Minneapolis City (part 32 of 80)

As a noim reformer. Dr. Ripley keeps in line with the most advanced thought ofthe da3". For six 3'ears she was presi¬ dent of the Minnesota Woman's Suftrage Association. She believes that "govern¬ ments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed," that "taxa¬ tion without representation is tyranny," and that from a goveniment "of the peo¬ ple, for the people and Iw the people," woman cannot justly be exchided. A member f Plymouth Congregational Church id a sincere believer in the truths o hristianit3^ she also maintains with its ,,reatest apostle, that Jew and Greek, bond and free, male and female, 'are all one in Christ Jesus." She also, belongs to the Women's Temperance Un¬ ion, and is in full S3unpathy with its work, though having little time to share it.

Deeph' interested in all that pertains to the cit3" of her adoption, Dr. Riple3^ is alwa3"s on the alert to help correct exist¬ ing evils, and build wisel3' for the future. Having embraced her profession, not from pecuniar3" necessit3', but from a love of it and a desire to do good, she has had it in her power to give much gratui¬ tous service to those unable to pa3'. These charities have been done in secret, and few know their extent.

Interested in all that can uplift humanit3', the sympathies of this noble woman are world-wide, and her faith is proved Iw her works. There is no busier woman in Minneapolis. Her desire to be useful is rendered effective 1)3' an excel¬ lent constitution. She is healtlu' both in bod3" and soul. She has that hai)p3' temperament which alwa3's looks on the bright side of things, and sees in every cloud a silver lining.

A woman of her strong convictions and rare executive abilit3^, must often be misunderstood. She has no patience with the "law's delay" in meting out justice; red tape is her aversion. When she sees that a thing needs to be done, she tries to have it done at once, and as simpl3' as possible. Proof against ridicule or opposition where principle is concerned, she bears beneath the mail of the radical reformer, a loving, tender heart. Her friends know her as the most womanly of women. As a wife, "the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her;" as a mother, she is faithful to eveiw dut3'. That pleasant home where three bright young daughters are growing up in her likeness, is to her, the dearest spot on earth. There she might abide at her ease, were it not for a deep conviction that a larger world outside also demands her help. The duties of her profession and the imperative demands of the hospital of which she is the head and soul, leave her no time for societ3^ outside her home.

Dr. Riple3''s standing among her pro¬ fessional associates, is attested 1)3' the position which she for two 3'ears held in the Homoeopathic Medical School, as professor of the diseases of children, an office now transferred to our State Universit3', and 1)3' the frequent calls which she receives to read essays before medical societies.

A few years ago, she was nominated for the office of a director in our city schools, but failed of election, not from an3' question of fitness, but because in its short-sightedness, Alinneapolis fills its school-board with men onh'. Wiser counsels are sure to ])revail in that near future, when our people shall have been educated up to the necessity of having the feminine element in the schools repre¬ sented by capable women, who under¬ stand the needs and possibilities of their sex.

In Dr. Ripley, a direct descendent of the pilgrims of the Mayflower, a woman endowed with the sturdy virtues of her Puritan ancestors, toned down by the more humane and philanthrophic spirit of a later age, Minneapolis has a resident whose work will live long after her brief span of life shall have ended. Those who appreciate energy, ability, unselfishness and fearless devotion to dutr'^, will hold her in lasting love and honor; while those whom she has rescued from paths of sin and shame, will in this world call her blessed, and in the world to come, "shine as stars' in the crown of her rejoicing.''

Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess In¬ stitute. Located at the corner of Twenty-fourth street and Fifteenth ave¬ nue south. It maintains a school and a hospital department, in which 63 patients have been cared for. The Sisters not employed in the hospital are out in the city nursing the sick poor.

St. Vincent de Paul Society. Anth¬ ony Kelly, president; Wm. W. Mullen, secretary; Dennis J. Healy, treasurer. This society is composed of members of the parish ot the Immaculate Concep¬ tion, and does considerable charitable work among Catholics.

Catholic Orphan Asylum is located at the comer of Chicago avenue south and Fort3" -sixth street. It furnishes a home for orphans and half orphans, boys only, from babyhood until ten years of age. At the age of fifteen years homes are sought for their adoption. It has 70 boys under its care.

corner of Bloomington avenue and Twenty-seventh street. It was estab¬ lished in November, 1888, and is con¬ ducted by the Sisters of the Good Shep¬ herd. It undertakes to protect the inno¬ cent and raise the fallen. In its reform¬ atory department it has received 111 girls and women, and 80 children in the preservation class. It is supported by the industry" of the inmates and contri¬ butions from the charitably disposed of all denominations.

Humane Society. President, William Cheney; secretary, Paul Fontain; treas¬ urer, John Day Smith; agent, W. W. Tatro. Office is at 612 Wright Block. This society receives complaints of cruelty to children and animals, investigates them, and when there is sufficient evi¬ dence, prosecutes under the criminal assault, misdemeanor and state public school laws.

Newsboys' Home. Organized by a few large-hearted citizens Dec. 14, 1886, and duly incorporated. Earlier than this Mrs. S. L. Farr had opened a room for the boys, and had been doing what she could for their welfare.

The object was to furnish home shel¬ ter and comfort for homeless boys - the Arabs of the city, newsbo\'S, boot-blacks and others, ill-born, ill-bred, left early in life to shift for themselves, educated only in the rough schooling of the street ; to find homes and employment for them, and as far as possible, provide for their education and moral improvement.

The use of a small house was first given by Mr. N. F. Griswold. Soon a larger room was needed, and a house was procured at 20 Sixth street north, where Mr. L. E. Jepson resided, and acted as superintendent and teacher of the evening school. Here a pleasant tem¬ porary' home was offered. The boys were supplied with clothing when needed, with good boai'd and beds. They paid five cents for each meal, a nominal charge made chiefly for the boys' sake. The Home depended for its maintainanee on private contributions of money, clothing and food. Occasionally a public recep¬ tion added to its income. It proved it¬ self a very useful and effective charity, marked improvement ajipearing in many of the boys brought under its inffuence. This charitable enterprise was given up in 1890.

Free Dispensarv of MinnEvSota Hos¬ pital College. All classes of patients are received in their building at the cor¬ ner of Ninth avenue south and Sixth street, every day except Sunday from 12 o'clock m. to 2 p. ni. The average daily attendance in 1891 was over 50. Expen¬ ses are paid by benefit concerts and sub¬ scriptions, chiefly through the Ladies' Society auxiliary to the Free Dispensary. Mrs. R. S. Turner is president, Mrs. Cul¬ ver, secretary, and Mrs. Austin, B. Jackson, treasurer.

Homeopathic Hospital. Location at the corner of Twenty-fifth street and Fourth avenue south, is managed b\' a board of directors composed of 30 ladies. Airs. Henry L. Chase is president; Mrs. Charles Godley, secretary. During the year closing in Mav, 1891, there were 222 patients. A free bed is at the dis¬ posal of the Associated Charities.

Women's Christian Temperance Union, located at 14, 16 and 18 Fourth street south. President, Airs. H. J. Mof¬ fett; secretaiw. Airs. A. C. McCurdy; treasurer. Airs. H. E. Gallinger. It main¬ tains a first-class restaurant and coffee house. The profits are devoted to the support of missionaiw work at the jail, a kindergarten in North Alinneapolis, a school of cookery, gos])el temperance work and the dissemination of temper¬ ance literature.

urer. It has had since December, 1889, a free reading room, and gospel meetings every evening. There is a lunch room at 307 Hennepin avenue where good meals are served at popular prices, the proceeds of which are devoted to the temjieranee cause.

Eighth Ward Relief Association. Organized in 1887 as a stock company. Its object is the relief of the poor in the Eighth ward. It has a lot and building and derives income from rent, entertain¬ ments, etc. The officers are : G. F. Backus, president; A. R. Archibald, treasurer; John H. Robertson, secretary. The Asso¬ ciation cares for all cases of temporaiw want in the Eighth ward.

The City I'oor Department (C. L. Snyder, superintendent,) gives public aid in orders for groceries and wood to the poor in their own homes ; also furnishes transportation to transients or non-resi¬ dents who, if remaining in the cit3L might become a public charge. It provides hos¬ pital treatment and burials for residents needing such services. Aledicines are furnished to the sick poor and a plw.sician's services. Aged and infirm resi¬ dents, unable to maintain themselves, are cared for by this department at the count}^ poor farm at Hopkins station.

City Hospital. At the corner of Eleventh avenue south and Eighth street, accommodates 55 patients. Dr. C. A. Chase, ciri" ph3"sician, is superintendent. Airs. L. H. Bard, matron.

Sheltering Arms provides, on I-hnerson avenue, corner of Twent3'-seventh avenue north, a home for the care of des¬ titute children, orphans or half oriflians, or chiUlren, for the time being, homeless. It is under the direction of ladies in the Episcopal church, but is restricted in its charities by no church lines. Religious services are held Sunday afternoon by the chaplain, Rev. J. J. Faude. The Home is supported by small sums from parents who are able to pay, by gifts and an annual donation visit. There were in 1891, 33 children in the Home. Mrs. S. T. H. Pitts is president of the board of directors, and Mrs. Dr. Murray, secretary.

Tabitha Relief Society is connected with the Norwegian Trinit}' Lutheran Church, and is under the direetion of twelve ladies chosen annually by the congregation. It relieves needy Danes and Norwegians. Mrs. Louis Pederson is president; Miss Georgia Swenson, sec¬ retary. In 1890 it expended in money $300.00, and furnished 40 families with clothing worth $50.00.

Cadwallader Golden Washburn. Governor Washburn, although never a legal citizen of Minneapolis, yet was so early and extensively identified with its interests, spent so mueh of his life here, and left at his decease such a magnificent charitable foundation in the Washburn Memorial Orphan Asylum, that he is entitled to the remembrance and lasting gratitude of the people of the city.

