topics, most of which have been issued in pamphlet form.*

*For most of the above brief sketeh of Professor BradlejVs life \Ye are indebted to the High School Annual, a very creditable publication, issued by the senior class of that institution in 1890.

cational work, of a practical kind and varied character, but mostly in the superintendence of schools similar to those of which he is now the head. His large and wide experience in this direc¬ tion, is of inestimable value, and eminentlj" qualifies him to carry on the work on the broad foundations laid by his predecessor.

The last four t'ears have been a period of rapid development in our educational affairs. The number of schools has in¬ creased from twenty -eight to fort\'-six; the number of teachers four t-ears ago was 292, and now it is 509 ; the number of pupils has risen from 14,194 to 20,- 598. The number in high school grades has increased three-fold, and the number in the graduating class has advanced from fifteen in 1886, to 104 in 1890. Fiftj'-three students entered the State University from the Minneapolis high school in 1889.

An exhibit of school work prepared in 1890 for the meeting of the National Educational Association, was bj" far the largest of aiu' displa\'ed on the occasion, and was said by' professional experts to be superior in quality^ to any school ex¬ hibit ever produced in this country.

In 1887, a new course of study' was adopted, and new methods of instruc¬ tion were introduced, including "Obser¬ vation Lessons'' and " Manual Train¬ ing.'' The regulai'ity in attendance as well as the total enrollment, have been much improved as a result of the new interest thus aroused among the pupils and their parents. It is manifest that Professor Bradley is fully' abreast with the times in the most approved educa¬ tional methods, and is resolved that the high standard which the Alinneapolis public schools have alway's enjoyed, shall not only be maintained, but even advanced until they shall have distanced all competitors. In this resolution he is ably seconded by the Board of Educa¬ tion, whose confidence he enjo3^s with¬ out reserve. The policy of the Board has alwa3'S been, that having secured an able man for the place, he should be clothed with large powers and discre¬ tion in carr3ung out his plans and meas¬ ures. To this wise polic3' is due, in a large degree, the pre-eminence which the Minneapolis public schools have alwa3'S enjoyed.

John S. Crombie, Principal of the Minneapolis Central High School, ably seconds the Superintendent, in the instruction and management of the schools. He was born in Pontiac, Mich., June 19, 1854. He graduated from the Universit3' of Michigan in 1877, with high honors. He w'as subsecpienth- Principal of the High School at Coldwater, in that State, and was after¬ wards called to the superintendency of the schools in that city. This position he held for three years. He was then called to the superintendenc3" of the schools at Big Rapids, Mich., which position he held for four years, and until called to Minneapolis to his present position.

Board Of Directors For 1891

M. Falk Gjertsen, term expires January 1st, 1895. A. T. Ankeny, term expires January 1st, 1895. John Norton, term expires January 1st, 1897. Luth Jaeger, term expires Januar^^ 1st, 1897.

Officers Of The Board For 1891

From the address of President An¬ keny to the Board of Education of July 28th, 1891, we learn that schools were maintained, for the school 3'ear closing the previous month, in fort3'-six school buildings under the direction of 540

From the statement of the Clerk of the Board, just received, it appears that there were admitted to the schools dur¬ ing the month of September, 1890, 17,305 pupils. For the same month in 1891, there wei'e admitted 19,404, being an increase of 2,099.

Taking the Federal census of 1890, 164,738, the statistics show one enroll¬ ment to every' eight persons. On the same ratio the population for 1891, would be 175,728. Statistics showing the increase in several branches of busi¬ ness, prove that this is a conservative estimate.

The President in his address, states that four or five new eight-room build¬ ings are absolutely necessary'. Should the same rate of increase continue as shown in the September report, even more will be required. The charter allows a tax levy of four mills for school purposes, but for 1890, only two and eight- tenths mills were assessed. The Board of Education are doing the best possilDle with the means at their com¬ mand, but are constantly hampered and harassed, in carrying on their work, by the lack of funds to meet even pressing necessities. This need has been more or less felt, from the first establishment of schools in the city, but is probably more strongly felt at present than at any previous time.

We cannot close this sketch without reference to an honored name, which easily stands among the list of educa¬ tors, as one of the first in the State. It may not generally be known that the Rev. E. D. Neill, D. D., was at one time the head of an educational institution in Minneapolis. Baldwin school was incorporated by the Legislature in 1853, and is the oldest incorporated institu¬ tion in Minnesota, supported without State aid. It was opened in June of that year, and in December, 1853, occu¬ pied its own brick building at the head of Rice Square in St. Paul.

