On This Date in Minnesota History: January 7

January 7, 1901 – The Hennepin Paper Mill in Little Falls, Minn., burned early this morning, and is a total loss. The pulp mill was damaged, but can easily be repaired.

The plant was not yet in operation last night, and the fire had a good start before discovered by the watchman, and the department brought to the scene. The insurance is $63,000, and the loss will probably run close to $75,000.The fire started in a small wood room, where a stove was used, between the paper and pulp mills.

Three hundred tons of paper were burned. The warehouse and boiler house were saved. The paper mill will be rebuilt at once and the entire plant rehabilitated as speedily as possible. All contracts will be cared for by the General Paper Company until the plant is able to resume business.

The mills shut down Saturday night and the first intimation of the fire was the blowing of whistles. Benjamin F. Nelson and Gilbert M. Walker are on the ground to take immediate steps for the restoration of the plant.

The Minneapolis Journal; “Morning Fire at Little Falls; Property of the Hennepin Paper Company in Ruins—The Pulp Mill Saved”; Jan. 07, 1901; pg. 1.

Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain January 20, 2015,
as long as acknowledgement included.  

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 6

January 6, 1914 – Duluth Police Officer Neil “Mooney succumbed to a gunshot wound received the previous day after arresting two suspects for a minor charge of breaching the peace. He searched one of the suspects and found a concealed revolver. However, the suspect had a second concealed revolver which Officer Mooney did not find. The suspect waited until he had an opportunity to shoot Officer Mooney and then did so.”

http://www.odmp.org/officer/9528-patrol-officer-neil-mooney

http://www.odmp.org/agency/1054-duluth-police-department-minnesota

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 5

January 5, 1892 – “Madison Lake town site was incorporated on this date, including the earlier platted Point Pleasant town site, and became known as the Village of Madison Lake.

Madison Lake remained a ‘village’ until the 1980's when the State of Minnesota classified it as a city of the fourth class.”¹

The town was named for the adjoining lake, which had been named by the government surveyors in honor of James Madison, fourth president of the United States.²

¹http://www.ci.madison-lake.mn.us/index.asp?SEC=E16F6E76-FCF6-42D5-83F2-375B7F406EFE&Type=B_BASIC

²Upham, Warren; Minnesota Geographic Names, Their Origin and Historic Significance; Minnesota Historical Society (St. Paul, Minn., 1969); p. 61.

http://www.lakesnwoods.com/MadisonLake.htm

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 4

January 4, 2002 – Ron Gardenhire was named the Minnesota Twins’ 12^th manager on this date, replacing Tom Kelly, the Twins winningest manager, including two World Series Championships. Prior to being named manager, Gardenhire had been the Twins’ third base coach since 1991.

http://twinstrivia.com/today-in-twins-history/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Gardenhire

Ron Gardenhire
http://bbwaa.com/2010/11/2010-managers/

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 3

January 3, 1916 – Humane society officers are today worrying about what to do with a golden Chinese pheasant that wandered through St. Paul’s business streets at random, and finally lit in the St. Paul gas office. How the bird got here is unknown.

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Today’s Northwest Oddity”; Jan. 3, 1916; p. 1.

A golden Chinese pheasant

http://sanapets.blogspot.com/p/pheasant_5.html

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 2

January 2, 1905 – “Thousands of Minnesotans streamed through the richly decorated halls and chambers of their new state Capitol for the first time. The product of nearly 12 years of planning and construction, the Capitol was immediately hailed throughout the country as one of America's grandest and most beautiful public buildings, a reputation that has endured for a hundred years.”

http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/msc/historyarticle.html

Minnesota State Capitol Building

Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Jan. 2, 2015,
as long as acknowledgement included.

Inside the Capitol Dome

http://www.historylines.net/img/Desktops/big/Minnesota_Dome_Interior.jpg




Inside the Minnesota Capitol Building

http://travelswithauntiem.blogspot.com/2012/09/minnesota-state-capitol-st-paul-21-aug.html

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 1

January 1, 1906 – Infatuated with Pearl Wheaton, daughter of N. S. Wheaton of Caledonia, one of the wealthiest farmers in southern Minn., and rendered desperate by her refusal to marry him, Matt Styer, a dentistry student at the University of Minnesota, broke into the home this evening and killed Pearl, fatally wounded Mrs. Wheaton, Ruth Wheaton and himself.

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Kills Three, Then Commits Suicide. Matt Styer, Exasperated by Refusal of Girl to Marry Him, Causes Death of Four.”; Jan. 02, 1906; p. 5.

http://policepay.blogspot.com/2008_08_17_archive.html