The Pioneer, of October 16, speaks of a contract for the erection of a four-story hotel on the site of Monk Hall. This was the Winslow House, a building which played an important part in our history, and was burned down in 1862.

"Rev. Mr. RIHELDAFFER, a missionary of the Old School General Assembly, has taken up his residence at Saint Paul, with a view of gathering a second Presbyterian congregation."-[Democrat, November 4.] This was the origin of the Central Presbyterian church, which was organized by Mr. RIHELDAFFER, February 21, 1852, at his residence, eight persons participating-Mr. and Mrs. RiHELDAFFER, Mr. and Mrs. R. MARVIN, Mr. and Mrs. G. W. FARRINGTON, J. D. POLLOCK and JONAS GISE. The church was completed in the summer of 1854. Rev. Mr. RIHELDAFFER resigned in 1864, and was succeeded by Rev. F. T. BROWN, in 1867, and Rev. WM. MCKIBBIN, in June, 1874.

"Saint Paul is entirely destitute of means for extinguishing fire. Measures should be taken to form a hook and ladder company, immediately. Should a fire occur, let every citizen repair to it with a bucket of water."-[Democrat, November 18.]

"Four Sisters of Charity have arrived from Saint Louis, and will shortly commence teaching a ladies' seminary, in the old chapel.”—[Ib.] "The workmen are putting on the roof of the new court-house. It makes a fine appearance."-[Ib.]

Navigation closed this year on the 20th of November. The whole number of steamboat arrivals was 119.

Rev. J. P. PARSONS, pastor of the new Baptist church, died on November 13, while on his way up the river on a steamer, returning from a visit east, to raise means to finish his church. Mr. PARSONS was a native of Onondaga, New York. He came west about 1837, and settled in Saint Paul, May, 1849, as a missionary of the Baptist Home Mission Society. He was forty-nine years 'of age.

CHARLES SYMONDS, the first ice dealer in Saint Paul, commenced cutting ice this month. He continued the ice business

a number of years, and died in 1873.

"Rev. E. D. NEILL has been appointed by the Governor, Superintendent of common schools for the Territory. An excellent appointment."-[Democrat, December 2.]

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Plenty of delightful weather, plenty to eat, plenty to drink, but not

a word of news from the States for two weeks past.”—[Democrat, December 24.]

"The grading of Fourth street and the building of the culvert across Jackson street are so far advanced, that the street will be ready for travel in three or four weeks."-[Ib.]

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"A friend informs us that there are about 299 applicants for the few offices in the gift of the Legislature."-[Ib.]

"There appears to be considerable activity in buying and selling town lots. Prices are gradually rising."—[Ib.]

"We have a hard-working, judicious and able town council. They work for nothing, and find themselves."-[Ib.]

"A market house is very much needed in Saint Paul.”—[Ib.]

MOVEMENT TOWARD A FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The need of some organized association for extinguishing fires, has several times been noticed. The Democrat, of December 24, says:

* * *

"Mr. R. C. KNOX is making efforts to get up a hook and ladder company. Let everybody help. A meeting will be held at the upper school house on Saturday evening next, for the purpose of forming a fire company."

Probably this movement of Mr. Knox and others was the little germ which afterwards gave birth to our Fire Department. Prior to this time, and for three or four years afterwards, indeed, the mode of extinguishing fires was somewhat primitive. Whenever an alarm was given, the whole able-bodied population would rush to the rescue, armed with pails, basins, dippers, tubs or any other utensil that came handy. Generally a raid was made on some grocery, and a few nests of pails confiscated. With these a line would be formed, between the fire and some pond, cistern or stream, and the pails then passed from hand to hand. The writer has seen a line two blocks long thus. The original subscription paper carried around by Mr. KNOX is still in existence. Enough was raised to purchase several ladders. They were somewhat heavy, and, as the "boys" had no ladder wagon, but carried them to fires on their shoulders, they could not have made very fast time, and probably had their patience and zeal thoroughly tried. An amusing incident would occur once in a while, however, that

lightened their burdens. On one occasion, the boys got their ladders out from an alley on Third street, near Wabasha, where they used to store them, and started on the run for a fire on Eagle street. After making good time for two or three squares, they concluded to seize on any team that happened along. Just then a countryman drove by with a lumber wagon. R. C. KNOX rushed up to him, and, in tones that could have been heard at Pig's Eye, almost, ordered the man to “get down and give up that team!" KNOX, we will state for those who don't know him, is about as large as two ordinary men. The countryman gazed at his huge figure a moment, and, either mistaking him for a ghost or a highwayman, actually leaped out of the wagon and ran for dear life! Bursting with laughter, the boys seized the team, threw off the wagon-box, and soon had their ladders at the fire.