The old Winslow Hotel in St. An¬ thony fell into the hands of Charles Macalester of Pennsylvania. Through the efforts of Dr. Neill, it was bequeathed by Mr. Macalester for educational pui'- poses. an Act of the Legislature in 1874, the Baldwin school became the preparatory school for Macalester Col¬ lege. For some time this school occu¬ pied the Winslow building, which had been occupied as a hotel. Later, steps were taken by the Trustees of Macales¬ ter College to erect permanent buildings between Minneapolis and St. Paul, on the present site, and the preparatory depart¬ ment in Minneapolis was discontinued.

In this connection it may be noted, that the Angel of Fame which flies over the Exposition Building, did duty over the old Winslow, while the preparatory department was conducted there, hav¬ ing been presented to Macalester Col¬ lege by Dr. Neill.

As before stated. Dr. Neill was the first Territorial Superintendent of schools, having been appointed in 1851, by Gov¬ ernor Ramsey. He resigned in 1853. He was also elected Chancellor of the University. The deep interest he has always taken in the educational and his¬ torical work of the Territory and State, is too well known to need further men¬ tion in this connection. Although not at present a resident of Minneapolis, he has here a large circle of friends, who entertain the warmest regard for him personally, and on account of his long continued, self denying, and successful labors in the cause of education.

University Of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota was incoi'porated b^^ an Act of the Legislature approved February 25th, 1851. By the terms of the Act it was located, "at or near the Falls of St. Anthony." The first Board of Regents elected by the Legislature, consisted of Henry H. Sib¬ ley, Franklin Steele, Alexander Ramsey, Isaac Atwater, B. B. Meeker, Socrates Nelson, C. K. Smith, Wm. R. Marshall, N. C.Ta3dor, Henry M. Rice, Abram Van Vorhes, and J. Furber.

The first meeting of the Board was held in St. Anthony, June 3d, 1851. No endowment or funds in support of the institution, were then in existence. The Act provided that "the proceeds of all land, that ma^^ hereafter be granted by the United States to the Territor3q shall be and remain a perpetual fund, to be called the University fund, the interest of which shall be appropriated to the sup¬ port of a University, and no sectarian instruction shall be allowed in such Uni¬ versity." The Regents, therefore, at first were without means, either to pro¬ cure a site, or erect any buildings for University purposes.

tion ill the future, of plans for raising means in support of the institution, of arousing and keeping alive public inter¬ est to the importance of the suliject, and using all available means and agencies, to promote the success of the undertak¬ ing. Their position was not an enviable one, involving no inconsiderable amount of labor, with small prospect of seeing an}^ fruit therefrom for many years.

Aleantime, Franklin Steele, then a large property owner in St. Anthony, in 1852, generously donated a valuable block of land, in the rear of what is now the Exposition Building, as a site. He also engaged to erect a two story frame building thereon, to be used as a preparatort' school. The offer was accepted and the building was erected. A further account of the use of this building will be found in a preceding article on Public Schools.

By an Act of Congress, approved February 19th, 1851, the Secretaiw of the Interior was authorized and directed to set apart and reserve from sale, a quantity of land, not exceeding two Townships, for the use and support of a Universit3^ in the Territory; of Minne¬ sota, to be located in legal subdivisions of not less than one entire section. The land was located and placed under the supervision of the Regents of the Univer¬ sity. This was the first provision made in aid of the institution.

When these lands granted In- Govern¬ ment had been selected, several thousand acres consisted of pine lands, the timber on which was available and accessible to market, and was in demand. Mean¬ time, it had been decided that the site offered b}" Air. Steele was entireh' un¬ suitable, both on account of the limited quantity' of land, and its close proximitj' to the business centre of the cit\'. Ne¬ gotiations were accordingh^ entered into with Calvin A.- Tuttle and Paul R.

George, to purchase the site on which the University is now located, consisting of a tract of twenty" -seven acres. The grounds were beautiful, being eovered with a grove of fine oak trees, com¬ manding a ffdl view of the Falls, then in their native beaut\', extending from bank to bank, vindisfigured bj" the unsightlv structures which have sinee so much obscured them, but which have lateh' been to some extent removed. These grounds were secured, a part hav¬ ing been donated bj^ Air. Tuttle, and the balanee purchased from Air. George on ver^- advantageous terms. The location was a fortunate one for the institution, and has given universal satisfaction.

