BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF M^nvu ^' Sage 1891 ...p^lklMl ^^-^.. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 070 693 944 The original of tiiis book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://archive.org/details/cu31924070693944 ^'^^^m.9'''s^-^^'m* ' '*^^_ MILWAUKEE Under the Charter, FROM 1854 TO I860 INCLUSIVE. VOLUME IV. BY JAMES S. BUCK. MILWAUKEE. SWAIN & TATE, PRINTEKS, 1886. ^ J\ ■ \ 4- ^-^ 44. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1886, by JAMES S. BUCK, In the OiRee pf the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. EX-MAYOR HORACE CHASE, MtLWAUKEE S PRESENT OLDEST PIONEER, AND FIRST TOWN OLEEK, IS THIS VOLUME MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED THE AUTHOR. Down the endless vale of time Swiftly speed the fleeting years. PREFACE TO VOLUME IV. In coming before the public for the fourth time as a historian, the author has a deep sense of the imperfections his work contains, but as perfection is seldom attained in this world, and particularly in the compilation of local histories, he can only say that what errors there are (and there are several) are of the head and not of the heart, and must be taken as such. The intention has been to do justice to all, and show malice to none. To live in a community for half a century, and not make some enemies, is oftener the exception than the rule, and to have done this does not show any great degree of moral force in the individual who can boast of having accomplished it. That the author of these volumes has made enemies he is well aware, but is willing to abide the verdict of his fellow- citizens who have been his compeers during all these years as to the truthfulness of the polit- ical events recorded therein, or of the biographical and reminiscial* sketches, several of which are quite lengthy ; and feels very well satisfied that when he shall have joined his brother pioneers in the great beyond, that posterity will do him justice. All errors that have been discovered in the previous volume (and not corrected) will be corrected in this, and all in this that may be discovered as the work progresses, will also be corrected. Among the illustrations in this volume will be a cut of the old Military Hall on Oneida street, Bilty's Tremont, corner of Huron * There were some objections made by certain members of the press to the author's use of this word, which appeared in the Preface to Volume III. But as it best expresses what he means, and is far more euphonic than the more lengthy word reminiscencial, he claiins the right to use it in the same gonnection in this Volume. 6 PKKfACE. and Cass, the old Kilbourn mansion, corner Spring and Fourth streets and John Rugee's planing mill, southeast corner Oregon and Grove streets. In closing this Preface, the author wishes to return his heartfelt thanks to all who have in any way aided or encouraged him in his laborious undertaking. But particularly are they due Horace Chase, Enoch Chase, Daniel Wells, Jr., Alex. Mitchell, John H. Tweedy, William P. Merrill, John B. Merrill, William S. I'rowbridge, Uriel B. Smith, Elisha W. Edgerton, Harrison Ludington, Elisha Starr, John P. McGregor and Chauncey Sinionds, of the Pioneer Association ; to Nathaniel Merrill for drawings, and to the editors and locals of the Milwaukee Sentinel and Evening Wisconsin, for valuable services and courtesies rendered. The Author. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Pa?e. INTRODUCTION ii CHAPTER I.— 1854 , ,3 Opening Address — Members of Legislature — Weatlner — McLeod Frozen — The Business Status — Milwaukee Hydraulic Company Chartered — Bridges — Attack on John Rugee — He Rephes— Sketch of John Rugee — Booth vs. .Shaw — Issuing Bonds to Railroads — Searched the Wrong Man — The Glover Rescue — The Bielfeld Poem — The Old HeUenstein Warehouse Falls — Complaints — The Spring Election — Consequences Resulting to the City from this Election — A Free Fight and its Results — A Military Company Formed — The Vance Bros., Sketch — A Runaway and Its Results— Milwaukee & Mis- sissippi Railroad Report — William E. Goodman, Sketch — Robert C. Spencer, Sketch — Street Cleaning — Editor's Comments Thereon — Great Storm — ^The New Lighthouse l.ocated — A Dam Case— Milwaukee's Second Great Fire — Rebuilding the Burnt District— A New Hotel Called for— John B. Edwards, Sketch— L. B. Rock, Sketch— Brooke & Cannon's Store Robbed— The Cloven Foot Appears — Judge H. N. Wells' Famous Cow Case — Improvements — Hun & Crosby — The Narro Building — The Reliance Mill — Commercial Statistics — Assessments — Vessel Tonnage. CHAPTER II.— 1855 67 Opening Address — Legislature — Keport of Jailor — Fire — The Ground Rebuilt Upon — Business Status — Badger Iron Works — Cummings & Goodrich, Sketch — Police Court — Municipal — Spring Elections — The Mayor's Proclamation — General King's Comments — Mr. Kilbourn's Replies — Result of Election- General Rufus King, Sketch — Public Schools — A Know-Notbing on the Jury — Uncle Sam's Jurors — Journeymen Carpenter's Meeting — The Hog Nuisance — A Call for the Marshal — He Replies — Michael Bodden, Sketch — William Grant Fitch, Sketch — Charles Ray, Sketch — ^John J. Eves — Jabez Smith — Sebastopol Not Taken — Mentzel& Stone, Sketch — Eavesdroppmg — Opening Lake Shore Railroad — Street Improvements — A Fatal Mistake — Milwaukee Locomotive Works — Seaman & Wing Cabinet— Robert Eliot, Sketch — ^J. M. Holmes, Sketch — t'hurch Going — A Tremendous Shower — Mrs. Epps Saves the Sugar — Board of Fire Underwriters Formed — Soon Dies — An Excitmg Runaway — A Bit of a Shindy — Police Jottings — Census of Milwaukee — Census of County— Bay State Foundry — John S. Harris, Sketch— William Goodenough— William Walton — The Reliance Works, Sketch — Edward P. AUis, Sketch— The Ice Bear— Arthur Bates, Sketch— E. D. Hol- ton Struck with a Slungshot — Appointment of a Night Watch — Marine Dis- asters — How Is This for High?— The Sag Nicht Organized — Its Results — Herman C. Adams Shot — Organization of the Corn Exchange — Cremation — First Snowfall —Death of the General — Uncle Wm. E. Cr.jmer Gets Saiah- naded — George Cogswell, Sketch — The Evistons — Bridge Superintendent Ap- pointed — A Bad Boy — ^The Old Light- House Sold — Sam Shoyer Get.-; Left — Improvements — The Messrs. Christian and Gustav Preusser, Sketch — Mayor Cross' New Block — Citv Valuation — Statistics. a CONTENTS. CHAPTER III.— 1856 134 Opening Address — Noyes & Flertzheim's New Store, Sketch of — Legislature — Weather — The Police First Wore Stars in Sight — ^The Business Directory — Sketches of Ernst Conrad, Louis Salomon, the French Bros,, Ogden's Car- riage Factory, Warren, Hewitt & Tracy, Goodrich & Terry, Bradford Bros., Sinclair & Gunnison, and others — William Brown, of Albany, Dies — ^Public Market— John Johnston, Sketch — Board of Trade Organized — Charter Amendments — Railroad Meeting — Fire — The Star Mill, Sketch — Old Jones Tried— New Bridge Called For— New Jail Called For— She Wouldn't Stay Out — Divisions of the Second, First and Fifth Wards — Council Proceedings — Spring Election — Its Results — Schools — List of Teachers-r-The Old Mili- tary Hall — Opening of Billy's Tremont — Sketch of Bilty — South Side Gas Company Formed — Great Military Parade — Major Nunnemacher Makes a Speech — August Phillipp Exhibits His Horsemanship — ^The Golden Gate Saloon — ^The Old Loomis School House — -Owen Goss, Sketch — A. V. H. Car- penter, Sketch — Dwight W. Keyes, Sketch — Excursion to Beaver Dam — Railroads — The Dean Richmond Goes to Europe — Chas. J. Kershaw, Sketch Political — The Democracy Organize — Council Proceedings — Railroad Vote — Criminal — Cattle Market — Great Torchlight Procession — Fall Election — Mr. Hadley Defeated — Bear vs. Bull — Weather — Funeral of Solomon Juneau — Improvements — Vessel Tonnage — Cold. CHAPTER IV.— 1857 181 Opening Address — The Albany Block — New Year's Calls — The Weather — E. H. Brodhead a Bigger Man 'i'han the Pope — A New Grocery, Sketch — ^Jeremiah Quinn, Sketch — Great Rainstorm — Business Status — Legislative — Ninth Ward Organized — River Opened — Mr. Evans Dies — Municipal — Politics Red-hot — (.Jfficers Elected — Andrew Mitchell, Sketch — Public Schools — As- sessment — Altering the Grades — April Fool's Day — Its Results — The New Postmaster — John A. Becher, Sketch — A Park Proposed — Caleb Wall Scores the Common Council- — The Messrs. Matthews Brothers, Furniture, Sketch — Opening of the Newhall — Its Success and Final End — Nathan Pereles, Sketch — Merrill's Cornet Band — A Sad Accident — The Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad Meeting — Humorous — He Wouldn't Stand It Any Longer — Political — A Puff for Mayor Cross — Martin B. Coombs — Municipal Rascality Unearthed— The City in Peril— The Meeting at Albany Hall — The Wisconsin — E. L. H. Gardner's Manifesto — The Wisconsin Defends Him — Charles F. Freeman, Sketch — Stephen A. Harrison, Sketch — Daniel L. Wells, Sketch — Improvements — Disputed the Count — ^Weather — Census — Vessel List— Egbert Herring Smith Outdone — The Old Forest Home Ceme- tery. CHAPTER v.— 1858 243 Opening Address — -Legislative — Municipal — Report of Tax Payers' Committee at Albany Hall — Tabular Statements — The Effect of the Report— The Fight Between the People and the Council — ^Jackson Hadley, Sketch — Taxation — Milwaukee vs. Detroit — The Harbor Question — Alderman George S. Mal- lory's Speech — More Meetings at Albany Hall — Letters from Tax Payers — The Spring Campaign — The Fur Flies — William A. Prentiss Nominated for Mayor on a People's Ticket — Result of Election — Vilification — Council Pro- ceedings — License — A Tidal Wave — High Water — The Cordes Block Falls — July 4, and Its Results — The Council Takes a Tilt at the Common Schools — Alderman J. A. Phelps, Sketch — J. P. Rundle, Sketch — Opening of the At- lantic Cable— The Jail— Judge H. M. Wells Dies— Memorial Sketch- Charter Revision — Attempt to Remove the Court House — Rufus P. Jennings — Police Court — The Fall Campaign — A Bitter Contest — The Land Grant Steal — Judge Hubbell Buys a New Milch Cow — Chamber of Commerce Or- CONTENTS. y ganized — List of Its Presidents to Date — Matthew Keenan Retires from the Office of Clerk of Circuit Court— Pohtical— Councillor Jackson Hadley Goes for Mayor Prentiss— Mayor Prentiss Replies— Comptroller Hathaway's Esti- mate—The Election, November, 1858— Hotel Wettstein Opened— The Young Men's Christian Association vs. The Literary Club — ^The Weather— Early Ship Building— Wolf & Davidson, Sketch— S. R. Smith, Sketch— Early She- boygan Houses — Improvements. CHAPTER VI.— 1859 , 298 Opening Address— The Weather— Political Trickery— Reports of the County Offi- cials — Legislative— The New Charter, and the Fight on Its Passage— The Result — The Mayor's Report — Comments Thereon— A Call for a Mass Meet- ing at Albany Hall— The Result— An Attempt to Divide the Third Ward— St. Andrew's Society Formally Organized — -Jas. Siddell — Grain in Store — Horse Overboard— Swine Ditto — A Cow-SUp — The Spring Campaign — A People's Convention — Candidates Nominated — The Democratic Convention — The Result — -Major Fut Wins the Prize — C;omments of the Sentinel Upon E. L. H. Gardner's Nomination — New School Opened — School Census — Ought to Be in School— And These Ought to Be Whipped — Report — Page vs. Pren- tiss—Page Gets Leit— The Plot Thickens— J. T. Perkins Wants More Light —J. C. Starkweather Gets a Fall— The M. S. Scott Goes to Europe— The Ger- mans in America — ^July 4th Celebration — The Hog Nuisance — Mr. Pat Mc- Ginnis Makes His Maiden Speech — Likewise Did Misther O'Conner — Edi- torial Sparring — ^The Horse Railroad — Sam Piatt Gets a Bible — Father John Rosebeck on the War-Path — The Arrival of the New Steamers, the Detroit and Milwaukee — An Affair of Honor — The Old Blind Singer — How a Mil- waukee Carpenter Got a Floor Taken Up — The Eagle Mill, Sketch — The Phoenix — ^The Brewing Interest — The Empire Brewery of Phillip Best & Co. — Wm. P. Young's Block Burnt — The Sentinel Gets Spooney — Wouldn't Call Him Judge — ^The Old Market House — An Attempt to Divide the Coun- ty — Political — The Republicans Win — P. Van Vechten Scores the News — Winter Coming — Population — Improvements — The First Town Election — The Semi-Centennial — Statistical. CHAPTER VII.— 1860 -.366 Opening Address — Police Report — Legislative — Horse Railroad Project — A Park Proposed — The New Municipal Court Room — ^Judge Foote's (^ourt Abolished — Sid Rood's Game Cock — ^The Pleasant Street Bridge — A Costly Wind — -Ice Left the River — The Spring Election Brings Out More Political Rascality — Gardner & Lynch Arrested — Result of Election — ^Jasper Vliet's Safe Seized by the Sheriff — Base Ball Discovered — Milwaukee's Third Great Fire — At which a Mecklenberger Makes a Discovery — Marshal Jehu M. Lewis Tried — The Public Schools — Geo. G. Houghton Takes the Helm — Council Proceed- ings — S. H. Martin Builds three New School Houses — Railroads — Jacob L. Bean as a Prophet — The Third Ward Market House — Belden's Old Home Saloon Removed — The Cow Question — Caleb Wall Speaks — The Horse Rail- road Craze — The editor of the Sentinel Threatened with a Licking — Political Ruffianism — More Skullduggery — The Herzer Resolutions — The Lockwood Resolutions — Their Effect — The Germans Protest^ — Meeting of the Union Republican Club — Municipal Folly — Councillor Lockwood Brings the Mal- contents to Time — Councillor Noyes Resigns — After which Councillor Rose- beck Takes the Floor — His Speech — The Fall Campaign — A Republican County Organization Effected — Election — First Snow Fall — Highway Rob- bery — Fred. Wardner Garrbted — Burning of Nichols & Britt's Mill — Burning of Cross Block — Improvements — ^The Lady Elgin Goes Down— In Memoriam. ERRATA. On page 24, for " Rocraft," read " Rycraft." On page 93, for " Welbb," read " Webb." On page 191, for " J. H. Green," read " Greeves." On page 241, for " B. Stern," read " B. Stirn." On page 398, fifth line from top, for "John Lockwood," read " John PlanKinton." INTRODUCTION. The local historian who attempts the laborious task of placing upon record the principal events — pohtical, social and financial — con- nected with the founding of a new city, and its progress (to use a metaphor) fi-om infancy to manhood, will, as stated in the introduc- tion to Volume III., not get rich or perhaps win much fame, but will if he chance (as was the fortune of the writer) to have been num- bered among its early men, often find himself during the progress of his work carried back in memory to the starting point, and journey- ing o'er life's well marked trail again, during which the scenes he has witnessed, both mirthful and pathetic, will pass in rapid review before his mental vision with a vividness that is wonderful. This journey the author of these volumes has often taken during the progress of the work, when the face and form of many who were once prominent in our city as politicians and business men, but who have long since crossed the Styx, were often seen, some of whom were good men and useful citizens, while others sought their own aggrandizement alone, wholly regardless of the consequences to themselves or to others. To write the history of this latter class truth- fully is often an unpleasant task, and if it should be claimed that the political characters of any of the men sketched have been too harshly dealt with, posterity has only to refer to the public records of their lives to be satisfied, not only of the truthfulness of these sketches, but that in several instances the party mentioned would have stood a second coat of red without overstepping the bounds of truth. In closing this introduction to Volume IV., the author feels justified in saying, that to be counted as worthy of belonging to that small 12 INTRODUCTION. band, who under the name ot Pioneers have been permitted to live to witness the almost marvelous growth of the city they helped to found, is an honor few can boast of having enjoyed. And to be, in however small a sense, its historian, is a much greater one. 'That the coming anniversary on the 19th of September next (a full text of which will be found in the Appendix), when the first half century since the township organization (out of which the city had its birth) shall have been completed, may be celebrated in a manner worthy of the occasion, is certainly the wish of The Author. Milwaukee, August i6th, 1885. CHAPTER I. 1854. Opening Address — Members of Legislature — ^Weather — McLeod Frozen — ^The Business Status — Milwaukee Hydraulic Company Chartered — Bridges — Attack on John Rugee — He Replies — Sketch of John Rugee — Booth vs. Shaw — Issuing Bonds to Railroads — Searched the Wrong Man — ^The Glover Rescue — The Bielfeld Poem— The Old Helfenstein Warehouse Falls — Complaints — The Spring Election — Consequences Resulting to the City from this Election — A Free Fight and its Results — A Military Company Formed — The Vance Bros., Sketch — A Runaway and Its Results — Milwaukee & Mis- sissippi Railroad Report — William E. Goodman, Sketch — Robert C. Spencer, Sketch — Street Cleaning — Editor's Comments Thereon — Great Storm — The New Lighthouse Located — A Dam Case — Milwaukee's Second Great Fire — Rebuilding the Burnt District — A New Hotel Called for — John B.' Edwards, Sketch — L. B. Rock, Sketch — Brooke & Cannon's Store Robbed — The Cloven Foot Appears — Judge H. N. Wells' Famous Cow Case — Improvements — Hun & Crosby — The Nazro Building — The Reliance Mill — Commercial Statistics — Assessments — Vessel Tonnage. Fifty years have come and gone — At least that's what they say — Since the bold Saxon race so grand Made their first plant upon the land Around Milwaukee Bay.* The commencement of 1854 was unmarked, at least in Milwaukee, by any unusual demonstration in politics, business, or religion. The excitement attending the election the previous November, growing out of the liquor question, in connection with the election of Franklin Pierce to the Presidency, some account of which appeared in Vol. 3, had in a great measure died out, and now that the battle was over, the victory won, the new year in reality commenced, and the frost- king in full control of the weather, those who were at swords' points (politically) during that exciting campaign, were now ready to bury the hatchet, shake hands over the bloody chasm, take a smilet to- gether, and unite in the usual round of festivities that formed so *The first title to the land, upon which now stands the beautiful city of Mil- waukee, was obtained at the land sale held at Green Bay, August, 1835. f A friendly glass of whisky. 14 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. large a part of the winter life of the denizens of the Cream City, in the " olden time." Which festivities were inaugurated by the Odd Fellows with A New Year's Ball, At Gardner's Hall, followed by the firemen and other organizations, civil and military, while the politicians hied them to Madison, some for the purpose of aiding in procuring honest legislation, while others, (and by far the largest portion,) "The Lobby," for the sole purpose of bulldozing the members into turning the pubHc grindstone while they sharpened their little hatchets with which to cut down the traditional cherry tree.* And thus the months rolled away until March loth, when " Old Sol " agam broke winter's icy fetters, although the river was not entirely clear until the 15th, 'and April loth brought us the first boat from below — the brig Globe — upon whose arrival we could truly say that spring had come. The previous year had, as a whole, been a very prosperous one. A large immber of buildings — including the original gas works — having been erected, at an aggregate cost of $450,000. Our population had reached 30,000, and our manufactures $2,000,000. Our railroads, also, the Milwaukee & Mississippi, and the Milwaukee & La Crosse, were rapidly extending their lines to the " Father of Waters," and the outlook for Milwaukee to soon rival Chicago was encouraging. True, she, like other western cities, had not reached her present prosperous condition without a number of drawbacks, as besides the decimation her population had received * It is a fact beyond all dispute that during the infancy of our State government our legislators were, as a rule, more willing to grant any franchise asked for by William B. Ogden, for the benefit of Chicago, than for their own State, until it became proverbial that the Legislature of Illinois held its .sessions in Madison, Mr. Ogden, small blame to him — as the Hibernian would say — always succeed- ing in buying up a suflficient number of those "limber-baclied, spoils-seeking" members every year to accomplish his ends, until the " I,a Crosse Land Grant" steal came to the front, after which he threw up the sponge (as the sporting men say) in disgust, and retired from the business, as in place of " fifiy dollars per capita," which was about the average he had been paying for " Badger skins," they had advanced in price to an average of $5,000 for common, $10,000 ior prime, $25,000 for extra prime, $50,000 for full grown males, and, in one instance, Si220,ooo was paid for a silver gray. (See price list in chapter 5.) Oh! poUtics! The lust for gold engendered in the hearts of all who once enter fully within thy courts surpasseth all other passions, even that for women. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 15 in 1849, by that fearful scourge the "Asiatic cholera," the wheat crop, upon the success of which her prosperity more than any other one source depended, had during that (and the two subsequent years) been almost a total failure, all of which had been keenly felt. But better days were in store for her, as the past three years — particularly 1853 — had been prosperous ones agriculturally, and now her plank as well as her railroads were groaning beneath the burden of the rich treasures of wheat and other grains that came pouring in from the unrivalled farming region for which she was the only natural commercial outlet. Immigration, another source of wealth to a new country, had also been quite large, over 25,000 having landed here during the season of navigation, one-fifth of whom, at least, had settled within her then corporate limits. All of which tended to give an impetus to real estate, which advanced rapidly, in proof of which was the sale in January, 1854, of the south twenty feet of lot one, and the north forty feet of lot two, in block (5), third ward, by Jas. B. Martin to Henry J. Nazro, for $18,000, a large sale for those days, upon which Mr. Nazro was to erect a fine store the coming summer. This building, the present Nos. 319, 321 and 323 East Water street, which will be more fully described in its proper place, was the worider of the day when built, and is a good store now. The members from Milwaukee city and county, for 1853 and '54, elected the previous November, were for the senate, Edward M. Hunter and Edward McGarry, and to the house, John Crawford, Jackson Hadley, Peter Lavies, Henry Beecroft, Timothy Hagerty, Edward O'Neill, John Tobin, WiUiam Reinhard, and William E. Webster. Speaker of the house, F. W. Horn. This legislature convened January 11, 1S54, and adjourned April 3, 1854. Weather. The winter of 1853 and '54 was a cold one, particularly the early part, a snowfall of twelve inches, the greatest at any one time during the last six years, occurring on the sth of January, while the ice in the river (which closed December 19, 1853,) was twelve inches in thickness, with the thermometer at twelve degrees below zero. The following is the record for nine days in January: The ther- 16 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. mometer standing at 6 p. m., on the 7th, 12 degrees below zero; 8th, 10 degrees below zero ; 9th, 12 degrees below zero; 10th, 14 degrees below zero; nth, 16 degrees below zero; 12th, 16 degrees below zero; 23d, 7 a. m., 20 degrees* below zero; 8 a. m., 19 degrees below zero; 9 a. m., 16 degrees below zero. This was cold enough to satisfy the most fastidious. The ground was frozen to a great depth, and very little work could be done out of doors during the month of January and a part of February, except to cut ice. The business status of the old firms was practically the same as in 185 1, a few changes only having been made in location or partners. Charles C. Dewey, saddlery, 376 East Water street, is now a farmer in Wauwatosa. Abraham FoUansbee, bakery, 107 Wisconsin street. This was the nucleus of the present mammoth bakery of Theodore Riedel, on Broadway, an establishment that has made for all of its different owners a large amount of money. Wm. E. Goodman, camphene and gas-fitting, 83 Wisconsin street. Mr. Goodman will be sketched further on. Timothy W. Goodrich and Eli S. Hunter were in the old red warehouse foot of East Water street ; commission. Richardson Granget and Thomas C. Cole, meat market, were at 322 East Water street. Jackson Hadley and Joseph W. Haskins, commission, were in the checkered warehouse on South Water street. These are a few not previously mentioned. Mr. Haskins subsequently went to Cahfornia. He was a bad one. The Milwaukee Hydraulic Company Chartered. The first step looking towards the construction of water-works for the city of Milwaukee was by an act of the Legislature of 1854, and * A man named Daniel McLeod froze to death during this cold weather, in a miserable shanty, standing at that time where Angus Smith's elevator C. (the old Sweet elevator) now stands. I remember the circumstance perfectly. There was a large amount of suffering that winter among the poor, on account of the high price of fuel and the impossibility of obtaining worlc. f Mr. Grange is yet in business and located at 265 South Water. Mr. Cole is a resident of Kansas City. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 17 approved April i, under the above title. The corporators and first directors were Charles E. Jenkins, James Ludington, Joseph W. Haskins, William P. Young, Duncan C. Reed, Asahel Finch, Jr., and James H. Rogers. They were to take their supply of water from Lake Michigan. There was also an act, March ii, 1855, authorizing the city to issue $100,000 in bonds to aid in their con- struction. This last act was to be submitted tO' the people for ratifi- cation. It is needless to say that no works were ever constructed by this company. Bridges. The reader will doubtless remember that a contract had been made in 1853 by the Common Council with John Rugee to erect a new bridge at the foot of East Water street, and also at Spring street, for $11,500 for the two. The one at Spring street to be completed by January i, 1854. The severe cold, however, prevented the ful- filment of this contract (as to time), and some " croaker," who evidently did not understand what he was writing about, had an article in the Wisconsin of February 3, complaining of Mr. Rugee for not removing the old bridge at Spring street in readiness for the new one, and gets the following reply from that gentleman's ver- satile pen r BRIDGE,*. To the Editor of The Wisconsin : In reply to the article in your paper of the 3d, about removing Spring street bridge, I would say, first, that the writer of that article nas not got mechanical bumps enough to know what has been done; second, ■ that he does not know how many men are required for a structure of this kind; third, that he is apt to catch at and publish what others say without inquiring into the facts himself. If he had come to me I could have shown him the yard where all the materials are being prepared and where as many men are employed as can work to advantage. It has been represented by men that I thought worthy of belief that I have been paid a sum of money to leave Spring street bridge and go to work on the one at Walker's Point. This is too ridiculous to speak about, since they have a bridge at that place that is passable for teams now. -Had the man who started that report visited my bridgfe-yard he could have seen men at work on the Spring street bridge for three weeks past. When I made the contract with the city I told the Bridge Committee that I could not possibly complete the one at Spring street in the time specified, but that I was willing to pay the penalty (|10 per day) if they could give me a reasonable extension, which they agreed to do if I would hurry it up as fast as I could. This I have done, and I can assure the Wisconsin that the men in my employ are not slaves, who can be driven to work in such weather as we had last month. And now a word for the pubhc. It is as much for my interest as 18 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. theirs to get the bridge completed. I can get all the labor I want now much cheaper than I can a month hence, and if I could set thirty or forty men at work I could save at least |400 by so doing. Spring street bridge was not removed for four weeks after I gave notice that I was ready. And some of the very men who are now "barking" at me wished it kept there until January, 1854, although they knew that my contract with the city calls for a new bridge by that time. John Eugbe, Contractor. This was a good reply, although not severe enough upon the "blatherskites" who were barking at him. For the article in the Wisconsin, in answer to which this was written, was a pretty rough one, and accused Mr. Rugee of not intending to complete the new bridge by January i, 1854, the time set, and of not commencing in season to pull down the old one, when, as he says, they would not let him. It was so far completed, however, as to be opened for the passage of teams March 14, George F. Oakley being the first to cross it, which he did with his new 'bus drawn by six horses. It was fully completed March 27, when the old float so clumsy, but nevertheless so useful in its day, disappeared, at least from Spring street, forever. Upon the commencement to remove the old one, January 6, the following appeared in the Sentinel: Spring Stkeet Bridge. — In the spring of 1846 this beautiful structure was built by the Common Council. Yesterday its demolition com- menced, to give place to another bridge, which it is to be hoped will last more than seven years. It is said that one of the Council shed tears in passing yesterday on witnessing its destruction. It is also said the Bridge Committee intend saving fragments of the old structure, to have canes, tobacco boxes, etc., made from them, as relics of antiquity and their tenacity to the old pathway.* John Rugee. This gentleman, who ranks as one of our prominent and successful master builders and architects, was born at Lubec, a free city in Germany, January 3, 1827, and from where he emigrated to this country when a boy. He settled first at the village of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he learned his trade (carpenter), and from there came to Milwaukee, in 1851, where he soon came to the front as a mechanic *This bridge, erected in 1854, stood thirteen years, when it was replaced by a new one, erected by the late Daniel L. Wells, which stood until 1882, when it was replaced by the present iron one. The demolition of this last (the Wells bridge) was commenced January 24, 1882, the writer crossing it for the last time at 8 A. M. that morning. Sic transit. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 19 of more than ordinary ability. His first work of any importance after his arrival in our city, was the erection of a bridge over the Rock River, at Watertown, for the Milwaukee & Watertown Rail- road Company. He also built the one at Janesville, over the same stream, for the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad, both of which are yet in use, and, as has just been seen, was then (1854) engaged in the erection of the one at Spring street, over the Milwaukee River. This was the first swing bridge (i. e.) to swing upon a center pier, ever erected in the city. It was at this time that he improvised a machine to cut off' the few piles* (fenders) formerly driven as a pro- tection to the old float bridge, there being at that time no " dredge " in the city of sufficient power to pull them. The novelty, as well as the simplicity of this invention, attracted no little attention, and its operation was watched by the mechanical portion of the community with great interest. It was subsequently put to similar use on the Chippewa River. Mr. Rugee's inventive genius was something mar- velous to the mechanics of that day — there being no obstruction but disappeared before his fertile brain as rapidly as does the dew before the sun. He also, in connection with Stoddard H. Martin, with whom he had become associated as a partner, built the Newhall house in 1856-7, since which time he has devoted himself, almost exclusively, to the manufacture of building material, drafting plans, making specifications for private dwellings, and superintending their erection, a large number of which, both in the city and country, show the mark of his hand. From this, to him a pleasant employ- ment, he has now retired m favor of his son John C. Rugee, and engaged in the lumber trade with Emil Durr, under the tide of Durr & Rugee, in which enterprise let us hope that his success, as well as Mr. Durr's, may meet their most sanguine expectations. So much for his business record. In pohtical faith, Mr. Rugee is a staunch republican, in which party he has been one of the pillars for the last twenty years, few in Milwaukee having exerted a greater influence than has he. He was elected to the legislature in i860, from the Fifth ward (in which he has always resided), has also served two terms in the common coun- * Four feet under water. 20 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. cil, the last one being in 1857, where he was both active and efficient, and was appointed by the governor to superintend the erection of the present court-house, and also a trustee of our county insane asylum, from both of which positions he was ejected by the demo- crats, who wanted no one to inspect their work who was not in full sympathy with their plans. He was also elected sheriff, over John Bentley, in 1880. Such is a brief sketch of his political record. In religious faith he is a hberal, cares nothing for creeds, but judges a man by what he does, and not for what he may beheve, or profess — always a safe rule to follow. In person he is of medium height, has a well proportioned and muscular frame, has dark hair and dark eyes, and is the very picture of health. He has a strong voice, speaks somewhat quick, with a slight German accent — his words coming out with a rolling intonation. He is the soul of honor, very conscien- tious, and always careful what he says, or what he does. He is also a good judge of character, few better in the city. He disMkes noto- riety, is very undemonstrative for a politician, which to quite an extent he still is, and will make no promise to any one, political or other- wise, that he does not intend to keep. He has good executive abilities, and can handle a large force of men to good advantage. He has become quite wealthy, the result of a close attention to business and good management. Such is John Rugee, one of Milwaukee's well-known and respected representative business men, a useful citizen and one whom the people have often delighted to honor. Spicy — Booth vs. Shaw. There was quite a large amount of what might properly be called a windy correspondence, this year, by and between the Milwaukee Daily News, Daniel Shaw, editor, and the Daily Free Democrat, Sherman M. Booth, editor. If these gentlemen were at all friendly, they certainly took a curious way to show it. The News, of Feb- ruary 7, published what purported to be an invitation from the '• cuUered " population to Mr. Booth to join them in a public dinner at Prof. " Jesse Epps, His Saloon,"* and to which invitation it * As our forefathers would have stated it. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 21 makes Booth accept. The menu was not very elaborate, consisting entirely of rani, lamb, mutton and sheep (no horse or dog). Booth was in a fearful rage, and so was Epps, who said this was the worst insult he had ever received in his Hfe, and that was certainly saying a great deal. There was much sport made of the affair, many claim- ing that the proposed dinner was fully equal to Mr. Booth's deserts, and wickedly hoped he would have a good time. It is needless to say that the dinner did not come off.* Issuing Bonds to Railroads. There was an ordinance passed at the meeting of the common council, held February ii, 1854, for the issue of $100,000 in city bonds to the Lake Shore (now the Chicago & Northwestern), and also one for the issue of $200,000 to the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroads. The first named company gave as security for their $100,000; a company bond for $100,000, a first mortgage bond on the road for $125,000, the personal bond of the directors and others for $150,000, and full paid stock for $100,000 — in all $475,000. The La Crosse gave a company bond for $400,000, a mortgage bond and notes for $250,000 — in all $650,000. And the city had them all to pay in the end. Searched the Wrong Man. The constable from the country of Ozaukee brought a prisoner named Miller to the Milwaukee jail, in March, 1854, that county being then destitute of such a luxury, and who {i. e., the constable) was so drunk that the jailor, S. S. Conover, went through his pockets, thinking, from his fuddled condition, that he was the prisoner. It appeared from the prisoner's statement, and the constable's condition certainly confirmed it, that he (the constable) would stop at all the saloons on the road to wood up, leaving his prisoner sitting on the wagon for fifteen minutes at a time, who, when asked why he did not run, replied : " Veil, it vas vinter, und I pees yust so coot here as nudder blace." * The writer has failed to find the full text of this " Menu," as the files of the Neivs, for 1854, have been destroyed by fire. " But it was rich." 22 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The Glover Rescue. We come now to an episode in the history of our city that, for the time being, caused more excitement and came nearer terminating in bloodshed than all the exciting things which had previously occurred within it, political or otherwise (not excepting the attack on the .Methodist church, March 6, 1851), since its foundations were laid, even the news of the attack on Fort Sumter by the rebels, April 12, 1 86 1, not causing half as much. I mean the arrest of Joshua Glover, March 10, 1854, as a " fugitive slave," by virtue of a warrant issued by the United States District Court, Judge A, G. Miller, under what was known as the " Fugitive Slave Ijaw,"* and his subsequent rescue by the people on February 11, which arrest and rescue, as well as the subsequent arrest, trial, conviction and confinement of Sherman M. Booth in the then government bastile — the present custom-house, coupled with the action taken by the slave-holders' court at Washington,! in attempting to coerce our state court into obeying this infamous law, finally awoke the semi-palsied North to their real danger, and led them to resolve that this "sum of all villainies " should be driven from the land and America become the land of the free and the home of the brave ht fact as well as in name. But I digress. The facts connected with this arrest and rescue are substantially as follows : Glover, who was claimed as a fugitive slave by one Ammi C. Garland, of Missouri, was at that time employed in a mill at Racine, where he was arrested by the then United States Deputy Marshal, the late Charles C. Cotton, and although he made no resistance when arrested, was nevertheless brutally treated by being *This infamous law has never had a parallel in any country claiming to be civil- ized, and to our shame be it said that the attempt to convert her people into "bloodhounds" was first made in " Free America.!' No wonder it could not be enforced, for the execution of it was so revolting to every sense of justice that few men were found in the North who could he induced to make the attempt. Its paternity is not certainly known, but Mr. Mason, of Virginia, is credited with begetting it. But at all events, let whomsoever it was have all the glory. It was attached to the " Omnibus Bill," as is the tail to the kite, and in that way became a law. But like the tail of the asp, it contained a terrible sting, fatal to all it pierced. God forbid that America should ever be cursed with the like again. fThe United States Supreme Court as then organized. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 23 first clubbed by Garland, who accompanied Marshal Cotton, after which he was handcuffed, thrown into the bottom of the wagon and brought to Milwaukee (getting a kick occasionally while on the journey from Garland, as a foretaste of what awaited him when once more safely back in Missouri), and thrown into jail, where he lay wounded and bleeding until morning, when, by order of Samuel S. Conover, the under-sheriff (and jailor), his wounds were partially dressed, after which he was given into the custody of a special deputy sent to the jail for that purpose by order of A. V. R. Able- man, the then United States Marshal for the Eastern District, and from whose custody (the deputy) he was finally rescued. It is an old saying that evil deeds travel fast, and it was not long before the knowledge that a fugitive slave was in the jail, who if not protected would soon be on his way back to bondage, and steps were at once taken by Booth and his co-workers in the cause of human liberty, the late General James H. Paine, Doctor E. B. Wolcott, Franklin J. Blair,* and others, to prevent it. Their first move was to call upon Marshal Cotton, who denied all knowledge of the affair, after which they called upon Judge Miller, by whom they were informed that such a warrant had been issued, but whether the arrest had been made, or if made the trial would come before him, he could not tell. Upon receiving this information all the lion in Booth was aroused, and after placarding the streets with small hand-bills stating the facts, he mounted his horse and rode through the principal streets, shout- ing, " Freemen, to the rescue !" The excitement among the anti-slavery portion of the community upon hearing this was intense. The bells were rung and a vast crowd were quickly gathered at the court-house. A meeting organ- ized, with Doctor E. B. Wolcott, chairman, and A. H. Bielfeld, sec- retary. Speeches were made, resolutions passed, and a committee appointed to wait upon Judge Miller and ascertain if the writ of habeas corpus would be obeyed ; and upon being informed that it *This affair cost Mr. Blair $2,000 in the way of bail for BooUi, and what he had to pay in other ways. But he considers it one of the best investments he ever made, as the fire started by that arrest was only extinguished by the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln, January I, 1863. '24 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. would not, they at once returned to the jail and made the same demand of the sheriff, who informed them that Glover was then out of his control and in the direct charge of the United States Mar- shal,* whereupon the excitement was increased tenfold, and a large crowd at once surrounded the jail awaiting the arrival of the delega- tion from Racine, who, they were informed, were on the way, and upon whose arrival, at 5 p. m., the fun commenced by an attack upon the " old bastile," the doors of which soon fiew open before the sturdy blows of the indignant sons of liberty, and Glover was free. He was no sooner outside than he was taken in charge by John A. Mes- senger, who conveyed him to the residence of Hon. Winchell D. Bacon, at Waukesha, where his wounds were properly dressed, after which he was removed to the residence of Moses Tichenor and secreted until the search for him was over and the excitement some- what subsided, after which he was taken back to Racine by Chaun- cey C. Olin, and from whence shortly after he escaped to Canada, where the slaveholder was not permitted to follow him. Such, in substance, is the history of this attempt to execute the " sum of all villainies," the Fugitive Slave Law, in liberty-loving Wisconsin. And as the suits at law growing out of it, with the exception of the trial of Thomas Mason, Geo. B. Bingham and John Roycroft, who were tried before Judge Hubbell for breaking the jail- (and acquitted), are more of a national than a local character and have already passed into our state history, they will not be commented upon here further than to say that the slaveholders' party have never won any "laurels" in Wisconsin. A. Henry Bielfeld. The following is from the pen of Mr. Bielfeld, written on the arrest and escape of Glover, and is given here as a memento of him : No more shall the slavist dare To claim Milwaukee. Curse their power. This territory, free and fair — This Western continent — is ours. *The writer will say, although he is not proud of it, that he was the deputy then in the jail, to whom Under-sheriff Conover had delivered Glover, and from whose custody he was taken. Neither did he attempt to recognize any of the mob (as they were styled) who did it. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 25 The fiends of man have ran their race. These bloodhounds, this infernal pack, They shall not ride us, by the grace Of God, with saddles on our oacks. Mr. Bielfeld was a very prominent man among his countrymen for many years. He was, as has been seen, the first city clerk under the charter. He was a man of marked peculiarities of character — had a sovereign contempt for all shams of every kind. Honest him- self, he wished every one else to be. Peace to his memory. He died November i6, 1882, and was interred at Forest Home. The old Helfenstein warehouse, on Erie street, bursted March 19, letting about 8,000 bushels of wheat, together with the horse used for hoisting, and which was in the upper loft, out on to the dock. The old equine took it quietly, just as though it was a proper thing for a warehouse to do. Complaints. There was great complaint made this year, just previous to the spring election, about the fearful condition of East Water street, par- ticularly on the want of uniformity in the grade of the sidewalks, which varied up and down every twenty feet, same as they do on Grand Avenue to-day. Every one erecting a building would set it above or below his neighbor, just as the whim took him. A strong effort was made to bring them to a common grade, but it was not done, and probably will not be for the next twenty years, for the reason that the grade in the Third, and all the lower part of the Fourth wards, will ultimately have to be raised from two to four feet, in order to get proper sewerage. The Sentinel, in commenting upon this matter, stated that no man ought to be voted for at the coming election for alderman, in either the First or Third wards, who would not promise to act, and act at once, in this matter, giving the whole board in fact a general scoring for not paving East Water street, ending his peroration with the wish that some one (he did not want to do it) would take the various can- didates for aldermanic honors and walk them up and down the side- walks, and then over the street, in order that they might contemplate the scene, for if they could, he thought they would make up their minds to fix that street or die. 26 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. This sort of talk was all well enough for newspaper men, and in fact it was their proper province, but if the aldermen had attempted to have fixed that street, as called for, or as it ought to have been, that same editor would have been among the first to howl about the taxes, and blow up the common council for its extravagance.* Those old time editors-, like those of the present day, were always on the " bull " side when it cost them nothing. The municipal election in 1854, was a pretty hotly contested one, there being a split between the two factions of the democracy. The following was the result : Mayor— Byron Kilbourn. Comptroller — John B. Edwards. Treasurer — Ferdinand Kuehn. Attorney — Erastus Foote. Police Justice — Clinton Walworth, Surveyor — William S. Trowbridge. Marshal— John Mitchell.t Ward Officers. Aldermen. First ward — Jackson Hadley, Geo. S. Mallory and Victor Schultee. Second ward — Richardson Houghton, Charles E. Jenkins and Chas. Geisburg. Third ward — John Caughlin, John Hayden and Jas. Reed. Fourth ward — Jas. Ludington, Alonzo L. Kane and Daniel Schultz. Fifth ward — Andrew Mitchell, Ed. Wonderly and Jasper Humphrey. President of Board — Jackson Hadley. City Clerk— Robert Whitehead. Commissioners of Surveys — First ward — Joshua Hathaway. Second ward — I. A. Lajjham. Third ward — Elisha Eldred. Fourth ward — I. E. Goodall. Fifth ward — Martin Delany. Assessors — First ward — H. Upmaun. Second ward — B. Church. Third ward — Richard G. Owens. Fourth ward — J. S. Pardee. Fifth ward — Martin Delaney. Railroad Commissioners — First ward — A. Sawyer. Second ward — H. Haertel. Third ward — Daniel Murphy. Fourth ward — S. C. West. Fifth ward — Carlton Holland. * There is no doubt that the depreciation of real estate on East Water street, more particularly below Huron, is largely due and chargeable to the miserable condition in which in was kept during those years — to say that it was bad does not express it. Its condition was simply abominable. But it had to be endured, and we lived through it. The money to pay for improving it, as called for, was not to be obtained without too much of a sacrifice, neither could any of the aldermen elected be convinced that it was the proper thing for them to do, as those who had the most votes would not permit it, and to do it without their consent was equivalent to a deleat at the next election, a calamity which the average politician always avoids, if possible. fMr. Mitchell was elected over Tim O'Brien by 1,378 majority. Tim's pres- tige was gone, at least for a time. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 27 Justices of the Peace— First ward— Albert Smith. Second ward— C. F. Bode. Third ward— Wm. Holland. Fourth ward— Haven Powers. Fifth ward— Oliver Parsons. Constables— First ward— F. Kessler. Second ward— Geo. Fischer. Third ward— John H. Ryan. Fourth ward— P. Maloy. Fifth ward— Chas. Meyer. City Printers- W. E. Cramer, Daily Wisconsin. Frederick Fratney, Daily Volksfreund . Council met in Martin's block, 399 East Water screet. School Commissioners. First ward— J. Hadley, Eufus King and Thos. Duggan. Second ward — Chas. E. Jenkins, Samuel Brown and Benj. Church. Third ward — John Cummines, Edward McGarry and Hans Crocker. Fourth ward— Priam B. Hill, Geo. E. H. Day and Haven Powers. Fifth ward— Andrew Mitchell, Edwin DeWolf and Clark A. Place. Chas. E. Jenkins, president.* R. Whitehead, secretary. Teachers for the Public Schools. The following is a list of the teachers to be employed in the public schools of our city, during the current year, as agreed upon by the board of school commissioners at their meeting on Saturday last : First Ward School. Principal — A. A. Griffith. Miss Jane Stoddard, Assistant. Intermediate Department — Mrs. Lydia Palmer, Principal. Miss Emily S. Palmer, Assistant. Primary Department — Miss Mary C. Osgood, Principal. Miss S. C. Stoddard, Assistant. Second Ward. Principal — A. S. Darrow. Miss S. C. Church, Assistant. Intermediate Departmen1>— Miss L. A. Ingraham, Principal. Miss Hetty Fairbanks, Assistant. Primary Department— Miss M. E. Stannard, Principal. Miss E. Green- leaf, Assistant. District No. 2— Miss E. H. Langdon, Principal. Third Ward. Principal — F. C. Pomeroy. Miss E. M. Ross, Assistant. Intermediate Department — Geo. McWhorter, Principal. Miss Mary J. Gilbert, Assistant. Primary Department — Miss S. C. Bushman, Principal. Miss Anna E. Mitchell, Assistant. * The City Directory, for 1854, makes Rufus King, president, and the Sentinel makes Chas. E. Jenkins. The name of A. R. R. Butler, also appears in the Directory, upon the finance committee in the school board, which I think is not correct, as his name does not appear m the "Roster" as having been a member of the board for that year. 28 milwaukee under the charter. Fourth Ward. Principal — A. J. Craig. MisB Sarah "Wells, Assistant. Intermediate Department — Miss Amanda pjlmore, Principal. Primary Department — Miss Augusta Richmond, Principal. Miss Mary Selleck, Assistant. Fifth Ward. Principal — James Baker. Miss Mary Jane Wells, Assistant. Intermediate Department — Mrs. Henrietta Baker, Principal. Miss N. F. Trowbridge, Assistant. Primary Department — Miss Laura M. Pratt, Principal. Miss Louisa Ballard, Assistant. There were six good substantial brick school buildings, the new one (the sixth) being in district number two of the Second ward, north- west corner of Fourth and Beaubian streets. The amount paid teachers was $7,816.03; incidentals, $1,578.60. Total expenses for the year, $9,394. 6_^. The highest salary paid was $650, and the lowest $200. The secretary's report was similar to those already given in volume 3, and is therefore omitted. It was signed by Robert Whitehead, secretary, and dated April 4, 1854. Fire Department. The election for officers of the fire department resulted as follows : Chief Engineer — John S. Fillmore. First Assistant — D. N. Neiman. Second Assistant — J. C. Goodrich. Third Assistant — Linus N. Dewey. President Board Trustees — S. S. Daggett. Secretary — William Allen. Treasurer — Ed. P. AUis. Fire Wardens — First ward: R. C. Jacks and Frank Devlin. Second ward: Avery Hill and Nathan Pereles. Third ward: Morris Louis and Theodore BUty. Fourth ward: Chas. Bierbach and Charles Duval. Fifth ward: S.'H. Martin and Nathan B. Brooks. Number of firemen in the city 523. Supervisors. This office was filled in the different wards by the senior aldermen, ex-officio. The following were from the towns : Wauwatosa — Thos. Tobin. Granville — J. F. Brandt. Milwaukee — Henry Fowler. Lake^Andrew Douglass. Greenfield — F. F. Ward. Oak Creek — A. Koch. Franklin — J. Riordau. Geo. S. Mallory, chairman. A. Bade, clerk. County officers elected the previous November were : SheriflT— Herman L. Page. Under Sheriff— Samuel S. Conover. Deputy Sheriffs— William Wedemieyer, John Mitchell, August Seifert, William Beck. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 29 District Attorney — A. E. E. Butler. Eegister of Deeds — Ghas. J. Kern. Connty Treasurer — Garrett M. Fitzgerald. County Surveyor — John Gregory. Coroner — Tiraothy O'Brien. Superintendents of Poor — Edward Weisner and Chas. James. This election was the entering wedge which split the two factions of the democratic party in Milwaukee in twain for a time, and bred a " ruction " of no small dimensions, during which the' republicans looked on with the utmost complacency to see this happy family enjoy themselves. It resulted, also, in placing a few men in office, who were not long in inaugurating a system of expenditures — to call it by no harsher name, the magnitude of which will appear further on — that came very near bankrupting the city for all time, and which calamity was only averted by the readjustment act of 1862. This election, as previously stated, was a hotly contested one (something like the one just held, September 15, i88r, on the license question), and culminated in a free fight between the Irish and Ger- man wings of the democratic party in the First ward, during which stones and bricks were flying in all directions, several were badly hurt, and one man, a Mr. Johnson, who was coming down Oneida street, and wholly unaware of the row, was nearly killed by being struck in the face with a brick thrown by an Irishman. The battle terminated in a victory for the Germans, who finally drove their opponents from the field. This man, Johnston, who was the then sexton of Plymouth church, got his revenge at the next Christmas, in the following manner : Just as the services were commencing on that eventful evening, it chanced that a full fledged son of the " gem of the sea," filled with benzine, " bologna sausage, Limburger cheese," and other luxuries usually found in a beer-saloon, and smeUing like a tan-yard, came reeling into the church and took a seat in one of the pews, where he remained for a short time (the whiskey fairly oozing from his mouth the while), after which he pulled himself up by placing his hands upon the top of the pew in his front, staggered out into the aisle, got upon his knees, crossed himself very devoutly, and started for the pulpit, thinking, no doubt, in his fuddled condition, that he was in a catholic church, as the arrangement of the light 30 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. around the pulpit were similar to those around the altar in one of that denomination. But in this he was quickly undeceived, for no sooner had he fairly started, than Johnson, who had been quietly watching his movements from the vestibule door, and to whom, " in- jun like," it made no difference whether it was the one who threw the brick or not, so long as it was an Irishman, stepped in. took him by the collar, walked him out to the front door, and gave him a kick, the reverberation of which could be distinctly heard throughout the church, and which sent him rolling down the steps (at that time some twenty in number), after which he resumed his place at the vesti- bule door, a bland smile illuminating his broad face, and looking as innocent as a cat just returning from a milk-stealing expedition, while, no doubt, poor Pat finished his devotions in the "watch-house." It was an amusing scene, and often come to mind when passing the church even now. Johnson subsequently removed to Kansas. The following appeared in the Sentinel o{ March ii, 1854: NEW MILITAEY COMPANY. The undersigned, desirous of forming an independent military com- pany composed wholly of Americans, would invite such as are willing to join such an organization, to meet at the House of Engine Company No. 1, Monday evening next at 7J p. m. A. J. Langwokthy, L. N. Dewey, Avery Hill, M. A. Kellogg, A. D. Guy, M. F. Cross, Wm. Griffith, Loren Doney, David House, C. A. Buttles, E. E. Lbland, B. Throop, Joel Hood, E. C. Jacks, J. C. DowE, L. M. Tracy, Herbert Eeed, M. E. Eigqs. The cause for this was the feeling of uneasiness among the native- born Americans for their personal safety on " election days," growing out of the attack made upon them by the German Democrats of the Second Ward the previous November (mentioned in vol. Ill, page 456) ; and as an offset also to the two mihtary companies already organized, (viz.:) The Milwaukee City Rifles, Capt. Henry Miller (German), and the Milwaukee City Guards (originally the Sarsfield), Capt. John Jennings (Irish). The new organization was called the " National Guard." The first officers were : Capt., Rufus King; MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEB. 31 First Lieut., Andrew J. Langworthy; Second Lieut., Joseph La- throp; Third Lieut., J. P. Wheeler.* The Vance Brothers. Among those who came to our city in 1854, with the intention to make it their future home, were Frank L., Charles, Wilson and Da- vid Vance, from the village of Sackets, Jefferson County, N, Y.; and who upon tljeir arrival at once connected themselves with the shipping interest, which in connection with insurance (fire and ma- rine) they have followed to the present time with a persistency that few have equalled; and none have excelled, until they have become a factor of no small dimension among our business men, a truth, that whoever meets David or Frank as a competitor, will not be long in finding out; and that in crossing swords with them he has met two foemen worthy of his steel, over whom to win a victory is something to be proud of. In personal characteristics these two brothers are very unlike. Frank L. has a nature almost feminine, is slow to anger, and has the bump of caution largely developed. He goes at his work with a nonchalance truly wonderful, particularly if a trade is in progress ; at which time he approaches his point with a touch so velvet-like as to be scarcely felt, while at the same time a bland smile will so illuminate his otherwise usually mobile countenance, as to win your confidence at once. Although naturally aggressive, he never shows the first sign of it. And if he was after your "scalp" (to use a metaphor), he would remove it so deftly, that in place of giving pain, you would really feel the more comfortable for it. He is a gentleman always, and one of the most tender-hearted and char- itable to those in want, that the writer knows, and in the exercise of which he is no Pharisee, never wanting his right hand to know what his left doeth. David on the contrary is of an entirely *This company subsequently (under the name of the ''Light Guard'') made a famous record, and upon the breaking out of the rebellion, in i86i, furnished several of the officers for the first Wisconsin regiments sent to the front. Promi- nent among them was Rufus King, who was made a Brigadier General, John C. Starkweather, who was also commissioned as Colonel of the First .Regiment, and Geo. B. Bingham, who was made Captain of Company A. All of whom made a splendid record. The breaking out of the war, however, virtually disbanded them, as well as their congeners, the German and Irish companies mentioned above, many of whom also went to the war, both as officers and privates. The first public parade given by this well reniembered company was Nov. 23, 1885. 32 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. different temperament ; he is openly aggressive and goes at his work with a force not easily resisted, never using one- half the caution that Frank L. will. He represents, in nautical language, the " right bower " in the firm of Hibbard & Vance, and when he takes the ground, the ship rides in safety. His place is on the" quarter deck," while Frank L., if left to choose for himself, would elect to be super- cargo,, and would make a good' one. In political faith they are both staunch republicans, and have always, David in particular, taken an active part in the political issues of the day. They are for freedom and good government always. In religious faith they are liberals. Such are the Messrs. Frank L. and David Vance. They have reached a high plane socially and commercially, and are fairly entitled to be ranked among Milwaukee's most successful business men and representative citizens. Of Charles Vance the writer can say very little, as his acquaint- ance with him was too sHght. Physically he was a son of Anak. He was over six feet in height and one of the most muscular men who ever lived here, and with the exception of Charles Freeman, a sailor, known in the olden time as the Michigan giant, I have never seen his superior in strength. He was one whom no stranger would ever be likely to take any liberties with. He, like Frank L., was gentle in manner, but if once aroused, look out for trouble. He died at 348 Florida street, Oct. 10, 1858, and was buried by the Odd Fellows, of which organization he was a prominent member. Wilson Vance (who never lived here permanently) died at Denver, Colorado, where he had gone on account of his health in August, 1875- A Runaway and Its Result. A team belonging to P. C. Hale ran away, April 4, and one of the horses, after getting separated from his male, ran up East Water street to Wisconsin, and up Wisconsin street until opposite Edward Weisner's store, 86 Wisconsin, where he ran against an old French- man named John Nowel, a servant of the late George D. Dous- man,* knocking him down an outside stairway into the basement, *Mentioned in Vol. i, p. 121. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 33 after which he plunged down himself, where he remained over an hour before he was extricated. That accident was the cause of No- wel's death a few weeks later.* Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad Report. The Milwaukee Sentinel for June, 1854, contains a lengthy as well as an elaborate report of this railroad, from the pen of the then superintendent, Edward H. Brodhead, a synopsis of which is here given as being a part of the city's history. The report commences with a description of the founding, growth and progress of the city, historical, topographical and commercial, from the settlement of Solomon Juneau in 1818 to date, after which he proceeds to the report proper, as follows : The Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad now completed and in full operation to Madison, ninety miles, with a branch to Janesville^ is the first Wisconsin railroad to make a showing of earnings as claiming our attention. Its general direction is westerly from Milwaukee, and its terminus is Prairie du Chien, on the Mississippi, 200 miles distant. We present below various statistics, showing the times of opening the dif- ferent sections, as well as the amount of gross and net earnings from year to year since the first rail was laid to the present time. The road was first opened to Waukesha, twenty miles, February 25, 1851, from which to December 31 following the Gross earnings were $22,111 60 Expense of operating 7,596 82 Net earnings $14,514 78 Meantime, the work of extension was being carried forward and the road opened to Eagle, thirty-six miles, January 22, 1852; to Palmyra, forty-two miles, August 2, and to Milton, sixty-two miles, December 1, 1852. The Southern Wisconsin has been extended to run from Milton through Janesville to the Mississippi, of which the first eight miles has been built by the Milwaukee and Mississippi, and opened to Janesville, seventy miles from Milwaukee, January 6, 1853. The annual report of this company shows the gross earnings for the year ending December 31, 18.52, to amount to |75,340 90 Expenses 26,658 63 Net earnings $48,682 27 The cost of completing and equipping the road from Milwaukee to Janesville, seventy miles, was $1,364,.570, an average of $19,494 per mile. During 1853 the work was extended from Milton to and beyond Madi- son, but no section was opened during this year. The opening of the road to Stoughton, eighteen miles, taking place January 2, 1854, so that ♦ITiis old man had been an attache of the Dousman family for nearly half a century. I remember him well. George D. took the kinde.st care of him after he was past labor untii he died. He was a regular "courieij du bois " of the olden time. 34 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. the statement of earnings for 1853 is for the seventy miles only for that entire year, with the exception of two days. The annual report for January, 1854, shows that the total earnings for 1853 were 8226,918 48 Expenses 87,115 48 Net earnings : 8139,803 00 "We doubt if another road in the country can show a larger rate of in- crease of receipts or of operations carried forward than this. The ex- penses of operating the road last year were equal to 33J per cent, of the gross earnings.* The equipment of the road represented on the 31st of December, 1853, was as follows : Six passenger cars (coaches), two more build- ing; two baggage, two building; 171 freight, forty gravel, thirteen hand, eleven locomotives, seven of which were built at the Menomi- nee works in this city. Of these (the cars) all the passenger and baggage, and nearly all the freight, have been built at the company's shops at Waukesha. t The road was opened to Madison, ninety-six miles from Milwau- kee, May 22, 1854. The earnings for the months of January, Feb- ruary and March were $70,115.29, against $27,875.44 in the corre- sponding months of 1853, which is a sufficient guaranty, says Mr. Brodhead to the stockholders, that their stock will pay 10 per cent, under all circumstances and in all times.| *The annexed, taken from the Sentinel of February, 1853, is inserted here as a histoi'ic item. It is from the pen of the then station agent, our present well- Itnown fellow-citizen and prominent real estate broker, Ed. Barber. Some diffpience between the monthly receipts then and now: PRODUCE FROM WHITEWATER. Whitewater, February 5, 1853. Mr. Editor : — Below you will find a statement of produce, &c., forwarded from this depot, by the M. & M. Railroad, during the week ending the 5th inst., the freight amounting in the aggregate to $359 27-iooths: 3,864 bush wheat. 14 bush flax seed. 200 bush oats. 3,218 lbs pork. 49 bush rye. 182 bbls highwines, weight 60,060 lbs., 17 bbls flour. and sundry other articles 5 bbls lard, 1,400 lbs. Yours, &c., Edward Barber, Freight Agent. fThe above statement furnished by Benjamin H. Lennox, the very popular and efficient secretary to General Manager Miller, shows some difference between the equipment and earnings of this then pioneer road and its present aggregate lines. Now the number of locomotives is 654, there are 8 palace cars, 9 dining, 40 sleepers, 265 passenger coaches, 191 mail, baggage and express cars, 15,113 box, stock and freight, 4,321 flats and 416 cabooses; earnings, $2,000,000 per month. JBut it didn't though, it soon got a "list to port," to use a nautical phrase, and ran down to 7J cents on the dollar, and ultimately went on the "brokers' reef." As Mr. Brodhead once said, it was built onjaith. But then it was not faith with- out works. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 85 Tlie number of passengers carried in 1853, on the 70 miles in op- eration, was 75,975. 67,000 tons of freight were also transported. Two passenger and two freight trains having been run daily (Sundays excepted), during most of the year. The sum of $20,975 was ex- pended for a brick round house at Milwaukee,* and a frame freight shed.t There was also 14 850 rods of fence put up along the line, at a cost of $i3>396- And the freight and passenger stations at Fulton, Stough- ton and Madison, costing in all $11,726, were all erected this year. The machine and car shops at Waukesha, built in 185 1 (See. Vol. 3, page 332,), have been sold for $i2,ooo.J The following is inserted as a matter of history connected with the infancy of this road : The Caks. A freight train came in yesterday afternoon, towards evening, com- posed of eight cars. This was the first train of freight cars that had arrived since Thursday last, owing as we before noticed to the heavy drifts of snow on the track. On Sunday morning, Mr. Olin started for Janesvllle, with three engines, and on yesterday morning, Mr. Brod- head, the Superintendent, accompanied by Mr. Merrill, started with two more engines, one of these brought back the eight cars from the Forest House. This leaves us without an Eastern mail since Friday, and solely depending on the wires for our news. This is the first Bailroad and the first time the cars (we believe) have been stopped forany length of time in Wisconsin. P. S. — A train of fifteen freight cars arrived last evening, and an Eastern mail is probably here this morning, as it left Janesville at 6 p. M. yesterday. The following statement from the then Secretary, the late Wm. Taintor, shows the amount of capital stock subscribed up to December 31, 1853, to have been 15,422 shares, representing $1,542,200, and on which there remained unpaid at that date, $511,319.24, almost 30 per cent. Ihe election of officers which occurred on the loth of January, resulted in the re-election of the old Board. Those who voted at this: election, were : John Catlin, E. B. Wolcott, Adam E. Ray, William H. Barstow, J. Cobb, S. C. Hall, Geo. H. Walker, *i'ulled down in 1882 to make room for the present mammoth in freight house. fXhis stood where freight No. 4, the present Western Transportation Company's shed, now stands. JThe first Machine and Car Shops were erected at Waukesha, and were sold to John Nazro, who sold it to the late K. N. Kimball, whti converted it into an elevator. It was a useless piece of property, and finally burned uninsured. 36 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Hercules L. Dousman, John Goodrich, S. H. Alden, A. Finch, Jr., Eliphalet Cramer, Alex. Mitchell, Hans. Crocker and Edward D. Holton. The highest number of votes cast by any one, being 9863, and the lowest, 7197. A dividend of 10 per cent., $160,800, payable in stock, was de- clared on the loth of January, leaving a surplus in the Treasury of $6,260. 14, which was deemed by the then stockholders, as highly satisfactory. The exact earnings in 1854 were $464,237.73, an in- crease of 104 per cent, over the previous year. WiiLLAM E. Goodman. This gentleman came to Milwaukee from Oconomowoc in 1854, and opened a shop for the sale and putting in of gas fixtures in a frame building then standing where Martin's Iron Block now does, south-east corner of East Water and Wisconsin streets, where he re- mained until March 20, i860, when he with others was driven out by the great fire which consumed all that row and the comer on Broadway. His loss by this fire was set down at $1,000. From this location he removed to 1 1 1 Wisconsin street, where he was again driven out by fire the same year, after which he removed to 117 Wisconsin street, where he remained until 1875, when he removed to his present quarters, 442 and 444 East Water street, the Pruesser Block, where he is to be found to-day. Coming into the city in the infancy of gas-fitting gave Mr. Goodman an advantage over those who came later, which he was quick to see, and consequently while he was at 1 1 7 Wisconsin street, had built a large business, and was for a long time without a competitor of any note. His fair and honor- able way of dealing won the confidence and friendship of aU the community who were in need of his wares, and this post he holds to-day. In person Mr. Goodman is of medium size, has dark hair and eyes, and dark complexion with a slight florid tinge. He has a pleasant voice, a pleasing address, gentle manners, has an unusually kind disposition, is very confiding (too much so at times), is a true friend, and if an enemy, is a very undemonstrative one. In political faith he is a republican, and in rehgious, a liberal. He is strictly honest, very conscientious, a good citizen, and as a business man stands well in the community. milwaukee under the charter. 