He was born in the town of Liver¬ more, Oxford County, Maine, April 26th, 1818. His father was Israel Washburn, a respectable and very intelligent farmer of that town. A particular account of the Washburn family, and of the sur¬ roundings in which his early life was passed, is contained in the sketch of William D. Washburn, his younger brother, in this history, and it will be superfluous to repeat it here. He had no academic advantages, and his attend¬ ance at the neighboring district school terminated when he reached his eigh¬ teenth year. The following three years brought him a variety of employment, in a eountry store, as teaeher of a vil¬ lage school, as postoffice clerk, and what had more influence on his future life, in the study of law with an uncle, Rewel Washbui'n, of Livermore.

Having attained his majority, he bid farewell to the associations and friends of his youth, and sought a home in the far West. His first settlement was at Davenport, Iowa, where he engaged in teaching, but soon joined the Iowa Geo¬ logical Survey under David Dale Owen. Before leaving Maine he had given at¬ tention to the study and practice of sur¬ veying, which he continued in his new home, at the same time eontinuing as he had opportunity, his law study. In 1840 he received the appointment of sur¬ veyor of Rock Island County, Illinois. Two years later he removed to Mineral Point, Wiseonsin, and commenced the practice of law. There he remained for twenty years. A partnership was soon formed with Cyrus Woodman, agent of the New Pngland Land Company, which continued during his residence there. While the practice of law was his chief business, in which he attained much suc¬ cess, his familiarity with surveying, and the abundant opportunities for deal¬ ing in lands led to investments of that ch^lracter, which constantly absorbed his attention and laid the foundation of a large fortune. Besides lands in the pine timbered region of Wisconsin, inter¬ ests were acquired in similar lands in Minnesota. He also obtained interests which commanded the riparian owner¬ ship of the Falls of St. Anthony. This was the attraction which led in later years to his great interest in Minneapo¬ lis.

Among other enterprises a bank was established by the partners at Mineral Point. Thus, with law, lands and finance, a wide aequaintance was estab¬ lished which brought Mr. Washburn into

In 1855 he was nominated and elected to the Thirty-fourth Congress, and at the expiration of his term was re¬ elected, and again for a third term, serv¬ ing continuously until March, 1861. The fii'st election was at the time of the for¬ mation of the Republican part3^ He had previously been identified with the Whigparty, but sympathized with the radical wing. The period was a stirring one in politics. The Missouri Compromise, the question of excluding slavery from Kan¬ sas and Nebraska, the enforcement of the fugitive slave law in obedience to the compromises of the constitution, were burning subjects of political controvers3^ Fremont was the candidate of the Re¬ publican party for President, but was beaten by Buchanan, who was the last Democratic President for a generation. With the incoming Buchanan adminis¬ tration, Mr. Washburn entered Con¬ gress. His gifted brothers, Israel, from Maine, and Elihu B. from Illinois, were already there. They were in opposition, and during the stormy conflicts of the period pi'eceding the Rebellion, led pub¬ lic sentiment in opposing the demands of the slave power, until the Republican party was so consolidated in the North as to elect Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860.

While they were able and incorruptable legislators upon the ordinary sub¬ jects of congressional action, their lead¬ ership in the overshadowing political question made the names of the Wash¬ burn brothers household words through¬ out the whole country. Although Mr. Washburn afterwards held higher posi¬ tions in the government, these six yeai's of congressional service were doubtless the most imj)ortant of his life. At their close he had a national reputation infei'- ior to no one in public life.

With the expiration of his third term, at the incoming of the Lincoln adminis¬ tration, the civil war broke out. Mr. Washburn declined a re-election to Con¬ gress, resolved to defend in arms the principles which he had espoused in council. He entered the war at its be¬ ginning and only laid down his sword when peace had been won. Having re¬ cruited the Second Wisconsin cavelry regiment, he was appointed to its com¬ mand as Colonel. Promotion followed rapidly, as well earned by efficient service as from the confidence which President Lincoln, who knew him well, reposed in his abilities. In June, 1862, he was com¬ missioned Brigadier General, and in No¬ vember of the same y^ear, Major General of volunteers. The limits of this article preclude even a mention of the varied and gallant service of General Washburn in the army. He was in the Vicksburg campaign, was placed in command of the Thirteenth army corps in a series of brilliant exploits on the gulf coast, and finally^ was placed in command of the military district of West Tennessee at Memphis. Here was a combination of military and civic duties, such as were discharged by Butler at New Orleans in holding and governing an insurrection¬ ary district.

Returning to Wisconsin at the close of the war. General Washburn was again sent to Congress from the Sixth Wiscon¬ sin district, serving for two terms, from 1867 to 1871. This was the important era of reconstruction. The re-habilitation of the States lately in rebellion, was the great subject of consideration. Amendments to the constitution, no less momentous than the original instru¬ ment, which should render a second re¬ bellion impossible, and guarantee the civil rights of the enfranchised citizens, were adopted. On all these questions General Washburn took the most ad- vanced position of radical Republican¬ ism. To few men is the opportunity given to serve their country through sueh trying ordeals as the epoeh from 1855 to 1871, furnished to General Washburn. An advocate of the political doctrines whieh precipitated the war ; a defender of those doetrines in arms when assailed by the storm of war ; and a pacificator and restorer of order and harmony, when those doctrines were established by the last arbitrament of human effort.

His last eongressional serviee was im¬ mediately followed by a call to the Gov¬ ernorship of the State of Wisconsin, to which he was elected in November, 1871, serving in that exalted office during the years 1872 and 1873. Here his practi¬ cal knowledge of affairs and long ex¬ perience in public service, gave the State an administration whieh eontributed to her growth and prosperity. No difficult questions embarassed the exeeutive, or seriously disturbed the harmony of the people/ It was a period of progress and development in the state and nation.

At the eonclusion of his term of service Governor Washburn retired from ptiblic life, and devoted himself with assiduity to the administration of his business in¬ terests. He had married Miss Jeannette Garr, of New York, and with a family of two daughters had made a beautiful home at Madison the Capital of Wiscon¬ sin. He had large interests in the piner¬ ies of Wisconsin, and established manu¬ factories of lumber on a large scale at La Crosse.

It has already been mentioned that as early as 1850 he had aequired tifnbered lands in Minnesota, and an interest in the water power at Minneapolis. He was a large owner in the Minneapolis Mill Company, which was incorporated in 1856. From this time he was a fre¬ quent visitor to this city and spent much time here. He was a director, and at times president, of the Water Power Company, and during the earlier years, when the neeessity of making improve¬ ments in the property made heavy finan¬ cial demands upon the stockholders, he never lost faith in the value of the prop¬ erty. He advoeated the most substan¬ tial improvements, and lived to see his anticipations realized, in the possession of a property of great value and utility.

In 1876 Governor Washburn ereeted a large fioitring mill at the Falls, and af¬ ter sending agents abroad to examine the most approved method of milling in Europe, introduced the Hvingarian pro¬ cess by the use of iron rolls instead of buhr-stones; and also adopted thenewly invented middlings purifiers. The "New Process" fiour became popular, and was in great demand. Its exeellence was no happy aceident, but was the result of the most careful study and painstaking con¬ struction. He made himself conversant with every detail, so that he was able to instruct his millwrights in their own bus¬ iness. After two years in suceessful op¬ eration the great explosion oceurred by which the mill was totally wreeked and seventeen of its employes lost their lives. This loss of life, though proceeding from no want of any known precaution, was the most serious regret of the proprietor. He could not restore the lost lives, but he sympathetically aided the families of the sufferers, and tenderly gathering the re¬ mains of the victims, raised over them ti granite shaft inscribed with a sentiment from Carlyle: "Labor, wide as theearth, has its summit in Heaven."

The insuranee companies that had taken the ordinary fire risks upon the mill declined payment on the gi'ound that a elause in the policies exempted them from liability from loss occasioned by ex¬ plosion. Governor Wiishburn scornfully declined the offer of a eompromise, whieh would co i'er the greater part of the risks assumed, and brought suit in the United States Circuit Court. The trial was one of the most interesting which has occu¬ pied the Court. Complete models of the mill with its machinery in operation were exhibited, and explosions were produced by the ignition of finely devided carbon¬ aceous substances, demonstrating before the Court, that though popularly called an explosion, the agent affecting it was fire. The result was the recover}'- of the full amount of the policies.

As soon as preparations could be com¬ pleted the mill was rebuilt on a larger scale and with more perfect machinery than before; and a second large mill was also erected near it, with capacious store rooms for wheat. These mills were op¬ erated during his life, and by a wise pro¬ vision of his last will, were continued in operation by his representatives.

Governor Washburn took a deep in¬ terest in the development of the railroad facilities of Minneapolis, as they were so essential to the success of his manufacing interests. He became a large stock¬ holder in the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway Company and was on its Board of Directors. He also shared with his more actively interested brother, W. D. Washburn, in solicitude for the construc¬ tion of the line of railway to connect Minneapolis with the Atlantic seaboard by way of Sault Ste. Marie, which was a project first broached by the older brother. Governor Israel Washburn.

While Governor Washburn was more successful than most men in his business enterprises, he was more than most suc¬ cessful men anxious to devote his wealth to worthy purposes. His benefactions were numerous and princely. These were commenced during his life, and were con¬ tinued by a most thoughtful and wise provision of his will. His family and many relatives, and dependants were of course amply provided for. Many years ago he had joined with his brothers in presenting to their native town of Liver¬ more a public free library. As governor of Wisconsin he had been officially con¬ nected with the State University, and was made by act of the legislature a life regent. His learning and ability had been recognized by the university in con¬ ferring upon him the honoraiw degree of Doctor of Laws (L. L. D.) As long ago as 1878 he had erected an Astronomial Observatory at Madison, and furnished it with a complete outfit of instruments. When completed two years later he pre¬ sented it to the university. About the same time he endowed at Edgewood, near Madison, the St. Regina's Academy. His jDost mortem public benefactions were a public library at La Crosse and and an Orphan Home at Minneapolis. For these he bequeathed $50,000 for the library and $375,000 for the home. An interesting description of the Home will be found in another chapter of this his¬ tory.

