plete depaiiment.

L.arK in |;innarv, 18(18, the members of
the lire companies met and agreed to form
a deparlmenl under the su|ier\ision of the



PUBLIC AFI-'AIRS AND OFFICIALS



483



citv council and on January 31st the coun-
cil ratificil this action, ap])' lintins;' (Icorgc
A. Urackett as chief engineer; K. !'>. Lant;-
ilon, first assistant ent^ineer; Paris (iihson,
second assistant engineer: and as fire war-
dens: John S. ^^'alker, first ward; A. Al .
( ireclv, 2(1 ward: \i. V. Dunnington. 3rd
ward; J. H. Clark, 4th ward. ^Ir. Brackett
was a most energetic chief and as a city al-
derman and one of the most active of the



of other apparatus. The wliule \alue of the
fire department pro])erty now api)roximates
three-ciuarters <if a million dollars. After
Chief W. .M. Urackett came Frank L. Stet-
son, who served eight years. .August H.
Runge, Stetson again, and since iXiji; J. R.
Canterbury. The head(|uarters of the de-
partment are in the cit\- hall. It is a matter
of gratification to the people of the city
that since the organization of the depart-





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vcii.r.N iKKii 1 1 1! i:\ii; \ dk !*■



young men of the city was in a ])Ositi(jn to
make the new department efFecti\'e.

In ICS72, as the result of a railroad acci-
dent. ATr. Brackett was inca](acitated from
acti\e ser\ice in the department, lie was
succeeded 1)\" l)a\'id \\ \lie, who served one
year, when W. .M. lirackett was chosen
and continued I'nr nine }ears. In 1S71) it
became evident that the city had reached
the stage when a \olunteer department
should be succeeded liy a paid organization
and the old volunteers formally disbanded.
The new department consisted of fifty-nine
men and eight companies, including two
steam fire engine cumjianies. The first en-
gine had been secured by the East Side de-
jjartment in 1S73 and the first on the West
Side in 1S75. in li;()S the dcitartment has
grown to a force of over 350 men. twenty-
three steam engines, and a large equipment



ment there has n<ii Ijeeii any devastating
conllagration.

I'.UILDIXG IXSriCCTION.

From the earliest city organizalinn there
was more or less attention to the style and
methods (jf construction of buildings within
certain limits, but the department of build-
ing inspection was nut regularly organized
until [884. when Walter S. Pardee was ap-
poinli-d inspector. ( )rdinances regulating
building mailers ha\e been adopted, revised
and re-re\-ised until now .Minneapolis lias
one of the best building laws among Ameri-
can municipalities. .Ml classes of buildings
are considered and regulations governing
details of masonry, wood construction, steel
and concrete work, plumbing, electric wir-
ing, elevators and everything pertaining to
safely, sanitation and the general welfare,
are provided for. Henry J. Bauman sue-



484 A HALF CENTimV OF .MmN£Al>OLlS

ceeded Mr. Pardee in 1887: T. M. Hazen valuation of the city for the past three dec-

hcfjan service in i8yo: John H. (iihiian in ailcs. tusether with tlie tax rate, total tax,

i8i)_^. unci James (I. Houghton, the present an<l total debt:
lucunihent of the office of ins])ector, in uSi;(). \ aluation and indehtkd.ness.

Average rate Total Total

HEALTH AND SAXITATION. Year Valuaticjii per $1,000 tax debt

1S79 $L'3,4ir..7:!:! 14.50 $3.'ii).52,S $1,101.01)0

M iiiuc-mdlis 1ri-i -ilw-ivs been a \-frv "***" 2S.oi:i,:ii,-. ii;..yo 47o.ii:':i i.ioi.ouo

AiiniKai)iMi> nas ai\\a_\^ dclii a \ 1 1 _\ ,^>;, .3l.l.s.s.4s(; -o.xo i;4.':,7:;o i iss (kmi

lu-ahiiv citv. Natural and climatic condi- jjs2 ^H'lilr^^i l,^•"^ , ''S4.5sa i.5;!4.uo(,