37 Robert C. Spencer. This gentleman, so well and favorably known in Milwaukee as a business educator, was born at Ashtabula, O., June 22, 1829, and is the son of Piatt R. Spencer, noted as the author of the Spencerian system of penmanship, now so extensively taught in this country, particularly in the West, and who assisted in starting many of the early business colleges, in the conducting of which the subject of this sketch has made such a famous record. Mr. Spencer's first move after the completion of his education was as teacher in the commercial college at Buffalo, N. Y., in 185 1, shortly after which he was associated with Messrs. Bryant and Stratton in establishing what was known as the international chain of business colleges, which these gentlemen opened in some forty principal cities in the United States and Canada. This undertaking not proving to be all that its projectors anticipated, the association (mainly through the efforts of Mr. Spencer) was dissolved, and Messrs. Bryant and Stratton's con- trol over the colleges came to an end. A new organization was then formed, under the name of the International Business College Asso- ciation, of which Mr. Spencer was president one term, and subse- quently the Business Educators' Association of America was formed, of which he was president one term. The Milwaukee Spencerian Business College, a link of the Bryant and Stratton chain, was established September, 1863, R. C. Spencer, manager, who, seeing that this was a grand opening for a young man, concluded to go it alone. This was a phase in the business which led to quite a warfare, ending in 1865, in a dissolution with Messrs. Bryant and Stratton, who, in order to checkmate their former partner and control the business, purchased the Lionel Lincoln Col- lege, which they enlarged and fitted up at a great expense,* and the battle raged for a short time. But in the end Messrs. Bryant and Stratton were forced to strike their flag and surrender to Mr. Spen- cer, who at once merged it in the new Spencerian College. The capitulation of Professor I^arigo soon followed, since which time he has held the fort and is destined to for years to come. *This was in the old J. B. Martin block, southwest corner of East Water and Wisconsin streets. 38 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Mr. Spencer has been a very active as well as a very useful man in Milwaukee, always first and foremost in every good work. He is aggressive, and whoever thinks to drive him from his position with tufts of grass alone is not wise. He has an iron will, and in the discussion of all questions of the day in which he may become a participant wields a ready pen. He is an able writer, and never lets up on anything he undertakes that he believes to be right (and he is not likely to undertake anything that is not right), until he has ac- complished his end, or its accomplishment found to be an impossi- bility. He is quick to see, prompt to act when action is required, loves justice, and is perfectly fearless in carrying out his views. He has served six years on the board of school commissioners, where he was very useful, as he has good executive abilities. He has taken a great interest in the phonological society for the improved educa- tion of deaf mutes, of which he is the president. He has a fine physique, a pleasing address, is not nervous and is always self-poised. In rehgious faith he is a liberal, and in politics a Republican. Such is Robert C. Spencer, one of Milwaukee's most active and useful ■citizens, and one who has the respect of all who know him. The editor of the Sentinel asks questions and gets answered. Cleaning the Streets. — In some places the cleaning of the streets has commenced. In East Water street it is progressing with alderman- lihe rapidifrv, and if followed up in like manner the street will be cleaned to Walker's Point bridge by this time next year, certainly not before. By-the-by, what has become of the paving committee? Where are they, and what are the_v doing ? Is the street to be paved or not ? Teamsters and farmers from all parts of our state are anxious to have this question answered, and are anxious to have the council establish a "ferry" across the "straight cut" at the foot of Wisconsin street, crossing East Water street, to prevent their teams having to leap it.* In answer to his inquiries he was informed (at least he so states on the following day) by Alderman Hadley that the contract for paving East Water street, from Wisconsin to Division, hid just been let, which settled that point, after which he (the editor) gives the whole board a scoring for not cleaning lower East Water street, winding up his screed as follows : But what do the aldermen care ? They can go on with the work of grading down the bluff in the Seventh ward (meaning between Wiscon- 'What this has reference to I cannot tell, unless it was some ditch for gas or sewer pipe. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 39 sin and Huron streets), where no one lives, and filling up the streets in the marsh, where no one will travel for years to come (he was mistaken in that), but have no eyes to see, no ears to hear, no noses to smell, and no money wherewith to pay for attending to the wants of the most populous thoroughfare in the city. What shall be done with them?* ihe worst we can wish them is that they might be compelled to sit one day on a dry goods box on the sidewalk between Bufialo and Chicago streets, which pastime would, I think, make them go to work and fix that street. I'or with the heaps of manure, hundreds of dogs running at large, hogs on the sidewalk, swill carts crowding the ladies into the street, our city is certainly a credit to the aldermen, or the aldermen a credit to the city. Which is it ? The council took all this abuse mildly. They didn't care a . Large Glass. The first large pane of glass in the city was placed in the old Van Cott corner this year. Here is what the Sentinel said about it : A Pane.— That large pane of glass, measuring nine feet eight inches by six feet, is now placed in Van Cott's window permanently. This will make it ahead of any window in town for showing goods. There is some talk of repairing the clock on the top of the building for the accommodation of the public. Great Storm. There was a terrible storm ihis year on the 8th of June, which caused a large amount of damage to the shipping. Among the vessels driven ashore and otherwise damaged were the schooners Andes, Barnum, and Empire, the latter being aground between the piers. The steamer Lady Elgin lost her smoke stack. East Water street was nearly all under water below Detroit street, and taken as a whole it might be considered as a very damp time. A Crack Store, By Messrs. Jackson & Luxton, at what is now 344 East Water street. This store was to 1855, what T. A. Chapman's is to 1885, ' or nearly so. They made a great noise at least, and sold a large amount of goods. They were short lived, however, and finally sold out and left. I remember these gentlemen well. I thuik Mr. Luxton was an Englishman, but am not certain. Their sign was an immense " Bee Hive," and their advertisements would beat those of any of our present merchants. * If this question had been propounded to the late Col. Amos Sawyer, he would probably have suggested the some remedy that he did for the backsliders in the churches, to-wit: "Chalk 'em." 40 milwaukee under the charter. Cheap People's Store. This was the way the sign read on the store of Adler & New- bouer (Solomon Adler and Goodman Newbouer), No. 19 Spring street, now 117 Grand Avenue. Query. — Which was correct — a cheap people's store, or a people's cheap store? Will Messrs. Adler & Newbouer please rise and explain. [For the Daily Sentinel. TEAMS LEFT UNHITCHED. Messrs. Editors : In the Sentinel of this morning yon say that since Sunday noon you have seen four runaways, and think no other city in the Union can boast of so many runaways as Milwaukee. Do you think there is an- other city in the Union where so many horses are allowed to stand in the streets without being fastened as in Milwaukee? Do you believe there would be one-fourth the number of runaways if the ordinance upon that subject should be enforced? Have you ever reported a case where a person has been brought before the Police Court for violating that portion of the street ordinance requiring horses to be fastened when left in the streets? If it is not convenient for you to answer the above questions perhaps the City Marshal will. Coe-us. MlLWAUKBE, August 30. [Immediately upon receiving the above communication, we looked out of our window and counted no less than six violations of the ordi- nance referred to in a single block. Our city authorities must see to it that this ordinance is rigidly and impartially enforced. Editor Sentinel.] The Jail Full. Forty criminals were confined in the Milwaukee jail in the month of September, 1854, while quite a crowd of applicants for a berth were waiting their turn, and it was not a very good month for jails either. Light House. The new hght house (the present North Point light) was located this year, July 22. A Dam Case. Among the cases tried before Justice Walworth this year (and their name was legion), was one, July 28, brought against John Fertig, ostensibly for gambling, the real animus of which, however, was on account of the erection of a dam, by the defendant Fertig, across a gutter in the Second ward, by which the water was made to flow into MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 41 complainant's cellar. Some thirty witnesses were called, who spoke five different languages, requiring the attendance of as many different interpreters. The trial occupied the better part of two days, during which the idiosyncracies of the witnesses, aided by their counsel, the late Judge Foote, or " old Phut," as the Irish called him, and John L. Doran (who for deviltry and cunning could discount Foote and give him fifty points), nearly drove Mr. Walworth crazy. The first day the defendant's wife got a continuation on account of the absence of her husband, and on the second, asked one on account of being sick herself, in proof of which she produced the certificate of Doctor Hambitzer, who turned out to be a sausage maker — M. D. meaning meat dealer. The verdict was not guilty. Some of the reporters present got off the following stanza upon this trial : There's many a tiresome case, I ween. As well as many a sham case; But of all the cases I have seen, The d dest is a dam case. Milwaukee's Second Great Fire. The 24th day of August, 1854, was a day long remembered by the citizens of the Cream City. It was an extremely hot day, the thermometer indicating 93° in the shade, when at 12 m. the old Court House bell pealed forth the startling intelligence, that a disas- trous fire was raging ; and which proved before it was fully under control, to be the most disastrous fire which had ever occurred in the city up to that time. It put the great fire of April, 1845 {^^ the same locality), as far in the shade, when we consider the difference in the value of the property destroyed, as that exceeded the burning of a single dwelling. It commenced, or rather it was set, in the hay-loft of the livery barn of S. B. and J. Davis, a frame structure, then standing on the north-west corner of Broadway and Huron street (how 329 Broadway); and such was the rapidity with which it spread, that in less than two hours the entire square bounded by East Water, Broadway, Michigan and Huron Streets, was in ashes. The buildings fronting on East Water Street were with one exception, all brick, no veneered building having up to that date been erected, notwithstanding which they melted before the surging billows of 42 MILWAUKEE UNDER THP; CHARTER. flame, like so many stacks of hay. Taken by numbers the buildings destroyed would stand as follows : Commencing with the United States Hotel,* the office to which then occupied 130 (old numberingt), we came next to 132, then vacant ; then 134, Williams Lee's old place, occupied at that time by C. Schorstf as a hat and cap store; then 136, Jacob Steinhart, cloth- ing ; 138, by Russell H. Benton, boots and shoes; 140, by Peck & Baker (Henry P. Peck and Theophilus L. Baker), dry goods; 142, by Rood & Goodrich, jewelry ; 144, by Edward M. Hurd, crockery; 146, Ly Emanuel M. Shoyer, clothing; 148, by Caleb Wall, auction and commission; 150, by Irving D. Hull, as a bookstore; 152, by John H. Silkman, hats and caps. (These three last-mentioned were frames.) We come now to the E. B. Dickerman block, containing three stores, in the first of which we find Samuel Shoyer (clothing), David G. Power§ (land oflice), and Philetus W. Yale (merchant tailor), below, and in the second s'ory (the old Odd Fellows' hall) by the offices of the Merchants' Mutual Insurance Company, the musi- cal society, the law office of George E. H. Day, and others; 160 was occupied by Wm. S. Welles, clothing, 162 by J. P. Barker, hats and caps, and 164 biings us to the corner, in the second story of which was the office of the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company (Alex. Mitchell||), above which, on the third floor, was the office of the Daily Evening Wisconsin, which brings us to Michigan street. Turning east on Michigan, we come first to the Exchange block, a two-story brick, occupied at that time for offices, among whom was that of Jas. Mallory, attorney, Geo. W. Mygalt, architect. Doctor Jas. Garner** and others, which brings us to the alley, across which stood the old Tremont, a two-story frame, see volume II, page 242, kept at that time by Dixon S. PoUett, which brings us to Main street *For description of tliis hotel, See Vol. II, page 237. f rhe present numbering is 330, 332 and so on. JI think this name is incorrectly given, as no such name appears in any of the old directories. ^Burned at the Newhall, January 10, 1883. ||This building had a very high basement story, there being some seven or eight steps to ascend in order to reach the bank entrance. ** Shot by Mrs, Wilner, March 2, 1876. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 43 (Broadway), where, upon turning south, we come first to the Tre- mont stables, then to the livery barns of Messrs. Butler & Bowers, of J. Weatherby, and of the United States Hotel barns, which brings us to the point where the fire started, where, upon turning west, we come first to the meat market of Matthew Broome, and of J. Galla- gher, then to the grocery and boarding house of Jas. Dixon, which brings us to the alley in rear of the United States Hotel, and then to East Water street, crossing which we come to the northwest corner of East Water and Huron streets, upon the corner of which was a small frame building, erected by G. Myrose, at what is now 329, then 131 and 133, occupied by Lawrence Herscherde and Frederick Schendt, as a confectionery at 131, and by Joseph Carey, at 133, as a clothing store, next to which, on the north, was the JaF. H. Rogers' block, standing at what is now 3^3, 335 and 337,* occupied at that time by Messrs. H. Bosworth & Sons, druggists, at 333, John D. Gardner & Co., dry goods, at 335, and Messrs. Haney & De Bow, hardware, at 337, all of which were consumed. The hardware stock of Henry J. Nazro, at 341, the dry goods of Sexton Bros. & Co., at 347, and the leather stock of G. Pfister, at 349, were also more or less damaged by water. The books of the Wisconsin Fire and Marine (Alex. Mitchell), together with those of the State bank (now the Milwaukee National), located at that time at what is now 361 East Water street, which building it was thought at one time would burn (as well as most of the money), were placed upon the tug Tift, in charge of John B. Merrill, and taken down the river to a place of safety, until the fire was subdued. A second alarm was sounded during the night, on account of the breaking out of the flames among the debris of Bos- worth & Son's store, which brought the worn out firemen once more to the spot, where they were compelled to work several hours before it was finally extinguished. Among those who by their coolness and good management saved their stock from destruction upon this occasion, was our well known pioneer crockery dealer, Frankhn J. Blair, who at that time occupied what is now 359 East Water street, whose stock, on account of its * The Jas. H. Rogers building, a cut of which was given in vol. II, page 220. 44 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. frailness, could not be removed, which he did by closing all the -doors and windows, and fighting it from the inside by keeping the windows wet down with water brought from the river in pails, a very laborious as well as dangerous task, as had the fire once got inside nothing could have saved them from certain death; such was the intensity of the heat as to crack the glass in several of the windows, but it did not fall out. For the next three days subsequent to this fire, the city papers were filled with the suits against those arrested (ninety-one in all) for stealing, as well as the complaints of the lookers on, and who, as usual, were profuse in their suggestions as to how it should have been handled, as well as in their criticisms as to how it was handled, which at last drew a sharp reply from that old veteran fireman, Andrew J. Langworthy, after which they were silent. The num'ber of buildings destroyed at this fire was thirty-six taken as numbers, but as separate buildings there would be twenty-five, several of them^the Dickerman, James H. Roger's, the Exchange block, and perhaps one or two others — having three numbers each. This fire revealed one fact, that most merchants are greatly over- estimated as to wealth, the largest stock being that of Messrs. Sexton Bros. & Co., $"80,000 ; Haney & De Bow, $50,000, and Bosworth & Sons, $25,000; WilHam S. Wells, $35,000.. The balance were comparatively sinall. A flaming advertisement does not by any means establish the fact that the advertiser has got one-half he claims to have. The total loss was estimated at $500,000, a large amount for those days. It fooled up at $381,900, and the total insurance to $233,101, divided in the following agencies : Ellis Worthington, $45,550 ; Allen Wheeler, $50,900 ; Williani J. Whaling, $83,451,; Charles J. Cary, $8,800; Leonard Kennedy, $37,400; J. C. Boise, $6,000. Rebuilding the Burnt District. The smoke of this disastrous conflagration had not fully disap- peared before contracts were entered into for the erection of new and more substantial ones. Eleven were let within eight days, viz.: 'i'hree by Messrs. Shepardson arid Cross and two by Eliphalet Cram- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 45 er, upon the United States hotel site; and adjoining these, on the north, were two for Thomas H. Roddis, and one for Mrs. William Pierce, all to be fire proof on the outside. There was also one for Lester Sexton* and one for Messrs. Bosworth & Sons, upon their old sites. The architect for these buildings, with the exception of the one for Mrs. Pierce, for which James Douglass was both architect and builder, was George W. Mygatt. The contracting mason for the Cramer, Roddis and Bosworth buildings was Hiram R. Bond. The carpenter for Mr. Cramer was Frederick Y. Horning, for Mr. Rod- dis, Walter S. Babcock, and for Messrs. Bosworth & Sons, George Southwell, t The iron columns for Messrs. Cramer and Roddis were furnished by Decker & Saville, and for Bosworth & Sons by James Sheriff. The total cost, of these eight stores was $50,000. In addition to this Mr. Silkman and E. M. Shoyer, both rebuilt. The mason for both was John Rycraft, and the carpenters Messrs. Spaulding and Foote. The architect was G. W. Mygatt. A New Hotel. There was an attempt made at this time by a few of our business men to erect a mammoth hotel. (See annexed.) The New Hotel. — The Wisconsin has the following notice of the new hotel which we alluded to the other day: "We were yesterday shown, at the room of Mr. Mygatt, architect, a draft of the proposed new hotel, to be located on the corner of East Water and Michigan streets. It is to be 60 feet on East Water street, 254 on Michigan, and 120 on Main — extending from Water to Main street, and forming an L — to be built of brick, with iron caps and sills, six stories high, besides the basement, which will reach about five feet above the sidewalk. The lower story is intended for stores, banks, &c. The State Bank is to occupy the room on the corner of Water and Michigan "streets. The plan is certainly a good one, and neatly exe- cuted. It is to be christened the Shepardson House. We learn that there is now about $60,000 subscribed towards defraying the expense of its erection. It will require a subscription of only $40,000 more." This project all- fell through for want of money, and there are not probably one hundred persons in the city to-day who remember *Built by James Ludington, now Nos. 341 and 343 East Water street — the Robert Haney store. fWent afterwards to California, 3 46 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. anything about it. The leading spirits in this enterprise were John Lockwood, James Ludington, Thos. P. Williams, James B. Cross, C. Shepardson, and a few others now forgotten. Taxation. The following is inserted here as an important comparative item of the past with the present : To the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Milwaukee: In compliance with the provision of the charter, I hereby submit the following estimate of the expenditures of the city for the fiscal year ending April 1, 1855, as well as the amount necessary to be raised the current year, to defray the expenses and pay the interest coming due in 1855 on the city debt, also tlie amount required for ward purposes: For City Purposes; $5,500; Bridges, $1,200; Tending same, 1900; Printing, $1,200; Stationery, $250; Police, $600; Elections, S9C0; Salary of City Clerk, $1,500; Comptroller, $2,000; Marshal, $800; Attorney, $600; Treasurer, $1,500; Assessor, $600; Surveyor and assistants, $1,500. Pohce Justice, $700; Contingent, $1,500. Total, $21,250. The increase in the fire department is for a new engine house, new hose, and to pay salaries of the foremen of the nine companies, S300 each, $2,700, m accordance with an ordinance passed April 6, last, and to take effect December 31, 1854, which, with the §2,128.27 wanted for repairs, form the basis of the $5,500 asked for. The estimate for bridges, to become hereafter a general city charge,* has been raised from 600 to 1,200, making in all $24,224, which will require a levy of 2 mills on the taxable property in the city, provided the amount of real estate exhibits no increase over last year. The special tax levied for 1854 was, for the First Ward, $11,162.11; Second, $8,305.18; Third, $12,560.38; Fourth, ^12,113.21 ; Fifth, .S10,305.15, and for the\Racine street extension, §1,450; land taken for new harbor, $3,914, and for opening streets in Third, Fourth and Fifth Wards, S2,987; total, $52,792.03. John B. Edwaeds, City Comptroller. August 31, 1854. Biographical. John B. Edwards, who signed this report, was for many years a prominent Democratic politician and office-holder in Milwaukee. He was naturally a smart man and competent to fill any position in the official corps of the city. But he could not bear prosperity, and whisky got the upper hand with him, as it has with thousands of other good men who mix in political life, and he fell. He was a generous fellow, full of ambition. He also unfortunately married a woman who helped drag him down — a "stately dame," from New York — a Mrs. Vrons. She was one of those women whom it is well *Up to this time the Cherry, Chestnut and Oneida street bridges had been kept in repair by the First and Third Wards respectively. -^^^^ MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 47 to let alone. That was what was the matter with John B. Edwards. He started fair, but fell by the wayside. Lewis B. Rock. This well known and popular railroad official is a native of Canada East, having been born at Drummondsville, in that province, on the 13th day of August, 1825, where he remained on a farm until nineteen years of age, when, like many others who disliked the drudgery as well as the monotony of a granger's life, he struck out' for himself, his first "plant" being at Bristol, N. H., 200 miles from the paternal roof (the whole of which had been traversed on foot), under the late Sherburne S. Merrill, as an employee in a hotel. Here he remained for four years, when, wishing to see more of the world than could be learned in a " one-horse " country village, he went to Lowell, Mass., where he remained one year, when the gold fever took him to California. This was in 1850. He remained in California until 1854, when, tiring of the excitement incidental to the life of a gold miner, and learning that his old employer at Bristol was in Milwaukee, he started for that city, which he reached on the 20th of July, 1854, where he was at once given a position as baggageman by Mr. Merrill on the Prairie du Chien division of the present Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, which he filled for a Httle over one year, when he was appointed conductor first of a mixed, then of a regular passenger train, in which capacity he remained until 1866, when he was promoted to the position of assistant superintendent, and in 1867 to division superintendent of the Northern division (the old La Crosse), which position he holds to-day, having reached a plane which not one in five hundred of his fellow-craftsmen ever reach. Mr. Rock belongs to that class of men who always aim to do their whole duty, and who never indulge in any such word as can't; but if beaten at pne point, always tries it again, and who always wins. Starting at the foot of the ladder, he has climbed steadily up until the topmost round is in sight, and stands high among his brethren who hold similar positions. He, too, possesses to a goodly extent the same quahties necessary to make a good railroad man as did his late chief, viz., quickness of decision, executive ability and 48 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. discipline. He also has the push, and when the storms come (as they surely will 'in the life of every railroad superintendent), he goes steadily and systematically at work to clear the track, and never fails to accomplish it. In person Mr. Rock is rather below the medium, has dark hair, dark eyes and dark complexion. He is very nervous, very quick motioned, speaks short and quick, is always pleasant, and with old acquaintances very social; but when talking business always has the necessary amount of dignity requisite for the position he occupies, and holds a warm place in the hearts of the employees under his control. He is now suffering from the effects of overwork, from which let us hope that he may speedily recover and fill his present position for many years to come. The following, taken from the Sentinel of the 14th of August, 1885, is inserted here as an evidence of the esteem in which Mr. Rock is held by his old associates : SUPBEINTENDBNT RoCK's BiETHDAY. The Milwaukee and Hartford friends and employees of Mr. L. B. Eock planned a very pleasant surprise for him in honor of his sixtieth birthday, at Hartford yesterday. After taking dinner at the Alton house the guests from Milwaukee were joined by many prominent citi- zens, and the party took carriages for Pike lake, the pleasant summer residence of Mr. Rock. They were greeted with generous hospitality by their host. Mayor Sawyer, of Hartford, delivered an address, dwelling upon the enterprise and thrift which has characterized Mr. Rock's life. He presented him, on behalf of the emploj'ees of the Northern division and friends, a beautiful two-seated carriage. In re- sponse to Mr. Sawyer's address and in behalf of Mr. Rock, United States District Attorney A. K. Delaney thanked the donors and gave several pleasing reminiscences in Mr. Rock's life. He stated that L. B. Rock began his career as a railroad man as baggageman on the Prairie du Chieu road in 1854. In 1856 he became a passenger conductor, and in 1865 assistant superintendent of the Northern division. Two years later he was made superintendent, which office he has continued to hold with profit to the company and honor to himself. His energy and sterling integrity have both materially advanced the interests of the road and endeared him to his employees and friends. He said Mr. Rock would long be remembered as one of that splendid trio — S. S. Merrill, H. C. Atlnns and L. B. Rock. Remarks were made by Dr. Rogers, after which the party spent some time in inspecting the premises. At about half-past 2 o'clock a bounti- ful lunch was served at the cottage. Soon after the party returned to the station, bearing away happy memories of a pleasant day. Among those present were Assistant Superintendent C.P.Utley, Master Mechanic J. M. Dowry, Master Car-builder E. W. Kittredge," Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Sherman, A. K. Delaney, all of Milwaukee ; Mr. and Mrs. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 49 E. Hansen, Markesan. Among those from Hartford were Mayor Saw- yer, Dr. Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. P. "W. Sanborn, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. San- born, Messrs. J. Liver, D. Jackson and W. Le Count. Mr. Rock is ably seconded in the management of his division by his lieutenant, Charles P. Utley, who fills the responsible position of assistant, and who is in every way qualified to fill it. Mr. Utley has a clear head, runs his trains on time, and seldom makes a mistake. Brooke & Cannon's Store Robbed. The clothing store of Messrs. Brooke & Cannon, 423 East Water street, was robbed of all its contents by a man named Wm. H. Thompson. The goods were all recovered by Sheriff Page and Mr. Beck, at Thompson's house, 461 Milwaukee street, and Thompson sent to the penitentiary. This will be referred to again further on. The Cloven Foot Appears. As the time for the fall election drew nigh, in 1854, the poUtical atmosphere became obscured by clouds. The calling of a repubhcan county convention at the court-house, October 21, and the nomina- tion of a full county ticket, with Daniel N. Neiman for sheriff, Lewis M. Gates for register of deeds, Robert P. Cady for clerk of court, Clark A. Place for county treasurer, William R. Perry, for clerk board of supervisors, Jonathan Crounce for county surveyor, and Owen Aldrich for coroner, supplemented by the nomination of that veteran legislator William A. Prentiss for the Assembly, against Jas. B. Cross, the democratic nominee, roused the ire of the leaders of the dominant party, and resulted in the publication in the Daily Wisconsin, of October 30, of the following singular correspondence, which fully showed the desperate straits to which they were compelled to resort in order to retain their grip on the city treasury. : To WUliam A. Prentiss, and James B. Cross,* nominees for the Assembly from the First ward of the city of Milwaukee : Sirs : As it has been rumored that you belong to the order of " Know * It was supposed at the time, and as the reader will see further on, proved to be true, that both of the letters containing the interrogatories, as well as the answer to the one addressed to Mr. Cross, were written by himself, as the idea of his joining the "Know Nothings" was too utterly awful for anything, and that their being addressed to both was done simply to cover his track, but it was too bunglingly done to pass unobserved. 50 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Nothings,"* recently established in this city, we desire to know the truth o? the matter", and for that purpose respectfully request your respective answers to the following interrogatories: 1st. Have you, within the last six months, joined or become a mem- ber, partially or fully, of the order commonly known as the "Know Nothings?" 2d. Have you, within the last six months, sworn or taken upon your- selves the obligation of an oath to never vote for any Eoman Catholic, or foreign born citizen, or anything in substance to that effect ? 3d. Have you ever sworn or taken an oath, in substance or effect, that in case you were elected to any office which empowered you with authority to appoint any one to office, that in such case you will not appoint any Roman CathoUc or foreign born citizen ? Your respective answers to the above are required, as soon as conve- nient. And in order to give satisfaction, you will please subscribe and swear to the same, before some officer of this State, legally qualified to administer an oath. In case of your refusal to comply with the above requisite, we shall be constrained to believe you are a member of the said order and shall act accordingly. Milwaukee, October 30, 1854. F. A. LuENiNG. Geo. Bremek. H. C. HiEDlE. H. SCHWAETING. F. Thencamp. Titus Feeno. GcsTAVE Pfeil. . Gael Eattinger. F. Neikekk. Simon Levy. Milwaukee News will please copy. Mr. Cross Replies. To Messrs. Luening, H. C. Heidie, Bremer, Sohwariing and others: Gentlemen: I jDerceive in the Wisconsin of last evening, a communi- cation addressed by you to William A. Prentiss and myself , propounding certain interrogatones for us to answer, and in reply to which I wifl answer as follows: To the first I would say, that I have not within the last six months, or at any time previous, joined or become a member, partially or fully, of an order commonly known as " Know Nothings." 2. I have not within the last six months, or at any time previous, solemnly sworn, or taken upon myself, an obligation, or oath, to never vote forany Eoman Catholic or foreign born citizen, or anything in sub- stance to that effect. 3. I have never sworn, or taken an oath, in substance or effect, that if elected to any office which empowered me to appoint any one to office, that in such case I would not appoint a Eoman Catholic, or foreign born citizen. In conclusion, permit me to state, that I stand now, where I ever have stood, ready and wilUng to grant to every citizen, whether foreign *This organization, which sprung up simultaneously all through the North in 1854, was gotten up expressly for the purpose of protecting the rights of the native-born Americans against the encroachments of their foreign born fellow citizens, who, led on by the unscrupulous and mercenary leaders of the democratic party, who were to the " manor born," and who seeing the handwriting upon the wall foretelling the wrath to come, were attempting to keep possession of the government by the help of the foreign vote. Their efforts filled the air with music for a while. The "Know Nothings" were to them what "Peaceful Nathan" was to the Shawnee Indians. It was their " Jibbinenosey." MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 51 born or native, the same political rights and privileges that I claim for myself. I proscribe no man on account of his religion, or his want of religion, or the circumstances of his birth. And I make no distinction in men, except in real merit, believing, as I do, that one man is just as good as another, if he demean himself as well in all his relations to his fellow men, to society,, and to his country. Jas. B. Geoss. To Messrs. Luening, Heidie, Bremer, Schwarting and others. Milwaukee, October 31, 1854. State of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, ss. On this thirty-first day of October, 1854, personally came before me, the above named Jas. B. Cross, and made oath to the above statements by him subscribed, as true in substance and in fact. Clinton Walworth, Police Justice. Mr. Prentiss replied as follows : To the Electors of the First Ward of Milwaukee : The Wisconsin of Monday evening contains a letter addressed to my- self and James B. Cross, nominees, purporting to come from Doctor Luening and several other respectable gentlemen, asking our views on Know^Nothingism, the Catholic religion, etc., the answers to which are required to be made uiider the solemnities of an oath. ' The authorship of the letter has been traced to James B. Cross him- self, one of the persons to whom it was addressed, and the signatures thereto were all procured through his instrumentality, all of which can be shown by the most indubitable proof.* Now, I have no objection to be catechised in relation to my views on all matters of public interest, if it is done in decent language and for a proper purpose. But I shall never submit to the degradation of verify- ing my answers under oath for the sake of obtaining votes for any office whatever. And any man who will do so is not, in my judgment, fit to represent a free people. If my declaratio,ns are not to be taken with- out an oath in a case like this, they are not fit to be received with one. Lest, however, any person may cavil in the matter, I take this occasion to state to you what I now am, together with my antecedents_, and you may give the statement such credit as my past life will authorize : First — I am an American citizen, born in the good old state of Massa- chusetts, and my father was a surgeon and my grandfather a colonel in the army of the Eevolution, through which they passed without a stain of dishonor. Second — I have been a resident of this city for the past eighteen years, and my politics have ever been of the liberal Whig kind. Third — I have ever been opposed to the Fugitive Slave Law, conceiv- ing it to be unjust as well as inconsistent with the rights and safety of the American people. Fourth — I am now, and from the beginning have been, opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and that if repealed it ab- solves the North from all obligations to any compromise heretofore made. Fifth— I have ever been willing to give to persons of foreign birth all *That the letter in question, as well as the interrogatories, were written by Mr. Cross is undoubtedly true, from the fact that it was published in the IViscon- sin in the evening and answered in the Sentinel of the following morning, show- ing most conclusively that both must have been written at the same time and by the same person. 52 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. the rights of an American citizen whenever they comply with the Con- stitution and laws. I am in favor of toleration of all denominations of religion, holding that man is accountable to God only for the views he may entertain upon that subject. These are my views on the several subjects referred to, and during the coming canvass I shall neither beg nor buy votes, nor demean my- self by getting up categorical letters, or by doing any other mean thing to get them. And if you have not sufficient confidence in my integrity or ability to represent you in the legislature, give your votes for some one else and I shall be satisfied. William A. Prentiss. Milwaukee, November 1, 1884. Comment upon these two letters is unnecessary. One, the last, is a clear, dignified and manly answer, while that of Mr. Cross shows the demagogue all through. But the matter was not suffered to rest here, the interrogators themselves being called upon to answer a similar series (under oath) as to their religious belief, and whether they were or were not mem- bers of the order of infidels. This correspondence, of which only a small part has been given, closed with the inquiry from some one who wanted to know if this James B. Cross, the Democratic nomi- nee for the Assembly from the First Ward, was the same person who, in 1843, helped arrest a fugitive slave and carry him back to bondage.* " I have been so informed," he says, " by an old settler who was here at the time (and saw it done). Can anybody furnish all the particulars, or will Mr. Cross furnish them himself under oath?" The toils were beginning to thicken around James, but he did the best thing he could do under the circumstances, i. e., he kept mum. Notwithstanding all this farce and poHtical knavery, so perfectly apparent to all who would see, such was the strength of the leaders as to elect their ticket and Mr. Cross went to Madison, thus giving to the country another illustration, and a forcible one, of the injus- tice, as well as the folly of universal suffrage, and the end is not yet. Judge H. N. Wells's Famous Durham Cow Case. Judge Horatio N. Wells, as the reader has already seen in the previous volume, was a man who possessed a large vein of humor, and could do things when on the bench that, if attempted by any *This was Sunday, April 23. See Vol. II., page 171. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 53 Other person who ever wore the judicial ermine in Milwaukee, would have culminated in an impeachment. He was just the man to give the following decision : [Milwaukee Sentinel, November 7, 1854.] Interesting Law Case— Faih Price for Milk. The scenes in some of our Western courts afford frequently abundant amusement, and often find their way into the public print. A charac- teristic case occurred not long since in a county court in Wisconsin. Judge W. was a man of great humor, strong dommon sense, a little ex- citable, and when aroused expressed his opinion or gave a decision as he only could do it. He was a man alter his own kind, and cared Uttle for form or precedent. The case before him was this: A suit had been commenced before a justice of the peace, by one man against another, " For that the defendant with force and arms, &c., without leave of the plaintiff, milked the plaintiff's cow, and took from her a large quantity of milk, to-wit: about four quarts, to the dam- age of plaintiff of fifty dollars,' &c." Both parties put themselves "upon the country." The plaintiff proved his case, and the defend- ant, in mitigation of damages, proved that milk was worth only four cents per quart. The case as usual took a whole day and crowded hard upon the night, but it was finally submitted, and the jury after retiring and deliberating, returned into court with a verdict for the plaintiff of ten dollars damages, for which sum, together with costs, the justice rendered judgment. The defendant, dissatisfied with the excessive damages, took the case up to the county court, where it must be passed upon by Judge W. The case was called in its order and ably argued by learned counsel for two long hours. Judge W. grew uneasy and fidgety, and finally interrupted the plaintiff's counsel by the information that he was ready to give his decision. This, of course, closed all further argument, and the decision was rendered. By the Court: This case comes up on certiorari. It is a small case, but I think it in- volves a great principle. The plaintiff sued the defendant for a great wrong done in mUking his cow and carrying off the milk. There is no dispute about the facts, but the defendant claims to reverse the judg- ment below, on the ground of excessive damages; that it was proved that there were about four quarts of milk taken, and that milk was worth only four cents a quart. I shan't reverse the judgment in this case. If the statute only gave me power I would increase it. But I don't think the statute does. I think the legislature was a pack of fools to make the restriction, but I can't remedy that. We must make the best we can out of the statute, until our legislature passes an act to increase its own capacity. The plaintiff says this is his only cow and that he is a poor man. If he is a poor man, of course he has a great many children, and he wants all the milk he can get for his family. I look' upon it as a great outrage, and no better than stealing to have taken this milk. The plea of the defendant that the judgment should be reversed because the damages are excessive is a humbug. The price of common milk, such as we buy for our tea and coffee of these milk peddlers, probably isn't worth over four cents a quart. It is as blue as a whetstone. But such milk as the defendant probably got in this case, right fresh from the cow, and no water near, was worth a good deal more, particularly if she was a Durham. Court — How was that plaintiff, was she a Durham ? Plaintiff— She was, your Honor. 54 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Court — ^Just as I expected. Now I want it understood that you can't fool me on milk, and if this defendant or any other man expects to get good fresh milk, Durham cow's milk, out of this court at tour cents a quart, he's sucked, that's all. The judgment below is affirmed with costs. The court will take a recess for ten minutes. Improvements. Among the street improvements this year was the paving of East Water street, below Wisconsin, with cobble stones, and they are on the street yet, it being considered that to take them up when the street was raised (i. e.), below Huron street, would cost more than they were worth, besides they formed a solid bed for the new filling. The same is true of Broadway, a cobble stone pavement underlies the present grade some eight feet, put down there in 1857. Building Improvements. An addition was made to the store on southwest corner of East Water and Mason streets this year, by Cyrus D. Davis, to be occu- pied by Hunn & Crosby (Waller S. Hunn and Frank J. Crosby), grocers. See annexed advertisement, given as a specimen of the way they did it in those times : There is one Grocery Store in town! What! only one? Don't go off before we get through. We meant to say there is only one Grocery Store in town at which, we trade when we want to steal — When you — what ? There you go, half-cocked again. When we want to steal a march on our neighbors, and get our Groceries a little better than usual, and that store is known as Hunn and Crosby's; did you ever hear of Hunn and Crosby ? Oh, frequently; associated with golden butter, and sugar cured hams, and farina crackers. They are public benefactors; and now I think of it, its singular they are not nominated respectively for Mayor and Comp- troller! Ah, there is only one reason, and that is everybody knows the city can't offer them any better office than is that old corner store, forninst the Walker House, and where they do more for the city in the way of distributing such public documents as good cheap Groceries, than can forty Aldermen. By-the-by, it would be an e.\cellent idea to read their advertisement, which you will find in this morning's Sentinel. The firm of Hunn & Crosby was a very popular one for many years. Mr. Crosby finally retired, and is at present in the general ticket office of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Mr. Hunn went into the milling business at Humboldt, which he sup- posed would make him a millionaire in a few days, getting his wheat MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 65 from the city by transporting it up the river, via the canal, in a small steam barge, and the old shed warehouse used by him for that pur- pose is yet standing (or was two years ago) on the canal a short distance above Cherry street bridge. This business, however, proved a failure, and Mr. Hunn went to Manistee, Michigan, where he died a few years ago. In person Mr. Hunn was tall and slim. He' had a nose as was a nose, a powerful voice, was always busy, but not one of the kind who get rich, or acquire fame. The double brick dwelling, Nos. 530 and 532 Milwaukee street, was also erected this year. This was the building spoken of in Vol. I, page 4S, as having been erected upon the site of the old " cabbage hollow" house. This was a fine house when built, and in fact it is to-day. The master mason was John Rycraft. The master car- penters were Simeon and Walter Babcock. The Second Presbyterian church, standing upon the northwest corner of Milwaukee and Martin streets, was erected this year. An additional tenement was added to J. Rycraft's block, south- west corner of Milwaukee and Martin streets, yet standing. A brick dwelling, now 493 Milwaukee street, was also erected this year by John Shadbolt. This dwelling was subsequently the resi- dence of Levi H. Kellogg, who sold it to Mrs. Elisha Eldred, from whom it passed to Mrs. Geo. Towle. This house is to-day one of the best on the street. There are others more ornate, but no better built or more convenient than this.* The present brick residence of Doctor McNamara, southeast cor- ner of Main and Johnson streets, was also built this year by the late Francis Charnley. Also the house in Ludwig's garden, head of Milwaukee street. This last named house was a great resort for the Germans on Sunday for many years. Joseph Gary rebuilt his homestead, northwest corner of Oneida and Jefferson streets. D. D. Sibley was the architect and contractor. The residence of Hon. W. P. Lyude, northeast corner of Mason * This property, with the vacant lot adjoining on the south, was purchased the present year (1884) by James Conroy, Milwaukee's well known and popular con- fectioner, who has remodeled 493, and erected a handsome block on the adjoining lot, which will add much to the beauty of that already beautiful and popular street. May his success in this enterprise, as well as in business, be all that he can desire. 56 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. and Jackson, was rebuilt and enlarged this year, by the Messrs. Shadbolt & Spaulding. This property is now "owned by Michael Engelmann. The old Riverious P. Elmore residence, on Jackson street, was also rebuilt this year. This property has finally passed into the hands of Emil Wieskirk, who has removed it to the lot adjoining on the south and rebuilt or remodeled it, and erected a handsome double brick upon its former site. This property is now known as No. 586, and the new as 588 and 590 Jackson street. The present Protestant Orphan Asylum, head of Division street (brick), was erected this year by the late David P. Hull.* The present residence of Wm. H. Metcalf, northwest corner of Van Buren and Division streets, considered at the time as the best finished house in the city (and is among the finest to-day), was built this year. This house was built by the day. The master builder being the late Abel Sperry, one of the finest mechanics who ever came to the city, and who often comes to mind in memory's eye. The present residence of Judson A. Roundy, Esq., southwest comer of Marshall and Biddle streets, was commenced this year by William P. Young, who spent about $20,000 on it. He sold it to Carlise D. Cook, of the firm of Cook & Sherwin (Rodney Sherwin), railroad contractors, who invested $20,000 more upon it, after which it went into the hands of Edwin Roddis, who spent about $30,000 more, after which it went to a Mr. Wallace, of New York city, on a mort- gage, and who sold it to Mr. Roundy for $23,000, and who has expended about $20,000 more in completing it. It is an elegant house, and one of the most elaborately finished in the West. The old Ralph Johnson warehouse (burnt a few years ago) was built this year. * This building was erected with the avowed purpose of preventing the farther extension of a street along the Bluff, as talked of at the time, and stood in a half finished condition for several years, after which it was purchased by Mr. Chas. L. Rice, the then master mechanic at the North Milwaukee shops, who finished and sold it to Wallace H. Pratt, by whom it was occupied for a lew years, when it was purchased by the Trustees of the Protestant Orphan Asylum, by whom it is owned to-day. Mr. Pratt also fixed the face of the Bluff, in front of it, into a park, by "tile draining," and planting it with trees. And it was his success with this experiment tfiat gave the key and led to the construction of the present Juneau Park. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 57 Geo. Burnham also built a store on the northwest corner of East Water and Buffalo streets, pulled down in 1882 to make room for the new block erected by Messrs. GoU & Frank. Mr. Burnham's store was 54 by 95 feet. Master carpenter, R. C. Jacks. Mason, Thos. Lee. Painter, Jas. Murray. Architect, G. W. Mygatt. The old J. N. Bonesteel residence, now the homestead of Hon. John H. Van Dyke, on the southeast corner of Marshall and Biddle streets, was erected this year at a cost of $8,000. He sold it to the late Doctor Lemuel W. Weeks for $20,000, and he to Mr. Van Dyke. This house has been remodeled during the past year. The Timothy H. Goodrich residence, southeast corner of Martin and Astor streets, was also erected at a cost of $8,000. A frame by Charles Alfter on Prospect avenue, exact locality for- gotten. The Messrs. Mack Bros., also erected the present No. 397 East Water street, this year, and in order to show what was considered a fine store in those days, I will insert the following sketch of it taken from the Sentinel, and is from the pen of Rufus King : The building is loo feet deep, 20 feet wide, and 55 feet high; it consists of a basement, store and three upper stories. The basement is finished with vaults for receiving and storing coal, wood, etc., and is lighted with Hyatt's illuminating tiles. It is thoroughly finished for wholesaling domestic goods. The first floor is to be occupied as a retail dry goods store, and is finished, not only in a beautiful, but substantial manner. The ceihng is plastered with stucco work ; the shelves painted rosewood, and the counters mahogany, with circu- lating silk velvet cushion stools. The entrance door has two show windows of French plate glass, of the largest and costliest size. The glass of the first story alone costing $800, and patent rolling iron shutters, which are rolled up like lattice work by a crank in the wall, which makes it very convenient for those having to close or open the establishment. They were manufactured by D. D. Badger & Co., of New York. The room is lighted with gas burners of a most elegant design from the manufactory of Messrs. Archer & Warner of Phila- delphia. The upper story is to be used for a carpet and shawl room, and the stories above are to be used for wholesaling dry goods. The house is heated by, one of Walker's hot-air furnaces, which 58 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. gives a pleasant temperature to all of the rooms, there being no change from heat to cold as you pass from one department of trade to another. There is a skylight, which gives every room an airy, light and pleasant appearance. The skylight is surrounded with beautiful iron railings made for the purpose, of the manufacture of Wilson & Co. The windows are French, with French fastenings. The stairs leading from one story to the other are of a high finish, with handsome black walnut railings leading from basement to attic. The roof is one of Warren's composition, of fire-proof character, calculated to hold out against fire or water, and very enduring. Mr. Schwartz drew the plan of the building, and since his death Mr. Mygatt has superintended the work. Mr. Rheude, a German mechanic well skilled in his art, does the carpenter work, Mr. Col- lingbourne done the painting, Mr. Ryecraft the mason work, and Messrs. Decker & Seville the iron castings. The whole cost of the building is $14,000. New Warehouse. A new warehouse (the present brick veneered one on the northwest corner of South Water and Clinton streets) was built this year by Daniel Newhall. The contractors were Messrs. Martin & Rugee. Cost, $17,000. The first wheat was put into it October 10 ; its capacity was 160,- 000 bushels. It is now the property of Ed. D. Holton, and used for purposes of merchandise only. But the best store was the Nazro building, now known as Nos. 319, 321 and 323 East Water street; George W. Mygatt, architect. The contracting mason was H. R. Bond; the master carpenter was Edwin Palmer. The whole cost, including the lots, was $85,000. It had a frontage of 60 feet on East Water street, a depth of 120, and a height of four stories. The cornice, columns and capitals were of the Corinthian order, the sills of windows and doors of cast iron ; the second story windows have iron pedestals ; anties and capitals, with key stone and circular heads, all of iron. The top of the front walls have massive cast iron cornices, with three feet pro- jection, supported by ten heavy carved trusses. The windows (the frames of which were of iron), all have patent roller shutters. The MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 59 foundation consisted of i,ooo piles, upon which were no cords of stone. The girders were of iron, resting upon iron pillars. Seven hundred thousand brick were used in its construction, 300,000 feet of oak and pine lumber; the gross weight of the iron used was 400,000 pounds, the windows (including skylights) contained 4,000 super- ficial feet of glass. Such is a brief sketch of this famous building. This store in which so much money has been made (and lost) was purchased in 1882 by Frederick Layton for $32,000, less than one- half its original cost, who has remodeled it at a cost of $10,000, making it nearly as strong as when first built. Mill Built. The present Reliance mill, on West Water, corner of Fowler, now the property of the Messrs. Manegold, was built this year by George Burnham. This mill has had a varied history. It was operated by Miles & Chapin — Fred. B. Miles and Emery D. Chapin — who lost a large amount of money in it. It was subsequently purchased by Jas. B. Martin, who ran it himself for a number of years, and from whose heirs it was purchased by its present owners. It has been remodeled. Commercial Statistics. There was a notable increase in business, both in imports and ex- ports, in 1854 over 1853. The number of steamers and sail vessels landing here during the season of navigation was 2,680 ; number of passengers landed, 40,030. Our imports were $3,979,296, an in- crease of $1,612,296 over 1853, and of vessel arrivals of 1,197, and but for the early setting in of winter, in consequence of which a large number of coal and iron (railroad) laden vessels were detained in the ice, the receipts would have been much larger. The cash value of our exports was $5,000,000. The comparative increase in the shipments of leading articles, z. e., wheat, barley, oats, corn and rye, were, from 1850 to and including 1854, as follows : Bush. 1850 320,540 1851 312,245 ,1852 1,071,786 1853 1,691,231 1854 3,230,077 60 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. It will be seen the increase from 1851 to 1852 was extremely rapid. First snow fell November 4. River partially closed December 5, and fully December 9, but opened again. (See next chapter.) The number of vessels owned in Milwaukee in 1854 was 43 ; ton- nage, 6,942. One, the bark Badger State, was of 491 tons; four, the D. Ferguson, Helfenstein, Robert Burns and brig Hutchinson, were over 300 ; eight were over 200, sixteen were over 100, and the balance under. Corrections. In Vol. I., pages 20 and 42, it is stated that the office of Albert Fowler — a cut of which is given in Vol. III., page 38 — was erected in the summer of 1834. It is also mentioned in Vol. II., page 307, as having been used for school purposes in 1834 by Doctor James Heth. This date has been considered as the correct one until recent investigations have placed its erection in May, 1835. It is proper to say that the latter date is given by Hon. Horace Chase, and this correction is made at his request. In Vol. II., page 238, it was stated, when speaking of the old United States Hotel, that the J. B. Cross block erected upon its site was burned in 1861. Thisdate should be December 31, i8rg. On page 42, Vol. I., in foot-note, the writer, when speaking of the erection of the old Juneau store, northwest corner of East Water and Wisconsin streets (now known as No. 401 East Water), omitted to state that it was erected in 1835. This subject was referred to again in Vol. III., page 333, where correct date was given. The contractor for this building was the late Deacon Samuel Brown. And as there has always been some dispute as to the exact location of Mr. Juneau's log dwelling and storehouse for furs and suppHes, I will say that during a conversation held February 26, 1886, with Mr. Charles James, of Wauwatosa, who worked upon this store, he informed the writer that so near was this log dwelling to the store that when erecting his scaffold, in August, 1835, for the purpose of clapboarding the front, that one end of the bracket for supporting the same was nailed to the log dweUing and MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 61 the other end upon the store, they being not over six or seven feet apart. This would bring the west side or river front of the log dwelling to the center of the present sidewalk upon the west side of East Water street, just where Mr. James states that it did come, and the north end exactly (or nearly so) on a line with that of the new store. The entrance to this dwelling (/. e., the log house) was upon the west or river side. The chimney was upon the north end. The whole structure was enclosed with pickets, as seen in the cut. The location he gives the trading-house or store, about twenty-five feet north of the new building, would place it upon the ground now occupied by the Matthews Bros, furniture store, at what is now (lot 5, block 2, Seventh ward) Nos. 407, 409 and 411 East Water street (the old Pixley lot). This statement is confirmed by Mrs. Theresa Juneau White and Mrs. Harriet Juneau Fox, who were both born in the old log house, and who also state in addition that the log store consisted of three apartments, the west end being for the storage of blankets, etc., the middle for furs, and the east end for liquors,* and that it (the storehouse) projected easterly into what is now East Water street, much further (as seen in the diagram) than did the dwelling. They also state that there was another log house connected with Mr. Juneau's establishment, viz., the one occupied for several years prior to 1833 by Jean Baptiste Le Tendree (Le Clere's old place), and which, although mentioned in Vol. III., page 478, its location not given, stood upon lot 6, block 2, Seventh ward, and was the quarters for the employees, both French and " metis " (half-breeds), when not away upon their trips. The ruins of this cabin were re- moved in 1835 to make room for the new warehouse. This cabin had two entrances, one upon the west end and one upon the south or Wisconsin street side. The annexed diagram was made at their dictation, and to the correctness of which they both certify, except as to the trees (oaks) seen along the banks of the *I remember seeing a notice in one of the city papers a few years ago of the foundation logs of this pioneer fur store being struck by some workman while engaged in excavating a trench in East Water street for gas or water pipe, I have forgotten which. They were in s, semi-petrified condition. 62 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. -^ ^AlfJ >.^i^aj^fi^; river,* (which they think were not there,] to be a correct representa- tion of the little hamlet as it appeared from 1825 to 1833. At the left, upon the bank of the river, is seen the cabin (Le Ten- dree's), in front of which is the cabin used as a hennery, then comes the dwelling, and to the north of that the log storehouse, while still further north is seen the hill where the Kirby house now stands Cut No. 2 shows the exact location of the log dwelling as to its proximity to the new warehouse,! as given by Charles James. As a proof that this cabin was there in 1833, I will say that in a conversation held with Mrs. Theresa Juneau White. March ij, 18S6, she stated to the writer that she recollected standing at the west end of this cabin in the early part of the winter of 1833-34 while wit- nessing the rescue of Albert Fowler (who had broken through the ice while attempting to cross from the west side) by the Indians, trom drowning. This rescue was effected by one of the Indians crawling out upon the ice until near enough for Mr. Fowler to grasp the han- dle of a tomahawk, which was extended to him by the Indian, who then commenced backing towards the shore, Mr. F. breaking the *Placed there by the artist to form a slight background to the picture, and as a relief to the dieaiiness it would otherwise h.ive, for which the writer (with this explanation) has thought best to let them remain. The hills seen in the distance are in the inesent Fourth, .Second and Sixth wards. fThe new warehouse occupied the same site as the present Ludington stove, viz., Nos. 401 and 403 East Water, present numbers. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 63 MASON STREET. ^ W 03 1-3 W wisconsin street. Cut No. 2. 64 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. ice (which was not strong enough to bear the weight of both) as they proceeded until they neared the shore, when those standing on the bank seized the one upon the ice by the legs and drew them to the land. But it was a close call for Mr. Fowler. Vol. III., page i8. There is an omission in a foot-note, when speaking of the framing of the first Constitution, of the following words : After the word thai (at the bottom of the page), it should read — " was submitted to the people in April. The members from. Milwaukee were D. A. J. Upham," etc. This was an error of the printer. Page 45, Vol. III., when speaking of the Washington Guards going to Racine to attend the execution of David Bonham, the date should have been the i ith December. See Secretary of State's cer- tificate, page 46. Page S9, Vol. III. When speaking of the election, held Septem- ber 6th, the names of those elected to the second Constitutional convention should have been given — as they were elected at that time. On page 268, Vol. III., when speaking of the purchase of Solomon Juneau's portrait, the price, $40, should have been $400. This was a typographical error. And in place of Robinson as the painter, it should have read Samuel M. Brookes. Page 347, Vol. III. The paragraph (this was followed by a pro- clamation), should have appeared directly underneath the return of the special tax bill, on page 348, to which it alone has reference. Page 303, Vol. III. Thos. L. Baker should be Theophilus L. Page 134, Vol. III. Jas. Magee should be Jas. Magie. On page 123, Vol. II. Calvin J. Ripley should have been Frank- Hn Ripley, Jr. Page 331, Vol. III., 7th line from top. For Horace Chase read Doctor Enoch Chase. Vol. III., page 472. The name of L. G. Loomis was given as E. G. This was a typographical error, as it was given in manuscript as L. G., which is correct. Page 352, Vol. III. When, speaking of the old Lansing Bonhell homestead, now the residence of William H. Wolf — for Milwaukee, read Marshall street. Also, of the Nazro building — the one spoken MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 65 of there was not the present Nos. 321 and 323 East Water street, but the store now No. 337 East Water street, which was also built by Mr. Nazro. Vol. III., page 121. For J. McCoUum read J. B. Zander, for justice. Vol. I., page 20. When speaking of the first land sale at Green Bay, in 1835 ('^^ foo*^ note), the date was given as October. It should have been August 31, I think. Page 158, Vol. III. Alderman — for H. N. Shumway read C. N. Shumway. Vol. III., page 343. For assessor — for Chas. Lee read Chas. Lane. Vol. III., page 431. For M. Delany read Chas. H. Orton. Vol. III., page 230. When speaking of the erection of No. 418 East Water street, it was stated that it was erected by John Thomps- sen. It should be by Henry Wedderhoff. Vol. III., page 155. (Financial Exhibit.) For 1884 reati 1848. This is a typographical error. In Vol. III., page 76. When speaking of the late John B. Smith, it was stated that he came in 1845. ^^ came first in 1842, went to Michigan, and returned for good in 1845. Vol. II., page 96. Sketch of Wm. P. Lynde. When speaking of his being delegate to Congress, the date 1841, should be 1847. This was a misprint. Vol. II., page 220. The date of the burning of the Rogers block was given as August 17th. It should be August 24, 1854. In Vol. II., page 147, it was stated that the first tannery was erected on Clybourn street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, in what was then a great ravine, by Daniel Phelps. This has been found to be incorrect, and that one had been erected in 1841, upon the water power, about four rods north of the present Empire mill, by John Trumbull, now a resident of Tabor, Racine county, and who informs the writer that he supplied Mr. Phelps with bark to start with in 1842, which I think justly entitles Mr. Trumbull to the honor of erecting the first tannery in Milwaukee. He also claims to have shipped, in 1844, the first wool ever sent East from Milwaukee. The wool was packed in the Holton warehouse on West Water street. Mr. Trumbull takes great interest in the early history of Wisconsin, 66 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. and particularly of Milwaukee, and is one of the landmarks. He is a lineal descendant of the Trumbull family, whose sons have figured so extensively in the early histdiy of Connecticut. Removals. The Old Hospital. — The building which formerly stood at the southeast corner of Oneida and Jackson streets, and was used for a long time as a hospital by the Sisters of Charity, has been removed to the Third ward, having been purchased by Mr. M. Page, for a tavern. Many a tale could that old building tell of suffering, and patient, careful watching by the benevolent Sisters; the subjects of whose care were of every religious faith, and of no faith. As this was the only hospital in the city, all who needed care and were unable to pay for it, were taken there ; and besides the sick, and wounded, and ra\ing among our citizens generally, who were the subjects of the Sisters' care, the sick sailors have always been taken to this hospital. The building, in its new location, southwest corner Jefferson and Detroit streets,* will witness far different scenes, but the Sisters are still engaged in their kindly mission, at the hospital on Jefferson street. Vol. II., page 137. When speaking of the town election, the words " which went into operation this year," are an interpolation, as the town was organized September 19, 1835, as has been already seen, Vol. I., page 29 (given there erroneously as the 17th). * This, as stated on page 42, Vol. III., was the old sch ool building of Low & McGregor. It was also there stated that it burned in 1862. This date the author has since found to be incorrect. It was burned December 7, 1857. CHAPTER II. Opening Address — Legislature — Keport of Jailor — Fire — The Ground Rebuilt Upon — Business Status — Badger Iron Works — Cummings & Goodrich, Sketch — Policy Court — Municipal — Spring Elections — The Mayor's Proclamation — General King's Comments — IVtr. Kilbourn's Replies — Result of Election — General Rufus King, Sketch — Public Schools — A Know-Nothing on the Jury — Uncle Sam's Jurors — Journeymen Carpenter's Meeting — The Hog Nuisance — A Call for the Marshal — He Replies — Michael Bodden, Sketch — William Grant Fitch, Sketch — Charles Ray, Sketch — ^John J. Eves — Jabez Smith — Sebastopol Not Taken — Mentzel & Stone, Sketch — Eavesdropping — Opening Lake Shore Railroad — Street Improvements — A Fatal Mistake — Milwaukee Locomotive Works — Seaman & Wing Cabinet— Robert Eliot, Sketch — J. M. Holmes. Sketch — thurch Going — A Tremendous Shower — Mrs. Epps Saves the Sugar — Board of Fire Underwriters Formed — Soon Dies — An Exciting Runaway — A Bit of a Shindy — Police Jottings — Census of Milwaukee — Census of County — Bay State Foundry — John S. Harris, Sketch--William Goodenough— Wiljiani Walton — The Reliance Works, Sketch — Edward P. Allis, Sketch — The Ice Bear — Arthur Bates, Sketch— E. D. Hol- ton Struck with a Slungshot — Appointment of a Night Watch — Marine Dis- asters — How Is This for High? — The Sag Nicht Organized — Its Results — Herman C. Adams Shot — Organization of the Corn Exchange — Cremation — First Snowfall —Death of the General — Uncle Wm. E. Cramer Gets Sarah- naded — George Cogswell, Sketch — 'I'he Evistons — Bridge Superintendent Ap- pointed — A B.id Boy — The Old Light-House Sold — Sam Shoyer Gets Left — Improvements — The Kfessrs. Christian and Gustav Preusser, Sketch — Mayor Cross' New Block — Citv Valuation — Statistics. The winter of 1854-55 was as a whole a very pleasant one, the first snowfall occurring on the 4th of November. This, however, all disappeared in a few hours. Our beautiful river was first coated with ice on the 20th,* lasting, however, only two days, and again on the 27th, which also lasted but three days. It formed again Decem- *There have been six winters in Wisconsin which might properly be termed mild since its settlement, viz., 1835-36, 1839-40, 1844-45, 1854-55, 1857-58, and 1877-78, during nearly all of which there was very little snow or ice either in the lake or river, and from the present filthy condition of the latter none can be expected from this time on, neither do I remember of but one winter, viz., that of 1874-7S (see Vol. II., page 227), when the lake has been so nearly frozen over as it was the present (1884-85), during which navigation has been practically sus- pended ; three of the propellers engaged in the transportation of goods from Mil- waukee to Grand Haven and other Michigan ports having just been released from a two months' imprisonment in the ice, and one, the Michigan, having gone to the bottom. It has been the hardest winter without exception for navigation ever known on the lakes. 68 MILWAUKEE UNDER THK CHARTER. ber 5, two inches in thickness, and on the loth the boys were skating. This continued only five days, after which it remained open until the 19th, when it skimmed over again and closed solid on the 27th, and so remained until January 7, during which time it was covered fi-om the Oneida street bridge to Huron street with the youth of both sexes enjoying the fine skating, the acrobatic feats of some of the performers being of the highest order, while those of some not so expert were of a lower order (occasionally).