Minneapolis City (part 35 of 80)

I told him the scheme was preposter¬ ous ; that it was foolish for him to give up his business as a tailor, and mine as a lawyer, fo enter into that of publish¬ ing and editing a newspaper. But all arguments were unavailing. He was persistent in his idea, strengthened by a public sentiment, that the village de¬ manded a newspaper to make its im¬ portance known and felt. In short, it was finally agreed that if Air. Tjder would furnish the press and material and publish the papier, I would edit the same temporarily until a permanent editor could be secured to take charge of the same.

Air. Tyler then went to Chieago and procured a press and sufficient material for the publication of a weekly seven column, four page paper. In Alay of the same year the first number was pub¬ lished by the name The St. Anthony Express. For the first year it was pub¬ lished in a log or block house on Main street, one of the first houses built in the place - as a boarding house for those en¬ gaged in the erection of the first saw mill. It was located under the bluff, a little below the present site of the expo¬ sition building. Although at the time a substantial building, it has long since disappeared with the march of improve¬ ments.

As may be imagined the position of editor of a weekly paper at that day, was no sinecure. There were no tele¬ graphs - mails for half the year only once a week, not frequently more seldom; no reporters; no numerous accidents; seldom deaths ; some marriages ; and some notices of new arrivals. And yet the public of that day was no less exi¬ gent than at the present for the latest and freshest news. Unless, therefore, the editor could draw largely on his imagin¬ ation for his facts, he was liable to be often "left" in the opinion of his readers. Not that he feared competition, for there was none. But unless the editor could fill at least one whole page with inter¬ esting and startling local items he was voted stupid and a bore, and the sub¬ scribers could take revenge by discon¬ tinuing.

Nor did the publisher fare better. The subscribers agreed to pay two dollars a year, and really intended to do so. But alas! the "human necessity of daily bi'ead" was often greater than the necessity of a weekly newspaper. Hence they were forced to compromise on the amount of their subscriptions in farm

The publisher soon discovered there was no fun in running a newspaper on such terms, and at the end of the year threw up the sponge in disgust. The editor having expected no compensation, was not disappointed. But in the mean¬ time his connection with the paper turned to be anything but temporary. No one could be found who would take his place. Besides he had made cash ad¬ vances in running the paper to a consid¬ erable amount, and in the vain hope of retrieving his losses continued, until at the end of another year he found himself, much against his will, sole proprietor. The paper was continued until 1859, when it was discontinued, the editor deeming himself fortunate in escaping with a loss of only some $3,000.

In the beginning the paper was Whig in politics and reflected the conservative views of the Silver Grey wing of the party as it was then known. As the Whig party became graduallj^ merged in the Free soil and Republican parties, the Express took sides with the Democratic party and was known as a Democratic paper until the time of its discontinu¬ ance. During the later years of its life it was in the editorial charge of George D. Bowman, of Pennsylvania; Charles H. Slocum, now of the Glencoe Register, and later of D. S. B. Johnson, now of St. Paul. J. G. Cressey, formerly health inspector of the Eighth ward of Minneapolis, was one of its earliest and most enter¬ prising " devils," and there was no form of mischief carried on in the office of which he was not the reported leader. Colonel John H. Stevens, now so well known in this city, was a frequent tind valued contributor, especially in the de¬ partment of "local items," which he never failed to make interesting.

The Press

Neai'ly a complete set of the files of this paper ma\' be found in the library" of the State Historieal Society at St. Paul, ]n'esented b^' the lion. Alex Ramse^', and probably the onl_v one in existence. A large amount of information pertaining to the political history of the leading men of the Territory' of Alinnesota will be found in the columns of this paper. Among others ma\' be named Gov. Kamse\', Senator H. M. Rice, Gov. H. H. Sible\', Gov. Gorman, Gov. Alarshall, Hon. Joseph R. Brown, and man3' others of their contemporaries.

Some of the advertisements and no¬ tices published in the first newspaper printed in what is now Minneapolis, seem a little queer even to our present residents. Thev will seem even more so to those who come after us one hundred or even lift}' \'ears henee. We can give no advertisements of slaves sold in our markets as do the histories of Boston, Hartford and New Haven in the histor\' of their respective eities, nor of burning of witches. Fortunatehq we had become a little too advanced wjien we settled here to engage in those amusements. The religion, the morals, the cultivation and literature of those earW settlers were much the same as those of forty \'ears later. It is mainh^ with regard to - not moral or intellectual - but ph3'sical forces that we have to do and note pro¬ gress. And to illustrate this we add some extracts from the aforesaid paper supplemented Iw personal recolleetions.

Few of the j^resent generation are aware that the Mississipjh river nearh' forty years ago, from the Falls of St. Anthonv to Sauk Rapids, was naviga¬ ted during the season 1)3' a regular line of steamboats. From the first issue of the St. Anthony Express, AIa3' 31, 1851, we cut the following notice ;

Rapids twice a week. Capt. Rollins is well known to the traveling public, and well deserves the high reputation he has acquired, as a careful efficient and obliging officer. Although the Oov. Ramsev has not the same spacious accomm.odations as arc found on the larger boats of the lower Mississippi, \-et travelers will receive every attention, which their comfort demands, and will find this a cheer¬ ful trip. A recent passage down was performed by the boat in about six hours."

The enterprise, however, diil not prove a suceess, and the following vear was abandoned. Business between the two points was then very limited, and the water even then insuffieient to warrant business the entire season. Moreover, with the settlement of the' eountr3' this amount was seen to be eonstanth' dimin¬ ishing, and without extensive improve¬ ments 1)3' the government the business did not promise to be a pa3'ing investment.

"We understand there are about 13 000,000 feet of logs at the mouth of the Rum river, which ma3' soon be expected as there is now sufficient water. This will give some idea of the immense amount of the lumber business of the Territory of which St. Anthonv is the principal depot. "

"A meeting of the citizens of St. Anthony is re- ((uested on Wednesday evening, June 4, at 7 p. m., to take measures to procure a suitable piece of ground for a cemetery. A general attendance is re- (piested." Many Citizens.

appointed to receive proposals for sites, and the final unanimous decision was to purchase 80 acres on the high grounds east of St. Anthony and extending near to the river, and now being a part of Prospect Park Addition to the City of Minneapolis.

There can be no doubt for the purpose designed, this was an unequaled site. In an editorial in the Express on the same subject, it was stated among other things that, "from a personal examina¬ tion we are confident that neither Green¬ wood, Mount Auburn, Alount Hope, Rose Hill, or any of the noted cemeteries of the Union can surpass it. "

Col. Robert Smith, of Illinois, then owned the ground. He offered to sell it for $2,000. As the money could not then be raised, but confidently believing the chance should not be lost, the writer and Shelton Hollister, a youngman recently here from Connecticut, on their own account personally entered into a contract to buy the land in one year at that sum. But alas! the citi¬ zens neglected the opportunity, and no money was forthcoming, and Mr. Smith released the obligors from their bond. How fortunate for them if they coidd have foreseen the future and kept good their bond. The property to-day is worth from four to five thousand dollars per acre. And then pei'hajDS Lakewood cemetery would not have been known.

The same paper also contained a list of the letters uncalled for during the three or four previous months, number¬ ing about fort3q and A. Godfrey (still a resident of thecit}'-) was then postmaster.

Also at the same time appears the ad¬ dress of John G. Potts, D. D. G. Sire, at the opening of the John G. Potts Lodge No. 3 of the Odd Fellows Societ\" at the Falls of St. Anthony.

be called from the pages of the first j^ear's publications of the Express. But the limits of this work do not admit of too extended notices. One or two more, however, may be briefly referred to.

The second number of the paper con¬ tained a brief sketch of the Alississippi valley above the falls. It was repre¬ sented as a beautiful valley "with a black alluvial soil from six to eighteen inches deep of unbounded fertility." So far as the east side of the river is concerned it is feared this description must be taken earn grano salis. Especially in regard to the "eighteen inches of black alluvial soil." Such instances do exist, but it would hardly be safe to predicate it of the whole valley above the falls. The same article also contained the predic¬ tion that "it seemed reasonable to sup¬ pose that wheat could be raised in this climate as profitabh' as in Illinois or Indiana." It must be remembered that when the foregoing sentence was written not a bushel of wheat had been raised in the Territorj^ of Minnesota, and when the most of the then settlers had been taught to believe that only a few of the hardier grains and vegetables, as rj^e, oats, cabbages, tinmips and potatoes could be produced in this hj'perborean climate. It seems, to-dajq ridiculous that such at that day could have been the conceptions of otherwise well informed men in regard to the climate of Minne¬ sota. To-day Minnesota is the largest wheat producing state in the Union, but perhaps soon to be excelled by Dakotas.

In the same article was a statement scarcely less ridiculous as to the market for wheat, even if it was raised. Eastern markets were never dreamed of - much less the markets of the world. The arti¬ cle goes on to state: "But we have a market at our own doors for all the wheat we can ever raise. We have right around us the Chippewas, the Winneba- goes and Menoniinees, who receive large annuities from the government and are anxious to receive all our flour, and ex¬ change the cash for the same. "

Such was the argument, that, at that day seemed the only available one to in¬ duce the farmers to engage in growingwheat. It served its purpose for a very brief time, bvitwhat have railroads since accomplished ?

One or two notices of marriages among old setlers occurred about the same time. Some of them are still with us - all well remembered by old setlers:

" July 12th, Mendota, by the Rev. E. D. Neil, John George Lennon Escp of St. Anthony, to Miss AIar\' McLean, daughter of Maj. McLean, of the same place. "

At the celebration of the Fourth of Juh' in 1851, this was one of the toasts offered and responded to in a most witty manner, bj^ Rev. E. D. Neil, one of the most scholarly men in the state, viz : "St. Paul and St. Anthony, - the first shall be last, and the last first. '' A pro¬ phecy uttered in jobe, that has since be¬ come a historical fact.

