St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-02

in ST. Paul. The Ramsey County Pioneer
association has fixed a sign on frame
building at No. SO East Fourth street near
Cedar street giving it that honor, it having
been erected in 1874. This committee re-
ported that this claim is unfounded-
the oldest building is the stone structure at
the foot of jackson street on the west side.
1t was built in 1S47, and was used as a
commission and storage warehouse by Free
man. Larpenteur q Co. In opposition to
the claim that the Fourth street house was
built in 1874, the committee cited the fact
that there were no saw mills here then to
manufacture the lumber of which it is COM
posed: 1t has also been said that the Fourth
street structure was moved to its present
location from the foot of jackson street.
In opposition to this the committee showed
the impossibility of moving the building
from there to its present site in those early
days. The report provoked considerable
discussion, but was finally adopted.
The old board of officers was elected, after
which the members of the association stood
on the Wabasha street steps of the capitol
and photograph of them was taken, after
which they went in body down to the
Merchants hotel for the annual dinner.
THE BANQUET.
About half past two they sat down to the
usual annual banquet in the ladies' ordi-
nary. The tables were very handsomely
adorned with flowers and everything was
done calculated to render the occasion one
of enjoyment. To one who for years has
been in the habit of seeing the members of
this organization gather in their annual
meetings, they looked younger yesterday,
all of them, than ever before. They
10A i'm In
neWed their youth. They all looked as
though they had been down in
Japan, where Judge Flandrau went for the
purpose of renewing his youth, and where
the judge warmly recommended Gen. Sib-
ley to go. The speaking on these occasions
does not constitute feature of the gather
ing. The purpose of it is to pass an hour
or two in social manner. This was what
was done yesterday, but after due attention
had been paid to the elegant and abundant
bill of fare Gov. Ramsey was asked to say
word or two.
NAMING MINNETONKA.
After making few humorous explana-
tory remarks, the governor re-
lated how Lake Minnetonka came
to be thus named. 1t was
in 1852, he said, when word was brought
in to ST. Paul that an immense body of
water had been discovered west of Mime
apolis. A good deal of curiosity was
caused..by this. and an expedition was fitted
out to go and hunt for it. 1t was soon dis
covered, and the explorers went out on it in
boats and continued their explorations.
While thus engaged they all consulted as to
what name should be given to it. Some
favored calling it Peninsular lake, but it
was thought that this would be unwieldy,
and it was abandoned. Gov. Ramsey said
he did not know much Indian, but he re-
membered that ''Minne" meant water and
''Tonka' big, and he suggested Mime
toDka, or ''Big Water" and the suggestion
was accepted, the lake having been known
astLake Minnetonka ever since. Col. Allen
and Gen. Sibley said few words about the
matter, mostly in humorous way.
THE BUGS.
DR.. Day said that when he came in with
Mr.. Larpenteur he noticed that an old
building that Larpenteur had constructed
opposite the Merchants had been pulled
down and another had been erected in its
place. That, he said, was the difference
between the old settler and the new. He
then referred to the bill of fare, which was
beautifully Illuminated with bugs. On
some of the bills of fare were one kind of a
bug and on others were different kinds of
bugs The old settlers were all big bugs
and he could not understand why the bugs
should have been put on the bills
of fare. He therefore called upon
Col. Allen to explain why the bugs We're
given such a position. The colonel came
forward and told the story through, and
gave scientific explanation of the charac-
teristics of the different beings referred to-
directing his remarks particularly to the
crab, which was an old friend and acquamt-
ance of the old settlers. His humorous eX-
PLANTATION was regarded as satisfactory and
a vote of thanks was rendered him. He
then proceeded to tell of the early days Of
the state, how the, old settlers built roads,
drove stages, graded andbuilt railroads, ETC.
He regarded the old settlers as unsurpassed
in energy, drive and business, and all of
them helped to build the foundations of this
great state. Those days he regarded as the
happiest days of his life. Some parts of
the old settlers life were a little rough and
rugged, but it was full of humor and solid
enjoyment. A little later the old settlers
adjourned to meet again in one year.