* The 7th of January, however, put an end to it all by a furious rainstorm, lasting twenty-four hours, which sent the ice out into the lake. Neither did it form again until the 13th, when the firost-king laid his " gehd hand " upon us in earnest for a few days, after which it moderated again, and with the exception of now and then a cold snap, remained pleasant the entire winter. The sleighing, however, that winter was the finest we had enjoyed for the twelve previous years. The snow fell on the 23d of January eight inches in depth, giving us six weeks of that healthfiil enjoy- ment, which, in connection with the usual round of balls at Gard- ner's hall,t where the votaries of Terpsichore kept time to the music of Father Hess'J quadrille band during the long winter nights, caused the time to pass rapidly away until April 5, when the ice left the river, and May 2 brought us the first boat from below, the schooner Republic, and spring had come. In a business way the previous year had been a prosperous one commercially as well as in growth, the fine fall weather permitting of out-door work up to and well into December, which gave the own- ers of the burnt district a chance to complete the new buildings in process of erection in that locality. *There were some very fine " skatists " of both sexes in Milwaukee in those days, and much interest was manifested in the exercise when the ice was good. f No building has ever been erected in our city since its foundations were laid for the purposes of amusement which has been as popular, or where so much en- joyment was obtained, as at Gardner's hall. It was a notable place, and the remem- brance of it will not fade from the minds of the early Milwaukeeans while life re- mains. It was their lecture room, opera house, concert and dance hall combined in one. Sic transit. JAdam V. Hess, whois still living and whose quadrille band was very popular with the dancing portion of our community for many years. Mr. Hess, who has now retired from the business, resides at 195 Greenbush street. milwaukee under the charter. 69 Legislative. The members from this city and county in 1855, elected the pre- vious November, were, to the senate, Jackson Hadley and Edward McGarry. Assembly — ^James B. Cross, Jasper Vliet, Edward O'Neill, Ira E. Goodall, Edwin De Wolf, John Ruan, Peter La vies, Reuben Chase and Frederick Moscowitt. This legislature convened January 10 and adjourned April 2, Charles C. Sholes, of Kenosha, speaker of the house. The business of the new year was opened with the usual reports, both financial and statistical, from the secretaries of the various cor- porations, as well as of the city functionaries, prominent among whom was the county jailor, who also presented a report of the business done in his department, in which the number of arrests for 1854 are put down at 449, showing most conclusively that the business of his department had not fallen off materially during the year. Of this number, 158 were for violation of the wood ordinances; 14 were for obstructing sidewalks (these were merchants), and leaving teams unhitched ; 44 were for violation of the liquor law ; 10 were for gambling ; 40 were for nuisance ; 8 for violation of the bridge ordi- nance, and 18 for that of weights and measures. Upon which the whole amount of fines collected was $344.00, A sorry, amount to receive for so much trouble. But such is usually the outcome of municipal " skullduggery." A cent goes in where ten go out. The total cost of these arrests, including the time and pay of the officials who participated in them, could not have been less than $5.00 for each case, making a total of $2,245.00, while the amount received was the munificent sum of 50 cents. Comment is unnecessary upon all such municipal stupidity, for if any of these parties arrested were guilty of the offense charged, they should have been made to pay the actual cost of such arrest. But if innocent, then the party caus- ing the arrest should certainly have been made to foot the bill. But en resume. The status of our business firms, as to location, was nearly as in 1853 and '54, very few changes having been made, except those caused by the fire of the previous August, which of course caused quite a number. There were, however, some new 70 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. enterprises started, among which was the new boiler manufactory of Messrs. Cummings & Goodrich (John Cummings and John C. Good- rich), known as the Badger Iroti Works, situated on the southeast corner of Main (Broadway) and Chicago streets.* Biographical. John Cummings was born at Hamburg, Erie County, N. Y., July 22, 1811, and immigrated to Milwaukee in 1846, where he quickly came to the front as a first class mechanic (i. e.), a worker in iron, and was for many years one of the most prominent in that ancient " guild." He is a man of indomitable will, great perseverance, and will cling to a project after most men would have abandoned it as impracticable, there being no such word as can't in his vocabulary. He has also been quite prominent as a local politician, and was a hard man to buck against in that role, as he is a splendid wire puller — has served as alderman, councillor, and school commissioner, from the Third ward, in each of which offices he was very efficient — his quick perceptions, coupled with his bull-dog pertinacity and good practical common sense, enabling him to do much towards keeping the wheels of the city government running smoothly. He was also very efficient in helping to unearth the frauds which were being per- petrated among those old time democratic politicians, in the palmy days of Taylor, Lynch and Gardner, et al. Mr. Cumoiings' life finan- cially has not been what the world calls a success, but want of energy was not the cause. The trouble with him was in alivays going in too deep for his means, and when hard times came — which always will to a man in that boat — he of course went to the wall. In political faith he is a republican. He is a man of large frame, is possessed of fine social qualities, great kindness of heart, and is a splendid friend. He is now, although well down the western slope of life's journey, in charge of the pumping engine at the West Side Branch Water Works — a position he is eminently qualified to fill. Mr. Goodrich, who left many years ago, and is now a resident of * This shop, which was of brick, is yet standing, and used for a boiler shop by John W. Evibton, its present owner, and is with the exception of the one run by Richard Davis, northeast corner of Barclay and Oregon streets, the largest private one in the city. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 71 Chicago, was of an entirely different temperament from Mr. Cum- mings. He was in stature below the medium size, lithe in form, and supple as a cat. He was a genial companion, but not one of the kind to bear much chaffing, and whoever attempted that would be likely to come to grief. He could lay out more men in a given time than any other man of his weight, unless it might perhaps be James Crummy, that the writer ever knew in Milwaukee, and to see him go through a crowd, when his metal was aroused, made one think of a .cyclone. Whoever he struck was as sure to go down as he would if hit with a maul. I remember John, and often think how handy he was with his knuckles. He came to Milwaukee from Buffalo, N. Y. Fire. There was a fire on Market square, on the third of January, that destroyed three frame buildings, standing at what is now 459. 461 and 463 East Water street, one of which (459) was the same one spoken of in Vol. IH., page 244, as being occupied as a saloon by August Philip, and known as hell. Neither is it any injustice to the living or the dead to say, that a worse place, or one that came nearer being a perfect representation of the locality it was named for, could not be found in Milwaukee, in those days, than was this saloon. It was rightly named. It was the headquarters for those who took such an interest in defeating the license law, and who, as has been seen, made " Rome howl," literally, from 1849 to 1854. The orgies enacted there would have disgraced bedlam. The second. No. 461, was occupied by Herman Schwarting, as a grocery and liquor store. And 463, by C. F. Rice, as a hat and cap store.* There was more fuss made at this fire than there would be to-day at the destruction of an entire square. These were all replaced the same season with the present brick buildings, Nos. 459 and 461 by Philip Best, and 463 by Herman Schwarting. The ones burned belonged to Schwarting and Hilgen (afterwards at Cedarburg). The ground all belonged to Schwarting, who, sold to Mr. Best the portion he built upon. These buildings are in good condition to-day. * I think Mr. Rice did not remain In Milwaukee but a short time, as his name does not appear in any of the early directories, or in the one for 1854 and '55. I'Z MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. There was also a fire the same winter on the northeast corner of Reed and Oregon streets, which cleaned off a lot of old rookeries, and gave us the present brick block upon that corner. Police Court. John Wing, Edwin Townsend, David P. Hull, and Philetus C. Hale, all men of renown, were fined for not cleaning sidewalks, and it was not much of a day for fines either. All of which goes to show that men of renown tried to dodge the law in those days, same as now. Their excuse was that they had hired laborers to do the work, but those laborers had not performed their duty. They all paid their fines like little men, and went their way. Municipal. As the ides of March drew near, in 1855, the regular democracy put on their war paint, held their convention, and made the following nominations : Democratic Nominations.* For Mayor — James B. Cross. City Attorney — Erastus Foote. Controller — John B. Edwards. Marshal — Timothy O'Brien. Treasurer— Ferdinand Kuehn. Police Justice — Clinton Walworth. FlKST Wakd. Aldermen — Jackson Hadley, two years. Victor Schulte, one year. Constable — Frederick Kessler. Assessor — Patrick Nichol. Railroad Commissioner — Herman Schwarting. Second Ward. Aldermen — Hermen Haertel, two years. Conrad Mever, one year. Constable — George Fischer. Assessor — Joseph Kluppak. Eailroad Commissioner — Joseph Walter. Third Ward. Aldermen — John Shortell, two years. Daniel Kennedy, Sen., one year. Constable — John H. Ryan. Assessor — A. McCormick. Railroad Commissioner — John Keegan. * The nomination for ward officers made at this caucus were a little too much for Uncle William £. Cramer (who was at that time slightly innoculated with democratic virus) to swallow, and he went back on them. He probably saw the handwriting on the wall, and concluded it would be a wise move to join " Gideon's Band," while he could. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 73 EOUHTH WaED. Aldermen — A. H. Johnston, two years. Jesse Scholl, one year. CoTistable — John Slattery. Assessor — Patrick Markey. Railroad Commissioner — S. C. West. Fifth Wakd. Aldermen— Henry Millman, two years. Charles Johnson, one year. Constable — Charles Mayer. Assessor — ^W. W. Yale. Railroad Commissioner — Carlton Holland. Some one having stated that the Third ward nominees were tinc- tured with republicanism, a second caucus was held, which put out the following ticket : Thied Ward Meeting. Milwaukee, March 31, 1856. At a meeting of the tax payers of the Third ward, held at the Engine House of No. 6, the following names were brought forward to be sup- ported at the election to-morrow, to-wit: Aldermen — Michael Dunner, 2 years. Michael Bray, one year. Assessor— R. G. Owen. Railroad Commissioner — ^Thomas Eviston. Constable — Patrick Fahy. Justice of the Peace — William Holland. If any names should appear on tickets, purporting to be republican, they were not nominated at this meeting. Independent Democratic Ticket.* For Mayor — James B. Cross. Treasurer — Herman Schwarting. Comptroller — John B. Edwards. City Marshal — Daniel Haffner. City Attorney — Wilson Graham. First Ward. Aldermen — ^Wm. H. Wright, two years. Henry Smith, one year. Assessor — Geo. A. McGarigle. Railroad Commissioner — Benjamin Skidmore. Constable— George Berkle. Third Ward. Aldermen — Michael Dunner, two years. Michael Bray, one year. Assessor— Richard G. Owens. Railroad Commissioner— John Eviston. Justice of the Peace— William Holland. Constable— Patrick Fahy. Fourth Ward. Aldermen— Caleb Harrison, two years. Joel Hood, Adam Ernst, one year. Assessor — Ambrose Ely. Justice of the Peace— Norman A. Millard. Railroad Commissioner— P. Jacobus. Constable— John Myer. * There does not appear to have been any nomiiialions upon this ticket in the Second or Sixth wards, they being in those days the strongest democratic wards in the city. But there appears to have been two sets in the Fifth. 74 milwaukee under the charter. Fifth Ward. Aldermen — Jasper Humphrey, two years. Joseph H. Cordes, one year. Justice of the Peace — Oliver Parsons. Assessor — Francis Conrad. Railroad Commissioner — Charles H. Larkin. Constable — S. Otto. Alderman — John Rosebeck, two years. W. A. Hawkins, one year. Assessor — Edwin DeWolf. Justice of the Peace — Oliver Parsons. Constable — August Meyer. Railroad Commissioner — W. P. Merrill. Seventh Ward. Alderman — W. A. Prentiss, two years. H. Hill, Francis J. Jung, one year. Assessor — J. W. Dunlop. Justice of the Peace — Albert Smith. Constable — August Seifert. Railroad Commissioner — J. Murray. This was followed by a people's convention, held on the second, the delegates to which made the following nominations : Independent Nominations. Mayor — Cicero Comstock. Comptroller — John B. Edwards. Treasurer — Ferdinand Kuehn. Marshal — WiUiam Beck. Police Justice — Clinton Walworth. City Attorney — C. L. Buttrick. First Ward. Aldermen — For two years, E. B. Wolcott; one year, W B. Hibbard. Assessor — James Murray. Railroad Commissioner — John Furlong. Constable — John SchefFel. Third Ward. Aldermen — For two years, James Reed; one year, Patrick O'Don- nell. Assessor — A. McCormick. Railroad Commissioner — James O'Shaughnessy. Constable — John Ryan. At a subsequent meeting James Reed was nominated alderman for two years and George M. Colgate for one year, Hiram Church for asses- sor, and J. F. Birchard for railroad commissioner. Fifth Ward. Aldermen — For two years, Jasper Humphrey; for one year, J. M. Jones. Assessor — John C. Smith. Railroad Commissoner — C. Holland. Constable — Charles Meyer. A people's ticket is usually a failure, from the fact that all the de- feated ones on the regular ticket attach themselves to it, hke barna- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 75 cles to old timber. They are reformers only in name. All they want is the " loaves and fishes." One wants to be governor over his state, And works every card to get put on the slate. He thinks, if defeated, the people have erred, And the choice that is made he calls so absurd. But so it is ever, for mankind is vain, And in this fool's warfare vast numbers are slain. But the ranks are soon with others who hold That the half of their wisdom can never be told. Mr. Cokson Decmned. — ^We are glad to learn from a card in last even- ing's Wisconsin that Mr. Dighton Corson declines to be a candidate for justice of the peace in the Seventh ward. This leaves the present eflS- cient justice, Albert Smith, Esq. (who is a candidate for re-election) without a competitor. This dechnation was a stunner, as Mr. Corson (who had managed to get nominated in some way) was one of the most inveterate ofiice- seekers the writer remembers among all those " old timers." What could have induced it ? General Rufus King was put in nomination by the Wisconsin for city marshal in quite a lengthy article, descriptive of his peculiar fit- ness for the position, to which the General gave the following spicy reply : One Good Turn Deserves Another. — Our attentive neighbor of the Wwcondn nominates us for city marshal, compUments our " military strategy," and thinks that we might be profitably employed in "the ar- rest of the numerous porkers which infest our streets." Should the people ratify this excellent nomination, we promise to make the editor of the Wisconsin our powder-monkey on all " military " excursions and pound-keeper for all the " porkers " we may arrest. In that event the 'bounty on every sow's year," which he thinks the new city treasurer would favor, would fall to his share as " the faithful custodian " of the city porkers. Mr. Cramer was apparently very anxious for the General's pro- motion. They were not a very loving couple in those days, and always on the watch for a chance to stone each other. Closing the Saloons. As it was evident from past experience that trouble might arise on election day if free liquor abounded, the mayor issued a proclama- tion closing them, of which the annexed is a literal copy : To all Tavern Keepers, Groceries and Beer Halls : You are respectfully requested to keep closed against the sale of any liquor, wine or bier* on election day until 4 o'clock p. m. B. KiLBOURN, Mayor. P. S.— After 4 o'clock p. m. you can let her go. *That is the way it was spelled. 76 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. This proclamation was commented upon in the Sentinel something as follows : The P. S. after the close of the mayor's proclamation was a stunner — at least for a mayor to make. Not much dignity about that. If it was best to close the saloons at all, why " let her go after 4 p. m.?" The fol- lowing will perhaps best illustrate this case: We remember an old German, who was remarkably blunt but honest, who had a cow and calf for sale, to whom another German applied as a purchaser, when the following colloquy took place: " Veil, Hans, how much you vant for dis cow?" The price given was so extremely low as to cause the would-be pur- chaser to imagine something must be wrong, and he asked: " Is dot cow got goot calf?" " Yah, she gif goot milk. "Veil, den, vat for you vant to sell her?" " Veil, I vill tole you. Dis cow vill gif goot milk, but yoost so quick as she pees done gif dot milk, she up mit her foot and kick him all over der bail." "Veil, den," says Hans, "I dond puy him. Dis cow no goot. She vort noddings. I let her go." We cannot but compare the proclamation to the German's cow — first gives good milk, and then kicking it all over. "The proclamation was all right, but the P. S. was not. This was replied to on the 9th as follows : General King : I find that my little P. S. has greatly disturbed your eqjianimity, as the Sentinel of this morning has half a column of abuse concerning it. I am aware of your morbid passion for feult finding, and am glad that you have at length found something in my administration which offers some opportunity to work off some of the excess of " gas " with which you are habitually so much inflated. Had I retired from office without giving you such opportunity, I fear there would have been an explosion which would have deprived the pubUc of your valuable services in after years. B. Kilboukn. Let her go. And the General did. He was not the kind of a man to make any reply to such an article as that. A call was also made by the " outs " for the present " ins " (against whose proceedings, as has been seen, there was no little complaint) to show up and give an account of their stewardship, to which, as might have been expected, there was no response. They were too sharp for that. The result of the election held March 6* was as follows: *'rhis election was held March 5, in accordance with Secdon i of Chapter 2 of the amendments to the city charter, approved February 20, 1852. Changed back to the first Tuesday in April, under the act of the legislature approved February 21, 1856. See book containing charter, together with ihe acts of the legislature amendatory thereto, published 1857, pages 53 and 200. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 77 Mayor— James B. Cross. Comptroller— John B. Edwards. Treasurer — Ferdinand Kuehn. Police Justice— Clinton Walworth. Marshal— T. O'Brien. City Engineer — William S. Trowbridge. City Attorney — Erastus Foote. ALDERMEN. First Ward— Jackson Hadley, Victor Schulte and George S. Mallory. Second Ward— Herman Haertle, Conrad Meyer and Richardson Houghton. Third Ward— John Shortell,* John Coughlin and Daniel Kennedy. Fourth AV'ard— Haven Powers, Jas. Ludington and Caleb Harrison. Fifth Ward— Henry Milhnan, John Rosebeck and Andrew Mitchell. J. Hadley, president. Robert Whitehead, city clerk. Assessors. First ward, Patrick Nichol; Second, Jos. Kluppak; Third, Andrew McCormick; Fourth, Ambrose Ely; Fifth, Wallace W. Yale. Justices. First ward, Albert Smith; Second, Chas. F. Bode; Third, Wm. Hol- land; Fourth, Haven Powers; Fifth, Oliver Parsons. CoMMISSIONEIiS OF SuRVEY. First ward, Peter Martineau; Second, I. A. Lapham; Third, Elisha Eldred; Fourth, Ira B. Goodall; Fifth, Martin Delaney. Fire Department. Chief Engineer — Samuel S. Daggett. First assistant, Jno. C. Goodrich; Second, Jos. Sprague; Third, Frank H. Greenleaf. Fire Commissioner — Daniel Neiman. Fire Wardens. First ward, Robert C. Jacks and Nicholas Ludwig; Second, F. Chi- chester and Linus N. Dewey; Third, Frank Devlin and Jas. H. Ryan; Fourth. Charles Bierbach and Thomas Reed; Fifth, Russell Eddy and D. F. Thompson. Railroad Commissioners. First ward, Herman Schwarting; Second, Joseph Walters; Third, John Keegan; Fourth, Alonzo L. Kane; Fifth, Carlton Holland. Constables. First ward, Frederick Kessler; Second, Geo. Fisher; Third, John Ryan; Fourth, Washington G. Haack; Fifth, Chas. Meyer. City Printers — English, Daily News; German, Daily Banner. Sealer of Weights and Measures— Jesse M. Van Slyck. Council rooms in Martin's block. *Mr. Shorten was a carpenter and a shoptnale of the author's for several .'ea- soiis. He was of medium siz , had dark hair and eyes, was of a very quiet de- meanor, and very popuhr with his counirymen in tlie Third ward, . I remember him well. I think he di?4 lung ago, but am not pertain. 78 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The assessed valuation of the city in 1855 was $17,699,272, di- vided as follows : Real and PerBonal. First AVard $6,029,840 Second Ward 2,659,040 Third Ward 4,257,900 Fourth Ward 2,700,420 Fifth Ward 2, 052,072 $17,699,272 The county officers were : Sheriff— Herman L. Page. Under Sheriff— Samuel S. Conover. Deputies— William Wedemeyer, John Mitchell, August Seifert, Wil- liam Beck. District Attorney— A. B. R. Butler. Register of Deeds — Chas. J. Kern. Treasurer — Garrett M. Fitzgerald. , Surveyor (in his mind) — John Gregory. Coroner — ^Timothy O'Brien. Superintendents of the Poor— Edward Weisner and Chas. James. Supervisors. The two-year aldermen were supervisors in their respective wards ex-officio. Towns were: For Wauwatosa— Thomas Tobin. Lake — J. C. Howard. Oak Creek— M. Hawes. Granville — Thomas Bare. Franklin — ^Thomas J. Rice. Greenfield — Peter Lavies, Jr. Milwaukee — ^Thomas Kehliher. Jackson Hadley, chairman. A. Bade, clerk. Board of trade met this year over the Exchange baak of Wm. J. Bell & Co., southeast corner of Huron and East Water. The offi- cers were: J. G. Inbusch, president; S. B. Grant, secretary; Wm. J. Bell, treasurer. Admsission fees, $2. Some difference between then and now. ■ School Commissioners. First Ward — Rufus King, Thomas Duggan and Jackson Hadley. Second Ward — Chas. E. Jenkins, Beni. Church and Eno Meyer.* Third Ward — John Cummings, Ed. O Neill and Edward McGarry. Fourth Ward — Samuel L. Elmore, Priam B. Hill and Haven Powers. *The books in the office of the city clerk show that Eno Meyer was elected to fill a vacancy, but do not state whose resignation caused the vacancy. It was probably, however, that of Dea. Samuel Brown. >*i>^ ^^.i^^/Uf MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 79 Fifth Ward— Andrew Mitchell, Clark A. Place and Edwin De Wolf* Eufus King^ president. Robert Whitehead, secretary. Public Schools. There were six good substantial brick school buildings in Milwau- kee in 1855, each of which had a primary, intermediate and gram- mar department. The highest salary paid was $850, and the low- est $300. Tlie number of children in the city between the ages of four and twenty years on the last day of August, 1855 (the time the census was taken) was 9,345 ;t number attending public schools was 2,013 > attending private schools, 1,995. The amount paid for salaries for teachers was $11,259 53 Contingent expenses 2,077 97 113,337 50 The state appropriation was $6,541 50 Balance paid by city 6,796 00 — $13,337 50 Biographical. General Rufus King, who for many years occupied so prominent a position in Milwaukee as a journalist and educator, and whose name appears in the above Hst as the president of the board of school commissioners for 1855 (and ex-officio superintendent), was born in the city of New York on the 26th day of January, 1814. The family from which he sprang was an old and influential one. His father was President Charles King, of Columbia College, and his grandfather, Rufus King, had the honor of being the first senator elected from the Empire State upon the formation of the present government, and also served as minister to England during Wash- *This was the gentleman who served twa terms as school superintendent, and who spelled gone " gon " and whole " hole." He was a literary gem. He was a blatant politician, and his election to that office was the natural result of bring- ing the public schools into the cesspool of politics. f These were proportioned in the different wards as follows: Wards. Males. Females. Total. First 1,436 1,636 3,072 Second 1,372 1,297 2,669 Third 688 600 1,288 Fourth 497 494 991 Fifth 680 64s 1,325 4,673 4,672 9,345 80 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. ington's administration. The prestige of such an ancestry could not fail to have great influence in shaping the future career of the sub- ject of this sketch, and as a natural sequence he was honored with the appointment to a cadetship at West Point, that then Mecca of the sons of the wealthy and influential citizens of the young Re- public, and from where he graduated in July, 1833, with high hon- ors, ranking No. 4 in his class, and was assigned to duty upon the engineer corps of the regular army. His first employment in his new vocation was to aid in the con- struction of Fortress Monroe under Robert E. Lee, at that time one of his country's most valued and trusted sons, but who subse- quently betrayed her and became the Confederate leader during the great rebelUon. But to return. The monotony as well as the indolence incident to army life soon became distasteful to one of his ardent temperament. He wanted something more stimulating, more exciting — something outside of a strict military occupation, and in order to obtain it he resigned, in 1836, and accepted a position as assistant engineer upon the pre- liminary survey then being made for the New York and Erie rail- road, which he held until 1838, when he left and accepted that of editor-in-chief upon the Albany Advertiser, and commenced the life in which he became so famous in after years. He had now found his proper sphere, and at once commenced to take an active and prominent part in all the exciting political issues of the day. He was also commissioned in 1839 as adjutant general of the state, a position his thorough military education rendered him eminently well qualified to fill, and which he held until July i, 1843. He remained upon the Advertiser until 1841, when, at the soUcita- tion of Governor William H. Seward (between whom and himself a strong friendship existed), he severed his connection with that paper and became associate editor upon the Albany Evening Jour- nal, in which position he was the trusted friend and adviser of that renowned journalist, Thurlow Weed, its then editor-in-chief, whom he greatly aided in carrying out the plans of that grand historic statesman, William H. Seward, in his efforts to rescue the Empire State from the withering sirocco of Democratic misrule. Here he remained until 1845, when, induced by liberal offers, he MtLWAtJKfeE UNDER THE CHARTER. 81 came to Milwaukee and assumed the editorial chair upon the Mil- waukee Sentinel, then (as now) the leading Whig organ in the state, and where, for the next twelve years, he made that paper a power in the cause of liberty and the dissemination of Whig principles. He also, during most of this time, held the responsible office of school commissioner, and had the honor to be elected the first presi- dent of the board (and superintendent ex-officio) upon the organiza- tion of the present public school system in 1846, and in 1847 made the first report (see Vol. III., page 71 to 76 inclusive), a document that shows him to have been just the man to fill that responsible office. Neither is it any injustice to his successors to say that no one of them has ever filled it with more credit to himself or benefit to the schools than did General Rufus King. But to return. While the editorial department of the Sentinel was being so ably conducted by' General King, unfortunately the business management (to which he gave no attention) was very badly mismanaged, result- ing finally in financial embarrassment during the commercial panic of 1857 that necessitated a change of ownership to a considerable extent, General King remaining, however, as editor-in-chief for a season, during which his best energies were devoted to restoring it to its former financial standing, but was ultimately compelled to let it pass into other hands, who, in its ownership and present success, are reaping the fruit of the seed he had sown. This disaster was a sad blow, and -threw him so to speak off the track until March, 1861, when, without any solicitation on his part, he received from his friend, Hon. William H.Seward, the then secre- tary of state for the United States under Abraham Lincoln (and who had always kept him in sight), the appointment of minister to Rome, which he accepted, and had placed his baggage on board the vessel which was to convey him to that city of the Caesars, when the attack was made upon Fort Sumpter, at the breaking out of the rebellion, in April, 1861. This changed the programme. The commission to Rome was returned, and, resuming the sword, he was at once com- missioned as a brigadier-general, his brigade being composed of Wisconsin volunteers, including the 19th Indiana, which, under his firm hand, were soon brought to that high condition of discipline and military efficiency which gave it subsequently its great fame as S2 MlLWAUfcEE trKDEfe tflK CHARl'ER. the Iron Brigade, while under the command of General Gibborts, General King having been promoted to the command of the division, with which he participated in General Pope's campaign of 1862. The arduous duties incident to this campaign were of such a nature as to greatly impair his splendid constitution, and he asked to be relieved, which was granted, and he was assigned to duty upon court martials, and in the defenses of Washington. This continued until the spring of 1863, when he again took the field in command of a division, at Yorktown, where he was actively engaged in watching and counteracting the rebel movements in that region, until the fall of 1863, when he was again reappointed to the Roman mission, where he remained until its abolition in 1867; after which he returned to his native city, where he died October 13, 1876. Such is substantially the record of Rufus King, who while he lived had no superior in the editorial or educational corps in Mil- waukee, and whose memory will be cherished by her citizens for many years to come. Personnel. In person. General King was of the average height, straight as an arrow, walked with a regular military step, was always courteous and gentlemanly, while at the same time he maintained the dignity suitable to the position which by birth and education he felt himself entitled to assume. He had a clear, comprehensive, well balanced mind, was quick to see the true inwardness oi the political trickery going on in the democratic party, and prompt to expose it. He was a born journalist, wielded a ready pen, and was the acknowledged leader of the whig party throughout the State in its struggle for supremacy during her early history. His editorials were of the first order, always dignified and terse, but when occasion required he could be sarcastic or caustic. He was a member of the second con- stitutional convention, and aided largely in forming our present State constitution, and was for several years one of the regents of the State university. He was also a prominent official in the old volunteer fire department, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which latter organization he took great pride. General King, hke most men who receive a mihtary education and training, and subsequently engage in business pursuits, did not get wealthy. He placed no value MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 83 upon money, except the gratification its expenditure brought, and like Daniel Webster would pay it out without stint. While he was keenly perceptive and vigilant as to the wiles of political adversaries he was guileless, confiding and easily overreached in personal money imatters, and of course suffered in consequence. There is a fine portrait of General King in our city library, where it properly belongs. He left one son, Col. Charles King (also a West Point graduate), now of this city, and who although still young has already made a good record as a soldier and author, and is a worthy son of a worthy sire. That he may be as useful a citizen, .reach as high a plane, and leave as good a record as did his honored father, is cer- tainly the wish of all who know him. A Know Nothing on the Petit Jury. Some allusion was made in Vol. III., to the loose manner in which our jury system was conducted, as well as to the class of men usually selected, and one or two incidents as to its workings given. But here is another case, that certainly should not be lost to posterity : A Know Nothing on the Jury. — ^A curious aflfair came off in the county court yesterday morning, and the evening previous. A suit in trespass was tried by a jury, between Archer C. Flanders and the Mil- waukee & Mississippi Railroad Co. The case was given to the jury about sundown on Wednesday, and an officer sworn to take charge of the jury ; the Court adjourning to yesterday morning, giving instruction to the jury that if they agreed upon a verdict, to write it out and seal it up, to be given to the Court the next morning. The officer in conducting the jury to their room found there were but eleven — one of the jurors hav- ing left, and could not be found by the officer. The eleven soon agreed upon a verdict — obeyed the instructions of the Court, wrote it out, and it was returned to the Court yesterday morning. On enquiry of the absentee juror, he said he supposed it was all through with — the case was ended, and he had gone home as the rest did. And on further enquiry he didn't know what was expected of him as a juror, or anj^- thing relating to the duties of a juror. The parties for the suit agreed to take the eleven, satisfied that the verdict was as good without the twelfth as with it. But ought such men to be put upon the jury list by the supervisors? The last place for a natural Know Nothing is the jury box. Juries should be composed of the most intelligent people in the community and not men selected for the ends of a political party. I remember this occurrence and the laugh it made in the com- munity at the time. The man had been in the country but a few weeks, and could not understand a word of English. The sheriff, when asked by the court why he placed such men on the jury, rephed that he was a good fellow and ^ had nothing to do. He was, how- 84 MtLwAuK.EE Under the citARtKR. ever, informed by his honor that if such a thing occurred again that the court would find him (the eheriff) something to do in the jail. Uncle Sam's Jurors This was the heading of an article in the Sentinel during the trial of Booth for the Glover rescue, called out by an exhibition of heads at the windows of the old United States court-room in Martin's block during the Sunday they were out for a verdict. Some one who was not posted thought they were the " Know Nothings," who, he had been informed, were as thick as blackberries and had a lodge in that building — at least he had been told so, but didn't know noth- ing about it himself. It was finally decided that it was the jury in the Booth case, and who were unwilling to pay $i,ooq (the regular government price at that time) for a nigger,* and could not get out until they did. I'hey paid it finally, /. e., they gave a verdict for it, and were let go. Who wouldn't be a juror? The writer was the assistant marshal at the time and in charge of that jury. The act which attracted so much attention was the at- tempt made by one of them to pull up a bottle of whisky by a string, which some kind friend, who had probably been there him- self and knew what it was to be dry, had fastened to it. It was a failure, however, as the bottle was broken against one of the win- dow-sills just as it reached the top and the whisky lost. I think the loss of that whisky was the main cause of the verdict. Judge Miller was greatly scandalized on account of this occurrrence, as it was against the peace and dignity of " Uncle Samuel." Shipping Paupers to Milwaukee. This game was played on the unsuspecting Milwaukeeans by the wicked " She-ka-go-ans " to quite an extent in 1855, which made our supervisors more trouble than Greenfield Smith,t as he was called, ever did, and he has been their Dionysius. But the game was finally stopped by reversing the order of march. *They were higher in 1861, but are chenp now. j-The supervisor from Greenfield, James Smith, who was always getting up some scheme of his own, to which as a rule the board were opposed. He was a tall, lank specimen of the genus homo, as full of fight as a hornel, and would hang on until the last gun was fired. He made it lively in the board while he was in it. MiLWAtrttEE Under ttiE cMarTeS. 85 Philological. Some one who has a passion for tracing the philology of names has discovered that John Smith in Latin is Johannes Smithius ; in Italian, Giovanni Scmithi ; Spanish, Juan Smithas ; Dutch, Hans Schmidt; French, Jean Smeets; Greek, Ion Skmiton; Russian, Souloff Skmittowiski ; Polish, Ivan Schmittiwcisk ; Chinese, Jahan Schmmit; Icelandic, Jahne Smithson ; Welsh, Ilhon Schmidd ; Mexican, Jonll t'Siiiitli.* The Hog Nuisance. This much talked-of nuisance came to the front this spring in a call from some of the citizens upon the Sentinel to inform them how to rid themselves of these pests, as the writer of the article called them, who, he says, will open any gate in the city, after which the result can be imagined. This inquiry brought a reply from some one, suggesting that an ordinance be passed empowering any man to take and retain pos- session of all the swine found at large, which, he says, will cause such an absence of " pig faces " as would satisfy the staunchest Israelite in all the land of Goshen. Some of these hogs were dangerous, as the following will show : [For the Sentinel. Where is the City Marshal? Ferocious Hogs About. — ^This morning my little girl was returning from the store with a small quantity of Indian meal. She was attacked by a savage old sow, and the basket forcibly taken from her, the con- tents Scattered and lost, and narrowly escaped personal injury. This occurred on Main street, corner of Division street. Is there no law to reach such dangerous brutes ? Where's the marshal? Robert Earl. Milwaukee, April 26. This was answered by the marshal, Father Tim O'Brien, thusly : That he would be d d if he would interfere or deny the liberty of the streets to any hog, not if he knew himself, as that is not his busi- ness. Neither is there any law against it. There isn't, hey ? The ordinance on page 92 of the ordinance book reads as follows : No swine shall be permitted to run at large in this city under a pen- alty of 12 for each and every offense, to be recovered of the owner. *From the Insurance Review, September, 1884. 86 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. And another on page 1 1 reads as follows : He [the marshal] shall see that all the ordinances are enforced, and that when any violation thereof shall come to his knowledge he shall notify the city attorney and attend to procuring evidence for the prose- cution of the same. Put your specks on, Tim, and read the above. But Tim didn't.* Michael Bodden. This gentleman, who is one of the most prominent and respected of our German fellow citizens, came to Milwaukee from the city of Cologne, Prussia, in 1847, and at once commenced to build himself a home in the land of his adoption. His first occupation after his arrival was as teacher of German in the pubhc schools, but this voca- tion he soon abandoned for more exciting scenes. Having an itch- ing for political fame, he became quite active as a politician, and was elected city treasurer in 1862, which he held two years, and it is proper to say that among all his countrymen who have held that ofKce no one has left it in better shape, or filled it with more credit to himself, than did Mr. Bodden. He is a good business man, and has the confidence of the people as well as their respect. And although, Hke most of his countrymen, he joined the democratic parly when first he came, he has subsequently acted with the repub- licans upon several occasions, but he is not a demagogue, and has a sovereign contempt for all the political chicanery that forms so large a portion of the stock in trade of a politician. He was president of the chamber of commerce in 1880 and '81, and is the present city tax commissioner, for which office he has special quahfications, as besides being a good general scholar he is a fine mathematician — a desideratum much needed in that responsible branch of our city government. He is also, a fine musician, and was the organist of *The running at large of hogs or cattle in any city is a great drawback to its prosperity, and an evil that should not be tolerated under any circumstances. Go where you would in those days you were sure to meet one or more of those filthy animals sauntering along the streets and sidewalks. They rooted up all the gar- dens, defiled the sidewalks, and filled the whole city with a smell very unlike a geranium, and some of them, as has been stated, were really dangerous. But we got no abatement of the nuisance until Caleb Wall got into the council, where, after a hard fight, he succeeded in inducing that body to consent to pass an ordi- nance putting an end to it. 1^ MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 87 St. Gall's church (Catholic) for several years. In person, Mr. Bodden is of medium height, has dark hair and dark eyes. He has a pleasant voice, speaks very deliberately and distinctly, and always says just what he means. He is also very conscientious and will knowingly do no wrong to any one, is dignified and gentlemanly, always thinks before he speaks, and if he can say no good of his neighbor will say no wrong, and is always careful of what he says or does. He has good executive abilities, far above the average, and though the roll- ing years have frosted his head, he is ^ still active and vigorous, the natural result of a temperate life. He has fine conversational powers, and as a presiding officer has few equals in the city. He is sharp and keen, sees into the merits as well as the crooks in all financial matters that come under his administration apparently by intuition, and has been successful in ferreting out more hidden treasure, upon which no tax had been paid since he took charge of the commis- sioner's office, than had all his predecessors put together, and made the owners thereof come to lime. Such are a few of the personal characteristics of Michael Bodden, one of the men in whom the citizens of Milwaukee have confidence, and whom they have often delighted to honor. William Grant Fitch. This gentleman, so well known . as one of Milwaukee's most suc- cessful and popular bankers, was born in the town of Helvidere, New Jersey, on the sixth day of August, 1834. His father, Daniel Grant Fitch, was an editor and publisher of a paper called the Warren Journal. From Belvidere, the subject of this sketch, after com- pleting his education at the academy of that town, removed, in 1851, to Dayton, O., and from there, in 1855, to Milwaukee, where he was appointed teller of the then Bank of Milwaukee, chartered the pre- vious year (now the National Exchange), which position he occupied until 1859, when his peculiar fitness for ihe banking business coming to the notice of the directors, he was elected to the office of cashier, which office he has filled to the present time, a period of twenty- seven years, and is (to use a Western phrase) one of the landmarks in the department of banking in Wisconsin. It can be said of him, as of David Ferguson the veteran cashier of Alex. Mitchell's famous 88 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. bank, that his absence would be more noticeable than would chat of the veteran president Charles D. Nash (the duties of both Messrs. Mitchell and Nash being to a large extent supervisory), so accus- tomed are its patrons to dealing with him, and him only. Mr. Fitch has always been noted for his conservativeness, and under his wise and judicious management the National Exchange Bank* has become one of the soundest as well as one of the most popular in the West, and is doubtless destined to retain its popularity for years to come. Personnel. In person Mr. Fitch is of medium height, has a fine physique, few men in Milwaukee can boast a finer, and is the very picture of health. He has dark hair, and large,' dark expressive eyes, in which a flitting smile and a look of severity, will often be seen to follow each other in rapid succession. He has a large head, face round and full, and a mouth indicative of great will power, which he certainly possesses. He walks with a regular uniform step, and if in deep thought (as he usually is when on the street) will not look up or notice any one whom he may meet, but at the same time, like Mr. Pfister, is per- fectly aware of whom he has met. He is not nervous, or very easily excited, and never thrown off his guard, a quality that is worth gold to a banker. To a stranger Mr. Fitch would often prove an enigma, and if that stranger was in search of a victim, upon whom he in- tended to practice some swindling scheme, or to solicit some particu- lar favor, the look he would get would probably prevent him from attempting either, although if his object was charity, and his cause a worthy one, he would never be sent empty away. Mr. Fitch is not a man with whom it is easy to cultivate an ac- quaintance, as his bump of caution is very large, and to a stranger or in a strange place this, coupled with his natural reticence, would prevent all attempts at too close an intimacy. Upon all such occasions he would be simply polite and nothing more, and, like Mr. G. E. Gifford, he would learn all he could about those around him, while at the same time they would learn very little about him. He is a good diplomatist. He has a large circle of acquaintances, * The name under which it was reorganized in 1865, as a National bank. MILWAUKEE DNDER THE CHARTER. 89 but the number of those with whom he is intimate, in the full sense of the term, is very small. He is eminently well fitted for a banker, as he possesses those traits so necessary for a banker to have, viz., good judgment, quickness of decision, executive ability, and the faculty of reading character. He looks you square in the face when talking business, and will have your measure before you know it. He seems to know by intuition just how to handle every question that comes up, whether for a loan or any other matter, connected with banking or finances generally, and if left to follow his own judgment will be very sure to win. He has been a director in the Northwestern National Insurance company since its organization, during all of which time he has been a member of the executive, committee. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance company. He believes in do- ing right always, and in business matters wants everything done in a business way ; requires all men to do as they agree, and if once de- ceived that person will never regain his confidence. He has good literary tastes, is fond of books, music and works of art, in the en- joyment of which he spends his leisure hours. In poHtical faith he is a Democrat, but has never sought or held office, that thorny path having no charms for him. Such are some of the personal characteristics of WiUiam Grant Fitch, one of Milwaukee's most respected representative men and citizens, and who has risen to his present responsible position by merit alone, a position that few have attained so early in life or filled when attained with more credit fo themselves or satisfaction to the community. Charles Ray. This gentleman, so generally and favorably known as one of Mil- waukee's most prominent representative business men, was born in Ulster county, state of New York, on the 27th of January, 1835, from whence he came to Milwaukee with his parents in 1838, his early years after his arrival being spent upon the farm of his father, Adam E. Ray,* a gentleman who figured quite extensively in the early poli- *I remember Adam E. Kay perfectly. He was a man who would attract at- tention anywhere, ami had he lived in New England in old Puritan times would have been one of the "simon pure kind." He generally came to Milwaukee 90 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. tics of this county, of which the present county of Waukesha then formed a part. Mr. Ray, however, like S. S. Merrill, had too high aspirations to remain upon a farm, consequently no sooner was he of sufficient age than he struck out from the paternal roof and com- menced hfe for himself. This was m 1855. His first employment was as a clerk in the old Farmers' and Millers' bank (now the First National), of this city, where he remained until 1857, when he was elected cashier of the bank of Prairie du Chien, which office he filled for nine years, returning to Milwaukee again in 1866 to engage in the wheat trade with George M. Dickinson, under the firm name of Ray & Dickinson. This was of short duration, however, after which a new partner- ship was formed with Thomas E. Balding and Austin C. Buell, un- der the firm name of Charles Ray & Co. This partnership was con tinued until 1882, -when the labor incident to the management of their vast business began to tell upon his splendid constitution, and the firm was dissolved. Having now accumulated a large fortune, he built himself a palatial residence on Prospect avenue, to which he retired and where he has since resided. This house is among the finest in the city. In person Mr. Ray is tall and slim, has dark hair and dark eyes ; he has a strong voice, speaks quick, with a slight roUing intonation, with the accent prolonged upon the last syllable of each word. He has a keen perception of men, and is a good judge of character. He is also very generous and kind hearted, and will do almost any- thing — even to his own disadvantage at times — to oblige a fi-iend or help the needy, and is one of the most affable and pleasant men to do business with in the city. He is very conscientious, and wiU wrong no one or suffer it tso be done if he can prevent it. In poUtical faith he is a repubUcan, and a good one. He wants no Hendricks m his creed — and were he in any high office every thing would move like clock work, where he presided, his business qualifications are of the highest order. There would be no stealing from his farm at Mukwonago on horseback, the horse being in color a "light bay" with a white face and white forelegs. He, Mr. Ray, was as straight as an arrow always wore a white stove-pipe hat and a white necktie. He was very method- ical in all he did, spoke slow, walked slow and resembled a preacher more than a farmer. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 91 going on that he would not soon detect. He is one of the stock- holders in the N. VV. National Insurance Co., and one of its Board of Directors, where by his good judgment, he aids not a little in keeping the good ship afloat and in sailing trim. Such are some of the busi- ness qualifications as well as personal characteristics of Charles Ray . He has climDed steadily -up fortune's uncertain ladder by his own ability until he has reached the top, socially as well as financially, and is one of the men to whom the citizens of Milwaukee are ready to concede the post of honor — as one of her self-made representative men. John J. Eves. Mr. Eves who is I believe a German by birth, also came to Mil- waukee this year, and has been a very useful citizen. He is one of the wide awake, go ahead kind, but always looks a project well over before he invests any money in it. He is always busy. He was for a number of years the master mechanic for the Goodrich Steam- boat Line. He has made a good record, and accumulated a hand- some competency, which he knows how to enjoy. I wish Milwau- kee contained more such men as Mr. Eves. Jabez M. Smith. Another who should have been mentioned in the previous volume as coming in 1852, is Jabez M. Smith, our well known Confectioner and Fruiterer at 411 Jefferson. Mr. Smith is by birth an English- man, and one of the kind who move quietly along in life's journey, contented with his lot and never attempting anything sensational or exciting. He is a good citizen. Sebastopoi. vs. The Straight Cut. The following humorous dialogue explains itself: Street Colloquy. The following conversation is said to have taken place in the street, yesterday, between an American and an Englishman standing by the bulletin of the iSe-niinel office reading the news and commenting on it: American. — "The America's news was the last, wa'nt it?" Englishman. — " I believe there's nought since her. 'A was in 'opes to 'av 'earn 'o Sebastopoi being ta'en afore now." American. — " I guess you'll have to wait a spell before that thing hap- pens. Your folks over there had ought to let that job out to the Yan- kees; they'd done it right up in a month." Englishman. — (evidently touched on the raw,) Do ye belong 'i this 92 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. city? If ye do, ye'd better get yer Aldermen to fetch yon navvies over from Ballyclaver to make yon Straight Cut 'o yours — ten on 'em wi' barrow 'd vfheel out more dirt 'i one day, than yon drudge 'o 'Awley's 'as in a week! 'A think afore ye 'av news 'o yon Straight Cut being finished, Sebastopol 'ell be ta'en. May be both jobs 'o one day, its not onlikely ; ye can 'av a celebration then." The parties seeing a Common Councilman approaching, immediately separated. Mentzel & Stone.* — Machinists. 1 remember this firm, who were very prominent in their line for sev- eral years, in fact at one time they were at the head of the profession. Mr. Mentzel was a German and a splendid mechanic. He was of medium size, very muscular, coupled with great power of endurance. He had dark hair and eyes, a nervous temperament and a strong will. Mr. Stone was an American, and a very large man, too large in fact to work, and like most men of his build was of a very quiet de- meanor. He was the executive head of the firm. Mr. Stone lived at the northwest corner of Fifth and Fowler streets, in a small white house, standing at that time some fifty feet above the present grade of Fowler street. This house (now the property of our well known fellow citizen, Michael Haisler,) has been lowered and rebuilt. '{"heir shop was the present Filer & Stowell works, on Clinton street at its junction with Virginia. This firm built the enginet (the first upright one in the city,) for the mill of Messrs. Nichols & Brett, where the Marine Block now stands, northeast corner of South Water and Ferry streets. This engine which was a failure (in some respects), burnt the mill December 31, 1859. Mr. Mentzel is now living at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Stone died many years ago. Eavesdropping. The Sentinel of May 19th, contains a lengthy article from the pen of Peter Yates, in which he complains bitterly of the attendants at the County jail for eavesdropping, when he was holding a private professional seance " with old Jones of " blessed memory," but he got him no renown by the publication of his article, as the boys at * Gregor Mentzel and Mathias Stone. f'l'hey also built threshing machines. They built 125 during 1854. and 1855. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 93 the jail had more contempt for him than for old Jones, and followed him up until they made him sick. Peter Yates was a curious combination, like Huebschmann he contained much good material, but badly put together. Opening of the Lake Shore, now The Chicago and North- western Railway, May iqth, 1855. This road was incorporated in 1851, as the Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago Railroad, organized in 1852, with a capital stock of $3,000,000. The first officers were. President, Thos. P. Williams ; Treasurer, Charles H. Wheeler; Chief Engineer, Chas. K.. Alton; Secretary, John Welbb ;* The Secretary at this time was A. G. Leland, who in speaking of its construction made the following statement : THE LAKE SHOEE EAILEOAD. The Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago Eailroad Company, com- menced the construction of the road between the city of Milwaukee and the State line between Wisconsin and Illinois, in August 1853, since which time the work has steadily progressed, and it is the inten- tion to open the road for the conveyance of passengers and freight by the 1st day of May next. Messrs Bishop & Co., contractors, have urged forward the work more rapidly than could be expected under the unfavorable state of the monetary affairs of the country. The ex- treme severity of the winter has prevented the rapid prosecution of the work of laying track, otherwise the road would now be open. The equipments are 4 locomotives, 8 passenger cars, and 35 freight cars of the best finish and most perfect patterns, and it is the design of the Company to make it a first class road in every respect, in order to accommodate the large amount of passenger business that will inevi- tably pass over this hne. It is estimated that a population of 200,000 are directly and indirectly dependent upon the construction of a road 40 miles in length. This road connects at the State line with the Chicago & Milwaukee Eailroad. Messrs. Stone & Witt, the energetic contractors of that road, have opened the line to Waukegan and in a few days will have the track to the State line. A. G. Leland, Secretary. The first train to reach Milwaukee from the south, was on Satur- day, May 19th, 1855. This was a construction train drawn by the locomotive Lake Shore,t having on board M. Alton, the construct- ing engineer, and a few others. *I am not quite positive about this; but think Mr. Welbb was the first secretary. It was built from the State line to Milwaukee, by the Messrs. Bishop & Co., of Bridgeport, Conn., and from Chicago to the State line by Messrs. Stone & Witt, of Cleveland, Ohio. fXhis locomotive was built at the Menomonee Locomotive Works, southwest comer of Reed and Lake Streets, by Messrs L?e & Walton, 6 94 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. A full description of the "marriage " of the two divisions as it was termed, was printed in the Sentinel of May 21st, of which a synopsis is here given, and reads as follows : The "Tug Tift" conveyed the Common Council and a few others down the river to the Wilcox Crossing,* near "Bay View," at 7:30 A. M., where they boarded the construction train drawn by the loco- motive "Lake Shore," reached Racine at 9 a. m., Kenosha in forty-five minutes from Milwaukee, where they met the train from Chicago, consisting of eight new passenger coaches, here they were received by the late John V. Ayers (of the Knight of Malta famet). The Vice President of the Illinois Division who conducted them to the place where the two particular rails that were to unite the two centers of the roads were lying, when Mayor James B. Cross, supported by Mayor Boone of Chicago, made the opening address, containing usual compliments and promises always constitut- ing a large part of the speeches made upon such occasions, to which a few words were added by S. M. Booth. This done, Mr. Reynolds, one of the sub-contractors, and W. B. Ogden, of Chicago, (who acted for Mr. Garrison, President of the IlHnois portion,! and Chas. K. Watkins, the then President of the Wisconsin portion), with the aid of the two mayors, drove the spike that linked the two roads together, Mayor Cross doing his part of the work as though he was used to it. This done the cry of all aboard sent the Milwaukeans to the cars, which landed them safely at the south Government Pier, in one hour and twenty minutes. Such is a brief description of the opening of this road, then a very important event, as it gave us a direct communication with Chicago by rail, and from Chicago to the East. It was soon found however, that to have the terminus at the Government Pier would not work well, and the work of bringing *The first terminus of this road was at the old harbor near where the present ore sheds are, the track up through the marsh to Florida Street, having been constructed at a later day. j-John V. Ayers, was a man of large frame, very fine looking, full of life and as fond of mischief as a ten year old boy. He was a prominent member of that famous organization, where for several terms he held the official position of Grand R. J. A. He was also a prominent loo&ier. I remember John well. He was a trump. JEach division had its own President until after the meeting and marriage described above. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 95 it up tb Florida street, where the first depot was erected, was soon comrnenced and completed, after which there was no more delay or trouble in reaching the cars. Street Improvements. Among the street improvements this year, was the paving of East Water with square blocks (stone), from Oneida to Biddle, grading of Ogden, from Jefferson to Racine ; Lyon ditto ; Van Buren, from Knapp to Pleasant ; Jackson ditto ; Waver ly Place, from Division to Martin, and Marshall, from Lyon to Pleasant. A Fatal Mistake. A man named John Simpson, from the town of Lake, came into the city June 28th, with a load of wood, for a clerk in the jewelry store of Rood & Goodrich, situated at that time on the south-east corner of East Water and Huron streets. He went into the store, received his money for the wood, and being very thirsty, asked for some water and was told to help himself out of the jug (or cooler), but in place of doing as directed, he took a drink out of a jug full of a preparation for cleaning silver, which killed him in 5 minutes. He fell to the floor instantly and expired. I saw him laid out with his whip lying across his breast, while his team stood before the door. It was a sad sight. Milwaukee Locomotive Company. This company (successors to Lee & Walton), had only been in business two years, when they presented the following report : The officers were. President, Charles H. Wheeler; Secretary, Lewis L. Lee; Treasurer, Wiliam J. Bell (now in St. Louis). They employed 150 men, had real estate and personal property valued at $65,000. They were, however, short-lived. The place was too young at that date to sustain such an institution, and lives only in the memory of the old settlers, many of whom lost money there. Seaman & Wing — Cabinet. Alonzo D. Seaman and John Wing, 172 and 174 East Water (now 370 ^nd 372). These gentlemen made quite a " furor " in the furni- ture business for a few years. They carried a stock of $30,000, and 96 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. their annual sales exceeded $100,000. They shipped largely to the South, which was their principal market. They employed seventy men, a large force for those days. Their main manufactury (a part of which is yet standing), was on Milwaukee street, between Buffalo and Chicago streets. Mr. Wing finally returned to the East, after which Mr. Seaman built a large sale room on Huron street, now Nos. 115 to 119 inclusive, where he carried on the business for many years.* Mr. Seaman was a go-a-head, energetic man, one of the kind who want to and will do business, if they lose money all the time. He built a fine residence at the North Point, now known as No. 576 Terrace avenue. This is now the homestead of Caspar M. Sanger. Mr. Seaman died September 19, 1868. His, sons however, are yet in the business and striving hard to keep up the reputation of the house their father founded, in which let us hope their suc- cess, may be all they could desire. Mr. Seaman was from New York City. Robert Eliot & Co. This famous commision house was founded by Robert Eliot, who came here from Crown Point, N. Y., in August, 1855, and opened a small store, for the receiving and seUing of farm produce (or general commission), in a frame building standing on Third street directly opposite the old La Crosse depot. Here he remained until 1857, when, feeUng sure that the undertaking would ultimately prove a success, a partnership was formed with J. M. Holmes,t under the title of EHot & Holmes. The new firm changing their place of business, by a removal to the Prairie du Chien (the Milwau- kee & Mississippi depot) and platform.^ *This factory and saleroom, was burned January 30, 1861. Loss, $75,000, af- ter which the present one was erected, which is a "fac simile " of the first one in every respect, and stands upon the same site. I remember this fire well. It was a very cold night, so cold in fact, that old No. i engine froze up on the way from her house (where the custom house now stands), to the fire, a distance of only two blocks. — Van Vechteri's Record. f Mr. Holmes had previously been connected with Patrick Smythe under the title of Smythe & Holmes, in the same business. JFor the first few years after the Railroads commenced carrying grain, the bulk of it brought to Milwaukee came in bags, and was sold from the platforms or open sheds then in use. Those dealing in it then having their headquarters or offices in the upper part of the old Prairie du Chien freight house, where the iron shed now stands, until the erection of the present elevator C, by Angus Smith, in 1858, after which they met at his office. The old brick building now standing opposite Elevator C, and used by the Railroad Company for telegraphing. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 97 This continued until 1861, when the need of a place, in which to store butter, eggs, grass-seed and small lots of coarse grains, while awaiting sale, large quantities of which they were in daily receipt of, as well as a place for an office, became apparent, and they removed to the new three story brick building, erected by Ed. D. Holton, at what is now No. 37 West Water street, where they remained until 1869, during which they have built up a large trade and were known all over the northwest as one of the most successful as well as reliable commission houses in the city, when Mr. Holmes sold his in- terest to John P. Dibble and Horace Griggs (former clerks). The new firm continuing the business until 1-875, when Mr. Dibble died, since which, to the present it has been continued by the two surviv- ing members alone. Biographical. Robert Eliot, the founder of this pioneer commission house, was born at Albany, New York, January 13, 1830, where he remained until sixteen years ot age, when having completed his education, he entered the employ of the Messrs. Harmond & Co., at Crown Point, to engage in the manufacture of lumber and pig iron, in both of which that firm were large dealers. Here he remained until 1849, when upon the gold discoveries in California, he with others caught the fever, and joined the vast crowd of men and boys who rushed for the new El Dorado. Two years however in that exciting oc- cupation proved enough for him, and he returned to his old em- ployer?, wher* he remained until he came to our city and made the " plant," which has proved such a bonanza to him and his associates. Personnel. There are few men in any community with as strongly marked personal characteristics or who enter into business in this fast age, whose success has equaled Mr. Eliot's, or who ever reach the social and financial plane occupied by him. He is always cool, collected and self-poised, and consequently makes few if any mistakes. Neither does he undertake any new scheme without a thorough in- vestigation of its merits, as well as its practicabilities. But once he undertakes anything, it is pushed for all there in it. He is of the average height, of lithe, wiry frame, has a strong, powerful voice, a 98 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. keen, expressive eye, and one of the best balanced heads owned by any man in the city. He sees quick, decides quick, reads character like a book. Needs but one interview with a stranger to know all about him. In fact he seems to know your very thoughts and is seldom deceived. He always acts upon his own judgment, neither does that judgment often fail him. His executive abilities are of the first order, as his success in life fully proves. He has a retentive memory, never forgets anybody or anything. In political faith he is a Republican, but not a politician, nor will he accept any political office, the only offices he has held, being that of President of the Board of Trade, to which he was twice elected, 1883-84; and is always upon its most important committees. He has become very wealthy but that does not make him proud. Like Wilham H. Metcalf he enjoys his wealth in a quiet although elegant manner, and is the same common-sense individual, as when he first came. His habits of life are as regular as the rising and setting of the sun, and his attention to business is as close as when he first commenced. He greets you with a pleasant good morning, and if your visit is upon business, it is at once attended to. He is fond of mirth, enjoys a joke and is always in good spirits. Such is Robert Eliot, one of Milwaukee's successful and influential business men and honored citizens. Mr. Holmes is in business on Milwaukee street. He is as regular as is Mr. Eliot. Mr. Holmes is not as aggressive, neither will he take the chances that Mr. Eliot will. He is, however, a good business man. He is very cautious as well as conscientious, and never says anything to the injury of his neighbor, or takes any undue advantage of any one. He is a good friend (if a firiend) and if an enemy he is a silent one, i.e., he will ignore you entirely. He is a staunch Re- publican and "keeps well posted upon all the political issues of the day. He is a great reader, a deep thinker, a close observer of men, and never gets into trouble. Church Going. In the Wisconsin of the 6th, the editor relates his observations while at church on the previous Sunday. He says directly in firont of him three elderly gentlemen had their eyes closed, a young MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 99 lady in the rear was humming ' Sontag Polka," in a low tone, and two elderly females had their heads together (criticising the sermon probably) ; but offers to make affidavit (the editor does), that one of them asserted that it takes two pounds of flour to make it light (we don't know what). It is truly singular how many things people can turn their attention to if they try. This is all right, to find fault with the way people listen, but what was he doing all the time ? Tremendous Shower. How Mrs. Epps saved the sugar, see annexed : Tremendous Showee — Gbeat Loss op Peoperty. This forenoon, our city was visited by a fearful shower of rain. The aqueous fluid fell from the clouds like water from a potato strainer for the space of five minutes. The shower was so sudden that every one was totally unprepared for iti Ladies and gentlemen promenading the streets had the starch taken out of their summer garments, and all that before had looked so lovely, soon had the appearance of a wilted cab- bage leaf. J. Epps, Esq., wholesale and retail dealer in pies, cakes, maple sugar, fruit, cider vinegar mulled,* &c., corner of Michigan find East Water streets, met with a heavy loss, but through the almost su- perhuman exertions of his large corps of clerks most of his goods were removed, although in a damaged condition. Too much praise cannot be awarded to Mrs. Epps, the respected consort of Jesse. During the height of the shower slie stood braving the element like a rock, shelter- ing a large cake of maple sugar (which would otherwise would have been destroyed) from the pelting storm, with the skirts of her dress. We have not heard whether there was any insurance on the property. P. S. — We learn since writing the above, that Jesse Epps was some- what fractured upon that spot where the wool ought to grow," by the dangerous bursting of a bottle of "pop." The early Milwaukeans will appreciate this scene. It will be re- membered that Mrs. Epps was a white woman (she was French), while Epps, like his duplicate, our own "lubly" George Scott (who, I believe is also the possessor of a white wife), was as black as the Devil and twice as ugly looking. Insurance. There was a local Board of Fire Underwriters formed this year by the insurance men . It was however short-lived. The mutual j ealous- ies of its members soon brought it to grief. Its officers were. Presi- dent, J. A. Helfenstein; Vice President, Allen Wheeler; Secretary, *Referring to the Booth Dinner previously mentioned. 