A School at Last | Laird, Norton & Co. New Steam Saw Mill | Death by Drowning |Population Increasing | A Corection | Theft at the Bakery | Study Questions |
By the proceedings of a meeting of the trustees of
the several school districts in this town, published elsewhere in this
paper, it will be seen that the districts have united in favor of establishing
a High School, on the Union or graded system. The trustees have also rented
a building, engaged the services of a Teacher, and made other arrangements
for the immediate prosecution of their design. This proceeding, we are
confident, will meet with the general approbation of our citizens. A good
High School has been greatly needed in this place for the last two years,
but until quite recently town lot speculation has engaged the attention
of the people to a pitch greater extent than schools, or anything else
of an intellectual or moral nature. The lull in that business produced
by the "hard times," has set some of the thinking ones back on the right
track, and now it is more than probable that a respectable institution
of learning will soon be established in our midst. We sincerely hope so
at least.
We learn that Mr. Tanner, the gentleman engaged
as Principal of this school is a young man who has received a thorough
education for the occupation of teaching, and that he graduated at Brown
University with high honors. He comes among us very highly recommended.
Besides the Principal, two assistant teachers are
to be engaged, who will take charge of the primary departments. The school,
we are informed, will be opened next week. To sustain this school properly
throughout the year, it will be necessary to levy a tax in each district
of about $500. This tax, with the amount appropriated for school purposes
from the county funds, will be sufficient to support a school which will
not only be a benefit but a credit to the place. It is difficult to conceive
that any person within the districts, laying claims to intelligence and
common sense, would grumble at paying his proportion of the above amount
for such a worthy object.
Give us the school!
The Winona Republican--November 18, 1857
The scream of the steam whistle has frightened the red man from his ancient possessions, and where but a very few years ago the aborigines raised their savage war whoop, now is heard the civilizing sound of the steam engine, the busy hum of commercial and manufacturing industry, and the sweet peals of the church-going bell. So we are led to reflect when looking around upon the many substantial indications of progress which have but recently been reared upon this beautiful prairie. Every day brings something new, and so rapid are the achievements of modern skill, that even in this infant city we endeavor to trace its progress almost in gain. But ninety days ago, we noticed on the banks of the river, at the lower end of the levee a collection of hewed and sawed timber of great size and weight, which we were informed our enterprising fellow townsmen, Messrs. Laird, Norton & Co., designed to use in the construction of a steam saw mill. The time passed away, until last Saturday, being at leisure, we called around, and were politely shown around the premises by Mr. Norton, one of the proprietors, and Mr. Hayes, the contractor, who gave us the following particulars concerning the building.
The mill, as is perceivable from observation, is
perhaps the largest, best proportioned, and best finished North-West of
the Mississippi.--Its extreme length is 404 feet; width, 68 1/2 feet; height
2 1/2 stories. The outside is all painted, and over all is a fire-proof
roof. Going inside, on the lower floor the first thing that engaged our
attention was the large and handsomely executed engine, which is of 100-horse
power; the bore is 16 1/2 inches, and the stroke 28. The flywheel is very
large, being 9 feet in diameter and weighs upwards of 35,000 lbs. It was
cast whole, with the exception of the arms, which are of wrought iron,
and the whole is so securely welded or made fast together, as to make it
of great strength. The engine is set upon a foundation of stone, sunk five
feet below the level of the surrounding ground, and strongly cemented together.
Adjoining the main building, on the east side, is
the boiler house, 45 feet by 18 1/2, built of brick, and rendered fire-proof
on all sides. The boiler is 20 feet long, and 4 feet in diameter , and
contains 5 twelve-inch flues.
In the second story, are all the conveniences for
sawing lumber, laths, and shingles. The arrangements for raising the logs
from the water to the carriage way on this floor are of the most complete
modern kinds, and it is designed, we believe, that one log per minute can
be raised, by the appliance steam. The frame is so constructed, the roof
being a self-supporting one, that during the rafting season, the logs can
be immediately raised upon their arrival, and thrown out through openings
in the wall for this purpose, to any desired amount, and with great ease.
In the winter, they can again be taken around on the ice, and raised as
before, as fast as circumstances demand.
When fully completed , which will be in the course
of two or three weeks, there will be in operation in this mill 7 saws,
capable of sawing per diem, 50,000 feet of lumber, 20,000 shingles, and
20,000 laths. The shingles, by the way, will be of a superior kind, sawed
length-wise of the timber instead of across, as is usually done.
The whole appearance of this fine building, including
its machinery, etc., is that of solidity, and an admirable fitness for
the purpose for which it was designed. Everything about it betokens a skill
and knowledge of the business which is creditable to, and worthy of, the
contractor, H. B. Hayes, Esq., of Port Byron, Ill. This gentleman has the
reputation of being one of the best mill builders in the country, and he
has just accepted of a contract to build a very large one in St. Louis.
To the enterprising proprietors, Messrs. Laird, Norton & Co. this building
is a great honor, as we trust it will be a profit. It has cost them in
the neighborhood of $20,000--a sum which
some men we know of would
prefer to let at four per cent , a month, rather than invest it in a manner
which would directly help to develop the resources of the country, and
tend to enrich the town, by encouraging productive industry. In conclusion,
we would remark, that if any of our eastern readers, who think they know
"more than a little" about saw mills, could see the one above described,
they would be apt to stare some, and enquire "Where is the West?"
Winona Republican--November 18, 1857.
On Saturday evening while in the river bathing, in company with a number of other boys, a little son of Mrs. Gooding, aged about 11 or 12 years, got out beyond his depth and was drowned, despite the exertions of several of his companions to save him. This case is particularly sad, as the bereaved woman is a widow, and the boy, who was remarkable for his intelligence and prepossessing appearance, was the only remaining one of her six children. May he who "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," sustain the widow in her affliction. The body having disappeared, and not being yet found, it is requested that in the event of its being discovered by any one, intelligence may be sent to this place, in order that it may be sent here for interment.
Winona Republican--August 4, 1857
The immigration to the interior of the Territory during the past month is sid to have been immense--as great as at any time last year when everybody was coming west. Hundreds of families, in their covered wagons, have been thronging the thoroughfares leading out to the western counties of Southern Minnesota, and even yet they are coming-coming-coming.--There is still plenty of room for them in this garden of the North-west, and something more than room--there is health, a fruitful soil, and the foundation for homes of comfort, luxury and refinement, all to be for little more than the getting. Let those who will come and claim the boon.
Winona Republican--June 30, 1857
We were led into an error last week, in stating that a man had been stabbed in a row at the City Hotel, as Mr. Schlinck, the proprietor, assures us that no serious disturbance took place at his house on that or any other occasion. The correction is made with pleasure, as we know Mr. S. to be a young man of good character, and his house is kept in an orderly manner.
Some scoundrel stole $85 in money from the counter of Miller's bakery, on Fourth street one evening last week, in the absence of the proprietor. A small portion of the amount was made up by subscription, the victims of the theft being poor and hard-working.
Winona Republican--November 18, 1857
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