Meantime the village of St. Anthon\' Falls continued to grow. Newspaper men are the first to recognize the fact of growth in all Western towns. There had become a call for a paper to urge other doctrines in politics, than those advocated by the old Silver Grey Whigs. And so, on the 13th day of July, 1853, appeared the first number of the North¬ western Democrat, ptiblished and edited by Prescott & Jones. It was the organ of the Democratic party as against the Express. It was fairly well edited, but lacked the recpiisite support from sub¬ scribers, and advertisers, as well as money on the jiart of its backers, to make it a financial success.

In August, 1857, W. A. Hotchkiss purchased the paper, and moved the same to the west side of the river. Alinneapolis had alreadj' reeeived its bap¬ tismal name, and became a village of some three or four hundred inhabitants. The publication of the paper was here continixed for some years, but finally succtimbed from the same causes which led to its sale in the first instance. Mr. Hotchkiss for several years has been publishing a paper in Fillmore county, the National Republican.

The St. Anthony Republican was es¬ tablished in April, 1855. It was pub¬ lished by Ames & Paine. Rev. C. G. Ames was editor - then a minister of the Free Will Baptist chureh in Minneapolis. The republican party was then beginning to assume considerable prominence, and the paper, as its name implies, was the organ of its views in politics. Mr. Ames was a I'eady and vigorous writer of radical and advanced views on the slavery ques¬ tion. Later, he dissolved his connection with the Baptist ehurch, and became somewhat prominent as the pastor of a Unitarian church in Washington citjy In 1888 he was ealled to the pastorship of the Unitarian church of Philadelphia, where he now preaches. Few at the present day are aware that one of our ])rominent citizens, for many y-ears, I). W. Jones (of the firm of Jones, McMvdlen & Co.) was once a cander boy' for the Republican. He receiy^ed many' yvelcome dimes for distributing the Neyy' Years' address, yvritten bj' C. G. Ames. He is to be congratulated that a more lucra¬ tive employmient than any' connected yydth the ]n'ess early attracted his atten¬ tion.

In 1858 the Republican yy'as merged into the State News, a yveekly newsjjaper, established bj' Messrs. Croffut and Paine, and edited by Air. Croflut. He made a wide-awake, spicy- and origi- nal paper, which only needed financial backing to have made a success. Mr. Crofifut has since acquired no small rep¬ utation as a poet and literary contribu¬ tor to several leading eastern jouimals and magazines.

In September, 1856, the first daily paper appeared in Minneapolis called the Daily Falls Evening News. It was published Iw the same parties, Messrs. Croffut & Clark.

In August, 1857, Col. J. H. Stevens and F. Belfoy issued the fii'st number of the Cataraet and Agriculturist. This was a weekly paper, and devoted largely to agricultural interests. In February, 1868, the paper was sold to R. H. Conwell, and the name changed to t\ie North Star. In the fall of 1868 the paper was sold to C. M. Landon, who continued the publication for two years under the name of the Independent.

The Weekly State News was con¬ tinued some two 3"ears longer, when it, too, was forced to succumb to the inevitable. Meantime, in the year 1857, Major J. B. Bassett had purchased the old Northwestern Democrat, and soon after sold the same to W. F. Russell, of Shakopee. Mr. Russell removed to Minneapolis, and on taking possession of the paper changed its name to The Gazette. The enterprise was short lived. The pax^er lacked the requisite financial and intellectual backing, and after a struggle of a 3"ear, again 'fell into the hands of Maj. Bassett.

In 1858 he sold the press to C. H. Pet¬ tit and John G. Williams, who established a weekh" called the Minneapolis Journal, edited 1^3^ Williams. This x^aper too was destined to a short life. It was swal¬ lowed UX3 in 1859 by the State Atlas.

The same year Horace F. Purdy estab¬ lished the Minneapolis Plaindealer, a weekly Democratic pax^er. It was by no means weakly m. qualit3qbut was edited with vigor and abilit3r. But Democrats in those da3's were not numerous, and a X^aper then could not be sustained on ed¬ itorial abilit3" alone. After a struggle of less than two 3'ears, the establishment was removed to La Crosse.

In January of 1859 two other weekU' XJapers were started in Minneax^olis. The Alinnesota Beacon and the Rural Alinnesotian. The latter was mainly devoted to agriculture, horticulture and floricul¬ ture. Neither of these papers were of long ditration.

Ux^ to this time (1859) Minneapolis had x^i'oved b3" no means a remunerative field for newsx3aper enterprise. It had alwa3"S been a struggle for the "survival of the fittest,'' and even the fittest had not long survived. The old St. Anthony Express had longest held its ground - about eight 3"ears. But the business seems always to have a certain fascina¬ tion for many minds, almost akin to that of gambling. In the face of almost cer¬ tain defeat there are alwa3's found those read3^ to take their chances in the busi¬ ness: iiot often, however, those of the ne¬ cessary means, indisxDensible to make the effort a success. Since the first settle¬ ment of the cit3^even to the present time, the field is thickly strewn with the bones of bright, energetic 3^oung men, who have fallen b3" the way-side in xnn'suing this ignis fatuus, from whose allure¬ ments, for certain x)eculiarl3' constituted minds, escaxie seems iinx^ossible.

In Ma3" 1859 anothernewspax)er was started, destined to a longer life than those which had x^receded it. William S. King, who was then comparativel3' a new setler in Minneax?olis, established the State Atlas, a large weeklv news- X3aper. This venture at that time, re- qiiirecl an ainotint of pluck and courage, that verA' few men possessed. It was during the darkest ])eriod of the great financial disaster, following the crash of 1857. Nobody in Minnesota then had inoneA' - and hardh' anA'bodA' had credit. Subscriptions and advertisements were then paid for in truck and dicker, as heretofore stated of the St. Anthony /Av/me.ss. Col. King was then a coml)arative stranger, with but little fin¬ ancial backing. There was no offieial jjatronage of any account. The situa¬ tion was to the last degree discouraging for undertaking an enterprise of this kind.

But the Colonel was in no wise dis¬ couraged. Bv sheer force of character, and indomitable energ\' and courage he overcame obstacles that would have aj)- ])alled most other men. He first swal¬ lowed the Journal, although that was hardly so formidable as to be considered a rival. He was of course an ardent Re- ])ublican, and Republicanism was then rapidly growing. In politics, his strong characteristics found full ])laA'. Everv week he dealt sledge hammer blows on his ])olitical ojiponents. One of these was Col. Purdy, editor of the Plaimlcaler, and before spoken of. These two editors in ability were well matched, and both delighted in giving hard blows in politi¬ cal warfare. The weekly issues of these two papers, were watched by their re¬ spective friends with great interest, for there was certain to be good entertain¬ ment in store, both politically and intcllectualh'. In the absence of theaters and other amusements, the papers furnished an acceptable substitute. Nor did Col. King Sparc his own ])arty less than his political op])oncnts, when its measures and policy differed in his judgment from what was right. On occasion he would apply the lash on his own ])olitical friends, as vigorously as on his enemies.

It ma}' be also stated that his paper was at all times most active and influential in promoting the material and educa¬ tional interests of Minneai^olis and the state at large. The State Atlas during all the time of its existence, was alwaA's a pOAA'er for good, in morals, religion, and education. In 1867 it AA'as bo light out Iw the founders of the Tribune and discontinued.

During the AA'ar the establishment of neAA'spapers met Avith a decided check. After its close hoAA'ever the business receiA'ed a fresh impetus. The Minneapolis Independent, \\ee\Ay issued in Octo¬ ber 1865. In June 1866, Col. SteA'ens and others established the Minneaf)olis Chronicle, AA-eckh', and in September of the same A'ear it Avas issued daily. It onh' surviA'ed hoAA'eA^er till May of the folloAA'ing year.

The Minneapolis Daily Tribune AA'as established in 1867. It has been the lead¬ ing political paper in the city since that date, and has ahA'ays been a formidable rival of the St. Paul dailies AA'hich AA'ere earlier established . Still it has seen many changes in management, though alAA'ays a steadfast adherent of Republican prin¬ ciples in politics.* The stockholders in the paper Avhen first established AA'cre Col. W. S. King, D. Morrison, W. D. Washburn, A. B. Stickney, Dr. L. Butler, W. S. Whitmore, Col. L. P. Plummer, F. F. Smith, Dr. O. H. Keith, W. A. NeAA'ton, and some half dozen other smaller hold¬ ers. John T. Oilman AA'as the first editor.

The stock-holders AA'ere not entireh' harmonious in regard to men aa-Iio should recciA'e jiolitical preferment. Mr. Oilman, after a conqiaratiA'ely short period, AA'as succeeded by ATajor Oeorge

W'e are largely indebted to Col C. ^V. .Johnson for the leading facts I e.*ein published, he having furnished the editor a valuable Iinperoii the subject. The long and intimate acquaintance of ('ol. .Johnson with the politics of the city, and especially of the Uepiib* lican party, enable him to give statistics not attainable from any other source. For the last few years he has l)een clerk of the Ignited Statea Senate, but has by no means lost h.'s interest in Minneapolis,

K. Shaw as editor. A vigorous and terse writer, he belonged to the militant branch of his pai'ty and did not hesitate to express his convictions in regard to party men and measures, and sometimes to the disgust of leading men in the party. Although the congressional dis¬ trict in which Minneapolis is situated has almost uniformly been strongly Re¬ publican, yet in 1868 the Democrats elected a member to Congress, due in large part, if not entirelj", to divisions in the Republican party. V/hether justly or not, no small blame was ascribed to the political management of the Tribune. This, of course, re-acted on its pecuniaiy success. Minneapolis was then a small city, and nothing less than united party support was recpnred to make a politi¬ cal paper even reasonably remunerative. And during these early j^ears of its his¬ tory the paper, in common with others which had preceded it, suffered for lack of capital.

