The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-11

YEHm'
Lumber was in keen demand. Rough
elm boards at that time brought as
high as forty-five dollars a thou
sand feet. Later the price dropped
as low as ten dollars a thousand.
Mr. Boegen has n vivid recollec-
tion OF the days of the Indian
troubles. Mankato raised a company
of thirty.six to go to the defense OF
New Ulm. This took about all
Had Indians attacked Mankato be-
fore the arrival of the soldiers, the
men would have had to fight the
redskins with little else than clubs
Springfield rifles were sent up from
St Paul shortly after the news of
outbreak spread to that city, but
there were few cartridges. Car
tridges were made. however, by
the women, with what little pow
der could be scraped together among
the settlers, and bullets were nodded
with what lead was at hand. Men
guarded the settlement day and night.
For three weeks, Mr. Boegen de.
clares, he did not-have his shoes
off. The women and children were
gathered for safety in the Catholic
church and in the few wooden build.
ings that were suitable to afford
them safety. Mr.. Boegen had a lum.
Der stockade to protect the path
from his dwelling to the we'll. .....
On the memorable night when the
New Ulmites burned all their build
ings. except the few that they re-
served for protection against the In
dians. the glare I'm the western sky
could be seen plainly from Man
kato. Two white, men. who had been
near that place. came to Mankato
soon afterwards and brought the
frightful though false news that
all New Ulm had been destroyed by
fire
Mr.. Boegen helped to build the
great scaffold on which we're hanged
the thirty-eight Sioux Indians at
Front and Main street, He declares
that the monument, this is supposed
to mark the spot. is not in the right
place, but should be about ninety
feet south Of the spot where Il. Is.
He declares that the present location
| OF the monument was at that time
part of the river bed He says he
| will be glad to go down and show
the authorities just where the monu.
ment should be located, IL they see
fit to change II. Though his eyes
are not good enough to read. he can
go about, taking with him one of his
little grandchildren to warn him OF
| approaching automobiles!
In the early days of Mankato. Mr..
Boegen and his brother. Henry, now
dead, established a saw-mill at Null,
berry and Second streets. After.
wards Frederick Boegen had a ma.
chine shop and saw-mill OF his own
In the brick building on North Fifth
street, just south of his present
home. This building has since been
made over into a dwelling. The saw,
mill business had to be given up I'm
1895. as no more logs could be OBJ.
tanned. For time he kept on with
the machine shop. doing repair work
Of various kinds, but later gave that
up also. He has lived retired life
during the past eighteen years.
Mr.. Boegen has never gone back
to Europe. His parents died abou,
three years after he left Luxem
bourg. He always kept up a more OF
less active correspondence with rel
atives In the old country, especially
a brother and sister OF his. until
about a year ago, when he lost track
OF them, his last letters not havins
been answered 49, ..-.-.H
Mr.. Boegen calls to mind with
pride that he was one of the cit,
council OF twelve that purchased Sib
ley park. in the eighties. He is the
only. surviving member of that au
gust body.