camping on the streets, stores doing a perfect rush of business. livery stables coining money, saloons reaping brisk profits, real estate dealers fairly ecstatic, and mechanics not half able to keep up with the work pressing upon them. Perhaps not a city on the continent, the size of Saint Paul, was such a bustling bee-hive as it was that season. The fever of real estate speculation, which before was but feebly developed, this, season seemed to attack all classes, and began to grow into the mania which a few months later almost rendered Saint Paul a by-word.

THE REAL ESTATE MANIA..

In some sense the real estate mania this year was excusable and natural, in view of the enormous and rapid profits made by shrewd and daring operators. For instance, the papers chronicle one movement made by HENRY MCKENTY, the king of real estate dealers, and who was on the flood-tide of prosperity during 1855, 1856 and 1857. In 1854, he entered several thousand acres of prairie farming land in Washington county, by land warrants, at $1.25 per acre. In the spring of 1855, he sold the same land to a colony from Pennsylvania, at $5 per acre, clearing 300 per cent. His total net profits on this transaction was $23,000, which he at once invested in more land, on which he in turn made almost as great profits.

Right here the author will be pardoned for giving an incident of those days which well illustrates the profits of real estate dealers. PENNOCK PUSEY, Esq., our plain and sobergoing friend, came to Saint Paul from Philadelphia in 1855. and got acquainted with McKENTY, who startled him one day by offering him three and one-half per cent. a month, or 42 per per cent. annum, for the use of some money Mr. PUSEY had. This seemed such an enormous premium to the latter gentleman, who had come from a region where six and seven per cent. is the established rate, that he declined the offer on the ground that McKENTY could not afford to pay it, and that it would be wrong to accept such an usurious rate. MCKENTY soon demonstrated, however, that he would make large profits if he could get the money, and hence could pay the rate men

tioned without trouble. The loan was made. MCKENTY entered some large tracts of land in Cottage Grove, at $1.25 an acre, and within a year Mr. PUSEY himself bought a part of the lands, and gave McKENTY $2.50 an acre for it! Thus, while Mr. PUSEY made 42 per cent. on his money, MCKENTY cleared 58 per cent. over and above that amount off of the lender! Mr. PUSEY afterwards sold the land to O. DALRYMPLE at $15 per acre, as part of his famous wheat farms.

ITEMS.

The census of 1855 was announced in the papers, as follows: Population of the Territory, 53,600; of Ramsey county, 9,475; of Saint Paul, 4,716.

Building was very brisk this year. The mechanics could not turn out the buildings fast enough for people to get shelter in. Street improvements, to a considerable extent, were made, also. Third, Fourth, Jackson, and other prominent streets were graded.

This season the post-office was moved to the old brick building, near the bridge, which, after passing through many changes, is now a saloon.

The election this year was somewhat triangular. There were three candidates for Delegate in the field-H. M. RICE, WM. R. MARSHALL, and DAVID OLMSTED—and three county tickets to match. The election, (October 9,) resulted in the choice of the following officers: Councillor, JOHN B. BRISBIN; Representatives, Wм. H. NOBLES, F. KNAUFT, R. HAUS, ROSS WILKINSON and B. W. LOTT; Sheriff, A. W. TULLIS; Register, LOUIS M. OLIVIER; Treasurer, CHARLES F. STIMSON, (Saint Anthony;) Attorney, I. V. D. HEARD ; Surveyor, JAMES A. CASE; Probate Judge, A. C. Jones.

LOCAL TOPICS.

On October 4, the Daily Free Press, an evening paper, made its appearance as the organ of the Gorman Democracy, "Nebraska wing" of that party. It was edited by Hon. A. C. SMITH, now of Litchfield, and published by SAMUEL J. ALBRIGHT & Co, Saint Paul now boasted of five daily

or

papers-three morning and two evening. Not long, however, was such an abundance of journals to shed intelligence on this saintly city. On October 31, the Democrat was discontinued and merged with the Daily Pioneer, under the name of Pioneer and Democrat, which it bore for six years, and the following spring the Free Press was discontinued.