About the time his will was made he wrote to a friend, "I long have had the thought that I ought to do something for mankind before resigning up this pleasing anxious being." His life work was soon closed. The ordinary memor¬ ials of a busy life soon pass into forget¬ fulness. The hoarse screech of the saw mills give no distinctive sound. The clat¬ ter of the mill mingles with the plash of the water as it flies in foam from the whirling wheels. But the foundations of science, and knowledge and philanth¬ ropy, are perpetual. They issue an ever flowing flood of purifying and ennobling influence. While the astronomer scans the starry dome to solve the stupendous problems of the universe ; while the gen¬ erations of youth draw from the garnered treasures of learning, inspiration and strength for the work of life ; while the children of misfortune or poverty are sheltered and trained for lives of industry and virtue ; the generations in this ex¬ panding Northwest, as they come and go through the ages, will testify that this nobleman "did something formankind."

Tireless energ}^ was a leading charac¬ teristic of Governor Washburn, but it was guided b^" practical good sense. Rare opportunity was his and it was im¬ proved with boldness and confidence. In him was the rare combination of the ideal and the practical. His public duties led him to thorough information about affairs, but observation was ripened by much thought and careful study. His reading was wide and liberal. Science, history and poetry were favorite studies, and softened and ripened the vigor of his nature and the crudities of his youth. His impulses were noble and liberal. In politics a radical, in religion a liberal, in practice, tolerent and sympathetic ; his whole career illustrates the possibilities of a noble manhood.

For 3'ear a or two before the end his health was declining. Resort to natural waters at several noted springs in the West, gave only temporary relief from a fatal and progressing malady. His death occurred at Eureka Springs, Ark., Alay 13, 1882.

His remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at La Crosse, which was his home in late years. T wo married daugh¬ ters survive him, Jeanette, wife of A. W. Kelsey of Philadelphia, and Fanny, wife of Charles Par'son of Washington, D. C. His wife also survives, but for many years she has been the unfortunate sid)- ject of mental malad3^

The death ofGovernor Washbvirn was the occasion of a touching memorial sei'- vice at the Church of the Redeemer in Minneapolis, at which Dr. Tuttle, a long and intimate friend and pastor, rendered a feeling tribute to his virtues and char¬ acter.

Court House and Jail. It is only comparatively recently that Minneapolis has been able to show any public build¬ ings worthy of note, and even now has but few. At the same time no eity of its age can show a larger number of elegant and costly private residences and grounds The first public buildings erected were of a very plain and modest character. In those early days the people had no money to spend for merely ornamental purposes. Utility was then the main object, in all erections of a public nature. But such buildings as were ereeted at an early day have long since eeased to suffice for their original purposes. The recent structures have been on a far more extensive scale. Some even call them too extravagant. And yet,- judging from the rapid growth of the past few years, the large outlays in this direction are assumed justifiable.

The first publie building (aside from the churches and school houses, which are treated of elsewhere,) ereeted in what is now Minneapolis, was a jail erected on the East Side, on or near Cen¬ tral avenue, and about half or three cjuarters of a mile baek from the river. It wms built of plank, and as ma3' well be imagined, furnished no verj' secure place for the eonfinement of criminals. Not many, however, were eonfined in it, and the most who were, usually effeeted their escape if so disposed. Indeed, it came to be eonsidered hardly less than a burlesque to sentence a prisoner to the jail, unless a guard was eonstantly kept over him. Probably the whole eost of the building did not exceed $200. Such as it was, however, it served until the building of the eourt house in 1856-7, in the basement of which, somewhat more secure quarters were provided for the con¬ finement of prisoners. These, however, were entirely unsuitable, being damp, poorly ventilated, and eonsequently un¬ healthy-, and with the growth of the city of entirely too limited capacity-.

Accordingly in 1 866-7 the eounty eommissioners found themselves foreed to provide a new jail. Bids were invited and a number received, and a good deal of diseussion and eritieism was had over the plans, and the building as finallyerected. Some of these criticisms would seem to be more or less just, as few per¬ sons, from a easual view, would ever take the building to be a county- jail. It was intended to be a private residence for the sheriff as well as jail. The archi¬ tecture is, therefore, composite, and does not resemble " anything on earth, or the waters under the earth or the heavens above." Nevertheless it is a substantial stone structure, reasonably secure, and as a place for the confinement of prison¬ ers has served its purpose fairly well. It was built at a cost of some $40,000. B3^ the time the new court house is com¬ pleted other arrangements will doubtless be required for the accommodation and entertainment of criminals. We say en¬ tertainment for the maudlin public sen¬ timent of the daj' seems, at least to quite a considerable extent, to regard the most depraved criminals in the light of mar¬ tyrs. Flowers and the most dainty ar¬ ticles of food must be served to many of them in jail. If this vitiated public taste increases the day may come when elegantly furnished parlors will be re¬ quired to solace the last daj^s of the most brutal murderers.

The present court house, located on the corner of Fourth street and Eighth avenue south, is one of the oldest public buildings in the city. It was built in 1 856-7. Much excitement existed at that early day as to the location, a strong partj" being anxious that the site should be selected further up town in the neigh¬ borhood of Nicollet or Hennepin avenues. The business center of the town was not then definiteh'^ settled, and much rivalry" existed between ''up town" and ''down town," which lastmeant atthattimethe vicinity of the falls and Eighth avenue south. The latter secured the location of the court house, an important ad¬ vantage. But the building of the sus¬ pension bridge the same j^ear, was a far more important factor in determining the future center of business, and indeed was decisive of the cpiestion in favor of Hen¬ nepin and Nicollet.

The original building of the old court house has been added to from time to time to accommodate the rapid increase of business, so that today one can hardly' locate the modest proportions of the first structure. Meantime, for the last 10 or 15 years, complaints increased yearly of the insuffieiency of the accommodations afforded b^' the building, as well as of its distance from the business center of the city. These complaints finalty became so importunate that the representatives of Hennepin county for 1887 were forced to heed them, and an act was passed at the session of that year entitled, '' an act to designate a site for a public building in the city' of Minneapolis to be used as a court house for Hennepin county, and for cl city hall for said city," etc. This act was approved on March 2nd, 1887. It provided for the purchase of bloek 77 in the City of Minneapolis, for the purpose named . By its terms commissioners were appointed with power to condemn the property, where arrangements otherwise covdd not be made for acquiring title to the land. The commissioners named in said act were William D. Washburn, Charles M. Loring, John C. Oswald, John Swift, Oliver T. Erickson, W. S. Chowen, David M. Clough, Lars Swen¬ son and Titus Mareck, and were desig¬ nated as ''The Board of Court House and City Hall Commissionei's." Their term of office was to last until the buildings were erected and finished, and the property turned over to the county and city. The commissioners entered tqion the discharge of their duties at the appointed time, and for the first year labored diligenth' in the acquisition ol the title to the property. The\' were finally successfid, either b}' negotiation or condemnation. In 1888 operations were commenced to clear the land ot in¬ cumbrances (of buildings, etc.), and cer¬ tain contracts let for the foundations.

The whole atnotint of the appropriation made bj" said act, for the purchase of ground and erection of building, was $1,500,000. This amount was to be divided equall}^ between the city and county. The act contained full provis¬ ions for compensation for property taken , issuance of bonds, payment of interest on same (interest not to exceed 4% per cent per annum, and bonds not to be sold for less than par), and also a sinking fund for redemption of bonds.

The choice of the block for a site was generally acceptable. The object was to locate the building as near the center of business as practicable, consistent with the expense limited by the act. The building itself when completed will un¬ doubtedly be the finest in the state. Oc¬ cupying as it does an entire block, its facilities for light, air and ventilation, will be unequalled. The following de¬ scription which appeared in the Tribune of July 28th, 1889, will give an idea of the style, extent and capacitj'' of the building.

The New Court House. Despite the precedents for delay, jobbery and bad faith Avhich nearly every city in the West and several Eastern municipalities have established in the erection of their public buildings, Minneapolis gives promise of having a hall of justice which will be pushed to completion without any of these prevailing irregularities, and with¬ out carrying down to future generations the taint of boodle and the crumbling evidences of bad architecture and worse construction, The commissioners ap¬ pointed to carry on the work of super¬ vision represent the best interests of the city and county, both in a popular and financial way. No suspicion of their judgment or honesty is likely to be enter¬ tained, and it is a pleasure to note that none of the contracts for the work now on hand have been let outside of Minne¬ apolis. Both architects and commis¬ sioners have expressed their intention to favor this policy as far as possible in every particular. The contracts that have been let up to date are confined to the basement and sub-basement, no de¬ cision having been thus far made as to what class of stone will be used in the superstructure.

The plans for the new Court House Avere awarded after sharp competition to Messrs. Long & Kees, who built the Syndicate block, the Library building, Masonic Temple, Lumber Exchange and other notable buildings. These gentle¬ men have been especially felicitous in their designs, combining with a high order of artistic skill, a thorough knowl¬ edge of construction. The style of the structure will be Romanesque and very massive. The great tower on the build¬ ing will spring from a foundation 42 feet deep, starting from the solid stone below, and will be 365 feet in height. It is esti¬ mated by the architects that the tower, when completed, will weigh more than 30,000 tons. The building itself will cover one block in area, and will be six stories high. It will be known as an "elastic" bviilding, that is, one in which the arrangement of offices majrioe chang¬ ed at any time, as all the floors will be supported independent of partitions. This is the plan adopted in the construc¬ tion of the highest type of office buildings in the great cities, and our new Court House will be the first one of its kind in the United States constructed on this plan.