IS.SS a3.il01.,Sl-J L'2.40 1.:;07.4UO 2.L'li;.00(l

lions have been supplemented b\- intellisrent i!<S4 74..')io.7ii n.so 1.322.730 2. 42:.. 000

'' ; , 1 1 1 "^SS 77.4i;s,lMm 1^.60 1.517, 37s 3.0(io.oiio

attention to sanitarv matters. .\ health tie- isse aa.s'.u.Toi 17.90 1. 782.692 3 7".'<,ouo

'. , , , ^, r ^ ■. 1887 103.5sl..ii;i; 21.50 2.227.003 4.9X.-).50O

partment was provided by the nrst city isss I2i;.i39..'<sti 19.20 2.4'i 8x5 577x500

charter and in later yeari has become an l^^^::::;:;: ]^}:i^:^l iJJ^ f]^^ S.^J^IHi;

.n.portant branch of the municipal machin- l^^i;;;::::; ]^l^i;i^ ^-^ f'^^ l^^^^^Z

vr\. r.esides inspection and sanitary rej^ru- i893 J^';'';:i-*-;;; 7;j,-24 ^•986.sfi4 7.-.15.000

' , , ' , "*"4 134. 478.1172 20.92 2,813.291 7.405.000

lali'in, the department undertakes the col- iS95 ]35,xs4.28ii 2i.fio 2.935.100 7.505.000

, 1 • , • 1 . '896 109.316.247 23.25 2,540.667 7,840.00(1

lection of Garbage, which is conveyed to a 1897 109.654.337 25.00 2.741.35X 8.215000

., / 1 ■ ^1 tl t- -.( 1898 107.227.385 23.00 2.466.229 8.315.000

crematory situated m the northern part ot 1899 106.729.205 26.15 2 609 447 s 415 000

lh,. r^,t^■ \^hf.rp It U hnrniMl nt the Kimc l""" 99.492.054 27.40 2.774.669 s;375!ooO

llu i.it_\. Where it is iiiiriKd, at tnc same ,1,^1 102,212,506 29. S6 2.981,464 8250000

time tiroducinp- a iiower which furnishes ''"'^ 121,279,537 25.33 3.070,sos s.269'000

lUlK ])roUUClUg a pouci uuru iuiihmii.^ j^,,., 128.596.734 28.46 3.660.615 8 .869 000

electric light for the plant and the adjoin- i«o4 135,708.902 28.56 3.775,111 9.434.000

,r ^., , , • ,T- '"•'5 138,690.490 29.75 4.057.921 9.3X4.000

msr workhouse. Ihe death rate in Alinne- 1906 164.419.145 26.50 5.016.125 9.534.000

^,. . o r ■ ..1 »l 1 T-> '""" 168.038,386 30.17 5. 843. 316 10,394.000

apolis in 11)07 was 8. so m the thousand. l)r. f, i »• ^i , • i ■ , ■ r ,

, ,, ,, ,, .' , '' , , ,,, ai Deducting the amount in the sinking fund

1'. .M. Mall IS the i)reseiit health officer. , ., i , , , i, . .1 , T

' troni the lionded debt at the close ot kjo",

FiNANCiAi^ MATTERS. tile net debt is found to be about $7,750,000.