100 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. J. S. Boise ; Excecutive Committee, William J. Whaling, P. M. Burrows and P. Smith. Runaway. — A team of horses from Wauwatosa, driven by the keeper of the Wauwatosa House, got frightened by the firing of crackers in the streets on the 4th, and ran up East Water street at a furious rate ; throwing out the driver near Nazro's new store, leaving the wagon to which they were hitched, opposite the State Bank, and finally, when nearly opposite the Walker House, bringing up against a lumber wagon standing there. One of the runaway team jumped into the wagon, rolled over and out again and fell to the ground ; breaking his back and hind legs. He was killed to put him out of misery. The acciden- tal stoppage of the runaway team was most fortunate, the street above being thronged with people. This description will answer for the present time, as not a day passes without one. A Bit of a Shindy. There was what our Celtic fellow-citizens would call a " divil of a shindy," at the head of Martin street on July 12th, growing out of the attempt of the city marshal, assisted by a posse of constables, to remove one of the shanties (with a " pig-pen attachment ") that adorned the bluff in those days. The annexed is a succinct state- ment of the proceedings held upon that occasion by the posse with the party in " esse :" Bbmoving the Shanties on Maktin and Lake Streets. — On Saturday, the city marshal and a posse of constables proceeded, under the direc- tions of the Common Council, to remove some shanties on Martin, at its intersection with Lake street. Quite a row took place ; a woman by the name of McLaughlin, wife of one of the men owning a shanty, at- tacking the marshal first with a knife, then with some other weapon, and at last was in the act of striking him with an axe, when constable Kessler caught the weapon and saved the marshal's head and probably his life, as the woman was frantic with rage. She was secured and handcuffed, but soon after released, owing to her situation. In the meantime, McLaughlin ran and secured a double-barrelled gun, loaded in each barrel, and was coming toward the marshal to fire, threatening to kill him. His wife tried to stop him, when he struck her a violent blow and sent her a staggering. Ofiicers Neuman, Meyers, Fisher and Kessler secured McLaughlin and took him to jail, he fighting all the while. After getting him into jail, while Mr. Scarrit and his assistant were searching him, although tne prisoner was handcuffed, he turned upon the assistant jailer and seized him by the neck; he was then over- powered, but kept fighting till put in a cell and locked up. The shanty was removed without further difiiculty. Police Jottings. A man named George Fleming, a tall, brawny, coarse looking "son of a sea cook," was brought up for stealing a watch from the late lamented John Miles. A man named John Casper, the main wit- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 101 ness against him, was also put upon trial as an accomplice. The evidence was clear as to Fleming, who gave Casper to understand, that if he (Fleming), went to Waupun, that he (Casper), would not live long after he got out, and the expression of his countenance as he made this threat, was perfectly fiendish. He was a hard one, in fact both were of the worst type of ^Chicago thugs. Fleming while confined in jail awaiting his trial, made an attempt to escape, upon which he was brought into the office to be ironed. The moment he saw the irons he attempted to knife the turnkey, but was speedily brought to time by the jailer, at the muzzle of a revolver. Here is another : Fight with a Bueglak — Officer Wounded. Early yesterday morning, an attempt was made to break into a house in the Second Ward, near the La Crosse Railroad Depot, and the burglar chased away by the watchman. Officer Kessler, who acts in the double capacity of constable and watchman, observed a negro prowling around the streets and attempted to arrest him near Cordes' store on East Water street. As soon as the officer laid his hand on the negro's shoulder, telUne him that he was his prisoner for attempted burglary, the negro struck at him with a dirk; the officer to save himself, caught the blade in his left hand, receiving a shocking gash, nearly cutting off his fingers. The two struggled for a minute, when officer received a blow from some other instrument, and the negro being the heaviest man by far, made a break. The officer threatened to shoot him if he run, and snapped his pistol at him, The negro ran for Grant's lumber yard, when the officer shot again, narrowly missing him. Here he caught the ne- gro as he fell, in jumping over some lumber, and dealt him a heavy blow with a slung shot; the negro again showed fight, and the officer again struck him with the shot, stunning him. At this time the officer received assistance and conveyed the negro to jail, it taking four men to get him there. This is the colored man who fired a pistol at another colored man on Kellogg & Strong's Pier some time since, in a quarrel about a negro woman. This was a plucky officer; few men would have pursued a man after being wounded as he was. Census of Milwaukee. The following data is from the books of the city clerk. The cen- sus was taken in August, 1855, and shows the number of each sex in the different wards to be as follows: Males. — First Ward, 4,231; Second, 4,877; Third, 2,862; Fourth, 1,954; Fifth, 2,082; total, 16,006. Females. — First Ward, 4,312 ; Second, 4)359; Third, 2,257; Fourth, 1,649; Fifth' 1.761; total, 14,338- Total in the city, 30,394, against 20,061 in 1850; an increase of 50 per cent in five years. 102 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Of these the nationality was as follows : Natives. — First Ward, 3,907; Second, 2,217 ; Third, i,9i5; Pourth, 1,838; Fifth, 826 ; total, 10,773. Foreign. — First Ward, 4,654; Second, 7,019; Third, 3,145; Fourth, 1,786; Fifth, 3,017; total, 19,621. Total of native and foreign in the city, 30,394. In 1850, the census of the county was for Granville, 1,713; Mil- waukee, 1,351 ; Frankhn, 1,116; Lake, 1,474; Greenfield, 1,995; Oak Creek, 1,259; Wauwatosa, 2,048; total, 11,016. In 1855 there were in Granville 2,745 ; Milwaukee, 2,667 J Frank- lin, 1,394; Lake, 2127; Greenfield, 2,219; ^^ Creek, 2,074; Wauwatosa, 2,593 i total, 15,819 ; a gain of nearly 25 per cent. Of this number, 6,011 were native bom, and 9,808 were foreign, show- ing that the foreign-born population exceeded the native by about two to one. The limits of the city by the charter are about two miles by three, so that the population is quite compact. In 1840 the population in this, and what is now Waukesha County, was 560^, and now the two counties contain over 70,000. Bay State Foundry, Built by William B. Walton and William Goodnow, upon the southeast corner of Lake and Barclay streets, upon ground pur- chased of Hon. John S. Harris.* Biographical. John S. Harris, was quite a prominent business man in Milwaukee for several years. He speculated largely in real estate as well as in wheat, flour and lumber, and as has been seen in Volume III., was at one time the President of the Marine Bank. He finally left for *This foundry of Walton & Goodnow, was quite successful fur a while, but finally went to the wall, as did everything else that came under the withering touch of the financial ability of William Goodnow, who always did business at a loss, and to use a homely expression, was one of the kind who "bit off more than he could chaw." Mr. Walton built the house now known as 866 National Avenue, and Mr. Goodnow, the one known as 813, the present residence of Geo. Burnham, Esq. This is an elegant house, and cost $15,000 when built. Mr. Walton, is in Washington, D. C., and Mr. Goodnow, is at Atlanta, Georgia, in the insurance business, the last resort of every bursted man. This foundry is now the property ol our distinguished and indefatigable fellow citizen, Edward P. Allis, who uses it in connection with his vast establishment on Clinton street, and who makes it pay. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 103 the south (Louisiana), and was elected to the United States Senate for six years, where he made a good record. He is now the Surveyor General of Montana. The Reliance Works of Edward P. Allis & Co. This gigantic institution, now so widely known throughout the en- tire Northwest, was founded, as stated in vol. 3, page 70, in 1847, by Chas. S. Decker and James Saville, from Dayton, Ohio, and was, up to the time of its final collapse, in 1857, the largest estabUshment of the kind west of Buffalo, and the only one where a full set of mill irons could be obtained. But, as there stated, it fell under the withering blast of that financial sirocco and went into the hands of Samuel S. Daggett as assignee of the creditors, who operated it until i860, when it passed into the hands of Edward P. Allis, John P. McGregor and Chas. D. Nash, who at once commenced to build it up. The new firm were not long in making the discovery that, if the new purchase was to be a success, more capital must be put in, and, as Messrs. McGregor and Nash did not have the faith in its future success as did Mr. Allis, the business outlook not being very encour- aging at that time, they declined to make any further investment, and sold their interest to Mr. Allis before the close of i86i, which gave him the entire control of the future giant, and who pushed the work with such vigor as to bring the amount of business which, when under Mr. Daggett's administration, only amounted to the insignifi- cant sum of $31,000, up to $103,000, when more room being needed, the present location was secured.* The old buildings, upon scows, were floated down the river and placed upon the new site, where they formed the nucleus of the present mammoth works. This purchase and removal gave Mr. Allis all the room he wanted neither was he slow to take advantage of it, and such was his success that four y,ears later (1869), when the " Bay State " works of Walton & Goodnow, previously spoken of, " came to grief," and were *This purchase consisted of three entire blocks, bounded on the north by Florida, south by Pierce, east by Barclay, and west by Clinton Streets. It extends 1 100 feet on Clinton Street, 300 feet on Florida and Pierce, all of which is now being utilized by this gigantic establishment, and yet, such has been its growth, that they nfted as much more, and, if the business is continued, will, ultimately, have to be .removed to a new location in the Chase Valley. 104 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. offered for sale, he became the purchaser, using the new purchase for a time as an auxiliary to the main works, after which it was converted into an independent institution for the manufacture of the new roller mills, then just coming into general use in this country, and of which he is the principal manufacturer in the West. He also in 1872 fitted up a department for the manufacture of water-pipe. This, however, not proving a paying investment, has been abandoned and the works converted into the manufacture of milling machinery. He is also largely engaged in the manufacture of steam engines, both for milling and hydraulic purposes, the enormous pumping engines at our own water works, as well as those in use in several other cities, having been erected by him.* Such, in brief, is the his- tory of the old Reliance Works of Messrs. Decker & Saville since they came into the possession of Mr. Allis, on West Water Street, in i860, until the present time, then its whole business only amount- ing to $31,000 per annum, with a force of 20 men and a pay-roll of $13,000, from which it grew to $103,000 and a pay-roll of $32,000 in 1865; and in 1880 to $i,o£)o,ooo, a pay-roll of $326,000; and in 1884 to $2,000,000, when its employees numbered 1,000, with a pay- roll of $500,000. It has had a wonderful record, and its work is now shipped to all parts of our own country and even to Australia, Russia and Japan. Biographical. Edward P. Allis, whose business record has been given above, is a native of Cazenovia, New York, where he was born May 12th, 1824, and is a graduate of Union College (Schenectady), of the class of 1845. It is evident that the excitement of a business life has greater charms for him than would the practice of law (for which he was educated), as we find him in Milwaukee iii 1846, where in connec- tion with the late William Allen, he opened a leather store fd what is now 344 East Water street, (see Vol. II., page 241) and where he con- tinued until 1854, (see Vol. III., page 420,) when the copartnership was dissolved, after which Mr. Allis in connection with John P. *This new enterprise is under the immediate superintendence of Mr. Edwin Reynolds, from the Corliss Works, at Providence, Rhode Island, and has proved a perfect success, both in its working as well as in paying. Ens^bjrJoljDCM'B.iB.T^'^ a^^ MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 105 McGregor, engaged in the real estate business. (See annexed.) They also had, at one time, a private banking or broker's office in connection with their real estate business,* which enter- prise, however, did not prove a bonanza to either of them. But from the day the Reliance Works of Decker & Saville came wholly under Mr. AUis's control, his march has been onward and up- ward, until he has reached a high plane mechanically, socially and financially, and can look back upon a business life of which he may well be proud. Property in the Seventh Ward Wanted. — Any person having a place in the Seventh Ward to exchange for part cash and part other property, or, if encumbered, to exchange subject to the mortgage, for good prop- erty, clear, can learn of a good opportunity from us. Allis & McGregor. Sale op the Wheeler Property. — ^Twenty acres of land on the road to the South Point, and a mile or so from Walker's Point Bridge, known as the Wheeler property, with the improvements, orchard j etc., was sold, on Friday, to E. P. Allis and M. S. Scott, for 112,000. The land was bought by Russell Wheeler, in the spring of '49, for $1,000, and even at tne largely enhanced price now given for it will be a bargain to the purchasers. Personnel. In person, Mr. Allis is of the average height, has a compact, mus- cular frame, capable of great physical endurance. His voice is strong, but somewhat low in tone ; speaks very distinctly, and alwj-vys says just what he means. He is very quick motioned, walks quickly, his eyes nearly always cast upon the ground, as though in a study— which, in fact, when on the street, he. invariably is, but, at the same time, is observant of all that is passing around him, and will not fail to greet all whom he may chance to meet whom he knows with a nqd of recognition ; and those he does not will get a sharp, inquisitive look as he passes. He has a large head, auburn hair, and a blue eye, in which a pleasant expression will always be found if youy presence is agreeable ; but, if your absence would be preferable, you will get a look from those eyes which, though not severe, will indicate that ' fact as plain as though he had spoken it, particularly if your visit should chance to be made during business hours. His office is *Mr. Allis, also, at a later date purchased 20 acres in the subdivision of the north 6o acres of the southeast quarter of section 51, town of Lake, in company with M. S. Scott, known as the Wheeler property (see annexed), which he laid out into lots and sold. It laid in the present Twelfth Ward. 106 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. no play-house, and of the large corps of clerks whom you will pass before reaching him no one will be found idle. He knows the value of time, and never wastes a moment. He also knows the value of every man's services in his establishment, as well as the proper place to put him, and never, under any circumstances, retains a cheap or inefficient man in his employ. His executive abilities are of a superior order ; always relies upon his own judgment ; sees quick, decides quick ; is a first-class disciplinarian ; consequently, every part of the work that he supervises moves along smoothly. Mr. AUis belongs to that class of men to whom Dame Nature has been very lavish of her gifts, and whose development has kept pace with the growth of his business. To a stranger, he would be an enigma, as his usual quiet demeanor, simplicity of manner and reti- cence would seem so out of contrast with his mental as well as physical ability that the stranger would be slow to believe that in the unpretending individual he sees before him he beheld the financial as well as business head of that vast establishment known as the Reliance Works. Mr. AUis, like many others who are at the head of the large business enterprises of this country, is a fine scholar, a great reader, and keeps well posted not only in the scientific and mechan- ical discoveries of the age, but in the political issues as well. In political faith he is a Republican, and in full communion with all their platform except the currency question, upon which he is a Greenbacker, and led the ticket, in 1877, for that little band of bolters, for Governor of Wisconsin. But whether his views upon this new prob- lem in political finance are correct or not is not the province of the writer to decide ; but that he was conscientious in his views no one doubts. In religious faith he is a Unitarian, and a leading member of that organization. Such are a few of the leading traits of Edward P. Allis, a man whose whole aim in life is not to make money alone, but who also does what he can to lighten the burdens of his fellow- men, the majority of whom have not been as successful in securing a competence of this world's goods as has he. He has now reached the autumn of Hfe, and as he nears the border of that home for the weary, beyond the river, he has the happy consciousness of knowing that he has not only done his whole duty as a good citizen, but has also left a record as a business man that few have equaled, and it can MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 107 be truthfully said of him, as of John Plankinton, that, in his line, Milwaukee does not contain his dupUcate. The Ice Bear the First Ice Man. Perhaps it may not be generally known that Ice-Bear Kroeger,* the celebrated weather prophet and almanac maker, was the first to go into the ice business in our city, but such is the fact, as the an- nexed will show. Some one had complained of the ice being cut below the dam. ICE! ICE!! Messrs. Editors : I noticed in the Hentinel of Wednesday an extract from an article copied from the Nevis. The writer, who signs himself "A Physician," says: "Ice should never be permitted to be cut for market except in a deep clear part of the river, and in my opinion should be entirely above the city, where it is not liable to be tainted with the drainage of streets, stables, &c., from which some of the ice which may be seen in the market seems, both from appearance and taste, not to be entirely free." As I have been engaged in supplying the city with ice for nine years, and no person finding any fault with the ice I have furnished, I wish to state that I invariably cut my ice in the deepest and clearest part of the river, near the mouth of the harbor. I endeavored in vain last winter to find ice above the bridges, high up the river, but did not find any clean ice there; it was dirty and bad, more or less of snow being mixed with it. Expecting to be able to find ice up the river I rented an ice- house in the Second ward, but found I had to cut my ice two miles from the house, at the mouth of the river, and had to draw the ice that distance. In other cities, where the rivers maintain their depth for miles above the buildiugs and streets, ice may be procured above the commercial streets, &c., out not so here. I am willing that my ice should at any time be inspected while being cut, or at any other time, and I am satisfied that the public would be content to use it as the best that can be procured. I shall feel obliged if you will give this an insertion. very respectfully, Hbney Kroeger. Milwaukee, September 5, 1855. Biographical — Arthur Bates. ' This well known master mechanic, who has figured so extensively in the building up of Milwaukee's fine residences, came from New York city to Wisconsin in 1852, and to Milwaukee the same year, since which time to the present he has been ranked among our best master carpenters, both as a builder and draughtsman. His first work was to erect the old Henry A. Nichols dwelling, northwest corner of Marshall and Mason streets, now the residence of Cyrus *A name given him on account of his once having a saloon with a polar bear for a sign. 108 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Whitcomb, Esq., which, at the time of its erection, was one of the finest private residences on the east side, and is a good house to-day. This was in 1855. He was also the master carpenter upon the Jas. H. Rogers house, southwest corner of Grand avenue and Fifteenth streets, now the palatial residence of Hon. John Plankinton ; the residence of the late Joseph Bradford, southeast comer of the same streets, now the property of William Taylor ; the former residence of Hon. A. R. R. Butler, on Grand avenue, now the property of Stephen A. Harrison.* He also built the rotunda of the Plankinton house (hotel); a dwelling for Sam. M. Green, 1703 Grand avenue ;t the residence of William Plankinton, southeast corner of Grand ave- nue and Sixteenth street; one for Ozro J. Hale, No. 87 Prospect avenue ; the present beautiful residence of Hon. Charles Ray, No. 88 Prospect avenue; the residence of Judah M. Lawrence, 46 Pros- pect avenue; one for Edward Bradley, No. 255 Prospect avenue, and one for O. Pillsbury, No. 196 Prospect avenue. These resi- dences, which are among the finest in the city, certainly ought to place Mr. Bate in the front rank of Milwaukee's master carpenters. In person he is of medium size, has dark hair, dark complexion and a strong voice; speaks very distinctly; is not much of a talker; sees all that is enacted around him, and is never excited. He is now {1884) erecting the new police station, northeast corner of Broadway and Oneida, and is yet in his prime for usefulness. He is an Enghshman by birth, a Republican in politics, a liberal in re- ligion, a good citizen, and has made a record of his skill as a me- chanic in the palatial residences he has constructed that will live for a century to come. September. E. D. Holton struck with a slungshot, in September. The assault- ers were arrested and punished. Prof Jesse Epps got a whaleing at or about the same time. No arrests, however. These cases brought up the matter of a night poUce (an organiza- tion long wanted and often asked for) to the front again, and the *295o Grand avenue. tFovmerly Spring street. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 109 papers, particularly the ' Wisconsin, had a pretty strong article on the subject, which gave the common council a severe castigation. for their neglect in this matter, which culminated in a call for a meeting at the board of trade rooms, which resulted in the appointment df a committee, to act in conjunction wich the council, in drafting an ordinance for the appointment of a night watch. The ordinance provided for a chief of police, and not less than two nor more than five roundsmen in each ward. This was the nucleus, of the present police system, giving us William Beck as the first chief. The first appointments under this ordinance were Frederick Kess- ler and John Hardy in the First ward, George Fisher in the Second, James Rice* and Lawrence Bryne in the Third, Wm. Garlick in the Fourth and Jas. M. Smith in the Fifth. Marine Disasters. Among the marine disasters in 1855 was the wrecking of the steamer Sebastopol, which went ashore about two miles south of the present harbor, while attempting to enter the old harbor during a terrific gale September 17. She had a large freight for Milwaukee as well as quite a number of passengers. There were five lost, viz., the second mate, second engineer, pilot, cook and a German passenger. The boat became a complete wreck in three days. Her chains have lately been brought to light by the " sand sucker,"t (see annexed, taken from the Milwaukee Sentinel, of Oc- tober 31, 1885), and will be preserved by Mr. Norris as a relic of her sad fate : C. W. Norris is the possessor of two pieces of anchor chains, which were fished from Lake Michigan, near the St. Francis seminary, a short time ago. It is supposed that the chains belonged to the propeller Se- bastopol, which was lost near that spot in September, 1855. She was built at Cleveland that summer; cost, $65,000; ran be- tween Buffalo and Chicago, and was commanded by Captain Webb.ij: *Lost on the Lady Elgin with all his family. fA boat used for getting sand from the lake for building purposes by a suction process. JThe Sebastopol was not -j. staunch boat, being very poorly fastened. As a consequence- she soon brolie up and went to pieces. Part of her freight was a large consignment of dry goods, including thousands of dollars' worth of India 7 110 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The crew and passengers, about one hundred all told, were, with the exception of the five previously named as lost, all rescued by Cap- tain Jasper Humphrey, Jas. Stewart, Will Taberner, Charles Warner and two sailors, with the government lifeboat, in doing which Cap- tain Humphrey came very near being drowned. This was the sec- ond sidewheeler lost in our bay that became a total loss — the Boston, lost in 1846, being the first. She was owned by John Robinson, of Buffalo, was also a new boat, and commanded by Captain Pease. " How Is Dose for High ?" Last evening we saw (i.e., the editor of the Senti?iel did) a couple of young bloods rolling around in the gutter on Spring street, the cause thereof being fully explained when one of them who saw who was watching them exclaimed, in a thick voice, " Don't you — hie — put me — hie — in the pa — hie — pers, you old — hie — fule." He got in, however, " allee samee." The "Sag Night." This was an organization gotten up for political effect — Demo- cratic, of course — to offset the " Know-Nothings." The officers were: President — Francis Huebschmann. Vice-President — John White. Secretary — Daniel Shaw. Treasurer — Garrett M. Fitzgerald. Marshal — Robert Lynch. Inside Sentinel — M. Kluppach. Outside Sentinel — Thomas Shaughnessy. Sergeant-at-Arms — William Knukle (a very appropriate name). shawls and costly fabrics. For days succeeding the disaster the beach was strewn with goods, and nearly every vessel in the "creek" had their rigging covered with cloths of all kinds, which had been recovered and hung up to dry. Men were employed to recover the property, and costly goods were found hidden in corn fields, barns and sheds. It was estimated that nearly every resident in the neighborhood secured an average of over $100 worth of goods. In calm weather the ribs of the Sebastopol are plainly discernible, even to this day, near the spot where she met her fate. A few years since Captain Thompson, who resides on Jones' island, recovered her shaft and a lot of hardware from the hulk. The propeller Alleghany ran ashore a few days after the loss of the Sebastopol, and almost in the same place. While working in toward shore a high bank of sand was formed, thus enabling the owners to save everything of value aboard the boat. She became a total loss, her machinery being placed in the new Alleghany, which was built in this city during the following winter. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Ill The organization of this club proved a firebrand in the ranks of the Democracy and led to a bitter newspaper warfare, and in order to keep the pot a-boiling an article, evidently from the pen of J. A. Noonan^ appeared in the Wisconsin of September ii, intended to cast a suspicion upon the loyalty of J. R. Sharpstein, then United States District Attorney, who he (Noonan) hated as the devil does holy water, in which the charge was made that a compact had been entered into by that gentleman with Alex. W. Randall, the then Democratic member uf the legislature from Waukesha, by which said Randall was to introduce a bill at Madison to prevent the use of our jails by the government f(^r the confinement of fugitive slaves. This article was copied into the Sentinel of September 12, which also published the following affidavit in support of the charge, stating in extenuation for so doing that he (the editor) had some compunc- tions of conscience for stealing the Wisconsin's " thunder," but, un- der the circumstances, had concluded, in the classic language of a distinguished ex-functionary,* to "let her go." So h&rt it ]s, litera- tim et spellatim. It is entitled "Randall's Smoked-Out Affidavy :" State of Westconstant, \ Milwaukee County. / ' I, Jackson Hartshorn, being duly swore, do sware and say that I have knew A . W. Randall in Wakeshaw more than twenty years, and that I have knew Bill Kramerf and the Pierce officeholders m Milwaukee. I do further solemnly swore that I was at Belden's saloon last winter during the recess of the legislature, and saw said Randall and one of Pierce's oflScials go into a room by themselves, which I thought looked suspicious. I felt that it was my duty to my countiy to find out what it all meant, and so I listened at the kee-hoal and I heard said Randall make a bargain with J. E. Rapstien.J the said Pierce officeholder, to introduce a bill to prevent our jails being used to detain fugitive slaves. I do further swore that I believe the said Randall run for the assem- bly for the special purpose of introducing said bill, in order to get nomi- nated on the Republican ticket this fall, and I told Bill Kramer about it and told him to keep still, but I guess he didn't hear me (no, I guess he didn't). I know, too, that all the Pierce officeholders in Milwaukee are op- posed to the Fugitive Slave law, and that Pierce and Douglass are op- posed to it, and that they made said Randall a tool of the national administration to introduce said bill. I know, too, that said Randall is not reliable, because the governor tried to get him on the square, and said Randall refused to come on the square. *Meaning Kilbourn's proclamation to close the saloons at the April election in 1854. •j-Meaning William E. Cramer. JSharpstein. 112 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. And I do further swore, that the said Randall ought to get beat, be- cause there is no use of looking into things out to Madison, disturbing accounts that show a profit on the books but a loss in the treasury, and making hard feelings against the officeholders. And I know that said Randall is not only lazy, but is dreadful ugly, and will try to look into things that don't concern him, and I know that his karackter is bad. 'I'he present state administration can't trust him. Swore to and mark made oefore me, Peter Pierce (cousin of the presi- dent) . his W. B. X KouN. mark September 10, 1855. P. S.— Fees for above services paid by Bill Kramer. P. P. (c. of President), N. P. The annexed is a representation of a Know- Nothing (viewed from a Democratic standpoint), also a list of the officers of the club, the publication of which made a bad "schmell" in the Democratic ranks. Opficbes op the Know-Nothings. Some'very careless individual belonging to that exceedingly select and interesting " dark-lantern " associationj yclept the Weiss-Mchts, has dropped m the streets, or somewhere else, the following list of offi- cers. It is vouched for by some of the " men about town " as being correct : President — J. A. Noonan.* Vice-President — W. A. Barstow-t Secretary — F. Huebschmann.J Treasurer — S. P. Coon. Ins. Sentinel — W. E. Cramer. Sergeant-at-Arms — J. B. Cross. These were the real simon-pure " Know- n .x^. .• . <-™" ■ ,7 ■„ Nothings," the ones previously mentioned Qieat Embodimimt'Df Wisconsul Fusion. ° ' ^ .' «*«.[ Jeulbuluk-bBir... being only shams. The " Embodiment " before us is seen whittling a hickory key to un- lock the people's treasury, the chief inducement for the Fusion move- ment. In rear "Sambo" shows his smiling countenance in words of encouragement to " Propel." Herman C. Adams Shot by John Fienier, Oct. i6. This homicide, which resulted in the death of this unfortunate man and the incarceration of the murderer for life, grew out of the action of a one-horse bank in which the murderer had deposited MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 113 $175, and which he could not get. Mr. Adams, however, had nothing to do with it. It was the fault of the bankers, Messrs. Papendick, etc.* Cremation. October 24, GustafF Pfiel attempts to burn the body of his wife, after death. Great excitement. The wife was a Russian lady of noble birth, and it was at her re- quest that the attempt was made. He was prevented by James H. Rogers and a few others. Snow. The first fall of snow in 1855 was on October 22 ; one inch in depth. It soon disappeared. Death of the General. The following is inserted here in memoria.n of one of the oldest and best remembered equines that ever pulled a buggy in Milwaukee. He was the congener of Dr. E. B. Wolcott's famous hunting horse, " Gunpowder," mentioned in Vol. I., page 150. He was in color a bay, and, as the article states, a model horse, Mr. Tifitany was noted for keeping servants during life. He had a man-servant (white) and a female (colored), who were both well advanced in life when he came, and both of whom died in the family. Death of the "General." — ^The General's dead — not the General whom you might have thought it was — he's "alive and kicking " but an old horse, who had borne the name of "General" in this city for nearly twenty years, has died at last, at the astonishing age of 34 years. This horse had been owned by the Messrs. Tiffany, father and son, since 1836, we believe, and died last week. He is to be buried between two oaks, on the farm of Mr Tiffany, about three miles from town. The old horse was without a blemish, and we remember not more than two weeks since a knowing horse jockey in this city, when asked his age, offered to bet ^ICO that he was not more than 12; so much for judg- , ment on the age of horses. Editorial Squibs. [From the Sentinel.'] Uncle William E. Cramer gets " Sarah-Naded " by a brass band, con- sisting of a hautboy, a cowboy and a hand-organ,t which so delighted *Kienier was tried at the March term, 1856, convicted, and sent to Waupun for life. f The Man About Town. 114 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. him that he sent a man down to get the name of the author of the com- position as well as the name of the " Tchune," and is informed that its title is the Old Fox (Polks) at Home , composed by Spivins, when wishing to give some substantial token of his appreciation of the composition, as well as the artistic manner in which it was rendered (and not having any "Bouquet" by him), he hoisted the window of his sanctum and dropped a cabbage (just received for subscription) directly upon the leader's head, which nearly knocked him senseless. This proke der pall." Cogswell & Alexander (George Cogswell and Orlando Alexander), real estate, northeast corner of East Water and Wisconsin streets George Cogswell was for many years one of the notable men of Mil- waukee, in the role of attorney, real estate agent, librarian of the Young Men's Association (the present City Library), and president of the old Milwaukee Mutual Insurance Company. He was very methodical in all his business, singular in his style of dress, always wore a ruffle shirt and tight-fitting pants, a-la Doctor Wolcott. He was never in a hurry, and seldom got excited. He built the frame dwelling known as 217 Wisconsin street, now the office of Messrs. Bradley Bros., where he lived many years. He died January 13, 187 1, at the Newhall House, and was buried in Forest Home Cem- etery, but will Hve in memory for many years to come. He was a splendid looking man. The Evistons. Among those who came in 1842 and should have appeared in the previous volume, were the Evistons — John W., Sr., John W., Jr.-* and Thomas and Martin J., from Providence, Rhode Island. The father died many years ago. Thomas, who was quite prominent as a fire- man under the old volunteer system, and also as a lumber dealer in connection with the late Sanford B. Grant, was, with his wife, lost on the ill-fated steamer Lady Elgin, September 9, i860. John W., Jr., and wife, who were also on board, succeeded in reaching the shore. Mr. Eviston often refers to that fearful night and its attendant hor- rors as a scene never to be forgotten. He has become quite promi- nent in his ward (the Third), and is a very worthy citizen. This family were from the North of Ireland. *This gentleman was spoken of in Vol. II., page 126, but not the others. milwaukee under the charter. 115 Bridge Superintendent. The first one to be appointed to this office was Caleb Harrison, November 23, 1855. The old Lighthouse, at the head of Wisconsin Street, was sold this year, November 24, to Emanuel Shoyer for $360, who pulled it down and used the brick in his new store. The new one, the present North Point light, was used for the first time on the 26th, two days later. Samuel Shoyer. This well-remembered clothier and merchant tailor was noted for his sharpness in trade as well as his fine physique. He was a nobby boy. He generally wore a blue coat of the " claw-hammer " pat- tern, ornamented with the regulation brass buttons, a striped vest, drab pants, and in summer white ones, and a white fur hat. He was, in fact, the dude of the town. It was not often that any one got the better of Samuel, but I remember one occasion when he came to grief. He was standing, one day, in the door of his store, on East Water Street, at what is now No. 390, watching for a chance to beat somebody, with a shoddy coat, when a tall, brawny lumbernian, fresh from the woods, chanced to pass that way, who was no sooner seen than Samuel went for and invited him to come in, and he went in, and was at once importuned to purchase a pair of pants — $18 ones — which Samuel assured him would fit him splendidly. The fellow submitted quietly, and pulled on tlie pants (over his old ones), after which he picked Samuel up, carried him out on the street, where he laid down in the gutter with him, and where he rolled over and over until they both resembled a Third Ward porker just out of a mud-bath, after which he got up and skipped with the pants, and that was the last of him. Improvements. Among the buildings erected this year* was the stone dwelling known at that time as the Newhall mansion, southeast corner of Cass and Division streets.! This house is now a portion of the es- *Or rather the plans for which were in the office of Mygatt & Schmidtner, architects. f Brick, by Daniel Newhall. 116 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. tate of the late Jas. B. Martin, and is occupied by Mr. F. G. Tibbits, who had married Mr.s. Martin. This was, at the time of its erection, the finest private residence in the city, and is an elegant house to- day. It cost $20,000. Another, a brick (now the Sherman House), at the North Point, for John Lock wood, Spauldmg & Foote, builders, costing $20,000, One for Geo. A. Peckham, 559 Marshall street, which cost $6,000. This dwelling, which has been thoroughly re- built, is now the residence of F3, K. Miller. Nt^'*- The old Kilbourn mansion, northwest corner of Grand avenue and Fourth street, the plans for which were drawn in 1854, was com- pleted this year. This dwelling, a cut of which is here given — the pride of Spring street when erected, and whose owner boasted that a better would not be built upon the west side in twenty years — is a ruin to-day, and is to be replaced with the annexed, the present year, by that mdefatigable builder, the Hon. John Plankinton. who is never easy unless erecting something to beautify as well as add to the wealth of the city, and who in that direction has expended more money than any other one man, except, it mav be, Alexander Mitchell, in it. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. lit Its successor (see cut), erected at a cost — including the part now occupied by the City Library — of $230,000, would be an ornament to any city. The master mason upon this building was Hiram R. Bond. I seldom pass this corner without the face and form of Byron Kilbourn coming to my mind, as well as his prophesy about this, then famous house. Could he be permitted to revisit the scene of his earth-life, he would, no doubt, be astonished at the change around his once palatial residence. But en resume. Wm. B. Hibbard built the brick dwelling northwest corner of Marshall and Biddle streets, this year. The money to build this house and purchase the lots (some $40,000 in all) was made on an oat deal of Mr. Hibbard's. This fine dwelling is now the homestead of Robert Eliot. ■ i ■ ■: Preusser's New Building Northeast corner of East Water and Mason streets, (a cut of which is here given) was occupied this year, March i, and 118 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. was at its erection the finestjjusiness building north of Mason street, and is a good store to-day. Upon the north can be seen the old frame formerly standing there, removed in 1875 to make room for the present block, known as the Milwaukee Mechanics' Mutual In- surance Company's building, Nos. 442 and 444 East Water street, in the second story of which that wealthy and popular institution has its general office. Biographical. Christian Preusser came to Milwaukee from Idstein, a village in the dukedon of Nassau, Germany, in 1844, and opened a small jewelry store in a small frame buildmg belonging to our well-known German fellow-citizen, Edward Weisner, on a part of the ground now occupied by the Kirby House, and commenced to grow up with the place. For the first five years the business went slowly, but patience and perseverance finally won the day, as these characteristics always will, when coupled with good judgment, and 1855 found him able to erect the building mentioned above, into which, after admitting his brother Gustav as a partner, he removed, and where the firm are MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 119 to-day. This house also followed the German rule in conducting its business, viz.: the senior member always being recognized as the finan- cial head, and under which the firm of Preusser Bros., like those of Messrs. Inbusch Bros, and the Messrs. Friend, have risen to promi- nence as well as wealth, and rank second to none in their hne in the West. They are reliable, and make no promises that they do not intend to keep nor a contract which they cannot fulfill. Christian has also been prominent in insurance circles, having filled" the office of president in that well-known company, the Milwaukee Mechanics' from its organization in 1854 to the present time, and it can be truth- fully said that a better selection could. not have been made, as under his conservative administration it has come to be a power and one of the most popular institutions of the kind in the West, and controls a larger local business (dwellings) than does any of its compeers in the city. Mr. Preusser is possessed of great energy, is aggressive to an unusual degree, as any one who comes in competition with him will not be long in fincing out. He is one of the strongest Germans in the city, and, like John Pritzlafif, has the full confidence of his countrymen, as a proof of which he has filled the office of treasurer to the (ierman and English Academy for the past twenty-seven years, and has been president of the Natural History Association since its organization. He has made a good record, and is entitled to be ranked as one of Milwaukee's sohd men. He was born July I, 1826. Gustav Preusser, although not as prominent in official life, has, nevertheless, made a good record. He is dift'erent from Christian, in that he is fond of hunting and fishing, in both of which pastimes he often indulges. He is also fond of walking, and can often be seen in the early morn, traversing the outskirts of the city, on which oc- casions he is invariably accompanied by his faithful dogs. He is of a quiet demeanor, always gentlemanly, has few intimate friends, dis- likes notoriety, and, like his brother, is justly en tided to be ranked among Milwaukee's most respected German citizens. Emery's New Store, No. 387 Broadway, was built this year. This building is now the property of Hon. £. H. Brodhead. It has had numerous occu- A20 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. pants, and has passed through two fires and been thoroughly re- built, but its original form is unchanged. The brick building known as the Mitchell House, No. 142 Sec- ond street, was built this year by John Mitchell. The present residence of William Young, No. 195 Ninth street was also built this year by Jas. B. Cross. This house has been thoroughly rebuilt by its present owner. Two additional stories were also added to the old American House this year by Messrs. P. Kane & Sons, making it the largest hotel in the city. It was also thoroughly renovated, after which it was run by them until July i, 1856, when it was leased to Messrs. Stearns & Stiles (J. D. Stearns and B. F. Stiles) see cut, who operated it until July 1, 1857, when it again came under the con- trol of Alonzo L. Kane, who was its landlord when burned, July 4, i86t.* Mayor Cross also contemplated erecting one upon the site of the old United States Hotel. The editor of the Sentinel, in speaking of it, gets " spooney." Just hear him : Mayor Cross's New Buildings. Mayor Cross has just completed all the arrangements for building a magnificent block of stores and banking rooms on the corner of East *In Vol. III., page 294, is a cut of this well remembered caravansary, as it appeared when purchased by the Messrs. P. Kane & Sons, in 1849, and as il re- mained until enlarged in 1855, as stated above. It underwent a second metamor- phosis, however, in 1859, when, in order to conform to the new grade, the whole structure was raised 2^ feet and the verandahs all removed, which was its true appearance when burned. The statement (in foot note) on page 294, Vol III., that the cut there given represented its appearance when burned, is incorrect. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 121 Water and Huron streets, on tlie site once occupied by the United States Hotel. The size of the buildings will be 80 feet front on East Water street and 120 feet on Huron street, four stories high, exclusive of the base- ment, which will be finished off for restaurant rooms, etc. The height of the building will be 63 feet 6 inches. The front of the building will be finished with cut-stone piers, plinths and steps, and handsome iron columns, caps and sills, with trusses to the windows; iron balcony, railings and massive iron cornice, etc. The material will be of Milwaukee pressed brick, with a fire-proof roof, and the sidewalk around the building, or two sides of it, will be cut stone, with heavy cut-stone curbing. The front story of the building will be divided into one store, 24 by 100 feet; one do., 28 by 100 feet, inside measure; two banking rooms, with stone vaults, and one small store on Huron street. The second and third stories will be finished off for ofiices, with a clothes closet and wood room to each. The fourth story will contain one large hall, with ante-rooms. On Huron street there will be a continued staircase, 8 feet wide; and on East Water street a staircase 5 feet wide, leading to the second' story . The contracts are let for the building, and amount, in toto, to $31,000, and the work is to be all completed hj the 1 st of January, 1857. The mason work is to be done by John P. Harris, of Cincinnati, we believe, and the carpenter work by F. A. HoUman, of this city. The lots are valued at upwards of $20,000, making the total value of the whole, when completed, upwards of $60,000. In addition to this block, the mayor has erected a handsome dwelling on Spring street, and contemplates still further building. We have not space to give a more extended description of this block, to be commenced to-day. Those who wish to see the views of the ex- terior, will find them at Mygatt & Schmidtner's architect rooms. They are the architects of this and most of the handsome buildingb that now adorn this city. When the block of Mayor Cross's, and those blocks now in progress of erection on the same ground on Michigan and Main streets bV Messrs. Mitchell & Ogden, and the remainder of the ground be built up, as it soon will be, we doubt whether any city in the world can ex- hibit more beautiful structures than the United States block on East Water street and the buildings on Main street, separated only by an alley. They will add largely to the value of the Third Ward, and Itoin street, from Wisconsin to Huron, on its west side, will be a handsome promenade. We hope that Mayor Cross will be handsomely remuner- ated for this liberal outlay, in the way of rents, and live long to enjoy the result of his industry, with an abundance to bequeath to his heirs. Statistical. The following items are taken from the report of the Milwaukee board of trade for the year ending December 31, 1855 i Number of arrivals were — Steamers' 1,204 Sail •. 1,293 Total i.. 2,497 The following comparative statement of the imports and exports and manufactures for the two years past speaks for itself, and is a splendid showing : 122 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Imports — 1854 $11,124,803 1855 18,649,832 Exports — 1864 $7,709,531 1855 17,329,571 Manufactures — 1854 ?4,633,412 1855 5,590,712 In the banking department $9,869,728 was used by the six banks then doing business, to- wit: The Farmers' and Millers' (the present First National), the Wisconsin Fire and Marine (Alex. Mitchell), the Bank of Milwaukee (now the National Exchange), the State Bank of Wisconsin (now the Milwaukee National) Bank of Commerce (de- funct), People's Bank (defunct), of the amount of capital mentioned above. Five niiUion dollars was used by three banks alone. The daily business (in products) transacted by the city merchants was $50,000, or $15,000,000 per annum. These banks have a capital divided as follows : State Bank of Wisconsin $400,000 Farmers' and Millers' 250,000 Bank of Milwaukee 100,000 Bank of Commerce 100,000 Wisconsin Fire and Marine 100,000 Peoples' 25,000 Total 1975,000 The Weather — Humorous. The weather during December was as unreliable as a ward politi- cian. We had on the 15th a little of April, considerable of July, a sHght touch of January, and are now living in expectation of the ides of March, or regular December temperature, putting in an ap- pearance every minute. " Spivins " (a local of those days) has changed his clothes eight times to-day, and is now (4 p. m.) enveloped in an overcoat and fur gloves, while the sun is giving out heat in a way that suggests that an ice-house would be an agreeable resort. Where is our own Kroege , and why does he not make better weather ? River closed November 22, but opened again, and closed solid December 23, forming ice twelve inches in thickness above Walker's Point bridge, and at the mouth of the river twenty inches. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 123 / Vessel List. There were belonging to the distict of Milwaukee December 31, 1855, two barges, eight brigs, eighty-two schooners, two sloQps and one tug (the Tift) ; total tonnage, 9,000. The following, furnished by the present very efficient harboi mas- ter, Capt. Jas. M. Trowell, is inserted here as a record of the num- ber of vessels of all descriptions in winter quarters in Milwaukee harbor on the ist day of January, 1885 : Steamers (excluding the Andy Johnson), grain carriers 15 Barges for coal and lumber 12 Schooners for coal and lumber 28 Schooners for lumber 76 Tugs ; 14 Total 145 Steam tonnage 20,364 Sail tonnage ! 29,577 Total custom-house measurement 49,941 Which is about one-half carpenter's measurement. CHAPTER III. 1856, Opening Address — Noyes & Flertzheira's New Store, Sketch of — Legislature — Weather— The Police First Wore Stars in Sight — ^The Business Directory — Sketches of Ernst Conrad, Louis Salomon, the French Bros., Ogden's Car- riage Factory, Warren, Hewitt & Tracy, Goodrich & Terry, Bradford Bros., Sinclair & Gunnison, and others — William Brown, of Albany, Dies — Public Market — John Johnston, Sketch — Board of Trade Organized — Charter Amendments — Uailroad Meeting — Fire — ^The Star Mill, Sketch — Old Jones Tried— Mew Bridge Called For— New Jail Called For— She Wouldn't Stay Out — Divisions of the Second, First and Fifth Wards — Council Proceedings — Spring- Election— Its Results — Schools—List of Teachers — The Old Mili- tary Hall — Opening of Bilty's Tremont — Sketch of Bilty — South Side Gas Company Formed— Great Military Parade — Major Nunnemacher Makes a Speech — August Phillipp Exhibits His Horsemanship — The Golden Gate Saloon — The Old Loomis School House — Owen Goss, Sketch- — A. V. H. Car- penter, Sketch — Dwight W. Keyes, Sketch — Excursion to Beaver Dam — Railroads — The Dean Richmond Goes to Europe — Chas. J. Kershaw, Sketch Political — ^The Democracy Organize — Council Proceedings — Railroad Vote — — Criminal — Cattle Market — Great Torchlight Procession — Fall Election — Mr. Hadley Defeated — Bear vs. Bull — Weather — -Funeral of Solomon Juneau — Improvements — Vessel Tonnage — Cold. The business outlook at the commencement of 1856 was unusually bright, the previous year having been a very prosperous one, as the tabular statement at its close fully proves. Among the prominent events in connection with its inauguration was the opening of the new furniture establishment of Messrs. Noyes & Flertzheim (William A. Noyes and August Flertzheim), at what is now No. 418 East Water* street, upon which occasion the Sentinel contained nearly a column descriptive not only of the building itself, but of the won- derful enterprise of the proprietors, who it claimed had done a grand thing for Milwaukee by the opening of this store, and for a season they were the lions of the city, their praise in every one's mouth, and a rapid sale predicted for the elegant stock with which their store was filled. ♦This establishment was previously at 421 East Water, or at least Mr. Flertz- heim was, the firm then being Brugman & Flertzheim (Henry Brugman). MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 125 The enterprise, however, did not " pan out," as the saying is, as expected, as neither of these gentlemen had sufficient capital to run such an estabUshment with any hope of success. Mr. Flertzheim, who is said to be the inventor of that popular article of office furni- ture known as the " roller desk," subsequently went into business on River street, where he remained until his death, which occurred January 26, 1885. Mr. Noyes removed to St. Louis, where 1 think he still resides. These gentlemen shook the bush while others who came later caught the birds. But then such is hfe. This building, 418 East Water street, present numbering, was erected by Henry Wederhoff, the contracting mason was Carl Bier- sach,* the carpenters were Edwin Palmer and Geo. B. Bingham, the painting was by Duprez, the architect was Geo. W. Mygatt. It is now occupied by Charles and Ferdinand Eissfeldt as a wholesale and retail crockery store, and is nearly in as good condition as when built. The members to the legislature from the city and county for 1856 were: To the senate, Jackson Hadley and Edward O'Neill; and to the house, Joshua Stark, August GreuHch, Andrew McCormick, John Mitchell, William A. Hawkins, John Tobin, Henry Crawford, Peter La vies, Jr., and George Hahn. This legislature convened January 9, and took a recess March 31 to September 3, and adjourned October 14, 1856. William Hill, speaker. Weather. The winter of 1855-6 was a very cold one, particularly from De- cember 23, 1855, to February i, 1856, the thermometer ranging very low during all that time, and on January 9, the day the police first wore stars in sight,! to 26° below. *Mr. Biersach is yet in business, and has probably been as successful a master mason' contractor as any German who ever followed the business in Milwaukee, and has accumulated a large property. He is a genial, companionable man, and has hosts of friends. tThe Milwaukee police first wore their stars on the outside in full view, as they do at present, January 9, 1856. Previous to that they wore them beneath their coats, and only exhibited them when compelled to in order to prevent resist- ance when making an arrest. 8 126 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The ice at the mouth of the river was twenty inches in thickness on that day, the thickest it had been since 1845. The Business Directory. The status of our leading business firms had changed somewhat during the three previous years, their location in 1856 being sub- stantially as follows : Goodrich & Terry (Timothy W. Goodrich and Frank H. Terry), grocers and commission, were in the old red warehouse at the south- east corner of East Water and Erie streets. This firm will be more fully spoken of further on. Benj. Zellner and Henry Bonns, clothing, were at 94 (now 292) East Water street. Both of these gentlemen are yet with us, and rank among our best Jewish fellow-citizens. GoU & Frank (JuHus GoU and August Frank), dry goods, were at 267 (now 465) East Water street. This firm is yet in business, and has been one of the most successful of all the wholesale dry goods houses in the city. They are both sharp, keen and shrewd business men, and are very wealthy. They do business on business princi- ples, viz.. to make money, and although they seldom advertise they are well known throughout the Northwest as a reliable house, and have held the fort when all of their American competitors have succumbed to the inevitable. May their success be all they can desire. Salomon & Conrad (Louis Salomon and Ernest Conrad), com- mission, were at the northeast corner of Third and West Water streets. This firm did a large business. Mr. Conrad, who was a small, thin, sickly looking man, returned to Germany, where he re- mained a short time, after which he came back to America (New Orleans), where he purchased and ran that famous pleasure resort known as the CarroUton Garden, and where he died of cholera Sep- tember 9, 1878. Mr. Conrad left two sons, one of whom, Ernest, is a clerk in the Merchants' Bank, where, under the firm hand of Rudolph Nunne- macher, he is rapidly fitting himself for a business man. The second son, August, is now in the employ of the Messrs. Bergenthal, distillers. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 127 This firm at a later day, 1859-60, were on the northwest corner of Third and Prairie streets, in a one-story brick building, pulled down a few years later to make room for the new bazar of Espenhain & Bartels, and afterwards, upon the withdrawal of Mr. Conrad, the firm became Salomon & Post (Heinrich Otto Post). They were on the southeast corner of Third and Cedar. Mr. Post subsequently returned to the old country, BerHn, Prussia, where, I am informed, he still resides. He was a very tall, dark-complexioned man, with dark hair and eyes, somewhat singular in manner, seldom spoke to any one except upon business matters. Mr. Salomon, after the retirement of Mr. Post, continued in the business, first on Oneida and lastly on West Water until 1883, during which he built up a large trade in country produce. He was a large, fleshy man, very pleasant and kind-hearted, well liked by every one. He was very genial and companionable, a good friend and a good citizen. He died October 13, 1883. I remember both these gentlemen well, and have had many deahngs with them in the long ago. Mr. Salomon left a son, Rudolph, who follows the commission business, and is a sharp, wide-awake man. He is among the most active dealers in coarse grains on the board, and is seldom caught on the wrong side of the market. He never goes in beyond his depth. He is a fine looking young man, has the same pleasant smile and gentlemanly ways as his father, and is a general favorite. Benjamin Skidmore, wood turning, was on the northeast corner of Oneida and River streets, where the opera house now stands. Mr. Skidmore is now a commission merchant. One of his peculiarities is a great fondness for flowers, and he is seldom seen without one in his button-hole. He is a v?ry quiet man, seldom speaks to any one. Jonathan H. Crampton was in the auction business. Mr. C. was one of the restless men who never contmue in any one business for any great length of time without getting into deep water. He was first a merchant, then an auctioneer, then real estate, in all of which he failed to find a bonanza ; and lastly in the insurance business, the dernier resort of every bursted man. He died at Milwaukee, March 24, 1882. Mr. Crampton was of medium height, had dark hair and eyes and 128 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. a swarthy complexion. He was very nervous, had a strong voice, spoke sharp and quick, was very industrious, but somehow never got where he started to go. I remember him well. The Messrs. French Bros. (Orvis and Edgar D.), dry goods, were at what is now 340 East Water street. This house did a very large business for several years, when the copartnership was dissolved, Orvis retiring, after which the business was contmued by D. Edgar until 1880, since which time he has been out of business. Edgar is quite a politician in the Democratic party, but does not want or as- pire to nor will he accept of any office. These two brothers were from Barre, Vt., where the writer knew them when a boy. Edgar has a positive character — has a reason for all he does. He is, how- ever, a model citizen and is quite wealthy. Orvis is now a resident of Evanston, 111. Samuel M. Brooks and Thomas H. Stevenson, portrait and land- scape painters, were at the northeast corner of East Water and Wis- consin streets. Mr. Brooks, who is one of the most celebrated artists in the country, is now a resident of San Francisco, Cal. John Esch, wheelwright, now at N o. 60 Second street, was at the southwest corner of Wells and West Water streets. Mr. Esch is a first-class mechanic and is doing a large business. He is a German, and one of the representative men of this old historic nation, so noted for its eminent men in science, literature and music. Mr. Esch is always self-poised, and if he can say no good of a man will say no wrong. He is very industrious, and has accumulated quite a fortune by honest labor. In person he is of me- dium size, very muscular, has a frank, open countenance, upon which a smile will always appear when spoken to. He has a strong, powerful voice, speaks very dehberately and very distinctly, with a prolonged accent upon the last syllable of each word. He is also very social with acquaintances, but with strangers he is close- mouthed, and if dealing with such will be very cautious. He is a good friend, and one whose acquaintance is worth having. Chandler & Jennings (Samuel Chandler — now of the firm of Smith & Chandler, grocers — and Rufus P. Jennings) were at No. 397 East Water street, Martin's block, dry goods. John Hardy, cutlery, was at No. 239, now 437, East Water street. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 129 Mr. H. was from Sheffield, England, and kept a splendid stock of fine cutlery. He was a very quiet man — altogether too quiet to suc- ceed in this country. Neither could he ever accustom himself to the hurry and drive so prevalent with the business men of the Ameri- can race. He was tall, had a sallow countenance, was wholly desti- tute of nerve, and died from chagrin at his inability to cope with his American competitors more than from any disease. Henry Kroeger was still in the ice business with Chas. Rattinger for a partner. Mr. Kroeger, who was then worth some $40,000 and full of energy, is now a mere wreck, running about the city selling his almanac, and is known as the -' Weather Prophet." He also is running a skating and curling rink, and not worth a dollar. Mr. Rattinger, who subsequently rose to the dignity of a justice of the peace, and who also occasionally filled the office of police judge, pro iem., finally ran all out, and died several years ago. He was a man of some ability, but politics were too much for him, and he filled an early grave. Henry Berliner and Julius Bruno had a safe manufactory on Front street, their office and sale-room being at 421 East Water street. This business, however, was soon abandoned, as they could not suc- cessfully compete with Eastern houses in this branch of business. Ogden & Smith (John Ogden and Philo N. Smith), carriage re- pository, were in the old frame row yet standing on the southwest corner of Spring and Second streets. This was a famous establishment, and probably sold more carriages, buggies and sleighs (Troy make) during the first ten years of its ex- istence than all the rest of the dealers in these articles in the city put together. They also manufactured largely after the withdrawal of Mr. Smith, which I think was in 1859 or i860, the father being the senior member until 1869, since which time it has been conducted by Geo. Ogden, the father having retired, and now is taking it easy in his autumnal years in the quiet enjoyment of the fruits of his labor. He can, however, be seen almost daily upon our streets, and is, for a man of his years (85), very active, and would not be taken for over 65. May he reach 100. *Mr. Ogden was sketched in Vol. I., page 224. 130 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. This manufactory is one of the largest ones in the city, and its rep- utation has been fully sustained by its present proprietor, who does good work, and is fast coming to the front as one of our solid men , and who, with his brothers — John, Jr., and Henry (of the firm of Atkins, Ogden & Atkins) — are not only an honor to their parents, but are an honor to the city. Warren & Tracy (Richardson Warren and Geo. Tracy), afterwards Warren, Hewett* & Tracy, successors to Durand & Lawrence, 117, now 315, East Water street. Of this firm, Mr. Tracy is yet with us, Mr. Hewitt is in Chicago, and Mr. Warren in Utica, N. Y. Mr. Warren was a man of large frame, rough and boisterous in manner, and had an unusually florid complexion. Mr. Hewett was a man of the medium size, dark complexion and dark hair, and was one of the kind who look out for number one. Mr. Tracy is one of the most genial and companiable men in the city, and is a general favorite. He is, often selected to act as assignee in bankrupt cases. His pro- verbial honesty, as well as business ability, make him a very suitable person for such emergencies. Aside from that he has no regular business.! J. B. Maxfield, stoneware, was on West Water street, near Cly- bourn. Hoffmann's, afterwards Hoffmann & Billings (John C. Hoffmann and Chas. F. Billings), brass foundry, were on Tamarack street, now State, between Third and Fourth. Sigsmond & Joseph Wise, at 173, now 373 East Water street, teas. This firm was burnt out, and got no insurance (for cause), and, after fighting the insurance company for a while, returned to New York city, where I think they still reside: Samuel Morse, grocer, was on the northeast corner of West Water *Alfred E. Hewitt. f Three men more dissimilar in every way were never members of the same firm, in this city, than were Warren, Hewitt and Tracy; Mr. Warren, as stated, being coarse in manner and very rough spolcen; Mr. Hewitt was one of the kind who get money any way, and was always ready to shave his own or the firm's paper, and often did it; while Mr. Tracy was altogether too tender-hearted and non- aggressive to stand his own with two such men; and the result was that he is not wealthy. He has got the consolation, however, of knowing that he has the respect of all who know him, and that is better than gold or government bonds to an honest man. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 131 and Spring streets. Mr. Morse was for many years a very promi- nent and successful grocer, but finally went to Nevada, where I think he died in 1881. He was a very nervous and excitable man. I re- member him well. Boyd & Ledyard were at what is now 107 Grand avenue, dry goods. They carried a large stock. Lewis Blake, millinery, was at 23 Wisconsin street. Mr. Blake was, for many years, at the head of the miUinery department. He was a very worthy man. He died March 2, 1868. His widow is still with us, and retains an interest in the business under the title of Wm. Swale & Co. Frederick Guenther, hats and caps, 302 East Water street. Mr. Guenther is still in business. Julius Weber, jewelry, 411 East Water street, is yet in business. Geo. M. Elmore, crockery, 354 East Water street. He also sold gas fixtures and camphene. There were no doubt other new comers as well as removals not mentioned. The firm of Goodrich & Terry, mentioned a few pages back, were for many years one of the most prominent in their line in the city. The house was first established in April, 1850, by Timothy W. Good- rich and Rev. Eli S. Hunter (under the title of Goodrich & Hunter), as agents for the sale of the Messrs. Belcher's refined sugars,* their place of business being at the old red warehouse, yet standing, at the southeast corner of East Water and Erie streets. This continued until October, 1856, when Mr. Hunter retired, and a new partner- ship was formed by Mr. Goodrich with Frank H. Terry, under the title of Goodrich & Terry, the new firm adding groceries to their stock. Here they remained until i86r.t Subsequently they were at 275, then 248, then 194-196 (old numbering), and lastly, in 1866, at 308- 310 East Water street.| Here they remained until 1872, when Mr. Terry's health failing, the firm was dissolved, and Mr. Goodrich be- *This refinery was at St. Louis, Missouri, and one of the largest in tlie country. fThere is some doubts about this, although every city directory from 185 1 down to 1861 locate them at that point. JPresent numbering. 132 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. came a partner with E. P. Bacon for two years in the produce and commission business, and in 1875 he formed a new partnership with Gen. Charles S. Hamilton, under the title of Hamilton & Goodrich, for the manufacture of linseed oil, where he is to-day, their factory being situated at the northeast corner of Florida and Barclay streets. Such is the business record of the old pioneer house of Goodrich & Terry. Biographical. Timothy W. Goodrich was born at Benson, Vermont, August 5, 1820, came to Chicago in 1832, where and at Naperville he remained until April, 1850,* when, as stated above, he came to Milwaukee. He belongs to that class of men who do business upon business principles, order and system being with him the governing law. He never engages in any enterprise without first looking the ground well over, and, when that enterprise is once taken in hand, he "pushes it for all there is in it, and during business hours will be found at his office, where, if you have any business with him, it will be at once attended to in a quiet manner, and during the trans- action of which no time will be given to idle conversation, and after your business is accomplished you are expected to leave. He is, in this respect, like Mr. Bossert, of the Pfister & Vogel Leather Com- pany. He also has a wonderful memory, that, combined with good executive ability, enables him to see at a glance how the work is going on at the mill, as well as the exact state of the finances. He is not very nervous, nor ever loses control of himself. His morals are irreproachable, his integrity unimpeachable, and his word, once given, is never violated. Such are a few of Mr. Goodrich's business characteristics. In person he is of medium height, stoutly built, very quick motion, has light auburn hair, blue eyes, in which an un- usually soft expression is always seen. His voice is strong, low in tone, speaks quick, is a very pleasant companion, and, taken as a whole, is physically one of the finest looking men in the city. Mr. Terry was of a difl'erent mould. He was not as aggressive as *It is proper to state that previous to his advent in Milwaukee he was a clerk in Chicago for eight years and a partner in the dry goods house of T. B. Carter four years. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 133 Mr. Goodrieh, but pulled the same way in all business matters. He was also a fine-looking man, tall and slim, with dark hair and eyes. His voice was almost feminine in tone. He was a fine scholar, very fond of works of art and books on scientific subjects. He was also very dignified in his manner, and during his life was ranked as one of Milwaukee's best citizens. He died at Nassau, New Providence, where he had gone for his health, February 2, 1874. He was a na- tive of }Iartford, Conn. Bradford Bros., wholesale dealers in dry goods, were at 155 and 157 (now 355 and 357) East Water street, and were one of the lead- ing houses in their line in the state. Of this well-remembered firm James alone survives, the grim reaper having gathered the others into the better land. They were all remarkably fine looking men, neither is it out of place to say that no other New England family* has ever sent five worthier or better looking sons to the West, than were John, James, Robert C, Ephraim P. and Joseph L.'Bradford. In conducting their business this firm followed the European cus- tom, i. e., the oldest brother being the senior member, that post of honor in their case JDeing occupied by John, the Judah of this family, and who was a good representative of the old-time Boston merchant, always gentlemanly, courteous and dignified, holding his mercantile honor as too sacred a thing to be tarnished by any dishonest act, and always kept it bright. He was born October 9, 1815, and died May 3, 1879, and was buried at Forest Home, but will live in mem- ory until all of his cotemporaries in Milwaukee shall have passed away. Of Robert Clarke Bradford the writer can only say that he re- members him as a fine looking, pleasant gentleman, with dark hair and eyes, a frank, open countenance, upon which a pleasant smile would appear when spoken to. He possessed fine conversational powers, was of large frame and commanding presence. He was born April 25, 1819; died March 20, 1852, of erysipelas, and was buried at Detroit, Mich. *They were all natives of New Boston, N. H., and in direct descent from Gov- ernor Bradford who came in the Mayflower. 134 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. But as a perfect type of manly beauty Joseph L. excelled them all. Like Saul, king of Israel, he was in stature a head and shoulder above his brethren, being physically a good representative of the late General Winfield Scott. He had a remarkably pleasant disposition, a pleasing address, fine conversational powers, was fond of society, and was a universal favorite with all who knew him. He died June 28, 1883, and was interred in Forest Home. He left three sons — Robert C, now an employee in the establishment of John Plankin- ton, Esq.; James R., now in the Northwestern National Insurance office, and Frank C, all of whom are worthy sons of a worthy sire. Of Ephraim P. the writer knew very little, as he was seldom brought in contact with him. He, like his brothers, was very un- demonstrative, and like them would have nothing to do with politics. He died January 13, 1877, and sleeps in the old family lot at New Boston. Such is a brief sketch of this well-remembered pioneer dry goods house, a house that for many years occupied a front rank in their line in the amount of business done, and whose proprietors held a hi^h position as sterling business men, and who Jiave left a record of which their children may well be proud. Their manly forms will be seen no m.ore upon our streets, but in memory's ever sleepless eye the well-remembered faces and forms of John and Joseph L. Brad- ford are often seen by the writer as vividly as though present with him. There were two sisters — Annie, now the wife of John Plankinton, and Anstis, now the widow of Waterman Burr, who also resides in Milwaukee with her son, Ephraim B. Burr, of Burr & Hyde, com- mission merchants. West Water street. This lady is also the mother of Mrs. Chas. D. Rogers. William Brown, of Albany, Died March 2, 1856. Mr. Brown was, as has been seen in the previous volumes, a very prominent business man in Milwaukee for several years. He was a large, fine-looking man, always dignified both in manner and con- versation, very kind-hearted and charitable. I remember him with a great deal of respect. He was designated as from Albany, in con- '^^x^/^^^O MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. ~ 135 tradistinction to William Brown, Jr., and William W. (double-headed Brown). Public Market. There was an effort made this year to establish a pubHc market in the Fifth ward, for which purpose a meeting was held, January i, at the Niagara Hotel, David Merrill, chairman, Carlton Holland, sec- retary, resulting in the appointing of Captain George Barber, Cap- tain Josiah Sherwood, Martin Delaney, John Rosebeck, William P. Merrill, Duncan C. Reed and Captain Jasper Humphrey, to take the matter into consideration, who met on the 9th and reported in favor of issuing bonds to the amount of $50,000 to purchase a site, and fit it up for a public square.