From the Pine County Pioneer, January 11, 1889:
Arrangements have been recently completed for a driving tournament which will take place in this village [Pine City] on Wednesday afternoon of next week on the ice on Cross Lake. A mile track has been marked out and is now in first-class shape. The purse has been divided into three parts vis: $40.00, $20.00 and $10.00. At present there is a prospect of at least five horses being here. Wm. Staples of Sandstone, Jas. Morrison and H.J. Carley of Hinckley, T.P. McKusick of this village and H.J. Brinkman of Rush City are each expected to enter horses. That the races will prove very interesting, there is but little question. There will in all probability be a large number of spectators present, and a good time is assured to those who attend. In the evening there will be a grand ball at the Pine City Roller Rink. Music for the occasion will be furnished by the Pine City Orchestra. Tickets to dance, including supper at the Lake View House, will be sold at $1.20. All are invited to attend both the races and dance in the evening.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Sandstone at One Year Old – Part 2
From the Pine County Pioneer, July 20, 1888:
The Eastern Minnesota
Railroad has finished its grade and it is expected that the iron will be laid to this place in a few days. We took a look at the new bridge they are just completing over Kettle River at this place, and which is a fine specimen of engineering skill. The track crosses the river 132 feet above the river and gives a fine view of the classical scenery up and down the river as well as of the quarry with its hundreds of workmen. The quarry is now running at full blast, and the mill of Ring & Tobin is kept in operation day and night, and is turning out finished stone at a very rapid rate. The new diamond saw gives excellent satisfaction, and is a marvel of mechanism, which must be seen to be appreciated. The St. Paul & Duluth road have laid new iron on the branch and have put on a new engine of light weight, but which is much better than old No. 1. They still run the “Pullman Car” in lieu of a caboose and the people of the town are kicking terribly. The travel over the line has been sufficiently good to warrant the company in putting on half way decent accommodations.
There has been a number of fine new residences built but time and space will not permit of a description of them. The village is prospering finely and is destined in the near future to make a city. There are promises of new quarries being opened up, and other new industries springing up. In fact Mr. Eric Troline [Troolin] has moved his saw mill from Kanabec County to this place and will be a valuable addition to our industries. The people of Pine County feel jubilant over the prospects of our new city and are pleased to note its rapid advancement. To those who have never seen the village, we would say, go up and look it over, it will pay you well.
The Eastern Minnesota
Railroad has finished its grade and it is expected that the iron will be laid to this place in a few days. We took a look at the new bridge they are just completing over Kettle River at this place, and which is a fine specimen of engineering skill. The track crosses the river 132 feet above the river and gives a fine view of the classical scenery up and down the river as well as of the quarry with its hundreds of workmen. The quarry is now running at full blast, and the mill of Ring & Tobin is kept in operation day and night, and is turning out finished stone at a very rapid rate. The new diamond saw gives excellent satisfaction, and is a marvel of mechanism, which must be seen to be appreciated. The St. Paul & Duluth road have laid new iron on the branch and have put on a new engine of light weight, but which is much better than old No. 1. They still run the “Pullman Car” in lieu of a caboose and the people of the town are kicking terribly. The travel over the line has been sufficiently good to warrant the company in putting on half way decent accommodations.
There has been a number of fine new residences built but time and space will not permit of a description of them. The village is prospering finely and is destined in the near future to make a city. There are promises of new quarries being opened up, and other new industries springing up. In fact Mr. Eric Troline [Troolin] has moved his saw mill from Kanabec County to this place and will be a valuable addition to our industries. The people of Pine County feel jubilant over the prospects of our new city and are pleased to note its rapid advancement. To those who have never seen the village, we would say, go up and look it over, it will pay you well.