The finances of Minneapolis have been so ''"'1*-' percentage of the net debt to total as-
managed that the city has always had ex- "^•^■'^"' valuation is rapidly decreasing,
cedent credit. I'niliibitcd I'rcini incurring the park system.
floating indebtedness and with many re- I'Vom its earliest days Minneapolis had
Ntrictions upon the increase of Ijonded in- citizens who believed in "the city beaiiti-
cK-btedness, the city council has been obliged ful." They \iiice<l ideas which cnltivat-
tn maintain a reasonably conservative atti- ed a spirit wbicli liiially le<l td the estab-
tiide in the matter of e.xiienditures. With lisliment of a park system. L'ol. .Stevens
rare exceptions the financial officers of the himself was a lover of natural beauty
cit\- ha\e been ot the highest integrity, the and deplored the destruction of the groves
jnss 1,, the city from defalcation has been a on the site of Minneapolis when the claims
very small jiercentage of the moneys were first occupied. In 1858 Richard Chute
handled. A sinking fund provides for the bought 2,000 young trees which he had set
p;iynu-nt of all city bonds as they become out on the streets of St. .\ntliony. Two
(hie. In recent years the methods of ac- years before this Edward Murphy had i)re-
cuuntiiig have been i)Ut upim a modern i)asis scnted to the yet unorganized .Minneapolis
and the city's books .show the condition of its first park — Murphy Stpiare. In i8()0 the
its affairs and its resources and liabilities Rev. Dr. Horace iUishnell of Connecticut,
as accurately as those of any other corpora- then visiting in Minneapolis, advocated the
tion. The assets of tlie city corporation l)urchase of Nicollet Island as a permanent
now approximate $35.ooo,ofJO. The as- city park. In 18^)3 a vote was taken on tiic
sessed valuation of the taxable private ]iiirchase, but the measure was defeated by
I)roperty has reached $i()8,038,38() .and the ;i ^mall margin. The island had been otTer-
lionde.l dt-l.t is about $io,0(X),o<.io. Ainiu.il ed to the city for $28,000. Leaders in this
city expenditures are now a])proxiniately project were Dorilus Morrison, Franklin
$6,500,000. Steele, Paris Gibson, W. W. McNair, V.. M.

Tlie subjoined table shows the assessed Wilson, W. W. Eastman, C. M. Loring, W.



PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND OFFICIALS



485



S. Judd and George A. lirackett. How-
ever, the \illage people did decide to i)ur-
cliase the triangular piece of ground, now
the site of the old city hall. The price was
.S2.500 and of this the owner. Mr. Eastman,
donated $500. while $1,000 was raised bv
subscription and $1,000 by taxation. In
18^17 the city was incorporated and active
efforts were made to secure action in the
new city council looking to the acquisition
of public parks. Several valuable tracts
were offered at low cost, but nearly all
these plans were defeated. .\lderman
George A. Brackett was chairman of the
council committee on public grounds and
buildings and he worked energetically to
iilitain action. The most notable oft'er.
which was defeated in 1869, was of forty
acres lying between Nicollet and Third
axenues, south of Franklin, which would
liave cost the city but $16,000. This prop-
erty is now ])robably worth more than a
million d(jllars.

THK PARK (■o>rMissiox.

The park s\-stem of Minneapolis had its
real lieginning in 1883. when the park cnni-
mission was created by legislative act. The
.Minneapolis lioard of Trade had been agi-
tating the subject for several years and H.
W. S. Cleveland, the landscape architect,
had spent some time in the city and his
talks on civic beautifying had had much in-
fluence. In addition the most influential
men of the city were now arrayed in favor
of the park idea. So when the act was sub-
mitted to the vote of the people it was rati-
fied by a majority of 1.313. The park cum-
mission was given authority to acquire land
Iiy purchase and condemnation, to assess
benefited property for purchase cost, and to
levy a tax and issue securities. The com-
missioners named in the act were Charles
M. I.oring, Dorilus Morrison, John S. Pills-
bury, Henry T. Welles, C). C. Merriman.
John C. C^swald. \\Mn. W. Eastman, George.
A. Brackett. Judson .\. Cross, Daniel Bas-
sett, A. C. Austin, and A. C. Haugan.
.Messrs. Welles and Merriman declined to
serve and E. M. Wilson and Samuel H.
Chute were selected in their places. Later
in the vear 1!. V. .\elson succeeded .\. C.