The class of material and the charac¬ ter of the work of the sub-basement may prove of more than common interest. The contract for the excavation and all the brick and stone work, excepting the furnishing of the footing stones, was awarded direct to B. Aronson, the wellknown stone and brick contractor, who

Public Buildings

1ms been engaged in the business here since 1874, and who has been identified with the consti'uction of such buildings as the Guai'antv Loan, the Electric Light and Power, and many others. Thefootings are of native limestone from the quarries of the Franklin Cook estate, and were purchased by the commission¬ ers. They are the largest and best in quality of any ever used in the United States. The setting of these massive slabs is included in Mr. Aronson's con¬ tract. Surmounting the footing courses are the foundation walls, constructed ot the famous Kettle River sandstone, which also forms the main walls of the sub-basement. This stone will also be used in all outside walls of the building, in the open court, the facing of the out¬ side walls in the water closet rotunda, all stone backing in the granite walls and piers, and in filling back of the Bed¬ ford stone in the three vestibules at the Fourth street entrance. This stone is used so extensively" on account of its su¬ perior hardness and durability, numer¬ ous tests having shown it to be better than any other sandstone in this respect. About 250,000 cubic feet of this material will be utilized in the work, and will come from the great quarries of Ring & Tobin, near Hinckley, Minn. Many archi¬ tects and engineers who have inspected the great walls now under way on the Third avenue side of the building pro¬ nounce it equal to any foundation work to be found anywhere in this country. It may have been the intention of the architect to give the new Court House an under-pinning that would sui)port 10 or 12 stories more when posterity needs it.

The general contract for the work in the basement of the building was award¬ ed to Haglin & Morse, of this city, who will be responsible for all the labor and material furnished by the various sub¬ contractors, the iron work excepted; the latter being a separate contract, award¬ ed to the Crown Iron Woi'ks, who also furnish the iron for the sub-basement. The basement walls will be of Ortonvillc red granite, from the quarries of James Baxter & Son, of Alinneapolis. This material starts from the top of the sub¬ basement, and will extend around the building to a height of 17 feet 11 inches, except the projection for the Fourth street front, which will be 37 feet high and 134feetlong. The steps, buttresses, etc., will also be of this granite. An idea of the massive character ofthe work may be shown by" informing our readers that many of the blocks will weigh upwards of 20 tons, and one huge lintel will re¬ quire a flat car of special construction to transport it from the quarries to the building, its estimated weight being 26 tons. Prof. Winchell, our state geolo¬ gist, and Prof. Hall, ofthe United States geological survey", speak in the highest terms regarding the admirable qualities of the Ox'tonville graniteforbuildingpurposes, and regard it as one of Minneso¬ ta's most valuable deposits. The quar¬ ries were opened up about a year and a half ago, and ought eventually" to prove a bonanza to the Baxters.

The interior face woi'k for three en¬ trance vestibules of the Fourth street side of the Ixuilding will be of the cele¬ brated Bedford stone of Indiana. Also the groined arched ceiling work, moiddings, pilasters, panels, etc. This stone has been selected for such high-class work on account of its fine color, wonderful tenacity", and its susceptibility" to rich and delicate carvings. It is an oolitic limestone known to geologists as belong¬ ing to the Clinton group, and is regarded by- expei'ts as one of the most durable building stones to be found. Its wellknown resistance to atmospheric influ¬ ences has caused it to be received with high favor by the government, the Bed¬ ford stone being very extensively used in Uncle Sam's custom houses and public buildings generally. It has also been used in all the great buildings of the country, like the New York Mutual Life, the Vanderbilts', New York Times, Illi¬ nois state houseat Springfield, theNorthwesternLife of Milwaukee, and so forth. In fact the Bedford quarries are the only ones of any importance in the United States that produce a quality of stone upon the entirely satisfactory manner in which these contracts have been awarded and subsequently handled. The policy of the commissioners in keeping so much of this work near at home, has resulted in the development of our infant industries in sand-stone and granite, which could not have otherwise been obtained. The large contract for granite has made it possible to establish a much-needed plant of this character in Minnesota, a circum¬ stance whose benefits for future heavy identical with that of the world-famous quarries of Oxfordshire, in England. About 30,000 cubic feet of this material will be used. The stone is furnished by Mr. J. M. Sullivan, of Minneapolis, who represents the Bedford companies for Minnesota. The carving will be done by Herbert Chalker, another Minneapo¬ litan, whose handiwork adorns numer¬ ous public edifices of our city.

work is not to be underestimated. A large expenditure of money is now justi¬ fied in developing in these quarries a still greater capacity. The same is true of Ring & Tobin's contract to furnish the Kittle River sandstone. This firm has expended not less than $150,000 in open¬ ing up their quarries, putting in tracks and machinery, building houses, etc., all of which has made it possible for them to bid successfully on a job of this mag-

No definite description of the super¬ structure can be given at present. The cost will approximate $2,500,000, and the building will be occupied by the city and count\' offices as well as the courts. It is safe to say that the Minneapolis Court House, when completed, will be the finest in America.

In the fall of 1890, certain citizens sought to enjoin the work on the plans and specifications adopted by the com¬ missioners, on the ground that the cost of the building, if erected in accordance with such plans, would far exceed the sum named in the Act. In this, however, they were not successful, the court hold¬ ing that the commissioners were not limited to the $1,500,000 clearly ex¬ pressed by the terms of the law.

The work on the building slowly pro¬ gressed during the \'ears 1889 and 1890, and on the 18th day of July, 1891, the corner stone was laid with impressive Masonic ceremonies. The foundation walls had then been laid for the entire bviilding, and the second story walls on the east and half the north side. Its ulti¬ mate cost is still a matter of much doubt. The lowest reliable estimate scarcely falls short of $3,000,000, while many be¬ lieve that $5,000,000 will scarcely suffice to complete it. This will afford a prince- 1\^ income to the architects, who are al¬ lowed four and a half per cent commis¬ sions. Should the building, however, be completed in accordance with the plans adopted, and partially executed, there is no question but it will surpass any building of the kind and purpose de¬ signed, at present existing in the United States. Indeed, there are not more than two or three state houses exceeding it in solidity, imposing architecture and ex¬ pense. Occupying as it does a whole block, an unimpaired view of the build¬ ing is had from every side. The court house in Chicago is at present probabhthe most expensive in thecountry today. But its location detracts from its other¬ wise imposing architecture, and its ma¬ terial is such, that, if we are correctly informed, it is alread3' in process of de¬ cay. In location and in choice of mater¬ ial, the Board of court house commis¬ sioners are to be commended, although they are not entitled to the credit of the location, which was settled by the Act creating the commission. Ten years' time is none too much for the completion of a building of the magnitude and ex¬ pense of the one under construction, without unduly taxing the people of the present day.

It should be added, that by an Act of the legislature, approved April 16,1889, three more commissioners were added to the oi'iginal board, viz: George A. Brack¬ ett, Edgar F. Comstock and E.Al. John¬ son. Charles M. Loring of the original board resigned, and John DeLaittre was appointed in his place. These gentlemen with those named in the original act, constitute the present board of commis¬ sioners. These serve without eompensation, and are prohibited from beeoming a part^q either directlj^ or indirectly, in any contract made b}' said board or un¬ der its authority".

Post Office. The year 1891 wit¬ nessed the completion of the United States government building for a postoffice and holding United States coui'ts. Before speaking of this in detail it will be of interest to trace the growth of the postal service in this eity from the early beginnings to its jiresent large projiortions, and the various changes of its loeation to its present ])ermanent site.

The first postoffice within the jiresent limits of the city was established in 1848. Ard Godfrey was the first ])ostniaster. It was accommodated in a 10x12 frame building used as a mill office, and situ¬ ated on the bank of the river on Main street, near where Mill street intersects Main. The mails, of course, were very irregular. No mail routes were estab¬ lished. In the winter occasional stages, sometimes private teams, brought such mail as could be found . Intercourse with the outside world was very precarious from 1848 to 1851, and even after that for some time no regular communication was kept up in the winter. In the winter of 1850-1 ten days or two weeks some¬ times elapsed without a mail.

Mr. Godfrey held his office until 1852, when he was succeeded bjMatther Patch. Mr. White, W. W. Wales and General H. P. Van Cleve successfully officiated as postmasters - the lastnamed holdingthe office at the time of its discontinuance on the East Side. The office had no per¬ manent abiding place. It was first re¬ moved to the store occupied by J. H. Stevens & Co., at the corner of Main and Pine streets. Later to the old Winslow House, on the site now occupied hy the Exposition building. On the closing of that hotel, about the beginning of the war, the office was again removed to Central avenue, between Main and Sec¬ ond streets. In this location it contin¬ ued until the office was discontinued, and merged in that on the west side of the river.

A postoffice was established on the west side of the river as early as 1854, and located at the corner of First avenue south and First street. Dr. H. Fletcher was first postmaster. For several years the office often changed locations, either to suit the convenience of postmast¬ ers or the shifting population. Its first removal was to Washington avenue, be¬ tween Fifth and Sixth avenues south. The location proving inconvenient and the accommodations inadequate, it was soon removed to the corner of Washing¬ ton and First avenues south. Still later to Hennepin, between Second street and Washington avenue, being the ground floor of the Atheneum building. On the completion of the city hall the office was removed to that building, and about this time the East Side office was dis¬ continued. Those who have been post¬ masters on the west side of the river besides Dr. Fletcher are Dr. A. E. Ames, C. Wilcox, S. Hidden, W. P. Ankeny, D. Morgan, Daniel Basset, W. W. McNair, Cyrus Aldrich, Dr. George H. Keith, O. M. Faraway, John J. Ankeny and the present incumbent, Maj. Wm. D. Hale. But few of these are now living. From the city hall the office was removed in 1882 to the Boston Block, corner of Hennepin avenue and Third street. On the burning of that building in 1886, temporary and very inadequate accom¬ modations were leased in the Stillman Block on Fourth street, where the office continued until its removal into the government building, corner of Third street and First avenue south.