* They also recommended to William A. Hawkins, the member-elect from that ward to the legislature, to petition that body to pass a bill to stop all work on the straight cut (the present harbor,) after which they adjourned. John Johnston. This gentleman, now so well and so widely known in banking circles throughout the entire Northwest as a clear-headed financier, as well as a somewhat prominent writer on the subject of PoUti- cal Finance, was born in the parish of Auchnagath, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on the 8th day of June, 1836, and from where, after completing his education and receiving the degree of A. M., he came to America, arriving at Milwaukee, March 10, 1856. His first employment after his arrival was as general book-keeper in the banking house of his uncle, Hon. Alexander Mitchell, which position he filled for ten years, when he was promoted to that of assistant cashier, which office he holds to-day, making a continued service of twenty-nine years, and, like Mr. Ferguson, has become a prominent factor in that celebrated institution. Mr. Johnston sprung from a race noted for their hardihood, per- sonal courage, great intellectual power, as well as force of character, and last, but not least, wonderful financial abihty — a race whose citi- zens, wherever they are found, whether as soldiers, statesmen, schol- ars, poets, authors, agriculturists, or business men, always occupy the *The present one on Florida street. 136 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. front rank, and who as a nation occupy a high plane upon the page of history, and have given to the world some of the brightest men it has ever seen, consequently it would naturally be expected that with such an ancestry, supplemented after his arrival in this country with the prestige and the influence that such a man as Alexander Mitchell would give him, that he could not fail to succeed, even were he not naturally a strong man. But Mr. Johnston possesses within himself the elements requisite to ensure success, and could not well have been kept in the background, had there been no outside influence exerted in his behalf, as he is not only always self-poised, but he is aggressive, and will never be satisfied with anything less (to use a metaphor) than an inside seat in every enterprise in which he has an interest, and has during his residence here probably filled more places of trust in the various civic societies of which he is a member (as well as oflicial positions of a public nature) than has any other one man in the city. He having served for Two terms as member of the Board of Aldermen. Thrice President of the St. Andrews Society. Thrice President of the Milwaukee Curling Club. Twice President of the Grand National CurUng Club. Twice President of Milwaukee Rifle Club. Treasurer and Director of Milwaukee College for many years. Treasurer and Director of Milwaukee Cement Co. since its organi- zation. Treasurer and Director of the Chippewa Valley & Superior Rail- way Company. Director in the Sailors Home. Vice-President of the Humane Society. Trustee of Calvary Presbyterian Church. Commissioner of Public Schools. Trustee of the Public Library. Director of the Milwaukee Industrial Exposition. Director in the Milwaukee & Wyoming Investment Company. Director in the Milwaukee City Railway Company. Director in Chamber of Commerce, Vice-President, and is now (1886) filling his second term its President. This is a pretty good record for so young a man to make, and MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 137 shows that Mr. Johnston has the confidence of his associates in these various civic societies, as well as the ability to fiU those offices with credit to himself and them. Personnel. Mr. Johnston is of medium size, has a compact, wiry, as well as muscular frame, and is a fine representative of the Scottish race. He has a strong voice, speaks short and quick, but with the national accent strong, every word coming out with a ringing intonation and with great distinctness. He has a very nervous temperament, walks quick, is always in a hurry, always busy, and whatever he wants, he wants bad and wants it now. He has a positive character, is very pronounced in his views, and although ready to listen with courtesy to the opinions of others, is not easily turned from his position thereby, nor from his purpose, by opposition, and will fight hard to carry his point. He is a fine scholar, a great reader, remembers all he reads has the faculty of imparting information to others to a remarkable degree, and is always ready to do it. He also loves to investigate abstruse theories, and is ever ready to take the stand in that role -either with voice or pen, and if beaten by his opponent dies game. In political faith he is a democrat, has strong political aspirations, and is an influential member of that party. In religious faith he is a Presbyterian, but not as radical in respect to creeds as are some of his Scottish brethren of that persuasion, or as was John Knox, He is a born banker, and if he lives has a brilliant future before him in that honorable calling, as well as the ability and ambition to fill it, his executive abihties being of a superior order. He has fine con- versational powers, is a good pubfic speaker and, like E. D. Holton, always ready to respond when, called upon. He has got the foundation laid for a large fortune, and is destined in the near future to take rank as one of Milwaukee's solid men, financially, as he already has among her literary and cultured socially. He is one to whom Dame Nature has been lavish in her gifts, and whose development, like that of E. P. Allis, has kept pace with the growth of his business, thus rendering him equal to any emergency. Such are some of the leading characteristics of John Johnston. 138 milwaukee under the charter. Board of Trade. Organized January i6, 1856. President — Horatio Hill. Vice-President — Sanford B. Grant. Treasurer — William J. Bell. Secretary — Henry A. Nichols. Directors — Byron Kilbourn, A.Whittemore, William P. Young, John Plankinton, John Nazro, Lewis J. Higby, Nelson Webster, Edward P. AUis, John G. Inbusch, Lester Sexton, Robert H. Strong, Daniel New- hall, Edward H. Brodhead, John B. Medberry and Lewis L. Lee. Arbitrators — Gideon P. Hewitt, William B. Alvord, William J. Whaling, Levi H. Kellogg, John Bradford, Edwin H. Goodrich and Henry Fess, Jr. This association, together with the old Corn Exchange, was merged in the piesent Chamber of Commerce, in April, 1858. Charter Amendments. The amendments to the new City Charter, which those who were always tinkering that much abused instrument wanted adopted by the legislature of 1856, were the extension of the city limits on the North; the division oL the First ward — making the Seventh ward; the division of Second ward into three; changing the manner and time for the collection of city taxes, making them collectable semi- annually; the abolition of the office of city marshal; fixing the mayor's salary at $2,500 (previously non-salaried), and the city attor- ney's at $2,000. Railroad Meeting. There was a large railroad meeting held February 9th, at Young's hall, to hear the report of the committee upon the building of the Milwaukee & Beloit Railroad, via Rochester and Burlington, then one of the pet schemes of the railroad men. This road, which was to leave the city via the present Eighth ward, was graded nearly to Burhngton, much of which grade is yet visible. But the road was never built. One of the moving spirits in this enterprise was Horatio Hill. William J. Whaling also sunk some money in it. milwaukee under the charter. 139 Destructive Fire February io, 1856. See annexed : Warehouse Burnt. — About 6 o'clock last evening smoke was discov- ered issuing from tlie elevator of the large brown warehouse on the west side of the river, occupied by Messrs. W-B. Alvord and Bell & Bean. The alarm of fire was promptly ^ven and the fire department quickly responded to the call. The .engines were drawn upon the ice on the river and were on hand in season to have checked the fire early could they have got at the water. But there were no holes ready cut, and ten or fifteen minutes of precious time was lost in chopping through ice from two to three feet thick. Meanwhile the flames spread rapidly and by the time the engines got to work had possession of the entire building. All that the firemen could then do was to prevent the spread of the fire to' the adjoining lumber yards and vessels, and in that they succeeded. The warehouse with its contents was pretty much destroyed. The building cost originally rbout $9,000; it was owned by Dickinson & Co., and insured in the Etna for $4,000. There were in the building about 15,000 bushels of wheat, forty tons of broom corn, fifty barr'^ls of pork, and some other rolling freight, belonging to diflerent parties. The in- surance on it was as follows: Commercial, Milwaukee, $5,500; Hartford Fire Insurance Company, $4,000; Merchants', Philadelphia, $2,500. The pork and some one thousand bushels of wheat were saved. The fire is supposed to have originated from friction in the elevator. At 8 o'clock this morning the alarm cry was again given, caused by the breaking out afresh of the flames, and as we go to press the sharp clang of the bells and the hoarse shouts of our firemen break upon the stillness of the night.* This was the warehouse mentioned in Vol. II., page 187, as hav- ing been burnt while occupied by William B. Alvord when filled with oats, wheat and hams, the wreck of "which was left standing until 1857, when the ground was leased to Captain Jas. Doyle for a lum- ber yard, from whom it went to Robert W. Pierce and Samuel D. Luscombe, who used it for the same purpose until 1872, when it passed to J. G. Flint, the well known coffee and spice man, who erected the present block, and where he has accumulated a large fortune. *Mr. Alvord removed from here to St. Louis, Mo., where he engaged in the insurance business, and where he died in May, 1885. He was a very dignified and somewhat aristocratic mannered gentleman, but a very good business man. I remember Mr. Alvord well, and he often comes to mind when thinking of the olden time. The principal cause of the total destruction of this building was the unusual thickness of the ice, which rendered it impossible to obtain water before tlie fire had got beyond the control of the firemen. I was present at this fire and well remember the excitement it made on this account. The ice was nine inches thick on the 20th, and remained so until the 27th, when it began to be unsafe. It was nearly all gone April I, except at the mouth of the river, which it blocked until the 5th, and May 2 brought us our first boat from below, the schooner David Todd, and navigation was finally opened to Buffalo. 140 milwaukee under the charter. The Star Mills. This well known and prosperous manufactory, the largest of its kind in the city, was founded by the Flint Bros.,* in 1858, their first place of business being opposite the Plankinton House,t from where it was removed (in 1863) to the Reese block, No. 130 West Water street, and from there (in 1872) to their present location, northeast corner of West Water and Clybourn streets, they having, as just stated, purchased the ground and erected the present building. This has been without exception the most successful institution of the kind in the city, and has made for its owners a large amount of money, their goods being sent to all parts of the United States. They also carry on the manufacture of tobacco in all its various forms, in which they do a large business, being the second in size in the city. There are few men in any city who possess better business abiU- ties than J. G. Flint, Jr. He does everything at the proper time in a business-like manner, and will make money where his competitors would lose. One of Mr. FHnt's best points is his self-reliance. He never wants or takes advice from any one. Springing from a race who were trained to industry, self-reliance and economy, he knows the value of time as well as money, and just how to improve the one and use the other to the best advantage. The writer has watched Mr. Flint very closely from the time he came to the city. He is aggressive to an unusual degree, and allows no one to get ahead of him. His executive abilities are of the first order, and were he a politician in the full sense of the term he would have been in congress long ago. He is a splendid disciphnarian, and everything moves like clockwork in his business. He, like Mr. AUis, knows at a glance the capabilities of eve^y man in his employ, as well as the place to put him, holds him responsible for the fulfil- ment of his trust, and never discharges an employee except for good cause. He has made a splendid record as a business man, and is ranked among our solid men. He was born at Windsor, N. H., February 16, 1829. *Wyman and John G. Flint, now J. G. Flint, Jr. +24 Spring street, now 124, milwaukee under the charter. 141 Old Jones Tried. The trial of Miser Jones, as he was called, together with the boys Titball (colored) and Thompson (white) for arson, the two latter- named for setting fire to an old building in the rear of 398 East Water street, came oft' at the March term, 1856. I was on the jury in both cases. These two boys were a part of a gang of young hoodlums that infested the city in those days. They were a bad lot. Jones' crime was setting fire to an old building on the southeast corner of East Water and Buffalo streets. The annexed, taken from the Evening Wisconsin of April, 1885, is given here as a matter of history concerning this trial : Trial of Jones. The trial of this case of Miser Jones deserves more than a passing notice, as he wag the first man arrested for arson,* and there had been so many flres that there was no doubt they were the work of incendia- ries, that I have concluded to give the whole of the Jones case. Peter Yates had first been employed by Jones as his counsel. When the case was called for trial before Judge Hubbell, Yates was set aside as counsel and Dighton Corson substituted on the 23d day of May, 1855. James Kneeland had given bail for Jones in the sum of $3,00U. The jury on the first ti'ial that did not agree were James S. Buck, Aaron Harriman, Peter I^avies, Jr., J. R. Treat, Jacob Donges, Owen Aldrich, Leonard Kennedy, Joel Perrigo, Simon Levy, Charles Neumann, 'Squire Sackett and Henry Brown. After the dismissal of the jury, the bail was re- duced to $2,000, James Kneeland again going on tie bond. The case was tried the second time by James A. Mallory, district at- torney, for the state, and Dighton Corson for Jones. The second jury were George Paddock, Francis Harmeyer, John A. Borger, Seth Crip- pen, James Martin, Henry Surges, Lucius D. Marsh, Josiah Knowlton, 'rhomas GilliS; John Boyd, Joseph Williams and E. G. Hayden. Jones was found guilty on the 8th of March, 1856, and on the 15th day of March he was sentenced to seven years at Waupun prison. He was pardoned out on the 1st day of February, 1858, as per certificate signed by Edward M. McGraw, state prison commissioner, filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court. Jones came back to the city and lived in an old shanty on State street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, and one cold morning he was found dead in the shanty, some time about 1864 or 1865. The correct history of this man's life, could it have been obtained, would have read like a romance. If all that was said of him was true, he had at one period of his life been a sailor on the " briny deep " in a slaver, if not something worse. But whether this was true or not, he certainly was not the man one would want to sleep with, not if they knew it. His presence always cast a chill over all *This is incorrect. There was a previous trial for arson. See Vol. II., page 148. 142 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. who came in contact with him, and his whole demeanor was such as to make any one who saw him believe him guilty of some great crime. He was a bad man, and his death was not lamented. His full name was William Jones. The following incident is said to have occurred in Judge Erastus Foote's court, to which Jones had been " cited " subsequent to his release from Waupun : A Prisoner Bringing Up an Unpleasant Bemixiscence. Old Miser Jones, who was sent from this city to state prison some years since for arson, and who had considerable property when he was taken away, which was carefully taken care of in his absence by law- yers and other cormorants, was up in the municipal court yesterday morning, having been arrested for some trivial offence. Judge Erastus Foote stood " him up, and told him that since it was his first offence before that court he would give him as light a fine as possible, which was $1, and which added to the costs made it 11.37. Old Jones then drew himself up, and elevating his right forefinger and shaking it, he said: "Now, look ahere. Judge, do you know what that's for?" The Judge began to grow uneasy, and called a constable to silence the prisoner. Old Jones continued, " I say, do you know what that's for. Judge ? Well, I'll tell ye. Ye know when I was in state prison yer honor wrote me a letter, telling me that the lawyers was stealing all my property, and yer honor wanted me to send ye $100 to take care of it for me. And because I wouldn't do it, now ye fine me." At this point the Judge became exasperated, and rising up, impera- tively ordered a policeman to bear the prisoner away. Such episodes are very unpleasant, and old Jones ought to have known better than done so. New Woodyard. A woodyard, the first for retail pilrposes in the city, was opened this year on the corner of Wells and West Water streets by Gardner & Ball (Henry L. Gardner and Alvin B. BaU). New Bridge Called For. There was a call for a new bridge at Huron street in January, 1856. See annexed: Bridge at Huron Street. — A resolution was offered in the common council on Thursday evening, and referred to the bridge committee, for the construction of a bridge across the river at the foot of Huron street. Another bridge is very much needed to accommodate drays, omni- busses, &e., in passing to and from the railroad depots in the Fourth ward. We think, however, that it might with advantage be put one block further south, to-wit, at the foot of Detroit street. This was a project of Jonathan Taylor, who was at that time the owner of the southwest corner of West Water and Clybourn streets, MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 143 where F. F. Adams' tobacco factory now stands. It was built by the Messrs. Babcock Bros., who took the contract March r. See annexed : Huron Street Bridge. — ^The contract for building the new bridge across the river from the foot of Huron street, Third ward, to the foot of Clybourn street, Fourth ward, was let yesterday to the Messrs. Bab- cock, who will do up the work in good style. The piles will be driven and the timber all got out, shaped and fitted before the close of naviga- tion, and the bridge put up during the winter. It will be a great accom- modation to travel and business. This bridge lasted until 1867, when it was pulled down to make room for the present iron one, built by the Messrs. Fox & Co., of Chicago. ' A New Jail Called For. There was a pretty severe article in the Sentinel of March 1 1 this year upon the filthy condition of that classic retreat for the weary and heavy-laden devotees of the mythical personage known as Father Gambrinus, which made it clear to all that a new one would be an- improvement, or that at least a house of refuge for boys was greatly needed. This article was called out by the trial of the two boys, Thompson and Titball, previously mentioned. But the super- visors were deaf to all entreaties in that direction. Neither was there any change until Edward O'Neill got the bill through the legis- lature in 1857 for the erection of a reform school at Waukesha. A Puff for the Bridge Superintendent. The Sentinel oi March i, in speaking of those too much abused bridges, has the following : • The City Bridges. — Both the Spring street and Walker's Point bridge have been undergoing repairs within the past few weeks. The latter is finished, and early next week the former will be again fit for ti-avel. The wrought iron plate track upon which the bridge formerly traversed has been taken up, and a heavy railroad iron track laid down in its place. The Spring street bridge, in addition to the above, is having its draw widened, and the apron on the west side has been taken away and a massive oak beam, eighteen inches square, placed on piles and strongly braced, strengthening the abutment of the bridge, and acting as a fender to prevent any damage, except to the vessel, from collisions with the river craft. Mr. Plarrison, the superintendent of the city bridges, is making a strong job of it and a useful one, and in the end an economical one for the city. A boy could turn the bridges now the im- provements are made, and in half the time it formerly took. Mr. Harrison was a good mechanic, and made a good superin- tendent. I can see him now in memory's eye. He was a very fine- 144 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. looking man. He died October i, 187 1, and was buried in Forest Home. She Wouldn't Stay Out. An illustration of the influence that prison disciphne has upon some criminals was fully shown in the case of Mary Murphy, who was pardoned out of Waupun, March 15th, and was in the watch- house in Milwaukee on the 17th; she lost no time. Also in the case of Thompson, sent up for burglarizing the store of Messrs. Brooke & Cannon,* who was pardoned out at the same time on account of ill- health (the petition stating that he was nearly dead with the con- sumption), and who robbed a store in Chicago within eight days. His health must have improved very fast. There is altogether too little discrimination used in the exercise of the pardoning power by the average governor in this country. Division of the Second, First and Fifth wards, making the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth. The first move looking towards a village government over what is now the city of Milwaukee, was made December 14th, 1836, and carried into effect February 14th, 1837, at which time it was divided into two wards, known as the East and West Wards, each of which was presided over by five trustees, while all south of the Milwaukee River was known as the South Side, or Walker's Point. (See Vol. I., pages 109 to 114, inclusive). This system prevailed until the adoption of the Charter, January 5, 1846, at which time the East Ward was divided, making the First and Third, and the West Ward into the Second and Fourth, while all South of the Milwaukee River was embraced in the Fifth, which was the number (although a division was often attempted) until 1856, at which time the Second was divided, making the Sixth, and the First, making the Seventh, under the following legislative enactment : The People of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and As- sembly, do enact as follows: Section 1. All the territory now included in the Second Ward of the city of Milwaukee, which lies south of the center of Vliet street and the Madison road in said city, shall hereafter constitute and be the Second ward of the ei*y' of Milwaukee; and all the territory now in- cluded in the Second ward of the city of Milwaukee, which lies north * Mentioned in previous Chapter. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 145 of the center of Vliet street and the Madison road in said city, shall constitute and be the Sixth Ward of the city of Milwaukee. Section 2. All the territory now included in the First ward of the city of Milwaukee, which lies north of the center of Division street in said city, shall hereafter constitute and be the First ward of the city of MilwauKee; and all the territory now included in the First ward of the city of Milwaukee, which lies south of the center of Division street in said city, shall constitute and be the Seventh ward of the city of Mil- waukee. This bill further provided that there should be one alderman from each of these new wards, elected for two years, and two for one year, at the Spring election. The seventeenth section of chapter two of the act of which this act was amendatory (see section 8 of this act), was also amended as follows : All the city and ward officers now in office shall hold their respective offices until their successors shall be elected or appointed under this act, and the term of every officer elected under this law shall commence on the second Tuesday in April of the year for which he is elected, and shall, unless herein otherwise provided, continue for one year, and until his successor is elected and qualified. Approved February 21, 1856. The act dividing the Fifth ward was passed at the second session of the legislature which convened September 3d, 1856, and adjourned October 14th. This act, which provided that all that portion of the Fifth ward lying west of the present First Avenue (formerly called Monroe street), and north of Railroad street, should constitute the Eighth ward, to go into effect March 31, 1857. This act was ap- proved October 11, 1856. It contained the same provisions as to the officers as the others. Common Council Proceedings. Saturday Evening, March 8th, 1856. ' Present — Aldermen Houghton, Haertel, Mallory, Meyer, Mitchell, Milman, Rcsebeck, Schutte, Shortell — 9. The Mayor presented a communication from the Hon. Daniel Wells, Jr., M. C, relative to Marine Hospital at this city (same as presented to the Board of Trade). On motion, the Mayor was authorized to sign a memorial to Con- gress on behalf of the Common Council. Alderman Rosebeck presented the following communication ; 146 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Honorable Mayor and Common Council of the City of Milwaukee: We, undersigned citizens, find the firing of cannon this evening as a violation of the city ordinance, and very disagreeable in cases of sick- ness. And we, undersigned citizens, beg of your honorable body not to allow firing of cannons on such occasions hereafter. Signed, N. Brick, Eobeht Hibbakd, S. E. Johnson, C. H. Koschee, W. B. Johnson, M. D. Ehlmann, Jonas Brown, R. P. Houghton, Herman Stabe, G. Houghton. Referred to Police Committee. Aid. Mallory offered a resolution, fixing the following places for holding election at the ensuing city election : First Ward — At the house of P. Theis, corner of Jackson and Ogden streets. Second Ward — JIansion House. Third Ward — Louisiana House, Main street. Fourth Ward — Engine House of No. 5. Fifth Ward — Niagara House. Sixth Ward — Park Saloon, Galena street. Seventh Ward — Best's Lager Beer Hall, Market Square. Qualifications of Voters. 1. Citizenship, or Declaration of Intentions. 2. One year's residence in the City. 3. Ten days' residence in the Ward. Ballots. Two Ballots are required — one containing the name of the person voted for, for Alderman for two years — the other containing the names of all other candidates voted for, for City and Ward Officers. Polls Open feoji 9 a. ji. to 5 p. m. Adopted. Aid. .Vlallory called up the question of agreeing with the report of the committee on paying the Sentinel for printing. Aid. Rosebeck opposed the allowance principally because the Sentinel had not treated the Aldermen generally fairly in the matter of noticing them. The reports furnished by the Sentinel had never been fair; had always been botched to suit their own fancy. Aid. Mitchell thought if there were any city printers, the printing for the city should be done by them. Aid. Mallory explained that the printing was done in 1854. The report was adopted as follows : Ayes — Houghton, Haertel, Mallory, Meyer, Mitchell, Millman, Schutte, Shorten — 8. Nays — Rosebeck — i . MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 147 Aid. Mallory presented the resignation of Rufus King as Schoo Commissioner of the First ward. Accepted. Adjourned. Municipal. As the time for the spring election drew nigh, those who were looking (and their name was legion) for a place on the municipal slate began to stir the political Bethesda. The election of six new aldermen, as well as other officials for the two new wards, added not a little to the commotion, and, as the old Dutchman said, when ;.peaking of it, " Dem fellers make blenty droubles mid dere foolish- ness." And he was right. The delegates to the People's convention from the First, Fourth, F'ifth and Seventh wards met at the court-house on the 19th of March, and nominated a ticket, with Daniel Newhall* for mayor, while the regular " simon-pure " Democracy met on the 29th, at the Fourth ward engine-house, on Second street, that locality being selected with reference to its nearness to water, as in case the con- testants for office got over-heated in their strife for an inside seat the boys could wet them down with less trouble. The following were a few of the names suggested by the various political Solons of that day as fit subjects for mayorial honors: Jas. B. Cross (who won the day), Sanford B. Grant, Edward D. Holton, Edward H. Brodhead, Doctor E. B. Wolcott, John J. Inbusch, Jas. B. Martin, W. P. Lynde, Lester Sexton and Anson Eldred. The election resulted as follows : Mayor — James B. Cross. Comptroller— John B. Edwards. Treasurer — Herman Schwarting. Attorney — Wilson W. Graham. Marshal— Charles E. Meyer. Police Justice — ^Clinton Walworth. City Engineer— William S. Trowbridge. Chief of Police — William Beck, appointed. Sealer of Weights and Measures — Jesse M. Van Slyck, appointed. Bridge Superintendent — Patrick Markey, appointed. Wood Inspector— Ernst Hertzberg. City Printers — English, J E. Sharpstein. German, Schoefiler & Wendte. *Mr. Newhall subsequently declined and Jas. B. Cniss was substituted in his place as a compromise candidate. 148 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. President of Board— J. Hadley. City Clerli;— Robert Whitehead. Aldkrmbn. First Ward— Jackson Hadley, Christopher Bast and Luke Marnell. Second Ward— Jacob A. Hoover, A. Greulich and John C. Dick. Third Ward— T. O'Brien, John Shortell and Michael Delanev. Fourth Ward— Alex. H. Johnston, J. Plankinton and Jonathan Tay- lor. Fifth Ward— Henry Millman, Joseph R. Cordes and Jasper Hum- phrey. Sixth Ward— Herman Haertel, F. Kuehn and John Kline. Seventh Ward— George S. Mallory, Edward Button and Francis J. Jung. Council room in Martin's block, southwest corner of East Water and Wisconsin streets. COMMISSIONEES OP SuKVBY. I. A. Lapham, Sanford B. Grant, Elisha Eldred, Andrew Mitchell and Ira E. Goodall.^ Justices op the Peace. First Ward — J. W. Cannon. Second Ward— Charles F. Bode. Third Ward— William Holland. Fourth Ward — Robert N. Austin. Fifth Ward — Oliver Parsons. Sixth Ward— Riley M. Messenger. Seventh Ward — Albert Smith. ('ONSTABLES. First Ward — John Schoffle. Second Ward — Charles Neumann. Third Ward— John H. Ryan. Fourth Ward — Henry M. Beecroft. Fifth Ward — August Meyer. Sixth Ward — George Fischer. Seventh Ward — Gottlieb Luther. Railroad Commissioners. First Ward — Benjamin Skidmore. Second Ward — George Albert. Third Ward — Thomas Eviston. Fourth Ward — John A. Seger. Fifth Ward— Charles H. Larkin. Sixth Ward — Adam Portner. Seventh Ward — John Jennings. Fire Department. Chief Engineer — John C. Goodrich. First Assistant — John Lowther. Second Assistant — Henry Verkins. Third Assistant — Nathan B. Brooks. President of Board — Daniel Schultz. Vice-President — Duncan C. Reed. Secretary — J. Albert Helfenstein. Treasurer — John Nazro. * The same book gives Otis B. Hopkins in addition. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 149 Fire Wardens. First Ward— Nick Ludwig, Wm. H. Holland. Second Ward — A. J. Langworthy, Hezekiah Moore. Third Ward— Frank Devlin, Theodore Bilty. Fourth Ward— Priam B. Hill, Chas. W. Bierbach. Fifth Ward — August Mayer, Emil Schandein. Sixth Ward — David House, F. H. Greenleaf. Seventh Ward — Robert C. Jacks, Lewis Fuchs. The whole number of firemen in the city was six hundred. School Commissioners. First Ward — Jackson Hadley, Luke Marnell and Silas Chapman. Second Ward — I. A. Lapham, Jas. Flynn and Chas. J. Kern. Third Ward— Ed O'Neill, Chas. Lane* and John Horan. Fourth Ward — Samuel L. Elmore, Jno. Seger and Jonathan Taylor. Fifth Ward— Andrew Mitchell, Edwin De Wolf and Charles H. Lar- kin. Sixth Ward — Charles E. Jenkins, Benjamin Church and Ferdinand Kuehn. Seventh Ward — Jas. Johnson, Francis J. Jung and Geo. S. Mallory. J. Hadley, president. R. White"head, secretary. Our Public Schools — The Teachers for the Ensuing Year. The executive committee of the board of school commissioners of the city of Milwaukee respectfully report that they have selected the following-named persons as teachers for the public schools of this city for the ensuing year, and recommend that the salaries set opposite their names be paid to them : First Ward. George McWhorter, principal $850 Mason G. Smith (male), first assistant 300 Miss E. J. Phillips, second assistant 300 Intermediate. Mary C. Osgood, principal 1350 F. Duggan, assistant 300 Pbimaby. Cath. Kavanagh, principal $350 Miss Quinn, first assistant 300 Second Ward. H. W. Spalding, principal $850 Miss Clark, assistant 300 Intermediate. Miss E. Phelps, principal $350 Miss Upton, assistant 300 *The book containing the city charter (and ordinances), published in 1856, gives John Mitchell in place of Charles Lane as school commissioner for 1856 in the Third ward. This is evidently a mistake, as Mr. Mitchell has always been a resident of the Fourth ward, where he was constable in 1849, and presided at an anti-temperance meeting (see Vol. III., pages 62 and 196), while Mr. Lane is now and always has been a resident of the Third ward. 160 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Primary. Miss Greenleaf, principal |350 Miss Van Dyke, assistant 300 District No. 2. Miss E. H. Laugdon, principal $450 Miss JRies, assistant 300 Third Wabd. F. C. Pomeroy, principal $8.50 M. J. Gilbert, tirst assistant 300 M. E. Boylan, second assistant 300 Intermediate. C. 0. Mahoney, principal $500 C. Gillet, assistant 300 Primary. Anne E. Mitchell, principal $350 Miss Potter, assistant 300 Fourth Ward. G. K. Martin, principal $850 Miss'Teed, assistant 300 Intermediate. Miss Baldwin, priiicipal $350 Mrs. 0. E. Eogers, assistant 300 Primary. Miss Le Basque, principal $350 Miss Sackett, assistant 300 Fifth Ward. John Drew, principal $8.50 Miss Bradley, assistant 300 Intermediate. Miss Trowbridge, principal §.3-50 Miss Cook, assistant 300 Primary. -Mrs. Blodgett, principal $350 Miss Packard, assistant 300 The schools will open Monday next, April 14. Supervisors. This office was still filled by the aldermen. Wauwatosa — Thomas Tobiii. Granville — Charles P. Everts. Milwaukee— T. Bare. Lake— M. L. Burdick. Greenfield — J. C. James. Oak Creek— P. McQuillen. Franklin — J. Conway. George S. Mallory, chairman. A. Bade, clerk. County officers elected the previous November : Sherifi'— Samuel S. Conover. Under Sheriff'— Wm. Beck. Deputies— Wm. G. Parsons, Robert Wassou and T. O'Brien. Prosecuting Attorney — Jas. A. Mallory. Register of Deeds — Chas. J. Kern. Deputy Register — J. A. Liebhaber. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 151 Treasurer — Garrett M. Fitzgerald. Deputy Treasurer — Chas. P. Everts. Clerk of Supervisors — Albert Bade. Deputy Clerk — Chas. F. Kasten. Surveyor — John Gregory. Coroner — Wm. Beck. Superintendents of the Poor — Henry Fowler and Henry Suppus. It would appear from the above that the office of under sheriff, chief of police and coroner were all ve.sted in one person — William Beck. Board of Trade.* President — William J. Whaling. Vice-President — Lester Sexton. Secretary^-Andrew J. Aikens. Treasurer — M. S. Scott. Office in Furlong's block, 327 East Water street. Corn Exchange.* Office foot of West Water street. President — L. J. Higby. Vice-President — S. T. Hooker. Treasurer — Benjamin Nute. Secretary — N. J. Aikins. The Old Military Hall. -The annexed cut is a fac-simile of this pioneer building, the first one ever erected in the city for mihtary purposes only. It was erected by the Washington Guards, a company composed wholly of Germans organized in 1845. Capt., David George ; first lieut., D. Upman ; second lieut., F. Hilgen; first sergt., J. A. Liebhaber; sec- ond sergt., F. Gesmer. This hall stood upon the south side of Oneida street, directly east of the alley between Main and Market streets, and, as has been seen, was often used for municipal gather- ings as well as for public meetings of a social nature. The scene before us is the presentation of a banner to the guards, Nov. 3, 1845, by the German ladies. The presentation speech being made by Miss Louisa Dresen, and the acceptance by Capt. George. I was present at this presentation. *Merged in the present board April, 1858. 152 MILWAyiCfiE UNtoER THE CHARtEft. M This hall, or at least a portion of it, is now standing on North River MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 153 Street, directly opposite- the Gem mill, (where it was taken when re- moved,) and used for the manufacture of sash, doors and Winds. It has been partly burned since its removal. Bilty's Tremont. Opening of the new Tremont, (late the St. Clair House,) Monday, April 14, 1856. See annexed. This cut represents the hotel as it appeared when opened as the Tremont. It was quite a popular house for a while. The opening was attended by upwards of three hundred people. One gentleman informed us that ttie supper " vas yust so goot as it cauld be." A ball followed the supper, and dancing was kept up till morning. The best feeling and, good order prevailed throughout the night. There was a good time generally and all, as they left, wished the landlord a good run of business. Burning of the Tremont. This hotel was located on the northwest corner of Huron and Cass streets. It was a frame structure and occupied by Theodore Bilty. It had a front of forty feet and a depth of ninety-two feet, was two and one-half stories high, and cost $8000, including the furniture. It was at this fire that Henry Middleton, then a member of old No. i, remained inside amid the smoke and heat until he removed all the furniture. It had to a certain extent lost its former prestige, after which it 154 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. became a resort for roughs and rowdies, and ended its career, as did most of its congeners, by fire. It was burned Dec. 8, 1858. Biographical. Mr. Bilty, its well-remembered landlord, was quite a character in his day. He was a German. In person he was tall and straight, had a florid complexion, sandy hair and blue eyes. His voice was strong in tone, he spoke distinctly often quite emphatically. He was not a man, however, that it would be safe to bet much money on, as his conscience was very elastic. He left for California shortly after this fire, where, I believe, he is yet living. The hotel was not re- built, I often think of Mr. Bilty and m memory's .sleepless eye, can see him as he appeared, when at the steamers or cars, while running this hotel. There he was wide awake and always managed to get his share of the spoil, that was filched from the poor emigrants, in the palmy days of the "side-wheelers" who patronized the piers, where a tribute of one dollar was rigorously exacted from all who were unfortunate enough to land there, for every dray load passed over it — a charge more arbitrary, and more keenly felt than any other the emigrant was called upon to pay during liis journey from the Father-Land, until he landed in Milwaukee. South Side Gas Company Formed. There was a new Gas Company formed this year upon the south side. It was organized April 17. The directors were W. A. Hawkins, Hiram Merrill, Andrew Mitchell, John Rosebeck, and Jasper Hum- phrey. W. A. Hawkins, Pres.; Hiram Merrill. Sec; Andrew Mitchell, Treas. This institution was short-lived. The works are now known as Nos. 263 and 265 Reed street, and are used as a foundry and ma- chine shop. Great military parade May 27. Henry Nunnemacher makes a speech. August Philipp displays his acrobatic qualities. Among the appointees upon the gubernatorial staff, in 1856, were our well remembered fellow citizens, Henry Nunnemacher as major, and August Phillipp as arsenal-keeper, each of whom at once pro- vided themselves with the regulation uniform belonging to their rank. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 155 Coat of blue, with facings red, A chapeau as big as a farmer's shed. Breecnes of buff, as tight as their skin, Boots that came half way to their chin. And mounting their steeds they galloped away To take a part in the coming affray At the head of their gallant division. /. e. Nuniiemacher did. If the steed upon which Phillipp was mounted had any abilities as a war horse, he certainly did not exhibit them upon that occasion. He was not of the kind which scenteth the battle from afar, or that paweth the earth in his strength. He was the worst looking specimen of horse-flesh that could possibly have been found in the state. In fact so weak and low spirited did he appear as he stood in the rear of the staff, on Wisconsin street, that some of the good little boys who usually manage to be present at every mihtary disjjlay — one of whom was our well known fellow citizen, L. N. Skinner — procured a few sticks of cord wood* and stood the ij up against his sides in order to prevent him from falling over. This act of charity on the part of young Skinner was not observed by Phillipp, owing to his (PhiUipp's) high spiritual con- dition, although the boys all yelled their appreciation of tlie act. But the Speech. This speech, which, no doubt, cost Mr. Nunnemacher a large amount of mental labor as well as the expenditure of several quanti- ties of midnight kerosene, has (as a whole,) owing to the shortness of that gentleman's memory, been lost to the world. But that por- tion of it which he was able to give, ran something like this : " Shentlemens and fellow soldiers, 1 danks you all very musch for your attendance here to-day, you look first rate; I dinks," here he paused and seemed to have lost the thread, but soon commenced again with " I dinks"; here he made a longer pans?:, but finally started again with " I d-i-n-k s," came to a full stop, and doffing his chapeau, began to scratch his massive caput, as though trying to catch on again, while at the same time he began to get very red in the face. But not being able to get any further, he wound up with a " Veil, py Got, dot ish all." If that was not a inodel speech, then * Accorrling to school superintendent Edwin De Wolf this should have been spelled with an "haich," chordwood. 156 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. the writer never heard one. It beat Cleveland's famous letter of ac- ceptance, and that is saying a good deal. This over, the order was given to march to Market Square, which was accomplished without accident, except to PhilUpp, whose weary and heavy-laden steed came to a dead stop when nearly opposite the Kirby House. But Phillipp didn't;* he went over the old plug's head like a bale of rags dumped off a dray, landing in the mud, where the brigade left him to pick himself up as best he could. The Golden Gate Saloon. The old " Golden Gate," on the corner of Bast Water and Michigan streets, is nearly ready to leave its present site. In 1841 the building was moved to the corner upon which it now stands, from the West side of the river. It was brought over upon the ice. The upper part was occupied by Mr. G. F. Austin, as a dwelling, the lower part as a store; next the store was occupied by Pierce & Putnam ; afterwards by Mr. Daggett, J. H Goodrich, L. L. Lee, Mr. Gardner; then by A. B. Van Cott, the jeweler; then bj; Mr. Yale, as a clothing store with the east end for a book store, to which the remainder of the stock of the " Irving Book Store," after the burning of the United States Block, wasremovecT The site is soon to be covered with an elegant building for the State Bank, for which the lot was purchased at a cost of $9,000. The row of buildings behind it is also on the move, including the for- tune telling retreat of Professor Epps, the camphene depot of Mr. Good- man, a lager beer saloon, and next, the "Union," which is to be dis- turbed but for a short time, wlien it will be reopened on the northeast corner of Main and Michigan streets, and the old landlord, Frank Dev- lin, be on hand ready to preserve its good reputation. The author remembers this old store, as he helped remove it from the West side and fit it up for Mr. Austin, after which, while occupied by him, it was known as the "Arcade" (See Vol. II., pages 8g, 90). The editor is mistaken, however, when he states the Golden Gate Saloon stood upon that corner, or that the Arcade was ever used for a saloon, or a camphene sales room by Mr. Goodman, that gentle- man's store being upon Wisconsin street. The Golden Gate stood where the present National Exchange Bank now does, on the corner of the alley, or very near there, at what is now 88 Michigan street. The corner building (or the old Arcade) was put upon a scow, taken to the South side, and placed upon the southeast corner of Clinton and Lake streets, where it was used as a saloon for a short time, after which it was removed to what is now 323 Lake street and used for a " I disremember now just what the old rack-a-bones stopped for. But as it was (iirectly in front of a saloon he probably smelt the limburger cheese, and mistaking it for Phillipp, concluded it was best to unload. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 167 dwelling, and where it was burnt some eight years ago. The old frame, next north of Friend Bros., 372 East Water street, is yet doing duty as a laundry, and known as 126 Clinton street. Where the bal- ance of the old frames, standing in this neighborhood in 1856, went to, I cannot remember, but I think they are yet in use in the lower Third ward. There is also one more of the early buildings, the record of which is worth preserving, I mean the one-story frame erected in 1844* upon the north side of Florida street, about midway between Reed and Hanover, by Doctor Hubbell Loomis, for a private school, the teacher being Miss Loomis, now Mrs. H. K. Edgerton, of Ocono- mowoc. It was also used for a branch of the public schools for a short time, when the writer was Commissioner, in 1847 and '48, after which (when that block came to be graded) it was removed to the Third ward and placed upon Detroit street, and where, at two different localities, it was used for a dwelling until January, 1885, when it was again removed and placed upon the south side of Erie street, directly east of and adjoining the old Helfenstein warehouse, where it is now doing duty as an office for the stone yard of Messrs. Cook & Hyde. The removal in each case having been done by that veteran house-mover Owen Goss. Biographical. Owen Goss is one of the land marks of Milwaukee. He is a native of Ireland, and came here at an early day (1846), since which time to the present he has been engaged in the removal of buildings, (as the demand for better ones increased) from one locality to another, and has probably moved several thousand in his time. Could the history of his labors in this direction be written, it would fill a large volume. Mr. Goss is as fine a specimen of the Celtic race as there is in the city. He is always pleasant and social, never gets into any trouble, and never meddles with other people's affairs. May he live a thousand years, if he wants to. t * I am not quite po.sitive about this date, but think it was in 1844. fThe writer was informed ,by Mr. Goss, July 25th, 1885, that he has moved upon an average, in the thirty-nine years he has been in the business, four per week, equal to 2o8 per annum, and to 8,ii2 in all. What a record! 158 milwaukee under the charter. Albert Von Haller Carpenter. This gentleman, now so well and so widel)- known in the railway world as one of the most popular as well as successful chief officials in the passenger department of the vast network of railroads travers- ing this continent, was born at Middlesex, Vt., November i, 1822, where his boyhood was passed upon a farm. The life of a farmer, however independent it may be, had no charms for him, neither was it the wish or intention of his parents that he should follow that vo- cation ; and after giving him what was better than gold (an educa- tion), they wisely left the selection of a profession to himself. He finally settled upon the law as the one best suited to his tastes and abilities, and after a due course of study he was admitted to the bar and hung out his shingle as a full-fledged disciple of Blackstone, with an invitation for all who had a disposition to "jump the fence " or that loved htigation to come to him and find rest. The indolence, however, incident to such a life soon became distasteful to him. His nervous temperament, as well as ambition to make a mark in the world, could not be content with the dailv routine of a law office, notwithstanding it was an honorable profession and all that. His impulsive nature wanted something more stimulating, more exciting, and with that quickness of decision that has characterized all his subsequent movements (and which is one of his strongest points), he went back on Blackstone and Chitty, and entered upon the life for which Dame Nature, who never makes a mistake, seemed to have designed him for, and in which he has reached a high plane. His first work in his new vocation was in the role of conductor of a freight train on the Vermont Central, January, 1S49, his instructions being to take it through to Boston, which he accomplished in due time and, as he expressed it, without killing himself or destroying the train. This trip was the stepping-stone to all his subsequent success, as it showed to his superiors that he had the pluck as well as the ability to make a good railroad man, and he was accordingly at once placed upon their pay-roll as a regular employee, where (and upon other New England roads) he served in the capacity of freight and passenger conductor, clerk and agent at various times until 1854, when, at Rouse's Point, he took the Western fever and ac- cepted a position as superintendent's clerk upon the Southern Michi- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 159 gan and Northern Indiana Railroad, with headquarters at La Porte. He also while here acted for a short time as eic-officio superintendent until vacancy was filled, after which he was transferred to Toledo as train dispatcher, which responsible position he soon gave up as too laborious, and accepted a position as clerk in the general freight office at Adrian, Afich., and from where in March, 1856, he came to Milwaukee to enter the service of the then Green Bay, Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad (now the Chicago & Northwestern), as superin- tendent's clerk, and where he also acted when occasion required as paymaster, setthng the accounts of passenger agents ; and later on, when a change was made in the proprietorship, as well as in the name of that road, he became, in addition to ticket and passenger agent, the secretary and treasurer, which continued until the merging of the road in 1864 with the Chicago & Milwaukee, he was appointed general ticket agent of the consolidated Hne, which continued until 1865, when, upon the Chicago & Northwestern acquiring ownership of that road, he resigned, as he did not wish to live in Chicago, and was appointed general passenger agent of the then Milwaukee & St. Paul, and upon the extension of that road to Chicago and its change of title to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul he became general passenger agent over the whole line, which position, including all its acquired as well as subsequently constructed additional branches, he holds to-day. Such in brief is the record of A. V. H. Carpenter, and of which he may well feel proud. It is one that, from the day he took charge of that freight train upon the Vermont Central to the present (a period of twenty-eight years), has been one uninterrupted success, and one that few, even though backed by official patronage, ever make. Whatever his hand found to do, he did it with all the energy of his impulsive nature, and no matter what position he occupied, official or subordinate, he always succeeded in accomplishing all that was required or expected of him. Like his late chief, S. S. Merrill, he is possessed of large compre- hensive powers as well as quickness of decision, is a thorough disci- plinarian, and has won his spurs by merit alone. His selection by Manager S. S. Merrill to the responsible position he has so long and 160 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. SO ably filled was a wise one, and where, let us hope, his well-known face may be seen for many years to come. Personnel. In person Mr. Carpenter is of the medium height, and must, when in his prime, have possessed great muscular power. He has very broad shoulders, a short neck, ah unusually large head, and is a splen- did representative of a type now nearly extinct, at least in this coun- try, but one who occupied the land, more particularly New England, half a century ago — men of great physical as well as mental force, men who were born to rule, and whom others were born to obey, and who were the leaders in civil as well as religious affairs in their day and generation. He has a fine, intellectual face, a high forehead, large, dark, ex- pressive eyes, and when conversing with a stranger will look that stranger directly in the face, which he does not always do when con- versing with an acquaintance, and although possessed of splendid conversational powers, is more of a thinker than a talker. When in his office his whole attention is given to business, but when on the street, where he walks with a quick, nervous stride, he is apparently absorbed in thought, and at such times sees no one, and unless spoken to will not look up. He is very sensitive as well as proud- spirited, and if shghted (purposely) feels it keenly. He is always dignified, and like S. S. Daggett, never permits any undue familiarity from any one, as his organ of self-respect is very large. His execu- tive abilities are good, he has order largely developed, and always re- quires the strictest obedience from all under his command. He is a born leader, and had he been a politician he would have been a strong man in his party, as his perceptions are quick. He is also a fine writer, a logical reasoner, likes to discuss abstract theories, is a great reader, comprehends all he reads, and when once he com- mences to investigate any knotty question he never leaves it until he has mastered it or becomes satisfied that it is untenable. He is one of the class of men whom it is safe to follow, as he will never deviate from the straight path himself or be instrumental in causing others to do so. He is also a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, neither MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 161 is there another member of that powerful organization in the coun- try (for his reputation in the Order is national) who is held in more esteem or upon whom more honors have been conferred (unless it may be Henry L. Palmer) by the fraternity than upon him. In political faith he is a Republican, but takes no active part nor will he hold office. In rehgious faith he is a Hberal, his creed being all embraced in the Sermon on the Mount, /. e., " Do right always, if the heavens fall, and unto others as ye would have others do unto you." Such is A. V. H. Carpenter, a true man and a useful one, and one whom to know is an honor. DwiGHT W. Keyes. This gentleman, so well known as a prominent railroad official, was born at ChapHn, Windham county. Conn., on the 29th day of March, 1830, where his boyhood days were spent, and from where, at the early age of sixteen, he left the paternal roof, struck out for himself and commenced the life nature seemed to have intended him for, viz., railroading. His first employment in his chosen vocation was upon the Northern New York road, where he remained until 1852, when he emigrated to the state of Ohio, and was employed upon the Hillsboro & Cincinnati and the Cincinnati & Marietta Railroads up to 1856, when, wishing to see more of the Great West, he came to Wisconsin and took a position in the department of con- struction upon the then La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, where he remained until the breaking out of the rebellion, in 1861, when he threw up his position and was appointed quartermaster in the First regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, under Colonel John Starkweather, which he held until 1863, when failing health compelled him to re- sign and he returned to Milwaukee, and in 1865 resumed his old employment under the late Sherburn S. Merrill, in the construction of the Winona & St. Peters road, which continued until the consoli- dation of the Wisconsin roads under one head and the appointment of Mr. Merrill as general manager, when he removed to Kansas, where, and in Missouri, he remained until 1873, when he returned to Milwaukee and was appointed assistant general freight agent, which responsible office he holds to-day. 162 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Mr. Keyes belongs to that class of men who enter upon whatever duties may be assigned them with a determination to succeed, and who always do succeed. He is quick to see all the technical points jn any matter connected with his department, and consequently always goes at his work understandingly. He has good executive abilities, and is just the man to fill a position where so many com- plicated and perplexing cases arise, requiring quickness of decision as well as tact to settle properly, as are of almost daily occurrence in the department of transportation connected with a railroad cor- poration. He keeps the business entrusted to him well in hand, does everything at the proper time in a business way, and requires the same punctuality and care of all the employees in his depart- ment, and has become a factor in the official corps of the gigantic corporation known as the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and where let us hope his pleasant face may be seen for years to come. Personnel. In person Mr. Keyes is in height above the average, fully six feet or more, with a large, well-proportioned frame, and is the personifi- cation of health. His head is large, face round and full, has a keen, expressive eye, where a mirthful smile will often be seen lurking. He walks with a regular military step, seldom notices any one on the street unless an acquaintance, each of whom he will greet. To a stranger he would be poUte, nothing more. He is one of the most dignified appearing men in the city, and would command attention where many others, perhaps his superiors in both wealth and posi- tion, would not, and is a universal favorite with all who know him. In political faith he is a Democrat, and in religion a liberal. He is also very conscientious, careful of what he says or does, tries to live as near the Golden Rule as he can. Like A. V. H. Carpenter, he is fi-om that good old Puritan stock who laid the foundation stones of this republic, and whose peculiar traits of character are visible to-day in the hfe and deportment o every true son of New England. The writer has known Mr. Keyes for many years, during which he has watched him very closely, and can truthfully say that, although he is not without his faults, yet the grand old state which MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 163 gave him birth, notwithstanding she is the honored mother of many emment men, has never sent a nobler-hearted one to the West than Dwight W. Keyes. Excursion to Beaver Dam. There was an excursion to Beaver Dam, in Dodge county, July 4, 1856, upon the opening of the La Crosse Railroad to that then em- bryo city, on which occasion the writer got a free ride and a dinner at the expense of the road. It was a big day for Beaver Dam.* Among the excursionists upon this occasion were one or more of the fire and military companies from Milwaukee, several of whose members got slightly intoxicated upon that harmless be\ erage known as lager beer. The boys all had a good time, and finally started on their return trip at 10:30 p. m., the military occupying the rear car, intending to reach Milwaukee the following day. But alas for hu- man expectations, it resulted otherwise with the soldier boys, as when the train had proceeded about four miles one of the naughty fire- men (who occupied the car in front of the military) pulled the coup- ling-pin to the rear car and left the mihtary alone on the prairie, two miles from any p]ace,t where they were compelled to remain until morning mitout a drop of lager. Too bad, wasn't it? Their ap- pearance in Beaver Dam the following morning, to which they re- turned, hot, tired, thirsty, mad, and covered with grass burrs, with their faces drawn out to an unusual length, indicating that they had passed a sleepless night, caused such a shout when it was known how it came to be thusly with them as might have been heard at Columbus. It was rich. They at once broke for the nearest saloon, where all their sorrows *This road was chartered in 1852, and work was commenced upon it the same year under the lead of Byron Kilbourn, who not being able to control the man- agement of the Milwaukee & Mississippi any longer, had, as the reader has seen in the closing chapter of Vol. Ill, bolted the track and started the La Crosse. The preliminary survey for this road was made by John B. Vliet, who was its first chief engineer, and who, with his whole party, came near perishing while running the line west of Kilbourn City, by being caught in an unusually severe snow storm. Its official corps at this time (1856) was: Pres., Stoddard Judd; Sec, Levi Burnell; Treas., William Dawes; Chief Engineer, Wra. R. Sill; Supt., Byron Kilbourn. f And four from Beaver Dam. 164 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. were quickly drowned in the " flowing bowl," after which they again boarded the train and finally reached home in safety. I have often laughed over this affair. It was no doubt done for revenge for some insult the firemen fancied they received fi-om the Germans. But it was rough on the poor fellows, as a march of four miles on an empty stomach on a hot July morning and no " cost haus "* in sight was not a pleasant pastime. They were mad all over, and who can blame them. The Milwaukee & Watertown. This road was first opened to Oconomowoc Dec. i8, 1854. The receipts for passengers up to April 1, 1855, were $5,578.36, freight $11,909.37. This road is now a part of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. The Milwaukee & Horicon. This road was also chartered in 1852, and organized May 18, 1853- Its first directors were John B. Smith, Daniel H. Richards, Jasper Vliet, J. Y. Sweeting, Ezra Wheeler, Jas. Field, D. D. Morri- son, J. F. Bassen, E. Beals, David Moulton, Riley N. Messenger, Joseph Alvord and G. A. Sacchi. President— J. B. Smith. Secretary — J. Y. Sweeting. Treasurer — ^W. J. Beale. Engineer — Jasper Vliet. It used the La Crosse track to Horicon. The objective point of this road was Ontonagon, via Menasha, Stevens Point and St. Croix Falls, and was expected to reach Horicon October i, 1854; Wau- pun, January i, 1855; Berlin, October i, 1855; Stevens Point, Oc- tober I, 1856, but it did not. Perhaps not one of all the roads pro- jected during the railroad boom of 1853 and 1854 had as hard a time as the Milwaukee & Horicon. Built like the others, largely on faith, it had a hard road to travel. It did finally reach Berlin in 1856, where it stopped, and where it remained until 1863, when it *Boarding-house. •Milwaukee under the charter. 16S was purchased by and incorporated into the present Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul. The building of this road proved the financial ruin of John B. Smith, Garrett Vhet and Daniel H. Richards, who had invested their all in it, and during the seven years intervening between its construc- tion to Berlin and its incorporation into the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, it led a vagabond hfe. That portion of its line from Stev- ens Point to the St. Croix has now (December, 1884) just been com- pleted by the Wisconsin Central. The Dean Richmond Goes to I^urope. The first shipment from Milwaukee to Liverpool direct was by our well known fellow-citizen, Charles J. Kershaw, in the schooner Dean Richmond, her cargo consisting of 14,000 bushels club wheat. She left Milwaukee July 19, 1856, and delivered her cargo in Liverpool Sep- tember 29. Nine thousand bushels of this wheat was from the ware- house of H. & J. F. Hill (the present Keenan mill), and the balance from Chicago. She was commanded by Captain Pierce. Chas. J. Kershaw, who made this pioneer shipment, is a native of Bromley, Eng., where he was born in 1832. He came to America, Canada, in 1841, received his education at the Derby Line Academy, Derby, Orleans county, Vermont, came west in 1855, and at once engaged in the general commission business here and at Chicago, not making a permanent residence at either city until 1861, when he settled in Milwaukee, where he continued to operate in the cereals until 1867, when he formed a partnership with G. D. Norris for the prosecution of the commission business, which he continued until that gentleman's death in 1869, since which time Mr. Joseph Hill has been a member of the firm under the title of C. J. Kershaw & Co. Mr. Kershaw belongs to that class of men who are all business, and who will go into anything, out of which there is a reasonable prospect of making any money, and of course will often take fearful chances. He dealt largely in lumber, salt and water-lime, in addi- tion to his wheat speculations. He was one of the largest as well as the luckiest speculators on change for years, and accumulated a large property. He is one of the most generous men the writer 166 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. knows and is a splendid friend. He has a fine physique, is as active as a boy, and as full of ambition as when he first commenced. And although reverses have come, as they always will to men who specu- late, yet he meets them with good grace and goes steadily to work to recover the lost ground. That his success may be all he can ask is certainly the wish of the writer as well as all who know him. In person he is of the medium size; has dark hair and eyes; is very quick motioned; has a powerful voice and speaks quick, with slight English accent; is extremely ner- vous, and if he wants anything, wants it bad, and will not rest until he gets it. He is well calculated to make friends and will never be without them. Like McGeogh he has "sand" (as the phrase goes) and will not be kept in the background. Political. There was a meeting of the faithful held at the Court House, July 20, 1856, the proceedings at which are here given, in order to show the style of the Democratic gatherings in the days when it was Fremont and freedom or Buchanan and slavery. The meeting was called for the purpose of organizing a Democratic club for campaign purposes. The attempt however was as complete a failure as was that of 1884, in Milwaukee. " No Buchanan in ours" was the war cry of the Republicans. The meeting was called to order by John White. W. P. Lynde was nominated as chairman, who, on assuming the "woolsack" made an eloquent eulogy upon Democratic honesty and virtue, after which Joshua LaDue was appointed secretary. On motion of Thos. P- Williams a committee consisting of two from each ward were ap- pointed to draft resolutions, who reported the following : Whereas, A convention of the Democratic party have nominated for president and vice-president of the United States James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge ; and Whereas, In the election of these gentlemen are embodied the per- petuation of the Union and of our free institutions, by means of which alone we can secure to our country the glories of the past and the hopes of the future; and moreover, Whereas, Believing that m the exercise of the high functions, par- ticularly of the executive department, require not only care and expe- rience as well as an intimate knowledge of our foreign relations, but dignity, commanding talents and a knowledge of the constitution; and Whereas, We believe these qualities eminently characterize the nominees of the Democratic party ; therefore be it MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 167 Resolved, That we will use all fair and honorable means to secure their election, and to that end we agree to obey and abide by the fol- lowing constitution: Article 1. This association shall be known by the name and style of the Milwaukse Democratic Club. 2. The officers of this association shall be a president, vice-presi- dent, corresponding secretary, a recording secretary and an executive committee of one from each ward. 3. The duties of the officers shall be the same as in other associa- tions. 4. All persons friendly to James Buchanan can join this club. The following were the officers elected : President — H. L. Palmer. Vice-Presidents — First Ward — Jackson Hadley. Second Ward— John C. Dick. Third Ward— John Shortell. Fourth Ward — Jonathan Taylor. Fifth Ward— Michael Page. Sixth Ward — Herman Haertel. Seventh Ward — F. J. Jung. Corresponding Secretary — Geo. A. Woodward. Eecording Secretaries — J. La Due and F. Kuehn. Treasurer — W, P. Lynde. Executive Committee — First Ward — Dighton Corson. Second Ward — J. Kluppak. Third Ward— J. Horan. Fourth Ward— J. B. Edwards. Fifth Ward— D. C. Reed. Sixth Ward — Chas. E. Jenkins. Seventh Ward — Herman L. Page. Assistant Treasurer — Clinton Walworth. John White then addressed the meeting with his usual force — (wind) after which they adjourned. Among the speakers who poured the contents of their vials of wrath upon the " Shanghai-Know-Nothing- Republican-AboHtion " party at the meeting of this club, held August lo, were Joshua La Due and the late Eraslus Foote, and if, as the Bible says, " It is what Cometh out of the mouth of a man that defileth him," then, accord- ing to the newspaper report of their speeches, they were certainly fearfully unclean before they relieved themselves of their burden. It was awful. Criminal. Seven young boys were arrested in July for robbing the store of Wm. P. Young, which gave the press another opportunity to pitch into the supervisors for not providing a suitable place wherein to l68 MILWAUKEE UNDiER THE CttARTER. confine these boys. Hear him as he winds up his article descriptive of the horrors of the jail : Is this the place, ordered by Justice, to confine awhile the foe to civil order and return reformed to civil life? This school of infamy and crime — from where the boy returns more fitted for a foe to God and man ? And he was right — it was a school of infamy. But the supervisors cared for none of these things. Forty-seven boys had been caught steahng within the last six months who were all thrust into this jail, yet nothing was done by the supervisors towards procuring a suitable place wherein to confine and reform them. Council Proceedings July 27. Council removed to their new quarters in Cross' block. Common Council Phocebdings — Mayok Ckos.s, Presiding. A regular meeting of the common council was held on Monday night at the new hall in Excelsior block.* Accounts, petitions and memorials were referred as usual to the dif- ferent committees. There was but little business done, as it was understood that there was to be an adjourned meeting held in the adjoining room after the usual proceedings. Alderman Taylor, chairman of the bridge committee, reported pro- posals for the construction of Chestnut street bridge, and offered a reso- lution that the mayor and city attorney be authorized to enter into a contract with Messrs. Luther, Whitney & Co. for the construction of said bridge, for the sum of $11,500, which was passed with an amend- ment that the name of J. G. Broener & Co. be inserted instead of Whit- ney & Co., they being the lowest bidders by WO. The resignation of the Huron street bridge tender (which caused a sensation) was accepted, and a resolution adopted that J. Barnett be appointed in his place. Various resolutions of less importance were passed, when the council unanimously adjourned to the adjoining room, and went into committee on the whole to consider the merits of an excellent inauguration supper provided by the mayor. The Banquet. Inauguration of the Common Council Hall. The new common council hall in Excelsior block was inaugurated on Monday night with all the ceremonies usual upon such an occasion. The hall is a magnificent one — spaciouSj and well calculated for the pur- pose for which it has been chosen. It is in every way worthy to be oc- cupied as the council room of our growing and prosperous city, and we doubt whether there can be found in the whole country a more con- *Cross' block was christened the Excelsior block on this occasion. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 169 venient and commodious suit of rooms for public offices than those now occupied by our common council and city officers. The common council hall in particular is admirably adapted for a council room; lofty, spacious and handsomely decorated, it presents a striking contrast with the room in which the city fathers have met for years past and deliberated over the interests and welfare of our city, and the contrast impresses one strongly with the idea of the rapid growth which our citv is making in every relation of a metropolitan city. After the usual business of the meeting had been disposed of his honor the mayor offijred a resolution that tne common council and vis- itors "adjourn to the adjoining room," which was most unanimously adopted. In the adjoining room the most interesting part of the evening's busi- ness took ]Dlace — we should judge so at least from the good will with which every one present entered into the proceedings. There was a long table groaning beneath the weight of a sumptuous feast, prepared for the occasion by that prince of caterers, Belden of the Home," and there were in one corner of the room about a dozen neat-looking baskets, in which was packed — it is unnecessary to tell what! His honor the mayor presided over the destinies of the table, with all the gracefulness and dignity that the occasion required. Most am- ple justice was done to Belden's excellent collation, and the contents of the baskets were not forgotten. Appropriate speeches were made by Major Foote, Alderman Hadley, Hon. Moses M. Strong, Judge Mc- Arthur, Hon. N. J. Emmons and others, and the mayor responded modestly in a neat little speech to the innumerable compliments which were showered upon him. All went home at a late hour rejoicing, convinced that Jim Cross was a mighty clever fellow! They changed their minds, however, before long, as will be seen further on. Council Proceedings August 4, 1856. Committee reported in favor of having an alarm bell hung in engine house No. 6, similar to the one now in use in No. 4's house; resolution Committee on railroads reported in favor of surrendering the per- sonal bonds of the directors of the La Crosse Railroad, and also 4,000 shares full-paid stock of the road. A resolution was passed authorizing the city treasurer to surrender the bonds and stock referred to in the committee's report. Section 3 of " An ordinance entitled, an ordinance prescribing fire limits, and the construction of the buildings thereon," passed Septem- ber 14, 1854, was repealed by ordinance. The committee on schools reported in favor of awarding the follow- ing contracts for the erection, improvement and repairs of the school houses, as follows: First ward building to Spaulding & Foote, ?3,131. Sixth ward building to S. Bryant, $3,300. Third ward building to John Horan, $4,450. Fifth ward building to J. Marquis, $2,050. Fourth ward building to Babcock Bros., $9,850. The committee add: The building in the Fourth ward had to be re- built, and is in fact an entire new building, using the material of the old building in the construction of the new one. Contracts awarded. A committee of one from each ward to consult with the city engineer for a system of sewerage for the city was appointed. 170 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Plans submitted for the new school houses for the Seventh and Sec- ond wards, to cost from $9,000 to $12,000 each. The i)lans were drawn by Boyington & Mix, in Ludington's block. A resolution accepting the plans, and authorizing the city clerk and comptroller to advertise for proposals to build said school nouses in accordance with the plans, was accepted and passed. Messrs. Mygatt & Schmidtner were appointed superintendents of the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth wards, and Messrs. Boyington & Mix for the Second and Seventh wards. A resolution was passed reconsidering the appointment of Mygatt & Schmidtner as superintendents of the building and repairing of certain school houses, and Anally passed "at a compensation agreed upon by the common council." Mr. Mix's appointment as superintendent of the Second and Seventh wards in like manner. Council adjourned to Monday next at 7J p. m. The vote to loan aid to the Milwaukee, Green Bay & Lake Supe- perior Railroad,* August 4, resulted as follows : For. Against. First ward 151 1 Second ward 398 5 Third ward 104 78 Fourth ward Ill 14 Fifth ward 318 9 Sixth ward 200 Seventh ward 128 16 Total..., 1,410 123 This was a bad day for the city, but a good railroad day. By Torch Light. A grand torch-light procession was held by the democracy, Octo- ber 25th, at which there was a great outpouring of the unterrified (and also of the spirit). It was such an outpouring, says the Wiscon- sin of the 26th, as would have done the soul of Capt. Rynders good. They came from the East, they came from the West, they came in battalions. Such another crowd of torch-light humanity and horse- flesh was never congregated together as went thundering through Market Square, under the lead of Maj.-Gen. Sanford B. Grant, on Saturday evening, October 25th. Among the banners or devices carried were "Buchanan and Feathers!" (I am unable to perceive what Buchanan wanted with feathers, or to what it referred.) On another was "Aber nicht Free- mont !" (I think this must have been German.) On another was the device of a Hen, with the motto over it " Our B-i-r-d !" On ♦Another swindle. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 171 another was the device of a Shanghai fowl being put through the process of ejectment, with the motto " Can't Roost on Our Fence!" Oh, it was a big time, and fully illustrated the insane folly as well as injustice of universal suffrage. The great strife at this election was upon Congressman from the Milwaukee district. Hon. John F. Potter led the repubUcan hosts, and Jackson Hadley the democratic. The election, held November 6th, was a very exciting one, nearly all the large business ho\ises,an/i all the saloons, being closed, their proprietors going to the polls to work (an act they had better have performed during the late canvass (1884), and which had they done the result might have been dif- ferent.) A Hitch in the Count — The Walworth County Republicans Turn Up a Jack. An amusing incident is said to have occurred in connection with this election. Mr. Hadley was at first declared elected, whereupon he had his house illuminated, and invited a host of the faithful to come in and " wood up," which of course was accepted. But their rejoicing was suddenly turned into mourning, as right in the midst of it, the news came that the republicans of Walworth County had " turned up a Jack" (to use a metaphor), and Potter was elected. The way some of that crowd blasphemed was fearful. It was a bad set back for Mr. Hadley. New Wheat. The first new wheat received this year was by Smyth & Holmes, from Kellogg & Cotton, of Oconomowoc, July 27th. Cattle Market. A cattle market was also established this year on Fowler street, by John Layton and John Plankinton. Twenty-five hundred head o cattle were slaughtered. Bear vs. Bull. The sporting fraternity got up a fight this fall during the State Fair, at Cold Spring, between a California bull and an Australian bear. It was a brutal affair, and resulted in the bear's getting licked in about iWo minutes. 172 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The locomotive works of Messrs. Lee & Walton, mentioned in Vol. III., page 190, were burned this year, December i8th. The Fieb on Thursday Night. — We are very glad to hear from Mr. L. L. Lee, that his loss, from the fire on Thursday night, over and above his insurance, will not exceed §2,000, or !?2,500. The engine escaped comparatively uninjured, as did the blacksmith shop and moulding room. The chief drawback is in the stoppage of his works in midwin- ter, when he cannot immediately rebuild. He proposes, however, to get everything to rightb and in working order again as soon as possible. He was insured 15,000 in the Etna and $3,000 in the New York Home. Mr. Lee desires to express his warm acknowledgments to the firemen and citizens who hurried through the fierce storm to his assistance and contributed, by their efforts, to save a considerable amount of property. The Weather. It would appear by the following that the Sentinel man was hard to please. Hear his lament : Weather. — We desire publicly and formally to bid farewell to all romancing about Wisconsin fall and winter weather. We have seen such weather as was worth a paragraph of special praise each day. Long weeks of bright^ warm balmy days, following each other as sure as the sun rose — and it was sure to rise — have been of old time. October, November, and December, have, in the past decade, given us six or eight weeks of such weather as made it a luxury, to live in it, and we have seen dry and somewhat dusty streets at New Year's. Last year was bad enough, but this, 18-56, caps the climax. Cold, rainy, stormy, almost all the days of the weeks of these months have been, and December " came in like a lion," with a furious snow storm, followed by cold sending the mercury below zero ; followed again, before we had scarcely dug out from the drifts, by a still more severe storm. And this not being yet fairly broken into smooth track, there comes yesterday a heavy ram storm ! December seems likely to " go out," if not " like a lamb," at least like a water spout. Locomotion possessed fearful dangers for pedestrians yesterday, obliged to travel the wet and icy streets, and several that we wot of measured their length, like Antreus of old, upon the earth, but not like him to rise particularly refreshed. " Our sufferings is intolerable." Great Storm, December 21. Damages by the Storm. — We have heard of the follo^^ing, among other damages, caused by the terrific storm of Tuesday. The distillery of Thos. Fitzgerald, on the Lake shore, foot of Wisconsin street, was undermined and swept off by the waves. He estimates his loss at $500. A small frame tenement adjoining, belonging to a fisherman named White, was also carried away. The small warehouse on the outer end Kellogg & Strong's pier was washed off, and the pier itself considerably damaged. Higby's pier escaped without injury. The South pier was somewhat damaged. A number of frame buildings about the city were more or less dam- aged by the eflects of the driving storm. The streets, in many places, were piled six feet deep with snow. The like of it has never been seen in our city. milwaukee under the charter. 173 Ice. The Wisconsin, of December 15th, has the following: The ice in the river was never better than now. It is clear and solid. Parties are cutting it at the foot of Michigan street. Ice three feet thick is not seen every winter. — Ed. No, I think not, and it wasn't that winter either. Funeral of Solomon JuinEau. November 28, 1856. The following, relating to the funeral of Hon. Solomon Juneau, Milwaukee's first permanent white settler, and first Mayor, are taken from the Daily Evening Wisconsin, of November 26th, 1856 : Order of Arrangements for the Funeral Procession op the late Solomon Juneau. The remains of the late Solomon Juneau are expected to be brought to this city for interment during the present week. The City Council at a special meeting held last evening, requested the Military, Fire De- partment, Members of the Bar, Board of Trade, and all the Benevolent and Civic Societies of the city, to join in paying the last tribute of respect to the Pioneer of Milwaukee. The following is the Order of Arrange- ments for the procession. Due notice will be given, through the press, of the time of the obsequies: Military of the City. Fire Department. Body of Deceased, Mourners. Mayor and Ex-Mayors of Milwaukee. f!)ommon Council. Pioneers' Society of Wisconsin. Officers of the D . S. Government. Judiciary and Members of the Bar. Board of Trade. Members of the Press. Benevolent and Civic Societies. Citizens generally. Major-Gen. S. B. Grant has been requested to act as Chief Marshal. The different Companies, Associations, Societies, etc., are requested to report to him at the Mayor's Rooms, Martin's Block, on Friday, between the hours of 10 and 12 o'clock a. m. J. B. Cross, Mayor. FuNERaL Obsequies of the late Solomon Juneau. The funeral obsequies of the late Solomon Juneau, will take place on Friday next, at 11 o'clock a. m. All the military and fire departments of the city. United States and State officers. Judiciary and members of the Bar, Board of Trade, the diflFerent societies and associations of the city and citizens generally, desirous of paying their last tribute of re- spect to the deceased, by taking part in the ceremonies, will meet on Main street, between Oneida and Wisconsin streets, on Friday next, at 10 o'clock A. M. precisely, to form in procession and march to the former 174 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER, residence of the deceased to receive the remains, and from thence to St. John's Cathedral, where the services will take place, after which the procession will accompany the remains to the place of burial. The procession will be formed in the following order: 1st. Military, with right resting on Oneida street. 2d. Fire Department. 3d. Eemains of deceased. 4th. Family and relatives of deceased. 5th. Mayors, ex-Mayors, and Common Council, and City officers. 6th. Pioneer Society of Wisconsin. 7th. Officers of U. S. Government and Foreign Consuls. 8th. State officers. 9th. Judiciary and Members of the Bar. 10th. Board of Trade. 11th. Societies and Associations. 12th. Citizens generally. Military officers and also officers of the different societies and asso- ciations are requested to wear the usual badge of mourning. The north door of the Cathedral will be opened for the admission of ladies only at lOi o'clock a. m. S. B. Geant, Chief Marshal. MiLiTAKY Notice. All the Military Companies of the City, taking part in the funeral ceremonies of the late Solomon Juneau, will appear on Main street, between Oneida and Wisconsin streets, on Friday next (28th inst.,) at 10 o'clock A. M., precisely, fully armed and equipped. The Captains of the several Companies, after marching their com- mands on the ground, will please report at the office of J. L. Hathaway, No. 43 Mason street, when the positions of the different companies in the line will be assigned to them. By order of S. B. Grant, Chief Marshal. J. L. Hathaway, Asst. Milwaukee, November 26, 1856. All city papers please copy. FiRB Department Notice. The several companies of the Milwaukee Fire Department will hold themselves in readiness to turn out to attend the funeral of the Hon. Solomon Juneau at the appointed time, of which due notice will be given; and I hereby extend an invitation to all ex-Chief Engineers of the Fire Department to accompany us as such. J. C. Goodrich, Chief Engineer. This was the largest funeral ever seen in Milwaukee prior to that time. As it has been mentioned previously, no further mention will be made in connection with it in this Volume. It was a beautifu November day. It was the proceedings of this day which led to the formation of the Pioneer Association of Milwaukee City and County. Daniel Neiman Buried. Mr. Neiman, as has been seen, was quite prominent here for many years, as a fireman, hotel keeper, and other occupations. I MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 175 remember his funeral well, and the fine appearance the firemen made in their old time uniform. Funeral of Me. Nbiman. — The remains of the late Daniel N. Neiman, were brought back to this city yesterday from Ashtabula, Ohio, where he died on Wednesday last, after two day's illness, of inflammation of the lungs. His funeral will take place at 10 o'clock this morning, and will be attended by the Milwaukee Fire Department, of which Mr. Neiman was for several years an active and zealous member and officer. Improvements. Among the buildings erected this year, not previously mentioned and in process of erection, were the Newhall House, which was enclosed and plastered during the winter. Also four churches (viz :) The Summerfield (Methodist), the Unitarian on Cass street, the Free Congregational on Spring street, and a German Catholic (St. Joseph's) in the Sixth ward. Among the dwellings were two by Henry Fales, now Nos. 465 and 467 Marshall street, yet in use and among the best in the city as to comfort. A frame for Geo. A. Starkweather at what is now S73 Cass street. This was a crack house, as the phrase goes, when built and is a good house to-day. Mr. Starkweather sold it to Philip D. Armour and he to Rufus Allen, by whom it is occupied to- day. I remember Mr. Starkweather. He was a tall, fine-looking man, and was the father of the celebrated Col. John C, of military fame. The Cordes mansion on Elizabeth street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, pulled down and rebuilt in 1884. The custom house, and two brick stores on Broadway, by J. H. Tweedy and Isaac G. Goodrich, now Nos. 383 and 385 Broadway, yet in use, 383 being known as Marble Hall and owned by Chas. Andrews, and 385 by Edward H. Brodhead. The Albany Hall will be sketched in the next chapter. The present Milwaukee National Bank. The store of Friend Bros., No! 370 East Water street. Also No. 376 East Water street for Clark Shepardson. One by Mahler and Wendt, Nos. 235 and 237 East Water street, now the property of Geo. Ziegler. The building known as the O. H. Waldo Block,* Nos. 222 to 228 inclusive, and one, Nos. 267 and 269 East Water street, by Chas. Quentin, all * Mr. Waldo built this block at least ten years too soon, as for some unex- plained cause they did not rent for that nuniber of years for enough to pay the taxes. They rent better now. 176 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. of which are yet standing. And Nos. 232 and 234, by the Messrs. Inbusch Bros., also yet in use. In commenting upon the store of the Messrs. Friend Bros., the Sentinel has the following : The store is one of the handsomest in the city, and elegantly finished inside. The shelving, ornamental and stucco work are of the hand- somest patterns, and of the most perfect workmanship. The painting is by Mr. OoUingbourne, and the carpenter work by Mr. Horning. The store is entirely fire-proof from without, has an iron front with rolling iron shutters to all the windows, fire- proof roof, and iron shut- ters to all the rear windows. The iron work in the front is from the works of D. D. Badger & Co., New York; the iron work in the rear and the locks of the doors, superior to any others in the city, were made by a German named Toefie, of the Fifth ward. The building is four-stories high, twenty feet front, 100 feet deep; each story is fourteen feet nine inches between joists. The first story is fitted up with great taste, and filled with an extensive assortment of goods for gentlemen's clothing, and with an experienced cutter; the two next stories above are sale rooms, and are filled with a heavy stock of cloths, cassimeres, etc., and ready-made clothing; the upper story is a tailor shop, in which a large number of hands are constantly employed. The mason work is by Mr. Roberts, and speaks for itself in the hand- some exterior of the store. Messrs. Friend & Bro. have been long known to the public at Mil- waukee and a large portion of the people of the interior of Wisconsin, they having had branch stores at Madison, and until recently at Water- town, while their clothing wagons, always accompanied by one of the firm, have kept pace with the progress of settling our State. This puff would do very well for the best store on the street to-day. But then that is a way the editors had in those days, and they do it yet. Zachariah Clayton also built what is now Nos. 234 and 236 Wis- consin street (frame), and the three-story brick Nos. 238, 240, 242 and 244 Wisconsin street. This block is yet in a good state of pre- servation, but in style is not quite up to the modern grade. But its occupants (if they pay their rent) sleep as comfortable and are as happy as though their house had a Queen Anne front and a French roof, and we venture the assertion that the Clayton block will be a good building and need less repairs for the next twenty years than will many of those wonderful specimens of architecture to be found in our city within the next five. But I digress. The Jas. H. Rogers mansion,* southwest corner of Fifteenth and *It was the expectation of the writer to have been able to furnish a cut of tliis then famous dwelling, but in this he has been disappointed, and the description he has given must suffice. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 177 Grand avenue, now the palatial residence of Hon. John Plankinton, was commenced this year, and when completed (in 1857) was with- out exception the most elegant, as well as the most expensive, pri- vate residence in Milwaukee, if not in the Northwest, and cost, in- cluding the ornamentation of the grounds, $60,000, a large outlay for those days. The' two remodelings it has received from its pres- ent princely owner has, however, obliterated all trace of its original external form, as well as its inside finish, with the exception of one room, which still retains its " natal dress.'' This house is now the finest in the city, if not in the state, and has cost over $200,000. The architect of this famous house was Albert C. Nash, now a resident of Cincinnati. Mr. Nash was a prominent architect in our city for many years, during several of which his office was in the old chamber of commerce (the Albany). He was a splendid fellow. I often think of him. He was a true friend, an honest man, and made a good record while in Milwaukee. The master carpenter in the construction of this dwelling was our present well known fellow-citizen, Arthur Bate. The master mason was the late Francis Charnley. The following, in reference to this dwelling and Mr. Nash, is from the pen of Rufus King : Aechitectueal. While the streets are in suoh a fluid state, and the clouds shedding such a copious effusion of rain, it is pleasant to enter the establishment of any of our city architects and take a stroll over the city mentally, seeing its beauty, prosperity and magnificence. Stamping the mud from our boots and closing our dripping umbrella, we yesterday ascend- ed the flight of steps on the corner of East Water and Michigan streets, over MitcheU's bank, and entered the room where A. C. Nash and his corps of architects are busy in giving visible form and color to the ideal mansions which are born in the minds of our wealthv citizens. We were agfeeablv entertained by Mr. Nash, who escorted us from cellar to attic of the beautiful residence — that is to be — of Jas. H. Rogers, on Spring street hill. Ah! gentle folks, who contemplate dwelling in the retirement of your own cottages or palaces — as your tastes or funds may determine. We have entered the portals of your dwellings, pried into every nook and corner, up stairs, down stairs, in the ladies', chamber, into the playroom of the caildren, where they are to romp arid be glad in their young hearts, into the playing room of the big children, where they wisn to handle the cue without going to the places of public re- sort, still we hope we don't intrude. 'The garden, the shrubbery, the cool, shady vine bowers, we entered, admired and searched them all through — the hedges, the gateways, the sweet-scented fine flowers^- were spread and displayed to our entranced view. There, now, that will do. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 179 The annexed cut represents its present appearance. To the right, upon the corner of Sixteenth street, and adjoining the above, can be seen the residence of William Plankinton,* where that gentleman lives in elegance, the two forming a picture not easily- duplicated in any city. The old A. A. R. Butler dwelling, now the homestead of Stephen A. Harrrison, was commenced this year. All work suspended on account of the cold, was the cry of the Se?ttinel of December i, 1856, and it was cold, as the following will show: Cool Night. — It was a "leetle" cool last night. The thermometer was down to zero about daylight this morning. The river is frozen up, so that bridges can be dispensed with by footmen if necessary. We have seen two or three men taking a short cut crossing over on the ice to-day. Navigation may be considered suspended for the season. That it was slightly cool this morning was evident from the way folks acted. Everybody had his face all muffled up, except where his nasal proboscis protruded, and that had a tinge of the deepest vermillion. Brogans and sled runners creaked over the snow, and a dense frost- cloud rolled from the mouths of both men and horses. We didn't envy the young folks who were out on a sleigh-ride at all. It was too much like eating ice cream on an iceberg. We had just as good a sleigh ride as they had, all in the house, too, and by a good warm fire. But winter has its charms, and one of them is to get up such a morning as this, with your fingers cracking, and find the water in your pitcher frozen hard as a rock. Another is to slip up on the sidewalk, and come down with a general spread upon the ice and snow. Which reminds us that the sidewalks ought to be ashed over. Ash your sidewalks, before you become the innocent cause of the death of some valuable citizen. But here she goes to the other extreme : Excessive Changes. — ^The weather is mighty uncertain. For five days preceding Monday ttie mercury marked zero every day, but on Wednesday we were deluged with rain and mercury above 60. To-day the mercury is going down to winter quarters again. River closed this year December 5, at which time the sleighing was fine. The ice, however, was all broken up again by the tug Decatur, in order that the fleet outside might be eiiabled to get in. The following data, furnished by the very efficient harbor master, Jas. S. Trowell, is given here as a comparative record : Office op the Hakbok Master of the City of Milwaukee, I Milwaukee, January 2, 1886. / Hon. James Buck: Sir — Permit me to present to your notice the amount of shipping in winter quarters in the port of Milwaukee classed steam and sail, be- sides the regular line boats now in commission. We have a total num- ber of 144. *Built in 1878. 180 MILWAUKEE UNfiER THE CHARtER. Grain steamers 19 Grain schooners 33 Lumber steamers 14 Lumber schooners 50 Lumber scows 12 Steam tugs 12 Passenger steamers 3 Government steamer 1 Total 144 Arrivals by water for twelve months 4,772 Departures by water for twelve months 4,799 Total arrivals and departures 9,571 Steam tonnage 26,623 Sail tonnage 28,965 Total tonnage 55,588 Dredging done — Cubic Yards. Milwaukee river 74,903 Menominee river 45,080 Kinnickinnick river 49,630 Total cubic yards 169,613 There has been delivered by water in the city during the season of navigation 697,052 tons of coal. Yours very courteously, etc., James S. Tkowell, Harbor Master. CHAPTER IV. i8S7- Opening Address— The Albany Block — New Year's Calls— The Weather— E. H. Brodhead a Bigger Man Than the Pope — A New Grocery, Sketch — Jeremiah Quinn, Sketch — Great Rainstorm — Business Status — Legislative — Ninth Ward Organized — River Opened — Mr. Evans Dies — Municipal — Politics Red-hot — Officers Elected — Andrew Mitchell, Sketch — Public Schools — As- sessment — Altering the Grades — April Fool's Day — Its Results — The New Postmaster — John A. Becher, Sketch — A Park Proposed — Caleb Wall Scores the Common Council — The Messrs. Matthews Brothers, Furniture, Sketch — Opening of the Newhall — Its Success and Final End — Nathan Pereles, Sketch — Merrill's Cornet Band — A Sad Accident — The Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad Meeting — Humorous — He Wouldn't Stand It Any Longer — Political — A Puflf for Mayor Cross — Martin B. Coombs — Municipal Rascality Unearthed— The City in Peril — ^The Meeting at Albany Hall — The Wisconsin — E. L. H. Gardner's Manifesto — The Wisconsin Defends Him — Charles F. Freeman, Sketch — Stephen A. Harrison, Sketch — Daniel L. Wells, Sketch — Improvements — Disputed the Count — Weather — Census — Vessel List — Egbert Herring Smith Outdone — The Old Forest Home Ceme- tery. The commencement of 1857 marked a new era in the growth of the Cream City, as, besides the new buildings mentioned as having been erected during the two previous years upon the burnt district, there were a large number under contract to be completed the com- ing summer. The Newhall house, at that time a much-needed im- provement, was also under roof and being pushed to completion as fast as human hands could force it. The Albany block was also just completed, and as this was one of the notable buildings of that day, as well as its famous hall a great place of resort for public consulta- tions as well as for pleasure during the ten years of its existence as a hall, I will insert the following sketch of it taken from the Milwaukee Sentinel of January 19, 1857 : The Albany. It is by this name that the elegant and spacious building, just erected by Alexander Mitchell and Thomas L. Ogden, on the southwest corner of Michigan and Main streets, is to be designated. As the edifice is one of the architectural ornaments of our city, and singularly well adapted to the uses for which it is designed, we nave thought it deserv- ing of a somewhat detailed description. 182 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The building fronts 120 feet on Michigan and 80 on Main street, is four stories high and 40 feet from the ground to the cornice. It rests on solid stone foundations, and is built of the best Milwaukee brick. The walls are of good thickness, the window-Bills and caps and the cornices are of brick, and the roof is of Vermont slate, so that there is no wood- work of any kind on the outside. The basement and cellars on Main street are occupied by Titus Fernow as a wholesale and retail liquor, wine and cigar store. The other cellars belong to the several stores on the first floor. These stores are five in number, averaging 17 feet front by 77 deep, with 13 to 15-foot ceilings. The corner one on the alley has been rented by John Warner, of Pittsburg, dealer in straw goods. The rooms on the corner of Main and Michigan streets are to be occupied by the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company Bank, as the building in which that institution is now located is about to be demol- ished to make room for a stately block; and the room adjoining these on the west has been taken by Caleb Wall for a city land office. The second story is divided up into fourteen airy, pleasant and well- lighted rooms, designed for offices, and averaging 17 by 20 feet, with 12- foot ceilings. Every one of these is already occupied, as follows: Nos. 1 and 2 — Brown & Ogden. No. 3— Samuel M. Ogden. No. 4 — Levi Hubbell. No. 5 — Cross & Woodward. No. 6 — Finch & Lynde. No. 7 — Hooker & Weeks. No. 8 — Finch & Lynde. No. 9— May & Cottrill. No. 10 — Watkins & Dennis. The remaining rooms are to be occupied by persons connected with the bank. A hall, 10 feet wide and 12 high, runs through the story, connecting above and below by means of two easy and strongly-built staircases, six feet in width. The two upper stories are occupied by the grand hall and the rooms belonging to it. This hall is 116 feet 6 inches long, 60 feet wide and 28 feet high, with two wide entrances connecting with separate staircases. Its dimensions are ample and its appearance magnihcent. At either end are three small rooms to be used as dressing rooms, receiving rooms, etc. The flooring of the hall rests upon double joists, and the brick partitions are carried up to this story. For balls, concerts, lec- tures, etc., there is no such apartment in our state, and no more spa- cious or elegant one in the Northwest. It is to be used for the first time on Thursday evening next, for the annual ball of our Pioneer Fire Co. No. 1. The building throughout is constructed in the most thorough and workmanlike manner, and reflects great credit upon all concerned in its planning, erection and adornment. The architect was Mr. Dillen- burg, a master of his profession. The contractors were James Allen and George Southwell, Jr., whose works do praise them. Harper & Bros, did the painting, and Thos. Johnson furnished the copper and tin work. The total cost of the building complete is not far from $50,000, and the lot is now valued at $30,000, though it was purchased by the lucky pro- prietors only two years since for $11,000. IJpon this large outlay the Al- bany will pay a very handsome rent, and may be pointed out as one of the model buildings of our city. The writer has failed to find a profile of this favorite hall so as to have been able to furnish a cut of it, which he would have much liked to do. milwaukee under the charter. 183 New Year's Calls. The Daily Wisconsin of January i, in commenting upon the day, said that New Year's calls were in order this year as usual, upon which the Sentinel repHed by stating that the exercises of the day wound up by a street performance, during which innumerable young gents were seen in the act of embracing lamp-posts and casting up Jonah. This was true, as many of them that the writer saw had taken in too much cargo of a hquid nature. They drew altogether too much whisky forward to steer well, and " yawed " badly. The Weather. The winter of 1856-57 was a very severe one, particularly the months of December and January. There were several weeks of uninterrupted sleighing, during which the livery men reaped a rich harvest with their fancy turnouts. Edward H. Brodhead a Bigger Man Than the Pope. The following ludicrous incident is said to have occurred at Mil- ton, January 16, 1851. and is too good to be lost. I remember to have heard of it at the time, and have no doubt of its truthfulness : A Power Above the Pope. It will rejoice the hearts of our Know-Nothing friends to learn that, in this state at least, there is a power above the Pope. At least a cir- cumstance which we heard of yesterday warrants that belief. Two jolly sons of Erin^ employed on the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad near Milton, got into a dispute, then to high words, and finally one choked the other. Nothing lurther, however, occurred, and after awhile the twain parted. 'Ine chokee, on getting to bed and thinking over the events of the day, began to wax angry at the indignity which not take that again trom Pat." Not quite suited with this, he again ex- claimed, after a pause, " Be dad, I'd not take it from the praste." Still dissatisfied, after another pause, "Be jabers, I'd not take it from the Pope of Eome." At last, reaching tlie climax, "Be J s, I'd not take it from ould Brodhead himself!" with which flnal denance his wounded spirit was appeased and he sank to sleep. A New Grocery. Wholesale Gkocees. — Milwaukee can boast of having some of the largest wholesale grocery establishments in the West, and among the first of these in our city may be mentioned that of Messrs. Sinclair & Gunnison, successors to Young & Sinclair. Messrs. Sinclair & Gunni- 184 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. son are now in their new and spacious store. No. 40 East Water street, in Inbusch Brothers' magnificent brick block, and are prepared to do any amount of business in their line. Besides groceries they deal very largely in glass, nails, putty, etc. See their card in our advertising col- umns. Messrs. S. & G. are gentlemanly and upright business men of the first stamp, and all those who have had transactions with them will bear testimony to this fact. This was Austin Gunnison and William M. Sinclair. They were the successors of William P. Young, and remained in business about two years and a-half. Mr. Gunnison left Milwaukee in 1864, for Cincinnati, where he became connected with the Inland Oil Com- pany, the firm being Gunnison, Hamilton & Miller. Mr. Sinclair is in Philadelphia, his former home, engaged in the grocery trade. Henry W. Gunnison, a former well-known government official back in the fifties, is now a resident of Farminglon, N. Y. There was another, Mr. Olivet W. Gunnison, well remembered as a specu- lator, and who Luilt the block known as 349 and 351 Main street (Broadway), who became ins. ne and died at Dayton, Ky., in the autumn of 1878. The father died at Milwaukee. Jeremiah Quinn. This gentleman, so well known as well as so universally popular among the people of the " Cream City," was born at Bosnetstown, County Limerick, Ireland, on the 20th day of January, 1835, where and at the Killarne High School, he received his education. He emigrated to the United States in 1852, when seventeen years of age, landing at Boston. Here he learned the tool maker's trade, after which he came to Wisconsin, reaching Milwaukee in 1857, where the next six years were spent in the employ of the now Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Company Railroad shops, in working at his trade when he obtained a position as clerk in the freight department. This promotion might properly be called the stepping stone, or the first round in the ladder which he was determined to climb. To use a Western phrase '■ he had struck oil," and a well which has had a steady flow to ihe present, as the fidelity as well as ability with which he discharged the work intrusted to him, was not long in coming to the knowledge of Manager S. S. Merrill, who at once placed him in charge of the freight department, which position he held until 1870, when the leaders of the democracy, thinking they saw in him the ^4Zil^ MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 185 elements which constitute the successful politician, elected him to the office of city comptroller, which he held for two years, when he was elected tax commissioner (an equally important if not a more respon- sible office than comptroller), and which, on account of his mathe- matical abilities, he was specially qualified to fill. He was not long in discoveririg, however, after being installed in the tax commissioner's chair, that he was expected " to bow the knee to Baal," or in other words, run the office in the interest of the demagogues who, like leeches, are always feeding upon the " carcass political." The attempt, however, to put the fetters upon Mr. Quinn, was a complete failure ; he was not only too independent, but altogether too honest to do anything of the kind, and at once threw up the office, bid adieu to political life, and accepted the post of cashier for Hon. John Plankinton, which he held until 1879, when he was promoted to the more responsible office of private secretary and general business manager to that gentleman, which office he holds to-day. Neither is it any flattery to say, that few men could be found in the commu- nity who could have filled it better, if as well. He is the right man in the right place. Personnel. In person Mr. Quinn is below the medium height, of slight frame, and possessed of a constitution like steel, and being of strictly tem- perate habits, although past the meridian of life (the point when most men begin to show signs of decay), is as vigorous apparently as he was at twenty-five. He walks with a quick, elastic step, is nervous, and if he wants anything, like Horace Chase, he wants it bad, and wants it now. He speaks short and quick, with a slight national accent, and at times, when excited, very emphatic. He keeps all business matters entrusted to him well in hand, and when talking business never lets his countenance give any indication of his thoughts. At such times he looks you steadily in the eye, which he does not always do in ordinary conversation, and if your intention was to deceive him, you will need plenty of nerve to meet the gaze of that mild blue eye that, while talking, is taking your measure very rapidly ; neither will you regain his confidence or respect, when once you have lost it ; sharpness, in a trade, is no bar to his confidence, but dishonesty 186 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. is. Mr. Quinn is what is called a self-made man, and has reached his present position by merit alone. In political faith he is a democrat, but not of the Thos. A. Hen- dricks stripe, and stood, during the late rebellion, with that wing of the party who were for a vigorous prosecution of the war. Some effective speeches were made by him at the early war meetings, at one of which he made the following telling reply to the Ryan Address. After criticizing that document in no honied words, he closed as follows : " I tell you this war must be fought to victory, by any method leading to success, and any method that brings victory to our cause is right and just. We are in a struggle for life, and the principle of self-preservation is above the Constitution." This was the language of a patriot, and had the true ring. He is also a staunch friend of our public school system, and had he the power every child in this broad land would receive the benefit of an education, neither would our streets be filled with the young hoodlums, who literally make " Rome howl " with their orgies at times, for the want (mainly) of the education that attending these schools would confer upon them, but which, on account of the eccle- siastical fetters worn by their parents, they are not permitted to enjoy. Neither would he permit any interference by any one, lay or clerical, that would impair their usefulness, vide the following sentiment given when in the school board some twenty years ago, in response to a call to speak to a toast, the closing sentence of which was " Our Public School System — our country's most distinctively marked pub. lie institution, wherein the children of every class stand upon com- mon ground and enjoy equal privileges, and out of which America's future cosmopolite citizenship will be fraternized and nationahzed — the republic's future hope and corner-stone. May it survive for- ever." That was grand and showed Mr. Quinn to be a patriot indeed, and who had the future welfare of his adopted country at heart. In religious faith he is a Catholic, and an influential as well as a liberal one. Such is Jeremiah Quinn, an honest man and a valued citizen. May his shadow never be less. milwaukee under the charter. 187 Great Rain-Storm. There was a tremendous rainstorm on the 6th and 7th of February that carried off all the snow, as well as taking out nearly all the frost. It froze up' again, however, on the nth tighter — ^so the Wisconsin man said (and he knows) — than a miser's pocket, which closed the river again above Walker's Point bridge, but not below, that part re- maining open during the balance of the winter. The cold was very severe in March, so much so as to cause the ice in the river above Spring street bridge to form a foot in thickness on the loth. But it commenced to moderate again on the 20th, and on the 25th the river was all clear. But the spring was very backward, owing to the unusual quantity of ice in the lake. The status of the principal business firms was substantially the same as in 1856, very few changes having been made. In addition to the hotels previously mentioned were the Em.nett House, kept by Darby Carney, on East Water, between Chicago and Buffalo streets ; the Shamrock, by Tim Savage, 72 Huron street; the Killarney House, by Pat O'Reardon; the Shillalah, by Jim Flanagan; Erin's Home, by Michael Finnegan, and several others with less high- sounding titles*. The above were all in the Third ward. Jas. S. Mitchell was also in the Eastern Hotel, foot of Huron street. James O'Brien was in the Travellers' Home (Tim's old place. Legislature. The members from the city and county this year were : To the senate, August Greulich and Edward O'Neill; to the assembly, Fred- erick K. Bartlett, Moses M. Strong,* Andrew McCormick, Jonathan Taylor, Jasper Humphrey, Herman Haertel, Frederick Moscowitz, Jas. Reynolds and Jas. D. Reymart. *It is proper to state that the Milwaukee Sentinel, from which this list was copied, states that many of these hotels had a grocery in connection therewith, and that is the recollection of the writer. In fact, they were mostly groceries with a saloon attachment. *The Blue Book gives this gentleman as a representative from Milwaukee, and the city directory for 1857 locates him at Milwaukee as land commissioner for the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, residence at the Newhall, which accounts for his appearance as a Milwaukee member, although his residence here was only for a special purpose. He is now and always has been a resident of Mineral Point. 188 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. This legislature convened January 14 and adjourned March g. Wyman Spooner, speaker. The Ninth Ward Organized. The Sixth ward was divided this year by an act entitled, " An act to incorporate the city," as follows : Section 1. All the territory now included in the Sixth ward of the city of Milwaukee which lies east of the center of Seventh street, and extending to the northern boundary of said city, shall hereafter consti- tute and be the Sixth ward of the city of Milwaukee. And all the ter- ritory now included in the Sixth ward of said city which lies west of the center of Seventh street, as extended to the northern boundary of said city, shall hereafter constitute and be a new ward, to be called the Ninth ward of the city of Milwaukee. And the said Sixth and Ninth wards hereby created shall have all the rights and privileges, and be subject to the same regulations, laws and ordinances as the other wards in said city, and shall be entitled to elect the same oiRcers. This act to take effect and be in force from and after the 31st day of March, 1857. Approved February 20, 1857. Ice left the river this year February 28, and May i brought us our first boat, the Lady Elgin, from Chicago. An Old Settler Gone. An Old Landlord Dead. — By reference to our obituary notice this morning it will be seen that the funeral of William L. Evans takes place at 2 p. m. to-day from the residence of his widow on Michigan street. Mr. Evans was formerly the landlord of the old Commercial Hotel, on East Water street. Five years since he left this city for Cali- fornia, and on the 30th of last January he was taken ill^ and died in Tennessee on his return home. It was, his request, a few minutes before dying, that his body should be brought to Milwaukee for interment. Mr. Evans was a Welshman, of good standing when in business here. He leaves a widow and children to mourn, with his numerous country- men and friends, his death. I remember Mr. Evans. He was a splendid representative of the old Silures (Welsh) as ever came here, and a good mechanic. He was at one time a bench mate of the writer's, when both were in the employ of Stoddard H. Martin. He was a very muscular man, quick motioned and somewhat impulsive, a good friend ; and if an enemy, always an open one. Peace to his memory. Taxation. The subject of taxation, that ever-present incubus, came to the front again this year, and became as usual the hobby-horse for some of the leaders to ride into office upon, they representing the " bull " MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 189 and the people the " bear " side of the question, and thus the war progressed until there was music by the entire band. But more of this hereafter. The pipes were laid to run the whole city treasury into the pockets of the honest politicians, and it came very near being accomplished before the Repubhcans could apply the brakes. New bonds were selling for fifty cents on the dollar to pay interest on old ones past due, which soon brought the tax-payers to grief. In commenting upon this election Mr. Cramer calls upon the tall and lean Yankees who had fought and bled upon the gory field of whisky and politics to turn out and vote. This they did, but it availed nothing, the result, of course, being a Democratic victory of 3,400 majority in the county. The people had not got their eyes open as yet to the way they were being bled, but, as will be seen further on, they discovered it at last. The Mayoralty — The People Begin to Wake Up. There was a call in the Sentinel, of March 27th, for William A. Prentiss to run for Mayor. Politics were red hot. The usual cam- paign liar was on hand with a charge of some kind against all the candidates who had any following. Annexed is the reply of the late Thomas Keogh, who was up for alderman, to a charge some political bummer had made, and which if not stamped out would in all probability defeat him : [For the Sentinel.'] A Falsehood Refuted. Messrs. Editors: I beg leave to trespass upon your columns to give refutation to a base and malicious falsehood, which has been put in cir- culation by certain political intriguers, to operate against my election, as one year Alderman of the Third ward, which is to the effect that I have written a letter to Washington, complaining of Mr. John White, Collector of the Port of Milwaukee, for having kept in his employ a German whose principles were anti-democratic. I will merely state that I have no knowledge whatever of the manner in which the busi- ness of the Custom House has been conducted, nor of the political stand- ing or character of any clerk in his employ, and therefore brand its author, or authors, as wilfii! and deliberate liars, and challenge them to the proof. As this is one of the most important of the many falsehoods put m circulation to bring about my defeat, I take this method of setting myself right before the public. It's no use, gentlemen-intriguers, the game won't work; the people's eyes are being opened to the despera- tion to which you are being driven, and the intrigues to which you resort, and will scrutinize njore closely the secret of your opposition, 190 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. and will, in the coming election, consign you to the fate which so richly merit. Very respectfully. Your obedient servant, Thomas Keogh. Milwaukee, March 21, 1857. Mr. Keogh was a native of Ireland, and a man of more than ordi- nary ability. He was, as has been seen, one of the early school teachers. He was honest and conscientious, and scorned to resort to the little contemptible tricks that form so large a part of a politi- cian's capital, in order to get votes or office. He died Sept. 20th, 1879, and was buiied in Calvary Cemetery. He was a staunch Catholic. M. Keogh was the father of our well-known fellow-citizen, Hon. Edward Keogh, who has been quite noted as a politician, and who has been a leader among his countrymen for many years. Mr. Keogh has got a well balanced head on his shoulders, and has made a good record both as a public man and a private citizen. A democratic caucus was held in the Third ward, at which the following aspirants for political honors were put in nomination : Alderman for two years — Andrew McCormick. Alderman for one Vear — John Jennings. Assessor — Martin Delaney. Constable — John Ryan. Railroad Commissioner — Thos. Eviston. The delegates from this ward to the city convention were instructed to go for S. B. Grant for mayor, and T. O'Brien for marshal. There were 1,100 votes polled at this caucus, showing pretty con- clusively that every one not only voted early, but as often as they wished. It was a way they had of doing things in that ward in the olden time, and they do it yet occasionally. Fourth Ward. — In this ward, Jonathan Taylor led the demo- cracy, and Jackson Hadley in the First. The following were the polling places for holding the election in 1857: First Ward— The dwelUng of Peter Theis, corner of Jackson and Og- den streets. Second Ward — La Crosse Railroad Depot. 'Third Ward — Louisiana House. Fourth Ward — No. 5 Engine House, Second street. Fifth Ward — Rochester House, corner Reed and Florida. Sixth Ward — P. Altpeter's House, comer Sherman and 'Third. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 191 Seventh Ward — ^Best's Beer Hall, Market Square. F.ight.ti Ward — Molden's Beer Hall, cornet Elizabeth and Jones. Ninth Ward— At " Widdy Malone's." The election, however, resulted as follows : Mayor — James B. Cross. Comptroller — Ezra L. H. Gardner. Treasurer — Herman Schwarting. City Attorney — Erastus Foote. Police Justice — Clinton Walworth. City Engineer — William S. Trowbridge. Chief of Pohce — William Beck. City Clerk— Robert B. Lynch. Deputy — Alex. Bolton. Marshal — Charles E. Meyer. City Printers — English, Sharpstein & Lathrop. German, P. V. Deuster. Inspector of Wood and Hay — P. Jacobus. Sealer of Weights and Measures — Christian Meyer. Bridge Superintendent — Patrick Markey. Aldermen. First Ward — Jackson Hadley, Christopher Bast and F. Heineman.* Second Ward — Alex. Cotzhausen. A. Greulich and John Fuldner. Third Ward— A. McCormick, T. O'Brien, and John Jennings. Fourth Ward — Jonathan Taylor, Alex. H. Johnston, and John Plank- in ton. Fifth Ward— F. Conrad, D. C. Eeed, and C. Seeman. Sixth Ward — Joseph Walters, F. Kuehn and Carl Bussack. Seventh Ward — William A. Prentiss, George S. Mallory and James H. Greno. Eighth Ward — E. G. Hayden, G. G. Loeffler and Geo. Hoehne. Ninth Ward — Matthias Human, D. J. Doernick and Frederick Wer- gen. Council Room in Cross Block, northeast corner East Water and Huron streets. Commissioners of Survey. Herman Haertel, Ira E. Goodall, Sanford B. Grant, O. B. Hopkins Elisha Eldred, Andrew Mitchell and Matthias Human. Ward Officers. First Ward— Stephen Hoff. Second Ward — T. Handske. Third Ward— Martin Delaney. Fourth Ward — Ambrose Ely. Fifth Ward— Hiram Merrill. Sixth Ward — Ernst Herzer. Seventh Ward — Fred. Wardner. Eighth Ward — Joseph Dressier. Ninth Ward — Adam Finger. *I think this is incorrect, as no such name appears in the directory. There was a Joseph Heineman. 192 milwaukee under the charter. Justices of the Peace. First Ward — Geo. A. McGarigle. Second Ward — Chas. F. Bode. Third Ward— William Holland. Fourth Ward— D. L. Deyo. Fifth Ward— Oliver Parsons. Sixth Ward — Biley N. Messenger. Seventh Ward — Albert Smith. Eighth Ward— William A. Tucker. Ninth Ward— F. R. Berg. Constables. First Ward — J. Schoeffle. Second Ward — Chas. Neuman. Third Ward— John H. Byan. Fourth Ward— Edward Mallon. Fifth Ward— Joseph Deuster. Sixth Ward — M. Schwibbinger. Seventh Ward — H. Guenther. Eighth Ward— H. Doerfner. Ninth Ward — Christopher Maas. Eailkoad Commissioners. First Ward— Peter Theis. Second Ward — William H. Jacobs. Third Ward— Thos. Eviston. Fourth Ward — John Sercomb. Fifth Ward— Chas. H. Larkin. Sixth Ward — Adam Portner. Seventh Ward — Christ. Preusser. Eighth Ward— Chas. T. Melms. Ninth Ward— E. L. Phelps. Police. The policemen were twenty-six in number, nearly all the same as the previous year. J. B. Eodee and Philander W. Dodge, being station keepers, in place of Joseph Sprague and Anson Randall. SUPEBVISOES. First Ward— J. Hadley.* Second Ward — Alex. Cotzhausen. Third Ward— A. McCormick. Fourth Ward — Jonathan Taylor. Fifth Ward — Francis Conrad. Sixth Ward — Joseph Walters. Seventh Ward — William A. Prentiss. Eighth Ward— E. G. Hayden. Ninth Ward— M. Human. Towns. Wauwatosa — Perley J. Shumway. Granville — Solomon C. Enos. Milwaukee — Chas. Hauf. Lake — Andrew Douglass. Greenfield — -Patrick Walsh. Oak Creek — N. Howes. Franklin — Andrew Sullivan. William A. Prentiss, chairman. Chas. F. Kasten, clerk. * C. Bass was subsequently appointed in his place. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 193 School Commissioners. First Ward— Silas Chapman, Dennis Culligan and Jackson Hadley, Second Ward — Chas. F. Bode, John Noll and Jas. B. Selby, Jr. Third Ward— Ed. O'Neill, John Shortelland John Horan. Fourth Ward — Jonathan Taylor, Samuel L. Elmore and Jno. A. Seeer. Fifth Ward — Charles H. Larkin, Duncan C. Eeed and Andrew Mit- chell. Sixth Ward — Ferdinand Kuehn, Benj. Church and Daniel Daggett, Seventh Ward — Albert Bade, Geo. S. Mallory and Herman Schwar- ting. Eighth Ward— E. G. Hayden, A. Miller and Geo. Burnham. Ninth Ward — Samuel Brown, Peter W. DeVos, and John H. Lippert. Andrew Mitchell, Whose name appears as school commissioner from the Fifth ward for 1857, was a man to whom Dame Nature had been very lavish of her gifts, who, could he have received a liberal education, would have been a power in the country, and who, as it was, was a man of mark wherever he dwelt. He was a native of the old Granite State, having been born at Acworth, N. H., on the 15th day of August, 1804; removed to Lincoln, Vt., when a boy, and from there to Milwaukee in 1850. Mr. Mitchell was not a man to shrink from any duty, or who could stand quietly by where dishonesty was being practiced without en- tering his protest against it, and consequently was soon called to fill public trusts, having been appointed to the above office in 1854, and which he continued to fill during 1855, 1856 and 1857. Neither is it any injustice to his compeers to say that the board has never had on its rolls a member (not liberally educated) who exerted a greater influence or made a better record than did Andrew Mitchell. His natural good common sense and judgment always made him promi- nent, which, coupled with his indomitable will, made him a hard man to circumvent or defeat. He was a man of large frame, with a constitution capable of great endurance, had a strong voice, was quick to see, prompt to act, and as fearless and outspoken as any one the writer knows. You wanted no lantern with which to find him. He was sharp and keen, had his eyes (to use a metaphor) in the front of his head, knew how to make money, and how to take care of it when made. He also served on the board of aldermen from his ward (the Fifth) in 1854 and 1855, where he did good ser- vice, and had there been more Kke him the city would have been 194 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. saved from much of the scandal of the next few years, on account of the political rascality perpetrated by some of her officials. He has left a good record. He died February 3, 1883. Public Schools. The following is the list of the public schools for 1857 : First Ward. Northwest corner of Van Buren and Division streets. George McWhorter, principal; Miss S. E. Dewey, first assistant; Miss E. Graham, second assistant. Intermediate— Miss S. L. Porter, principal; Miss J. Duggan, assist- ant. Primary— Miss C. Kavanagh, principal; Miss M. Qumn, assistant. Third Ward. Northeast corner of Detroit and Jackson streets. Fennimore C. Pomeroy, principal; Mary E. Boylan, first assistant; Miss C. Gilbert, second assistant. Intermediate— C. C. Mahoney, principal; Miss Gilbert, assistant. Primary— Miss Ann E. Mitchell, principal j Miss Josephine Porter, first assistant; Miss M. A. Jennett, second assistant. Fourth Ward. Northwest corner of Eighth and Sycamore. Charles K. Martin, principal; Miss E. J. Teale, assistant. Intermediate— Miss Baldwin, principal; Miss Isabel Rogers, assistant. Primary — Miss Sackett, principal; Miss L. Teed, assistant. Fifth Ward. Northwest corner of Virginia and Greenbush. Jos. E. Bateman,* principal; Miss Sarah H. Drake, assistant. Intermediate— Miss A. D. Mitchell, principal; Miss B. Morey, assist- ant. Primary — Miss C. A. Alvord, principal ; Miss Nancy Packard, assist- ant. Sixth Ward. On Fourth, between Cherry and Galena streets. H. W. Spaulding, principal; Miss J. Davis, first assistant; Miss H. Clarke, second assistant. Intermediate — Miss H. Upham, principal; Miss M. Phelps, assistan t Primary — Miss E. F. Greenleaf, principal; Miss A. E. Van Dyke, first assistant; Miss E. L. Marsh, second assistant. Ninth Ward.! Miss E. H. Langdon, principal; Miss Eice, assistant. *Mr. Bateman died of consumption soon after at Grand Rapids, Mich. He was a fine looking man, and a universal favorite with all who knew him. I remember Mr. Bateman well, and often see him in memory's eye. fXhis house was on Fourth street, northwest corner of Fourth and Beaubien streets. milwaukee under the charter. 195 Fire Department. Chief Engineer— Daniel Schultz. First Assistant — Frank Devlin. Second Assistant— Philip Daly. Third Assistant— P. McDonough. FiKE Waedens. First Ward— W. Spence and W. Ludwig. Second Ward— H. Mond and S. D. Luscomb. Third Ward— W. H. Holland* and J. H. Evan. Fourth Ward— M. Phalen and W. G. Haack. Fifth Ward— D. C. Eeed and D. House. Sixth Ward- A. D. Rudd and W. Tompkins. Seventh Ward — A. C. Jacks and L. Fuchs. Eighth Ward— Chas. T. Melms and H. Milman. Ninth Ward— G. Leubenheimer and A. C. Meyer. The number of practicing physicians was eighty-two, seven of whom were homoeopathic. The number of attorneys was eighty-one. These attorneys were all allopathic — no little pills in their practice. Assessments for 1857 foot up $6,441,334, as follows: First Ward $575,850 Second Ward 535,800 Third Ward 1,377,804 Fourth Ward 821,240 Fifth Ward 819,820 Sixth Ward 810,890 Seventh Ward 1,413,505 Eighth Ward 294,725 Ninth Ward 292,100 Total $6,441,434 Altering the Grade. There was quite an excitement this year among the First ward tax payers, on account of Alderman Jackson Hadley's attempting to change the grade on Jackson street, solely, as they claimed, to benefit his own property. But the work went on all the same. It took some- thing more than complaints to prevent him from carrying out any plan he undertook. Nothing short of a general uprising of the people (which came in 1858) could turn him firom his purpose. I remember the excitement this change occasioned. It was a deep cut in many parts of the street. *This gentleman, so well known in Milwaukee from 1856 to 1869 as an insur- ance man and an official in the fire department, is now a resident of St. Louis. The writer remembers Mr. Holland as a genial, whole-souled and active citizen, and had the pleasure of shaking hands with him on the i6th of July, 1885, for the first time in fifteen years. 196 milwaukee under the charter. April Fool's Day Was celebrated in Milwaukee this year in the usual manner. All sorts of ruses were put in practice to trap the unsophisticated. One of the clerks at the Walker House got a letter asking him to be on the watch for the trunk of one John B. E-1-e-p-li-a-n-t, who was expected up from Chicago. (He found the trunk.) There was one affair, however, witnessed by the writer, which proved to be anything but a pleasant surprise to the victim. Some young hoodlums had filled an old battered stove-pipe hat, that from its appearance had been accustomed to carry imaginary ones in its original owner's palmy days, with real brick, some of John Burn- ham's best, and placed it on the sidewalk, bottom side down of course, on South Water street, directly in front of the old Newhall warehouse, after which they hid behind some lumber to watch the result. It was not long before a phoolosofer, who had just been into one of the saloons which adorn that locaHty to get his bearings, came saunter- ing along apparently engaged in working out a sum in the cube root by a mental process, who, seeing the hat, stopped and, after gazing upon it for a moment, gave it a kick, intending no doubt to land it in Wauwatosa, but it remained in statu quo. The phoolosofer, how- ever, went hopping off on one foot (carrying the other in his hand), while the good little boys who had planned the game yelled their approbation at its success. The unlucky mathematician had solved his problem. The New Postmaster and the Sentinel's Comments. POSTJMASTER 01' THIS CiTY. The appointment of J. E. Sharpstein, Postmaster, naturally makes a sensation here. The Dodge, Wells and Noonan interest staked their whole political influence upon the issue, and are woefully beaten. " It is generally supposed that ex-Postmaster Isoonan will come home as mad as a black rhinoceros, and that with his horn up he will tear a great hole in the Buchanan party in this State. The President has absolutely spurned him. Will he submit and kiss the rod ? We hope that he is man enough to put his back to the wall and fight his oppressors to the last. And he did. This was a rather severe check to Noonan, et al., as the love they bore him (Sharpstein) could in no sense be compared to that of \a^/%d^L-f-x^ MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 197 David and Jonathan. They hated him as the devil does holy water. But they had to stand it. John A. Becher. This gentleman, now so well and so widely known as one of our prominent and influential adopted fellow-citizens, is a native of Wei- mar, Germany, where he was born November 13th, 1833, and from where he migrated to America is 1853, reaching Milwaukee in 1857.* Mr. Becher is not one of the kind who, like Mr. Micawber, sit quietly down and wait for something to turn up, and consequently was not long in establishing himself as a real estate and loan agent, a vocation for which he is peculiarly well fitted, his first place of business being upon Reed street, between Lake and Florida streets, where, and at other locations upon the South Side, he remained until 1861, growing in wealth as well as in experience, besides establishing a first class reputation for fair and honorable deahng, when, wishing to enlarge his field of operations, as well as to obtain a more central location, he removed to No. 87 Michigan street, Alex. Mitchell's Bank build- ing, where he can be found to-day. Mr. Becher, although of a very quiet demeanor, has, like most of his countrymen, political aspirations, and was among , the first to apply for and receive the appointment of agent for the Wisconsin State Board of Immigration, upon its organization in 1869, which he held until its abolition in 1871, but was reappointed again upon its re-establishment in 1879, and elected its president, and which honor- able as well as responsible position he still occupies. He was a member of the legislature from the Fifth ward in 1873, where he was both active and efficient, and has served as a member of the school board from 1873 to 1877, where he made a good record. He also, in common with the rest of his countrymen, took a part in the defense of the Union during the late rebellion, serving as quartermaster of the Thirty-fourth Wisconsin, going in upon its organization and serving until mustered out in 1863. Personnel. In person Mr. Becher is of the medium height, has a wiry, mus- * In Vol. II., page 210, it was stated that Mr. Becber came in 1844. This was an error, he did not come until 1857. 198 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. cular frame, is the picture of health, and belongs to that type of men who are born to succeed, and who always do succeed. He is aggressive, and can not well be kept in the background. He has a fine legal mind, is a great thinker and reader, and possesses the fac- ulty of planning and carrying forward to completion large schemes for money-making, as his executive abihties are good. He is very reticent, that being one of his best points ; has caution largely de- veloped, will take no part in any project that has a doubtful look, or connect himself with any one whose reputation is under a cloud. In political faith he is a Republican, and in religious a , liberal. His morals are unimpeachable, and although polite to every one, has self-respect largely developed, and in his intercourse with others, whether acquaintances or strangers, is always dignified, never allow- ing any undue familiarity from any one. Mr. Becher has accumulated a handsome property, which he is using in a judicious manner. A Park Proposed. An offer was made this year by Horace Chase to sell the city twenty acres of his farm, on the south side, for a park, but the prop- osition did not meet with the approbation of the then city fathers. There was a lengthy discussion in the papers, however, upon it, but it ended in smoke.* Caleb Wall Scores the Common Council. City Land Office. Messrs. Editors : I do not wish to be considered as one who finds fault with Milwaukee, for I love her name ; I owe to her all I am worth, and I expect to end my days and be buried beneath her sod. Yet I do not see any good reason why the streets in the Seventh ward should be in such an awful condition as they now are, and how our aldermen, who are men of taste, talent and wealth, can endure it I am unable to comprehend. For instance, when you leave Wisconsin street and go north on Main street, it is awful. Then up Mason street by the *I do not know of, nor do I believe that there is another city of the size of Mil- waukee in America whose inhabitants are so perfectly indifferent to parks as are ours, while nature has spread out before them localities whose beauty as well as fitness for such occupation are conceded by all, and whose large-hearted owners have often urged them to take for a mere nominal sum, yet they will not; and aside from the Juneau Park, which is in fact a mere flower garden, we have no place worthy the name. The German idea of such a place is one vast saloon, where they can meet, dance, smoke and drink the "frisky lager;" but the Ameri- can portion are too penurious to do even that. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 199 FirBt Presbyterian church the crossings on the same up to Van Buren street are no better; up Oneida or Biddle to Marshall and Astor street it is shameful. Complaints through our papers have been made against our worthy and enterprising aldermen in the Fifth ward. They are doing all they can do, but the Seventh ward aldermen seem to be asleep. I am sorry to be obliged to make this complaint Last week I had three Virginia gentlemen who came here to investigate matters, and and see what chance there was to invest their money. They represent- ed from one to two millions of dollars, and the only complaint they did make was the horrible condition of our streets. There will be a large number here in the course of twenty days from the South, for the pur- pose of taking a thorough survey of our city. Do, Messrs. Aldermen of the Seventh ward (which is considered one of the wealthiest wards in our city), have the streets in such a condition that one can drive around without breaking his carriage. The other wards are fe,r ahead of us, Particularly the Fifth ward, for I can drive down Clinton street to the ^innikinmc bridge, on a beautiful plank and graded street, in fifteen minutes from Wisconsin street. Cai/BB Wall. Caleb was right. There was an indifference about the streets at limes on the part of the city fathers that was shameful, but the voice and pen of Caleb' iinally got them started, and once started there was a change visible in a few days for the better. Caleb was a trump. TijE Matthews Bros. — Furniture. This celebrated furniture house, which from small beginnings has grown to its present gigantic proportions, was founded by Eschines P. and Alonzo R. Matthews, who came to Milwaukee from New- berry. Geauga county, O., landing here on the 9th day of June, 1857, and at once commenced to make a " plant." Their first place of business was in a small frame building, yet standing, and known as No. 531 East Water street, where, on the nth of June, two days after their arrival, with a cash capital of $200, they took their place at the foot of Dame Fortune's ladder, fixed their eyes upon the top, and commenced the ascent, and up which they have continued to ascend step by step, until they have reached the top and the victory won. They remained in these humble quarters — doing their manufactur- ing themselves — until January, i860, during which, by good man- agement as well as economy, they have not only built up quite a large trade, but have also made a handsome addition co their capital, when feeling assured that they were bound to strike oil (as the phrase goes) if they went a little deeper, they removed to the brick 200 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. building known as No. 495 East Water street, where they remained until February, 1863, where, such had been their success, that a sec- ond removal seemed almost imperative, and they secured the then magnificent building, erected in 1855 by Henry Wederhoff, No. 418 East Water street (Noyes & Flertzheim's old place), and opened a manufactory on River street, where they employed about a dozen hands, and began to push matters, i. e.. they now assumed the ag- gressive and made it warm for all their competitors. Here they remained until 1867, when they were joined by Quincy A. Matthews, a younger brother, who went into their employ as a salesman, making a three-fold cord not easily broken. They had now reached a period in their history where they were able to make their power felt, and needing more room for manufac- turing purposes, a new factory (the nucleus of the present mammoth structure on Fourth street) was erected in 1870, into which all the improvements in the art then in use were placed, and the work of manufacturing commenced on a large scale, they still occupying the store on East Water as a salesroom until March, 1874, when, having again outgrown their quarters, they removed to 411 Broadway, Chas. Munkwitz's new building, erected expressly for them, on a five- years' lease, at a rental of $5,000 per annum, using the Wederhoff store as an upholstering and finishing room, for which purpose it was connected with 411 Broadway by an elevated bridge over the alley. They now had the largest store as well as the most elegant stock of furniture to be found in the West, and their fame was in all the land. It was at this time that many, with whom no doubt the wish was father to the thought, predicted their failure, as their expenses com- pared with other establishments of a similar nature were enormous, but their success while in this store was fully equal to their expecta- tions, and they did not fail. Here they remained until the expiration of their lease (1879), when feeling satisfied that still greater success would crown their efforts by being located upon East Water street, they removed to the new five-story building erected by the Philip Best Brewing Company, on the old John Pixley lot, Nos. 407 to 411 inclusive, at which time articles of incorporation were filed, with Eschines P. Matthews, prest., Alonzo R. Matthews, sec, Quincy A. Matthews, treasurer, Lowell Damon, draughtsman and designer, and 4 42, 46,' 38, 21, 19. 34, 35 and 41. A beautiful monument, upon which the names of all these unfor- tunates are chiseled, mark their final resting-place in our own Forest Home, where let them sleep until He who made them shall bid them rise. , The site of this unfortunate hotel has been purchased by that gigantic corporation, the Northwestern Mutual Life, for $90,000, upon which they have erected the magnificent structure here repre- sented at a cost of $500,000, which, let us hope, may prove a suc- cess. MdfArrd^ milwaukee under the charter. 