Haugan. ('. M. l.nring was elected presi-
dent and l\. J. I'.aldwin. secretary.

To this first Ixiard belongs great credit
for laying the foundation of the Minnea])olis
])ark system. Innnediately upim its organ-
ization the city council turnecl o\er the
.Mur])li\- I'ark. I'ranklin .Steele .S(|uare (a
gift of the daughters of I'ranklin .Steele),
Hawthorne Park I now Wilson Park), and
Market Scpiare. on the east side. Within a
few weeks Mr. t'lcseland outlined to the
board a ])lan for a p;irk system which is
substantially that followed during the past
twenty-five years. Dr. Jacob S. Elliott soon
deeded Elliott Park to the commission. In
the meantime the actpiisition of park lands
by purchase was commenced. Central Park
was the first to be accpiired. Commissioner
(ieorge A. Brackett was chairman of the
committee and things moved so rapidly
that within about si.xty days the board re-
ceived the deeds for the original ])ortion of
the ])ark. nuring the following winter and
spring Mr. Brackett personally took charge
of the excavation of the lake so that within
the first year the park was practically com-
pleted as far as grading and excavation
were concerned, and planting was begun.
That was the way in which things were
done in those days. Parks, then known as
the h'irst ward and Third ward parks, were
also acquired during the first year and gen-
eral plans were laid for tlie campaign to
follow.

It is. of course, impossible to follow in de-
tail the acquisition of all the ])arks in the
Minneapolis system. Within four years
tiie princi])al lake parks and surrounding
parkways had been secured and outlines of
the system were beginning to take shape.
Minnehaha Park was secured in 1881), after
overcoming almost insurmountable difficul-
ties, and Ivenwood Parkway, Minnehaha
Parkway, the Ea.st River bank parkway.
Dean Boulevard, and Eyndale Park follow-
ed in (|uick succession. During the panic
vears of iSij^-.^ there was little gain in park
area, but in the next ten years important
advances were made, one of the most not-
able being the West River Uank parkway,
one ni the nmst valuable acquisitions ever
made b\- the citv.



4S6



A HALF CENTURY OF MINNEAPOLIS




CIFTS TO THE V.\RK SVSTI:M.

.M iniieapDlis citizens liave
liccn most generous anl
])iiblic spirited in their shifts
t(i tlie iiark system of tlie
eil\. '11k- presentatic m nf
^hirpliv Square, Franklin
Steele Square, and Flliott
I 'ark have already been
mentioned. Stinson boule-
vard on the east side was
<;iven in 1886 by James Stin-
son ; a considerable ])art of
Lake of the Isles p:irk \va<
the gift of a group of own-
ers; Col. W'm. S. King gave
L\ndale Fark. much of the
Lake Harriet frontage and
most of King's Highway ; a
large part of the Minnehaha
Parkway land Avas given;
the heirs of Joseph Dean
gave the Dean Boulevard,
and Thomas Lowry gave a
large part of the Parade, be-
sides funds for im|)ro\e-
ments in which he was
joined b\- William 11. 1 )un-
\vood\-, Charles J. Martin
and others. There have
also been many other gifts
"i ])roperty. (If buildings
of improvements there ha\'e
nut jieen - o n-any gifts. The
mo>t noi.ible is that of the
pavilion in l.oring I 'ark,
presented to the city by C.
^1. Loring.

( )f all the gifts, however,
ll'.osc of personal serxice
ha\e been the mM>t im])ort-
• int. Many men have givi'u
liiiK- and ex]X'rt abilities in
]>,Lr]< work absolutely wiih-
iiul compensation and to
some extent without recog-
nition. It i - not generally
known at this ila\- how mucli
was dime for the ]);irk sys-
tem 1)\' Dorilns .Morrison,
who was an active business
man and intluential in the
handling of large projects,



PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND OFFICIALS 487

uluMi the park Ijoarcl was created, deorgc The vahie of lands and improvements
\. r.rackett's work was invahiahle: tliat based nn ciri^inal ost is over $4,000,000.
m conneetiiin wiili tlie acipiisitii m nf Alin- Acipiisitii jus miw in process of complc-
nchaha I'ark alone sh(jnld entitle him to linn. 1 >r contem|)late(l, will add several more
Imnor. L'nl. William S. King- gave nut only large lakes and linndreds of acres of beauti-
land in most generous measure, but time fnl park lands. The system includes a .gen-
anil influence, although not a mendier of oral plan of medinm sized neighborhood
the ])ark board. It has fallen tn the lot parks scattered throughout the cit\-, a large
of Dr. W. W. P'olwell to gi\'e the longest central ])ark ( Loring Park), and leading
service on the jiark board — eighteen year.s — from this center a svstem of ])arkways and
during se\en of which he was president. ]iovde\ards skirting the lakes. .Minnehaha
A man of conspicuous abilit}' and the most creek and the pii-lures([ue gorge of the Mis-
cultivated tastes, he has been a strong ami sissi|)])i ri\er and connecting several large
refining influence. Charles M. Loring, for outKing parks. It is the ])uri)ose to com-
manv \ears the recognized apostle of civic ]dete this svstt'ui so as to snrroiuul the city
beauty in Minneapolis, has gixen more than with |)ark\\ays linking ch;irming parks. Xo
genemush- nf time and expert work to the other city has in its park system three of
park sxstem. He was ]n-esident nf the .Xature's choicest .gifts — lakes, waterfalls
board frciin iSSj^ tn iSi)4. The uni\ersal and a pictures(pie rix'er gorge,
recognition of his life-long devotion to the ^^^^ rucr ic r idk \RV

Minneaiiolis iiarks has been gi\en i)erma- ,.,, . ,. ... ...

' , . -J ■ Ti 1 I he Mumeaijohs public hbr.n'v grew out

nence through the naming ot Loring I ark , , \\, ','11

, . , '^ -^ - ot the old Athen:eum, a private librarv

111 his honor. - 1 , ■ or -t-i r . •■ 1 i • ',

founded in i8rKD. 1 lie fir>t meeting Inokmg

Long service has been characteristic of j^, j,^^. t^.stablishment of a librarv was held
the park work. J. A. Ridgway has been ,,„ ^|.j^. ,,, iv<-,j .^,„[ ,^^.,, ,i.,^.'^ i-^te,- the
secretary of the board for many years; y,,,,,,^' .\K-n-,s " Librarv .\ssociation was
W. ^L r.erry was superintendent for two f,„.„H:,| ,vith David Lharlton as iiresidciU
decades and Frank H. Nutter engineer .^,^^, jh^.^as Hale Williams librarian. The
for a like period. Mr. Kerry's work for the ,,^,^,^, ^^..^^ ^,.,^,^ changed to the Alinneapolis
park .system was notable. With pro- Athenaeum and in August. uSS9. the first
nounccd executive ability he ban. lied all the |,„r^.i,asc of books— sixtv-eight volumes,
original jjark improvements and built many costing $106.38— was made. In i8(,o the
miles of excellent drives at an asf .mshmgly Athenxum was incorporated with |udge E.
low cost. Theodore W irth, the present ^^_ ^_^^^^^^ ,„-,si,lent and .Mr. Williams; sec-
superintendent. IS a man ot l.tehmg experi- ^.^_^_-^.^. .^^^^, ,i,,,.,,ian. and at the clo.se of the
ence ,n park management. ^ year'tlie institution owned 4.SC) hooks, fn

The officers and commissioners in lyoH ^^..^ vears the library had increased to 2.2(n)

are as follows: Jesse K. Northrup. presi- volume- and the stockholders nuiiil)ered

dent; Wilbur V. Decker, vice-president: J. 200. .\1 this time— 1870— Dr. Kirby .'-^i)en-

