1921 Duluth & St Louis County MN, Van Brunt.pdf - Garon.us

DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 587
The first lots on the townsite were sold at "prices running from
$300 to $400 per lot." The timber "was slashed out along what is now
Chestnut Street * * * and a few rough buildings erected that
fall." The work of clearing the townsite was in charge of John Scott.
At about the same time the Virginia Light and Water Companywas
organized by Messrs. O. D. Kinney, A. E. Humphreys and George
D. Buck, by which early promotion it seems clear that the projectors
believed that the town planned would soon develop into a place of
importance and of profit to holders of public utilities.
Petition to Incorporate.—In September, 1893, a petition was circulated
among the people resident in the district and it was signed
by forty-four men. The petition was addressed to "the County Commissioners
of the County of St. Louis, State of Minnesota," who were
"prayed" to approve of the necessary legal formalities being taken
to efl:'ect the incorporation of land "regularly laid out and platted"
and as shown on the plat filed in the office of the Registrar of Deeds on
the 13th day of September, 1892. The petition stated that census taken
on September 14, 1892, showed that "on said day the resident population
of said territory so sought to be incorporated was found to be
181 ;" and the petition asked that the proposed village be designated as
the village of "Virginia." The signers were Richard O'Neal, M. J.
Grady, John Hoy, Dougal Johnson, John Byrne, Mike Hines, Geo.
Morris, John Gibbins, Pete Johanson, Ole Sattos, John Nossorn,
Isaac Koski, Frank Neddon, Ole Anderson, George M. Rees, J. R.
Humphrey, H. Vanhorn, Hugh McIMahon, P. J. Foley, Chas. Johnson,
Thomas Huartson, A\'illiam Bradley, James Hill, John Haley, James
Ryan, Alex. Cain, Louis Rood, Fred Rossom, Will A. F. Williams, Joe
Elliott, N. A. Beatty, Tom Short, John Thorsby, John Graham, John
Elfstrom, Peter Elfstrom, G. A. Peterson, James Graham, Peter Berglund,
Xupifti Jappila, Wm. Harvey, Chas. French, Robert McGruer,
P. W. Scott.
The regularity of petition, and accuracy of its statements were
vouched for by P. W. Scott, Thomas Short and Robert McGruer, on
September 19, 1892, on which day the paper appears to have been
presented to the county officials.
Petition Granted.—At the October session of the Board of County
whereupon
Commissioners the petition was considered and approved ;
the county commissioners ordered election to be held, to ascertain
the will of the residents, on the 12th day of November, 1892, "at the
store building of E. C. Burk, situated upon lots numbered 32 and 33 in
block 21 of the Town of "Virginia," according to the recorded plat
thereof." P. W. Scott, Thomas Short and Robert McGruer were
appointed "to preside as inspectors at such meeting and election."
Notices of Election were posted "at the sawmill and boarding house
of J. E. Sher, situated in block 9 on Wyoming avenue * * * ; at
the office of the \'irginia Improvement Company, on lot 32. in block 19,
"*' on Chestnut Street * * ; at the store of E. C. Burk* * *
at the Hotel of Nels Anderson, situated on lot 15 in block 26 on Chestnut
Street; * * * at the office of Nigro and Librock, situated
upon lot 8 in block 24, on Chestnut Street, all in \'irginia." The
meeting, or preliminary election, was duly and regularly held, and
sixty-five ballots were cast, sixty-four being "For incorporation ; yes,"
and one "no."
First Election.—Accordingly, the county commissioners ordered
an early meeting of voters, so that village officials might be elected,
and the incorporation completed. The election was held on Tuesday,