The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
TOLD OF OTHER DAYS
A Notable Gathering of Former City
Officials at the Old City
Hall.
Formal Leave Is Taken of the Old
Building After Thirty
. Years Use.
OF with the old and on with the new

achievements Of other days are now
dwarfed and cast aside in the march of
progress. The SHOWS Of the years have
eXtinguished the warm glow that used to
mark the head Of the Sam Gale of
other days. Old Father Time has moved
George a. Brackets forehead higher than
it used to be and Colonel Charlie" John
son. the city clerk of '7S. wears a silvery
mark of maturity which he knew not as
he usci to call the roll in the then new
city hall.
For the new city hall of rs
is the old city hall Of to-day,
and last night the city council
met for the last time in the old chamber
where the business of the municipality has
been transacted for thirty years.
1t was a notable gathering that attend
ed the final ceremonies; pathetic in a way
for the passing Of the historic. old struct
ure typified more than the mere aban-
donment of an out of date, cramped and
derelict building. Men who had met
as active young colleagues in the old room
years ago and who had passed each other
less of the flight of time. met
again in the same old cham
Der last night and 10, they were old men.
Others were sitting In the official seats
which they had occupied and they were all
met together for the last time under that
roof. But there was another side to the
gathering which more than counterbal
anced the pathos. Prophecies had come
true: the men whose heads had been sill
vered met to find that their early faith in
the struggling city by the falls had been
more than justified; that their widest
dreams of progress and position for the
city had been more than verified. And they
had had a hand in the doing OF 1t; the
faith and works Of years had not been in
vain and SO there was a strong note of tri-
umph In the leave taking.
Throughout the exercises there were
continually cropping out bits Of unwritten
history Of rare interest; personal recollec-
tions and little incidents illustrating the
rapid growth of the city. 1t was recalled
how S. G. Gale had been laughed at in 1873
for predicting $4,000 population within
membered playing about the duck pond
on the site of the old city hall, for he was
born within a block of the place. And
when the program closed with "Auld Lang
Syne." 1t was not to be wondered that
there were some who found Jumps in their
threats which interefered with their sing
ing.
aldermen and city officials of other days.
In this mingling Of the old and the new
was personified all the boundless energy
and ambition which, within the life Of
the youngest man present, had built the
child Of the frontier into the mighty
metropolis Of the northwest.
There were present, among the other
distinguished guests, three meteran for
mer mayors who had held the reins of
government and felt the pulse of the
thriving city at different periods of its
lusty youth
Alderman S. E. Adams. senior member
of the city council, presided. He intro
duced as the first speaker George A.
Bracket, who was mayor Of Minneapolis
when the old city hall was completed in
1873. Mr.. Bracket spoke Of the town be-
fore the erection Of the city hall. The
plot Of ground which it stands had
originally been purchased for a park.
There were old fogies even in those days
They believed that the erection Of the
proposed building would be a greater ex-
pense than the city could bear His police
force consisted Of the chief. a captain and
five patromen. Not until he appointed
Mike" Hoy chief did he succeed in keep
ing gamblers and loose characters within
bounds.
S. {. Gale, chairman Of the old city hall
building committee. said that when the
building was erected, the committee be-
lieved 1t would house the city govern
ment for at least two generations. None
OF the most optimistic predictions as to
the city's future greatness had begun to
approach the actual achievement
Nor Will Minneapolis stop growing"
said Mr.. Gale, until she becomes an i'm
peria1 city. When the common council
moves again want to be present"
~, Japan 1ohn Vanderhorck ,ecollected
Mr. Gales daring prediction in '73 tina
Minneapolis would have $4,000 people In
twenty years. The actual population in
that time had increased to nearly zoo, 900.
Charles w. Johnson, city clerk in 1873,
said that the only political creed Of the
councL tnen was Minneapolis, first last
and all the time" The prosperity Of the
city was due chiefly to two things-its
public schools and it's public men.
II. H. Corson, former city engineer.
paid glowing tribute to the old council.
me puDhc good, he said, had been its
chief consideration.
In the absence Of O. M. I4araway. former
city treasurer. S. P. Jones, MAYORS
private secretary. read some INTERESTING
statistics bearing on the movement which
resulted in the erection of the old citv
hall. The legislature authorized the is
suance OF $4,000 for the construction of
the building. AS it was impossible durinp
the panicky times to get more than S5
cents on the dollar from eastern "a nfta1
lists, public spirited citizens subscribed
Tor the bonds at par and charged the
difference to personal profit and loss
Captain o. c. Merriman was introduced
as the "ancient and honorable MAYOR -
He was the wartime mayor, and he told
Of the heavy responsibilities which were
thrust upon him after Fort Sumpter had
been fired upon.
Allowing cattle to run at large and reck-
less driving Of fast horses down town
were the burning questions when c. M
Iloring belonged to the council of 1901
r. George Huey had predicted that there
would never be a building south of Tenth
street
the council, who served from 1873 to 1887
and Andrew Rinker. ex-city engineer
spoke briefly.
w. H. Eustis told Of the city's won
derful growth and related some amusing
incidents concerning Ed Stevens during
the twin city census troubles.
Acting Mayor D. P. Jones said that
while the old timers were making his
tory he was playing in the duck pond
where the old city hall stood. He had
been born within block of that building
Mayor ELECT J. G. Haynes declared that
his spacious apartments In the new city
hall would be none too large for newly
elected mayor.
Alderman Lars Rand was the last
speaker. The meeting closed with the
singing Of "Auld Lang syne."
Among those present were: Titus
Mareck Patrick Kennedy, 68-73; T. M
Bowen, 77-Ss; j.. G. McFarlane, II
+ Thomas Downs, S6-91; Dr. H. w. Brazie