In 1870 Hugh W. Greene, from Boston, purchased the paper, or at least a controlling interest in it. Mr. Greene was a conservative Repid:)lican and the politics of the paper were not changed, although it was generally understood that Mr. Greene's primary object was to make it a successful business enterprise rather than a party organ. He was an able and scholarly writer and contribu¬ ted the most of the leading editorials during his connection with the paper. He was also a man of strong common sense, of energ\^ and independence of character, and good business judgment. These qualities, together with the more rapid growth of the city during the3'ears immediately following the time he took charge, enabled him to place the paperin a comparatively shoi't time on an in¬ dependent paying basis.

titious aids - without even the united support of his own party. He was too independent and conservative to suit the radical wing. He could not be used as a tool to subserve personal political in¬ terests. Efforts were made on the part of some of the minority stock-holders to oust him by legal process, but the at¬ tempt was a failure. Ultimately, how¬ ever, in 1874, owing chiefly to failing of health. Col. Green closed orrt his interest in the Tribune to a new company repre¬ sented at first by Clifford Thompson and L. W. Powell. Major John H. Howell was associated with the former in the editorship and management. Judge John P. Rea succeeded Major Howell as editor, and with var3-ing success they run the paper about two 3'ears. The paper was not 3'et placed on a safe financial basis. About this time (1876) newspaper interests in Minneapolis were becoming somewhat complicated with those in St. Paul. Measures were being taken to form a combination to control the journalism of both cities. An extract from the valuable manuscript of Col. Johnson on this subject will give a clear and concise idea of the peculiar situation existing at that time :

The Pioneer had been endeavoring to boom its subscription list, regardless of the feelings of its rivals, by a gigantic lottery system. They gave the paper a year for $6.00 and a chance to draw Commodore Davidson's magnificent mansion in St. Paid, valued at $100,000, a glittering sum of money in those dai'S when millionaires were scarcer than to-day. The Pioneer was a good daib' paper, and the chance to get something for nothing was too promising to be slighted. This competition was particularly severe on the Tribune in Minneapolis, where the Pioneer had a splendid reportorial corps under the genial management of T. S. King. It became necessary to do something to ]mt a stop to this thing. The Press, then the leading paper in St. Paul, was made a center for a scheme of audaciti' and impracticability, which has rarely had a parallel in the history of journal¬ ism in the west. It was nothing less than a plan of consolidation of all the dailies receiving news

There was but one obstacle to this consolida¬ tion. But for that all that was necessary to be done was to have a joint meeting of all the morn¬ ing dailies in St. Paul and Minneapolis and make an apportionment of stock of all among the stock¬ holders of each, and the thing was done. That obstacle was the Evening Mail, which had been running but for a year or two. It had been started in the Tribune office by some of the attaches of that paper, during the Clifford Thomp¬ son regime, but had passed out of the hands of the combine into the ownership of Johnson & Smith. Thc3' borrowed no m.one}' of the politicians, who owned all the other newspaper enterprises, and manifested no disposition to do so. The Mail had very little monev, and still less influence for that reason, but it had something else that was of value to the new combine, namehg a full fledged fran¬ chise in the Associated Press, and was, therefore, in a position when the consolidation did fake place to give and take hard blows in the competition. An agent of the combine was sent to them to threaten to start another daih' evening i)aper, and with ample capital to crush them out of existence if the\' did not sell the Mail. There was no good reason if the}' saw fit to do it w'h\' it could not be done. The}' offered to buy, and in the event of a refusual to sell, to ruin. So the proprietors suc¬ cumbed to the inevitable; but it was a rascally stand-and-deliver proceeding, entirely discreditable to all conceimed in it.

As soon as the Mail was S])iked, the plans of the consolidation began to be apparent, and a madder lot of men than those of Minneai)olis were not to be found outside of a lunatic asylum. It was found there was resting away somewhere an old chattle mortgage on the Tribune. Under this, twelve gentlemen, of the most influential in the city, siezed the paper, and for a few hours it seemed that the whole scheme was nipped in the bud. But the compromisers were full of smooth words and promises, and some of the people of the city, who felt the outrage most, were labored with and a truce fixed up. The outcome of this truce was the ap])earanceon thelfith dayof April, 1870, of the Dual City Pioneer Press and Tribune. It was gravely announced that the newsi)aper would "impartially represent the interests of both cities," and be better for both than to have a division of a newspaper management and cnteriirisc.

From the 21st of A])ril, when the row was going on (for there were those who would not be comforted, and who would not accept the buttered words of the combine), until the 25th, there was an entire hiatus in the publication of the Tribune. It was a wordy time. On the 25th the Tribune contained the following announcement: "The publishers of the Tribune take j)leasure once more in iiresenting to its readers the customary news in the customary way." On the next day the fol¬ lowing: "The proprietors of the Tribune in order to settle e.xisting difficulties, have offered to .sell an Associated Press franchise for a morning paper in Minneapolis, on or after November 1st, 1876, in case the citizens should desire to inirchase the same at that time or thereafter." In the same issue the following: "An amicable adjustment between the twelve purchasers of a certain chattle mortgage, and publishers of the Tribune and the Pioneer Press is to the effect that there will here¬ after be a morning paper published for both the cities, and an afternoon paper published in Minne¬ apolis."

That continued to be the condition. Mr. David Blakely was sent from St. Paul to Minneapolis to editthe EveningTribune, and the combinerun "the onlymorning paper" for all there was in it. It was an unwise and unsatisfactory condition all around.

This sketch, which brings the history of the Tribune down to the year 1871) shows the vicissitudes attending the es¬ tablishment of a leading daih', and con¬ tains many' facts of interest not gener¬ ally known. That interest would be en¬ hanced conld the motives and hidden springs of action, both ])olitical and pe¬ cuniary', of those most closely' connected with the management, be more fnlly' re¬ vealed. It is at least evident, that even with the comparatively clear field which the Tribune enj'oy'ed during those y'cars, and in a rapidly growing city', it was no easy' task or boy's jday' to establish such a daily'. The Tribune has not reached its present commanding position with¬ out enconntering obstacles and y'cars of discouragement, nsnalU' attendant on the establishment of so important an enterprise.

In 1871) Gen. A. B. Ncttleton (now assistant secretary' of the treasury) came to Minnea])olis, with the ])nrpose of en¬ gaging in the newspaper business, if eireumstanees should be found favorable. I'revious to the war of the rebellion Air.

Nettletoii was a student at Oberlin Col¬ lege. He enlisted soon after the opening of hostilities, and served with eredit and distinetion throughout the entire war, and was breveted brigadier general. Subsequent to the war he was eonnected with the Advance, a leading Congrega¬ tional paper in Chieago. His residence, previous to coming to Minneapolis, had been in Philadelphia. He was a terse and vigorous writer and convincing pub¬ lic speaker, and took an active interest in the leading moral and reformatory" movements of the day".

In 1879 the journalistic situation in Minneapolis yvas this: The city had no morning paper, the St. Paul Pioneer Pt'ess Company owned the morning As¬ sociated Press franchise for Minneapolis, but of course made no use of it. Tyy^elve citizens of Minneapolis (jocosely called the twelve Apostles) held an agreement from the Pioneer Press Company-, to the effect that said company yymuld relin¬ quish the Minneapolis franchise yvhenever it yy-as desired to start a morning pajDer in Minneapolis, and whenever they yy-ere paid $18,000 in cash. The Minne¬ apolis Tribune was then an ey-ening pa¬ per, and was virtuall}-, the only daily is¬ sued in the city. The Journal had just been started by two printers, but had no telegraphic franchise, and naturally failed to get much of a foothold. The oyvnership of the Tribune was then; onehalf, David Blakely-; one-fourth. Col. L. P. Plummer, and one fourth. Geo. K. Shayv. Blakely yyms editor-in-chief, Shaw managing editor, and Plummer business manager.

At the date of this purchase, Blakely, Nettleton and Plummer, agreed that in the following spring they would estab¬ lish the Minneapolis Morning Tribune, and as part of the same arrangement, bargained to sell the Associated Press franchise of the Evening Tribune to Aiajor Shayv, yvho yvas to start an after¬ noon paper with such franchise as a basis.

In January-, 1880, and before the changes yvere consummated. Col. Plum¬ mer died. Nettleton, thereupon, pur¬ chased the Plummer interest in the Trib¬ une, thus making Blakel}- and Nettleton equal owners in the corporation yvhich yvas to start the Adorning Tribune. Theyproceeded to purchase from the Pioneer Press Compan3- the suspended morning franchise, paying the $18,000, and earlyin Alay, 1880, as soon as new presses and other mateidal could be procured, the first number of the Morning Tribune, as it now is, yvas issued.

In June, 1881, Gen. Nettleton bought Mr. Blakely's half intei'est in the Adorn¬ ing Tribune, and from that time yvas editor and proprietor of the paper until about January 1st, 1885, yvhen he transferred the property to Mr. Alden J. Blethen, to whom it had been sold in the October preceding, and yvho, meantime, had sold a half interest to Messrs. Has¬ kell and son, of the Boston Herald . During the years 1883-4 Gen. Nettleton had ei'ected the eight-story Tribune building at the corner of Fourth street and First avenue south, and moved into its new quarters in January, 1885, its home having been in the City Hall build¬ ing from the time yvhen that structure yvas erected.