After the accpusition of these grounds, and in 1855-6, the demand began to be urgent for the erection of a University Building. The people were becoming impatient to reap the fruits of the Gov¬ ernment benefaction. In addition to this, owing to political complications arising in different parts from time to time, mutterings of dissatisfaction were heard at the tardiness of the Regents, and sometimes even threats made, that the University might be removed from St. Anthon\' to another locality".

These, with other considerations, in¬ duced the Board in 1856, earnestty to consider the question, whether the time had arrived to undertake the erection of a building. The times then were pros¬ perous. There was an increasing de¬ mand for pine lumber, from which a con¬ siderable income was then being derived . It was finall}' considered, that from the means then in sight, and Iw issuing bonds secured bj' mortgageon the lands, the enterprise might safeh' be under¬ taken. Plans were accordingly invited, anil a set Iw Alden & Cutter accepted, the building estimated to cost $50,000. The building thus ereeted was the West part of the great plan of the Architect,

The work was commenced in 1856. The Regents had then a few thousand dollars on hand I'eceived from pine stumpage. This amount was, of course, soon exhausted. But the work con¬ tinued to be prosecuted in 1857, though under increasing difficulties. All the Regents donated various amotints, none of them it is believed, giving less than a hundred dollars. In addition, some members advanced mone}'- amounting to several thousand dollars without security, save the good faith of the Board, to forward the completion of the work. By these means, the building was erected and under roof in the fall of 1857.

Then came unlooked for disaster. In September of that year, like a thunder¬ bolt from a clear sky, came the failure of the Ohio Life and Trust Compant', the commencement of a financial panic and crisis, such as the country had never before, and has never since witnessed. Tens of thousands of the best and wealthiest business men throughout the country, in less than three months, were utterh^and irretrievably ruined. Money (in Minnesota) could not be obtained at any rate or on any securieties. This state of things continued for several A'ears.

It was inevitable, from what has beore been stated, that the work of the completion of the building must at once stop. It was impossible to raise mone3' East, on the University" lands. Con¬ fidence in Western lands was utterly' destroy'ed, and not for long weary years was it restored. For several years the building remained in an unfinished state.

had misappropriated the funds of the institution. The Board demanded an investigation. At the session of the Legislature in 1860, a committee was appointed for this purpose. After a most rigid and searching inquiry', con¬ tinued for several days, the committee fully exonerated the Board from any' and all charges of misappropriation of money'. Every' cent that had come into their hands was shown to have been honestly' expended in the construction of the building. Not a dollar was found to have been appropriated by' any' member of the Board, either for services, ex¬ penses or otherwise. On the contrary', the institution was found to be in debt to members of the Board, in quite a con¬ siderable amount of money', advanced for the construction of the building, on which no interest had been paid for from two to three years. But the fact never¬ theless remained, that the Board had erred in judgment in proceeding with the erection of a building without means to complete it, or even to pay' indebted¬ ness incurred. In short, the Board had made the same error in their collective capacity, that they in common with thousands of others, made in conduct¬ ing their private business. None were more ready' to acknowledge this than the members themselves.

In the meantime attention was called to the fact, that were suitable efforts made, it might be possible to secure more land in aid of the institution, on the admission of the State. Henry' M. Rice, then a Delegate in Congress, and always a staunch and devoted friend of the University', took hold of the matter with his accustomed energy. He framed the Act, approved E'ebrnary' 26, 1857, entitled an "Act authorizing the people of the Territory to form a Constitution and State Government," and he suc¬ ceeded in having inserted a provision.

giving to the State "Seventy-two seetions of land, for the use and support of a State University, to be selected the Governor of said State, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, and to be appor¬ tioned and applied in such manner as the Legislature of said State ma}' pre¬ scribe for the purpose aforesaid, but for no other."

In drawing this Act, Mr. Rice had the advice and assistance of Judge Douglas, and both considered that it would give the State seventy-two sections of land in addition to the land previously grant¬ ed to the Territory by the Act of 1851. Afterwards, however, the Land Depart¬ ment raised objections to giving the State title to these lands, on the ground (if we are correetl3'' informed), that it was not intended as an additional grant. Pending the controversy on this question Mr. Rice's term as Senator ex¬ pired. He did not, however, relax his efforts in this behalf ; and with the able assistance of Governor Pillsbury and the Hon. John Nicols of St. Paul, (who, in the meantime had been appointed on the Board of Regents), their labors were crowned with success, and the grant of seventy-two sections secured to the Uni¬ versity. Other gentlemen aided in the work whose names we have not been able to obtain, except the Hon. E. M. Wilson, while Member of Congress. But probably the chief credit belongs to the three gentlemen above named.