The Kettle River Bridge in Sandstone prior to the 1894 fire
Monday, December 19, 2011
Sandstone at One Year Old – Part 1
From the Pine County Pioneer, July 20, 1888:
Sights Seen At Pine County's One-Year-Old City
On Tuesday of this week we paid the village of Sandstone a visit, and were surprised at the remarkable growth of the place since our last visit a few months since. The increase of business at the quarry as well as the business derived from the men who have been at work on the railroad during the past few months, has had a good effect on the prosperity of the town, and the indications for the future are continuously growing brighter and brighter. The sale of the quarry to the Eastern parties, who are now generally understood to be the stock holders of the Manitoba Railroad, will be of vast importance to the town. They will do their utmost to develop the quarry, as they will derive large benefits therefrom, in the way of transporting stone to the cities. A generally good feeling seems to prevail among all who are interested in the growth of the town and no better way of showing this can be found than by the increase of
Business Houses
The old pioneer merchants of Sandstone, J.P. Knowles & Co., have built an addition to their store and increased their stock. The interior of the store has been changed materially. New shelving has been put in all around, new counters have been built, and the whole has been painted so that it presents a very inviting appearance. The Post Office occupies a corner of this store and is presided over by W.H. Grant, Jr., P.M., and C.W. Finn and L.H. Bissonnette, the latter named gentlemen are also book-keeper and clerk for Knowles & Co. Up on the hill where the village is being built, Glasow Bros. have completed their new large store and have put in a large and well selected stock of general merchandise, which Albert Glasow, assisted by one clerk, deals out to the public. The railroad office for this station occupies the rear end of the store, and L.P. Carter, formerly agent at the Junction, is big mogul in the railroad and telegraphic department for the town. Finn Bros., who recently moved here from Duluth, have finished a very neat and commodious store and have it well stocked with general merchandise, and have settled down as one of our leading business firms. The appetite for wet goods is satiated by two firms. Staples & Smith succeed R.A. Smith, and have moved their bar from the hotel building into a large building recently built for that purpose and which is finely fitted up. They have fixed up as fine a place as one usually finds, while Kronenburg & Brandes continue at the old stand, and appear to be doing good business. They have also made numerous improvements and additions since our last visit. Jas. H. Houston has his new barber shop completed and running at full blast. while his meat market next door furnishes that very important article of diet. The Sandstone Hotel, R.A. Smith proprietor, has been so well patronized all summer that additional room has been found necessary, and is now being made by raising the roof of the annex and putting in new sleeping apartments. A Mr. McKenzie, recently from Stillwater, has commenced the erection of a new hotel just west of the Glasow Bros. store, which, while it will not be a very large building, will prove a valuable adjunct to our hotel accommodations. Burt Richardson now has a new store in course of construction, which he proposes to fill with general merchandise.
Sights Seen At Pine County's One-Year-Old City
On Tuesday of this week we paid the village of Sandstone a visit, and were surprised at the remarkable growth of the place since our last visit a few months since. The increase of business at the quarry as well as the business derived from the men who have been at work on the railroad during the past few months, has had a good effect on the prosperity of the town, and the indications for the future are continuously growing brighter and brighter. The sale of the quarry to the Eastern parties, who are now generally understood to be the stock holders of the Manitoba Railroad, will be of vast importance to the town. They will do their utmost to develop the quarry, as they will derive large benefits therefrom, in the way of transporting stone to the cities. A generally good feeling seems to prevail among all who are interested in the growth of the town and no better way of showing this can be found than by the increase of
Business Houses
The old pioneer merchants of Sandstone, J.P. Knowles & Co., have built an addition to their store and increased their stock. The interior of the store has been changed materially. New shelving has been put in all around, new counters have been built, and the whole has been painted so that it presents a very inviting appearance. The Post Office occupies a corner of this store and is presided over by W.H. Grant, Jr., P.M., and C.W. Finn and L.H. Bissonnette, the latter named gentlemen are also book-keeper and clerk for Knowles & Co. Up on the hill where the village is being built, Glasow Bros. have completed their new large store and have put in a large and well selected stock of general merchandise, which Albert Glasow, assisted by one clerk, deals out to the public. The railroad office for this station occupies the rear end of the store, and L.P. Carter, formerly agent at the Junction, is big mogul in the railroad and telegraphic department for the town. Finn Bros., who recently moved here from Duluth, have finished a very neat and commodious store and have it well stocked with general merchandise, and have settled down as one of our leading business firms. The appetite for wet goods is satiated by two firms. Staples & Smith succeed R.A. Smith, and have moved their bar from the hotel building into a large building recently built for that purpose and which is finely fitted up. They have fixed up as fine a place as one usually finds, while Kronenburg & Brandes continue at the old stand, and appear to be doing good business. They have also made numerous improvements and additions since our last visit. Jas. H. Houston has his new barber shop completed and running at full blast. while his meat market next door furnishes that very important article of diet. The Sandstone Hotel, R.A. Smith proprietor, has been so well patronized all summer that additional room has been found necessary, and is now being made by raising the roof of the annex and putting in new sleeping apartments. A Mr. McKenzie, recently from Stillwater, has commenced the erection of a new hotel just west of the Glasow Bros. store, which, while it will not be a very large building, will prove a valuable adjunct to our hotel accommodations. Burt Richardson now has a new store in course of construction, which he proposes to fill with general merchandise.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Pine City Ordinance No. 22
From the Pine County Pioneer, August 17, 1888:
AN ORDINANCE Regulating the speed of railroad trains inside the corporate limits of the village of Pine City, Minnesota.