During the five y-ears and upyy-ard of the administration of the Tribune under the management of Gen. Nettleton, the paper steadily advanced in influence and y-alue. Its position yvas more independ- eiit, less subject to the control of politi¬ cians, elicpies or factions in the part}' - had a single head and definite polic}'. While pronounced in his political views, Gen. Nettleton was reasonably conserva¬ tive and prudent in the management of his paper, and at the time of its sale as above mentioned it stood in the front rank in influence among the Republican journals of the Northwest. The value ever, having fallen through, he bought the i}aper back from them at the expira¬ tion of a year, and it contimied under his management until March 1891, when he sold out to Messrs. Pierce & Alurphy for about $450, ()0(). The disastrous loss which he suffered by the burning of the old Tribune building in 1889, and the heavy expense incurred in erecting the elegant new Tribune building at the

The Triijigne Buii.Ding

Under the new management the Trib¬ une continued to prosper. Col. Blethen was a man of energy, and a vigorous writer, and had a successfid experience in running a newspaper in Kansas City, before coming to Minneapolis. In 1888 he sold his interest to Messrs. Haskell & Palmer with the intention of going into another newspaper enterprise in the East. The arrangements for this, howeorner of Fourth street and I'irst Avenue South, required the use of a larger amount of ca]3ital than he emdd con¬ veniently eommand, and he preferred to relieve himself Iw a sale, rather than con¬ tinue to earry the load. His large num¬ ber of friends in the city and state re¬ gretted the necessity of Col. Blethen 's surrendering the control of the Tribune, which was a staunch su])porter of the interests of Minneapolis. He is still as ardently devoted to the interests of the

The Journal Reference has already been made to the founding of the Jour¬ nal, a paper whieh has sinee Ijeeome a phenomenal suecess, though not without many vieissitudes, of whieh some aecount may be interesting.

The first daily newspaper was the Daily Courant, issued in London in 1709. It was a morning paper. The evening newspaper is the product of a later and more advanced period, and has been gaining on the morning daily ever sinee the first one was established, till now the faeilities for the prompt eolleetion of news, preparing it for the press and for rapid printing and distrilmtion have been brought to sitch a degree of perfeetion that the time absorbed by morning paper methods in the leisurely preparation of news, requiring the inter¬ val of a whole night, has eome to be looked upon as just that much time lost.

This is not an age whieh excuses loss of time, particularly in its newspapers. There is no time to lose. The regular morning newspaper, with all its triumi)hs, is eonducted on the wrong prin¬ ciple. It insists on withholding the news from the reader just when he wants it and on giving it to him when he least desires it and has least time to read it.

The morning paper is rapidly sur¬ rendering its prestige and the field to the evening paj^er. It is a foreed surrender. The evening paper has achieved sueeess beeause it deserved to succeed. The evening paper is making more rapid progress than the morning paper, and it is in the greater adaptation of itself to the popular demand that the evening paper seeures its greatest advantage. The morning paper, having chosen to post¬ pone its publieation of the news of to¬ day till to-morrow ought not to expeet to, and does not excite, in the busiest hour of the following day, the same interest with its then eomparatively stale recital of events as that aroused by the publieation of iDractieally the same matter the previous evening. There is a difference in this respeet between the evening and morning paper like to that between the weekly and the daily paper - it is a question of time. People take daily papers in preferenee to weekly papers beeause the^^ eannot eontent themselves to wait for the weekly. Why should the\^ be asked or expected to wait till to-morrow for the news of to-day? The faet is they ai'e not waiting as mueh as they used to, and on that faet rests the suecess of the evening paper alread3" attained and the greater sueeess yet to be aehieved through constantly improv¬ ing facilities for eolleeting and distribut¬ ing the news.

The evening newspaper has been fre¬ quently spoken of as the newspaper of the future. So far as Minneapolis and the Northwest is eoneerned the evening paper is the newspaper, not of the future alone, but of to-day as well. The Jour¬ nal has already brought this about, hav¬ ing double the eii'eulation of any of its daily morning contemporaries in Minne¬ apolis or St. Paul.

" Theplueky trio of v^oung journalists, who promised a few days ago to give the people ol Minneapolis a new evening jDaper before the holidays, were promptly on hand last evening with the initial number of the Minneapolis Journal. Among the good things promised, the editors say the Journal W\\\ be a zealous promoter of all enterprises whieh will benefit Minneapolis and raise the stand-

-The "plucky trio'' consisted of F. E. Curtis, afterwards of Spokane Falls; C. A. French, a compositor, and afterwards publisher of the Wright County Times, Buffalo, Minn., and Chas. H Stevens, also afterwards the publisher of a country weekly in this state. The paper was printed in the office of the Mirror, a weekly paper. The late E. J. C. Atterbury,f6r a number of years prominently identified with newspaper work in this city, was a silent partner in the venture and one of the editors. The Journal\va6. then no press franchise, but received about 300 words of telegraphic news from a special corres])ondent in Chicago. The paper was a six column folio and had reached in the fall of '79 a circula¬ tion of 2,000 copies.

It was about this time that there occuiTed an event of the gi'eatest import¬ ance to the future of the paper. Leg fialent is a very important part of a local news gatherer's equipment. Esi^ecially was that the case before the tele¬ phone came into general use. But it is doubtful if it ever happened before that the life of a newspaper depended on the result of a footrace. The walking match craze was then imaging all over the eountrj', and the reporters and other newspaper men of the city amused them¬ selves by getting up a go-as-you-please race at Market Hall. The entries were J. N. Kind, then of the Tribune, now publisher of the Alississippi Valley Lum¬ berman ; Ed. Bromle3q for the St. Paul Pioneer Press ; Earnest Sturtevant, for the St. Paul Globe ; Fred. Puhler,for the Llotel Gazette, and E. J. C. Atterbur3q for the Journal. The Journals repre¬ sentative was carefully trained by a pro¬ fessional, and after an exciting race which drew a large crowd, he won, having traveled nearly 26 miles in four hours.

So confident were Atr. Atterbury's associates on the Journal ai his superioi'ity as a pedesti'ian, and possibly so hopeless at that time of the future of the paper, too, that the3" staked the whole establishment on him. When the race was over tlie publishers of the Journal found themselves in a position to bu3" a new press and inci'ease their news facilities. Before the race it was a question of only a few days when sus¬ pension of jDublication would have been necessary. The had won its first race and it has never lost one since.

In the spi'ing of 1880, Geo. K. Shaw, C. A. Nimocks and W. A. Nimocks formed a company to start a new evening paper, the Tribune having become a morning l^aper and having sold its evening press franchise to these gentlemen. It was one morning while these preparations for a new evening i^aper were in progi'ess that the proprietors of the J our nal came down town and found their cstal)- lishment in ruins. Fire had destro3'ed it. Their resources were limited and tlie l)low was too heavy for them. The3' accepted an offer of $2,000 for their name and good will from Messrs. Shaw and Nimocks, who continued to publish the Journal till the spring of 1885, when Mr. Shaw sold his interest to the Nim¬ ocks brothers.

On the first da3^ of November, of the same 3^ear, the pciper was transferred b3" sale to A. J. Blethen, Lucian Swift, Jr., W. E. Haskell and H. W. Hawley. The compan3^ was organized with Mr. Has¬ kell as president; Mr. Hawle3q secretai'y; Mr. Blethen, treasurer, and Air. Swift, business manager. The editorial force was organized with J. S. McLain as managing editor; David Blakel3', editorial writer and H. W. Hawley, cit3^ editor. Mr. Hawley was compelled at the end of nine months to give up active newspaper work on account of impaired health. His stock was subsequently sold to E. B. Haskell, of the Boston Hernld. In a subsequent sale of the Tribune to Air. Haskell his interest was transferred to A. J. Blethen. Still later it was purchased again b}- Air. E. B. Haskell, and J. S. AIcLain has also more recently acquired an interest in the eompainq which is now composed of E. B. Haskell, president; \V. E. Haskell, vice-president; Lucian Swift, Jr., secre¬ tary, treasurer and manager, and J. S. AIcLain, editor. The paper, however, during the last six and a half years, or since November 1, 1885, has been, with¬ out interruption, under the business management of Air. Swift, and the edito¬ rial management of Air. AIcLain. They have given to it their close personal attention and have conducted it on strictly legitmate lines of newspaper enterprise, and to this fact is due in large measure its phenomenal success. When they took charge of the paper November 1 , 1885, it had a circulation of a little over 10,000 copies dail3^ It has now a sworn circulation of about 35,000. That means an average increase during that period of nearl v 4,000 per annum. And it has been a remarkabh^ regular and steady advance, showing the permanence and stabilitv of its growth in popular favor. That it has not been dependent solely upon the prog¬ ress in population and wealth of the prosperous section in which it circulates for its own growth is demonstrated Iw the fact that while the increase in popu¬ lation, taking the field as a whole, has not been over 75 per cent., the growth in circulation since November 1, 1885, has been 250 per cent. To accomplish this, the Journal has never offered a premium or cut a rate. It has simpH striven to be the best newspaper possible with its facilities, and the results ai'e the best evidence of the wisdom of pursuing a legitimate newspaper i)olic3'. The Jour¬ nal is distinctU' republican in politics and yet independent and courageous in its editorial utterances, and the public has learned that its influence can be depended upon for the siqjport of those things which make for the best interests of the community morally, intellectualh' and materiall3'.

The Journal is one of the best equip¬ ped newspapers in the country. An occupant of a portion of the old Tribune building at the time of the disastrous fire in 1889, it was, however, onH temporarih' discommoded, for it had a build¬ ing of its own, and intended for its own use, under construction at the time, into which it moved about six weeks later. In this building it has provided itself with all the latest and best appliances and conveniences for publishing a daily paper. It is the onl3^ afternoon paper in Alinneapolis that is a member of the Western Associated Press and owns and controls exclusivelv in this city the day report of the United Press. It maintains special correspondents in Washington, New York, Chicago and other eastern and southern cities, while its corps of northwestern correspondents, covering Wisconsin, AIinnesota,Iowa,theDakotas, Alontana and the state of Washington numbers about 450, whose telegraphic corresiiondence is delivered in the Jour¬ nal office over -three special wii'es, in addition to the leased wires of the press association. It is not difficult to under¬ stand how such an extensive and thor¬ oughly organized news service should make the Journal the splendid news¬ paper that it is. Special attention is also given Iw the Journal to commercial and financial matters, and it is coming to be regarded as high authorit3'in the.se lines.

reliable newspaper than it ever did before and as a factor in the development of the city it must be accorded a place of no small importance. The Journal was purchased of the Nimocks brothers in 1885 for $100,000, while half a million dollars would not buy it to-day.

