The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-06-11
Essay Awards.
Presented to
Four Pupils
Articles Continued From Last
Weeks Herald-Present-
ed Memorial Day

ed Memorial Day
Owing to lack Of space in last
weeks Herald, we were forced to
continue three of the ID. A. r. es-
say contest articles to this weeks
issue. The essays in this paper were
written by Maurice Mischke,
Eleanore Conkey and John Whit
son, who besides Mary Wicks, were
declared the winners and were pre-
scented their awards at the Memoir
ial Day services by Mrs. Nellie Nc
Cullom, Regent Of the local chap
ter. The essays are as follows:
Outstanding Pioneers of My State
BY Maurice Mischke
Minnesota has had many hardy
pioneers and brilliant statesmen
who were the guiding influence in
the formation of our state. But of
all these pioneer statesmen, fur
traders, and frontiersmen, Sibley,
Ramsey, Rice, and Steele, in my
opinion, were the big Four" who
had most to do with the shaping
OF Minnesota during its early per-
iod.
Henry Hastings Sibley, a Baron
of the Wilderness" who reigned as
an agent Of the American Fur
Company for twenty years, was one
of the most imposing figures of his
time. Coming to Minnesota in 1884,
he was important in everything
worthwhile in the progress of the
state. He was very well educated
and lived as country gentleman
at his home in Mendoza. In 1848 he
was elected by the Saltwater Con-
vention to go to Washington to
urge immediate action for making
Minnesota a territory. The terri
tory once organized, he went on to
serve efficiently as a delegate for
two more terms. He then retired
until 1858 when he was again hon
ored by being elected the first gov
ernor of the state by scant mar
gin over his political rival, Ram
sey. In 1862 he was appointed to
lead an army to suppress the
bloody Sioux outbreak. Always a
friend of the Indian, he proved his
worth by bringing about recon-
Citation. Sibley was a well-known
figure throughout Minnesota until
late in the century, for his death
did not occur until 1891.
Another man of great Importance
to our state was Alexander RAM
-sey. After four years of excellent
service in Congress, he arrived in
~ he ~ "a q tho
appointed governor of the new
territory. He was educated in the
best schools. Clear-headed, cautious
and patient, he knew how to antic-
ipate and plan for the probabilities
of the future. These qualities are
clearly shown by his keen fore
sight in preserving the school lands
free from speculation, a fore
thought from which we still reap
the benefits. In the election for the
first state governorship, he was
edged out by scant 240 votes. In
1S49, however, Ramsey came into
his own and won by wide ma
jority. To show his consideration
for his fellow Minnesotans during
hard times, he cut his own salary
from $500 to $500 and recon-
mended reductions to the other
state officials. By these and other
reductions, the expenses of the
state government were reduced
nearly fifty percent. Ramsey was
reelected governor but retired six
months before the end of his term
to attend an extra session of the
senate to which he had been elect
ed. Reelected as a senator six
years later, he failed to secure the
nomination for a third term in
1875. President Hayes, however,
called Ramsey into his cabinet as
Secretary of War. Retiring from
public life, he continued for nearly
a quarter of a century to enjoy the
esteem and gratitude of all his fell
low citizens. His death occurred In
1902.
Shortly after Governor Ramsey
came to st. Paul, another citizen
established himself in that city. He
was Henry Mower Rice, who had
come to Minnesota in 1889. His
personal qualities were such that
he could not help but obtain great
success in public employment. In
1854 when a delegate was required
to replace Sibley, he was elected by
a wide majority. Rice held the pos
ition of delegate until 1853 when
Minnesota became a state. Indus
trious and influential he soon OBJ
tanned a popularity harly equaled
: in Minnesota history. When admis-
sion to the statehood required the
election of two senators, he was
nominated without opposition. AT
ter his defeat in the gubernatorial
election in 1865, Mr.. Rice withdrew
: from public life,
Now we turn to pioneer OF a
different type-a pioneer business
man; in fact, the first great bust
ness man in this part of the world.
Franklin Steele, "the first citizen
+. Of st. Anthony" was one of many
who recognized the vast water
power available at the falls of st.
Anthony. In 1S48, he built the first
bridge to span the Mississippi at