The Mankato free press., 1902-06-30

1t took all of Johnson's tact and a
little more pork than he had, for he
had to give the chief an order upon
Jackson for another barrel, to get
matters adjusted. This done they
were allowed to proceed, and LIE Blanc
accompanied them with his pony and
sleigh Arriving at the Blue Earth
they camped on its bank on the south
side of the mound, which even then
was known as "Sibley mound" from
the fact that Gen. Sibley had had
trading post on it some years before.
Finding upon investigation next
morning that the land on both sides
of the Blue Earth was subject to
overflow, as was clearly evidenced by
the debris strewn over it by the great
food Of the prior summer, and that
there was no good place for steam
boat landing our townsite seekers con-
cluded to return to the east side of the
big slough where in passing the day
before they had noticed with great
favor beautiful strip of prairie ex-
tending along the river bank. This
prairie, except where dotted here and
there with clumps of bushes and trees
was covered with tall dead grass
which waved in the breeze like field
of grain. On the east side of this
prairie was small pond about two
blocks in length and four feet deep
with it's center about where the fire
station now stands and its outlet cross
ing front street little north of the
Clifton House. This pond was fed by
large spring known to the old set
tiers as the Sulphur spring, which
gushed from the ground in a big
stream summer and winter near where
the old Omaha depot stood. This
pond was encircled by number of tall
poplar trees and thick underground
of willows and brush while east and
south the forest stretched unbroken to
beyond the LIE Sueur. At the south end
of this pond, about where the Masonic
building stands, two or three large
trees had fallen and beside these Mr..
johnson and his companions built
their camp fire on Friday night,
February 9th, 1862 The next morning
they selected for the site Of their first
cabin a spot in the rear of Scott's
second hand store on lot 4, block 6,
and at once set about cutting and
hauling the logs for it. This done.
Messrs De Moreau and Paddock were
allowed to return home while Messrs.
johnson, Williams and James remain
ed to build the cabin When finished
this first building in Mankato was not
a very imposing edifice. 1t was low
one room structure, twelve feet square
in size, made of small round logs with
the spaces between filled with chunks
plastered with some black loan gath
cred in thawing weather from some
pocket gophers' hills near by. The
roof was formed of clapboards four or
five feet long, split with an axe and
fastened to poles, and had but very
slight elevation, the gable end being
toward Front street. In the center of
the side towards Front street was a
door of axe hewn planks fastened with
a paddock. There being no glass or
lumber then in town the floor and
windows were dispensed with as un-
necessary luxuries.
Soon after the building was begun
the provisions, owing to the frequent
tolls they had been obliged to pay
therefrom to the Indians, became SO
low that Mr.. johnson started on foot
to ST. Paul for a fresh supply. On LIE
Sueur prairie he met Henry jackson
with full load and with him were
John S. Hinckley, Evans Goodrich
and Col. D. A. Robertson, man of
considerable ability and prominence,
: the editor of the Democrat, the lead
J ing Democratic paper of the territory.
| After spending some time inspecting
; the new townsite and the couctry
about it Jackson, johnson, Hinckley
) and Robertson returned to st. Paul
. enthusiastic with the prospects OF
4 their embryo city. A townsite com
? pany was Immediately formed at st.
! Paul composed of the following ter