Lucian Swift, Jr. Mr. Swift is a native of Akron, Ohio, where he was born July 14, 1848. His father was a leading man in the Western Reserve, having emigrated from Connecticut in early life. He was a law3'er by profes¬ sion and served as clerk of the courts of Summit county, and represented the people of that locality in the Ohio State Senate. His grandfather was Judge Zephaniah Swift, who was Chief Justice of Connecticut for nearly twenty years, as well as author of a digest and several standard treatises upon branches of the law. The genealogical line runs back to 1635, when the ancestor was among the early colonists from England .

The family removed to Cleveland, where Lucian had the advantages of the excellent schools, and graduated at the high school in 1867. He then entered the University of Michigan, and taking the special course in mining engineering completed in two years the course of study which occupies in due course three years, graduating with the degree of M. E. His room-mate in college was Charles F. Brush, afterwards inventor of the arc electric lights. His college fra¬ ternity was the D. K. E. Returning to Cleveland he engaged in mercantile busi¬ ness for two years, but found it neither congenial to his taste nor adapted to his educational preparation.

The most perplexing problem pre¬ sented to the young man standing on the threshhold of life, is the choice of a calling. The tides of circumstances often sweep him along and land him in har¬ bors he had not sought. So it was in a measure with young Swift. In the spring of 1871 he turned his steps toward the West, with a vague purpose of settling at Duluth, but did not find the prospects of that place inviting, and so returned to St. Paul where, through an assistance from Hon. Charles Mc- Ilrath, the Sta e Auditor, who was a relative, he obtained a situation with George B. Wright, of Minneapolis. Mr. Wright at that time was a surveyor of government lands, but soon afterwards became land agent of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. For five years Mr. Swift remained in this employ¬ ment making plats of land grants, rights of way and other like work, visit¬ ing various land offices to obtain data. In the course of this work he camped in a tent on the site of the city of F'argo, and again, as illustrating the rapid change of the wilderness into the busy marts of man, he attended an editorial banquet at Georgetown on the banks of the Red river of the North, at which the gifted literary wanderer, Bayard Taylor, presided.

Resigning his position in 1876 Mr. Swift made a visit to his home, but re¬ turned in a few months, and took a po¬ sition as book-keeper atameagersalar\", though in truth one quite equal to his experience in the business. He soon found a better situation as book-keeper and cashier of the Minneapolis Tribune, at that time controlled by the ownei'S of the Pioneer Press. He remained in the Tribune through all its many changes, for many years, until he was thoroughly conversant with all the details of the newspaper business.

In November, 1885, he joined with Messrs. Blethen, Haskell and Hawley in the purchase of the Evening Journal. He became manager, secretar3^ and treasurer of the company, which position he still holds. At the time of his first eonneetioii with it the Joiiriidl ha<.\ ])eeonie well established, having- a daily eireidatioii of about ten thousand cojjies. It has steadily inereased in patronage and inlluenee, until its present eireulation is about thirty-five thousand copies. It occupies a fine stone front building of its own on Fourth street, operates three perfecting i)resses, and issues a sheet which is eagerh' welcomed to threefourths of the fii'esides of the city and throughout the Northwest.

Mr. Swift has been for several 3'ears a director of the Board of Trade. He is also a director in the Business Men's Union, as well as in several minor insti¬ tutions. He is a director of the Minne¬ apolis Exposition, and has for sometime been its treasurer.

Those representative positions, among the most powerful in stimulating and di¬ recting the business interests of the city, show the value that his associates place upon his judgment and sagacity, and readily place him among the leaders of enterprise.

Mr. Swift married Miss Minnie E. I'uller, daughter of Rev. Geo. W. Fuller, now located at Litchfield, this state; a native of Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1877. Their surviving child is a daughter, Grace F. In social life Mr. and Mrs. Swift are im¬ portant factors. The portrait accomp¬ anying this sketch shows a genial face and marks a character firm in integrity, a mind solid in its judgments, and a temper persistent in adherence to its aims.

The Minnccipolis Times is to-day acknowledged to be the leading Demo¬ cratic newspaper in the Northwest though it is only in its third year. The paper has made rapid strides because it has been well managed with due atten¬ tion to the needs of a large and con¬ stantly growing constituency which had been before its advent totally unrei)resented. The Globe had maintained a modest news bureau in Alinneapolis for several years but the Democrats of the metropolis had never had a pa])er on whose editorial utterenees they could de¬ pend to voice their sentiments as party men or as loyal Alinneapolitans. That the Times has filled both these wants is shown by its forging to the front with such unprecedented steps.

The Times was established by the Times printing company and the first nundier, a modest folio was issued Octo¬ ber 1st, 1889. It was begun as an in¬ dependent paper with Democratic lean¬ ings. In the ensuing local and State campaign it supported P. B. Winston for mayor, and shortly after was recog¬ nized as a Democratic paper. With en¬ larged capital and facilities it started out with the following officers: Presi¬ dent, F. G. Winston; directors, J. G. Winston, J. C. Oswald, Frank L. Thresher, John Blanchard, Leo Basting, W. D. Ankeny and W. L. O'Brien Jr. Mr. Blanchard was elected editor-in-chief and Mr. Thresher manager and secretary', positions in which they still serve the company. The paper was immediately' enlarged to a double sheet, print¬ ing as much reading matter as any paper in the Northwest. In July 1891 a con¬ tract was made with the Western Asso¬ ciated Press and the United Press by which the Times became a joint owner with the Tribune in both these news re¬ ports. This arrangement gives the Times the news of the world. The Asso¬ ciated Press a few months ago recog¬ nized its service so that its leased wii'es now run the entire 24 hours of the day. This arrangement makes it ]n'actieally impossible for any- subscriber to its ser¬ vice to get "left" as by' getting out a special edition at any' time after the regular report closes, the news of the world can be thrown upon the press in an incredibly short spaee of time. These two reports give the subseribers a report of 30,000 words each a night.

The Sunday Times which has been made a feature of the paper is an illus¬ trated edition of sixteen pages whieh has already become the favorite paper of Minneapolis and Minnesota.

Returning to the year 1867 we find more or less newspaper enterprises un¬ dertaken nearly every year to the pres¬ ent time. It vtould require too mueh space to give a detailed history of each, and as many of them were ephemeral, such history in regard to most of them would prove unintei'esting. The names of the papers, with the dates of their establishment, so far as thej^ can be as¬ certained, are given below :

The Saturday Evening Speetator. This is the oldest 'weeklj' newspaper pub¬ lished in Minneapolis, and largely exem¬ plifies the faet that the intelligence and culture of a eity finds expression in its publications. It was established in July, 1879, by C. H. Dubois, who had from 1876 to 1879 been editor and proprietor of the Saturday Evening Post, of Gi'ancl Rapids, Miehigan, a paper which out¬ ranked any daily there, both in circula¬ tion and influence. Minneapolis seemed to offer a wider field for a first-elass liter¬ ary and family newspaper. How well the Saturday Evening Speetator succeded in this line is indicated by the fol¬ lowing extraet taken several years since

"The Saturday Evening Spectator, adopting a high standard at the start, and aiming steadily higher, it has become a paper creditable alike to itself and to the taste of those who read it. Mr. DuBois, the editor and publisher, has built up by diligent work and much original talent, a suc¬ cessful weekly, always a difficult thing to accomp¬ lish in cities that are well ecpiipped with daily pa-- j)crs. The Spectator made a field for itself broad enough to embrace on one side art, literature and other matters connected with the higher intellect¬ ual life of the citj', and, on the other, real estate and general business interests."

In January, 1890, Mr. DuBois with¬ drew from the Speetator, leaving it in control of the present publishers, H. H. S. Rowell, editor, and H. L. Hoskinson, manager. Air. Rowell, a native Alinnesotian, had been an emplo3'e since Nov. 1 , 1881 , and for about five y^ears manag¬ ing editor. Air. Hoskinson had for over a 3'ear been connected with the business department of the paper. The Speetator has now an office and editorial force of six persons, and has in its mechanical department about a dozen emplo3'es. With the growth of the cit3^ the scope of the paper has been modified to meet the needs of the situation, and the result is that the Speetator is now pre-eminent in the local field of society, music, the drama, education, literature and kindred interests. EditorialU", it is independent in ever3" respect, and stands for the best interests of societ3'', and "the good, the true and the beautiful" in human life. With a steadih' increasing circulation among the best people, the Saturday Evening Spectator is continualh' extend¬ ing its influence throughout the North¬ west.

The Mississippi Valley Lumberman was established in August, 1876, by Col. Elatt B. Walker, who conducted the paper until June, 1887, when it was sold to a corporation known as the Lumberman Publishing Comiiain', with

J. Newton Nind, who has since been the editor and the controlling spirit in the eompan3', as president. This corporation also included the elder son of Col. Platt B. IValker, the founder of the paper, Platt B. Walker,Jr., who had been with the pa¬ per since it was started, and who is now the business manager of the yiaper. The Lumberman, as its name implies, is de¬ voted to lumber interest, and is a handsomel3' printed, well edited and influen¬ tial trade paper which has taken a front rank since it has been under the present management.

The Furniture News is a monthh' trade pai^er devoted to the growing fur¬ niture trade of the Northwest. It is owned b3MheFui'niture Publishing Compan3", edited Iw J. Newton Nind, its management being the same as that of the Mississippi Valley Lumberman. A paper of the same name was pifljlished for a 3'ear or two prior to 1889, when the present Furniture News was estab¬ lished.

The Northwestern Miller, which is the exponent and representative of the lead¬ ing industr3' in Alinneapolis, ranks among the first ofits class in the United States, in fact in its peculiar field has probabl3' no superior in the country. It especialU' re¬ presents the merchant or shipping mil¬ ler, and furnishes its readers with the latest and fullest information and news, bearing upon the milling, flour and grain interests.

Its beginning gave but little promise of obtaining its present commanding importance. It was started in La Crosse, Wis., in 1873. Its main purposeat that time was the promoting the sale of an emer3' wheel buhr dresser, which its owners had invented, and which it was then thoxight must be of great value, but which has now been so long with¬ drawn from market that its name has been almost forgotten.

