The Robbinsdale Tellit

1908

The year 1908 was a busy one for Robbinsdale. Many citizens wanted better streetcar service and streetcars, so the village council had many contacts with the Twin City Railway Company and got promises of improvements. Parents were given warning about the diphtheria epidemic, which plagued Minneapolis.

On July 8, the new newspaper, Robbinsdale Tellit ($1.50 per year) was published by F. A. Harvey, editor and publisher. It contained both national and local news. Ads of new businesses included: “The American Suburbs Company is using every honorable means of inducing investors and prospective home builders to become new citizens.” From October 3rd, it sold one lot each day in Robbinsdale Park at one-half price or less. Standard price was $300, $5 down and $5 per month. Other ads were: G. J. Urban, Meat Market; Columbia Hotel, J. J. Coulter, Proprietor; Russ Grocery; Charles SchuIIer, implements, garden tools and general hardware; Bossert’s Cement Works, foundations dug and basements put in. W. G. Bossert built his new concrete block house on Hubbard Avenue in 1908. It was finally demolished by the Housing Authority in 1979 and a new house built in 1982.

W. F. Grenell organized and managed the Robbinsdale baseball team. known as “The Robbinsdale Cubs,” with E. N. Joyce, manager.

Mr. J. C. Lund, President of the Robbinsdale State Bank, died in August.
Many assurances were given in the Tellit about the safety of the money. In 1909, W. A. Farr moved from Iowa to head the reorganized Robbinsdale State Bank, until 1919.

Also in 1908 J. H. Morse was busy teaching Sunday School at the Congregational Church; George Swift was Master of the Compass Lodge of the A. F. and A. M.; Several houses were broken into and robbed of money and jewelry (Perle Malbon, G. H Johnson, and Mrs. Thomas Howard among the victims); horses would become frightened and dash for home. Horses becoming alarmed and running “somewhere” was a real problem in those days. Edgar Patch remembered a team “clattering” out Rockford Road dragging the wagon behind and a nearby farmer standing on the road to herd them into his yard to quiet them. In the winter Theodore Christianson, principal at Parker School, 1907-09, scheduled a lecture series with out-of-town speakers to benefit the piano fund. The events were well advertised in the Robbinsdale TeJlit but in the spring of 1909, the financial report indicated that the receipts were $84.20 and the expenses were $94.10. Theodore Christianson was the school principal while attending law school. He later served as Governor of Minnesota from 1925 through 1930 when he was defeated by Floyd Olson. In 1935, he published a five-volume Minnesota History.

After the 1895 Luther Seminary fire, John Jones, a local carriage maker, built for the village a hook and ladder rig with places on the side for water buckets. These were used by the “Bucket Brigade” which at that time was the most modem fire fighting apparatus known. Water would be drawn from cisterns. By 1908, the original  volunteer fire department was defunct, so in August, Village Trustees J. B. Scott, Perly Hoff and Charles Schuller, along with George Nash and W. H. Rodgers of the Commercial Club were appointed by the council to form a new volunteer fire department. About 30 men were willing to serve. W. H. Rodgers was chief and Irwin Russ, assistant chief. The new fire department was officially organized September 19, 1908, and on November 11 there was a benefit Grand Ball and supper for the fire department. By 1909, the fire department had acquired a hand-drawn, chemical rig
(with soda and ash). After many years of service, the rig was buried in the dump behind the village hall and is now paved over by the McDonald’s parking lot.
In 1914, Minneapolis’s offer of a horse-drawn, chemical rig was accepted and housed in an addition to the village hall. Due to the urgings of George Nash, a two-horse, power siren was installed in the Village Hall in April, 1917. Previously the Village Hall bell was rung to announce fires. The number of rings indicated the section of the village where the fire was located. Six years after the fire department was organized, the members decided to form a relief association. G. Nash, Sr.; William Rodgers; N. L. Nash; T. P. Howard; J. V. Ruble; R. L. Sayre; J. Bloberger, Sr.; Ben Knoll; F. A. Harvey; J. A. Trump; W. D. Bartlett; W. S. Randall and Perly Hoff wrote the artides of incorporation for the Robbinsdale Fire Department Relief Association. The purpose of the relief association was to give aid to disabled firemen, to defray funeral expenses and pay pensions to firemen who serve the required number of years. In 1983, all 28 volunteer firemen belonged to the association.

Evelyn Nash Pearson, daughter of George Nash, who was fire chief and for many years the owner of Nash Hardware remembers her father calling the Minneapolis Weather Bureau to find out the weather predictions and signal this with various colored flags above his store

In the summer of 1908, William F. Grenell started soliciting donations for band instruments for a band about to be formed, reported the Robbinsdale TeIlit. He presented a petition to form a band to the Village Council on September 4. At a public meeting on November 5, the Robbinsdale Military Band was formally organized. George Swift was elected leader and W. F. Grenell, treasurer. On November 16 a big benefit entertainment by the GreneII Minstrels was held at the Village Hall to raise more money for instruments. The Band started practicing immediately and in February, 1909, played at the Firemen’s Benefit and Entertainment Dance. In May, 1909, a Grand Concert was held with George Swift, director. A dance followed. A 1909 photo of the Band dressed in military uniforms of the day shows five Grenell family members and two of the Swift family, among others. The Grenells were a very musically talented family.

Later the name of the organization was changed to the Robbinsdale Civic Band. There was also a Robbbinsdale  Civic Club that among other things put on skits and plays for the town’s entertainment.

This post is part of a series based on the book Robbinsdale Then and Now by Helen Blodgett. The postcard at the top of the post (courtesy of Jeff Vick) feautres a view of West Broadway looking north. The Nash Hardware store is in the foreground.