.\. Ridgway, secretary: Chelsea J. Rock- (.^1- ,|i^.|i leaving the .Athen;euin. the larger

wood, attorney: Theodore Wirth. superin- p.j,.j ,,f i,;^ propertv. .Mthough not a large

tendent: V. D. T'.outell, Daniel ^^'. Jones. bcipu-st at the time, the property has .so in-

I-Ved L. ."-^mith, J. W. -\llaii, Chas. ( ). John- creased in value-as to make a very imi)ort-

son, L. J. Phelps, William McMillan, Alii- ^nt endowment. The institution had in the

ton ( ). Nelson, Charles .\. .Vimocks. Carl I'. tueantime i)ut up a building and was well

L. Peterson; ex-officiu meml)ers. J. (. established, though it remained a private li-

Haynes, mayor; John 11. X'anXest and hrar\-. The need of a public library was .so

riatt ]!. Walker, ch;iirmen council cnmniit- manifest that in 1877 T. 1'.. Walker secured

tees. a revision of the plans of the .\then,Tum,

'J'he park svstem now com].)rises nearly materially reducing the cost of using the li-

-',000 acres I including two large lakes), and brary and making the reading rooms free

0\-er thirtv miles t>i drives in parkways. to the inildic.



488



A HALF CENTURY OF MINNEAPOLIS



Tlie t^rowth of t]ic city, liowever, caused sity, ex-officin. Mr. Walker was elected

a demand for soinetliini;" larsj^-er and more president and Mr. Jnhiiscin secretary. An

absolute]}' free In llu- |)nlilie. ,muI after sunie anani^i'inenl was tlien c in>innniated willi

fliscussiim tlie .\llu"n.eiini directors joini'd the .Xtheii.eum 1)\ whieli it \\a> t(] transfer

with iillier citizens in pre minting; tlie ])nl)lie all its hdnk.s ti) the pnhlie lilirar\ fur llie

library, and in 1885 an act was [lassed ere- fri-e use of the public, the librar\ tn care

atin^ the library board and anthorizin;..; the for the boi;ks and to ji;i\ all e.\pensc>. while

erection of a bnildinj;. It was pro\ ided the funds of the .\thena-uui should \)v de-

that of the .'^150.000 coiileiuplated as an \(Jted soleh to the ]]urchase of bo(]ks. 'ihis



^^<<^^



Tlir |i|[ll, ~J-I



■| in: \M^sissn'ri 1:1 \ ku c;iii:i:i:

lu.l, s liiilli IimmI - i.r (lie Mi^-i-sl|i|il



c.xpendUure, $5().()0() should he raised by was a most fortunate arran^enu'nt tor the

])ld)lic subscri])tion. This was ilone, the new public library. It .i;a\e it a lar,L;e ini-

-Xtheuiemu heading; the list with .$8,oo(j and lial collecliou of book'^ and assured a con-

'J". r>. Walker. (". ,\. I'illsbin\ ^: (.'0., Thoui- slant jiurchase of reference works ,ind other

as Lowr\ , W. 1). W .ishburn, dintoii Moi- publications whieli iiiiL;ht not lia\e bei'U

rison, (.'. <;. (loodrich, W. S. Kini.;, and J. possible with only the ordinary ]iublic funds

Dean subscribing; $5.01:0 eai-h. while mriu\ at coimnanil. It has enabled the bbr.ariaus

other ])ul)lic S])irited ]>ro]ilc ])io\ided the to bni'd n]i both the reference ;uiil the more

remainder. The first bo.ard under the \:\\\ ])o|]nlar de]iarlmeuls with \ery unusual in-

was composi-d of 'riiomas l.owry. .M. 11. depeiuh'uce.

