Fifty Years In The Northwest
heaped above that no water is visible. It matters not; the tremendous
current beneath sweeps downward, carrying the logs along, and the
spectator beholds a wonderful scene, a river of logs, the current
swiftest in the centre of the stream, the logs rolling, tumbling,
crashing, grinding, sometimes snapped in sunder like pipestems. The
jam breakers are in the wildest excitement, cheering and hurrahing,
and some may be seen out in the current of logs, jumping from one to
another, or making their escape to the shore. Others on the lower part
of the jam at the moment of breaking are carried down the river.
Though apparently a scene of great danger, comparatively few accidents
occur. The workers are cool, experienced men with steady nerves and
stalwart arms, a race of men not surpassed for muscular development.
In 1877 another jam took place nearly as large as that of 1865. This
jam came near destroying the beautiful bridge that spanned the river
at the head of the Dalles. Many of the logs carried high in air by the
pressure of the logs below struck the bridge, and at times its
destruction seemed inevitable. This bridge has since been replaced by
an iron structure, much higher than the first, but even this
occasionally received a blow from some log carried along by the
current at a "present arms."
In 1883 another jam of considerable dimensions occurred, but it was
removed with less labor and expense than its predecessors, and
steamboats anchored below were used to aid in breaking it. It cost
from $5,000 to $10,000 to break these jams.
By far the greatest of the jams occurred in June, 1886. The water was
high, the current strong and the river above so full of logs that a
log driver might have crossed upon them. This abundance was owing to
other causes than those mentioned in the account of the jam of 1865.
The dams at Snake, Kettle and other rivers had been simultaneously
opened, and the logs in these streams all set free at once in the
current of the St. Croix. On they came in long procession with but
little obstruction till they reached Angle Rock, where they were
suddenly arrested, and, owing to the force of the current, wedged more
tightly and heaped higher than on any previous occasion, and the river
channel was filled with logs to a point two miles above the St. Croix
falls formerly known as the dam. To break this jam, two steamers, two
engines, several teams of horses and over two hundred men were
employed, and during the six weeks that occurred before it was broken,
thousands of visitors came by rail and steamboat to look upon it. This
jam was estimated to hold during its continuance 150,000,000 feet of
logs.
POPULATION OF WISCONSIN.
The first census of the Northwest Territory, taken in 1790, does not
show the population of the region now known as Wisconsin. The census
of 1800 gave the following figures: Ohio, 45,363; Indiana Territory,
5,641; Green Bay, 50; Prairie du Chien, 65. According to the census of
1880, the original Northwest Territory contained a population of
12,989,571, or more than one-quarter of the population of the United
States. The population of Crawford county in 1820 was 492; in 1830,
692; in 1834, 810; in 1836, 1,220; in 1838, 850; in 1841, 1,503; in
1847, 1,409.
In 1836, when Wisconsin Territory was organized, the population of the
Territory was, 11,883. The whole number of votes cast at the election
in 1836 was 2,462. The population, according to the census taken at
the close of every five years, was as follows: In 1840, 30,945; in
1845, 155,275; in 1850, 305,301; in 1855, 552,109; in 1860, 775,881;
in 1865, 868,325; in 1870, 1,054,670; in 1875, 1,236,729; in 1880,
1,315,480; in 1885, 1,563,423.
The official compilation of the census of Wisconsin gives the
following details: Total population, 1,563,423; white, males, 806,342;
females, 748,810; negroes, in full, 5,576; Indians, 2,695. The
nativities are divided as follows: United States, 1,064,943; Germany,
265,756; Scandinavia, 90,057; Ireland, 36,371; Great Britain, 32,731;
British America, 21,887; Bohemia, 15,838; Holland, 7,357; France,
3,963; all other countries, 20,030; subject to military duty, 286,289;
soldiers of the late war, 29,686.
POPULATION OF ST. CROIX, PIERCE, POLK, BURNETT, AND SAWYER COUNTIES.
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|1840.|1845.|1850.| 1855.| 1860.| 1865.| 1870.| 1875.| 1880.| 1885.|
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St. Croix | 618 | 809 |624 | 2,040| 5,392 |6,255 |11,039|14,957|18,838|22,389|
Pierce | | | | 1,720| 4,672 |6,824 |10,004|15,101|17,685|19,760|
Polk | | | | 547| 1,400 |1,677 | 3,422| 6,736|10,095|12,884|
Burnett | | | | | 12 | 238 | 705| 1,436| 2,980| 4,607|
Sawyer | | | | | | | | | | 2,481|
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POPULATION OF MINNESOTA.
In 1849 the Territory had a population of 4,680. The census taken at
periods of every five years shows the following population: In 1850,
6,077; in 1855, ----; in 1860, 172,073; in 1865, 250,099; in 1870,
439,706; in 1875, 597,403; in 1880, 780,773; in 1885, 1,117,798.
The following table gives the population of the counties on the St.
Croix waters.