As but little could be generally accomplished in this way, however, the ladders soon fell into disuse. They were stored away, and for a time served the free use of painters and carpenters. After the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company was organized in 1855, three of them were recovered and became the property of that company, and were used for over 13 years. In the absence of engines or other apparatus, every imaginable means was resorted to to extinguish fires. A small house once caught fire about that time, when the ground was covered with damp snow. Some one gave the word, snow-ball it out," and it was so deluged with snow-balls by the crowd in attendance, that the fire was put out and most of the house saved.

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CHAPTER XXII.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1852.

THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT-PASSAGE OF A PROHIBITORY LAW-TRAVELING ON DOG-SLEDGES OUTCOME OF THE MAINE LIQUOR LAW-RATIFICATION OF THE SIOUX TREATY-BRUTAL WIFE MURDER-DEATH OF J. M. GOODHUEMURDERS BY WHITES-MURDERS BY INDIANS, &C.

ΟΝ

N January 1, a Temperance Convention was held, pursuant to a published call, which was largely attended by delegates. An earnest feeling prevailed. The newspapers contain no report of the proceedings, and only indirect allusions to it. Participants say, however, that strong ground was taken for a Maine prohibitory law, and threats to form a temperance party of the prohibitory element did not receive due consideration.

THIRD LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

The third Legislature met on January 7, in “Goodrich's Block," on Third street, below the Merchants. The Ramsey county members this year were: Council.-Geo. W. FARRINGTON, L. A. BABCOCK, and WM. H. FORBES, the latter being President. House.-CHARLES S. CAVE, WM. P. MURRAY, SAM. D. FINDLEY, JEREMIAH W. SELBY, and J. E. FULLERTON. Four of our present citizens represented other localities that year-N. W. KITTSON, Pembina; JNO. D. LUDDEN, Marine; Dr. J. H. MURPHY, Saint Anthony; and Dr. DAVID DAY, Long Prairie.

On January 19, Hon. H. L. TILDEN, Secretary of the Council, died. Mr. TILDEN was a native of Ohio, and came to Minnesota in 1849. He was a member of the House in 1851, and had been appointed Marshal of the Territory that year. He was a lawyer by profession, and a gentleman of fine ability. He was buried by the Odd Fellows, of which he was a member, and the two houses attended his funeral in a body."

Gov. RAMSEY read his annual message to the joint convention of both houses, and the citizens, in the Baptist church, "on the hill," then recently finished.

TRAVELING ON A DOG-SLEDGE.

The Pioneer, of February 19. says:

"Dr. RAE arrived in Saint Paul on the 14th instant, having performed the journey from Pembina to Sauk Rapids, some 500 miles, in ten days. It was the continuation of a journey from a station on McKenzie's River, about 2,500 miles beyond Pembina. Both journeys were performed on snow-shoes. He was sent last spring to the Arctic coast in search of FRANKLIN, by the Hudson's Bay Company."

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The dog-sledge" used by Dr. RAE, in his long journey over the snow, was presented by him to the Historical Society, as a memento, and may still be seen at their rooms. This was the only mode of winter traveling between Saint Paul and Pembina, until 1859, when BURBANK & BLAKELEY'S line of stages commenced to run to Fort Abercrombie.

A Sauk Rapids correspondent of the Pioneer, January 8, says:

"The honorable members elected to the House and Council, from Pembina, viz.: Messrs. KITTSON, ROLETTE and GINGRAS, arrived at Crow Wing on Christmas eve, in 16 days from home, stopping two days at Red Lake by the way. Each had his cariole, drawn by three fine dogs, harnessed tastily, with jingling bells, and driven tandem fashion, at 2:40 at least, when put to their speed. They usually traveled from 30 or 40 miles per day, and averaged about 35 miles. They fed the dogs but once a day, on the trip, and that at night, a pound of pemmican each. On this, they draw a man and baggage as fast as a good horse would travel, and, on long journeys, they tire horses out."

LEGISLATION AFFECTING SAINT PAUL.

The legislation of the third Assembly, affecting Saint Paul, may be summarized as follows:

DANIEL F. BRAWLEY was granted a charter to run a ferry for ten years, from the upper levee to West Saint Paul. (This ferry ran until the completion of the bridge, 1858.)

An act to incorporate the Ramsey County Agricultural Society.