Part 74 (2/2)

1878 May 2d, three flouring hteen lives lost

1880 November 15th, hospital for the insane at St Peter partly destroyed by fire; twenty-five lives lost

1881 March 1, capitol at St Paul destroyed by fire

1886 Cyclone destroys Sauk Rapids Wisconsin legislature adopts biennial sessions

THE BOUNDARY QUESTION

The question of the western boundary of Wisconsin had been agitated since the Martin bill for the organization of the State had been introduced in 1846 This bill established the present boundary Thein the valley of the St Croix were opposed to it on the ground that the interests of the valley on both sides were identical, and that it was not proper that the two sides should be separated by a state line The question becaates for the constitutional convention of Oct 5, 1846, W the sentiments of the people of the valley as opposed to the proposed boundary line

In convention Mr Holco at Mount Tre due north to Lake Superior Failing in this, he advocated a boundary line to be established at a point fifteen miles due east of thefrom that point due south to the Mississippi and due north to the tributary waters of Lake Superior In this he was successful, and the constitution in which this boundary line was thus fixed went to the people and was rejected, greatly to the disappointment of the people of the St Croix valley, who felt that they had been unjustly dealt with There seems, indeed, to be but little excuse for the attitude of the ard to this boundary Certainly but little attention was shown to the interests of the people in the western section of the Territory

Prior to theof the second constitutional convention, Dec 15, 1847, public s were held at St Croix Falls and in Stillwater, at which latter place enthusiastic resolutions were passed reainst this unnatural boundary, which resolutions were signed by nearly all the citizens of the St Croix valley, and a few in and around St Paul, asking the convention to establish the western boundary on a line running due north froe W Brownell was elected from the St Croix district to the second convention, with instructions to work for this boundary Joseph Bowron, Brownell's opponent, was defeated by a largeis the abstract of votes:

BOWRON BROWNELL

Willow River (now Hudson) 7 4 Lake St Croix 7 14 Stillwater 9 39 St Paul 41 40 Marine Mills22 St Croix Falls 26 18 Clam River 6 17 Apple River 1 6 Wood Lake 2 6 Rush Lake 2 8 Osceola (no election) --- --- Totals 101 174

Mr Brownelland persistent efforts to have the boundary line adjusted in accordance with the sentian L Martin, delegate to Congress fro the present boundary, and it was urged that any effort to change the line would tend to prevent the iht a political necessity that the State should be ad presidential election

Under such pressure the convention made haste to adopt, and the people to accept, a constitution with boundary lines that should never have been made The State was admitted in time to cast its electoral vote for Gen Zachary Taylor and Millard Fill held by the people of the St Croix valley, subsequent to this convention and prior to its adoption by the people, the following resolutions were passed, and we append theenerally the sentiments of the people of the valley:

WHEREAS, By the establishment of the St Croix river as a part of the boundary line between the State and territory of Wisconsin, the inhabitants of our rehts and privileges neglected and abridged, our geographical, hbors of the new territory will be cut off; and

WHEREAS, Our oft repeated remonstrances and appeals to the authorities of the new state have been unavailing; therefore

_Resolved_, That the establishment of the St Croix river as a part of the boundary of the state of Wisconsin, against the will of the inhabitants of the valley of said river, is unjust, unreasonable and contrary to the principles upon which our govern the present boundary, our known and acknowledged wishes and interests are invaded by the ht of a reat is the distance and obstacles intervening, severing us, together with the people of Lake Superior, froovernment, that we can not enjoy a prompt and equitable share in representation, and ould respectfully admonish our brethren that equal representation involves a principle which is deeply and peculiarly American

_Resolved_, That the interests of the inhabitants of St Croix, being identical from the nature of the staple business of the country, the river being the natural centre to which all the business of the valley tends, a boundary severing the natural ties in connection is uncalled for, inconvenient and vexatious

_Resolved_, That the inhabitants of the territory of the whole Northwest are deeply interested in procuring a just and wise alteration of the present line of divisions, because froraphy of the country, the line as now established, we are robbed of a future star in the galaxy of the Ae ourselves to stand united and unceasingly use all honorable means in our power to procure the establishment of a boundary east of St Croix valley

_Resolved_, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare and forward a islature on this subject

The resolutions as a whole were unanimously adopted

In accordance with the last resolution the chair appointed Wm R

Marshall, G W Brownell and W H C Folsom, Esqs, a committee

On motion the secretary was instructed to forward copies of the proceedings of theto the Prairie du Chien _Patriot_, Galena _Gazette_ and Wisconsin _Argus_, requesting their publication

H H PERKINS, _Chairman_

R V D SMITH, _Secretary_