Reminiscenses of Winona

Winona Republican-Herald
Wednesday, July 26, 1911

By Orrin F. Smith 

Few Winonans of to-day know that the first settlement of our beautiful little city was made at the east end of our present town near the site of the now demolished mill of the Winona Lumber company, or that our city was, practically, an island twice a year — spring and autumn — but such is the fact

While in the sixties there was a long wooden bridge on what is now Mankato Ave. ingress or egress to or from town was made by fording and in high water it was a long wade from about Howard street to the foot of Sugar Loaf. So too it was on Gilmore road near the old Cater home just back of the Seminary. Above the golf grounds on the Minnesota City road, fording was general a greater part of the year.

In the springtime during the June rise steamboats were obliged to land passengers and carry freight over planks placed on trestles extending from the river bank to warehouses located where now are the Northwestern freight depot, the Stirneman cold storage house and the north end of Willis' coal yard. Sometimes the boats ran up to the railroad shops via the sloughs west 01 the old Youmans Brothers and Hodeins saw mill.

During these times it was a common sight to see boys paddling over about all that section of our city, lying north of Second street, on rafts made of one or more planks.

Of course, all industries lying along the river bank had to close down and the people living in that district had to find other quarters until the water receded.

Second and Third streets, were, in early days, much lower than at present and the river's rising was usually the cause of much discomfort and annoyance.

The most pretentious residences were then built on the high river bank and vicinity- near where the Oxford Linen Mattress company's plant is to be built 'Twas a beautiful spot overlooking the Mississippi, covered with luxuriant grass then in strong contrast to the balance of the prairie covered largely with sandburs.

Still another residence section was built at the north end of Vine street where a fine view of the river was to be had.

Along in the early sixties when the F. Smith business district centered in the block where now stands the Park Brewery an attempt was made to make a levee at the foot of Market street but it was not a success. It served however for the landing of rafts for Horton and Hamilton.
In those days Winona was one of the largest wheat buvlng towns in the state and was indeed a lively place. Teams came here from places as far west as Owatonna and nearly, all freight and farm machinery for most southern Minnesota points was hauled from Winona by team.

All freight and passengers were brought to Winona by boats in summer and by teams in winter, the nearest railroad point being La Crosse The whistle and arrival of the first boat in the spring usually brought nearly all the inhabitants of the town to the levee. The boat would generally have on board a large manifest and would lie at the bank several hours unloading.

In winter teams, in parties, hauling grain, flour, hogs, etc., were a common daily occurrence going up or down on the river, as there was much business between La Crosse and St Paul and intermediate towns. Oftentimes in late winter these teams would break through the ice and there were many thrilling adventures seen and recounted.

Entertainments, dances and banquets were held in Sanborn's hall, then on the present site of the City Water Works, though some shows and lectures were given in the old Court House located on Third street just north of the present building. Circuses usually pitched their tents on the present site of the Public Comfort building in Riverside Park though Maybe's menagerie that brought the first elephant to Winona showed at about where the Tremont House stands. Later on circuses were shown across the street from the Huff House where the Schlltz hotel is now located.

The old barn opposite the Opera House was the home of the stage lines running to St. Charles, Chatfleld, Rochester and other points. The old style coacbes hung on leathers that gave them a rolling ease were a common sight on our streets and our fellow townsman Robt. J. Duncan can tell some entertaining stories about them, their drivers and passengers that they carried.

On the 5th of July 1862, nearly all of the business part of the town was wiped out by fire. The volunteer fire department of La Crosse and Winona had held a tournament here on the Fourth and there had been much revelry that day as well as at night, and when the fire came, soon after the boat carrying the La Crosse people had left, the local department was not in condition to cope with it The buildings were all of frame construction and by early day were in ashes. 'Twas a hard blow to the town but the citizens were energetic and were soon doing business at new stands.

Following the fire of 1862 the volunteer companies were disorganized and the fighting of fires for a time was done by lines of men and boys passing pails of water. Sometimes the old hand fire engine manned by those willing to work was used. Boys were usually the hardest workers, at this but their united efforts were of little value.

Along about 1870 or 1871 when the Silsbee Fire Engine was purchased, a new volunteer fire department with Wm. Jay Whipple as Chief Engineer was organized, and held sway till about 1889 when replaced by the present paid department. There was much enthusiasm and several companies organized. Dances, with the members in the full regalia o£ red flannel shirts, black trousers and patent leather belts, on which the name of the company was painted, were frequent, and the boys cut, or thought they did, quite a figure in the social whirl. The writer as treasurer of the department and secretary of a hose company, was to use a late day term, chesty.

The writer's mother, Mrs. Catherine M. Smith gave the firemen their first banquet in her yard some few years before her death and therein established a yearly function that ended with the organization of the paid fire department. John M. Hofmann has numerous pictures of the companies and their members that when shown call to the minds of the boys many incidents long since forgotten.

