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

DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 593
New Virginia Hotel" on March 1, 1894. However, the election does
not seem to have supported the wish of the petitioners. Possibly the
election was not held.
However, in the following year the village proceeded to incorporate
as a city, under the so-called Probate Law of 1895, and included
then within its limits the western half of southeast cjuarter
of section 8. One local record reads
In 1895. the citizens of Virginia demanded a city cliarter. All the steps
in securing this right were now complete, with the exception of some documents
which had to be made out and signed by Judge Ayers, of Duluth. A
committee, composed of E. S. Smith. M. C. Palmer and Dr. Stuart Bates, was
then sent down to Duluth to see the judge. Mr. Ayers had been ill for some
time, and asked the committee to postpone the matter, but the Virginians
did not take kindly to the hint. Mr. Palmer fixed up the papers himself, and
all the judge had to do was to sign them. Consequently, on the 7th of February,
1895, Virginia became incorporated as a city. The first city election
was held on the first Tuesday in April. In this election Robert McGruer led
the Citizens-Democratic party, while the Republican forces were led by Dr.
Bates. The Citizens party won a complete victory. Mr. McGruer was elected
rhayor, by a majority of 163, Mr. J. R. James was elected treasurer, and E. S.
Smith recorder. Under the city charter elections were held annually, two
aldermen served each of the four wards. Each served two years, and one
alderman was elected from each ward every year.
A new charter was adopted in 1902, and another mode of government,
that known as the "Home Rule" charter, took effect in
June, 1909. The charter was again amended in 1914, and even once
more, final readings of a new charter being made in November, 1920.
"Important features of the new charter are built largely around the
principle that only the mayor and the city council can legislate."
:
Mayoral Succession.—The chief executive of the village and city
John
administrations from the beginning of Virginia have been :
Owens, president of village, December 6, 1892, to April 1, 1894; Stuart
Bates, to April 15, 1895 ; Robert McGruer, first mavor of the city, to
April 15, 18%; ]. C. Jackson, to 1897; P. W. Scott, to 1899; M. C.
Palmer, to 1901 ; A. N. Thompson, to April 15, 1902; Wm. H. Eaton,
from April 15, 1902, to January 1. 1904; M. L. Fay, to January 1. 1906;
Wm. H. Eaton, to Januarv 1, 1908; A. Hawkinson," 1908-12 ; M.
A.
Murphy, 1912-14; Michael Boylan. 1914-19; and Wm. M. Empie, 1919.
Second Fire, 1900.—Not many municipalities have to experience
such complete wreck as has come twice to the city of \^irginia. The
second fire occurred, and was worse than the first fire, in one respect.
Virginia was more valuable in in 1900 than she was in 1893, although
the people of the healthy young city were probably better able in
1900 to bear the calamity than they had been in the precarious state
in which all things were in 1893. The "Virginian," August, 1907, reviewing
the second fire, wrote :
From the time when Virginia became incorporated as a city, up to 1900,
the city was enjoying unrivalled prosperity. New mines were constantly being
developed, together with the older and larger ones. Two sawmills were in
operation, and many other minor industries had now gained a firm foothold
in the town.
But just at this time, when Virginia's future seemed lirighter than it
ever had been before, a second fire destroyed the main business district of the
city, June 7, 1900. Through carelessness in handling the shavings burner at
the old Moon and Kerr mill, a blaze was started which in a short time had the
whole sawmill in flames. The day was very hot and everything as dry as it
possibly could be. This, together with a strong west wind, carried the flames
directly towards the town, and when one of the many flying sparks fell on the
dry shingles of a Iniilding in the very center of the city, the work of destruction
had begun. At sunset, there was nothing left of it_ but one vast
space of smouldering ruins. It must have been hard for the citizens of Vir-