St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-07

Mr. Merrill has been identified with
every conceivable Christian effort to benefit
the city and the state during
his early manhood up to the present time.
AS an Illustration of his character, when
learning during the war that Mr.. Prentiss,
Of the Louisville Journal, was advocating
the cause OF the Unionh, procured 260 sub
scribers for his paper in St. Paul and sent
him the money, to which MIR. Prentiss made
an eloquent response.
REAL ESTATE IN WEST ST. PAUL.
Some twenty years ago he putabout $12,-
600 in West st. Paul property, its present
value being $500, 900! Lots he purchased
then for S25 and $50 apiece, have been sold
for 5000 and SO, 600, but of some 500 lots
he originally owned there, he has about
200 left, averaging not less than $500 per
lot
THE STATE SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS.
About ten years ago the school book
manufacturers of the United States COM
bined and were making enormous profits
upon their stock, when the question arose
as to the propriety of the state manufacture
ing its own school books, and finally Mr..
Merrill was called upon to point a way out
of the difficulty, which he did, and which
eliminated i'll the present law, whereby
DOohS tIlstb lllUucltO COSb ID CCllto Ctll pC OO-
tanned now for one-third to one-half less
under the contract made by the state with
Mr.. Merrill This law broke the backbone
of the combination and gave to the school
children books at a reasonable rate, and no
man worked more earnestly to this end than
did ID. d. Merrill.
QUICK AND UNTIRING.
Mr.. Merrill is medium-sized man, and
of umbOunded energy and untiring industry.
He is just in the vigor Of manhood, and
Notwithstanding the great strain that has
been upon him for years, yet he does not
look older than 10. A man of ready COM
prehension, he has the nerve to back the
self-reliant element of his character, while
the foundation for his success lies in his
prudent management and honorable deal
ing. He is good man and good citizen.
His mother was the sister of the late
Charles II. Cakes, and his grandfather died
at the age Of 95 years, some twcnty-eight
years ago.
1S56-AUSPICIOUSLY BEGUN.
The year 1856 opened auspiciously for
the young city. A large number of steam
boats arrived almost daily at our levee, and
hundreds of emigrants not only dropped
into our city to remain, but thousands made
luGiI way luUO lIl6 lCIIltOIy W S0ttlC upOl
our prolific soil. The crude condition of
the frontier village disappeared, and in its
place came the airs of a metropolis. All
was hustle. Our streets were crowded with
strangers; our stages filled with
passengers; our hotels overrun with
visitors; our real estate men were as thick
as blackberries; new buildings popped up
on every side; streets began to be leveled;
new hotels were erected; capitalists made
their appearance, and there was a general
air of activity in every direction, while ten
and sometimes twelve steamboats, lay at our
levee.
RAMSEY COUNTY.
Itmaynot be generally known to the reader
that at one time Ramsey county ran up in
long strip of land, and included Pembina,
and that we had members of the legislature
from that section; subsequently this strip
was detached and added to other counties,
and that in 1856 st. Anthony was cut off
entirely from Ramsey county. and
our county limits have for years remained
as they now are. AS events have transpired
it is unfortunate that ST. Anthony was ever
detached from Ramsey county, as in all
probability it would in few years, have
been part of this city, and indeed may
say only short time longer will suffice to
make St. Paul and Minneapolis one great
metropolis. Fifteen years ago l was the
first to advance this proposition in letter
to the st. OPaul Dispatch, only I went
further, and placed the capital of the state
between the two cities, which in time will be
in the center of the one great city, and have
no reasons even now to change my mind.
The two cities will be one. and the state
capital ought to be, and will be, in the CEN
ter of that large metropolis with popula
ton of 500, 900 people! Mark the prophecy
June, 1885!
GIRART HEWITT.
Col Hewitt rode into public nOtOriety on
the incoming wave of real estate. Tall,
once muscular, and even in 1856 command
ing in his appearance, he was a man of
many excellent traits of character, although
exceedingly nervous, produced by i'll health.
He was among the first to take UP real
estate in this city and push it,
and had he lived until now the in
creased value of his property would have
made him very rich man. He was born
in Pennsylvania In 1895; studied law and
removed to Alabama, where he remained
twelve years; came to Minnesota in 1856;
opened up real estate office and in con-
nection herewith issued an immigration
pamphlet, which had very large circula-
ton. not only in this country but in Europe,
passing through twenty editions. 1t was
the first pamphlet of the kind and brought
the colonel great deal of business at the
same time it greatly aided the state.
DECEMBER EXCURSIONS.
Col. Hewitt was the originator of the
celebrated December excursions. Finding
that the impression prevailed East that
Minnesota winters began in September,
when the fact was the river did not freeze
over until many times in January, he con-
ceived the idea of a steamboat excursion in
December of each year, and for this pur-
pose a steamboat was chartered, music Sc
cured, regular fare charged, and the
amount received divided between the Pro-
testant and Catholic orphan asylums. On
these excursions some of our citizens ap-
peared in linen busters and fans, and as all
the papers made elaborate reports of
the affair. Eastern sentiment be-
came greatly modified. When Mr..
Hewitt died our December eX-
cursions died also. Col. Hewitt was no Of
fice-seeker. but he would have liked the po-
sition of secretary of the immigration board,
but it was given to another, and from that
time forward he became disguised with
paying Oub HlOlley W iHutlco oiIllSIdItS 10
come to Minnesota He was member of
the school board in 1S59-61; ran for alder
man once, but was beaten; took part in the
incipient Indian war in 1862; was a promi-
nent and popular and influential member of
the chamber of commerce, and an energetic
real estate dealer. He was tall, command
ing, nervous, quick, having great faith in the
growth of st. Paul and often talked with
the writer on the probable union of the two
cities, which to him was hobby. He was
impulsive but his impulses were for good.
He was public spirited; sympathetic; sa-
gacious, and just before he died was in the
employ of the ST. Paul & Milwaukee Rail-