Then & Now: A History of Rice County, Faribault & Communities

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First council met in 1872
Robert Larson
(Mayor)
Gary Kindseth
Arthur Hopke
Harlan Pettipiece
Paul Muellenmeister
Eugene Wieneke
short water and sanitary sewer lines in three small
locations in the city. The other half will be used for the
start of a city housing inspection program. The bulk of
this share of the money will be used for housing
rehabilitation.
So, under the city council direction, Faribault is
forging ahead, not standing still.
By LYLE SCHREIBER
(This history of the city of Faribault has been
compiled by reading the official minutes of the council
meetings. The routine matters of business, on which
any council must spend a great deal of time, have been
omitted. Also, some major items are omitted because
they will be covered in other chapters by other
writers.)
An act to legalize the act to authorize the
incorporation of the city of Faribault was approved
February 29, 1872. It provided for the first election to be
held on the first Tuesday of April in 1872. H. M.
Matteson, B. F. Straub and Ernst Fleckenstein were
designated as inspectors of elections and the board of
canvassers. The population of the city was given as
5,000, of which 1,000 were voters. There were 612 pupils
enrolled in the city schools.
The charter meeting was held in Central Hall with
a capacity audience. Dr. L. W. Dennison was elected
chairman. F. W. French, Esq. explained the charter.
Other prominent citizens who spoke were Luke Hulett,
Esq., the Honorable G. E. Skinner, the Honorable
Gordon E. Cole and R. A. Mott, Esq.
The first election was held on April2, 1872. Friends
of the charter rejoiced by firing salutes, and the
Faribault brass band played in honor of the event.
"The election under the new charter resulted in a
clean Republican sweep with the exception of one
justice, J. B. Quinn, Esq., who was personally quite
popular and whose Republican opponent refused to
run."
The total vote cast was 846. There were 555 votes
for the charter and 291 against. Officers elected were:
Mayor, George W. Tower; Recorder, H. P. Sime; and
Treasurer, James A. Winter.
A paragraph from the Mayor's address, given at
the first meeting of the Common Council on April 9,
1872, shows that politics has not changed a great deal:
"And now, Gentlemen of the Council, let me urge.
upon you the strictest economy in public expenditures
compatible with the public interests. Remembering
that we are trustees of the purse of our constituents, let
no unnecessary officers be appointed, no salaries paid
but for corresponding efficient services, no
improvements made at public expense merely for local
or personal ends; and above all, let us avoid debt as we
would a pestilence or famine.''
The newly elected council took its work seriously,
for their second meeting was held the next day. They
met 32 times from the first meeting in April through
the end of December.
Pound Master Appointed
One of the first items of business was the
appointment of Pound Master Reuben Rundell. Mr.
Rundell served for many years and his duties covered
all animals. He once had a bull in the pound which had
to be sold to pay for the pound fees. One of the first
ordinances pertains to cattle running at large. Public
opinion was about equally divided on this issue. At one
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