It is, however, but simple justice to Mr. Nicols, to state, that his long and laborious services as Treasurer of the institution, and the discharge of duties connected therewith, during these 3'ears of depression, largely contributed to the final success which crowned the efforts of the Regents. His well known modestj" led him rarely to allude to his im¬ portant services, but they were known

By an Act of the Legislature, ap¬ proved February 14, 1860, entitled ''an Act for the Government and regulation of the University of Minnesota," the in¬ stitution was entii'ely re-organized. Sec¬ tion four of the Act provided that, ''the University" shall be governed and man¬ aged by a Board of Regents, consisting of the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Chancellor, and five electors of the State, to be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, immediately after the pass¬ age of this Act, and such other persons as may" be appointed in accordance with a subsequent provision." The Act con¬ tained the usual provisions, defining the powers and duties of the Regents, com¬ mon to similar institutions.

Under this Act the following named persons constituted the Board under the re-organization, for tlie year 1860, viz: Gov. Alexander Ramsey", President ; Wm. R. Marshall, Rev. Edward D. Neill, Chancellor, Jured Benson, John M. Berry, E. O. Hamlin, Uriah Thomas and W. M. Kimball. Uriah Thomas was elected Secretary, and W. AI. Kimball, Treasurer.

Air. Neill had been elected to the office of Chancellor by the Ten'itorial Board in 1858, and the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction had been in 1861, attached to the Chancellorship. Both these offices were vacated by this dis¬ tinguished citizen on his joining the Volunteer Army" of the U. S. in 1861, as Chaplain of the First Alinnesota Regi¬ ment, and public service kept him absent from the State till 1872.

The State, however, was not yet I'eady to take up the educational work, for which the University- was created. There was no money- in the treasury- to complete the buildings and cancel the indebtedness. And it was not until 1864, that the Legislature appointed a special commission consisting of Messrs. John S. Pillsbur3^, John Nicols and 0. CMerriman, with full power to sell lands and pay debts. These gentlemen ad¬ dressed themselves diligently to the work for which they were appointed ; but it was not till December, 1867, that they were able to report that the debts were substantially paid, by a sale of less than 12, COO acres of land. Thej^ well earned the approbation of the people of the State, by the efficient and economical manner in which they discharged the trust reposed in them.

By this time the State was recovering from its financial depression, and in 1867, an Act was passed, appropriating $15,000, to be expended in repairing and furnishing the University building, and for the emplojdng of teachers for the purpose of commencing the gram¬ mar and normal departments of the University of Minnesota. Under this Act the Board of Regents proceeded to employ the Rev. W. W. Washburn, B.A., as principal, and two assistants, who in October, 1867, commenced the work of instruction in the renovated University building. It will thus be seen that it is but a little over twenty years since, on a small scale, the work of instruction was commenced in the University, which has now grown to such unexpectedly great proportions, in so brief a time.

For some years, both previously, and after this commencement, the develop¬ ment of the institution was more or less hampered by political influences, almost inseparable from State institutions. It is not proposed to enter into any history of these. Suffice it to say, that the staunch friends of the University among the Regents, and the educated men of the State, patiently and persistently.

struggled against these influences, and ultimately had the satisfaction of seeing their labors crowned with success. At least, there are no present indications that any political schemes or figuring are to be permitted to interfere with the highest development of the University.

Meantime, the preparatory^ depart¬ ment which had been opened in 1867, under the charge of Mr. Washburn and his assistants, Messrs. G. Campbell, Ira Moore and E. H. Twining, had been suc¬ cessfully progressing till the summer of 1869. It had then become apparent that the time had arrived to enlarge the field of instruction. In that year it was determined to organize a regular college course of instruction. Before speaking of this, however, it is proper to refer to some legislation, which had an impor¬ tantbearing on reachingthis conclusion.

An Act of Congress was passed July 2d, 1862, entitled "an Act donating lands to the several States and Terri¬ tories, which may provide colleges for the benefit of Agriculture and the Me¬ chanic Arts." This Act had been accept¬ ed by the Legislature of Minnesota, and the lands received thereunder entrusted to the Trustees of the State Agricultural College, chartered in 1858, and located in McLeod Count3^

An Act was passed by the Legislature, approved February 18, 1868, entitled "an Act to re-organize and provide for the government and regulation of the University of Minnesota, and establish an Agricultural College therein." The first two sections read as follows :

Section 1. The object of the University of Minnesota, established by the Constitution, at or near the Falls of St. Anthony, shall be to provide the means of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the various branches of literature, science and the arts, and such branches of learning as are related to Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, including military tactics and other scientific and classical studies."