A fire of note happening just after the arrival of the fire engine was the burning of the Boston Bakery. A. good share of the population was at the levee to see the engine get busy, which it was very slow in doing. Ed Burton, the engineer, started the engine several times but not a bit of water was forthcoming. Finally Joel Mallery, who stood by watching attentively, suggested that the water gate be opened. Very much chagrined Ed turned the gate and aqua pura from the Mississippi was soon ripping shingles off the bakery. Exciting times and humorous incidents went to make up the life of a department whose usefulness has apparently been long forgotten.

Along, in 1862 the Indian Massacre furnished much excitement here and a company of men called Buck's Rangers was made up and took a prominent part in running down the Indians. A fire down on the Trempealeau bottoms one night caused our townspeople to think that the Indians were pillaging and burning down there, and so a party of Winonians with rifles and shot guns spent the night on the levee. The writer has a vivid recollection of the night and of his mother, before retiring, placing a dinner bell and an axe at the head of her bed. We were much relieved on hearing in the morning that it was only the burning of the dry grass on the bottoms.

The Indians' about Winona were always peaceable but often got glorlously drunk and had to be loaded into their canoes to be sent across the the river where their tepees were pitched or built. They brought many wild ducks and geese to town and found ready buyers at the river bank on their arrival. Twenty-five cents for each duck and a dollar each for geese were the going prices. One old Indian called Wapasha often came into the school bouse located on Second Street diagonally opposite the Leicht Press building. The writer in fancy remembers the pleased expression always shown, by him while watching the children in their school work. Indians often came into the kitchen of the writer's mother and as they were unannounced and their approach noiseless, surprises came frequently. The writer, then a boy of seven, was very much surprised one morning on going to the door of a "Lean-to," in which hay for a cow was kept to see about 20 Indians of different ages in the various stages of a morning toilet: paint, grease, etc., etc. It was a party entour. They did not remain long but their odor lived long after like the evil that men do.

The coming of our now esteemed Fourth Ward Poles was an episode in the early days of Winona. There were many In the party and houses being scarce they took possession of the old Wabasha Prairie House, a hotel built by the writer's parents, but then unoccupied. The owner, a Mr. Hogg, was unable to dispossess them and as they were prolific and hardy the old hotel was soon filled to overflowing. Later, they bought lots and built small houses in the blocks lying just east of the Laird-Norton saw mill.

These stories-being written on the 50th anniversary, of the first Minnesota Volunteer Regiments' passing Winona on its way to the Civil War calls to mind the landing of. the boat carrying the members of Co. K, who went from Winona and its vicinity. The boat carrying the boys was due to arrive in the early afternoon and every one in town was In a state of expectancy. The writer with his mother was then living where the Bay State Mill now stands. Friends and relatives were invited to the home in order to be close at hand when the steamer landed. It seems that the regiment was embarked on two boats, though we then did not know it, and when the first boat with the up-state soldiers went steaming by without even whistling there was much commotion. The writer's mother ran down to the edge of the river, and out onto a log lying there,  swinging her sun-bonnet as she ran, crying "You're taking my boy away, you're' taking my. boy away." The log turned and she fell into the water. The soldiers sitting ranged along sides of boat and barge weTe much amused, not knowing what it meant but to us on shore the scene was most pathetic.

Just before dark the second boat arrived, and everybody in town was at the landing. The boys were marched ashore and kept in line not being allowed to break ranks to bid their friends and relatives good bye. C. W. Merrltt of Briarwood Farm on the Homer ridge is about the only surviving member of that gallant company that saw action at Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg and other places almost as famous.

When the surviving members of the old First Minnesota returned they came up to Winona from La Crosse on the ice in teams and a rousing welcome with an ample banquet was given them at Sanborn's Hall.

These reminiscences would not be complete- or rather satisfactory without telling of the dally amusement furnished by the old steamer Keoknk that ran between La Crosse and Winona. The boat came up in the morning and went back in the afternoon on the arrival bf the Winona and St Peter railroad train. The Northwestern depot as it is now called then stood on the foot of Winona Street and was a combination of depot and steamboat dock, and was quite,a wide affair. Freight was carried and flour barrels rolled aboard directly after the train's arrival and the humorous methods of the colored roustabouts  together with their agility and antics furnished lots of amusement In those days without an admission fee, the loading of the boat finished, the "Coons" would assemble on the forecastle or bow of the boat and under the direction of one called Jim Bones sang song after song as the Keokuk backed into the stream and swung around heading for La Crosse. Phonograph records of today try to picture these scenes and while they're entertaining; only those who saw-and heard the original ones can enjoy them to the best. Clay Dale, the mate of the boat, a man of ponderous size, was the general factotem at these impromptu "Doings" and was personally known by about every ' man and boy in town.

Recollections of these minor events in Winona's history come thick and fast and the writer might go on and on like the brook of old but they would pall on the ' reader. The publishers did not ask for history or statistics so with the knowledge that only reminiscences were desired, these stories are submitted.