The Common Council of the village of Pine City do ordain:
SECTION I. That the running of railroad trains inside the corporate limits of said village at a rate of speed exceeding six (6) miles per hour is hereby prohibited.
SECTION II. Any conductor, engineer, or any other employee of any railroad company who shall run or cause to be run any railroad train, locomotive, car or cars, inside the corporate limits of the said village at a rate of speed exceeding six (6) miles per hour, shall be guilt of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten (10) dollars nor more than twenty-five (25) dollars or by imprisonment in the village lock-up not less than ten (10) days nor more than twenty-five (25) days for each conviction or by both fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.
SECTION III. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
Passed this 16th day of August, 1888.
R. Lueck, President
AN ORDINANCE Regulating the speed of railroad trains inside the corporate limits of the village of Pine City, Minnesota.
The Common Council of the village of Pine City do ordain:
SECTION I. That the running of railroad trains inside the corporate limits of said village at a rate of speed exceeding six (6) miles per hour is hereby prohibited.
SECTION II. Any conductor, engineer, or any other employee of any railroad company who shall run or cause to be run any railroad train, locomotive, car or cars, inside the corporate limits of the said village at a rate of speed exceeding six (6) miles per hour, shall be guilt of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten (10) dollars nor more than twenty-five (25) dollars or by imprisonment in the village lock-up not less than ten (10) days nor more than twenty-five (25) days for each conviction or by both fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.
SECTION III. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
Passed this 16th day of August, 1888.
R. Lueck, President
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Pine County History Quiz #1 - Answers
1. Hjalmar Peterson, founder of the Askov American newspaper, was serving as Lieutenant Governor when Governor Floyd B. Olson died in 1936. Mr. Peterson took over the office and served as Minnesota governor from August 24, 1936, to January 4, 1937.
2. St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Beroun features twelve art glass windows that depict the Stations of the Cross. The first St. Joseph's was built in 1896. The current brick church, which is the third St. Joseph's building, was constructed in 1926-1927.
3. The Belle of Hickley was a cigar sold at Andrew Stumvoll's cigar store in Hinckley prior to the 1894 fire.
4. Dr. Joyce Shiels was a dentist who practiced in Sandstone from 1915 to 1919. She charged 25 cents to pull a child's tooth but gave the money to the child if he or she had been good during the procedure.
5. Early settlers in Friesland and Groningen were Dutch. The Theodore Koch Land Co. made a special effort to attract Dutch immigrants to the area by telling potential settlers that the soil in Pine County was similar to that of Holland. The company neglected to mention that the soil was full of rocks!
6. Partridge, which was settled in the late 1880s, was renamed Askov in 1909 by Danish immigrants who settled in and around the village.
7. The Arrowhead Line was an electric railroad that was scheduled to be built from the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports beginning in 1907. It was promoted by the Western Land and Improvement Company and would have run about two miles east of Duxbury. The company platted villages, sold land to prospective settlers, and even began construction activities. By 1912, however, the project had run out of steam. The Arrowhead Line was never built.
8. Hinckley was first called Central Station. A saw mill was built on the town site in 1869. The railroad came through in 1870, and settlers soon followed.
9. Pine County was organized by an act of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1856, two years before Minnesota became a state.
10. Turpville was the original name for Cloverdale. In 1903, the Capilovich brothers from Russia started manufacturing turpentine from stumps left behind by loggers. The business only lasted about a year before it ran out of stumps.