217 Nathaiv Pereles. This gentleman, who for many years occupied so prominent a place in the legal fraternity, as well as in financial circles, in Milwau- kee, was born at the village of Sabotist, Neutia county, Hungary, on the 2d day of April, 1824. It was not his fortune to belong to that class who (to use a metaphor) are born with a silver spoon in their mouth, as his parents, although occupying the respectable position of teachers, were very poor, the only legacy they were able to be- stow upon their son being the rudiments of an education and their blessing, with which, at the early age of fifteen, he bade adieu to the paternal roof and struck out on life's broad main for himself. His first employment was as clerk in a wholesale indigo and seed store in the city of Prague, attending gtrictly to business during business hours, but spending his evenings and holidays in study, for the pur- pose of fitting himself for a higher position. Not a moment of those precious hours went unimproved. Indeed, so rapid was his progress that five years later (1844) he was promoted to the honora- ble as well as responsible position of confidential clerk to his em- ployers, the highest round ever reached by the majority of those who make book-keeping their objective point. This promotion, although a good advance in life, did not satisfy him. He longed for something more independent, something over which he would be the manager, and to obtain which, after one year's service in his new position, he resigned, and bidding a long adieu to his native land sought in America the prize for which he was aiming. His first act after his arrival in New York city, that Mecca of the emigrants, was to engage as a laborer upon a farm on Long Island, reserving the privilege of attending school in order to acquire a knowledge of English. He also gave lessons in music and French as opportunity offered. He remained in that locality until 1847, when, having accumu- latee a small capital, he came to Milwaukee and commenced busi- ness for himself His first plant was a retail grocery, with which he subsequently connected dry goods, at what is now Nos. 11 and 13 Chestnut street. Here he quickly built up a large trade and made money rapidly — so rapidly, in fact, as to enable him (in 1853, see 218 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Vol, III., page 441) to assume the contract of Mr Schultz* upon the then La Crosse Railroad, that gentleman having failed, and compfete it. It was at this time that the writer first saw him. He had now reached a point in his career when he felt himself able (financially) to adopt a profession more in accordance with his tastes than was the vending of groceries or dry goods, viz., the loan- ing of money in connection with the purchase and sale of real estate, and as this required a certain amount of legal knowledge in order to make its pursuit a success, he at once commenced the study of law in the office of the late Geo. W. Chapman, and was admitted to the bar as a full-fledged disciple of Blackstone and Chitty September 11, 1857. He was now fairly established in a business he liked, and from whence, until the day of his death, his march to wealth and in- fluence was extremely rapid. His first associates in his new vocation were our well known fel- low-citizens R. N. Austin and D. H. Johnson. This partnership was, however, dissolved in 1868, Mr. Pereles being desirous of form- ing a new one with his two sons, Jas. M. and Thos. J. Pereles, whom he had trained to the business. This was accomplished in 1874, un- der the title of Nathan Pereles & Sons, which is its title to-day, and " under which it has become one of the soundest private moneyed in- stitutions in the city. Such in brief is the history of the origin of the house of N. Pereles & Sons. Personnel. In person Mr. Pereles was in height below the medium, very stoutly built, and inclined to corpulency. His head, which was un- usually large, was thickly covered with dark, crispy hair, inclined to stand erect ; he had dark eyes, set wide apart, a large, round face, lips slightly intumescent (or pouting), spoke distinctly, looked you directly in the eye when conversing, and belonged to that class of men who seem by intuition to know the valne of money, and how to use it to the best advantage. He was a good judge of character, and did not need to be in the company of any one long before he *Thp writer has been unable at this late day to obtain the first name of this gentleman. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER 219 was in possession of all that person's weak points, and the best way to handle him. He was a first-class diplomatist, and if after a trade would approach the subject with a touch so velvet-like as to scarcely be felt. He was sharp and keen to an unusual degree, and to get the better of him in a trade was not often done. His bump of cau- tion was very large, and had he been a banker would have made a very successful one. He was very benevolent, of which the world knew little ; and when compelled to resort to the strong arm of the law to obtain his just rights, always did so with reluctance. His in- dustry was something wonderful; he was never idle a moment, his vigorous constitution, coupled with his strictly temperate life, ena- bling him to perform an amount of mental labor that few profes- sional men could endure, but which he performed with apparent ease. In political faith he was a Republican always, and a consistent one, and took a deep interest in the various political issues of the day. Such are a few of the leading characteristics of Nathan Pereles, who, it is no injustice to others to say, was entitled to be ranked among our best foreign-born citizens; one who, by industry, econo- my, and the practice of correct principles, raised himself from pov- erty to affluence, from obscurity to prominence, and who has left a record for honesty, business integrity and usefulness to which his children may point with pride. He died in the prime of his use- fulness, from the effects of a tumor, January 28, 1879, setat fifty-six. Merrill's Cornet Band. This was a famous band, and was the first and the last, as far as I know, composed wholly of Americans. They played splendidly. The following were known to have belonged to this band : Freebun L. Mayhew, B flat basso. Hiram R. Bond, E flat tenor. Jas. Bond, B flat cornet. H. D. Webster, snare drum. L. J. McCracken (Tangle), E flat tenor. Miller, E flat basso. Winslow, B flat baritone. 220 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. John Westlake, B flat cornet. Chas. Perch, bass drum. Jansen, B flat basso. There were also three brothers by the name of Comarck (lost on the Lady Elgin) who at one time were members of this band.* A sad accident occurred September 7, by which six men were drowned through the upsetting of a boat containing forty men (workmen) returning from the shipyard on Jones' Island, caused by the swell raised by a passing tug. There was much excitement about this affair at the time against the captain of the tug. Martin B. Coombs. This gentleman was a play-actor, and often performed in the thea- ter away back in the '50s, his favorite pose being that of Shylock in the Merchant of Venice. He finally got involved in a difficulty with Dighton Corson, on account of being too intimate with the wife of that gentleman (at least that was the rumor), and fled to Maine, where he attempted and I think committed suicide or " hari- kari," as the Japanese have it. The following, making inquiries about him, appeared in the IVis- cotisin of March, 1885 : Inquiry About Maktin B. Coombs. A letter was to-day received from parties in Carroll county, la., in- quiring of the sheriff's department if there lived in Milwaukee an at- torney named Martin B. Coombs, who was known to reside here up- wards of thirty years ago. Martin B. Coombs was years ago a promi- nent Milwaukee lawyer. In 1858 he became involved in a quarrel with a brother attorney in relation to the latter's wife, shortly after which he left the city. He was next heard of in Bangor, Me., where, on Sep- tember 8, 1858, he committed suicide. The object of the letter of in- quiry is not known. Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad — Humorous. There was a meeting of the common council September 8, called by some one in the interest of the above road, for the purpose of getting the city to issue bonds to aid in its construction. But it *This was furnished by Nathaniel Merrill, whose brother was its first leader. It was this bard which played against Bach's band on East Water street, in June, 1852, for one hour and a quarter, the tune being Yankee Doodle, which collected such a crowd that the police were finally compelled to stop it. No doubt many yet living remember the occurrence. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 221 proved to be an inauspicious night for that purpose, the boys going in for fun. Among the resolutions offered was the following : Whereas, The common council of the city of Milwaukee met jjursu- ant to a call from somebody, for the purpose" of helping build a railroad to some point to this council unknown; therefore be it Resolved, That this unknown railroad receive no further encourage- ment from this honorable body without first covering the palms of the hands of each member with a $1 ,000 full-paid certificate of stock and a free pass (particularly the pass) for himself, his heirs and assigns for- ever. Passed unanimously. He Would Not Stand It Any Longer. A tailor by the name of Richard Clarey, who worked for the Messrs. Shoyer, getting tired of life (or of his wife), made an attempt to drown himself, October 25, by jumping into the raging Milwau- kee. He was much encouraged thereto by Mrs. Clarey, who, with arms a-kimbo, stood by and sicked him on with such encouraging remarks as, " Drown, ye dirty baste, if yees want to," and " Oh, I only wish he would sink." He was fished up, however, after which his amiable spouse led him home by the ear, just as one would a Newfoundland dog. It was rich. The Sentinel of the 26th, in commenting upon it, had the foUow- .ing: A Man Running Away from His Wife and Jumping Into the River TO Avoid Her ! Yesterday forenoon rather a ludicrous affair took place between a husband and wife, in the neighborhood of Furlong's olock, on Huron street, which came near ending fatally. A tailor named Clarey got quarreling with his better half, or rather his better half got quarreling with him, and he ran away and left her — as every man should do when his wife begins to scold. But Mrs. Clarey was not to be baffled by this, and being nearly as good a traveler as he, put after him and overtook him in the place above mentioned, when she commenced pummeling her liege lord in a manner that would have been creditable to an old pugDist. He retreated under a heavy pounding towards the bridge, but as the draw was open there was no room for nim to retreat further unless he jumped into the river, and in he jumped ! The water was quite coldj and we think it had the efifect of bringing him to a true sense of his perilous situation. He worked hard to keep above the sur- face of the water, and after getting a |)retty thoro.ugh soaking, he was fished out by two men who were working at the bridge in a boat. In the meantime the vixen wife stood upon the abutment quite coolly, looking at her husband struggling in the water, and when he kept up longer than she expected, she was heard to exclaim, " I wish to the Lord he would sink !" He didn't sink, however, for which he may be thankful— or the contrary— to the boatmen, H 222 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER, Among the political moves made this fall was an attempt by a few of the old bourbons to place Doctor Huebschmann on the track for governor, but their medicine was not strong enough. A puff for Mayor Cross also appeared in the papers in October, in commendation of his course on the money question (bonds). There was a song of a different meter, however, in November, when the following expose came : Municipal Rascality Unearthed. Near the close of 1857, the atmosphere became filled with rumors that not only was the city treasury in a very delicate state of health, but that the people were also in the toils of as unscrupulous a set of scoundrels as ever disgraced any city, and that financially we were as near bankruptcy as it was possible to go, and escape that peril. A committee (self-appointed in part), some of whom had previously succeeded in getting a peep behind the scenes, had made discoveries which fully convinced them that something was rotten in Denmark, and the result was an examination of the books of the city clerk and comptroller, after which there was a call for a mass meeting at Albany Hall, on the 17th of November, composed of democrats and repub- hcans, both native and foreign born, to whom, after the object of the meeting had been fully explained by Messrs. Otis H. Waldo, Chas. K. Watkins, Doct. Huebschmann, and a few others; Mr. Waldo, on the part of the committee, made as the result of their discoveries the following report : The Report. The recent developments (referring to several communications which had passed between John B. Edwards, the former comptroller, and E. L. H. Gardner, the present one,*) have disclosed a state of things in our city, that has filled the minds of all sober and thinking citizens with just alarm and gloomy apprehensions. We are aston- ished at the present demand for the payment of a tax in amount * There had several spicy communications passed between Mr. Edwards and Mr. Gardner upon this defalcation, caused by the knowledge that a committee of tax payers were on their track, in which each endeavored to prove the other ^ scoundrel, and himself a mo4ei pf ^U that is lovely. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 223 without precedent in this country, and too enormous to be believed ; whether we compare it with that raised in this city under the com- paratively economical administration of former years, or consider the proportions of the aggregate amount of the same to the number of our population, or the nominal percentage of the cash value of the property assessed upon which this lax is levied and now ordered to be paid, in a ■ season of extreme pecuniary distress ; a lax levied in disregard of pledges repeatedly made, and in violation of good faith, since it is known to all that the power to raise this percentage (as authorized by law) was given in ^ iew of the low assessments formerly adhered to since the organization of the city government, and that was expected to be adhered to still ; a tax levied upon an assessment procured, as we think there is good reason to believe, by fraud ; an assessment full 'of gross irregularities, and unjust discriminations, in favor of the friends and favorites of the present city government. The demand made for this tax is followed by the more startling discoveries of an enormous city debt, both bonded and floating, amounting,* as we are informed by our city officials, in addition to the issue of bonds in aid of the railroads, to the enormous sum of thirteen hundred and eighty thousand dollars ($1,380,000), and to which there has been issued, in addition, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars in city bonds within the last twelve or fifteen months, and the sale of a large portion thereof at ruinous prices, and the dis- bursements of large sums, the proceeds of these bonds, in a manner wholly unknown to the charter, by the mayor himself, without, so far as we can learn, any entry, check, or record, by the proper officers, thus at once destroying all the safeguards which the formalities of law have placed around our financial system, and opened a door for the most dangerous speculations and abuses. Again, we are informed that many of the resolutions and safeguards of the original charter, in regard to the contracting of debts, the issue of bonds, fixing the amount of taxation, the letting of contracts, the ordering of work, and the limitation of ward expenditures, have all been practically annulled, either by the alteration of the laws passed from time to time by the legislature, or by the practice of the common * |8oo,ooo of this was floating. 224 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. council and ward officers, and that special enactments have now been procured, by which more than $600,000 of additional bonds can be issued, in addition to the railroad debts already contracted, by the issue of the $1,380,000, and, aside from this, $800,000 floating debt, already mentioned. Of this amount, $11,000,000,* $200,000 can be issued for hydraulic purposes, without security, and $100,000 to each ward for a public park, making, for the nine wards, $900,000, besides an unlimited amount for harbor, schools and school buildings, and, as the law is now interpreted, these bonds, when issued, may be sold at any sacrifice, and the proceeds, instead of being paid into the treasury, may be received and disbursed by any agent whom the common council may appoint, without further warrant, entry, or record. We find, also, a rumor current (and believed), that several hundred thousand dollars of bonds have been delivered to railroad companies, without any security as required by law, and other large sums with- out any security. Again, it is notorious that the current expenses of the city are prodigal and extravagant in a high degree, that unnecessary officers are employed, and the salaries of others very largely as well as im- properly increased, yet we hear of no step looking towards retraction or reform. In view of these facts, what security can we have, while the present management continues, that if the taxes now demanded (or a reason- able part thereof) should be paid, that the proceeds thereof would be used to pay the liabilities already incurred, and not wasted in new schemes to perpetuate the present system of mismanagement ? We cannot now depict the details of the wrongs already committed; only the most thorough investigation can do that, or fix the measure of blame to be attached to the city officials for the last four years ; and only the sovereign power of the State, together with the utmost watchfulness on the part of the people, can prevent a recurrence of similar frauds in the future. Your committee can therefore only recommend the passage of the following resolutions, to- wit : * Consisting of the $500,000 added to the $600,000, MILWAUKEE UNDER tftE CHARTERS. 225 fiegoived , Tf hat the imposition of the tax now ordered to be Collected is an act of intolerable oppression, and in cruel and reckless disregatd of the pecuniary distress of the people. Resolved, 'that this tax ought to be reduced if the power exists to reduce it, and the terms of payment extended. ■ Resolved, That the common council are hereby requested to suspend all proceedings to sell property for the non-payment of taxes until the' legislature shall have had time to offer relief. Resolved, That a committee, consisting of one from each ward, be' and are hereby appointed to investigate the state of the finances of the city, particularly the amount and character of the debts — bonded and floating — of the whole city and of the several wards, the value and character of the securities received from the several railroads for bonds issued to them, the books and transactions of the several financial oflB-^ cers of the city, the various issues and sales of city bonds, together with the mode of disbursements of the proceeds thereof, and generally to examine into the condition and management of the city affairs so far as may be necessary to ascertain the real condition of the finances; that the committee be authorized to employ one or more accountants (and counsel, if they deem it necessary), and to report the result of their in- vestigations as soon as may be at an adjourned meeting. ' Resolved, That the present and former ofiicers of the city be re- quested to furnish any assistance or information in their power in aid of tne labors of such committee. Resolved, That the same committee prepare and report a memorial to the legislature, to be signed by the tax-payers of the city, praying the legislature to perform the dutv enjoined upon it by the second article of the constitution of the state, to-wit, to restrain the powers of cities and villages in taxation (assessments), contracting debts, running cred- its, etc., and to prevent abuses in the same; and to this end First— To repeal all and every provision of law authorizing the further issue or sale of bonds or loaning the credit of the city. Second — To limit the power of taxation hereafter for all purposes in this city and county to a certain and reasonable sum, to be fixed beyond the control of the city council and county board. Third — To restore the checks, restrictions of authority and guards against the abuses of power contained in the original charter, with such other restrictions and guards as experience has shown to be necessary, and to provide, as far as may be in their power, for the reduction of the present tax and for the extension of the time for the payment thereof. The following were the committee appointed at this meeting : First Ward— Chas. K. Watkins. Second Ward — Francis Huebschman. Third Ward — Hans Crocker. Fourth ward — Nathan Pereles. Fifth ward— Andrew Mitchell. Sixth ward— Cicero Comstock. Seventh ward— John H. Tweedy.* Eighth ward— S. B. Davis. Ninth ward— Chas. Quentin. After which the meeting adjourned to meet again at the call of the committee. ■*Mr. Tweedy was the power behind the throne in this investigation, and was untiring in his efforts to ferret out the thieves and bring them to justice. 226 MiLWAtJKEE UNbteR Tljfe CHARTEIt. F. Huebschmann, president. The committee reported at Albany hall, January 12, 1858. This report brought one in reply from Mr. Gardner, dated Decem- ber 12, published in the Wisconsin of the 14th, in which he does not deny the allegations in the report of the committee, but very adroitly attempts to throw the blame upon his predecessor, Mr. Edwards — intimating that when his (Gardner's) official report at the close of the fiscal year (April, 1858) appeared all would be lovely, and clos- ing with the following words : But, Mr. Editor, too much space has already been occupied in open- ing this, my first vial. But if called upon agam, a still larger space will be required in opening the second vial, when all things would be re- vealed. But, alas for his boasting, the opening of the first vial was suffi- cient to send him to California a criminal and a fugitive from justice. It needed not the second. But I digress. This pronunciamento of Mr. Gardner's was commented upon somewhat severely in the Sentinel of the isth, and was replied to in the Wisconsin of the 18th, * in an article entitled " Excessive Taxa- tion," intended to shield Mr. Gardner, and in which Mr. Cramer ac- cused the Sentinel of wishing to bring the honesty of the then city administration into disrepute, particularly that of Mr. Gardner, who he characterizes as not only a competent and careful official, but ventures the assertion that when his books came to be examined that they would be found all right. It was useless, however, for the editor of the Wisconsin or any other paper to defend Mr. Gardner ; the whole thing had to come out and the whole gang ousted before anything hke a sound system of finance was again estabhshed. But they died hard. Charles F. Freeman. This gentleman, who has made so honorable a record as a busi- ness man and citizen, is a native of Corydon, McKean county. Pa., where he was born June 20, 1832, and from where he removed in *Mr. Cramer appears to have been grossly ignorant of the true state of affiiirs, or if not so to have had a strong leaning to the Democratic side, to justify hira in viTiting what he did. But he got his eyes opened at last and wrent in for punish- ing the thieves. MiiWAUKEE UNDER THE CtihtitkU. 227 i843, to Genessee, N. Y., and from there to Milwaukee in 1857, where he at once commenced to lay the foundation for a business Ufe. His first occupation after his arrival was to act as a foreman for Charles H. Larkin, on the old Beloit & Milwaukee Railroad, a section of which Mr. L. had contracted to grade. This, however, was altogether too monotonoiiS a life for him, and he commenced to purchase grain, for which purpose he formed a partnership with C. C. Collins, then a prominent dealer in the cereals. This, however, did not continue long, as he soon made up his mind that he preferred to be alone and "paddle his own canoe," which he has done to the present time. He has been quite successful, his courteous demeanor and sterling integrity causing him to make • friends very rapidly, and has built up a large business. He subsequently went into the political arena, in which he was also successful; was elected alderman from the Fifth ward in 1873. He has also served as school commissioner both in the Fifth and Eighth wards. He was also appointed from the board of aldermen, in connection with D. G. Hooker, mayor, B. K. Miller and Levi H. Kellogg, from the council, and Jacob Velten, from the board of pub- lic works, on the part of the city, in 1873, to proceed to and ex- amine into the system of sewage in use in the cities of St. Louis, Rochester, Brooklyn and Chicago, and decide upon the best plans for Milwaukee to adopt in view of the success of the plans in use in those cities. He was also a representative to the legislature from his district in 1870 and again in 1879, where he was both active and efficient. He has also served as president of the chamber of com_ merce for two years (1882-83), where, by his gentlemanly deport- ment as well as judicious management he was very popular, and is to-day one of the most active members of that well known organiza- tion, where the game of " heads I win, and tails you lose " is played daily by those seeking to get something for nothing. This part of the game, however, in playing which so many of the members of that body indulge, Mr. Freeman takes no part, all his business being done on strictly business principles. Personnel. In person, Mr. Freeman is stoutly built, and is very muscular. 228 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEK. He walks with a quick, nervous step, and will pass directly through a crowd of men without looking at one of them, and yet can tell you every one (that he knows) who were in it. He is usually in a study [i. e.), his mind is fixed entirely upon his business, and he keeps the run of the " market " at all times, seldom or never losing the thread, and consequently is usually on the winning side. He is aflfable and polite to all, and will gain and hold friends (and does so hold them) when others would not. His executive abilities are far above the average, consequently he is often placed upon committees where good judgment, coolness and tact are required in order to accom- plish the object in view. In political faith he is a democrat of the progressive school, and a leader in his district, but does not care to hold office. In religious faith he is a liberal. Such are some of the personal characterics of Chas. F. Freeman, an honest man, and a good and useful citizen. Stephen A. Harrison. This gentleman, so well and so widely known as a master builder, railroad contractor and public-spirited citizen, is a native of England, having been born in that portion of the city of London known as " Surry," on the i8th day of September, 1829, and from where he emigrated to America in 1853, landing at Milwaukee in the fall of 1854. The business outlook at that time in the West was not very encouraging, or at least not quite up to his expectations, and he started upon a tour of discovery, during which he visited Chicago, La Crosse, Janesville, and several other places in the State, many of which were then being "boomed," just as Mitchell, Anderson, Bis- mark, and other points in Dakota, are at the present time. But finding all of them inferior to Milwaukee, he returned here again in the fall of 1856, and has made it his permanent residence to the present time. He remained unemployed until the spring of 1857, when he formed a partnership with a Mr. William Clark, and the new firm hung out their shingle, under the title of Harrison & Clark. Their first work was the erection of the building known as the Waldo Block, northeast corner of East Water and Chicago streets. Then the Sisters' Hospital, on the North Point. This was followed by the enlargement of the Gas Works — including the erection of the ivtliVs^AtKEE uisTDER THE CHAktfeR. 229'' iiew Holder, loo feet in diameter, quite an undertaking for that day, the site being six feet under water, which rendered its construction extremely difficult, but which was finally accomplished, and the Holder is in good condition to-day. The completion of these works ma!de Mr. Harrison's reputation as a builder, and feeling himself now fully established and competent to undertake anything in the line of mason work, he dissolved with Mr. Clark, and for the next twelve years he had under contract and com- pleted a larger amount of buildings, public and private, besides con- structing railroads and paving streets, than any other one man in the State. Among the buildings erected by him are the Lester Sexton Jalock, southeast corner of Broadway and Michigan streets (now the prop- erty of the Friend Bros.) The Northwestern Life Insurance Building, northwest corner Broadway and Wisconsin streets, and the National Home for disabled soldiers at Wauwatosa. He also, in connection with Henry Buestrin, straightened up Elevator A., the largest work of the kind ever undertaken in the West, requiring 2,600 screws to raise it. This elevator had settled in the following manner : N.- It was a wonderful undertaking, and was accomplished without an accident of any kind. He also moved the present Marme Block, northeast corner of South Water and Ferry streets, twenty-four feet to the East, in order to widen Ferry street, besides raising numerous other buildings, made necessary by the change of grade throughout the city. The incep^ tion of and construction of the present West Side Horse Railroad, is also largely if not wholly due to his foresight and energy. He has either alone, or in connection with others, constructed for 230 iilLWAUfcEE UNbEft THE chartek. the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, the following lines : Miles. The Brookfleld Cut-Oflf. 14 The Schwartzburg Cut-Off. 8 Eagle and Elkhorn Cut-Ofl 24 Of the Chicago & Milwaukee Division „ 24 Omaha Division 23 Beloit & Janesville 10 Minneapolis to St. Paul 10 Various Dakota Branches 162 Hastings and Stillwater 22 Chippewa Valley 110 Cedar Eapids 80 477 For the Chicago & Northwestern Railway: Have built from Volga to Perrie on the Missouri 100 Toledo & Northwestern Division about 125 Milwaukee, Madison & Monfort 145 370 Wisconsin Central Railway : Chippewa Falls to Abbotsford 65 Schleisingerville to Nenah 65 To Chippewa Falls 3 133 Milwaukee & Northern: To Green Bay. about 60 Minneapolis, St. Paul & Manitoba: Alexandria to Barnsville 85 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy: In Missouri 16 Total of miles 1141 An aggregate of nearly 20,000,000 yards of earth, and of 600,000 yards of rock, with 20,000,000 feet of timber in bridges, etc.; piles, probably, 30,000 pieces. And is now, 1885, constructing the new line from Schleisingerville to Chicago for the Wisconsin Central.* Political. In political faith Mr. Harrison is a Republican, and has been a very prominent as well as a very efficient member of that party. He was nominated for the legislature from the First and Seventh wards in 1863 against J. R. Sharpstein, but owing to the strong Democratic vote of the First ward was defeated. He was also a * The following are the changes which have occurred in this well-known firm: From 1872 to 1879 it was Harrison & Green (Samuel M.Green). From 1879 to 1882 it was Wells, Harrison & Shute (The late Daniel L. Wells, of this city, and William B. Shute, of Chicago). From 1882 to 1884 (November) it was Wells, Harrison & Green. And now, 1885, Harrison & Green. Mr. Wells died Novem- ber 20, 1884. Milwaukee Under the charter. 231 delegate to the convention to nominate Halbert E. Paine for congress in 1869. He was elected to the board of councillors from the First ward in 1869, and was on the committee for accepting the plans for the present Chesbrough system of sewage, as well as the present sys- tem of water-works as against the Holly plan.* He was also, as a member of the bridge committee, one of the first to suggest the con- struction of permanent stone piers as well as abutments for all the new bridges, and to substitute iron in place of wood for all bridges to be erected in the future, for which extravagance, as the old fossil- ized politicians termed it, he was cursed high and low by them and their henchmen. This plan, however, has proved to be by far the most economical, as those piers, when once built, wiU last a thousand years. He also conceived the idea of having a public park, at pres- ent a great desideratum in Milwaukee, and for that purpose advo- cated the purchase of the Hawley estate at $1,000 per acre on long time, lor which he was also abused by all that portion of our citizens whose views in public matters do not extend beyond their nose. It was a grand conception, and had it been carried out our city would have had a park equal to any in the West. He was also elected to the legislature from the First ward in 1869, during which he intro- duced a bill for the construction of the so-called Menominee im- provement of canals, for which he was also abused. But what would the Fourth ward be to-day without those canals ? He also represented the Fourth ward in the legislature in 1875-6. Such is substantially the business record of Stephen A. Harrison, one of the sharpest and most far-seeing business men amongst us, one whose plans, had they been carried out, would have placed our city far in advance of what she is to-day, but which, by the short-sight- edness as well as the jealousy of the solons composing the boards of aldermen and counsellors at that time, were doomed to the waste- basket. *This has reference to a committee consisting of Messrs. Harrison and Dr. I. A. Lapham, selected to decide upon the difference in cost, predicated upon a chal- lenge given by the Holly people, through Mr. Casgrain, in which the Holly peo- ple were badly worsted. In this affair the writer (who was pitted against Mr. Casgrain in the newspaper discussion regarding the merits of the two plans) chose Mr. Harrison, and Mr. C. chose I. A. Lapham. 232 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEfe. Personnel. In person Mr. Harrison is of the medium height, with a lithe but a very compactly built frame, and is possessed of a constitution of the first order and powers of endurance that are wonderful, as in ad- dition to the labor incident to superintending five hundred men (his usual force when railroading) he also acted as his own book-keeper, the labor of which alone would be considered as sufficient for one man to perform. He has clean-cut features, face shghtly oval, au- burn hair, a florid complexion, and blue eyes, in which a mirthful smile and a look of severity will often follow each other in rapid suc- cession. His voice is strong and slightly musical in tone ; he speaks distinctly, and usually very deliberately ; but when excited, will often speak very fast. He has large comprehensive powers, thinks quick and decides quick, has splendid executive abilities and perfect confi- dence in himself. He is also possessed of a will power which ena- bles him to carry out contracts that would appal ordinary men. He has the lump of caution largely developed, which, combined with his faculty of reading character, renders it very difficult to deceive him. He looks squarely at you when conversing, and if after in- formation will pump you dry before you know it. He will never undertake any work that he is not certain to perform, and the more difficult the work the better he likes it, as in that case more credit is to be obtained by its execution. He is always courteous — few busi- ness men (particularly large contractors) are so much so; is social with acquaintances, but reticent with strangers; is a model citizen, and as a business man has made a record of which he may well be" proud, and is to-day, at sixty-five years of age, owing to his temper- ate life and well balanced head, as competent to build a hundred miles of railroad or move a block of stores across the street as when he first came to our city. He has become very wealthy, but of this he makes no parade, as do many others who, born in poverty, have by some lucky turn of fortune's wheel, become suddenly rich. Such are some of the prominent characteristics of Stephen A. Harrison. Better would it be for Milwaukee had she a majority of such men in her councils in place of the almost mental imbeciles who to so large an extent too often fill her aldermanic chairs. Men who would spend more time and money in devising plans to benefit MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 233 as well as beautify the city, and less in wrangling over the license question and investigating Rosina Georg. Daniel L. Wells. This gentleman, who for so many years was so prominent as a business man and so successful as a railroad contractor, was born at Middlebury, Vt., July 21, 1821, and from where he came to Wiscon- sin in 1856, in company with Selah Chamberlin. He first located at Beaver Dam, where he remained but a short time ; went from there to Portage, and from there to Milwaukee in 1858, where he remained until his death. Mr. Wells belonged to that class of men who go in to make money, and who never fail to make it. Possessed of good executive ability, coupled with good judgment, backed by a will that stops at nothing short of carrying out all he undertakes — supplemented by a thorough knowledge of business, particularly that of building rail- roads, gave him the inside track (so to speak), consequently he took hold of a contract understandingly, and nothing short of an interpo- sition of Providence could prevent him winning his case. He was not much of a talker, and did not care to converse much, except on business, kept his own counsel, never letting any one, except a con- fidential clerk, into his plans, a practice that many fail to remember, but nevertheless a rule that every business man who employs large gangs of laborers should follow if success is to be looked for, as well as the enforcement of discipline with almost the same rigidness as in an army. This Mr. Wells did do. Besides Mr. Chamberlin he was, as has been seen, connected in partnership at various times with Messrs. Harrison and Shute, dur- ing which the firm constructed the following lines : Over four hundred miles in Iowa and Dakota, for the Chicago & Northwestern ; an expensive and very difficult piece for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, from Bethany to Albany, Mo.; from Abbots- ford to Chippewa Falls, for the Wisconsin Central ; from Milwaukee to Madison, one hundred miles, for the Chicago & Northwestern ; from Madison to Montfort, sixty miles, for the same company ; from Janesville to Beloit, for the Milwaukee & St. Paul; from Hastings to Stillwater, for the Milwaukee & St. Paul, 234 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Upon the death of Mr. Shute, in 1881, Samuel Green became associated with Messrs. Wells and Harrison, under the firm title of Wells, Harrison & Green. As a member of this fiim Mr. Wells witnessed the satisfactory completion by himself and partners of seventy miles of railway for the Milwaukee & St. Paul, from Reed's Landing to Eau Claire; ninety miles, for the same company, from Cedar Rapids to Ottum- wa, la.; sixty miles for the Wisconsin Central, from Schleisingerville to Neenah; one hundred miles for the same company, from Chip- pewa Falls to St. Paul. The latter extension was completed on the day of Mr. Wells' death. By the terms of the partnership agreement Mr. Wells' interest in the firm ceased at death. Besides all this he had, previous to his connection with Harrison and Shute, constructed (or helped construct) the following hnes : The old La Crosse road, from Beaver Dam west to La Crosse ; several Minnesota lines ; from Columbus to Portage City, for the same company ; the Menominee branch, for the Chicago & Northwest- ern ; the Michigan & West Shore, from New Buffalo to Pentwater ; the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston, through Kansas, and sev- eral other portions of southwestern railway. Personnel. In person, Mr. Wells was in height rather above the average, had a well proportioned physique, dark complexion, dark hair and eyes. He had a strong voice, spoke somewhat quick, and very distinctly. He was not over nervous, although, at times, he appeared so. He looked you squarely in the face when conversing, was very cautious, and just lawyer enough to never commit himself to his own disad- vantage, and never had any time (or disposition if he had) to attend to any one's business but his own. He was a republican in politics, and in religious faith an Episcopalian, and financially one of Mil- waukee's solid men. He died November 24, 1884. Improvements. Fifth WaeD. Some of its Impeovembnts.— No ward in this city has recently exhib- ited greater signs of progress and improvewent than this, W? took a, MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 235 tour through different parts of it a few days since, and noted down some of the more prominent changes that are taking place there. The citizens of that ward seem, as it were, like a town of themselves, but they are wide awake with activity and business. We have no hesitation in assert- ing our beUef that it is destined to be one of the principal business wards in the city. As soon as the Detroit & Milwaukee Eailroad is finished, so as to form a connection with this city, and some of the roads going west from this city reach the Mississippi, we know that we shall see Milwaukee bound up under the impulse like a new power. Many, if not all of these railroads, must, in time, unite and form one large Cen- tral Depot, somewhere in what is now the Fifth ward. This prophecy as to a Union Depot in the Fifth ward, is not likely to be realized, as a magnificent one is now being erected in the Fourth ward, which will settle that question for years to come, if not for all time. The South Side gas works, at what is now 263 and 265 Reed street. St. John's Church, northwest corner of Hanover and Pierce streets. Trinity (Catholic), southwest corner of Greenbush and Park streets. Two stores, yet standing and known as 157 and 159 Reed street, by C. T. Stamm. A frame dwelling. No. 866 National Avenue, by William Walton, yet standing. The Jonathan L. Burnham home- stead, northeast corner Pierce and Fifteenth Avenue, A brick, by Jas. Douglass, 465 Grove street, yet standing. One (double) by Matt. Smith, 237 and 239 Grove street; this building is yet standing but in bad condition. MARTIN «S:RUGEE CONTRACTORS &BUILDERSoFBR»DCES.^LEVATaRs,DWELLINCs' iMANUFfis OF DOORS.BLINDS.SASH & MOULDINGS, > DONE ON SHORT NOTICE.DESICNS FURNISHED FOR BRIDGES I, ELEVATORS.ONTHE MOST APPROVED PLAN. CORNER OF OREGON* GROVE SI»5I£ VARD.J k MILWAUKEE, WIS. . yi Messrs. Martin & Rugee,* also erected a brick planing mill, with * i5tod4ard H. Martin and John Rugee, 236 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. a sash, door and blind department up stairs. (See cut.) This factory, which made a large amount of money for its owners (at least it did for Mr. Rugee), stood upon the southeast corner of Grove and Oregon streets, and was pulled down in 1884 by the railroad company, who wanted the ground for tracks. The Haywood Block, southeast corner of Second and Wells streets, was erected this year. The present Milwaukee National Bank Building* was erected this year. This building had the first iron cornice ever put up in the city. This is a first-class building to-day ; it was thoroughly built, and will last for years to come. A brick building, south of and adjoining the Albany, was com- menced this year by Jas. S. Brown ; master mason, Jas. Allen. The residence of Hon. Alpha C. May, southeast corner of Marshall and Oneida streets, A. C. Nash, architect, and the double brick, south- west corner of Biddlc and Aster streets, built by Chas. D. Nash, were both commenced this year. A brick store (burnt afterwards) was erected on the southeast corner of Clinton and Oregon streets, by Jas. Goggin. The block on the southeast corner of Oneida and Market streets, by Henry Brydert, mason, Carl Biersach, carpenter, Frederick Tiebel. This is now a tenement block. Abraham F. Clarke erected the brick store on the southeast comer of East Water and Buffalo streets, this summer, G. Mygatt, architect, H. R. Bond, mason, Edwin Palmer, superintendent, Haulman & Roberts, carpenters, Bayley & Greenslade, iron work, Cook & Bascomb, stone work, John Lowther, painting, tin roof by H. W. Goodrich. This building is still in use and occupied by the firm of Jewett & Root, stoves. Mr. Clarke was a prominent merchant in Milwaukee for many years. He was a native of Massachusetts, and not of Berlin, as stated in the Sentinel of March 3d, 1886. His original homestead was upon the southwest corner of Juneau Avenue and Astor street, now the residence of Hon. E. H. Brodhead. He was a very quiet, un- demonstrative man, always attending to business, and universally * Formerly the State Bank qf Wisconsin. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 237 respected by all who knew him. He died at Marietta, Ga., March 2, 1886. Mrs. Clarke is a sister of Mrs. John H. Tweedy. The Murray Block, 552 and 554 East Water street, was erected this year Mygatt, architect; mason, Sherburne Bryant; carpenters, Babcock Bros. A malt house for V. Blatz, architects, Mygatt & Schultz. Adlers' Block, southeast corner of Jackson and Division streets. This block is yet in good repair, and a general favorite among those who rent. The present National Exchange Bank, by Carlise D. Cook. This building was at that time the most ornate building in the city, and is to-day one of the best. It was well built and, as the Wisconsin stated when sketching it, " a perfect gem." Mr. Cook was one of the firm of Cook & Sherwin, who built the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad from Madison to Prairie du Chien. He died a few years later. This block was his monument. The Mitchell Building, on the corner of East Water and Michigan streets. This was the building spoken of in Vol. II., page 134, as having been pulled down in 1879 to make room for the present bank. It was a prominent building in its time. The master mason was Jas. Allen, the carpenters were Messrs. Martin & Rugee, the painters were Cranfield & Armstrong (Edward Cranfield and Robert Armstrong), the vaults were by Schumacher & Johnson, and the iron work by Hambrick & Wagner. This building had a tin roof. The whole cost was $35,000. It was occupied for the first time, January 22, 1858. Grading Down Wisconsin Street. WiscoNsix Street, Ea.st End. — The work of cutting down the east end of Wisconsin street to the new grade is nearly completed, and blocks and streets begin to appear on the side where the old Govern- ment Lighthouse Keeper's house, and the Gardens, a favorite place of public resort in times gone by, once stood. The quantity of earth re- moved in cutting down the bluff has been enormous, but it has all been needed in filling lots and raising streets in the Third ward. At the corner of Wisconsin and Marshall streets is a block of four four-story brick dwellings now nearly completed, and nestled down beside them is a one-story frame dwelling, wnich nine years ago stood some forty feet higher in the air, but which has by successive alterations of the grade been lowered to its present place.* * This frame is now known as No. 236 Wisconsin street, and the brick as Nos. 238, 240, 242 and 244. Both are yet in good condition, the frame being still the property of the heirs of its build?r^the late ZachEtriah Clayton. IS 238 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The Quentin Block, now Nos. 269 and 271 East Water streets, now the property of The Dohmen & Smith Company, druggists, yet in good repair, commenced in 1856, was completed this year. The Wisconsifi, in commenting upon the growth of our city, in May, had the following item, which, although substantially correct, is I think a little overdone. But these editors often see through a glass darkly : The Growth of Our City. The number of buildings now in process of erection in this city is beyond all precedent. The long continuance of cold weather, the frosts having left us but two or three weeks, has of course been a restraint upon building operations, and but little progress, comparatively, has been made in the more costly brick edifices, but the sound of the saw and hammer has been merry music in every ward since the severe cold weather ceased. We have taken pains, within the last week, to ascer- tain the number of buildings which have already been completed during the present year, and are now in various stages of progress, and the result has surprised ourselves, as it doubtless wul most of our readers. That result is as follows, by wards: No. of Buildings. First ward 115 Second ward 123 Third ward 108 Fourth ward 136 Fifth ward 158 Sixth ward 251 Seventh ward 86 Eighth ward I'.l Ninth ward 261 Total 1,349 Here we are, then, in the last week of May, with six months of good building time before us, and thirteen hundred and forty-nine buildings already counted for this year. AVe do not count, in our aggregates for the several wards, many buildings for which we know the plans to be prepared, and the contracts made. Of course the majority of these buildings are wooden tenements, in the newer portions of the city, where lots can be purchased at a reasonable price, so that mechanics, laborers, and generally men of moderate means, can secure themselves a location upon which to erect shelters for their families; but in older wards, and in the older portions of those wards, buildings of various cost, for dwellings, shops, and stores, are being dotted in upon almost every vacant lot. As the extensive system of grading progresses, and the lots come down to the grade, building materials follow the last of the graders' carts, and neat edifices rise to greet the passer-by with their fresh and cheerful look. We have, in the fact that so much building is going on, besides the large amount of money being expended in grading streets, and in im- provements upon buildings heretofore erected, one good reason for the demand for, and high rates of money this Spring. The average cost of the buildings counted above is very much less than would be snown by a count two or three months later, Avhen more of the fine blocks of stores, and other more costly buildings are under way, and we are un- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 239 able to make any estimate now which is satisfactory to ourselves; but if we should sstimate the average cost even as low as $1,000, the aggregate expenditure would reach the large sum of $1,849,000, and the real amount is much greater than this. Milwaukee is, indeed, rapidly gaining in populati,on, and all that makes up a prosperous city. Its growth is substantial from year to year. The character of the buildings erected, in their solidity and greater attention to exterior appearance, as well as interior finish, shows an accumulation of means which can be spared from business, as well as the accession of capital from abroad. It is but a reasonable expectation, we think, which estimates the population of our goodly city, which was 30,000 in June, 1855, at not less than 70,000 in 1860, when the United States census will be taken. This statement being disputed by the Sentinel man, brought the following from the Wisconsin; More About Figukbs. Our neighbor of the Sentinel is as obstinate as an animal and insists that he was right about those figures. Why, my dear local, we showed you your error, and no one would hesitate for a moment to believe the number of new buildings was fully 2,000, after two pampers asserted the fact. Now be generous, neighbor, and when we convince you that you are five hundred houses out of the way again, acknowledge it like a man, and not keep asserting that you are correct, and everybody else wrong. Go over and count the houses again, and if you don't find two thousand, draw on us, at sight, for a hat, cap or box of cigars. How about the ten feet keel ?* Weather. The weather commenced to put on airs early this year, the first ice forming November 20, about the same as the present year {1884) but it became warm again in less than ten days. Neither was there any more ice worth mentioning until March, when we had regular December weather — snow eight inches in depth and ice twelve inches in thickness. Cold. The Sentinel of November 23 has the following in relation to the weather : It was a night for an Icelander last night. The mercury must have been down to zero in the course of the night. It was at 10 degrees above zero at 9 o'clock this morning. There was a heavy, bitter wind all day yesterday and all to-day, which has made the weather excruciat- ing for outsiders. The vessels that are still out of port must be having a terrible time, for the winds have been high for two days back, and it has been as cold as in mid-winter. This morning the river was frozen entirely over, and with a considerable thickness of ice. The. tugs, how- ever, loth to give up their towing business and go into winter quarters, * Referring to a blunder msde in 3, former gommunication by said local in describing a pew vessel. 240 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. have been plowing up and down the river through the ice, and have broken it up several times in the course of the day. It soon unites again, however, and with another such a night as the last, we fear that the ice would get beyond the power of the tugs. We can hardly believe that the winter has already set in, although it smacks strongly of an early, a long, and a cold winter. Much as we may wish to believe otherwise^ it is undoubtedly true that winter is upon us in earnest, and that the nver has frozen over for the last time this season. It keeps growing firmer, and the weather growing colder. It will be well, therefore, to have those hogsheads placed m the river again, as they were last winter, to guard against fire. They are an excellent expedient for keeping holes in the ice, so as to be ready for fires, and set in the ice at once. Then a man should be employed to keep them open all the winter long. The river opened again, notwithstanding the Sentinel's predictions, below Walker's Point bridge on the 25th, and on December 2 the ice went out, after which we had two months of as beautiful Indian sum- mer weather as was ever witnessed in Wisconsin. There has never been a winter like it, as far as the writer knows, since the city was settled. True, we liave had several which were called open winters, but not one of which was as clear of fogs and rainstorms as was that of 1857-58. The Upman & Murray block was built this year. Census for 1857. First Ward 4,1.55 Second Ward ; 5,314 Third Ward 7,414 Fourth Ward 5,012 Fifth Ward 4,325 Sixth Ward 4,105 Seventh Ward 5,567 Eighth Ward 2,808 Ninth Ward 5,304 Total 44,004 The number of propellers running between Buffalo and Milwaukee in 1857 was as follows : American Transportation Co., J. J. Tallmadge, agent 8 Western Transportation Co., J. J. Tallmadge, agent 10 New York Central, Dousman & Co., agents 8 Oswego Line, Dousman & Co., agents 3 People's Line, Dousman & Co., agents 5 Northwestern Transportation Co., L. J. Higby, agent 7 Northern Transportation Co., Barclay & Hale, agents 13 Total 54 More than there are to-day. milwaukee under the charter. 241 Egbert Herring Smith Outdone. The following affecting poetical stanzas are given here in order to show that if Milwaukee could boast of a Smith, Racine was not wholly destitute of a poet : A Feeling Valentine. We have been shown the following valentine, which gives out odors of affection like a poppy in a flower-bed. It is brief, sweet and affect- ing, and perfect poetry: Whose hart is always beeting against the bars of its busom Whose hart is wretcheder than tung can tel ? I luv one and I feer I shall loose him. Can yu tel who tis, can yu tel ? He is gentil an kin and butiful two — Oh in the spring im goin to Calyforney! Shal I go aloan or shall I go along with yu My fat is in your bans— -Your retched Aribelly Sofrony. The Old First Ward Ce.metery. The one mentioned in Vol. I., page 8i, as being the first one upon the eait side, i. e., an American one, and bounded by Racine, Astor, Kewaunee and Brady streets, was graded off (or rather the streets surrounding it were), thereby exposing a large number of bodies, which brought the following from the Sentinel : The Old Bueyinq-Geound in the Fibst Ward. Has there been any stop put yet to the outrageous and heathenish ravages made upon the above spot ? A gentleman informs us that a few davs ago he was up there, where they were digging the streets through, and he counted the relics of as many as six or seven coffins lying open to the sight. There were also the bones of human beings scattered about. Some of the accounts we have heard, about the work- men breaking into the coflHns with their pick-axes, and committing other similar barbarities, are perfectly sickening. Are we civilized or not ? The remains of spme of the best of our early settlers are, or were, in that burying-ground. One of the earliest territorial judges was deposited there. And we, like vandals, are dig' ging into their sacred resting-place and committing offenses which are too revolting to relate. We trust that the workmen have been stopped and that, if it is necessary to have a street through there, the remains of the dead will be removed in an orderly and Christian-like manner. The writer of that article further states that in passing over the old ground a short time previous, his eye fell upon the grave of a most estimable lady, whose niece was then (1857) the wife of one of our 242 MlLWAl/tCEE UNbfeR THE CHAkTEU. wealthiest citizens, while near by lay the remains of a young man, who, a few years previous, was one of our most prominent business men, and whose parents then occupied one of the beautiful brick residences in the Seventh ward, and jusc beyond that one was the grave of an elderly gentleman, whose children he often saw passing along those streets, and all of whom seem perfectly indifferent to this wanton desecration of the graves of their friends and kindred. I remember this occurrence and have myself seen the ends of two coffins exposed on the Racine street side of the block as late as 1865, if not later. CHAPTER V. 1858. Opening Address — Legislative — -Municipal — Report of Tax-Payers' Committee at Albany Hall— Tabular Statements— The Effect of the Report — The Fight Between the People and the Council — Jackson Hadley, Sketch — Taxation — Milwaukee vs. Detroit — ^The Harbor Question — Alderman George S. Mal- lory's Speech — More Meetings at Albany Hall — Letters from Tax-Payers — The Spring Campaign — Tne Kur Flies — William A. Prentiss Nominated for Mayor on a People's Ticket — Result of Election — Vilification — Council Pro- ceedings — -License — ^A I'idal Wave — High Water — The Cordes Black Falls — July 4, and Its Results — The Council Takes a Tilt at the Common Schools — Alderman J. A. Phelps, Sketch — ^J. P. Kundle, Sketch — Opening of the At- lantic Cable — The jail — Judge H. M. Wells Dies — Memorial Sketch — Charter Revision — Attempt to Remove the Court House — Rufus P. Jennings — Police Court — The Fall Campaign — A Bitter Contest — The Land Grant Steal — ^Judge Hubbell Buys a New Milch Cow — Chamber of Commerce Or- ganized — List of Its Presidents to Date — Matthew Keenan Retires from the Office of Clerk of Circuit Court — -Political — Councillor Jackson Hadley Goes for Mayor Prentiss — Mayor Prentiss Replies — Comptroller Hathaway's Esti- mate — ^T'he Election November, 1858 — Hotel Wettstein Opened — The Young Men's Christian Association vs. The Literary Club — ^The Weather — Early Ship Building— Wolf & Davidson, Sketch— S. R. Smith, Sketch— Early She- boygan Houses — Improvements. The winter of 1857-58 was, as the reader has already seen, an un- usually mild one, there being, with the exception of the slight freeze in November mentioned at the close of the previous chapter, no snow or ice throughout December, 1857, January and a part of Feb- ruary, 1858, the weather during all this time being almost one per- petual Indian summer. Balmy and soft as summer's eve Were those December days in '57. Out from the grand old lake, Guarding Wisconsin's eastern side. Like molten globe of Are, The king of day at morn arose, Gilding both land and sea In his bright golden beams. As through the shortening day He journeyed to his western bourne, Where, 'neath a bank of crimson clouds. He sank from view, While Luna — beauteous queen — Throughout the lengthening nights, Shed o'er her mother earth Her silver rays. 244 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHAKTEK. There has been no winter like it up to 1877 and 1878, during which, as stated in Vol. II., page 227, there was no frost, dandelions blooming in January and nearly all the fruit trees budding in Feb- ruary, the difference between the two winters being in the amount of fogs and dampness mainly, of which (dampness and fogs), owing to the almost total absence of frost, we had an unusual amount in 1877 and 1878, while in 1857 and 1858 the weatiier was clear, with about the usual November frosts, the sun coming up as clear nearly every morning during the months mentioned as it does 'in July. There was no ice in sight in the lake, and on the 2 2d of January there were four sail vessels in the bay, one of which, the schooner Harriet, of Sheboygan, came up the river and landed her cargo, and the first ice seen during all that winter (except the freeze-up in November, previ- ously mentioned) was on the 31st of January, when it formed one inch in thickness. This, however, all disappeared on the 2d of Feb- ruary, and two government dredges were working on the new har- bor, while the fishermen were setting their nets in the river in which to catch suckers. The ice formed again, however, above Walker's Point bridge on the 4th thick enough for skating, and on the 5th some four hundred men and boys were sporting upon it, and on the 6th the ice men commenced cutting. But the best and thickest ice was not obtained until March, at which time it had obtained a thick- ness of twelve inches or more. Legislative. The members to the legislature from Milwaukee city and county in 1858 were: To the senate, August GreuHch and Patrick Walsh; assembly, Dighton Corson, Alex. Cotzhausen, John Hayden, Duncan E. Cameron, Mitchell Steever, Fred. R. Berg, Orlando Ellsworth, Joseph Carney and Michael Hanrahan. Mr. Hanrahan, who was from the town of Granville I believe, was the one who, when the house was polled, answered " Here, sor," neither could such an answer as " yea " or " nay " ever be got out of him. He had been an old-time juryman too long for that. This legislature convened January 13 and adjourned May 17. F. S. Lovell, speaker. Mlt.WAUlCEE UNDER Ttit CHARTER. 245 Municipal. There was a meeting of the common council held on the loth of January,* 1858, for the purpose of devising some means to revive the city's credit, which, as has been seen in the previous chapter, was at a low ebb. Nothing was accomplished, however, owing to the want of harmony among the members, except to adopt, after a lengthy discussion, the following report of the committee on finance, viz., that the sum of $200,000 in Milwaukee city bonds, bearing 7 per cent., be issued under the act providing for a sinking fund, and as an oifset for these bonds so issued. They further recommend a remission of 2 per cent, of the tax now due ($129,000) and an extension of thirty days for the payment of the balance thereof, a petition for which had been presented to the legi^^lature (then in session), and that these bonds so issued should not be sold for less than 75 per cent, of their face value, and that when so sold the proceeds thereof to be paid into the city treasury and applied as follows : First — ^To the payment of the interest of the bonded city debt, which will fall due on the 1st of February next, to the amount of $11,725. Second — To the payment of the sinking fund to be redeemed after the 1st of February next, amounting to 118,850. Third — To the payment of the notes of the city comptroller, now in the hands of the Farmers' and Millers' bank, to the amount of ?90,000, and of the Juneau bank, to the amount of $30,000, said notes falling due in January and February, 1858. Resolved, That his honor the mayor be and is hereby authorized and requested to make and sign a memorial to be presented to the legis- lature, and that our representatives be hereby earnestly requested and instructed to procure the passage of an act authorizing the common council of the city of Milwaukee to remit such portion of the city taxes levied for the year 1857 as they may deem necessaryj and to refund to those parties or persons who nave already paid their taxes the same proportion or part as would be remitted by the common council to those who have not paid, and also to extend the time for the collection of said taxes for thirty days.f Feed. Kuehn, J. Hadley, A. Gebdlich, A. McCoBMICK, , Finance Committee. *The action of the board at this meeting, in relation to taxation, was no doubt intended to soften the blow which they knew (or at least suspected) would fall uoon them, or such of them then in the board as had been members of the old one, during which nearly all the rascality complained of had been perpetrated. fl remember the excitement about this tax ; it was an enormous one, and had it not been remitted in part it would not have been paid, as the exemption of the Newhall House alone would have vitiated it. Four years more under the admin- istration of J. B. Cross et al, would have bankrupted the city forever. 246 MiLWAUlCEE tJNbER tMK CHARTER. The Report at Albany Hall. The following is a synopsis of the report made at Albany Hall, January 12, 1858, by the committee appointed the previous Novem- ber, known as the investigating committee, which report filled nearly two pages in the Sentinel of the 28th, and is the most complete docu- ment of the kind ever presented to the people of Milwaukee. It shows up the rascalities of certain officials named therein in a way not very compHmentary to them, to say the least, and when we con- sider the youth as well as the poverty of the city at that time, their condutt appears all the blacker, and should entitle them to a place in the ranks of the worst thieves ihat ever infested New York city, in the palmiest days of that illustrious financier and democratic leader William M. Tweed. The committee state, among other irregularities discovered, that several of the mortgages given by the difierent railroads to the city, as security for loans, to-wit : three of those given by the Milwaukee & Watertown, the Milwaukee & Beloit, and the Milwaukee & Superior, have neve^- been placed upon record, two of which were found in the office of the city treasurer, and one in that of the clerk of the Board of School Commissioners, and that two others, to-wit : those on the Milwaukee & Mississippi, and the Milwaukee & La Crosse, could not be found at all, nor were they accounted for by any city officer. See statement annexed taken from their report : Tabular Statements of City Taxes, Expenses, Etc. Upon examination by the committee, we found the following securi- ties were given by the several railroad companies to secure the city against loss, in reference to the City Bonds, issued for railroad purposes; Milwaukee & Mississippi Raileoad Company. Two Certificates of Stock at 184,090, and 1150,000 Another Certificate of Stock 32-5,000 Bond of Company for 600,000 Second Mortgage (is not found nor recorded) for 300,000 Milwaukee, Fond du Lac & Green Bay Railroad Company. One Bond to the City, executed September 1, 1853. and signed by J. Kneeland, Pres't, and I. N. Mason, Sec'y $400,000 One Bond to the City, executed September 1, 1853, and signed by J. Kneeland, J. A. Hoover, J. H. Rogers. Moses Kneeland, E. Townsend, W. P. Flanders, S. H. Alden, M. J. Thomas, and M. Finch, Jr 100,000 One Mortgage to the City, dated September J , 1853, on the first section, commencing in the city, extending 40 miles northwesterly 200,000 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEft. 247 Green Bay, Milwa'jkeb & Chicago Eaileoad Company. Second Mortgage, properly recorded $200,000 Milwaukee & La Crosse Eaileoad Company. One Bond to the City, executed February 16th, 1854, and signed by Stoddard Judd, Pres't, and L. Burnell, Sec'y i of said Company $400,000 Second Mortgage on 4£l miles, commencing at a point where it leaves the line heretofore adopted Dv the Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and Green Bay T^ilroad, in the County of of Washington, thence westward to the town ol Beaver Dam, in the County of Dodge, subject to a prior Mort- gage of $10,000 a mile. This Mortgage is recorded in Dodge and Washington Counties, and has been sent back by the Eecorder, but is not found. Milwaukee & Watektown Eaileoad Company. A second Mortgage on road from Junction to Watertown $75,000 One Stock Certificate, No. 189, for 1,000 Shares 100,000 One Bond to City for $150,000, signed by J. S. Eockwell, Pres't, and J. L. Hathaway, Sec'y, December 10th, 1853 150,000 One Bond of Company to City, May 8th, 1854 100,000 One Bond of Milwaukee & Watertown Railroad Company to City, May22d, 1856 400,000 One Stock Certificate for 2,000 shares 200,000 One Mortgage to City, dated March 22d, 1856^ on part of the road extending from the junction of said road with the Milwaukee & Mississippi Eailroad, to the village of Columbus, in Columbia County, subject to a prior mort- fage of $10,000 a mile, approvfed by J. B. Cross, Mayor, ut not recorded. Milwaukee & Horioon Eailroad Company. Bond of Company for $332,000 Personal Bond of J. B. Smith, Garret Vliet, D. H. Richards .and Jasper Vliet 200,000 Second Mortgage to Herman Schwarting, City Treasurer, dated two months and a-half before he entered the ofiice of City Treasurer, not recorded 166,000 1,660 Shares of Stock 166,000 Milwaukee & Lake Supbrior Eailroad Company. 100 First Mortgage Bonds $100,000 Farmers' Mortgage Bonds 50,000 Bond of Company 200,000 Second Mortgage, not recorded 100,000 Stock Certificate, 1,000 shares 100,000 Personal Bond of C. E. Alton, H. Haertel, Ed. Button, D. P. Hull, Julius White and Joshua Hartz 100,000 Milwaukee & Beloit Eailroad Company. Personal Bond of Directors, Horatio Hill, William J. Whaling and Martin Medberry, of the City of Milwaukee, and of several other gentlemen residing in the County $150,000 100 First Mortgage Bonds 100,000 Bond of Company 200,000 Certificate of Stock 100,000 Second Mortgage, not recorded 100,000 248 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. From the above it will be noticed that by the criminal neglect on the part of the proper city officers, several mortgages have been left unre- corded. It is proper to state that, at the request of the Committee, the City Treasurer has promptly taken measures to have the mortgages recorded in the several counties through which the Railroads are located. They also find the bonded debt, as appears by the books, to be as follows : Sinking Fund Bonds ?187,000 Harbor 1.59,000 School 175,000 Dredging 50,000 Bridge 50,000 Fire Loans 11,850 " " FirstWard 1,400 " Second Ward 500 Collateral Security Bonds 50,000 Total amount issued. $684,750 Of these Bonds the following are reported as yet unsold (viz:) $50,000 hypothecated to Juneau Bank for loan, $30,000 of which is due in February. $10,000 Bridge Bonds in the office of Comptroller. $3,000 in hands of Mayor. $10,000 left by Mayor, and $16,000 left by Comptroller with Wm. Shell & Co., of New York, for sale, and $2,000 previously pledged by them, for loan by Bell & Co. In all, 91 Bonds. And that the Mayor and Clerk have the power, at any time, to execute additional School Bonds to the amount of $40,000. Of these bonds issued since August, 1856, the Mayor has received $440,000. He reports sales of $220,000 at $161,763.07 net proceeds. He sent $140,000 to Wm. J. Bell & Co., who report sales of $120,000 from March to July, 1857, at about 80 per cent., less commission. The other 18 were pledged or transferred for sale to Wm. Shell & Co., in October last, and on the 21st of October the Mayor left with the same house 76 other bonds for sale, receiving an advance of $10,000. 66 of these bonds have been sold for $34,924.27, less commissions, and $25,000 of this amount drawn, as he states, by the Mayor. The report also further states, that the tax levied for 1857, for general city purposes, and now in the hands of the city treasurer for collection, is $434,735.59, an amount greater than for the five pre- vious years put together, and the amount levied for specials was $253,762.59, a total of $688,498.28, an amount twice as large as the whole State tax for the State of Wisconsin, and larger than the whole city tax for the three previous years, that of last year being only $122,171.22, showing an increase of 150 per cent, in one year, the increase in the State, county and school, for the last five years, aver- aging 20 per cent., and the general city 22 per cent., showing the increase of this year to be seven times the average of the last five, an increase of the percentage in every ward, but the Seventh, from MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEB. 249 ^ to 4 and 5 per cent., being in amount five times as large as that of Detroit, a city of much g-^eater wealth as well as popoulation, showing a state of affairs, says the report, for which a parallel cannot be found, when wealth and population are taken into account, in any city on the globe. On a valuation doubled, the total tax is about seven per cent., and is divided as follows : County, State and School about 2 per cent. Ward tax, except in Seventh ward 2 " General City Expenses I " Old Debt and Interest If " Sinking Fund.. Total.. Tax for current City Expenses $48,738 79 Expenses estimated by Comptroller 102,000 00 In order to pay the salaries of officers, the City borrows from other funds, and the Mayor has used trust funds to pay himself and the rest of the City Officers. Statement op Taxes Levied in the City of Milwaukee fob the Yeaes 1852 TO 1857, Inclusive. 