The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-18

intelligence. The merry war ragged on for
many years, until Minneapolis began to
assume airs. The war then suddenly
ceased and both factions united to curb
the aspiring spirit of the common enemy
In 1855 and 1856 immigration was rap
idly filling the southern part of the state
and the population of the city was
doubling up. Real estate was advancing
in values in the central part of the city,
finally eVentuating In a local real estate
boom. Lots continued to advance in value
until the crash of 1851 when the bottom
fell out and crushed many of the heaviest
of our real estate men. l call to mind the
taxes of one man who owned the largest
block of real estate in the then and now
most valuable part Of the city. His taxes
in 1857 amounted to $4,000, which he was
unable to pay. In fact all of the large
real estate owners were in the same sit
uat1on from the date mentioned until the
state-through the legislature, l think, of
1861-authoriZed an abatement of such
proportions of the taxes due as would en-
able the taxpayers to meet their obliga-
lions. The abatement board accordingly
made a reduction of from so to so per
cent Yet many were still unable to save
their property by the aid of the liberal
reductions thus made.
recall one incident of this distressing
period which well illustrates the Situa-
ton. On the property on the corner Of
Cedar and Fourth street, on which the
Minnesota club now stands having a
frontage Of $50 feet on Fourth street, no
taxes had ever been paid. The amount
then due against the property, $1,000, was
reduced to $500. The whole property was
offered for sale at 81, 200. No purchasers
were found. The board then reduced the
taxes to $500, and the owner urged me
to purchase. | finally bought the seventy
five feet on the corner, paying $500, leav-
ing the balance of seventy-five feet adj
Joining: The people of the city from 1858
to 1851 were in a deplorable condition,
many suffering for the neceSSarieS Of
life.
Begins Public Improvements.
In 1857 the city had so increased in
population that many important improve
ments had been perfected, among other
things, fire protection and a county jail.
We had not before felt the necessity Of
having a suitable place to house our law
breakers The county commissioners or
dered a new Jail at a cost of nearly $50
900, and it was completed in 1857. The
new building. however. contained no
means whatever of heating. Accordingly
some ST. 900 additional county bonds were
issued, bearing interest at 10 per cent, to
furnish steam heating pla@ In the
meantime the city had constl .cted ciSt-
ems in different localities to supply water
and we had volunteer fire department.
with no engines to pump the water! The
city authorized the issue of $1,000 of city
bonds, bearing II per cent, to pay for
the old-fashioned hand pumps or en-
gines They were ordered from a Phil
adelphia house, and the bonds of the
city were given to me to negotiate for
their payment. 1 sold city L per cent
burg, paid for the engines and shipped
them to st. Paul. proceeded to New York
with the 10 per cent Ramsey county
bonds and spent two weeks trying to
dispose of them and failed to do so. I
then hypOthecated some of them to Nor
ris & Co.. of that city for $4,000, guar
anteed their payment, secured the heat
ing apparatus and shipped 1T to st. Paul.
This, / believe, was the first steam heat
ing plant ever introduced into st. Paul.
In those memorable days Of 1867, the
-, hot ft,rrr
must have sewer system. They opened
the ball by ordering large sewer on Rob
ert street, arranging with the contractor
to take the bonds of the city in payment.
mensei 1t was so large in fact that
team of horses could have been driven into
its entrance at the bank Of the river. /
feel certain that 1t was the same size
Unfortunately, notwithstanding its am
bilious size and capacity, it proved to be
a dry sewer above Fourth street, not hav-
ing been laid deep enough to drain the
cellars of the residences along its line
Many serious plumbers were perpetrated
in the early days Of st. Paul, and many
amusing incidents occurred which it might
not be proper to mention at this time.
Some of the men who fguered largely in
them are still living and are among our
most loyal citizens. They would doubtless
caused by feelings of personal malice.
Yet many, if not most of the mistakes,
would now, on looking back at the past
and the limited opportunities for forming
avoidable 1t would be impossible, how
ever, to deal at all amply or with all pos
sible interest with the subject Of the
early Days of ST. Paul. without aspir-
ing to the distinction of authorship.
Crucial Period.
The great. crucial test for st. Paul was
made and felt during the years interview