2. St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Beroun features twelve art glass windows that depict the Stations of the Cross. The first St. Joseph's was built in 1896. The current brick church, which is the third St. Joseph's building, was constructed in 1926-1927.
3. The Belle of Hickley was a cigar sold at Andrew Stumvoll's cigar store in Hinckley prior to the 1894 fire.
4. Dr. Joyce Shiels was a dentist who practiced in Sandstone from 1915 to 1919. She charged 25 cents to pull a child's tooth but gave the money to the child if he or she had been good during the procedure.
5. Early settlers in Friesland and Groningen were Dutch. The Theodore Koch Land Co. made a special effort to attract Dutch immigrants to the area by telling potential settlers that the soil in Pine County was similar to that of Holland. The company neglected to mention that the soil was full of rocks!
6. Partridge, which was settled in the late 1880s, was renamed Askov in 1909 by Danish immigrants who settled in and around the village.
7. The Arrowhead Line was an electric railroad that was scheduled to be built from the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports beginning in 1907. It was promoted by the Western Land and Improvement Company and would have run about two miles east of Duxbury. The company platted villages, sold land to prospective settlers, and even began construction activities. By 1912, however, the project had run out of steam. The Arrowhead Line was never built.
8. Hinckley was first called Central Station. A saw mill was built on the town site in 1869. The railroad came through in 1870, and settlers soon followed.
9. Pine County was organized by an act of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1856, two years before Minnesota became a state.
10. Turpville was the original name for Cloverdale. In 1903, the Capilovich brothers from Russia started manufacturing turpentine from stumps left behind by loggers. The business only lasted about a year before it ran out of stumps.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Pine County History Quiz #1
See if you can answer these ten questions about Pine County History. I'll post the answers in a day or two.
1. Which Pine County resident served as governor of Minnesota in the 1930s?
2. Which Pine County church features stained glass windows that were imported from Austria in 1927?
3. What was the “Belle of Hinckley”?
4. Who was Joyce Shiels?
5. Immigrants of which nationality settled in Friesland and Groningen?
6. Which Pine County town was originally named Partridge?
7. What was the Arrowhead Line?
8. What was the original name of Hinckley?
9. In what year was Pine County officially organized?
10. What was Turpville?
1. Which Pine County resident served as governor of Minnesota in the 1930s?
2. Which Pine County church features stained glass windows that were imported from Austria in 1927?
3. What was the “Belle of Hinckley”?
4. Who was Joyce Shiels?
5. Immigrants of which nationality settled in Friesland and Groningen?
6. Which Pine County town was originally named Partridge?
7. What was the Arrowhead Line?
8. What was the original name of Hinckley?
9. In what year was Pine County officially organized?
10. What was Turpville?
Friday, December 2, 2011
Historical Days Away Back in the Sixties
From Hinckley's Pine Wood Dart, August 27, 1891:
The early history of Pine county is made up of incidents almost equal to a yellow-leafed novel, and W.H. Grant, Sr., an old pioneer, can furnish these facts with ease. The gentleman was in town last Friday and paid us an interesting visit. Mr. Grant located at St. Paul in 1859, and ten years later in company with his brother, David C. Grant, came to the present location of Hinckley, then a dense forest, the chief denizens of which were wild beasts ... and erected the first saw mill, the site being near where the S.P. & D. roundhouse now stands. The machinery was landed at Pine City by train from where it was boated over Cross Lake, thence hither by team. Our present Jim Morrison was on the ground cutting railroad ties, and he has reaped the reward of the diligent. A milling firm was formed under the name of Grant, McKane & Co., from which Mr. Grant retired in 1874, but has never given up interests in this part of the county although retaining a residence in St. Paul. His company dammed the Grindstone and built a new mill on the site where stands the Brennan Lumber Co.'s mill. The old mill burned down, we believe, in 1875, one year after Mr. Grant's retirement.
The St. Paul and Duluth railroad was commenced some time in the 60's. In 1867 it had reached White Bear Lake, one year later Wyoming, and by July same year (1868) was completed to Rush City, and the night before Christmas 1869, the first iron horse steamed into Hinckley, then a timbered wilderness, awakening new thought and energy. Work was prosecuted along the line that winter and Kettle River reached by March, but the balmy winds of spring caused new work to be done to perfect the condition of the track. In 1870 the road was finished to Duluth, the present terminus. It is now one of the busiest railroad companies in the state.