Koon, |ohii I'l. .\twater. Sven ( )ftedal, T. The libr.ary buildiuL; when completed and

B. ^\■alker .-ind !•:. .\1. Johnson, together with furnisheil in |S,S() cost with the site more

the mayor, the |iresideul of the bo;iiil of than .S,^,^< 1.000. ami il h;is since been cn-

education, atid the president of the nuiver- larged. It is a very handsome building-,



PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND OFFICIALS



489



well lighted, and full}' eijuipped for all the
departments of lihrar_\' work, llesidcs the
public library and .VtheUcTinn cnllection.s the
building' houses the Academy of Natural
Sciences with its extensive museum, the
IMinneapolis School of Fine Arts and a
large art collectiiin. When opened in 1889
the library contained 30,000 volumes. It
now has over 165,000. There are more
than 50,000 borrowers and an average of
2,000 books are issued daily. Si.x branches
and ten delivery stations serve outlying dis-
tricts.

The tirst librarian was Herbert i'utnam,
now librarian of congress, to whom the in-
stitution is much indebted for careful foun-
dation work and (irganizatitjn. After his
resignation in 180-'. 1 'r. James 1\. Hosmer
was appointed an<l lirciught to the post
scholarly attainments of a high order. In
i()04 he resigned to devote himself exclu-
sively to literar}' work, and Miss Ciratia
Countryman, wlm had been a nidst capal)le
assistant, was appointed tn the p(Jsition,
which she still tills. Mr. Walker has re-
mained for more tlian twenty }'ears a mem-
ber of the library board ami its president ;
and many men of ability have served on the
board. The present library board is com-
posed of T. B. \Valker, president ; Lettic
-M. Crafts, secretary; S. C. Cale, Jacob
Stone, Frank H. Carlton ; ex-officio. James
C. Haynes, ma_\'nr ; C. J. liintliff, ])resident
(if the board of education; Cyrus Northrop,
president University of Minnesota.

IIENNEPIXT COUNTY.

The ofificial life of Hennciiin county has
always been very closely connected with
that of the city, as in much of the county
business, of course, the cit}^ has the largest
interest. 'Hennepin county was organized
in 1852, wdien it was set off from Dakota
county by the territ(.)rial legislature. The
first election, which was held in Col. Ste-
vens' house, was the only unanimous elec-
tion ever held in the count\'. Among the
candidates were these familiar names: Reg-
i.s.ter of deeds, John M. Stevens; judge of
probate, Joel T.. Bassett ; surveyor. Charles
W. Christmas; assessors, b'.li I'ettijolm. V.<\-
win Hedderlv and Wm, Ch.'induTs. Minne-



apolis h;is always been the county seat and
as the years have passed the rapid tlcvelo|i-
ment of the city has made its history sub-
stantially thai of llennepin county. In the
half century many |)rominent citizens of
Minnea]K)lis have served the county in one
way or another. The names of those in the
legal profession will be found in the chaj)-
ter on Courts and Lawyers.

In the early days tlie duties of the regis-
ter and county auditor were performed by
the former officer and Col. Stevens, (ieo. E.
lluey, Chas. (i. .\mes, and other of the pio-
neers filled the office with satisfaction. IIo-
bart O. Hamlin ;ind II;irlo\\ .\. Gale were
among the earlier auditors, h'or county
treasurer the people elected such men as
.Mien Harmon, David Morgan, Joseph Dean.
( ). B. King, Jesse G. Jones, and W. W.
Huntington. iM'anklin ( ook .'ind ( i. W.
Cook-y were well known names on the list
ol sur\'eyors. The leading county officers
since T()0O li,'i\ e hei'u : Auditors. C. J-
.Minor, Hugh R. Scott; registers of deeds,
l)a\i(l (t. Gorham, George C. Merrill, .\. W.
Skog; sheriiYs, Philii) T. Aregaarden. J. W.
Dreger; treasurers. A. \\ . Hastings. I). C.
r.ell, Chas. \\'. Johnson, Hein'y C. llanke;
surveyors, Geo. W. C(_)oley, Wm. ]•".. Stoopes,
h'rank \V . Haycock.

rOSTOFFICE.