Agitation of the cjuestion of procur¬ ing government aid for the erection of a post office building commenced as early as 1879. Nothing definite, however, was done until 1881, when Hon. W. D. Washburn introduced a bill in the house of representatives providing for an ap- X3ropriation for the purchase of a site and the erection of a building for a postoffice and other government offices at Minneapolis. The bill, however, did not become a law, and another bill from the committee on public buildings and ap¬ propriating $125,000 also failed.

Nothing further was done until early in the session of 1882, when Senator Windom introduced a bill in the senate, appropriating $175,000 for the purchase of a site, and the erection of a govern¬ ment building. This bill became a law, the amount that was appropriated, how- ever, Ijeing reduced to $00,000. The amount was edisurdh/ small. Advertise¬ ments for bids for a site, however, were published in May, 1882, and 18 bids re¬ ceived. A commission consisting of Ar¬ chitect James G. Hill,E. P. Allis, of Mil¬ waukee, find S. G. Hadle\', of Waterloo, N. Y., was appointed to select a site. As usual in such cases there was much dis¬ cussion and somewhat heated contro¬ versy among propert3^ holders and citi¬ zens in different locations as to the site. The commission, however, finally' decided to purchase of John S. Pillsbur^^ the site where the building now stands for the sum of $50,000. Plans were prepared, and it was soon discovered that the site was quite inadequate, and an adjoining tract was purchased for $42,000.

So far as the location is concerned, although there was then considerable diversity' of opinion, it is now generally conceded that the site is as well adapted for the purpose designed as any that could then be secured at a reasonable figui'e. It is fairlv near the present cen¬ ter of business. It was then almost universallv conceded that it should not go above Henne])in avenue, and neither on Hennepin or Nicollet avenues, within a reasonable distance from the river, could ground be secured at a price which the government would be willing to pav. It ma\'be a matter of interest in the future at least, not onW to see what sites were then deemed suitable (by the persons offering them, though probably the com¬ mission never considered a number of the same), as well as valuations placed on them. The following is taken from the Minneapolis Evening Star, of August 6th, 1889, which also contained quite a full histoiw of the office from its first es¬ tablishment on the west side of the I'iver:

No. 8. Franklin Steele, Jr. - Parts of block 14, bounded by First street south. First avenue south and High street. 180 feet on First street south, 155 feet on First avenue south, and 180 feet on High street. Priee, $53,100.

No. 12. Richard Chute - Premises parts of block 11, St. Anthony's Falls, 126 feet on Central avenue, 244 feet on Fourth street, and 126 feet on First avenue southeast. Price, $1.

No. 13. Koon, Merrill & Keith and Bovey & De Laittre, lots 1 and 2, block 48, corner Third street and Fourth avenue south, 132x165 feet. Priee, $45,000.

No. 14« George A. Camp - Lot 6 and part of lot 7, block No. 1 of Hoag's addition, 110 feet on Fifth street and 170 feet on First avenue north. Price, $12,000.

No. 15. Charles Rees - Additional. Corner Eighth street and Second avenue south, four full one-fourth acre lots, each 66 feet by 165 feet, the 165 feet on Second avenue, 264 feet by 165 feet. Price, $32,000. ( See No. 9. )

No. 18. Charles A. Pillsbuiy for John S. Pillsbury - Premises corner Third street and First avenue south, block 64, 120x157 feet. Price, $50,000.

Excavations for the new building be¬ gan in 1883, and in April, 1886, the first foundation stone was laid. Isaac Hodg¬ son, of Minneapolis, was the architect in charge from August 5, 1883, until Aug¬ ust 10th, 1884. He was then succeeded by E. F. Bassford, of St. Paul, who had prepared new plans. On July 1st, 1889, he was sueceeded by Frank Grygla, of Minneapolis, who served as superintend¬ ent until the completion of the building. James Bradley has filled the position as engineer since 1885. The whole amount of appropriations made for the building and site to completion is $641,614.56.

The building is in every way suitable and convenient for the purpose designed. In architectural appearance it is not im¬ posing - indeed the limited space it oecupies,and the very meagre appropriations made by the goveimmentforthe purpose, did not admit of any scope for display by the architect. He had to aecommodate himself to the means at his com¬ mand. He is not to be blamed. But al¬ ready it is evident that the site selected was far too small. It apparently ad¬ mits of no additions. And yet it is manifest that if the growth of the city continues in the next ten r-ears in the same proportion as in the past ten, the present aceommodations will be found quite inadequate.

The site on which the building stands is 150x125 feet, and the building itself is three and a half stories high, with a cen¬ tral tower on Third street front 152 feet in height, and smaller towers at the eorners 88 feet high. A clock with a dial five feet in diameter is placed in the main tower. The st\de of architecture is Romanesque. The material iiSed in the construction of the walls is Ohio sand¬ stone, the foundation being of St. Cloud granite and Mankato limestone. Granite columns are used for trimmings. There are tw^o publie entrances, one on Third street, the other on First avenue.

The main portion of the first floor is devoted wholly to the working force of the post office. Here a room 100 feet square, and lighted by an immense sky light 50 feet square, is separated from the corridors by'- an elaborate and hand¬ somely flnished screen of red oak, some 10 feet high. In this screen are numer¬ ous windows for the use of the public in transacting business with the office.

The second story of the building is used for United States court rooms - two, one 35x60 feet, and one 30x50, and also for offices for district attorney. United States marshal, and clerks and assist¬ ants. The present district attorney is the Hon. Eugene Hay, appointed by President Hai-rison, and residing in Min¬ neapolis. On the second floor are also the offices of the deputy collector of in¬ ternal revenue and special agent of the United States treasury department.

On the thh'd floor is the offices of deputy collector of customs and assist¬ ants. Geo. W. Marchant, Esq., was ap¬ pointed to this office (and custodian of the building) April 17th, 1890, and has been a resident of Minneapolis for many years and an aetive business man. He was appointed under the provisions of a special act of congress, approved Alarch 8th, 1890, entitled "An Act to consti¬ tute Minneapolis a sub. port of entry and delivery^ in the collection district of Min¬ nesota and for other purposes." The office w' as opened for business September 1st, 1890. Before this the custom house business of Minneapoils was transacted at St. Paul, at great inconvenience to our merehants. During the first y^ear after the opening of the office, the busi- ness receipts of the offiee fell little short of $100,000, and are rapidly increasing. It is not only a great convenience to our citizens, but will greatly aid in swelling the volume of business of this city. Mr. Marchant has seven assistants and em¬ ployees under his charge.

Edward F. Waite, special examiner of pensions, J. W. Lawrence, special agent of treasury department, and J. H. Harmon, weather observer, are all residents in Minneapolis.

Perhaps no statistics more correctly represent the growth of a city than those pertaining to the business of the postoffice. In some one department of busi¬ ness in a city there might be for a year, or even series of years, a large increase, and yet it might be entirely fallacious to reason that there must be a correspond¬ ing increase in many other branches. Such large increase might even effect the postal business but slightly. But the postoffice in a business wa3^ reaches the whole community and represents its busi¬ ness activity and growth. While not affording an accurate measure of such growth in detail it fairly illustrates the aggregate. Thecondensed statement fol¬ lowing will, therefore, be of intei'est. It has before been stated that the first cpiarter's receipts of the office, after being established on the west side of the I'iver in 1854, were $7.79: of four postal stations or branch offices in this city with money order, registry and stamp selling facilities. The fifth one was also added to the list April 1st, 1891. The stations areadvantageousU" located, with a view to accommodate suburban centers of business and popu¬ lation. The business transacted at these stations for the past v^ear fully justifies their establishment.

The present force employed in the postoffice consists of the postmaster and 65 clerks, including assistant postmaster, division superintendents and chief clerks. There are ninety^ carriers and ten sub¬ stitute carriers. The entire business has been reduced to a complete system, affording as good postal facilities as those enjoyed by'- any city in the country, ( and far superior to many ) and is at present under the efficient manage¬ ment of Maj. W. D. Hale. It is not claimed that the system is perfect, but as nearly so as the exigencies of a gov¬ ernment office will permit in as rapidly growing a city as this.

William Dinsmore Hale. Maj. Hale, as the genial postmaster of Minneapolis is familiarly known, has been a resident of the City of Minneapolis for 24 years, and among its busiest workers in buildingup the lumber and milling industries.

He came here at the termination of his service in the army, in September, 1867, and entered the office of the Min¬ nesota Central Railway Company as clerk, under D. C. Shepherd, then occupy¬ ing the brick block at Washington and Second avenues, now the St. James Hotel. Upon the transfer of that road to the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company in the following December, he entered the office of W. D. Washburn & Co. as clerk and bookkeeper. In 1872 he was made agent of the Minneapolis Mill Company', and administered the affairs of the water power for the ensuing five years. Upon the death of G, M. Stickney he was taken into the partnership of W. D. Washburn & Co. in 1876, and continued manager of its business until its incorporation as theWashbum Mill company, and of that corporation until the close of its business in 1889. The transactions of these com¬ panies were of great magnitude and variety. In the lumber department the logs were cut upon the lands of the com¬ pany' on Rum river and the Upper Miss¬ issippi, and driven to the booms of the Mississippi. There were two mammoth saw mills operated - one at Anoka and one at Minneapolis, and lumber yards established for storing and drying the lumber. As much as 25,000,000 feet of pine lumber were manufactured in a single 3"ear. In the milling department the company from 1881 operated two flouring mills - the Palisade at Minne¬ apolis, of 1,800 barrels daily capacity, and the Lincoln at Anoka, of 700 bar¬ rels capacity. They began the manu¬ facture of flour at the time the new pro¬ cess of rolls was substituted for that of mill stones, and enjoyed the advantage which that improved process gave before it was generally introduced elsewhere.

It will be readily appreciated that the successful conduct of so extensive and varied operations would task the mental resources and ph^'sical strength of their manager. But Alaj. Hale was equal to the task. He mastered the multitudes of details and carried along the business as smoothly as the running of a well oiled machine, and ever presented himself to his friends with a smile as genial as though he was a gentleman of elegant leisure.

