St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-08

DOUuldttOA do a. d. L dul, dllu, dS tllO
question of removal of the capital had
not been discussed al the preceding
election. it was one of the matters that
would not suffer by lying owe until the
next session, as the land would hardly
get away. He thereupon returned the
bill WithOu his approval. This ended
|sthe second attempt to relocate.
j From this time on the old capitol was
as before, the trysting place of legis-
lators, politicians and statesmen. Every
now and then there was some kicking
and growing among members of the
Legislature and state officers, who said
it had 10 go-referring to the erection of
a new capitol b~uilding-and it did go.
On the night of the 1st of March, 1881,
within three days of the close OF the
both houses were in session, the alarm
of fire was given and in a few minutes
The Old Capitol Was GONE.
1t Is no part of my purpose to deseribe
the scenes and incidents connected
with the fire. 1t is enough to say that
it was laughable to see grave and dignl-
fed senator's playing. the at hlete by
irving to Jump out Of the windows with
their arms full of legislative plumber,
acting ~just-aS other fellows would have
done under like circumstances, while
the fire was still in progress and the
fire engines were playing here and
there on the doomed structure.
The writer OF this article met Hon.
William Dawson, then mayor OF st.
Paul, and suggested to him that we
tender the use of the new market house
to the state for the meeting of the legls-
lature the next day.
"Have We the authority" was his
reply?"
"Authority be id. We will exer-
else it and take our chances"
Whether it was the profanity or the
gravity of the occasion which startled
him is not known. His reply came with
counting a note:
"Yes. You Are Right.o
A moment later we were being driven
rapidly to the Metropolitan hotel, from
which the mayor telegraphed Gov. John
S. PillsbuIy, at Minneapolis, that the
city of St. Paul rendered the use
of the market house to the state
for the meeting of the legislature
from the mayor was the first intimation
the governor had of the destruction OF
the capitol. 1t is said by some wag at
Minneapolis that when the governor
first received the message that he was
of the opinion the use of the market
house was for a prize fight.
Quick Work This.
When the governor understood the
situation he accepted the offer with
pleasure. 1t then became necessary to
prepare the building for the meeting
the next day. Going at once to the
Merchants hotel, as its proprietor,
Hon. A. Allen, was a member of the
common council and chairman of the
committee OF public buildings, and in
charge of the erection and completion
of the market house.
Col. Allen agreed with the mayor in
regard to having everything in readi-
ness by morning, and they at once went
to work. The heating plant had not
yet been completed, but one OF the boil
ers being in place, and, for fear that
would not furnish the necessary heat,
stoves were secured and put up; fur
niture stores were visited and desks
and chairs were procured, and by morn
ing the two halls were properly heated,
the desks and chairs In place, and by
theahour of the meeting of the legisla-
ture the printed matter for the day
was upon the members desks, and to
an outsider the two halls that had been
fitted had every appearance OF having
been used all winter.
A Gloomy Outlook.
The second day Of March, 1881. while
it was a bright, crisp day, to the people
of st. Paul was gloomy. The capital
was destroyed, and it seemed questiona-
bic whether there was sufficient time
before the legislature adjourned to pass
a bill making an appropriation tor its
re-erection. On the earlier trains
quite.a number Of active fellows from a
neighboring town arrived in the city
land later In the day from other villages
Ito lock at the ruins, but in fact to pre-
vent any appropriation for a new one.
A member from Minneapolis, who is
now a member of congress, attempted
the feat of riding two horses going DIFF
ferent ways. With tears In his eyes,
you would nave thought the sorrow of a
lifetime had struck him-but behind
closed doors he was advising country
members to hold OH. for if there were no
appropriation made then the governor
would be compelled to call an extra ses-
sion which would give the country men,
bers an opportunity to visit st. Paul
along about the dOgdays and have a
! good time, and to those in sympathy
with him he perhaps added, and in the
meantime we may be able to improve
on the site M make something out Of
it. There were some other members
who Joined In the howl for delay and an
extra session..
Early in the day Hon. John 8. Pills
bury, then governor, reached this city
from his home in Minneapolis. and
within fifteen minutes after he had laid
oo;6n hic o,.orono tho old Roman Wlfh
a determination to have no nonsense
about the matter, sent a messenger after
A. M. Radcliffe, architect, requesting
his presence. AS oon as Mr.. Radcliffe
arrived the governor informed him that
he wanted, without any delay whatever.
an estimate of inc cost OF rebuilding
the capitol, which was furnished during
the day.
Determined Action.
On the morning of the 3rd of March
he communicated to the legislature a
message recommending the rebuilding
of the capitol, an estimate OF the cost,
and referring to the a%bsurdity of an
extra session, as an extra session
would cost more than the rebuilding
of the capitol. At a later hour
in the day, he supplemented his mes
a q by personal interviews with mem
berS. telling them Ill MS Dlun, Ola new
England way that there would be no
extra session, and that they must take
the responsibility of a failure to make an
appropriation before the sun wentdown.
With but a few exceptions, the legis-
lature passed a bill appropriating $4,000
for rebuilding the capitol (Which was in
creased by another appropriation OF $780,
600 in 1888. o
The people of st. Paul W a debt of
gratitude to Hon. John S. Pillsbury for
his heroic and manly action at that time.
A word from him would have defeated
any appropriation, and no n can say
what the outcome would have been II 1t
had failed. He forgot he was a Mime
tapulis man and remembered only that
he was the governor of Minnesota. 1t
is to be hoped that the people OF st. Paul
will not forget the stand he took to pro-
5tecther interests in what he believed to
be right, and that his name ought to be
ass dear to them as that of one OF her
" ons .
: This article has already been spun out
to a greater length than the writer III
tended. In future article we may write
of+h N npocont onitOl