At first the paper appeared as a monthly, and bore but a slight resem¬ blance to the present elaborate weekly edition. Mr. A. K. Ostrander was its founder, with whom Mr. Albert Hop pin became early associated in its publica¬ tion. Mr. Ostrander died in 1878, and for some time Mr. Hoppin was the ex¬ clusive owner of the property, and dur¬ ing his administration it was removed to Minneapolis.

After its removal to this citj^ its field of operations and circulation became greatly enlarged, and Mr. C. M. Palmer became associated with Mr. Hoppin iir its management. In 1882 Mr. Hoppin disposed of his interest in the paper to Mr. Palmer, who secured as business manager Mr. C. W. Edgar. Later on the paper was placed under the control of a stock compan}', Mr. Palmer being publisher and Mr. Edgar manager. Un¬ der this arrangement the Northwestern Miller is still conducted, and yearly with increasing success. It has a large circu¬ lation, not only in this, but many of the Northern and Western states, and also in the flour markets of Great Britain.

In addition to the names above men¬ tioned as connected with the Miller are, Fred J. Clark, local editor and secretaiw (who has been with the paper since 1874,) Miss E. E. Palmer, associate editor; P. H. Litchfield as assistant manager, and W. R. Gregory, traveling representative.

The Northwesteini Architeet and Building Budget as it is now known was first issued by Messrs. Baldwin & Bruce at 213 Hennepin Avenue under the title The Northwestern Improvement Record. When first established it was issued weekly in a four-column quarto form, the first number being issued on the 21st day of April, 1884. It was soon found, however, that its field was not such as to require such frequency of publication and in the following July it was changed to a monthly and the number of its pages increased to sixteen the form being that of a magazine. It was the inten¬ tion of its promoters to make it essen¬ tially a journal devoted to the real estate interests of Minneapolis and the general improvement of the Northwest, but receiving little encoiu'agement in that direction it gradually became mer¬ ged into a magazine devoted to the architectual and building interests of the cit\^ In April 1885, its publishers be¬ came aware of the fact that the title of their publication was not a clear index as to its character and it was accord¬ ingly changed to A'ort/nrcstern Architect and Improvement Record. In thefollowing Januar3^ its quarters at 213 Henne¬ pin Avenue becoming too cramped for its increasing business, the office was re¬ moved to commodious rooms in the Loring & Windom building at the cor¬ ner of Washington and Second Avenue South, its present home.

Eaidy in its career Messrs. Baldwin & Bruce associated with themselves Mr. W. H. Farnham who remained identified with the journal until August, 1885, when his interest was purchased b\' Mr. Jefferson Brundage. The publications of the journal was continued by these gen¬ tlemen until August, 1887, when the ])aper was purchased b\' Messrs. Otis & Straw. These gentlemen remained in possession until thefollowing April when a stock compain^ styled the " Northwes¬ tern Architect Co." and composed of members of the architectual profession of the twin cities was formed and pur¬ chased the interests of Messrs. Otis & Straw but retaining Mr. Straw as gene¬ ral manager of the business. In March of this 3"ear an additional feature was added comprising six photogravure plates of architectual subjects and issued together with the letter press and relief plate engravings comprising the regular edition, was called the " Royal " edition. In November of this 3"ear Mr. Straw re¬ signed his position as manager to em¬ bark in other ijursuits and Mr. Fred S. Hunt, a young man of Chicago, Ill., and who had long been identified witli architectual journalism in that cit}^ was called to occupy the position.

In January, 1891, the usefulness of the journal was further increased and its field extended by the purchase and consolidation with the Building Budget, an architectual publication of Chicago, and retaining its offices in both cities. At this time itsname was again changed and while retaining the identity of both publications it was made The North¬ western Architeet and Building Budget and by which it is still known.

The present officers of the company are: Mr. Henry Lord Ga3^ of Chicago, president; Mr. Fred Kees of Minne¬ apolis, vice-president; Mr. Geo. M. Goodwin of Minneapolis, seci'etar^" and treasurer; Mr. Fred S. Hunt, general manager.

The character of the publication is essentially that of an architectural mag¬ azine and is patronized b\" architects and architectual students in all parts of our countr^^ besides circulating in Canada, England, France, Russia, Australia and the British West Indies.

The above list is probabl3' not com¬ plete, as new ])apers are established almust e\"cr3' month. Of course a consid¬ erable number of the above have passed out of existence, some having survived but a few months, others but a year or two, and still others merged into other papers. But a goodly number are still ]niblished and flourishing. But these, and others hereafter to be named, will serve to give an idea of the intense intel¬ lectual activitv which has alwa3's char¬ acterized the people of Minneapolis. No important branch of business, no shade of religious or liberal belief, no profes¬ sion or science, but has its representative in the press. It ma3' safeH be stated that no city of its size in the Union pub¬ lishes so man3' newspapers and periodi¬ cals. And taken in consideration with her schools, churches, librar3" and char¬ itable and benevolent institutions, it is conclusive proof of the intelligence and intense intellectual activit3" which has alwa3's characterized the cit3' of Minne¬ apolis.

Scandinavian Newspapers. Next in numbers and also in importance to those printed in English, come newspapers and periodicals published in the Scandi¬ navian languages. From a conpiarativeW eai'l3'da3' this population has here been well represented by its secular and religious press. The editorial abilit3" represented by their press has been uniformh' of a high order. Among their publications we name the following, viz : The first Scandinavian paper published in Minneapolis was the Nordisk Folkeblad, (weekl3') Norwegian-Danish. This was first established in Rochester, Minn., but in 1868 was removed to this cit3' and published In^ F. Sneedorf Christen¬ sen. In 1871 Geo. H. Johnson (late sheriff' of Hennepin count3') purchased it, and in connection with Edvard Lar¬ sen (editor) continued it till 1876, when it was sold to a Chicago party and dis¬ continued. In those da3^s the Scandina¬ vian population was much less than it has since become, the advertising pa¬ tronage was small, and the j^ajier did not prove a financial success. The Alinnesota (weekh-) was established 1)3' C. F. Solberg in 1870. It was sold in 1872 and in 1873 was bought 1)3' the Budstikken and merged in that ])aper.

Hansen and F. A. Husher, also part pro- I^rietors, succeeded for a time by Jon Bjarnason. In 1877 Lutli Jaeger as¬ sumed the editoi'ship, and conducted the paper successfidly until 1885. Since then Jorgen Jensen and R. S. N. Sartz havt? had pidncipal editorial charge. Messrs. G. F. Johnson and John C. Gjedde were for several years the ptiblishers, until 1888. The paper is now owned by T. Gulbrandsen, and constitutes the weekly of Daglig Tidende, established in 1887, and the only Scandinavian daily in the city.

The Folkehladet was established in 1 877 by Prof. Sven Oftedal as a monthly. It was a religious (Lutheran) paper and was published in the interest of the Augsbury Seminary, located in Minneapolis, and to awaken the interest of the Scan¬ dinavian people in Alinnesota and ad¬ joining states and territories, in that im¬ portant institution. In this it was largely successful, and mainly to its ef¬ forts is due the fact, that in a few years, the institution was placed on a sound ' and permanent financial basis. In 1879 the paper was issued as a weekly and edited by Professors Oftedal and Sverd^ rup, under whose control it still con¬ tinues.

In 1886 the Faedrelandet and Enil granten (Norwegian weekly) was re¬ moved to this eity from La Crosse, Wis., where it had previously been pidilished. It is now owned by C. Gulbrandsen & Co.

The Svenska Folkets Tidning (Swed¬ ish weekl3^) was established in ISSOb}" a stock company; Alfred Soderstrom, man¬ ager and Magnus Lunnow, editor.

The Minneapolis Veckoblad (weekh-) is the organ of the Swedish Alission Church, the leading spirit in which in Minneapolis is the Rev. Mr. Skogsbergh.

The Svenska Amerikanska Posten (Swedish weekly) was established in 1885, in the interest of Pi'ohibition, and is edited and published Iw the Turnblad Brothers.

The Skordemannen (Swedish), de¬ voted to Agricultural subjects and pub¬ lished twice a month, was removed here from St. Peter in 1889. P. V. Collins is the publisher.

In addition to these ai'e a number of publications in the Scandinavian lang¬ uages devoted to literature or religion, not classed as newspapers. From the foregoing, however, it will be seen that the Scandinavian poprdation have stood almost eciually to the front with Ameri¬ cans in the newspaper world, indicat¬ ing a degree of enterprise and intelli¬ gence which no other foreign nation has ecpialled. Their ready assimilation to our habits and customs in disseminating information on all subjects through the medium of the press is remarkable, and as foreigners classes them as foremost in affinity" and sympathy with Americans or the English speaking race. In ehurches, schools, libraries, the learned professions and municipal government theirinfiuence is marked and decided, and must be in¬ creasingly felt with each passing 3'ear.

of The North, which aptW describes itself as "a weekh" newspaper, in the English language, devoted to the incideation of American principles among the Scandinavian citizens of the ITnited States." The enterprise makes a dis¬ tinct and happy departure from the beaten track of Scandinavian-American journalism, and proves in a striking manner the progressive and truU' .4merican spirit of the Scandinavians, to which reference has alread\' been made. The paper was established by a stock company, consisting of several promin¬ ent Scandinavian-Americans of Minne¬ apolis and elsewhere, the leading spirit among whom was Col. H. Mattson, who thus fittingh' wound up his newspaper eareer. It is now owned and published 1)3" Alessrs. Luth Jaeger and M. V. 15. Phillips, the latter as business manager, and Mr. Jaeger has l)een the editor of it since its establishment in 1889. Air. Jaeger is an able and vigorous writer, with a perfect command of the English langxiage, and thoroughlv" American in his views and s\'mpathies, and under his able management the paper is a power for good among the Scandinavians of the Northwest. Air. Jaeger is a member of the Board of Education, and takes a great interest in the school svstem of the cit3'.