To his ability to select fit assistants, a faculty characteristic of all successful men, and his talent for systematizing complicated alfairs Maj. Hale attributes in a great measure his business success.

In addition to the care of his jirivate business Maj. Hale was, through the 3'ears 1875 to 1881, a director and seeretar}' and treasurer of the Alinneajjolis & Duluth Railway Company under the ]n'esidenc3' of Isaac Atwater; and also a director from 1875 to 1881, and secretaiw from 1878 to 1881, of the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railwa\' Company' under the ]iresidencv of W. D. Washburn, - a period when these roads were organized and under construction - devolving upon him no little responsibilit\' as well as a vast amount of routine work.

In 1884 Maj. Hale was nominated In' both political parties as a member of the Board of Education of the Citv of Alinneapolis, and elected without oppo¬ sition. .\t the expiration of his term of three A'cars he was re-elected again for a second term, which was extended one 3'ear In' act of the legislature, and thus served seven 3'ears without compensation in that most responsible public office, re¬ quiring the exercise of good judgment and the employ ment of the most delicate tact.

Before coming Lo Minneapolis Maj. Hale had resided at Cannon Falls, Goodhue County, where he came in 1856, but returned East and taught school the fol¬ lowing winter, and then went to Kansas where he spent the next two v'ears, but without making a permanent location. Returning to Cannon Falls in 1859 he purchased a prairie farm, and employ'ed the following two vears in its cultiva¬ tion, raising crops of wheat, which he was afterwards so largely' to manufac¬ ture into flour. At the session of the Minnesota Legislature of 1861 he was elected enrolling clerk of the Senate, where the writer of this sketch first made his acquaintance, which has ripened into an appreciative friendship.

Company E of the Third Regiment of Minnesota Infantry, was appointed ser¬ geant of the company, and upon the or¬ ganization of the regiment was pro¬ moted sergeant-major, and performed the clerical duties of adjutant of the regi¬ ment. After rendezvousing atFortSnelling the regiment proceeded in November, 1861, to Kentuckj^, where it was occu¬ pied in guard duty with frequent collis¬ ions with the enemr^ Being captured in Tennessee in July, 1862, in a raid by Gen. Forest, the enlisted men were paroled - the officers taken south - and returned to Minnesota, where they joined Gen. Sibley's command in the Indian cam¬ paign during the summer of 1862. Ex¬ changed in December of that year, re¬ turning to Tennessee in January of 1863, the regiment engaged in active campaign¬ ing, and participated in the capture of Vicksburg onthefourthday of July 1863, and of Little Rock September 10th, 1863. At the organization of the Fourth Regi¬ ment of Colored United States Artillery he was transferred at the request of the commander of the Regiment and appoint¬ ed adjutant, and afterwards major, and stationed chiefly at FortHalleck, Colum¬ bus , Kentucky . He served with the artil¬ lery for two and a half years, until mus¬ tered out of service in February, 1866. Allured by his agricultural tastes and ex¬ perience he took a plantation in the vicinity of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and planted and gathered a crop of cotton. The following January his plantation life was succeeded by a call of the govern¬ ment to serve as agent of the Freedman's Bureau, in which capacity he was during the summer the governor and autocrat of two Arkansas counties. This duty over he came to Minneapolis as above related.

minister, and his mother Philena (Dinsmore) Hale. The Hale's were of English ancestry, while the Dinsmore's were descendents of John Dinsmore, who imigrated to New Hampshire from the north of Ireland in 1723, but whose forefathers came from the low lands of Scotland. The family removed from Alaine to Long Island in 1852. Maj. Hale received an academic education, and the four last winters before coming West to remain, taught school on Long Island. He has been twice married, first in 1864 to Sarah Baker, who died in Minneapolis in 1868, and second in 1870 to Flora A. Ham¬ mond. Of this last union two sons and two daughters cheer and adorn his happy home, and an infant child has passed from it.

Since August 1st, 1890, Maj. Hale has been postmaster of the city of Minne¬ apolis, occupying the government build¬ ing on Third street, and administering the office with an urbanity and efficiency born of his varied business and official experience.

TheAtheneum and Public Library. The Public Library is, to a great extent, the outgrowth and expansion of the old Atheneum, a stockholders corporation originated and for many years sustained by the liberality and puplic spirit of many, of the old citizens of Minneapolis.

The early records of this association, kept by Mr. Thomas Hale Williams, for many years its able and faithful librarian, showthe earnest efforts of many old set¬ tlers in founding the institution, several of whom have passed awa3', but many live to see the ripe fruits of their early efforts, which have resulted even more successfully than their most sanguine hopes could have anticipated.

C. E. Yanderburg, R. R. Nicholas and W. W. McNair were appointed to prepare articles of incorporation. At the next meeting, which occurred May 18th, they reported that it was not expedient to organize a corporate body, and at that meeting the A^oung Men's Library Asso¬ ciation was organized, a constitution adopted and officers elected. The pre¬ amble stated "That we, the citizens of Minneapolis, believing that the cause of truth, morality and virtue can be greatly aided and established through the instru¬ mentality of a public library, lectures and debates, do hereby agree to form our¬ selves into an association.'' The officers elected were as follows : David Charlton, president ; Charles E. Yanderburg and E. E[. Bates, vice-presidents; W. C. Reems, recording secretary ; W. W. McNair, cor¬ respondingsecretary; Joseph Dean, treas¬ urer; Thomas Hale Williams, librarian ; A. E. Ames, Cyrus Aldrich and David Morgan, executive eommittee. Among the prominent members not elected to office were; A. L. Bausman, John I. Black, A. B. Russell, Geo. H. Woods, W.

Bayard Taylor was announced at that meeting as being engaged to lecture in four places in the state, and he was invited to lecture before the association, which invitation he aecepted; and some¬ time afterwards delivered a lecture in the Methodist Church, the receipts of which were $141.25, Mr. Taylor's share being $58.25 : incidental expenses amounted to $9.00, so the association netted $74.00 as a munificent sum upon which to com¬ mence operations. The eonstitution was received the following June, and was signed by fifty -four persons, the tax being one dollar. At the same time the plan of a joint stock corporarion was adopted, and the name was changed to that of the " Minneapolis Atheneum,'' and the asso¬ ciation in August expended $106.38 for sixty-eight volumes, and the library was started as an aceomplished fact, Mr. Williams, the librarian, giving the neces¬ sary room in his store. It may be inter¬ esting to note that the books were kept there eight years free of rent.

In January, 1860, a meeting was held and the form for a charter was adopted, which was sent to the legislature and returned as "unconstitutional." This objection was finally removed and the latter part of Januar3' the following list of officers for 1860 were elected: E. S. Jones, president; Wm. F. Russell, vicepresident; John S. Young, secretary; James Dean, treasurer; Cyrus Aldrich, Thomas Hale Williams and David Mor¬ gan, directors. The first annual meeting was held in the following February and it was decided to levy an annual tax of two dollars per share on all shares rep¬ resented when the act of incorporation was passed. The annual report showed the receipts to have been $308.78, of which $4.27 was the balance on hand, while the Atheneum was out of debt; 235 volumes had been purchased; 215 donated ; the membership numbering 66.

The officers for 186 1 were : R. R. Nich¬ olas, president; Dr. Anderson, vice-presi¬ dent; J. E. Bell, secretary; W. D. Leonai'd, treasurer; D. Alorgan, W. W. Mc¬ Nair and Thomas Hale Williams, direct¬ ors. An assessment of two dollars per year was levied, and in February, 1862, the directors reported that notwith¬ standing the war and hard times, 263 volumes had been added to the library, of which 150 were donated. In the same report we are told that Col. Aldrich, then in congress, "lent his valuable aid in obtaining supplies for the library, and Hon. H. Al. Rice assisted in a like manner.

and that the books donated were most valuable works." Also that though the services of Thomas Hale Williams was entireh^ gratuitous, not one volume had been lost since the libraiy was founded.

The officers elected for 1862 were: David Morgan, president; S. C. Gale, vice-president; D. C. Bell, secretary; Thomas Hale Williams, treasurer; A. L. Bausman, Franklin Beebe and John H. Green, directors for the year. Two hun¬ dred and five volumes had been added and the funds on hand at the close amounted to $18.94.

The officers chosen for 1863 were: David Alorgan, president; JohnS. Walk¬ er, vice-president; D. C. Bell, secretary'; Thomas Hale Williams, treasurer ; O. W. Larawa}', S. C. Gale and Franklin Beebe, directors. Ninetj^-seven volumes were added during the year, making the total 1,020, and it was found that one book had been lost - the first on record. The total number of shares now amounted to 85.

The new officers for 1864 were; David Morgaai, president; Rev. Robert A. Strong, vice-president ; E. P. Humphrey, secretary; Thos. H. Williams, treasurer; F. Beebe, A. L. Bausman and John S. Walker, directors. Even the high prices incident to the proti'acted war did not hinder the prosperity' of the institution, and 116 volumes were added the next year; M. S. Wilkinson and Ignatius Donnelly aiding the good work.

In 1865, S. C Gale was president ; W. A. Newton, vice-president; E. F. Humph¬ rey, secretary; T. H. Williams, treasurer; D. B. Knickerbocker, D. Morgan and D. C. Bell, directors. Here commenced the real growth of the Atheneum, when, in 1865, the proposition to purchase a lot and erect a building was referred to the directors. At the next meeting (1866) it was announced that $5,000 of the $7,500 rccpiired for that ])ur])ose had

The new board of directors (1886) was composed as follows: S. C. Gale, president; W. A. Newton, vice-jiresident; J. A. Wolverton, secretary; Thos. Hale Williams, treasurer; David Morgan, D. C. Bell and Rev. D. B. Knickerbocker, directors. Mr. Newton afterwards re¬ signed, and Dr. A. L. Bausman was elected vice-president. The receipts dur¬ ing the year were $485.13 and the ex¬ penses $484.77, showing that "margins" were not large in that day'. The whole number of shares ($5.00 each) was 164, of which 132 were subject to taxation. The next y'ear (1867) the old board was re-elected, with two exceptions: Frank¬ lin Beebe becoming vice-president and Dr. Bausman succeeding Mr. Bell as director.

