The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1906-01-17
FORTY YEARS AGO.
Excerpts Taken from st. Paul Papers oil
Forty Years Ago.

Another party started for the
Vermillion Lake gold regions yester-
day morning. They call themselves
the Northwestern Gold and Silver
Mining company of Minnesota, and
are made up of the following gen
tlemen: Capt. C. Edward Davis,
Capt. J. H. Place, John S. Condit, j.
Watson Webb, Thomas Rank and j.
H. McGraves. They are fully armed
and equipped, and take with them
five sleds loaded with provisions,
enough to last them year. They
have also provided themselves with
a dozen train sleds, the same as used
by the Red river men on their dog
trains. They intend pushing along
as fast as possible with teams, and
then pack their goods on the train
sleds, with one horse to each sled.
In this way they will follow the
trail, shortening their route con-
siderably. They will make forced
marches in an attempt to reach the
gold fields before any other party
that has started out. Capt. Davis
has been all through the gold re-
gions, and knows just where to
strike. They take with them all the
appliances necessary for drilling,
blasting, etc. These gentlemen, we
understand, ere backed up by Boston
and New York capitalists, who have
promised them all the financial aid
necessary for mining operations on
a large scale.
Maj. Newson's cooperative Min
ing company is making excellent
time, as a letter dated Folsom's
Place, sixty-one miles from St. Paul,
Jan. 4, 1865, indicates. 1t says:
eve left Sunrise village early, and
the train moved along with the
greatest ease. The boys make a
fine picture as, clad in the habili-
ments of Laplanders, they made
their way over the frozen road,
driving oxen, bringing wood, cook
ing fine dinners and, when necessary,
tugging at the sled to help the
animals to pull the loads along. Talk
of such men not going through to
the Vermillion! They would go to
the North Pole, or through, or over
it, if necessary. We have, better
meals daily than could be got up by
either our friends Shaw or Belote.
The bill of fare consists of roast
pheasants, prairie chickens, rabbits,
venison pot-pie (the real article).
fine favored coffee, with milk and
sugar, and fine mealy potatoes. And
then the keen appetites of the boys.
1t makes a man hungry to see them
eat. Tell our friends that the
thoughts of our loved ones at home
and the good times coming nerve us
to press forward to the Golden Ell
Dorado away up in the bleak regions
of the north. A private ambulance,
owned by Maj. Newson. has been
put at the service of the company in
case of sickness. In this ambulance
is feather bed, comforters, medi-
cines, etc.
Minneapolis or St. Anthony? What
will be the name of the new town,
when the two are are united. The
advantage of such Union is appar-
ent to every one and meetings are
being held to consider the question.
The naming of the new city is the
greatest stumbling block. Such a
trihing matter should not prevent it.
If no more satisfactory plan is
offered the people should cast lots
and abide by the result.
One of the historical relics of ST.
Paul was destroyed by fire yester-
day. 1t was merely an old shell of g
building, built Of green lumber in
1849, too late in the season to be
plastered. 1t was used las schoo
room that winter, and consequently
the comfort of the pioneer schoo
would suffer in comparison with
those of modern times. In this little
old building Father Parsons preached
the first year of it's existence, anG
here gathered and organized the
First Baptist church on the last day
, of the year 1849.