The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26
rHE MINNEAPOLIS of the
Y present day was made up of
two cities which were united
under one government IN
1872 Old ST ANTHONY was


1879. Old ST. Anthony was
incorporated as n city in
in 1856. At this time the two
places were Of about equal size, altho
Minneapolis was growing much faster
than ST. Anthony. 1t is an interesting
fact that H. T, Welles was the first
mayor of st. Anthony and the first
president Of the town council of Min
neapolis 1t is inferred that Mr..
Welles moved from the east to the
west side of the river about 1855.
Minneapolis was organized into
city In 1857. The population was then
about nine or ten thousand, and was
increasing rapidly with the develop
ment Of the northwest after the war.
was Dorilus Morrison, and Mr.. Morrl-
son divided this honor with H. g.
Harrison and E. B. Ames during the
five years that elapsed before the cities
were united. With this first organiZa-
ton of the city of Minneapolis there
went sort Of union with st. Anthony
for certain purposes only but this
proved a mere stepping stone to a
more perfect union which was heartily
concurred in by both places in 1872.
Custom, however, remained so strong
that for some years after the CONSOLE
dalton many divisions Of the munich
pal work were managed for the two
sides Of the river separately and re-
ports were made covering the two sec
lions almost as distinct cities.
e. M. Wilson was the first mayor OF
the consolidated city. A. M. Reid was
president of the city council and
Thomas Hale Williams clerk. Under
the charter the city was divided into
ten wards and two aldermen were
elected from each ward, each TO serve
two years. In the next year George
A. Bracket was made mayor. He
was followed by e. M. Wilson again
and he was succeeded by c. C. Merriman,
who, by the way, had been five times
mayor of st. Anthony and had some
experience In the business. However,
Captain Merriman's experience failed
to secure him another term, for IN
1875 Minneapolis turned for the first
time to DR.. A. A. Ames, and tried a
wide-open year of city adm1n1stra-
ton. One year proved enough; at
the end Of his term DR.. Ames was sue
ceeded by John De Laittre. Mr.. De
Laittre gave the city a business ad-
mintstration on practical lines, not at
tempting the impossible but allowing
no features Of the Ames policy to ex-
list In the spring Of 1878 A. G. Rand
was chosen mayor and he was In
office at the time T Q u r n a
was founded, OH Nov. rs, Of that year.
Municipal Conditions in 1873.
Minneapolis claimed to have $4,000
for that year, in the report Of the
health officer, Is based on that figure
There were 403 deaths, and the rate
was about eight per thousand. A. c.
Rand was the mayor; r. J. Buxton was
treasurer; William Lochren, city at
w. M. Bracelet, chief Of the fire de-
partment and A. s. Munger, chief OF
police. There were six wards, each
with three aldermen. E. s. Corsel
was the president of the city council
and B. F. Nelson and Matt Walsh were
members Of 1t The other aldermen
are not known to this later day.
The city treasurer points with
pride" to the fact that the annual re,
ceipts of the city were $475,9SS.92
and the disbursements $451,71o.97
The outstanding city bonds aggregated
There were twelve miles Of water
mains, and the number Of gallons
pumped for all purposes per month
was about 100000, except for July
it went slightly above 100000 gal
Ions.
The annual reports are Of course ST.
lent on such questions as electric
street car lines. electric lights. tele
phones, and the numerous other con
veniences which modern invention ha
devised for the comfort and conven
fence of the public.
In the report of the chief of polio
for 1878 attention Is called to thu
tramp nuisance. About five hundred
of this gentry We're arrested and i'm
prisoned or driven from town during
the year. The total number of ar
rests during the year was 1,466. Their
were 143 saloons. The fines from tn
municipal court amounted t.
$6,090.44. Chief Munger points on
that the city is greatly in need Of
hnSnjt91
thinks that the tramps would be les
numerous If there were a workhous
provided for their use.
Mr.. Rinker, city engineer, makes
long report to the city council on tn
condition Of the Tenth avenue bridge
which even in those early days wa
regarded as being unsafe. Afte
Weighing the situation carefully h
decides that the bridge is not danger
Gus, but admits that it is far from be
ing an ideal structure, and that impor
tant repairs are necessary.
The contract was let during thi
year for the stone arch bridge owe
the east channel.
1t Is interesting to note as late a
1878 the least" and west" sides O
city council. The chief of the fire de
partment made a separate statemen
for each side of the river, and tn
city controller in the same way dis
tlnguished between the two section
In making his official financial state
rnents. This was only six years afte
the union of st. Anthony with Mime
apolls, and the feeling Of loyalty t
the new municipality was not as grea
as 1t came to be subsequently.
The volunteer fire department wa
still in existence in 1878. Chief Brack
EFT says there were 256 members G
the department, only ten Of whor
were paid. Of the fourteen horse
used in hauling the fire apparatu:
only eight were owned by the city
The men who drove them owned tn
others. During the year there wer
eighty-one fire alarms, and the fir
loss was $38,572. Forty-flve per Ger
Of the fires were caused by defectiv
fues, and SO the chief of the fire de
partment very earnestly recommend
the creation of the office of buildin
inspector, He suggests, also, the pur
chase of one chemical engine, as a
experiment, having seen one work
good effect In some eastern city visit
ed by him during the year. The cit
paid $16,852 for the maintenance c
the department during 1878. Their
were 10 fire alarm boxes and lat fir
MIGRANTS.
The big Anoka fire came at thi
time, In August, and Chief Bracket
notes that w. D. Washburn gave tw
checks of 800 each to the departmer
for services rendered by 1T in ez
tinguishing the fire. The Minneapol
department responded very gallant