The Echo dc J'Oucst is the repi'esentative organ of the French Canadians in the Northwest. It was founded in 1883 under the management of Z. Demeules, its ])ro])rietor and managing editor. It has steadil V increased in circulation and influence, and while si)ecially devoted to the interests of the nationality it repre¬ sents, does not less cordially support all measures tending to benefit the eitv and state and the Northwest at large. The number of I'rench Canadians in this state and those immediately adjoining, largely tributaiw to this point, can scarcely" be estimated at less than 70,000 and a considerable portion of these eome more or less immediately" under the influ¬ ence of this journal. A paper published in their own language fills a want which an American periodical could not supply.

I'. R. Leroux, its editoi'-in-chief, is widely' recognized as a writer of great ability as is shown by the re-i)roduction of many" of his artieles in French ])ublications from Canada to Louisiana. He is ably' assisted by" J.C. Alarcpiis and Dr. L. AI. Brunet, of Duluth.

While as before remarked, the Echo de rOaest is specially' devoted to the in¬ terests of the French-Canadian pojitdation, it has never cultivated any narrow views of separating that nationality' in any' respeet from the interests of the Amei'ican people at large. On the con¬ trary", it has alway'S wished that the true interests of both nationalities were the same, and that veneration for the land of their birth is in no degree incon¬ sistent with an ardent love for the country of their adoption. The i)aper is doubtless a great power for good in a large population which cordd hardly' be reached by' the American press.

The Freie Presse Herald is a weeklynewspaper piddished in the German lan¬ guage, and is the only- German newspa¬ per in 'the city-. The Frcic Presse was founded in the year 18G9 by" some German-American citizens of Alinneapolis, mostly- belonging to the Harmonia Soci¬ ety-, the West Alinneai)olis, St. Anthony- Turnverein and Lodges.

Air. Lambert Naegle was employed as manager, who at that time was ])ublishing a German ])aper at New Dim, Alinn., and who afterward became sole owner of the establishment. The Freie Presse was at first edited by- Alcssrs. Dr. A. Grtman and Anthon Grethen, attor¬ ney at law, who gave their services with¬ out compensation.

The first salaried editor of the paper was Mr. Theodore Hielcher, and in poli¬ tics the Freie Presse was independent. At the time of its establishment the Ger¬ man population was small as compared with the present, and it required skillful management to overcome the difficulties encountered. Mr. Naegle, however, was equal to the undertaking, and within a comparatively short time, placed the pa¬ per on a sound financial basis.

In the year 1889 Mr. Naegle pur¬ chased the Montana Staats-zeitung, pub¬ lished at Helena, Mont., and the only German newspaper in the territory. He sold the Hre/e Presse to Mr. R. F. Schmidt, who continued proprietor until Decem¬ ber, 1890. In that month the paper was bought by a new company and consoli¬ dated with the Minneapolis Heroic!, a German weekly which was established in 1882,

The new company incorporated as the ''Minneapolis Freie Presse Herold Printing Company," and the paper was issued as the "Minneapolis Freie Presse Herold. " The officers of the companrq as at present constituted, areas follows, viz: Otto E. Naegle, president; Arthur W. Schlichting, secretary and manager; Adolph Duevel and Charles Baehr direc¬ tors ; C. Baehr, is the editor. The paper is now Democi'atic in politics.

With the increase of the German pop¬ ulation, the paper has steadily grown in prosperity and influence, and has a cir¬ culation of from nine to ten thousand, with an established I'eputation and a fully eejuipped jobbing department, and is recognized as a first-class German newspaper. Its office is in the Evening Journal huWAmg on Fourth street.

Besides those above enumerated , among editors and newspaper writers of prominence in the history" of Minneapolis may be mentioned Geo. K. Shaw, ex¬ mayor Dr. Ames, Dr. Albert Shaw,

Mart. Williams, C. A. and W. A. Nimmocks, Shelton Hollister, and some others connected with the religious press whose names we have not been able to learn. In fact, so large a number in this city have been engaged at different times, for a longer or shorter period, as con¬ tributors to the press of this city, that a list of the names alone would occupy much space.

No exclusive book publishing enter¬ prise has yet been established in this city, but strong indications show that the want will be supplied in the near future. In the mean time, that such work can already be executed here in a manner not exeelled abroad, by the Tribune Job Printing Compan^q is conclusively shown by this volume.

The Ensign is a weekly religious news¬ paper, and the organ of the Baptist de¬ nomination in this city and state. The first number was issued February 14th, 1889. In September, 1890, the follow¬ ing well-known gentlemen organized a corporation, and assumed the manage¬ ment of the paper, viz : Geo. A. Pillsburv, D. D. Merrill, E. M.Van Duzee, S. G. Cook, W. W. Huntington, A. R. Potter, W. B. Ransom, Cary Emerson, C. P. Jones, J. A. Wolverton, Geo. N. Carman, and W. L. Harris. Lemuel Moss, D. D., has been editor of the paper from its first estab¬ lishment.

In October, 1890, the above named corporation purchased The Ensign from J. C. Whitney & Son, the former publish¬ ers. The paper was enlarged to its pres¬ ent size, and many other improvements made, so that in its editorial, literary, general and religious news departments it stands among the foremost journals of that denomination.

The Housekeeper \s, as its name indi¬ cates, a periodical especially devoted to family interests, and a weleome compan¬ ion at the fireside. Its moral tone is high, and in the departnieiit pertaining to woman's labor and sphere it is full and interesting, and not less so intheyouth's department. It is a paper of twent}' pages, established some fifteen years sinee.

The Farm, Stock and Home, a semi¬ monthly agrieultural paper, was estab¬ lished in 1 884, by Horatio R. Owen, with Col. J. H. Stevens as agricultural, and S. M. Owen as writing editor, though the latter did not assume editoi'ial man¬ agement until the following 3'ear. The paper was well received from the first; seemed, in fact, to have found that "longfelt want,'' that journalists are ever in quest of, and apparantly filled it accept¬ ably to its patrons. It is one of the few agricultural papers that are "edited on the farm,'' for from the first it was the aim of the management to secure a staff of writers who lived on farms, and who daily came in contact with the flocks, herds, crops and experiences they were ex])ected to write about. This gave to the paper a practical value that rendered it a favorite wherever known, and has given it a circulation and influence quite unusual with journals of its class. The paper is yet in the hands of its founders, and, strangely enough, the same comi^ositors and foreman who got out the first nundier are still employed upon it. Its circulation is much larger than was ever previoush' enjoyed by 3113' agricultural ])apcr in this region, and it is now con¬ ceded to be one of the solid and useful business enterprises of the Northwest.

This article would be incomplete with¬ out further mention of a veteran editor and newspaper writer now living in this city. Col. J. H. Stevens. He was from the first a contrilmtor to the St. Anthony Express, as well as more or less to ncarl\' cvcr\" paper which succeeded it in this cit}^ for man}' years. He has also .been the editor of Glencoe Register, Cataract and Agricnltiirist, Chronicle,

His strong point as a newsiiaper wi-iter was in collecting interesting local items and historical sketches. In this line he is unsurpassed. To a large ac¬ quaintance with earlv settlers, and an unusuall}' retentive memor\', he unites an intuitive perception of what the public taste demands for an interestingnewspaper. The same ciualitics a])pear in his recentlv published personal recol¬ lections of Minnesota and its people, which is rich in interesting earlv inci¬ dents of pioneer life. His life has been varied b}' man}- important business enterprises, but had he devoted himself exclusive!}' to journalism, there can be no doubt he would have achieved distinguised success in that profession.

William Smith King. In the early part of the present century Rev. Lyndon King was an itinerant Methodist minister in northern New York. He was a strong character, uniting with the tender qualities of pastor of a Christian flock bold and radical opinions of a reformer. He was an Abolitionist, associate and contemporary' of Gerrit Smith and Wil¬ liam Goodell before the agitations pro¬ duced by the sturdy John Brown, Garri¬ son and I'hillips had stirred the popular heart to revolt. William S. King was his fifth child, born at Alalone, Franklin County, New York, December 10, 1828. When the son was eight years old the family settled on a farm, and the boys were put to work in clearing up the for¬ est and bringingtheland,nonetoo prom¬ ising, into a condition where it could fur¬ nish a scanty supjiort. At twelve years of age he suftered that irreparable loss to a young lad - the death of his mother. The family life was broken uj). Young- William left home and commenced selfsujiport. For the next six years he re- mainecl in the vicinity of his home, work¬ ing as a farm hand and driving team. In this wooded part of the country, where the dense hard wood forests were being rapidly cleared, a considerable bnsiness was carried on by the village merchants in gathering ashes, which were leached and concentrated by boiling into potash. One of the early successes which the lad achieved was as an " ash cat." The riv¬ alry of the teamsters of competing asherieswas sometimes intense, and William found that by feeding his team while the stars were yet bi'ight, he could drive throiigh the frost\^ m orning and exchange his store of parcels of tea, tobacco and saleratnsfor a load of ashes, get the start of his slower competitors, and, as he passed them with a whoop and a cheer, the enthusiasm of the boy foreshadowed the push and enei'gy of the mature man. Sometimes in the winter he would work for his board and attend school, but his scholastic opportunities were confined to the district school , and only through brief and irregular xDeriods. About 1846, when eighteen r-ears of age, he cpiit the rural employments of his boyhood, repairing to Otsego County, where he engaged as solicitor for some of the mutual insur¬ ance companies, which about that time became very popular throughout I'ural New York. But he had aspirations for a more dignified career. Politics and public opinion, as shaped by newspapers, engaged his attention. Had his ambi¬ tion been soleh" to achieve present suc¬ cess, he woidd have allied himself with the Whig party, which, at that peidod contested with the Democratic party for the spoils of party success in the state and nation. But all his sympathies and sentiments, true to his early training, impelled him into association with the more radical and anti -slavery party just then rising into prominence. The Abolition, or Free Soil party, then a for¬ lorn and struggling band, in the year 1852 nominated John P. Hale for Presi¬ dent, and George W. Julien forVice Pres¬ ident. Young King started a campaign paper, the " Free Democrat," in Cooperstown, to support this ticket. One year later he took an advanced step, and or¬ ganized a Young Men's Republican Club at Cherry Valley. This was the first organization known up to that date un¬ der the name of " Republican." A local ticket was nominated, and to the sur¬ prise of the political fossils, a part of its candidates were elected. Alam' lay claim to the honor of having originated the Republican party. The truth is that public sentiment, which had been aroused by the old Abolitionists to a pitch of de¬ termination, in many parts of the north, crystalized in many places, and aboutthe same time, in the formation of the new party of freedom. The effort made at Cherry Valley was one of these, and was the first to adopt the name "Repub¬ lican " for its party and candidates, but unlike most, it was born with such vigor and pushed with such enthusiasm that it achieved a speedy- victory.

