The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-09

gravitated to the border, and settled at
Pembina, on the Red River of the North,
near the dividing line between the United
States and Canada. At this point an ex
tensive trade in furs had sprung up IN
opposition to the Hudson bay people, who
had monopolized the trade for British in
terests for many long years. The catch Of
furs was brought down to the Mississippi
every year by brigades of carts construct
ed entirely Of wood and rawhide, which
were drawn by a single horse or OK
and carried a load of from 800 to coo
pounds. These vehicles were admirably
adapted to the country, which was In a
perfectly natural state, without roads Of
any kind, except the trail worn by the
carts. They could easily pass over a
slough that would obstruct any other
form Of wheeled carriage, and one man
could drive eight or ten Of them, each
being hitched behind the other. They
were readily constructed by the unskilIed
half-breedS on the border, where iron was
unobtainable. This trade, with an oc-
casional arrival of dog-trains in the win
ter, was the only connecting link between
far away Pembina and st. Paul
When the territory of Minnesota was
organized in 1S49 st. Paul was desig-
mated as the capital and a plain but
suitable building was erected by the
United States for the purpose of local
government and, when finished, the tor
ritorial legislature convened there anru.
ally.
Joe Rolette, being the leading citizen OF
Pembina, and naturally DESTROYS of
spending his winters at the capital. had
himself elected to the legislature; first to
the house Of representatives in 1853. and
again in 1854 and 1855 In 1856 and 1887
he was returned to the council, which
was the upper house, corresponding to
the senate as the legislature is now
composed This body consisted of fifteen
members. The sessions were limited by
the organic act to sixty days
That the capital should be located and
remain In st. Paul had been determined
by the leading citizens of this region, as
far as they could decide this question.
before the organization of the territory.
but there were from the beginning mani
festations of a desire to remove it. ex-
hfbited IN several localities William r.
Marshall resided at ST Anthony. and
at the first session in 1S49 worked hard
10 have 1t removed to that point, but
FAILED, and no serious attempt was again
made until 1857, when, on Feb. 6, a bill
was introduced by a councillor from ST.
Cloud, to remove 1t to st. Peter, a town
on the Minnesota river, which lad
grown into considerable Importance
Gen. German was the governor and
largely interested in st. Peter. He
gave the scheme the weight of his infiu,
ence. Winona, through its councillor
81. "A. D. Balcombe, was a warm advo-
cate of the change, and enough influence
was secured to carry the bill in both
houses; It, however, only passed the coun-
Gil by one majority, eight Voting in Fts
favor, and seven against 1t.
1t was at this point in the fight that
Rolette proved himself a bold and sue
cessful strategist. He was q friend Of
st. Paul and was determined that the
plan should not succeed If It was possi-
bic for him to prevent 1T. He never
calculated chances, or hesitated at re,
sponsibilities, and would undertake
any desperate measure to carry q point
with the same unrefiecting dash and
heedlessness Of danger that he would
plunge his horse into herd of buffalo
shooting right and left, trusting to luck
to extricate him. 1t happened that Joe
was chairman of the committee on en-,
rolled bills of the council, and all bills
had to pass through his hands for en-,
rollment and comparison. On the 9th
OF February the removal bill reached
him and he instantly decided that the
legislature should never see 1t again. so
he put 1t in his pocket and disappeared
He had, however, foresight enough to
carefully deposit the bill in the vault of
Truman M. Smiths bank, in the Fuller
house, on the corner of Seventh and
jackson streets. before his vanishment.
On the 18th Joe did not appear in his
seat and no one seemed to know any
thing OF his whereabouts AS his alb
sence was prolonged, some OF the advo-
Gates of the removal became uneasy and
sent to the enrolment committee for
the bill, but none Of them knew anything
about 1t. At this point Mr.. Balcombe
offered resolution calling on Rolette to
report the bill forthwith, and on his fail.