Air. Dorillus Morrison was elected president in 1868 Geo. B. Wright, secre¬ tary ; Paris Gibson, director, in place of Dr. Bausman ; the other offieers being unchanged. In the treasurer's report, dated February' 4th, 1868, occur the first debit and eredit items concernincr the library' building, from which we learn that $8,900 had been received on sub¬ scriptions, and $1,634.80 from other sources, and that the total cost of lot and building was $10,693.93, of which $1,500 was paid for the lot. At that time $109.13 was still owing for ma¬ terial.

The receipts for the next year were $2,128.97 from rent, fines and shares. Of Thos. Hale Williams it was said : "As a librarian, his faithful devotion to duty deserves S])ecial mention. He has been identified with the library^ from its incep¬ tion, and for eight y'cars has served with¬ out compensation. His extensive knowl¬ edge and experience have contributed materially' to the success and prosi)erity of our library^, and he deserves the thanks of evei'y shareholder of the Atheneum." The number of books then upon the shelves of the library was about 2,000, the result of ten years 'growth. Mr. Geo. B. Wright declined a re-election as secre¬ tary in 1869, and R. R. Bryant was his successor; all the other officers being re-elected .

The tenth annual report (1870) showed the number of rmlumes in the library to be 2,269, and 200 sharehold¬ ers, the officers being Paris Gibson, presi¬ dent; Frank Beebe, vice-president ; A.L. Bausman, secretary; Thos. Hale Will¬ iams, treasurer; D. Morgan, D. B. Knick¬ erbocker and S. C. Gale, directors.

In 1870, at the death of Dr. Kirby Spencer, for many years a resident of Minneapolis, he left the bulk of his prop¬ erty to trustees for the benefit of the Atheneum - the proceeds of this property to be used for the purchase of books for the library. At that time the propert\' was of the value of only a few thousand dollars ; but with the enormous develop¬ ment and growth of the city it has now liecome worth a quarter of a million dollars or more ; the annual income at the present time being about ten thous¬ and dollars, and increasing yearly.

From the report made February 5th, 1872, we gather the folio wing statistics, viz: Income for past year, $1,838.55 ; expenses, $1,874.92; value of the books in library, $5,500; furniture, $100; library building, $14,500; Spencer estate, $25,000 ; indebtedness, $5,000 ; leaving the net value of the propert3', $40,100. The officers elected that \'earwere: Paris Gibson, president; F. Beebe, vice-presidebt; A. L. Bausman, secretary; Thos. Hale Williams, treasurer; O. V. Tousle^q S. C. Gale and R. E. Grimshaw, directors.

From the annual report madeinl874 it appears that the receipts for the pre¬ vious year were $2,638.96, and the ex¬ penses $2,610.93. The receipts for the next year had risen to $5,443.65 and the expenses to $1,750.92. Over $3,500 of this amount was received from the first installment of the Spencer fund.

The officers for 1875 were : R. J. Bald¬ win, president ; F. Beebe, vice-president ; Dr. Bausman, secretar3' ; Thos. H. Will¬ iams. treasurer and librarian ; Rev. D.B. Knickerbocker, Geo. B. Young and Mr. Baker, directors.

From the annual report of February 1st, 1876, it appears that the whole number of books in the library was then 3,714. The receipts for the previous year were $4,988.61 ; expenses, $4,902.76. The officers were re-elected, excepting Rev. E. D. Neil, vice-president, in place of F. Beebe, and Paris Gibson, director.

At the aimual meeting held in Februaiw, 1877, there were 274 shareholders belonging to the association. The re¬ ceipts for the 3"ear were $3,078.98, and the expenses, $2,905.04. Up to this time the librarv had been run as a close cor¬ poration for the benefit of its sharehold¬ ers or cash depositors only. It seemed to be regarded as an institution originat¬ ing with certain individuals who had contributed money and time to secure a library, and that whoever sought its advantages must do so under its re¬ stricted rules and regulations.

As no public library existed in the cit3q the idea of transforming this into such shape that it would fill the place of such an institution was conceived, and the movement which resulted finally in the development of the public librar3' scheme and the construction of the mag¬ nificent building in which the Antheneum is now so satisfactorily located, was be¬ gun at the annual meeting in Februaiw, 1877. This movement originated with Air. T. B. Walker, who for some time prior to the annual meeting consulted with numbers of the old original share¬ holders, and, with the hearty approval of nearly all who were consulted, received their proxies with which to elect a board of officers favorable to the most liberal policy consistent with the welfare of the library. The movement was opposed by Mr. Thomas Hale Williams with a few adherents, who attempted to procure proxies enough to counteraet the move¬ ment and prevent the eonsummation of what he then eonsidered a revolutionary seheme. But Mr. Walker's proxies, to¬ gether with the direet votes of the share¬ holders who attended the meeting, very largely outnumbered those of Mr. Will¬ iams, and a board was eleeted eonsisting of Prof. O. V. Tousley, president; Rev. J. H. Tuttle, vice-president; Rev. H. A. Stimson, secretary; Thomas Hale Williams, treasurer and librarian ; direc¬ tors, H. G. Harrison, S. C. Gale and T. B. Walker. At that meeting was also ftassed a resolution allowing the regular $10 memberships to be sold on the basis of $3 cash and the remainder in annual installments of $1 each, subject as other memberships to the annual assessment, which had formerly been $3, but was at this meeting reduced to $1.50. The new direetory pulled out the several parti¬ tions on the library floor of the building and changed it into a large reading room ; took the books from the side shelves and put them in alcoves ; made the reading room free for general use, and in every respect placed it within the reach of those who were most in need of library accommodations as far as consistent with the intei'ests of the association. The library hours were extended from 5 p. m. to 9 p. m., and the public invited to a free use of the room. The charge for readers (not shareholders) was redueed from 10 eents to 5 cents per week. The reading room was also opened on Sun¬ day's in order to gather in those who might otherwise be disposed to frequent saloons or otherevil places. Miss Grace

At the annual meeting held February 5th, 1878, the income for the preceding year was reported at $2,326.64 and the expenditures $2,210.55. Thre were 6,696 volumes in the library. The following were elected officers for the ensuing year: H. T. Wells, president ; J. H. Tuttle, vicepresident; Rev. H. A. Stimson, secre¬ tary; Thomas Hale Williams, treasurer; T. B. Walker, H. G. Harrison and Geo. Bradley, directors. Mr. H. T. Wells re¬ signed his position on the board and Mr. W. W. McNair was elected president in his place. Mr. H. G. Harrison resigned as director and W. H. Hinkle was elected in his place.

At the annual meeting held February^ 4th, 1879, W. W. MeNair was elected president; Franklin Beebee, vice-presi¬ dent; C. M. Loring, secretary; T. H. Williams, treasurer; Geo. Bradley, C. A. Pillsbury, T. B. Walker, directors. The general receipts for 1878 were $2,108.42, and expenses $2,194.07. The reeeipts from the Spencer fund for 1878 were $1,667.08. Number of volumes in the library 7,414; number of books drawn during the year, 11,128. Outstanding original library debt, $4,225.

Thereeord of the annual meeting held February^ 1st, 1880, does not show the treasurer's report for the preceding year. There were 8,380 volumes in the library'. At that meeting J. E. Bell was eleeted president; R. W. Laing, viee-president ; C. McC. Reeve, treasurer; directors, T. B. Walker, C. M. Loring and C. A. Bovey'. At that meeting there were 504 regular fully paid up shares reported. There were also 175 certifieates and shares sold on the partial payment plan. Total number of books drawn during the y'ear 11,202. The following resolu¬ tion was passed at this meeting; "That we heai'tily approve of the liberal policy pursued by the management during the past year, and that the board of direc¬ tors be and are hereby instructed to pur¬ sue the same policy inaugurated by the shareholders at their last annual meet¬ ing and followed by the management during the past year."

The opponents of the new manage¬ ment raised a cpiestion of the legal right of the stockholders to issue memberships without the full payment being made in cash; the method of selling shares on time was dispensed with, and a resolu¬ tion passed by the stockholders authoriz¬ ing the issuance of certificates at the price of $4 each, which entitled the holder to all the advantages of the library except¬ ing the right to vote, and subject to the same annual assessment as regular mem¬ berships. This change avoided a suit at law, as there were no legal objections to this proceedure. During this and the three preceding years there was carried on through the press a vigorous discus¬ sion regai'ding the mana^^ement of the library during that time, and the course of Mr. Walker was criticised in controll¬ ing the elections and policy of the associa¬ tion through the agency of the proxies which he had at first gathered up, and afterwards by the agency of nearly 100 regular memberships, which he purchased for the treble purpose of avoiding the proxy trouble, and also to furnish money to help cover the deficiencies in the in¬ creased expenditures, and to use the cer¬ tificates for loaning to persons not able to purchase shares and pay assessments. It wms claimed that the course pursued was the subversion of the rights of the stockholders and not in accordance with the intention of its founders and the pro¬ visions of the charter, and against the best interests of the librar3^ Mr. Walker defended his course and the management of the library in various communications at different times during the several years, claiming that the course pursued met with the approval of a large majority of the shareholders and would eventually prove satisfactory to all concerned.

Mr. Williams became so dissatisfied with the management of the library that he resigned his position as librarijin on the 11th day of February, 1890. Thus after 20 vears of faithful and laborious work Mr. Williams terminated his official connection with the institution as treas¬ urer and librarian. During a large part of this time his services were gratuitous, and for much of the balance were but par¬ tially paid compared with their actual value. His compensation, however, is in the fact that the institution which he has so well loved and served has at length been placed on a secure founda¬ tion, and housed in an edifice of whieh the citj'^ and state may justly be proud. After Mr. William's resignation Prof. R. W. Laing, of the State University', was elected at a small salary, $300 per year, to devote a certain amount of time to the general superintendeney of the library', the work to be done principally by^ his assistants.

