St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-14
He Has Been Identified With
Vast Deals in Railroads
and Real Estate,
BUT NEVER WITH THE PEOPLE
He Will Now Retire to Private
Life as the Reward Of His
Public Services.

soon as possible, the GLOBE publishes
the following accurate, non partisan and
complete biography of the man who
will soon gracefully retire to make
room for the winner:
William Drew Washburn, the present
senator, was born in the state of Maine,
and came to Minnesota in 1857 as the
agent for the minneapolis Water Power
company, of which his brother, Z. G.
Washburn. was the head. and which
controlled the water power at the west
side of the falls of st. Anthony. He
had been educated for a lawyer, but
early abandoned his profession to EN-
gage in the more lucrative pursuits of
business life. During the years of his
residence in Minneapolis. he has dis
tlngulshed himself as captain of one of
the first militia companies organized in
the state. and as surveyor general of the
district of Minnesota. He has served in
the state legislature and in both
branches Of congress, and been engaged
in many business ventures, and acted
as president and director of several rail-
way companies.
His War Record.
Mr.. Washburn's military career was
somewhat brief. On April 16, 1861, the
governor of Minnesota called for ten
companies of volunteers to be furnished
the United States 10 aid i'll putting down
the Rebellion, and on April n, 1861, the
! gallant pioneers of the state had re-
| sponded with their full quota of men.
and on the 30th of April, 1861, MIR.
| WaShburn assisted in organizing a CON-
| pany known as the Minneapolis Guards.
of which company he was captain. and
OH the same day there was issued to
Capt. Washburn by the adjutant general
muskets of the altered national armory
pattern.
| The call was followed June IA by a
second call for ten companies. supple
mented June % by an earnest request
| that they be at once filled, preference
being given to companies already or
ganized, and on June 20 ten companies
had responded. On Sept. IS, 1861, fol-
| lowed the cali for the Third and Fourth
regiments. -
At this time Mr.. Washburn's brother,
| Hon. E. B. Washburn, was member of
congress from Illinois, and Mr.. Wash
| burn procured the
! appointment of Surveyor General
of government lands for the district of
| Minnesota, and on Oct 10, 1861, made
his report as such to the secretary of
| the interior. On Oct. 90, 1861, the COM
pany of which Mr.. Washburn had been
captain, having chosen new comman-
der, rendered its service to the United
| States and was accepted and it went
| South
While the duties of the Office of sur
veyor general were more onerous than
| those of captain of military company,
| still the emolumentS were greater and
the opportunities of observation of the
| pine lands of Northern Minnesota, which
he so much desired. were greater. and,
| in the end, much more profitable and
more suited to a young man of his
strong business temperament.
While for many years known by the
sobriquet of General" Mr.. Washburn
has never laid claim to the title in a
military sense; his services to his state
and country have been of a more en-
during character than might have re-
suited from active participation in war.
Mr.. WaShburn served as surveyor
general from 1861 to 1865, making eX.
tensive surveys Of the public lands. with
satisfaction to the department and with
profit to himself.
During the period Of reconstruction,
| from 1865 to 1879. Mr.. Washburn en-
gagged largely in business enterprises
| and in material improvement in the
new North.
| In 1870 and 1871 he was a director in
the Lake Superior & Mississippi Rail
way company, which had received an
extensive grant of lands, equal to about
| $4,000 per mile of road, and was
| Engaged in Constructing a Line
from St. Paul to Duluth, now the ST..
| Paul & Duluth railway.
He was also, in 1870. president Of the
| Minnesota Western railway, which on
| May &c of that year changed its name
to that of the Minneapolis & st. Louis
| railway, part having been separated
under the name of the Minneapolis &
Duluth railway, Mr.. Washburn in 1871
being president OF the Minneapolis q
Duluth and vice president OF the Min
neapolis & st. Louis railways.
Having been elected representative
from Hennepin county in 1870, MIR.
Washburn served III the legislature Of
| 1871, and devoted himself largely dur.
| ing the session to securing legislation
! much needed in the interest of various
railroads with which he was connected.
His principal efforts were directed to
securing the passage Of an act which he
| introduced, known as House File No. z,
an act to amend the act of incorporation
of the Minnesota q Western Railroad
company (of which he was president),
the purpose of the amendment being to
give to the railroad company
More Extensive Powers
than were granted in the original char
ter. The bill was before the house upon
sixteen different days and finally passed
| and was approved Feb. 25, 1871. Even
at this early date in the history of the
state was exhibited that intermeddling
spirit on the part of many ill-advsed
| persons which has so frequently mani
tested itself in legislation detrimental
to the interest of railroads and other
public enterprises of like character.
While this bill was before the house
on the 10Th of January, there was
an amendment offered which pro-.
vided "That as condition for the
enjoyment of the benefits and privileges
conferred by this act. said company or
companies consent that the state shall
hereafter have the right to regulate
freights, tolls and fares upon the roads
of said companies" Mr.. Washburn
strenuously opposed this amendment.
and, with great consistency, voted no
upon its passage.
About this time Mr.. Washburn's pri-
vate business affairs BECAME heavily
involved, his large properties were
| placed
In the Glands ola Trustee.
and Mr.. Washburn gave himself up to
extensive European travel. His affairs
| l,o,,;,o haan oIiuofad ha rafur,od