Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/762

 061 HISTOKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 1895 and the first officers were Rev. J. H. Sammis, A. J. Meacham, W. IT. Putnam and Dr. F. W. Dimmit. Dr. Dimmit as secretary and Mr. Putnam as treasurer still remain in active service in the society. The police officers ;ire ex-officio members. During its existence the society has alleviated much suffering, and has investigated many cases of cruelty to animals and children. Owners of abused or neglected animals are warned in regard to. their treatment of the creatures in their care, and all cases of neglected or illy used children are speedily investigated, and measures of relief adopted. The society is connected with both the state and national bodies. The Historical Society I Red Wing) was organized on duly 12, 1905. for the purpose, not only of awakening and maintaining in- terest in the early history of Goodhue county, but also of pre- serving such records and manuscripts as were already in ex- istence. ;i> well as securing and preserving new manuxcripl from its members. The society has held meetings from time to time and listened to a number of Lectures by various Minnesota his- torians. While of late few meetings have been held, there has recently been a revival of interest which will doubtless result in awakened activity. The first officers were: Honorary president. Rev. ■). W. Hancock; president, -Indue Y. c. Williston; first vice president, 1). ('. Hill; second vice president, Airs. Y. ('. Williston; third vice president, Dr. V. M. Sweney; secretary and treasurer, Lucia Danforth; executive committee, Mrs. ('. E. Sheldon. Anna Wilkinson and W. R. Putnam: committee on historical alrficles. E. P. Seeley Dr. W. A!. Sweney, E. P. Neil], C. A. Betcher. The officers elected in 1907 were: Honorary president. Hew A. W. Hancock; president. Judge W. C. Williston: first vice president, I). ('. Hill- second vice president. Dr. W. VI. Sweney; third vice president. Airs. W. < '. Williston; secretary. II. A. Willard; treas- urer. Amelie E. Willard: executive committee, Mrs. C. E. -Sheldon and Frances Densmore. Since that time there has been no election. Colvill Park. In the winter of l!)(i-7 a proposition was made to the city of Red Wing for the purchase of the Colvill home- stead, situated on the Mississippi river in the eastern part of the city, a short distance below Darn bluff. The board of public works favored the buying of this property to be used as a public park and bathing beach. A petition urging ils purchase, signed by representative business men. was presented to the city coun- cil, but that body looked unfavorably upon the project and re jected it. The board of public works, as constituted at that time. resigned and Colvill park proposition was put to sleep. But its slumber was ruddy molested in the summer of 1908 by the drowning in the bay of a young high school student. Several