Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul by Frank Moore
page 20 of 148 (13%)
page 20 of 148 (13%)
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people in the the community in which it was printed, and would have a
bad effect in the East when the time came to negotiate the bonds. An effort was made to induce the city council to deprive that paper of its official patronage, but that body could not see its way clear to abrogate its contract. Threats were made to throw the office into the river, but they did not materialize. When Gov. Sibley endeavored to place these bonds on the New York market he was confronted with conditions not anticipated, and suffered disappointment and humiliation in consequence of the failure of the attempt. The bonds could not be negotiated. The whole railway construction scheme suddenly collapsed, the railroad companies defaulted, the credit of the state was compromised, "and enterprise of great pith and moment had turned their currents awry." The evil forbodings of the Minnesotian became literally true, and for more than twenty years the repudiated bonds of Minnesota were a blot on the pages of her otherwise spotless record. Nearly 250 miles of road were graded, on which the state foreclosed and a few years later donated the same to new organizations. During the administration of Gov. Pillsbury the state compromised with the holders of these securities and paid 50 per cent of their nominal value. Will she ever pay the rest? * * * * * In the latter part of May, 1858, a battle was fought near Shakopee between the Sioux and the Chippewas. A party of Chippewa warriors, under the command of the famous Chief Hole-in-the-day, surprised a body of Sioux on the river bottoms near Shakopee and mercilessly opened fire on them, killing and wounding fifteen or twenty. Eight or ten Chippewas were killed during the engagement. The daily papers sent reporters to the scene of the conflict and they remained in that |
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