Mr. Grant was notary public and empowered to do business anywhere in Minnesota, and had the honor of administering the oath of “allegiance” to the judges of the first election ever held in this precinct. His brother David wore the title of P.M. the first. Mr. Grant was instrumental in the building of the Sandstone stub railway which connects that village with the S.P. & D. road a few miles north of Hinckley, and is associated with his son W.H. Grant, Jr., in the banking business at this place and Sandstone, but gives much attention to other sources of wealth. He is a pleasant gentleman and a shrewd business man as his present financial standing demonstrates. …
The first newspaper was established at Pine City – county seat – in 1872 by H.P. Rubie who, in 1873, published a tax-list covering a period of seventeen years and for which the county was charged the snug sum of $3,800, and which created much dissatisfaction, so much in fact that the publisher was forced to shut up shop. The county was organized by an act of 1856 but which was somewhat remodeled by the legislature the following year – 1857. Then it was sparsely settled. The present population is placed at 6000. Then it was principally lumbering and railroad building. Now the chief pursuits of its people are farming, stock growing, lumbering, quarrying, and general business. To lose one's self in wandering over the county in imagination twenty-two years ago, and then come back to the present, what wild, weird and dangerous scenes greet the fancy. What a contrast! But there was plenty of money then, as now, and that was what was wanted.
The early history of Pine county is made up of incidents almost equal to a yellow-leafed novel, and W.H. Grant, Sr., an old pioneer, can furnish these facts with ease. The gentleman was in town last Friday and paid us an interesting visit. Mr. Grant located at St. Paul in 1859, and ten years later in company with his brother, David C. Grant, came to the present location of Hinckley, then a dense forest, the chief denizens of which were wild beasts ... and erected the first saw mill, the site being near where the S.P. & D. roundhouse now stands. The machinery was landed at Pine City by train from where it was boated over Cross Lake, thence hither by team. Our present Jim Morrison was on the ground cutting railroad ties, and he has reaped the reward of the diligent. A milling firm was formed under the name of Grant, McKane & Co., from which Mr. Grant retired in 1874, but has never given up interests in this part of the county although retaining a residence in St. Paul. His company dammed the Grindstone and built a new mill on the site where stands the Brennan Lumber Co.'s mill. The old mill burned down, we believe, in 1875, one year after Mr. Grant's retirement.
The St. Paul and Duluth railroad was commenced some time in the 60's. In 1867 it had reached White Bear Lake, one year later Wyoming, and by July same year (1868) was completed to Rush City, and the night before Christmas 1869, the first iron horse steamed into Hinckley, then a timbered wilderness, awakening new thought and energy. Work was prosecuted along the line that winter and Kettle River reached by March, but the balmy winds of spring caused new work to be done to perfect the condition of the track. In 1870 the road was finished to Duluth, the present terminus. It is now one of the busiest railroad companies in the state.
Mr. Grant was notary public and empowered to do business anywhere in Minnesota, and had the honor of administering the oath of “allegiance” to the judges of the first election ever held in this precinct. His brother David wore the title of P.M. the first. Mr. Grant was instrumental in the building of the Sandstone stub railway which connects that village with the S.P. & D. road a few miles north of Hinckley, and is associated with his son W.H. Grant, Jr., in the banking business at this place and Sandstone, but gives much attention to other sources of wealth. He is a pleasant gentleman and a shrewd business man as his present financial standing demonstrates. …
The first newspaper was established at Pine City – county seat – in 1872 by H.P. Rubie who, in 1873, published a tax-list covering a period of seventeen years and for which the county was charged the snug sum of $3,800, and which created much dissatisfaction, so much in fact that the publisher was forced to shut up shop. The county was organized by an act of 1856 but which was somewhat remodeled by the legislature the following year – 1857. Then it was sparsely settled. The present population is placed at 6000. Then it was principally lumbering and railroad building. Now the chief pursuits of its people are farming, stock growing, lumbering, quarrying, and general business. To lose one's self in wandering over the county in imagination twenty-two years ago, and then come back to the present, what wild, weird and dangerous scenes greet the fancy. What a contrast! But there was plenty of money then, as now, and that was what was wanted.
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