St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-14

III. he was returned W COlIRicSS iloll
the then Third congressional district,
being atterward reelected i'll 1880 and
1882.
Record I'm Congress.
During the first years of his service
a question of intense interest in tile
Northwest was the prosecution which
had been instituted by the government
against many prominent lumbermen for
cutting timber from the public lands.
Mr.. Washburn Being in the lumber
ing business himself, and having per-
sonal knowledge of many OF the mat
ters involved, lent himself assiduously
to effecting compromise of the pros
eeutions, by which the trespassers were
enabled, by paying small price for
the stumpage, to be discharged, thus
averting what might have been scans
dial upon the business repute of the
young Northwest. a.
About this time also the relentless
Persecution OF the Railways
of the country which had Iirst shown
itself in several states during the
granger" agitation had at last opened
in the national congress. During the
years 1881 to 1884 Mr.. Reagan, a mem
Der OF the house, was earnestly adyocat-
ing the passage Of bill which bore his
name, and which in substance embraced
the present Interstate commerce law Of
the United States. Mr.. Washburn being
member of the committee Oh COM
merce interposed every possible obstacle
to the consideration AMI passage OF this
bill. How successfully this was carried
Oh is we'll shown by the Congressional
Record, vol. Is, II. r. Bill No. 1865,
proceedings Of Dec. 10, 1881, AMI h. of
Il. Miscellaneous Documents 55, and
vol. 16, POS. etc, Dee. IL. 1884.
Mr.. Washburn Was unalLtrably OPP
posed to legislation of this chara cter
as an unwarranted Interference Dy the
people with the business Of public cor
porations.
The Pacific railroads were being con-
Stantly embarrassed by attempts TO
force settlement of the government
loan, ana Mr.. Washburn here again
demonstrated his friendship for these
benedcent public enterprises by voting
May %, 1854, against the bill forcing
this settlement. he deeming it far wiser
that the government withhold its just
demands than that these great inter
continental lines be financially en-
barraSSed.
About this time certain agitators
SiolIliilI5 W UO hlllCliCdll WIN
disturbing the peace of our mother
been speedily incarcerateG in Jail, the
American congress was on the 14tli of
February. 1882, importuned to inquire
into their rights. Mr.. Washburn
promptly voted to lay the whole matter
on the table. thus avoiding what might
have been
An Unpleasant Rupture
OF our friendly relations with England.
After q service Of six years in con-
gress, having recovered his shattered
fortune and again accumulated wealth,
Mr.. Washburn retired to private life,
and for a time devoted himself to the
erection of the finest private residence
In the Northwest, the house and lot
costing nearly half million dollars,
occupying ten acres Of ground i'll the
heart Of the great city of Minneapolis.
1t stands the one enduring feature Of
MI. Washburn'S long and varied career
i'll that city.
AS miller and manufacturer, while
Mr.. Washburn was yet young man
and before he had entered i'll business
for himself, his brother. cX-Gov. G. G..
Washburn. of Wisconsin, had laid the
foundation for that magnificent indus
try later controlled by Washburn-
Crosby company, which embraced the
Washburn A, b and G flour mills at
Minneapolis with total daily cap aclty
of 5000 barrels Of -four.
These mills were owned by MI. Wash
burns brother, q. G. Washburn. 1t
being the untring zeal and energy and
broad public spirit and philanthropy Of
this man, Gov. c. c. Washburn, Of Wis
consin, that the city of Minneapolis
owes so much, not only i'll milling, but
in the Washburn memorial orphans
home and other public works which
have been the means of stamping the
name WaShDurn SO indelibly upon the
public records of that city.
Fortunate, indeed, was Mr.. WaShburn
III the name of his distinguished broth
er. Meanwhile Mr. WashDurn had been
established in small way
HI the Milling Business,
becoming interested in the Lincoln mill
500 barrels, and the Palisade, with a
daily capacity of about 800 barrels.
During this time the firm of G. A.
Plllsbury IL Co. had built up the great
milling business of their A, Is, and Ana
Choir mills to a daily capacity of 10000
barrels, and in 1889 the business of the
Pillsbury firm with its 10000 barrels ca
pacty and of Mr.. Washburn with its
1000 barrels capacity was united under
the name of the Pillsbury-WaShbu
Flour Mills company, limited, commonly
known as the English syndicate, for the
reason that so much English capital has
been invested in it. OF this concern Mr.
Pillsbury is manager, Mr., Washburn not
being actively engaged other than i'll the
use of his name, which is of value on
account of the reputation established by
his brother in the milling business. He
has also acted as president Of the AnOEa
National bank.
The lumber business which he had
formerly conducted, not being as profit
able as it might, was about this time
closed out, and Maj. Hale, who had so
long been associated with him, was pro-
vided for by appointment as postmaster
Of Minneapolis.
AS Railroad Man,
although not fitted by experience for a
practical railroad man, yet by reason of
his fertile ingenuity III originating and
floating schemes for railway organiza-
ton, Mr.. Washburn has aided
i'll Increasing the capital stock of rail-
way investment in the Northwest to a
very appreciate extent.
For several years a director of the
Lake Superior 81 Mississippi company,
one of the largest land grant railways
in the state, his services were especially
valuable in advising as to swamp lard
selections, by reason of his experience
as surveyor general for the government.
Successfully president of the Minnesota
81 Western and its successors, the MIN
neapolis & Duluth and Minneapolis &
St. Louis, his services were especially
valuable to the latter company, which
received 1868, 900 from municipal aid III
its constru ction, besides valuable privi-.
leges in right of way. Two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars of this
amount alone was granted by the city
of Minneapolis. Although during a
great portion of its existence this road
has been in the hands of receiver and
the communities donating aid may not
have realized the benefits expected
from its construction, still, from the
moneys obtained from its sale Mr..
Washburn has been enabled to proSe>
cute other schemes of lasting benefit, to
himself, at least.