St. Paul daily globe., 1886-12-25

bering old Temple of Solomon, having. in
important cases. promoted the former
subOrdinates. Those outsiders whom the
will of the people has brought Wltnln the
walls of the court house are all ''old resi-
denterS." whose features are familiar to a
greater or less degree to the general Mime
apolis public from a variety of causes. Of
the ten principal county officers, who are
presented in an accompanying group, but
three were honOred by re- election. the re-
manning seven being entirely new men.
The collection thus shown includes men
who display every nationality and nearly
every form of rel gUn: some are handsome
and others are PLAN. but none are hOmely.
Some are fieShy some are lean, but none
are freaks. and there is not one who has
passed middle life. Taken as a whole,
they are healthy set of active, progressive
young men, who will administer the affairs
of the county safely and vigorously.
Those who for years have been accus-
toned to the face of L. a. Condit in the
aud tors office will not miss it now. From
chief clerk he has been elevated to the rank
of boss, and will succeed Frank S. McDon-
aid to the dignities. responsibilities and
emoluments of the office of county auditor,
the latter commonly supposed to be about
81, 500 a year net MI. COndit is a Michi-
at Adrian about thirty-eight years ago.
When the war was sprung upon the coun-
try he was a young CincinnatuS at the
plow and stayed there while the older males
of the family shOudered their muskets. He
afterWard took a course of bookkeeping.
and after trip to New jersey, returned
and entered the University Of Michigan In
1871. Hard study broke him down IN
health, and in August, 1878. he came 10
Minneapolis almost physical wreck. NOW
he is a walking guarantee OF the ozone OF
Minnesota. having completely built up his
system. In two years he was married and
a permanent institution in Minneapolis.
After keeping books for Barnard & Cope.
o. A. Pray, Pratt. Frater Il Co.,
and others, he got berth in the auditors
Office in 1877 and has gone from the bottom
to the top. He is not the joker the festive
Frank Mcdonald is. and he does not belong
to as many secret societies, but he Will
make as good an auditor.
The veteran, Matthew Walsh. will be
succeeded as treasurer also by one OF his
former office force. Willis A. James, the
treasurer-elect. has served long nOvltate,
and undoubtedly has the affairs of the office
pretty well in hand. He. too, was a far
mer's boy, and was born under the shadow
of the White mountains of New Hamp-
8 shire lust thirty-nne years ago. About as
far back as he can remember he came TO
Minnesota with his parentS-in 1S55-and
settled near the home of the Sage OF Min
niger. in Dakota county. He was plough
hand. OX-gOad. country beau and clerk III a
general store until 1877. having removed to
Faribault in the meantime. Nine years ago
he entered the treasurers Office. and year
later Treasurer Mcdonald made him dep
uty. Mr.. James remained IN the ofnce
until last August. when, under the re-
forms of the civil service" he was dis
charged by Treasurer Walsh on the ground
that he could not serve two masters at
once. The grand swell on Nov. carried
him into the office on the Republican ticket,
and if is now Mr.. Walshs turn to look out
for pastures new.
Persistence and perseverance have re-
suited in landing P. o. Swensen into the
sheriff's office At the previous election he
made a hard and desperate fight against
overwhelming odds, and though he re-
duced the majority he did not make the
rifle. However, it was good exercise and
good training for him, and when he again
entered. this fall. he was considered an
easy winner Notwithstanding the fact that
so old a warhorSe as Winn Brackett was
entered against him. The race came OFF
I and Pete" was better winner even than
was anticipated. Capt Swensen is
Swede and is as proud OF it as his country
men are of him. but he has been in Mime
apois so long that he is more MinneSotan
than ANYTHING else. He has heretofore ell
gagged in real estate and emigration business
and has been remarkably successful. As the
onlv straight Democrat wto made the race,
in the fall. he feels very well, but the same
hat rim fits him that he wore before the
election, The air is full of rumOrs OF the
men he has appointed deputies, but they
are ONLY rumors and the truth will not be
known until this day week. when Sheriff
Swensen will assume his office.
Frank f. Davis may thank himself more
than anyone else that he succeeded himself
ascounty attorney. He got there by hard
and persistent work in every direction. by
building fences in careful style and by as
siduously seeking out and repairing gaps.
He was very doubtful during the campaign,
but once the contest was over, he was the
first to come out of the uncertainty and an
nounce himself thousand ahead. Attorney
Davis has talked himself into prominence
here. for his tongue is tipped with the silver
of eIoouence and he has been victor in sew
sraI welI-fought oratorical contests. He
came from New York state, was born at
PALMYRA in 1865. and was educated at
Rochester and Hamilton colleges. gradual
ing from the latter in 1876. During his
college career he excelled as an orator and
won medals and prizes repeatedly iii de-
batting contests. In 1876. when just of age
he cast his first vote for Samuel J. Tilden
for the presidency, but says he
repented Immediately and has been
consistent Republican ever since
He was admitted to the bar in
LYONS. \. Y. in 1878, and practiced there
until he came to Minneapolis. A
chance speech in the county convention in
1888. to which he was delegate. brought
him into notice. and he was nominated for
county attorney and easily elected; he is
now about to enter his second term. Last
snring. while stumping in the municipal
campaign. he threw up the sponge with the
remark: Il am met by Democratic argu-
ment l cannot answer. 1t is Rats y"
The fattest office in the county, and prob
ohIv in the state, will be held for the next
two wears by John F. Peterson. 1t is be-
lieyed that during 1887 the Office of register
of deeds of Hennepin county will
he worth $40, 600 net. John f. Peterson
has therefore, struck it rich. especially
oo holding this Office will not interfere
with his dry goods establishment on Cedar
avenue. He is Swede by birth. and is Ss
wears old. but most of that tiue has been
Snent in this state. His family came to
hodge county in sc and in 1870 he struck
Minneapolis, after having been at school in
illinois and in hardware store at Red
Wing Wing. Dry goods suited him. and for ten
,,ears he measured silks and ribbons as a
clerk with Hale. Thomas & Co. His saw
mos must have gone into corner lots, for
he became well enough off to start store
Of his own. bCAt three years ago. In