A man named E. HowITZ, a book-dealer, committed a forgery on MARSHALL & Co., this fall, and escaped with several hundred dollars of ill-gotten booty.

On the night of November 9, the grocery store of H. C. SANFORD, corner of Third and Wabasha streets, on the site of the present Warner Block, was burned down. SANFORD had a quantity of powder in store. When it went off, it shook things up lively in the vicinity. Dr. J. H. STEWART* was lying sick of typhoid fever in the building that stood where McQuillan's Block now does. The shock threw him out of bed on the floor, and cured his fever! He never recommended the remedy in his subsequent practice, however.

In the fall of 1855, Rev. E. D. NEILL organized a Presbyterian society known as the "House of Hope," now one of the most flourishing churches in the city. It used to worship that fall in the Walnut street school house.

On November 19, navigation closed. The total number of arrivals this year were 553.

As an evidence of the amount of travel and business on the river during the season of 1855, it was stated that the packet company declared dividends (net profits) of $100,000 on that season's business. The War Eagle," which cost $20,000, cleared $44,000 alone; and the "City Belle," costing $11,000, cleared $30,000 profits.

* Dr. J. H. STEWART was born in Columbia county, New York, January 15, 1829. He graduated at the University of New York, in 1851, and practiced medicine at Peekskill, on the Hudson River, from 1851 to 1855. In May, of the latter year, he came to Saint Paul and established himself here-soon becoming one of the most popular and successful practitioners in the city. In 1859, he was elected State Senator, and served on important railroad committees. He was commissioned Surgeon of the First Minnesota Regiment in 1861, and was captured at Bull Run, July 21, being held as prisoner at Richmond some time, but finally exchanged. In 1864, he was elected Mayor of Saint Paul, and the following year appointed Postmaster, which position he held five years. In 1869, he was again elected Mayor, and re-elected in 1871, and again in 1873. But few gentlemen in our city have been so popular as Dr. STEWART, a fact owing to his fine abilities professionally, and his bonhomie socially.

NECROLOGY OF THE YEAR.

Died in January, at Providence, Rhode Island, (his former home,) JOSEPH WAKEFIELD, a talented lawyer.

May 9,

HENRY P. PRATT, one of the publishers of the Minnesotian. July 4, by drowning, LUKE MARVIN, Jr., a promising young business man. November 22, Rev. JOSHUA BRADLEY, pastor of the First Baptist church. December 3, by an accident, CHARLES Ross.

CHAPTER XXVI.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1856.

CHANGE IN THE COUNTY LINES-CREATION OF OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION--WINTER TRAVELING AND BUSINESS-THE PIONEER GUARD-A POLICE FORCE CREATED- CORNER-STONE LAYING THE CITY HALL BUILT- - BARON VON GLAHN-THE REAL ESTATE MANIA-CRIME AND DISORDER-A VIGILANCE COMMITTEE THE FULLER HOUSE BUILT, &C.

On March 11, CHARLES S. CAVE was appointed postmaster, vice Major FORBES. Mr. CAVE held the office four years, but left it poorer than he entered it. He now resides in Missouri.

The Legislature adjourned on March 1. No bills were passed materially affecting Saint Paul, unless we except the act detaching Saint Anthony from Ramsey county, and adding it to Hennepin county, with which its interests were more nearly allied, though many now believe that in a few years we will all be in the same corporation again.

This change left two officers of Ramsey county residing beyond the new limits, viz.: CHAS. F. STIMSON, Treasurer, and J. P. WILSON, Commissioner. The Board of Commissioners, on March 23, elected ROBERT A. Smith, as County Treasurer, and, at a special election, EDMUND RICE was chosen as County Commissioner.

A "Board of Education" was also created, for the city of Saint Paul, to consist of six members, two from each ward.

The Pioneer Guard," the finest volunteer military company which ever flourished in our State, was organized this spring. It existed until 1861, when most of its members went to the war, and it ceased to maintain an organization.

BRIEF NOTES.

On May 23, McClung and Stewart's Blocks, a row of frame