Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul: A Collection of Articles Written for and Published in the Daily Pioneer Press — John Shaqi
Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul: A Collection of Articles Written for and Published in the Daily Pioneer PressMoore, Frank
History
Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul: A Collection of Articles Written for and Published in the Daily Pioneer Press
Moore, Frank
Frontier and pioneer life -- Minnesota; Saint Paul (Minn.) -- History
In 1857 there occurred in Minnesota an election of delegates to the
constitutional convention to provide for the admission of Minnesota
into the galaxy of states. The election was so close, politically,
that when the delegates met there was a division, and the Republicans
and Democrats held separate conventions. At the conclusion of the work
of the two conventions the contract for printing was awarded to the
two leading papers of the state--the Pioneer and the Minnesotian--the
Pioneer to print the proceedings of the Democratic body and the
Minnesotian that of the Republican. This contract called for the
expenditure of considerable money for material with which to perform
the work. Mr. Moore, the business manager of the Minnesotian, went to
New York and purchased a Hoe press, the first one ever brought to the
state, and a large quantity of type; also a Hoe proof press, which is
still in use in the Pioneer Press composing room. When the book was
about completed the business manager of the Minnesotian was informed
that an injunction had been issued prohibiting him from drawing
any money from the state until the question of the right of the
Minnesotian to do any state printing had been determined by the
district court. Mr. Goodrich was state printer and claimed he had a
right to print the proceedings of both constitutional bodies. This
action on the part of the Pioneer produced great consternation in the
Minnesotian office, as most of the men had not received more than half
pay for some time, and now, when the balance of their pay was almost
in sight, they were suddenly compelled to await the slow and doubtful
action of the courts before receiving pay for their summer's work. The
district court, subsequently confirmed by the supreme court, decided
in favor of the Minnesotian, and the day following the decision Mr.
Moore, of the Minnesotian, brought down a bag of gold from the capitol
containing $4,000, and divided it up among his employes.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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