St. Paul daily globe., 1885-04-19
[Copyrighted.l
PEN PICTURES
OF the EARLY Days of st, Paul--The
Narrative Taken Up With
the Year 1885.
The Republicans Make Their First Stand
Up Fight and Get Knocked Out
in One Round.
The City Crowded With Visitors and
Business Brisk--A Boom
in Real Estate.

1S55-CoNDENsED EVENTS OF THE YEAR.
This was the sixth year that the legiSla-
ture had met in St. Paul and the year the
survey of the city was made by 5. 7. Fol
som. costing S3, 500 Alexander Ramsey
was elected mayor: first annual report OF
city Justice, 95 cases. S137 collected. This,
too. was year of the beginning of great
speculation in land. Henry McKenty dealt
in ''brOad acres and was the king operator.
Population, city, 4,726; county, 9.495; ter
ritOry, 81. 600. The brick part of the build
inc now occupied as The TIyoh," Oh
Bridge SQUARE. was built this year and oc-
cupied as the postOffice The Daily Free
Press. champiOning the cause OF Gov. Cor
man. made its appearance: Pioneer and
Democrat consolidated: Good Shepherd
school house built; House Of Hope PreSby-
terian society organized: $4,000 people ar
rived during the season, and the city was
fairly overrun with parties looking Tor new
homes.
JOHN C.. BECHT.
Born in Prussia in 1881: came to America
In 1853: lived two years i'll Chicago, when
he removed to st. Paul in 1853: entered the
army as captain OF Company &, FIfth Min
nesota regiment; served during the war and
ship with George Benz in the wholesale
LIQUOR business in the year 1865. and con-
tinued with him up to the time OF his
death: was elected sheriff Of Ramsey county
in 1873: reelected in 1877, and died while
in Office in 1878. Married Miss Sarah
SchiIling.
PERSONAL.
Mr. Becht was short. tlick-set man,
with dark complexion and heavy WhiSkers,
and was man of but few words. He
was quiet. mSophisticated in his ways and
very reticient. and yet he was a popular
man and good officer.
ENIGRATL&G TO THE FRONTIER.
The rougheS elements Of society, half
breeds and gaIifTIsfs, began to look about
this year for other places to 20, as the more
respectable part Of the population were
crOwding them out. New features of civ
iIizatOn were introduced constantly: five
daily papers were in full blast, the Pioneer,
the Democrat. the MnneSOtian, the Times
and the Free Press; six or eight steamboats,
were arriving at our levee; every stage went
out crowded: real estate began to boom;
everybody was stirring: the papers set forth
the beauties of Minnesota and praised its
saubriOuS climate: letters of inquiry came
from all parts of the country, and from this
Inllc IpiJu 81. / dul DcCdlHG lIAcu ldCl'
Then the gray-headed men Of to-day were
young. Then the gray-headed men were
the stirring spirits of the times Then the
gray-headed men moulded and builded the
foundation upon which the city now flour
ishes. Then they had faith in the growth
OF the city and Of the state and upon that
faith many Of them have spent a quarter Of
q century, delvng, and digging, and toll
ing, and sweating, while others come iii
and reap the reward of their lab0rs.
Il. p. GRANT.
Born in Vermont in 1920; at the age of
eighteen years young Grant went to Boston,
where he was employed as clerk in Il
wholesale boot and shoe store; removed to
ST. Paul in 1855 and started a wholesale
establishment on Third street in this line Of
goods; was among the first firemen in st.
Paul and was elected foreman of Minnehaha
Company No. ,: was elected alderman for
three years. in 1862; was captain OF COM
pany A, Sixth regiment; was in command
of the troops at Birch Cooley, dur
ing the Indian fight; went south in
1868 with the rank Of major; was pro-
NOTED that year to the rank of colonel, and
held it until the close of the war; returned
to st. Paul and engaged in the grain and
commission business, in which he is now
employed. Mr.. Grant is a sturdy set man,
quiet and mdemonstratiye, and is active in
his business relations. His amiable wife,
who was Miss Isabel Mcleod, died in 1854.
THE OLDEST.
Rogers hotel, on Robert street, near the
new GcrmaH-American bank, was erected
this year. and has been kept continuously
rs hotel by MI Rogers from that day to
this or thirty years, and is the Oldest eStab-
IShment of the kind in the city or the
state.
r L. WELSH.
Mr. Welsh was born in Maine i'm 1919;
received a slight education; moved to Mas
sachusettS in 1882; earned the trade of
shoemaker and worked at it up to 1899;
carried on shop at Detroit, Mich,
four years; went to farming and continued
that four years. when, in 1853, he sold ont
and came to St Paul; formed partnership
with Mr.. Ilienbach and conducted the shoe
business fifteen years in a small building on
upper Fhird street; purchased 200 feet on
Arl,wrght street eight years ago for which
he paid 500; worth now S4,500 married
Miss Bancroft in lS41, and has been married
forty-three years and has made up his mind
that he has about as good wife as lives.
OLD FIREMAN.
Mr.. Welsh was among the very earliest
lhNiiAi ili lii' Wye bVlilE NbllllNNRNN WIN
the first organization some thirteen years.
and continued with it until it diSbanded
When that event took place the company
presented him with the photographs, the
flags and the books of the organization out
Oi respect for his faithful services.
ALI ~IGNS FAIL ETC.
In 1865 there WAS good deal of rowdy
Ism, mostly by young boys: 50. one night
nearly all the signs in the city were
changed, and Mr.. Welsh found in
the morning that he had the
sign OF a millinery establishment on his
shop, while the millner had shoe
makers sign on hers. One OF the principal
saloons had sign of a Temperance house
placed ON it, while the temperance house
was houored With-''a good sour mash. 10
cents drink" The change of signs was
almost universal throughout the city. and
created much laughter when the next morn
Ing brought to view the lUdicrouS scenes.
Personal.
Mr.. Welsh IS a man of uncomfortable im-
pulse. which he has greatly regretted. Yet
he is lind-hearted honest and honorable
He IS ut present a switch tender on the
Manitoba road near Lafayette avenue. and
though crippled somewhat by exposure in
early days, still he is we'll satisfied with his
lot and enjoys life quite rs well as his more
wealthy ueighhorS KittSon and Hill.
BOATING PAID.
The Packet company this yeav declared
500. GOO dividends on that seasons busi- !
ness. The War Eagle and City Belle alone |
paid $4,000 profit while the whole |
amount of profit would exceed $50. 600 for |
1855. The total number of arrivals was |
55S.
FIRST FIRE DEF EPNRrMENr.