At this period Albany, the capital of the state of New York, was a chief seat of political intrigue in this country. Many of the politicians of the state gathered hei'e, from both parties, and were men of great personal power and influence. Thurlow Weed, who conducted the Evening Journal, and 'Edwin Croswell, ed¬ itor of the Argus, were men of great ability in their respective parties, and exercised a lai'ge influence, not only in state, but also in national politics. The names of Preston King, Wm. L. Marcr', Daniel S. Dickinson and William H. Sew¬ ard will be recalled as leading Albany politicians, with national reputations. Mr. King was drawn into this circle, and imbibed in this school lessons of political tact, if not of wisdom. He often visited

His power and infliienee, whieh had been reached by the sheer force of per¬ sonal merit, were recognized by his ap¬ pointment upon the staff of Major-Gen¬ eral S. S. Burnside, of the State Militia, with the rank of Colonel.

Col. King arrived in Minneapolis and took uphis abode in thestimmer of 1858. It \Yas a critical period in the affairs of the state, and the advent of a political revolution. In April of that year the l^eople of the state had adopted b\" an overwhelming majority a constitutional amendment to loan the state credit in the form of bonds to the several railroad companies to the amount of $5,000,000. Gov. Sibley had declined to issue thebonds without a first lien on the lands, road¬ beds and franchises of the railroad com¬ panies, but had been coerced by a man¬ date of the Supreme Court to issue them without such security. The state had been organized at the first election In 1857 on a Democratic basis. The Gov¬ ernor, Legislature, Supreme Court, Rep¬ resentatives and Senators in Congress were all of that party. A second state election would occur in November, 1859.

Col. King, whose political education had been among the radical politicians of the Empire State, and who had been active in organizing the Republican party in that state, took in the situation, and entered into discussion of the ques¬ tions at issue with impetuous zeal. He procured a printing press, and in the spring of 1859 commeneed the publica¬ tion of the State Atlas, a weekly news¬ paper. It was from the start edited with a trenchent pen. Its columns fairly blazed with denunciation of the five mil¬ lion loan measure, predicted the repudia¬ tion of the bonds, and charged the demo¬ cratic party with responsibility for the flagrant "swindle" perpetrated upon the people of the State. The Miiincsotian, a newspaper edited by Dr. Thos. Foster, and published at St. Paul, took the same ground, and was little less denunciatory than the Atlas. These fulminations produced a profound im¬ pression in the state, and inspired dis¬ trust of the state bonds in the eastern markets where they were sent for nego¬ tiation. Capitalists refused to invest in them. As a last recourse the railroad conti'actors organized banks of issue, depositing the bonds as security for their circulating notes. But the scheme was abortive. Upon this " wild cat cur¬ rency" the Atlas fell with furious de¬ nunciation. The railroad companies de¬ faulted in payment of interest on the bonds, and they fell into discredit, and the bank notes issued upon them became worthless. By all means of negotiation no more than $2,225,000 of the bonds had been sold, when the whole scheme collapsed.

At this time the public mind was becoming highly inflamed by the aggres¬ sions of the slave power in the South, and its political abettors throughout the country. The columns of the Atlas were filled with arguments and passionate appeals, taking the most radical position on the cpiestion. Col. King wielded a caustic pen. No editorial writer in the state has ever equaled him in warmth of exjiression or bitterness of denunciation. Public sentiment was profoundly stirred on both these subjects; so that when the election of November, 1859, took place a political revolution was efl'ected. All branches of the state government became rei)td3lican, and have remained solidly such ever since. When the presi¬ dential election succeeded in the fall of

1860, Minnesota had taken her plaee with the the phalanx of trininphant republican states. Col. King had not confined his efforts to the columns of the Atlas. He was active in political organ¬ ization, and during the campaign donned the cape and carried the torch in the enthusiastic ranks of the Wide Awakes. In the latter part of the month of August of this year an event occurred which stii'red up no little local excitement, and contributed to kindle moi'e intensely the fires of the pending political issue. A family from Mississippi had brought to Minneapolis a female slave, in ignorance of the difference between the laws of the two states on the subject of personal liberty, who was quietly serving her mistress as maid. A writ of habeas corpus was procured by colored people, and she was brought before the district judge, when the court advised her that she was free to choose her condition, and as she was being escoi'ted through the hallway to a car¬ riage, one of the many southerners cried how." At this suggestion King's wrath broke out like a cyclone. He denounced the southerners present as a gang of slave-driving kidnappers, and seizing a stout cane upon which a deacon was leaning, declared that he would brain the first man who should attempt to profane a Minnesota temple of justice by la3dng an unfriendly hand upon a person made free bj'the laws and consti¬ tution of the State of Minnesota. There were not a few present who sympathized wdth the master of the slave woman, for the sojouners from the south were bring¬ ing much patronage to the hotels and traders of the vicinity. Col. King was threatened, and through all the succeed¬ ing night a guard of citizens thought it necessary to guard the Atlas office from attack and demolition, and occupied it behind barricaded doors. At the follow¬ ing election Col. Cyrus Aldidch was elected representative in congress from the Minneapolis district. He was a staunch friend of Cob King, who had actively' supported his election, both through the columns of the Atlas and in personal effort.

The complete and triumphant success of the Republicans, so largeh' due to the efforts of Col. King, brought him into marked prominence in the councils of the party, and for some years he was in a good sense the dictator of the party. He shaped its platforms and often named its candidates.

With the movement of the regiments from the state to the South, at the out¬ break of the Rebellion, Col. Kingrepaired to Washington, where, with Col. Aldrich and William Windom, he gave his first attention and solitude to the soldiers from Minnesota. He visited the camps, made the acquaintance of the men and ministered to their wants. His time and purse and efficient mediation were always at their service.

At the organization of the first war congress, July 5th, 1861, he was chosen Post Master of the House of Represent¬ atives. At the outset he had a wide ac¬ quaintance with the public naen of New York. The position of officer of the House enabled him to extend this ac¬ quaintance to all the prominent persons in public life. His genial and spontan¬ eous nature, his enthusiasm, his stalwart devotion to the party, were such that he was continued in the position for twelve successive 3^ears, except one Congress. The intervals between the sessions of Congress were spent in Minneapolis, to which he held an unabated loyalty, and where he threw himself with all the en¬ thusiasm of his nature into whatever enterprise appealed to him for assist¬ ance,

Among the institutions which owe their being to his suggestion or liberal aid, during this period, are Lakewood Cemetery, the Alinneapolis Street Rail¬ way Company, the Harvester Works, and the Alechanical and Agricrdtural Asso¬ ciation. The latter was a corporation which, at the oittset, numbered several prominent citizens, but which finally was left upon the Colonel's hands alone. It acquired the old fair grounds of sixty acres in the southeasterly part of the city, and held annual fairs, which drew the whole countryside. Here were shown the finest cattle of the western states. The fleetest horses upon the turf com¬ peted upon the tracks for its splendid purses, while the attractions brought to¬ gether to amaze and bewilder the spec¬ tator, earned for Col. King the epithet of "Old Thanmaturgus.''

For several 3'-ears Col. King held the office of Surve^'or General of logs and lumber for the second Minnesota lumber district. The work of the office was largel v performed by deputies, but it was a very important and responsible office, affording a comfortable income, and was committed to his hands largehOn appre¬ ciation of his active and unselfish labors in behalf of the public interests.

He was in later 3"ears secretary of the Alinneapolis Board of Trade, to which position he made his wide acquaintance and intimate knowledge of the needs of the cit3q of great use in building up her commercial and manufacturing in¬ terests.

ProbabU' the most important service that he rendered the public during these 3'ears was in the establishment and con¬ duct of newspapers. He was instru¬ mental in starting the Minneapolis T rihiine, at a time when such an enterprise brought more fame than fortune. He also became a large stockholder in the Pioneer Press, and for several 3'ears con¬

About 1870 he participated with sev¬ eral other gentlemen of Minneapolis and St. Paul in executing a contract of build¬ ing the first section of the Northern Paci¬ fic Railwa3', from the Dalis of the St. Louis river to the Red river, through the whole breadth of the state of Minnesota. He was ever an ardent advocate of this great enterprise, foreseeing with intui¬ tive sagacit3' the immense advantages which the opening of a trans-continental route through the north woidd give to the cit3' of his home. He was one of the original share-holders in the compain' which undertook its construction, and secured places on its Board of Directors for his friends, and Geo. A. Brackett, Dorilus Morrison, and co-operated with another personal and political friend, the late Secretary of the Treastiiw, William Wind(jm,in the ])rosecution of this great undertaking.

Time and again he urged upon the at¬ tention of listless cit3' councils or apath¬ etic citizens the subject of public parks, and more than once brought forward schemes for their establishment. His earnest advocacy of these necessities of urban life, both through personal conver¬ sation and with his facile pen, together with examples of liberal tree planting upon his own broad domain, were the chief influences which educated the pub¬ lic to receive the later project of our pres¬ ent unequaled park S3'stem. In shaping this system he greatly contributed 1)3' personal service upon the Park Board, and 1)3' later donations of valuable lands as additions to the cit3''s parks.