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| 1850. | 1855. | 1860. | 1865. | 1870. | 1875. | 1880. | 1885.|
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Washington | 1,066 | ---- | 6,123 | 6,780 | 11,809 | 9,994 | 19,562 | 29,763|
Chisago | ---- | ---- | 1,743 | 2,175 | 4,378 | 6,046 | 7,982 | 9,765|
Pine | ---- | ---- | 92 | 64 | 648 | 795 | 1,365 | 2,177|
Kanabec | ---- | ---- | 30 | 31 | 93 | 311 | 605 | 1,119|
Isanti | ---- | ---- | 281 | 453 | 2,035 | 3,901 | 5,063 | 7,032|
Carlton | ---- | ---- | 51 | 28 | 286 | 495 | 1,230 | 3,189|
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MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL.
By the organic act of Minnesota Territory, $20,000 were appropriated
for a capitol building. At the time the Territory was organized,
however (June 1, 1849), the _permanent_ seat of government had not
been determined on, and the money was therefore not available. The
Central House in St. Paul, a log tavern weather-boarded, situated at
the corner of Bench and Minnesota streets, where the rear of the
Mannheimer block now is, was rented for the public offices and
legislative assembly. It was for some months known as "The Capitol."
On the lower floor was the secretary of state's office, and the house
of representatives chamber. On the second floor was the council
chamber and the territorial library. Neither of these legislative
halls was over sixteen or eighteen feet square. The rest of the
building was used as an inn. The Union colors, floating from a flag
staff on the bank in front of the building, was the only mark of its
rank. During his entire term of office, Gov. Ramsey kept the executive
office in his private residence, and the supreme court met in rented
chambers here and there.
On Sept. 3, 1849, the first session of the legislature assembled at
the above temporary capitol. Gov. Ramsey delivered his message to the
two houses in joint convention assembled, in the hotel dining room.
The whole fitting of the assembly rooms was of the plainest
description.
Considerable discussion ensued during the session on this subject, as
to whether the Territory had a right to expend the $20,000
appropriated in the organic act, for a capitol building. The question
having been submitted to Hon. Wm. Meredith, secretary of the treasury,
he replied that the "Department can not doubt that the public
buildings in question can only be erected at the _permanent_ seat of
government, located as described."
The second session assembled Jan. 2, 1851, in a brick building, since
burned, which occupied the site of the Third street front of the
Metropolitan Hotel. At this session the seat of government was fixed
at St. Paul, as above noted. D. F. Brawley, Jonathan McKusick, Louis
Robert and E. A. C. Hatch were elected building commissioners. Charles
Bazille, a pioneer resident and large property owner of St. Paul,
donated to the government the block of ground since known as "Capitol
Square," and plans drawn by N. C. Prentiss were adopted. The contract
was let to Joseph Daniels for $33,000, but the building finally cost
over $40,000. It was commenced at once, but not completed until the
summer of 1853. The third and fourth sessions of the legislature were
compelled, therefore, to meet in rented buildings. That of 1852
assembled in Goodrich's block on Third street below Jackson, and that
of 1853 in a two story brick row on Third street, where the front of
the Mannheimer block now is.
BURNING OF THE CAPITOL.
At nine o'clock on the evening of March 1, 1881, while both houses of
the legislature were in session, and all the halls and departments
were crowded with visitors, the dome of the building was found to be
on fire. The flames spread with too great rapidity to be checked, and
all that could be done was to save the contents of the building. The
most valuable records and papers of the various offices, and of the
legislature, with some of the furniture, were carried out, but the
greater part of the contents of the building, including the valuable
law library, the supply of state laws, documents and reports, and all
the stationery in the secretary of state's store rooms, etc., were a
total loss. The Historical Society's library was mostly saved. The
entire loss to the State was fully $200,000.
Fortunately the city of St. Paul had just completed a fine and
spacious market house, which was still unoccupied, and its use was at
once tendered the State by the city authorities, and while the flames
were still burning the furniture and effects saved from the old
capitol were removed thither. At nine o'clock next morning the state
departments and both houses of the legislature were again at work in
their new quarters. But two days of the session yet remained. Gov.
Pillsbury immediately secured estimates for rebuilding the burned
edifice, using the old walls, and an act appropriating $75,000 for
that purpose was passed. Work was commenced at once. It was then found
that the old walls were too unsafe to use, and at the extra session in
September, 1881, the further sum of $100,000 was appropriated for the
completion of the building. Its total cost was about $275,000. The
dome of the building is two hundred feet above the ground, giving a
noble view to the visitor who ascends it. The exterior of the edifice
is neat and tasty, and it is altogether creditable to the State,
considering its comparatively small cost.
SELKIRK VISITORS.
In the early days a somewhat primitive people inhabited the Northwest,
making their homes on the banks of the Red River of the North and on
the shores of Winnipeg, in what was known as the Selkirk settlement,
now included in the province of Manitoba. They were a mixed race of
Scotch, French and Indian stock, born and raised under the government
of the Northwest British Fur Company. They were a peaceable, partly
pastoral and partly nomadic, trading people. They cultivated the
ground quite successfully considering the high latitude of their home
and the absence of machinery for farm work, raising wheat, vegetables,
cattle and horses. They engaged in hunting and trapping and yearly
visited St. Paul with the surplus products of their labor to be
disposed of for money or goods. They came usually in caravans