There being no annual meetings in the springs of 1882 and 1883, the records for these years are not given. The officers elected at the annual meeting of 1881 held over to the spring of 1884.

year was reported at $2,463.75, and the expenditures, $2,443.91. J. E. Bell was eleeted president; R. W. Laing, vicepresident; Samuel Hill, secretary ; Chas. McC. Reeve, treasurer, and Herbert Put¬ nam, librarian; the directors for the year were T. B. Walker, Dr. A. C. Fairbairn, Judge J. P. Rea.

At the annual meeting in February, 1885, the income for the preceding year was repoiAed at $2,849.19; the total expenditures, $2,473.32. J. E. Bell was eleeted president; Dr. R. W. Laing, vicepresident; Herbert Putnam, secretary; C. McC. Reeve, treasurer; Herbert Put¬ nam, librarian; Dr. A. C. Fairbairn, T. B. Walker and Samuel Hill, directors.

In 1886, Mr. T. B. Walker, being a member of the new public librar3Dooard, resigned his position in the Atheneum , not desiring to hold a position in both organi¬ zations. During the man\' years of his connection with the Atheneum he refused to accept the presidency" of the Atheneum Board, which he was annually" urged to do, being willing to aetonly"in the capac¬ ity of a director. Hon. S. P. Snider was elected to fill the vacaney caused by Mr. Walker's resignation. The directors of the Atheneum association, approved by the stockholders, sold the Atheneum ground and building for $21,500, and also entered into a contract with the prdilic library board providing for the removal of the Atheneum to the new library building as soon as it was ready for occupancy ; that the city" should ])ay" all the expenses of carrying out this con¬ tract; that is, "said second party will pay for the removal of said library' to the expense of making and cataloguing the same, the salary" of the assistant libra¬ rian, provided for in this agreement, keeping the library in repair, re-binding and cataloguing books, re-placing lost books, binding periodicals and unbound pidjlications, pay all premiums for insur¬ ing said property, and, in short, that it, the second party", will pay' all necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the jiroper care of the said library' of said party" of the first part." Thecontract to run for 95 years and the books of the Atheneum to be free for the use of the publie, as well as its stockholders.

The board of otfieers and directors have remained the same through the years 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, ex¬ cepting that the removal of Rev. J. Mc¬ Golrick to Diduth left a vacancy which has been filled by Mr. E. C. Whitney'. Mr. Herbert Putnam has continued in the position of librarian from 1884 to 1892, and has filled the position with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the officers of the association and to the officers generally'. His recent resig¬ nation to take effect January 1st will lose to the city an accomplished librarian and citizen.

February 2nd, 1892, James K. Hosmer, of St. Louis, Missouri, was elected librarian to succeed Mr. Putnam at a salary" of $3,000 per annum. From the Minneapolis Times of Feb. 3rd, 1892, we take the following brief sketch of the life of Mr. Hosmer;

James Kendall Hosmer, the newly elected libra¬ rian of the Minneapolis Publie Librar_v, was born in Northfield, Massachussetts, January 29th, 1834-, and graduated at Harvard in 1855. He re¬ mained there ft:)ur years longer and reeeived the degrees A. B. and A. M. During the eivil war, aeeording to Appleton's Cyelo])edia of American Biography, he served in the Forty-second Regiment of Massachusetts's volunteers. He was a pro¬ fessor in Antioch College from 1866 to 1872, and was also librarian there. From 1872 to 1874 he occupied the chair of English and German litera- ture in the University of Missouri, and in 1884 he was elected to a similar position in the Washing¬ ton University of St. Louis. He has held this position since, now nearly 18 years. He received the degree of Ph. D. from the Universitj- of Wiseonsin. Forsix r'ears he has been chairman of the book committee of the St. Louis Library, besides a member of the executive.

He has had much to do with the cataloguing and the management of the reading room, and is thoroughly familiar with all the requii'ements of a large library. Besides his work mentioned above he has an extensive reputation as an author and a historian. Among the books that he has written ai'e: "Life ol Samuel Adams," "Short History of Anglo-Saxon Liberty'," "A Short History of Ger¬ man Literature," " History of the Jews," "Color Guai'd," and "The Life of Young Sir Henry Vane," and many others. Dr. Hosmer has a wife and three children, which he will bring with him to this city."

The library has found a permanent home where all interests are harmonized, all parties are satisfied, and the whole city rejoices in a free public library that has no equal inthe West,if in the nation.

This brief review of the library' from its inception to the present time can give but little more than the names of those mostly^ interested in its development, and the official position of many, who, withoitt compensation or expectation of reward of any kind other than to see a successful library established, gave their time and work freely' to ciccomplish this most unusually satisfactory result.

But the history of the institution would be incomplete without a further account of the important steps taken from about the year 1884, which have resulted in the erection of one of the most imposing and elegant public build¬ ings in Minneapolis, the library' building at the corner of Hennepin avenue and Tenth street. Indeed, there can be no doubt but that for the purpose for which it was designed there is no handsomer building in the United States.

concerning the management of the Atheneum, and the advantages which were derived by'- the public from the more free and liberal use of the books and rooms of the association, a public feeling favor¬ able to the establishment of a large free public library, to include or supplement the old Atheneum, became very' general throughout the city^

At a meeting of the board of directors of the Atheneum held November 15th, 1884, a communication was received from the Academy^ of Science asking for a conference with the Board, having in view the consideration of a plan for a Library' and Science Art building. A reply was made favoring the conference. At this meeting the Board adopted a memorial addressed to the city council proposing a joint effort on the part of the city, the Atheneum association, the Academy of Science and Art Societyq in the construction of a public library build¬ ing to embrace all four organizations ; the Atheneum to sell its library' building and ground and use the proceeds, above its debts, in the enterprise, and place its present and future collection of books in the building for the use of the public, the city to pay' running expenses, etc. Also asking the council to confer on the subject.

On November 22d, 1884, a joint meet¬ ing was held, embracing J. E. Bell, T. B. Walker, Chas. Mc.C. Reeve, Dr. Fairbairn, J. P. Rea and Samuel Hill, repre¬ senting the Atheneum, and E. M. John¬ son and G. W. Cooley representing the city council ; S. C. Gale and T. B. Walker on the part of the Academy of Science (Mr. Walker representing the library and academy), and E. H. Moulton, president of the Art Society.

The subject of a public building for use by all the associations represented was discussed at considerable length, and a committee was appointed consist- iiig of Messrs. Walker, Johnson, Gale and Moulton, " Such committee to draw a plan for the union of the vai'ious societies and the city in the erection and ownership of the lihraiw building and svtbmit such plan to the general commit¬ tee at its next meeting."

On December 7th another general committee meeting was held at which all the representatives were present. A re¬ port was presented by Mr. Walker from the special committee appointed at last meeting proposing " That the cost of the ])roposed building and site shoidd not exceed $150,000. That this sum should lie raised one-half by private subscri])- tion, one-half by bonds secured by mort¬ gage on the property itself, and that these bonds should be paid off from a sinking fund provided b3" an annual appropriation on the part of the city, such appropriation to be in the form of an annual lev\^ of one-quarter of one mill on the total valuation of the citj"; the current expenses of the librar3^ to be paid out of the same fund ; the title of both building and site to be in the cit3"." This I'eport was referred to the commit¬ tee of the council.

At another meeting held December 20th, all the representatives being pres¬ ent, Air. Johnson, of the eouneil com¬ mittee, made a verbal report recommend¬ ing certain amendments to the plan of union submitted to them at the preced¬ ing meeting, namehq that the city should be asked to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding $100,000 to be turned into the building fund, provided, however, that the total amount subseribed by the city towards the building should not exceed the amount contrib¬ uted from outside sout'ees for the same pur])ose, and also recommending an elective board, "like the board of educa¬ tion." Air. Gale moved that the plan as outlined be amended so that the citizens contribute $50,000 and the city $100,- 000 in bonds, which was approved asthe joint sense of the various eommittees. To Messrs. E. AI. Johnson, Samuel Hill and J. B. Atwater we are indebted for the admirable library law which our magnificent librar3' has established. As this law is of public interest it is here inserted in full :

Section 1. An act entitled "An act to amend and consolidate the charter of the city of Minne¬ apolis," approved March 8, 1881, is hereby amended by adding to the end of such act the fol¬ lowing: Chapter 12, section 1, there is hereby created and established in and for the city of Min¬ neapolis a board which shall be st3'led the "libraiw board of the city of Minneapolis," said board shall have power to establish and maintain in the city of Minneapolis public libraries and reading rooms, galleries of art and museums for the use and bene¬ fit of the inhabitants of said citj', and for the pur¬ pose of so doing it shall have the followingpowers, that is to sar" It ma\" adopt a common seal and be capableof suingandbeing sued,andof takingb\' gift, grant, purchase, devise, becpiest or other¬ wise, an\^ real and personal property and of using, selling, controlling, conve3dng and enjoying the same and of entering into, making, performing and enforcing contracts. It ma3'- make and publish from time to time by-laws for its own guidance, rules and regulations for the government of its agents, servants and emplo3'es and for thegovernment and regulation of the libraries and other col¬ lections under its control. It may hire or erect and maintain as it shall deem best, buildings suitable for the purpose contemplated by this act, but it shall never erect any buildings upon land to which it has not the title in fee simple. It may appoint all necessar3' agents and emplo3'es, fix their com¬ pensation, and may remove such appointees. It shall have the expenditure of all mone3's collected b3' taxation or otherwise and placed to the ci'edit of the librar3' fund, and shall, in addition to the herein enumerated powers, have full powers and authorit3'' to undertake and perform ever3' act necessary or proper to carr3' out the spirit and in¬ tent of this act.