New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1899-03-01
rTY MIN, WEDNESDAY, 1s9s

by the accumulated water Of many large
springs, I was Immediately sent for TO
remedy the evil.
The nearest postoffice was at Fort
Rldgely, about sixteen miles away, and
it soon became apparapt that one ought
to be established in the town. Twas, of
course, sent for to see If it could be ac-
complished. It was a very easy thing
to do with the very efficient and infiu-
ential delegate we had in congress, Hon.
Henry N. Rice. Having agreed upon
Mr.. Anton Rouse as postmaster, L at
once wrote to Mr.. Rice to give the new
settlement q postofice. It was not long
before received an answer, which con-
tained the postmaster's commission, his
bond for execution, key for the mail
bags, and all the requisites for going
postofice.
One ofthe earliest settlers at New Ulm
was Francis Baasen, who became Mime
sota's first secretary of state, and was a
gallant officer IN the First Minnesota
regiment, so celebrated in the War of
the Rebellion, and has recently been APP
pointed by Gov. Lind as assistant adiu-
tant general of the state. He had claim
about two miles below the town, Just
where the ferry crossed the Minnesota
river at Red Stone, and hail erected a
log shanty there in which he lived. OF
course, we always called on Baasen on
our way up, and also our way back, when
we visited New Ulm. Baasen was a
charming gentleman and, while his shack
was destitute of any of. the luxuries or
elegancies of life, there was door, or
hatchway, in the middle of the floor OF
the only room, which led to kind of
cellar, the contents of which supplied
all deficiencies of the house and, favored
with the generous hospitality of the pro-
prietor, made everybody happy.
On this occasion we stopped to take
Baasen into the party, and while dis
cussiDg the great event which brought
US up, I decided to add some new teat-
ures to the inauguration or the new post
master Baasen had been appointed a
notary public and was provided with
large business-like envelopes and form.
dable red seals, so wrote letter to
Mr.. Rouse in about the following lang.
uage:
Executive Mansion, Washington, D. c..
July 20, 1855.-Hon. Anton Rouse
Postmaster at New Ulm, Territory OF
Minnesota Sir: We have been informed
that fourishing settlement has been
been founded on the waters of the upper
Minnesota river in Minnesota territory
which has been named New Ulm, and
| that the inhabitants are sufficiently mum.
erous and intelligent to need postof-
flee. It has also been re presented to us
that you are good and true Democrat
and the choice of the people for the Of
| flee of postmaster. 1t is therefore oul
duty and pleasure to appoint you tc
| that office. 1t is our desire that you To-
cate the Office in part of the towr
which will accommodate it's inhabitants
| and see to it that they always vote the
| Democratic ticket at all elections. an
yours very truly.
| -s-~ Franklin Pierce,
President of the United States oil
America, . (seal.
| enclosed this letter in one OF Baasen's
large envelopes, and we all drove up to
the house of Mr.. Rouse and called him
out. I stood up in The wagon and made
him a speech, informing HIM of the crea:
tion of the Office, and that had his bond
| and commission and letter to him from
the president of the United States, which
I was instructed to deliver to him in per.
son, and added thai it was customary
on all such important occasions for the
newly-appointed postmaster to propose
the health of the postmaster general.
Rouse rushed into his house and ap.
peared with brown jug and tin cup
from which we all drank bumper to the
health and prosperity Of the postmaster
general, the town of New Ulm and its
postmaster. then handed him his ere.
dentials, including the letter from the
president, and the postohce at New Ulm
was reality.
| Ihave never learned whether my friend
Rouse caught onto the joke or whether
he has cherished the executive letter as
an heirloom for his postefity..
Charles e. Flandrau.
A bill introduced by Representative
Heimerdinger to reimburse DR.. Schoch
for expenses incurred while serving on