1852. 1863. 1864. 1855. 1856. 1857. General City purposes.. Interest on Bonds, of.,.. First Ward purposes.... S15,853 70 15,681 09 5,076 01 »16,654 61 16,550 84 6,709 67 $26,900 00 20,015 60 9.705 60 »21,476 78 28.663 17 IV, 272 60 $23,975 95 31,967 93 6,278 52 13,111 11 6,150 79 3,985 72 848. 7.38 79 113,723 86 11,647 00 13,863 68 12 075 58 4,679 .33 6,056 96 29,449 02 18,014 27 17,224 30 4,598 45 Second " " Sixth '* •' 2, 6'. 8 33 3,179 64 3,101 40 8,161 84 Ninth " " Third " Fourth " Fifth Eighth " " 7,452 47 2,li44 75 2,472 65 6,3li5 92 5,969 60 3,643 37 9,095 06 6.820 .56 6.014 87 7,096 .50 6,681 50 6,832 3i 16.666 70 10,83510 9,784 63 Sinking Fund 51,888 90 69,073 45 80.653 08 98,264 63 122,756 46 280,071 16 32 492 53 State Fund 7,619 91 22,206 59 5,442 ^0 13,53H 62 28.220 66 6.646 53 21.367 59 41,625 IS 5,550 03 30,185 17 45.277 76 7,516 29 22,377 .55 47,9,51 89 9,690 38 24 694 32 County Fund 84.480 57 12,997 01 Total 35.2)9 30 47,405 81 68,542 80 83,009 22 79 919 82 122,171 90 Street Commissioner's Certificates. 1852. 1853. 1864. 1855. 1856. 1867. First Ward 401 60 2,607 88 11,162 11 12,440 44 11,337 51 15.698 50 8,992 08 10,141 00 8,412 18 69,695 72 16,829 12 .=.,785 07 4,275 67 8 305 18 9,600 20 Bixth Ward 8,155 iO Ninth Ward 15,719 71 58,-46 11 Third Ward 4,2!'0 56 364 38 686 37 10.516 .30 14,313 75 11,282 01 i2,.566 38 12.113 21 10,300 15 14,388 26 17,971 58 18,953 74 20.169 57 3.i,828 94 3l,797 06 Fourth Ward 24,739 79 Fifth Ward b8.128 71 Eighth Ward 13,644 45 11,477 98 42,994 61 51,441 03 73,354 22 134,264 66 253,762 69 Total $98,636 18 $149,473 87 $203,646 91 $264,618 07 8326,940 93 8688,498 28 2r,0 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. General City Expenses. Salaries. Estimated. 1852. 1853. 1854.. 1S55. 1856. 1857. $2,000 00 1,379 63 600 00 405 00 40 00 1,110 35 $2,000 00 1,300 00 600 00 375 00 30 00 767 52 $2,000 00 2,126 27 71 00 1.000 00 30 00 1,990 12 $2,1533 00$2.846 00 2,533 00 4,048 25 1,300 00 2,183 00 1,000 00 1,400 00 $4,000 00 4,000 00 2,800 00 city Clerk City Attorney City Assessor 2,250 00 Contingenia City Treasurer 3,004 08 3,627 58 4,600 00 Commissioner of Survey 630 00 100 00 92 50 273 00 190 00 Police , Citv Marshal 800 00 668 13 800 00 501 28 670 on 356 00 1,669 75 324 73 425 54 800 00 (2,800 00 Watchman i 824 77 267 93 243 00 '3,195 io 578 00 13,513 12 440 00 17,000 00 396 00 1,000 00 Chief Engineer 366 66 300 66 366 m 800 00 Police. 1862. 1858. 1854. 1865. 800 00 450 00 1856. 1857. Chief of Police 2,000 00 Inspector of Bridgesj 25 00 838,73 252 36 ' 800 00 Salary for burying nuisances Condition of the GrENERAr, City and Ward AcootmTS as Exhibited bt THE Ledger, March 26, 1857. First Ward- Debit, amount expended over tax levied Add delinquent tax of 1852 to 1856 inclusive Second Ward- Debit, amount expended over tax levied Add delinquent tax as above Third Ward- Credit amount tax levied over amount expended.. Deduct delinquent tax, as above rourth, Ward- Credit amount tax levied over amount expended.. Deduct delinquent tax, as above Fifth Ward- Credit amount tax levied over amount expended., Deduct delinquent tax Sixth Ward- Debit, amount expended over tax levied Add delinquent tax Seventh Ward- Credit, amount tax levied over expenses Delinquent tax General City Fund— DeWt, amount expended over tax levied Delinquent tax 11,015 30 1,139 99 9,875 31 Old debt, Interest Fund- Credit amount tax levied over expenditures.. Delinquent tax 2,072 131 1,141 57|To'ld'bt 3,213 70 152 84 1,192 02To'ld'bt' 2,915 07 iTo'ld'bt 2,330 11 1,829 96i 500 16 114 00. 1,660 28 . 632 13 919 25 32,703 91 4,500 75 2,177 ( 1,651 38 33,569 64 5,426 9228,142 72l 37,210 66 47,043 97 Amount of interest due or paid, not ascertained, MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 251 General City Printing, Etc. Printing Bi'idge repairs Bridge tending Books and stationery Contingent expenses Eent of connoil room, etc General city, contingent Fire department Election expenses Furnishing council rooms and city offices Total.. 1852. 273 08 668 22 702 50 315 2' 631 40 323 00 1853. 454 15 L,236 ft 568 38 170 47 727 90 362 50 5,535 10 858 50 13,794 66 14,691 47 1854. 1,113 00 1.486 66 746 19 188 70 2,249 37 325 GO 4,284 62 5,868 46 448 24 1855. 2,175 75 3,872 94 1,438 35 124 70 3,616 20 460 00 4,940 46 6,690 76 723 27 1856. 4,262 U 6,514 47 1.757 82 621 35 2,876 22 450 00 3,8.54 67 9,968 00 941 49 1857. 6,000 00 14,000 00 4,000 00 1,000 00 3.400 00 2,600 00 - 12.000 00 12,0U0 00 5,097 02 101,547 03 Statement of Tax Levied for "Street Commissioner's Certificates,' FOR Several Years, and the Amount of Delinquent Tax on Same, in April, 1857. 1853. 1854. 1865. Total Total levied, delinqt'. First Ward, levied Delinquent Second Ward, levied. . Delinquent Third Ward, levied Delinquent Fourth Ward, levied.... Delinquent Fifth Wafd, levied Delinquent Sixth Ward, levied Delinquent Seventh Ward, levied.. Delinquent 401 60 5,735 07 , 9 79 4,290 56 TOO 70 364 38 686 37 129 52 4,275 408 10,515 247 14,313 782 11,282 2,253 11,162 ■ 301 8,306 1,466 12,560 3,677 12,113 3,300 10,300 2,360 12,440 44 1,895 75 9,600 20 1.129 36 14,388 26 5,312 04 17,971 68 3,784 42 18,953 74 6,910 81 547 55 ■67 I 2,'676"' 2,027 64 'l,'533"59 11,637 7,020 3,992 e,172 20,169 7,365 35,828 15,484 31,7S7 19,641 10,141 2,924 15,698 9,614 38,249 54 36,'968"2b 9,215 87 61,924 07 so.Mi'se '7.3,oi9"33 8,176 74 10,141 00 15,698"56 23,362 60 30,'225"78 "5,'737"69 'ii','272'i"6 Total levied 11,477 98 42.994 6154,441 03:3,354 22134,264 66316,532 60 Total delinquent 857 5ll 4,240 96 14,641 26 21,623 60! 67,013 " 108,277 19 The reading of this report produced a profound sensation in the community, and the necessity of having the amendments offered at the November meeting (1857) incorporated into the charter at once, was apparent to ^very one having the good of the city at heart. Three meetings more were accordingly held, the first March nth, at which Messrs. Chas. K. Watkins, S. M. Booth, Gen. Jas. H. Paine, Jas. S. Brown, and Hans Crocker advocated their passage, while John L. Doran, Ed. McGarry, and Jackson Hadley opposed it This meeting was a stormy one, as Mr. Hadley, who foresaw in Iheir adoption the defeat of all his plans, as well as the curtailment of his powers as the head of the Board of Street Commissioners, also opposed them bitterly, while the mass of the people, now that they saw the pit into which they had fallen, financially, were just as deter- mined that they should pass. The result of the fight at this time was 252 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. an adjournment to the r7th (in order that the amendments might be printed), when they had another circus and adjourned to the 20th, at which the reformers, as the people's party was called, won the day. They came very near being beaten, however, as after it was all done and the amendments declared adopted, Mr. Hadley played his last card, by offering a resolution to postpone the whole matter for twenty days, in order, as he said, to give the dear people, whose interests he had so much at heart, time to read them. This was a sharp move on his part, as it would, if adopted, have postponed the whole matter, not only until after the adjournment of the legislature, but until after the coming charter election also, which would have given him as well as his followers full control of the city offices for another year, by which time he would have had the taxpayers where Boss Tweed had the New Yorkers. So smooth was Mb tongue. And his manner so bland As to near beat the taxpayers Out of their land. But the people saw through the move and at once voted it down, after which there went up such a shout from that assemblage as was never heard in Albai.y Hall before, such was their joy that the vic- tory was won. This done, a committee, consisting of Wm. P. Lynde, Jas. Kneeland, Doct. Chas. E. Wonderly,* John H. Tweedy, and Doct. Jas. Johnson, were at once appointed to proceed to Madison and urge the immediate passage of the proposed amendments,! which also was done. But although beaten in a general engagement with the people, Mr. Hadley, with the aid of his friends, carried on a regular guerilla warfare in the council for the next two years, as will * This gentleman was a promininent German doctor, a politician, and, as the reader has seen, was one of those who took an aciive part in the investigation in 1857. His homestead was the present well-known property adjoining the South Side Brewery of Ph. Best & Co., where his widow yet resides. This property still retains the primeval grade. He died Kebrnary 21, 1859. f One of the proposed amendments w.ns the change from three aldermen in each ward to one alderman ami two councillors, and the appointment ot a board of three, one from the East, one from the West, and one from the South Sides, who in connection with the comptroller, city attorney, and treasurer, were to con- stitute the Board of Reform or Commissioners. T'his was the nucleus of the present Board of Public Works, the first appointees upon this Board being Daniel Schultz for the West, Thos, Keogh for the East, ^1)4 Hiram Merrill for the Soyth Sides. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 253 be seen in due time. He had a strong following, particularly among the contractors and laboring classes, and with their aid came very near winning the day.* Biographical. Jackson Hadley, who came to our city in 1844, was without ex- ception one of the ablest men who ever lived here, and was, from the day of his arrival to the day of his death, one of the most active as well as influential Democratic politicians in the city; neither would he play second to any one. He went in for a front seat al- ways, and if ousted from that would never fail to make it exceedingly warm for his opponents. He was a first-class diplomatist, suave in manner, and could usually do whatever he listed with those with whom he was associated politically or otherwise. He was the most aggressive man in that direction in the state, Byron Kil- bourn — who, in the ability to plan as well as carry out vast schemes for public improvement as well as for self-aggrandisement he much resembled — not excepted, and left no stone unturned that if turned would enable or aid him to accomplish his purpose, and in such contests there was no friendship. While he would grant a friend any favor of a pecuniary nature, if within his power, freely, he would, if pitted against that friend for office, beat him if possible, no matter by what means, and think it all fair. In such a contest that friend would find, as did the Scottish King, Fitz James, in his contest with Roderick Dhu, so poetically described by Sir Walter Scott in his " Lady of the Lake :'' It was no play to hold his own With Hadley's arms around him thrown, Whose vice-like grip his frame might feel Through bars of brass or triple steel. This, of course, made him many enemies, for which, like Mr. Kil- * It is not surprising that Mr. Hadley should oppose the amendments to the Charter, particularly the one which placed the street work in the hands of three commissioners, as he could then no longer march his army of graders to the caucus, or the polls, to carry his own election, or to Albany Hall to break up a taxpayers' meeting. There were other officials, also, who might find themselves deprived of the little kites (to which they formed the tail), and unable any longer to dictate to the democracy, or dragoon their constituents into carrying out their games for plunder. 16 254 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. bourn, he cared very little, never slacking his efforts in the least on that account. Politically he knew no North, no South, no East, no West, and cared for no one but himself. The writer was well acquainted with Mr. Hadley, and outside Of politics would never wish for a better friend. He was a power in Milwaukee while he lived, socially and poUtically. Mr. Hadley took an active part in the organization and construc- tion of the old La Crosse Railroad, being at one time its secretary, and as has been seen was much in office. He was a very active member of the common council from 1852 to 1858, as well as in the school board. He also represented his ward (the First) in the as- sembly in 1854, 1865 and 1866, and his district in the senate in 1855 and 1856, and was re-elected again in 1866 for two years more, but did not live to serve out his full term, dying literally in the harness. He was a splendid-looking man, not one in a thousand in any coun- try possessing as fine a physique as did Jackson Hadley. He was finely educated, was a fluent speaker, a ready writer, and a poUshed gentleman. In the portrait gallery at Madison is what purports to be a likeness of him, but it is far from doing him justice. He was born at Livonia, Livingston county, N. Y., May 22, 1815, and died March 3, 1867. Taxation Again. The Sentinel of January 14, 1858, contains the following article from a tax-payer, which speaks for itself, and besides showing pretty plainly where a part of the evils of our financial system lie, makes a comparison of our city with Detroit, after which he gives some good advice in reference to what should be done. He proceeds to state that Detroit, with a population about equal to ours, has never sold a bond for less than 3 per cent, premium, and that her taxes do not exceed i J^ per cent. He then compares the salaries of our city officials with Detroit, showing that ours cost $22,000 per annum more than Detroit, and proposes to reduce ours to the same. He also proposes to abolish the police department entirely, as well as the comptroller, sell the furniture in thfe school commissioners' rooms (he was right about that), then attach the MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 255 property of Alderman Jonathan Taylor to reimburse the city for what he had stolen, and in short to put the city on the same basis financially as a business man would his own private affairs, and he would guarantee that our bonds (if we found it necessary to issue any) would not be at a discount. It was not done, however, and our taxes to-day are double those of Detroit, and will continue to be until politics are entirely ignored in the selection of men to fill our municipal offices. Will it ever be done? There was an attempt made to do this, as far as the salaries of the city officers were concerned, at the meeting of the council held on the 2d of January, by Alderman John Plankinton, who offered a resolution to reduce the salaries of the comptroller to $2,500, out of which he was to pay his own clerk, city attorney $1,500, chief of pohce $1,000, bridge superintendent $400, and policemen from $50 to $35 per month. Laid over under the rules, and never heard of again. The harbor question* also came up at this meeting, as per agree- ment at which time the joint committee made a report, recommend- ing that the city issue $95,000 in bonds as a final settlement of the matter. This proposition, however, after a lengthy discussion, was, on motion of Alderman William A. Prentiss, also laid over until the next meeting (February 3), when it was expected the outside com- njittee,t consisting of Messrs. Geo. W. Mygatt, John Rugee, Edward P. AUis, John Sercomb and John Fellenz (appointed at a previous meeting) — after a bitter opposition firom Aldermen Hadley and Mal- lory, and strongly advocated by Alderman Wm. A. Prentiss — were expected to report.| But instead thereof a motion was made by Alderman Alex. Johnston that the present harbor committee and the *It was not the intention of the writer to have said anything further upon this subject, having given what he considered a sufficient account of it in Vol. II., pages 140 and 141; but as it looms up again as an important factor in the report of the investigating committee made January 12, as well as in some of the coun- cil proceedings of 1857 and 1858, he can not very well avoid referring to it again in this connection. fOr referees, as they were called. J'lhe appointment of this outside committee, or the referees, as they were called, became a firebrand among the already over-heated contestants, and no good came of it tg either party in interest. 256 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. city engineer be added. This was supplemented by one frorti Alder- man D. C. Reed, that Messrs. Tweedy, Crocker. Huebschmann and Waldo be also added (done solely to break it up), after which the whole matter was postponed for one week (February 9), at which time the committee offered a lengthy and somewhat one-sided re- port, recommending that ninety-five harbor bonds of $1,000 each, and a city order for $264.33, be issued to Isaac Hasbrouck in full of all claims for the construction of sections i, 2 and 3 of the straight- cut harbor. This report was signed by F. Kuehn, George S. Mallory, J. Hadley, A. McCormick, committee on finance ; J. Hadley, D. C. Reed, George S. Mallory, Ferd. Kuehn, S. Wagner,* A. McCormick, G. G. Loeffler, harbor committee. Which, after being discussed by Aldermen Hadley, Plankinton and Alex. Johnston, was finally laid over for another week, as the referees had not joined in the report. Alderman Geo. S. Mallory on the War Path. At this meeting of the council, held February 9th, Alderman Geo. S. Ma,llory arose in his place, and, after a few preliminary remarks, proceeded to relieve himself of the contempt he entertained for the "anti-harbor" portion of the board, as well as the investigating com- mittee generally,! and Messrs. Aldermen John Plankinton, August GreuHch, the "Jenny Lind Club," and the newspapers particularly, thusly : I am down on newspapers in general and the " Jenny Lind Club," who he claimed were trying to bring the action of the council into disrepute for political effect in particular. He was surprised to hear the gentleman from the Fourth ward (Plankinton) take up the outside cry of fraud, and claim that $25,000 was all that Mr. Hasbrouck was entitled to, when a committee of the council had just recommended that $95,000 be paid him, particularly as his late colleague and co- worker, Jonathan Taylor, had just been indicted, and whose conduct had brought all this disgrace upon the council. The gentleman from *I think this is a mistake, as there is no such name in the directory or in the official reports for that year, ahhough there was an Alderman Wergen from the Eighth ward in 1857. f Meaning J. H. Tweedy, Otis H. Waldo, Chas. K. Watkins, and others, who had been active in unearthing the rascalities of the two previous years. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 257 the Fourth ward occupied a delicate position and should keep still. His action in this matter looked to him (Mallory) like a man kicking himself, and he was ashamed that any gentleman should support such a resolution as that offered by the gentleman from the Second ward (Alex Cotzhausen).* He (Mallory) was not surprised that that gen- tleman had been made a tool of by his colleague (Greulich) to pre- sent such a resolution,! as he (Cotzhausen) did not probably know when he was kicked.^ Mr. Cotzhausen might be an agent of the Jenny Lind Club for all that he (Mallory) knew, but if he was expect- ing political preferment at the hands of the people, he was getting such a load on his shoulders as would break them. He then went for the committee. Look at them, he says (meaning the investigating committee), their report is so shameful that not one of them dare sign it. He (Mallory) was for having some respect shown to the council, and thought them perfectly competent to investigate their own acts. Hoped the gentleman from the Second ward would stand on his resolution, but did not think it would pass. Mr. Mallory was severely censured by the mayor, Wm. A. Prentiss, for this speech, and for attempting to blacken the character of the committee, who he said were men of good standing in the commu- nity and among the early settlers of the city, men of good character, and that such remarks were very foolish. § This report, made January 20th, was pretty severely commented upon in the Sentinel of February 8th, by a taxpayer, in which, after displaying some legal acumen in defining his points, he proceeds as follows : * A resolution for a new committee, who were to go over the whole ground again, from the letting of the first contract to Abel Hawley to the completion of the work by Messrs. Hasbrouck & Conro. \ Intimating that the resolution was written by Greulich, and offered by Cotz- hausen. \ 'I'he Germans were strongly opposed to paying $95,000, for what such men as John Plankinton, William A. Prentiss and others, claimed did not cost over $45,000, and which could have been settled for $65,000. And the reason Mr. Cotzhausen gave for his action was, that he had been informed that one of the committee (Hadley) had an interest in the contract, which from the anxiety he manifested to get the $95,000 allowed, strengthened his belief in the assertion. § Alderman John Fuldner, who many yet living must remember, was present at this meeting, and when asked by one of the disputants what he proposed to do in the matter, answered that he did not know " sumdings." He was right. 258 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. There appears to be much difference of opinion among the different members of the council as to the propriety of any further legislation or investigation into the harbor contract. They object — {i. e.) the present committee — to any plan that would take it out of their juris- diction, while the chairman (Hadley) prefers to take the report of the committee* as his guide. Another (Plankintont) pins his faith upon the report of the engineer, while Mallory wants to keep the matter within the control of the council, for the purpose, I suppose, of maintaining its dignity. Does the gentleman think there is any dig- nity remaining in an institution, one of whose members (Jonathan Taylor) has lately been indicted, and is now a fugitive from justice, while the people are daily looking for a stampede among those re- maining. We must have a committee, Mr. Editor, not members of the council, or of architects,:]: but a committee of engineers, with Mr. Gunnison, the government superintendent, at its head, and then and not until then will the people get at the facts in this matter. An injunction was finally put upon this referee business March lo by Judge Byron Paine, at the request of Anson Eldred, Hans Crocker, Jas. Kneeland, Lester Sexton, Josiah A. Noonan, John H. Tweedy, Dr. F. Huebschmann, E. B. Dickerman, Alpha C. May, Jno. J. Orton, David Ferguson, Henry C. Heidie and Doctor Lemuel W. Weeks, in order to prevent any further action by the officers of the council. The attorneys for the city were E. G. Ryan and Nor- man J. Emmons, and for Messrs. H. and C., John L. Doran and Jas. S. Brown. The case was argued March i? and reported in the Sentinel ot the 13th. The injunction was sustained. It is sufficient to say in closing that after some twelve years litiga- tion the city had to pay $484,000 to Messrs. Hasbrouck and Conro, * Whatever faults were charged against Jackson Hadley (and there certainly were some), in connection with the construction of the present harbor, and the settlement with Messrs. Hasbrouck & Conro, justice to him requires me to say, that the fact of the city having been compelled to pny, at the end of a long litiga- tion, nearly half a million for what they could have settled for less than |ioo,ooo, in 1858, is not chargeable to him, as he certainly did recommend the acceptance of this report as a final adjustment of the matter. f Alderman Plankinton was for giving them $25,000, and William A. Prentiss was in favor of giving $45,000. % Meaning Rugee and Mygatt. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 259 for what could have been settled in 1858 for $75,000 at the outside. But such is often the case in this country, where so many different interests are at stake and the chances for plunder are so common. Milwaukee has suffered beyond comparison, and is now (1885) in chains, wholly on account of not putting the right men on guard. Will her citizens ever learn wisdom from past experience ? I fear not. The Fur Flies. As the time for the charter election drew near in 1858 the people became excited as they never had been before, and among the lead- ers of the different parties the excitement was intense. More lies were told in one day than the newspapers could contradict in a week. Even that virtuous Democrat, Jonathan Taylor, wrote from his forced retreat in California a letter intended to blacken the char- acter of Cicero Comstock and Robert Whitehead, both of which were answered in a way calculated to cause Mr. Taylor to crawl into his hole and pull the hole in after him. It put him in the front rank as a campaign liar. A call was made for Wm. A. Prentiss to run for mayor on a peo- ple's ticket by the reformed Democrats.* At the people's convention, held March 24, William A. Prentiss was nominated by the following majorities : First Ward 201 Second Ward 288 Third Ward 108 Fourth Ward 215 Fifth Ward Sixth Ward 118 Seventh Ward 360 Eighth Ward 122 Ninth Ward 144 Cicero Comstock was also nominated for comptroller, Herman Schwarting for treasurer, and Geo. Woodward for attorney. Third Ward Nominations. The regular Democracy of the Third ward, at their caucus on Satur- *Singular as it may appear there was a democratic reform meeting (and there was need of one) held in the Sixth ward, at which, among other suggestions made, was one declaring it improper for any alderman to be a school commissioner or a member of the legislature, and that no officer of the council should serve as a juror. But, like other spasmodic efforts at reform, it all ended in wind. 260 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. day, after electing six Irishmen and one German to represent them in the city convention, proceeded to nominate the following ward ticket: Alderman for two years — Michael Bray. Alderman for one year — ^Dan Kennedy, Sr. Justice of the Peace — Wm. Holland. Assessor — John H. Dolan. Railroad Commissioner — T. H. Eviston. Constable — William Hurley. AH of the nominees, we believe, are sons of the Emerald Isle. The News, as in duty bound, indorses the nominations as excellent ones, and enjoins upon all true Democrats to support them. Hoping we don't in- trude, we should like to have the News inform its readers and the public if Dan Kennedy was not a member of the common council a year or two ago, and what befell him there.* It may help the tax-payers of the Third ward to a realizing sense, of what is in store for them should these nominations be ratified at the polls. Couldn't Wipe It Out. Among other electioneering documents published just previous to this election was one that appeared in the Sentinel of April 3, in- tended no doubt to destroy the effect of the investigating commit- tee's report of January 12, by a reference to that of the one from the common council.t But if that was the object, a more complete failure could not well have been made, as it did not refute a single statement in that document, but, on the contrary, admits the truth of each and every allegation there made. It was entitled by the Senti- nel " Hadley's Whitewashing Report," which would imply that if not written by him, it was written in his interest, as he was then run- ning for and was elected to the board of councillors. It is certainly a curious document, and had it been written by Emanuel Sweden- borg, would have been all right, as it explained nothing, neither did it make any point, but after wandering around a while in the land of shadows finally came out at the same hole where it went in.| *This has reference to a little toot the alderman indulged in one hot summer day, during which he became so boisterous as to necessitate his being locked up, and resulted in his expulsion from the board He was a terror when in that con- dition, and when arrested upon that occasion raised such a row that it took five men to convey him to the jail. He was very large and as strong as three ordinary men. I remember that arrest. He died many yeara ago. fThe council had, of course, appointed a committee of mvestigation directly after the meeting at Albany hall, November 18, 1857, who, of course, found noth- ing wrong in the then state of the city finances, and their report was simply worthless. Their object was to conceal and not reveal the rottenness of Mayor Cross' administration. JThis document was supposed to be the work of E. L. H. Gardner, but nothing is certainly known about it. MILWAUKEE t'Nt)ER THE CHARTER. 261 The election held April 6th resulted as follows : Mayor — William A. Prentiss. Comptroller — John L. Hathaway. Deputy — William L. Hinsdale, appointed. City Clerk— Robert B. Lynch. Deputy — Alex. Bolton, appointed. Treasurer — Herman Schwartrng. Deputy — Moritz von Baumbach, appointed. Attorney — Geo. A. Woodward. Clerk— John O'Grady. The following is the official vote : Recapitulation. ^ h ^ QQ 1 M '3 1 • 1 O a 1 ^ 02 o c i First ward 405 292 383 313 541 156 335 318 51 Second ward .. 587 242 528 391 334 567 123 321 474 Third ward 585 498 634 448 860 192 881 131 70 Fourth ward .. 540 267 513 245 357 404 198 230 347 Fifth ward 437 336 291 410 650 .307 241 464 68 Sixth ward.... 289 263 288 262 229 396 86 296 220 Seventh ward 755 245 722 271 698 282 903 203 80 Eighth ward .. 169 225 94 238 296 37 81 237 16 Ninth ward 339 475 319 489 458 344 161 491 159 Total 40g2 2998 3772 3097 4427 2895 2759 2681 1257 Aldermen. First ward — Matt. Keogh. Second ward — Joseph A. Phelps. Third ward — ^Thos. Carroll. Fourth ward — John Plankinton, Fifth ward — Geo. G. Dousman. Sixth ward — William H. Lindman. Seventh ward — Samuel S. Daggett. Eighth ward — John C. U. Neiderman. Ninth ward— John W. DeVose. J. A. Phelps, President. R. B. Lynch, Clerk. CODNCILLORS. First ward — Frederick Heineman and Jackson Hadley. Second ward — I. A. Lapham and Jobst H. Buening. Third ward— J. McGrath and A. McCormick. Fourth ward — John H. Tesch and Hiram R. Bond. Fifth ward — Henry Kroeger and Fi-ancis Conrad. Sixth ward— Carl Busach and Joseph Walters. Seventh ward— Victor Schulte and Otis H. Waldo. Eighth ward — Frederick Vogel and Edward H. Hayden. Ninth ward — John Leubenheimer and Matthias Human. J. Hadley, President. R. B. Lynch, Clerk. 262 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Board met in Cross' Excelsior Block, northeast corner East Water and Huron streets. School Commissioners. First ward — Silas Chapman, Dennis Culligan and Henry Eunkle. Second ward — Chas. P. Bode, Andrew J. Langworthy and Jas. B. Selby, Jr. Third ward— John Horan, Ed. O'Neill and John Shortell. Fourth ward — -Alex. H. Johnston, John A. Soger and Samuel C. West. Fifth ward — Edwin DeWolf, Chas. H. Larkin and Duncan C. Reed. Sixth ward — Cicero Comstock, Daniel Daggett and Ferdinand Kuehn. Seventh ward — Albert Bade, Kufas King and Geo. S. Mallory. Eighth ward— Geo. Burnham, Geo. B. Bingham and Chas. P. Melms. Mnth ward-^Samuel Brown, Dirk J. Doornick* and Henry Hilmantel. Geo. S. Mallory, President. J. A. Seger, Secretary. Police. Chief of Police — William Beck. Number of Police — Eighteen, (viz:) P. W. Dodge, William H. Garlick, Labron Capron, J. B. Rodee, Albert Beck, Thos. Shaughnessy, Thos. Bohan, John McCarty, Peter Smith, William H. Perrigo, Thos. Poulter, Jere O'Connor, Fred. Kessler, Adam Just, Adam Biagen heimer, Paul Schuengel, Geo. Gruber and Peter Dusolt. Of this number Peter Smith and Jerry O'Connor are yet on the force . Commissioners of Suevey. Herman Haertel, Ira E. Goodall, Sanford B. Grant, F. Schumacher, D. W. Keller, Otis B. Hopkins, Elisha Eldred, Andrew Mitchell, A. 0. Bergeld and John Ogden. Jas. Johnston, Christian W. Schwartzberg and Stoddard H. Martin. City Engineer. City Engineer — Fred. Schumacher. F. S. Blodgett, Deputy, appointed. Sealer of Weights and Measures — Christian Meyer, appointed. Justices op the Peace. First ward — Jas. B. Turk. Second ward — Chas. F. Bode. Third ward — William Holland. Fourth ward — D. L. Deyo. Fifth ward— C. C. Meyer. Sixth ward — C. Wichelhaus. Seventh ward — Albert Smith. Eighth ward — William A. Tucker. Ninth ward — F. R. Berg. Constables. First ward — J. Schoeffel. Second ward — Chas. Neuman. Third ward— M. Purtill. Fourth ward — Edward Mallon. Fifth ward — F. Holzenser. Sixth ward — M. Schwiebinger. * Mr. Doornick must have been a hard one. It is suggestive. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CttARTtR. 263 Seventh ward — H. Guenther. Eighth ward— N. IT. TJlman. Ninth ward — Christian Maas. Eailroad Commissioners. First ward — Philip Acker. Second ward — F. W. Hundhauaen. Third ward— Thos. Eviston. Fourth ward — Perry Ray Isham. Fifth ward— C. T. Stamm. Sixth ward — Adam Portner. Seventh ward — Christian Preusser. Eighth ward- Chas. T, Melms. Ninth ward— F. Foertsch. FiEB Department. Chief Engineer — Daniel Schultz. First Assistant — 0. M. Hoflford. Second Assistant — J. H. Butler. Third Assistant — John Larkin. Fire "Wardens. John B. Meyer_, Chas. May, "Wm. Spence, W. H. Holland, L. Buen- ning, Morris Louis, Casper Dusolt, T. P. Kelly, Chas. W. Bierbach and William Perrigo. Districts. There were five districts. In case of fire the alarm shall be as follows: First^ 10 strokes of the bell, preceding the strokes for the number of the district. First ward, 1 stroke ; Second ward, 2; Third ward, 3; Fourth ward, 4; Fifth ward, 5. County Officers. Sheriff — Herman L. Page. Clerk of Court — Matthew Keenan. Under Sheriff— William Beck. Deputies — Robert Wasson,* Ava B. Page, Henry Hillmantel, John Mitchell and John Shortell. Register of Deeds — Abert Bade. Treasurer — Garrett M. Fitzgerald.f Surveyor — John Gregory. Coroner — Robert Wasson. * It would appear from the record that Mr. Wasson was both deputy sheriff and coroner. f The election of Mr. Fitzgerald to the office of county treasurer proved a dis- astrous affair to ihe county, as he became a defaulter for a large amount, a full report of which can be found in the proceedings of the County Board, held April 1st, 1859, and reported in the Sentinel oi the 22d. Mr. Fitzgerald was a man of generous impulses, and no doubt entered upon the duties of his office with hon- esty of purpose, but so completely was he in the toils of the unscrupulous leaders who at that lime ran the democratic machine, that he fell. I remember Mr. Fitz- gerald well, and often think of him as he appeared in his palmv days, and his un- fortunate end only furnishes another example of the corrupting influence of American politics. 264 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Supervisors. (The Aldermen of each ward were ex officio Supervisors.) Towns. Wall watosa — ^Thomas Tobin . Granville — J. F. Brandt. Milwaukee — Chas. G. Everts. Lake — Andrew Douglass. Greenfield — Patrick Walsh. Oak Creek — N. Howes, Jr. Franklin — Michael J. Egan. Thos. Tobin, Chairman. Chas. F. Casten, Clerk. Henry Gosch, Deputy. -d >.T3 SO a) •S»a l^g e^ o fta F fl 5 ^ cs •^ o „ OS'S M \^ .FH 03 tc M -S""® < Equ Ig the wing ■a n o a a 23 O =3 8^ 00 ^ < +^ X 1) ^a a sja i 2^"" p §"03 <3 50 H m S B ^S^- c3 0^ s^s& mmitt ty, Sta ukee, be ad a a 03 Bs^a 03 0:3 ca H »^ 03 ■^"S-^ -t.j 0+^ o o . 2 >< 5^ o H a H a IS 9* ^~ CO O O O: CD CM C-l CO 0000— t^(MOCC^ iCOSr-iOOiOOO-TPCD . o o o oS HHHHO n 3 .a In commenting upon this election, which resulted in a clean thing for the people's ticket, the Sentinel gives the old Third — then a Democratic stronghold — a high compliment for the gallant manner MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 265 in which they had aided in breaking the chains which the former officials had placed upon the people, ending with the following : Shout the glad tidings O'er land and o'er sea. The people have triumphed, Milwaukee is free.* Vilification. No sooner had the new board got fairly organized that the Daily News, as might have been expected, commenced to abuse the new mayor. But it did him no harm, as the people not only knew Mr. Prentiss, but they also had some slight knowledge of the character of the News, as well as of its then proprietors, consequently its power for evil was gone, at least for a season, and its bark, like that of a snarling dog, was all that was left of it. Its columns, however, continued to be filled with the vilest abuse of everything not Demo- cratic. It was certainly a vile sheet in those days, neither was there anything of a political nature too mean for its then editors to do or say. Taxation. The joint committee of the boards of aldermen and councillors on finance, to whom was referred the resolution introduced by Alderman Phelps, on the 6th, levying the citj; taxes for the current year, upon examination of the financial condition of the city, particularly as set forth by the comptroller in his late report to the council, recommended the adoption of the following as a substitute for that resolution: Resolved, That there is hereby levied on the real and personal estate within the city of Milwaukee and the several wards thereof the follow- ing taxes, at the rate hereinafter specified, for the year 1858, upon the assessed value of said estate as aforesaid, as returned by the assessors of said city, revised and corrected as required by law in said year, to- wit: For the purpose of paying the annual interest on the city debt, and for the sinking fund for the extinguishment of the funded debt, a tax of seven and seven-eighths mills on each dollar of the assessed valua- tion. For the payment of the current expenses of the city for said year a tax of four mills on each dollar. For ward purposes in the several wards to- wit: In the First ward a tax of 4 mills. In the Second ward a tax of 2J mills. In the Third ward a tax of 4 mills. In the Fourth ward a tax of If mills. In the Fifth ward a tax of 6i mills. In the Sixth ward a tax of 5Jr mills. In the Seventh ward a tax of 2 mills. *He was mistaken, the battle was. only half won, '266 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. In the Eighth ward a tax of 4J mills. And in the Ninth ward a tax of 4 mills on each dollar of assessed val- uation as aforesaid. Upon which Councillor Waldo gave notice that, under the charter no greater sum than $175,000 could be levied for general city pur- posas. License. One of the first things to come before the new board was that all- absorbing and ever-present conundrum, the license question — a bone of contention then as now. The aldermen fixed it at $50, and the council reduced it to $15, which the aldermen would not concur in, and it was finally fixed at $25. Gas Explosion at Young's Hall, May 24. A terrific explosion took place in Young's new building last evening, about 7 o'clock, caused either by the ignition of escaped gas or the ex- plosion of one of the pipes. Luckily that portion of the building where the accident happened was unoccupied, and no lives were lost. The explosion seems to have taken place in the center of a partition wall near the north end of the third story, tearing the wall to atoms and bursting out the floors both above and below. Two doors were blown oflF their hinges, and heavy pieces of timber were shattered to splinters, and a general smash made of the windows. The whole building was sliaken by the explosion, and the report was heard at a distance of three blocks oflf. How the explosion occurred is a mystery to us, and it was impossible to ascertain precisely last night, owing to the ruins caused by the accident. One of the managers of the gas works thought some iire or light must have been communicated to a leaking pipe. The matter will probably be investigated and explained. This accident was caused by the carpenter breaking one of the pipes while making repairs, by which means the escaping gas came in contact with a lighted candle. A Tidal Wave, April 14. See annexed : Quite an Accident. — The swell through the straight cut caused con- siderable excitement along the docks yesterday. About 12 o'clock it came rushing in suddenly and with considerable velocity. The current up the Menomonee was very strong, and iu less than a minute the water had raised a foot or more. Such was the force of the current that the rope-ferry across the Menomonee, in the place of the bridge for the present, which was just crossing the stream with nine men aboard, was capsized and all thrown into the water. Fortunately they all clung to the rope and were soon pulled out, with no damage done save a cold bath. So quick was it done that those in the water did not know what caused it until they saw their hats going up stream with the current at the rate of ten miles an hour. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 267 This tidal wave was more marked on the beach the lake, by Messrs. Theodore Bilty and Jas. L. Mitchell, residing at the foot of Huron street, who noticed a sudden fall of the water in the lake. The water which a few minutes before was within three feet of the floor of Kellogg & Strong's warehouse, on the middle pier, commenced receding rapidly, leaving the ground dry ; but in twenty minutes it returned with such power as to force up the floor, a difference of six feet m thirty minutes. Was it an earthquake ? There was also a tremendous rainfall on the ist and 2d of June, which raised the river to a height not witnessed before by the oldest inhabitant. Part of Chestnut street bridge was carried away, all the cellars along the river were also flooded, the Menomonee marsh was a perfect sea, and, taken as a whole, it was one of the worst ever wit- nessed since the to>*n was settled. Among the sad accidents occurring this year was the falling of the building known as the Cordes block, a large wholesale grocery house standing at what is now Nos. 83, 85 and 87 Detroit street, by which two men were killed and three badly wounded. Cause, imperfect construction. Joseph Cordes was for many years a very prominent merchant. He built the brick dwelling known as 592, 594 and 596 National avenue, where he resided until his death. This was a very fine house when erected, and might, as far as the private residences were concerned, have very justly been called the pride of the south side. It was pulled down in 1883 md the present elegant block erected in its place. The store was also rebuilt, and is now the property of Chas. U. Nash. The Glorious Fourth. This day was celebrated this year with great pomp by the various fire and mihtary companies, under the lead of General Rufus King and Daniel Shultz. Among the accidents, a certain number of which always happen was the firing of a cannon loaded with beans into a crowd of small boys, thereby causing their legs to resemble the worm-eaten columns of the old temple at Pozzoli, Italy. Now, beans are a very useful article of diet if taken the right way, but to have them fired into you 268 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. from the mouth of a cannon is certainly not a good way to feed. I would not be willing to pay thirty cents a year for board at the Plankinton and be fed with beans (even if the wind was all taken out) in that manner. Municipal and Educational. The common council took a tilt at the public schools this year, the incentive thereto being a resolution offered by the member from the Teutonia (Second) ward, Alderman Jos. A. Phelps (whose con- stituents were always on the " bear " side on the school question when money was wanted for their maintenance) to close them, and which led to quite a newspaper warfare. But, as will be seen further on, they were not closed. Biographical — Alderman Phelps. He was one of the few native-born Americans who was able to obtain an office after the Germans (who were very numerous in his ward) once got hold of the reins, and, of course, in order to do that he was often compelled to do things which, under other circum- stances, he would not have done. It was a hard place for an Ameri- can, even if he were a Democrat with Republican proclivities (which he had to some extent), to fill. I often think of Alderman Phelps and the unpleasant work he occasionally had to perform in order to keep in the good graces of those old-time German Democrats. Joseph P. Rundle Came to Milwaukee from Hartford, Conn., in 1858. Mr. Rundle is one of our prominent wholesale merchants (plumbers, machinerv and gas-fitting supplies), the firm being Rundle & Spence (Thos. Spence), their store and manufactory being at 89 and 91 West Water street, where they do a large business and are known throughout the coun- try as reliable business men. Mr. Rundle is something of a mihtary character, having served three years in the Twentieth Wisconsin during the late unpleasant- ness. He is a genial, whole-souled fellow, always smiling and always happy. Mr. Spence is of a more quiet turn of mind ; but as a Milwaukee boy is an honor to the city which gave him birth. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEIR. 269 May they have all the success they deserve. Mr. Rundle was born in 1842. The Opening of the Atlantic Cable Was celebrated with a great noise in Milwaukee, August 17, 1858. John S. Fillmore was appointed chief marshal. The following was the order of the day : Starting from Market Square the procession marched down East Water street to Walker's Point bridge, across the bridge to Lake street, up Lake to Reed street, up Beed to West Water street, up West Water to Chestnut street, across Chestnut street bridge to East Water street, down East Water street to Mason street, up Mason street to Main, down Main street to Wisconsin street, down Wisconsin to East Water street again, and up to Market Square, when the procession was dismissed. The procession was arranged in the following order: 1. Squad of torch-bearers. 2. Brigadier-General and staff. 3. Milwaukee City Band. 4. Artillery company. 5. Hook and Ladder Cos. No. 1 and 2, bearing torches. 6. Great Western Band. 7. Green Yagers. 8. Company B, Light Guard. 9. Supply Hose Co. and Liberty Hose Co. 10. Union Guards. 11. Merrill's American Cornet Band. 12. Company A, Milwaukee Light Guard. 13. Engine Co. No. 1, bearing torches. 14. Milwaukee Light Guard Cadets. 15. Knall's Band. 16. Engine Co. No. 2, bearing torches. 17. Another band. 18. Black Yagers. 19. Engine Co. No. 3, bearing torches. 20. Engine Co. No. 4, bearing torches. 21 . Engine Co. No. 5, bearing torches. 22. Engine Co. No. 6, bearing torches. 23. Engine Co. No. 7, bearing torches. 24. Teams, and citizens generally. It was a great day in Milwaukee, as well as marking the cojm- mencement of a new erain the commercial world. The Jail Again. The want of mterest manifested by the supervisors in the condition of the county jail, which as the reader has already seen had become a twin brother to the Black Hole of Calcutta, culminated finally early in August in a citizens' meeting at Market Square, at which a committee, consisting of E. P. Hotchkiss, S. H. Martin, J. A. Mal- 17 270 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. lory, E. McGarry and Jas. Kneeland, were appointed, and who reported that the jail was anything but a fit place to confine a human being in, and recommended as the best means for present and imme- diate relief that grated doors be put upon the cells, in place of the present doors, and that if more room be required for immediate relief of those confined, that a suitable building be obtained for the jailor, and that that portion of the jail building now occupied by the jailor be fitted up for jail purposes. The above is only recommended as a means of temporary relief, your committee believing that the only proper measure for permanent relief is the building of a work house, or house of refuge, the speedy erection of which the com- mittee deem of the utmost importance. And your committee would further recommend that after such house of refuge shall have been completed, the present jail be remodelled and repaired thoroughly, provided it can by that means be made suitable for jail purposes. Otherwise, that an entire new jail be erected. Your committee, therefore, respectfully submit the following resolutions: Resolved. That the civilization and Christianity of the age demand that the severitieb of human laws should be tempered with kindness and humanity, in those who are directly or indirectly charged with their execution upon the criminal. Kesolved, That the Milwaukee County Jail having been twice indicted as a nuisance by the grand jurors of the county, and having been declared by the jailor unfit for any of the purposes for which sucn insti- tutions are intended, has at last, by the large number confined there, and the unusual heat of the season, become an instrument of cruelty to the prisoners and a disgrace to the people who tolerate it. Resolved, That some speedy means of relief for the inmates of the Milwaukee Jail, are now imperatively demanded on every consideration of decency and humanity. That a committee be appointed and in- structed to present the action of this meeting to the Board of Super- visors, and request the immediate preparation of additional temporary accommodations for a portion of the prisoners. Resolved, That the establishment ot a Workhouse, for the reformation as well as punishment of that large class of offenders, sentenced to im- prisonment by the Police Court, for drunkenness and disorderly con- duct, is one of the most serious wants of the city, and that in the judg- ment of this meeting, such an institution, properly managed, would be rather a source of income than a burden upon the community. Resolved, That the board of supervisors (past and present), are mainly responsible for the evils of wnich we complain, and we respect- fully request them to give the subject their immediate attention, and devise some measures of relief. Resolved, That should this duty be neglected or delayed, and should we fail to find relief at the hands of the judiciary, we will appeal from the office-holders to the people above them, feeling assured that such a tribunal will extend justice both to the guilty and unfortunate confined there. E. P. Hotchkiss, Chairman of Committee. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 271 This was sound doctrine, and finally brought the supervisors to a sense of their duty. But it would have been better to have shut them up in tliat paradise of bugs and fleas for a while as a punish- ment for their sins of omission in this direction. Judge Wells Dies. The Milwaukee Sentinel of August 20 has the following notice of this remarkable man : It becomes our painful duty this morning to record the death of one of the pioneers of Wisconsin, the Hon. Horatio N. Wells, who expired yesterday, in this city, aged fifty-six years. Mr. Wells came to Mil- waukee m 1836, and was at the time of his death in the zenith of his power. He was early in office, having been elected delegate to congress in 1837, and during the last session of the territorial legislature was President of the council, where, in company with Jonathan E. Arnold, e battled hard against the first constitution. He was also county judge and judge of probate from 1850 to 1855. As a lawyer Mr. Wells stood in the front rank, and it could be truly said of him that he was a friend to every one but himself. He was buried at Forest Home, the pall-bearers being J. E. Ar- nold, E. G. Ryan, D. A. J. Upham, J. H. Tweedy, A. D. Smith and William A. Prentiss. Of these Messrs. Tweedy and Prentiss alone survive. Mr. Wells was buried on the lots belonging to the bar, which were purchased at that time by a committee consisting of D. A. J. Up- ham, J. H. Van Dyke and A. R. R. Butler. Charter Revision. The following was the notice issued for an election of delegates to a charter convention, to be held August 3 : ELECTION NOTICE. SPECIAL ELECTIO N. ^ OTICE is hereby given that, in accordance with section 63 of the •'-^ amendments of the city charter, "approved March 27, 1858," an election will be held in the several wards of the city of Milwaukee on Monday, the 2d day of August next, and that polls will be opened at the following places, to- wit: First Ward— At the house of Peter Teis, corner of Jackson and Ogden streets. Second Ward — At the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad house, corner of Chestnut and Fourth streets. Third Ward — At the Louisiana House. Fourth Ward — At the engine house of Co. No. 5. Fifth Ward— At the Rochester House. Sixth Ward — At the house of P. Altpeter, corner of Third and Sher- man streets. 272 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Seventh Ward — At Best's beer hall, on Market street. Eighth Ward — At John Nolden's, on Elizabeth street. Ninth Ward— At the house of Mr. Baker, on Twelfth street, between Galena and Walnut streets. For the purpose of electing three delegates (being tax-payers of the city) from each ward to revise, modify and amend the city charter and the amendments thereto. fi®" Polls will be open from JO o'clock a. m. until 4 o'clock p. m. Council chamber, Milwaukee, July 24, 1858. R. B. Lynch, City Clerk. These delegates met (at the common council rooms) on the 17th, when the following proceedings were had : The City Convention. Mr. Jackson Hadley called the convention to order, and moved that Mr. S. B. Grant be appointed temporary chairman. Mr. Jas. S. Brown moved, as an amendment, that the Hon. A. G. Mil- ler be appointed permanent president of the convention. The amendment was put and carried. Hereupon several members insisted upon a ballot for president. Dr. Huebschmann moved that the vote be taken viva voce, which was carried. The vote stood as follows: A. G. Miller 13 J. B. Cross 9 Scattering 3 Judge Miller, having received a majority of all the votes cast, was de- clared duly elected permanent president of the convention. A struggle next ensued upon the appointment of the committee, some of the " progressives " desiring to have a multitude of committees, while the old heads favored a single committee. Ultimately the views of the latter prevailed, and it was resolved to appoint a comndttee of one from each ward, with Judge Miller as chair- mauj to report a form of charter to the convention, and then the con- vention adjourned till 10 a. m., February 19. The following gentlemen were then appointed by the chair as such committee : First Ward — Wm. H. Jacobs. Second Ward — F. Huebschmann. Third Ward— Jas. B. Cross. Fourth Ward — Jonathan Taylor. Fifth Ward— Chas. H. Larkin. Sixth Ward — Leauder Comstock. Seventh Ward — A. G. Miller, chairman. Eighth Ward — Mitchell Steever. Ninth Ward — Samuel Brown. There was a warm contest over the appointment of this commit- tee of one from each ward. Mr. Hadley, particularly, wanted it done by the whole board. The resolution of Alderman McGarry, to ignore all that had been done at Albany Hall the previous winter, adopt the charter of 1852 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 273 and adjourn, was then taken up, and after a lengthy and somewhat heated discussion rejected, by a vote of 19 to 3, which spiked Mr. Hadley's last gun on the charter question. Removal of the Court House. As the old court house began to show signs of decay, and the necessity of a new one became apparent to the supervisors, its loca- tion at once became a bone of contention between the east and west sides, the west siders claiming that as the east side had the post-ofiftce that they were justly entitled to the court house, and under the lead of Aldermen A. J. Phelps and Huebschmann, carried on the war for quite a while, and at one time it looked as though they would suc- ceed. But the Seventh ward finally won the day, and the present costly structure was erected. But it was a hard fight, and it is not by any means certain that it may not go to the west side yet, as the present one is no more fire-proof than a barn, and if burnt would probably never be rebuilt upon the present site. RuFus P. Jennings Drowned. This accident cast a deep gloom over the community. Mr. Jen- nings was a member of the then well known firm of Chandler & Jennings, dry goods. His body was found September 5, but that of his companion, J. H. Sullivan, was never found. Mr. Jennings left two sons and a widow, now the wife of Dr. Jas. K. Bartlett. This accident was the result of an attempt to navigate the lake in a shell (canoe) during a storm, in which a good yawl would have had hard work to live. Police Court. The police court was kept busy this month. There were 266 ar- rests, 56 more than in August. Disorderly, 1T5; drunk, 59; grand larceny, 10; petty larceny, 12; counterfeit money, 2; assault and battery, 18. Among other incidents occurring was the following :. Complaints of a Disoedeely Quadruped. A day or two since Policemen Dodge and Eodee were startled by an unusual noise on the street, near the station house. Going to the out- side door they were not a little amused to find a blustering, red-faced 274 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. individual, attired in leathern breeches, elongated blue coat, with a greasy cap covering his cranium, hallowing lustily at a frolicksome cow which^ with club in hand, he had been unsuccessfully attempting to force into the station house! The cow did not at all appear to admire the appearance of the place, and Long Coat found it utterly impossible to get "boss" more than half way across the walk. When the police inquired what the trouble was, Long Coat told them, with assumed gravity, while the perspiration rolled down his cheeks, " Veil, dis cow, he break mine fence down and come into mine lot, and den he eat all mine kraut. Mine neighbor she tell me drive him to dem station house and him pe fine." Long Coat was considerably taken aback by being very unceremoniously ordered to get his animal off of the sidewalk or else " him pe fine." Going away he was heard to give vent to his rage in such exclamations as, " Och, dundervetter!" " Der teufel!" The Fall Campaign. As the time for the state convention drew near the political atmos- phere was filled with cyclones. A people's ticket was put in the field, and war was the word. The places for holding the different caucuses were for the First and Seventh wards at the court house, for the Second at the Concordia saloon, Third at the Louisiana house, Fourth at the Menomonee hotel, Fifth and Eighth at Melms' garden, Sixth and Ninth at Altpeter's saloon. There was a split in the Democratic ranks which caused the Daily News to issue a fearful howl against the bolters, as it styled them. The News was like the Irishman who, when asked how he was go- ing to vote, replied : " Agin the government, av coorse." That the News always voted against thp government would perhaps not be strictly true, but that it always voted and used its influence (what lit- tle it had) in the interest of the pro-slavery party was true. Among the vulgar effusions of the News during this campaign was the following, replied to in the Sentinel. See annexed : Mk. Potter and Mr. Brown. "A man named Potter got into a drunken brawl, undertook to steal Barksdale's wig, and ended the scene with getting a black eye. The professedly anti-slavery Shanghais of " woody Wisconsin " have" evinced that they are " proud of their rowdy " representative by renominating him. But we opine that it will only be an empty compliment. The people desire to be represented by mind, not muscle." Mr. Potter needs no defense against such assaults. They only recoil upon the party making them. Indeed^ they have already provoked retorts from the Free Democrat and Madison Journal, which must forci- bly remind the News of the old adage that " those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Beriah, it seems, has also been a fighter in his day, and the following article, from the Madison Journal, recalls some of the incidents of his pugilistic encounters: milwaukee under the charter. 275 Fighting Candidates. The NewB attempts to make capital against Potter in the First District by allusion to his prompt intervention in the Keitt-Grow affair, and sneers about the "pugilistic candidate." That affair -won't hurt Potter, andwe ad ise the News that the less it says on the subject the better for Beriah. The latter is also a fighting man. He had two or three fights when a citizen of this place, but invariably came off second best. Be- riah is more of a fighting man than Potter^ but, unlike Potter, he gets beautifully whaled every time he indulges in the luxury. What Madi- sonian don't remember the extensive breaches his head made in the glass windows of Col. Fairchild's store, under the vigorous propulsion of poor Tim Burns' brawny arm ? This onslaught upon Hon. John F. Potter brought the following in the Sentinel of September 2, which had the right ring, and showed the truth as to who took the corruption bonds. After commenting upon the principles of the parties it proceeded as follows : The Two Candidates and the Two Conventions. But a still more striking contrast between the two conventions will appear in referring to the list of members and comparing the names with those most prominent in the famous report of the Land Grant In- vestigating Committee. The Democrats of the Granville and Milwau- kee Assembly District, at their caucus to elect a delegate to the con- gressional convention, adopted the following excellent resolution: Resolved, That in case Mr. Brown (J. S.) cannot be nominated after a fair effort, that the delegate from this district be then requested to vote for some other candidate, who, like Mr. Brown, has not been im- plicated in the attempted forays upon the state treasury and the school lands of this state, or been involved in accepting or tendering bribes to members of the legislature or other public officers, or have received corruption bonds, or deluded the farmers of the state into mortgaging their homesteads to heartless and soulless speculators, or in thrusting out a fraudulent currency upon the unsuspecting farmers for the pro- ducts of their toil. In the light of this resolution let us compare the two candidates and the two conventions: The Candidates. La Crosse bonds received — Beriah Brown, Democratic ?52,000 John F. Potter, Republican None! The Conventions. La Crosse bonds received — Jackson Hadley, Democratic $220,000 Byron Kilbourn, Democratic 75,000 Charles E. Jenkins, Democratic 25,000 Thomas Falvey, Democratic 20,000 H. T. Sanders, Democratic 5,000 M. Schoeffler, Democratic 5,000 Total received by members of the Democratic congres- sional convention $350,000 Total received by members of the Republican convention.. None! 276 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Grand total of La Crosse bonds received by Democratic con- vention and candidate $407,000 Grand total of La Crosse bonds received by Republican con- vention and candidate None! We commend the above comparative statement to the electors of the Milwaukee and Granville district, who adopted the excellent resolution above quoted, as well as to the notice generally of our Democratic con- temporaries who have been bo severely exercised during the past few months about the " bribery and corruption " practiced at the session of 1856. Let us see if, after all their outcry, they are going to follow the lead of the " corruptionists." The opportunity is an admirable one to test their professions, and the people, we fancy, will not fail to improve it. The News thought it very unfair and mean to arraign Mr. Kil- bourn for the La Crosse Bond business, but all right to censure the whigs for doing the same thing.* Neitlier were they in any wise sparing of their comments thereon, even going so far as to intimate that Alex. Mitchell, or Gen. King, were instrumental in getting Gov. Bashford to sell himself for $50,000, and for which intimation it (the News) got a severe castigation in the Sentinel of September 9th. The News had forgotten the old adage, that those who live in glass houses must not throw stones.t And although the investigation by the State subsequently was opposed by Kilboifrn et ai., it went on all the same until the whole crowd were brought to grief. May the State never be cursed with the like again. The LATE Judge Hubbell buys a new Milch Cow. A man named John Nickel was arrested September 9th for swind- ling. The old scoundrel had sold the judge what he claimed was a new milch cow, but which proved to be a " mishtake." Mr. Nickel stated, when asked for his pedigree, that he was a citizen of Wash- ington County, and an honest son of toil. The cow looked all right, and as the judge's well was about dry, and this being the only real Simon Pure fresh one in the market, of course he bought her, and drove her, with her calf, to the Hubbell mansion. He was not long, however, in discovering that he had been " tuck in," as the phrase ■" Referring to the $50,000 taken by Gov. Bashford, the only republican who ever took a cent. f The Legislature of 1855 and 1856 appears to have been as corrupt a set as ever di.sgraced a State. It they ever had a duplicate, history does not record it. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 277 goes, as it took four men to milk her and get no milk then, as all that part of the animal where the milk ought to be found proved to be entirely artificial. It is proper to say that Mr. John Nickel got badly nicked for that job. Chamber of Commerce. A meeting, for the organization of a Chamber of Commerce was held October 12th, at the office of David P. Hull, to take measures to organize under the new charter. Corn Exchange. This Board held a meeting October i6th and established the fol- lowing grades : Extra Club, No. 3 Spring. No. I Spring do. No. i White Winter. No. 2 Spring do. No. 2 White Winter. The samples upon which these grades were based were furnished by William P. Young. This Board held a meeting on the 21st, L. H. Kellogg in the chair, Benjamin Nute, Secretary, and resolved to become a part of the present Chamber, which was done on the 22d. The first officers were : Lewis J. Higby, President. William J. Whaling, Vice President. L. L. Crounse, Secretary. Orrin E. Britt, Treasurer. Directors. John Plankinton, Chairman; Levi H. Kellogg; David Ferguson; John J. Tallmadge ; A. L. Hutchinson ; John A. Dutcher ; A. G. Van Schaik, Amos Sawyer, and Lester Sexton. Arbitrators. Horatio Hill, Angus Smith, Beuj. Nute, John Bradford, and L. H. Kellogg. Standing Committee. Wm. B. Hibbard, Robert Eliot, John Bradford, Frank H. Terry, S. T. Hooker, Wm. Young, and Edward Sanderson. 278 milwaukee under the charter. Opening of the Chamber of Commerce. The formal opening of the present Chamber of Commerce, at No. 1 Spring street, November 22d, 1858, was a grand affair. The opening address was by Hon. E. D. Holton, and although contain- ing many errors,* was a masterpiece of its kind. He was followed by Doct. L. W. Weeks and John B. D. Cogswell. t The whole pro- ceedings (which were quite lengthy) can be found in Vol. IV., State Historical Society's publications, where the curious reader who wishes can find them. A committee, consisting of L. Sexton, D. Ferguson, and R. P' Elmore, were appointed to procure a suitable room, after which they adjourned until the 23d, when Carlton Holland was appointed inspector, he having received twenty-seven out of thirty-five votes. The committee on rooms then reported in favor of leasing old No. I Spring street, which was done, and the new Chamber of Commerce (the present one) was born. Since 1863 it has been a custom, broken but twice, to give the president two successive terms and then elect some one else to that position. Robert Eliot completed his second year April, 1884. The following is a list of the presidents of the Chamber of Commerce and the number of members at the close of each fiscal year since its organization : Fiscal Year. President. No. Members. 1858-59 L. J. Higbv 99 1859-60 John Bradford 122 1860-61 Horatio Hill 179 1861-62 Daniel Newhall 2.S9 1862-63 S. T. Hooker 303 1863-64 J. J. Tallmadge 348 1864-65 J. J. Tallmadge 353 1865-66 Wm. Young 332 1866-67 Wm. Young 389 1867-68 John Plankinton 371 1868-69 Edward Sanderson 'iGTj * Thi.s fpeech, which was one of the best the writer ever hearil Mr. Holton make, as stated above, contained many errors, particularly in the statistics given, some of which at least were such as Mr. Holton should not have made. Hut it was grand, nevertheless. t John B. D. Cogswell was a lawyer from (^ape Cod, who came to Milwaukee in 1857. He was quite prominent in social circ'es. He also had a desire for political glory. Hence his speech on this occasion, as he knew nothing about the place. He finally, alter a somewhat stormy career, returned to his native town, where I am informed he still resides. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 279 1869-70 Angus Smith 392 1870-71 Angus Smith 341 1871-72 F. H. West 338 1872-73 F. H. West 338 1873-74 0. J. Hale 442 1874-75 0. J. Hale 430 1875-76 N. Vankirk 569 1876-77 N. Yankirk 575 1877-78 Charles Rav 569 1878-79 Charles Ray 561 1879-80 M. Bodden 561 1880-81 M. Bodden 561 1881-82 Chas. F. Freeman 561 1882-83 Chas. F. Freeman 630 1883-84 Robert Eliot 629 1884-85 Robert Eliot 628 The present incumbent is the Hon. John Johnston. Retirement of Matthew Keenan from the Office of Clerk of the Circuit Court, Oct. 19, i£s8. At a meeting of the Milwaukee bar, held October 18, 1858, upon motion of E. G. Ryan, a committee consisting of Messrs. Ryan, Lynde and Gridley were appointed to draft resolutions appreciative of the loss the bar would sustain in the retirement of Mr. Keenan, and who reported the following: Whereas, The present term of office of Matthew Keenan as clerk of the circuit and county courts of Milwaukee county is about to expire, and his connection with the bench and bar may have ended before an- other meeting shall have taken place; therefore, Resolved, That we can not let the opportunity pass without testify- ing our high appreciation of Mr. Keenan s services as an officer and of his character as a gentleman; tliat we have found him always skilful, intelligent, prompt and faithful in their discharge, uniformly urbane and obliging in his deportment and upright in all his actions. Resolved, That if we are to lose Mr. Keenan's services in the clerk's office, it will be a loss of no trifling character to the bench and bar of this county; that the duties of the office have become like complicated machinery, not to be understood in all their details without great expe- rience, and that very few men have the patient intelligence and carfe to become as familiar with them as has Mr. Keenan. Resolved, That the secretary of the bar be requested to furnish Mr. Keenan with a copy of these resolutions, and that the president be re- quested to present them to the circuit and county courts at the earliest opportunity. All of which were unanimously adopted, after which the meeting adjourned. Political. Among the various electioneering dodges in practice at the cam- 280 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. paign of 1858 was the following offered by Jackson Hadley, at the meeting of the common council held October 25, solely for the pur- pose of making capital for himself and party. It was entitled by the Sentinel: An Elbctionebeing Document. Whereas, On or about the 10th day of last May his honor the mayor, Wm. A. Prentiss, and the city comptroller were directed, by action of the common council, to proceed to New York city and try if any nego- tiation could be made with the holders of the past due bonds and inter- est coupons of the city, whereby such bonds or coupons could be paid and the credit of the city thereby maintained ; and "Whereas, Three hundred dollars in money was taken from the city treasurer to defray the expenses of such journey, the receipt for which still remains as a cash item on hand in the city treasury, and is in words and figures as follows, to- wit: " Keceived of H. Schwarting, city treasurer, $300 toward expenses of Mayor Prentiss and self proceeding to New York, by order of city council, the same to be accounted for in items upon our return. [Signed] J. L. Hathaway, City Comptroller. "Milwaukee, May 10, 1858." And whereas, No such account in items or otherwise has ever been rendered by Mr. Prentiss or any one else, though more than five months have elapsed since the date of such receipt; and Whereas, On or about the 11th day of last August his honor the mayor, Wm. A. Prentiss, took $100,000 in Milwaukee city bonds, num- bered 500 to 599, both numbers inclusive, wdth him on a journey to New York and elsewhere, notwithstanding an ordinance had been in- troduced by Councillor Waldo repealing and canceling the authority of the Mayor so to do ; and Whereas, Mr. Prentiss has never made any report or statement to the common council of what he did with those bonds ; and Whereas, On the 13th day of last August ?8,000 in money, and again on the 27th day of the same month $2,193.74 in money, was taken from the city treasury, as is believed, by the direction of Wm. A. Prentiss, mayor, the receipt for the $8j000 specifying that the same was to be ac- counted for in detail within sixty days from the date thereof, and more than sixty days have elapsed and still no account or report has yet been made by Mr. Prentiss or any one else; and Whereas, Daily inquiries are made by the holders of past due cou- pons and bonds, issued by the city for municipal purposes, ot city offi- cers and members of the common council why such interest coupons and bonds are not paid, when it is understood by such creditors of the city that the mayor has caused money to be taken from the treasury, and has taken from the city $100,000 in city bonds for the purpose of making such payments, and no satisfactory answer can be given to such inquiries; therefore. Resolved, That his honor the mayor, Wm. A. Prentiss, be and is hereby respectfully and urgently requested to report in detail, without unnecessary delay, to the common council what disposition has been made of the $100,000 in Milwaukee city bonds, which he took with him East in August last, and what disbursements have been made of the $10,193.74, taken from the city treasury on the 13th and 27th days of August last; also, what he did'with the city bonds which he received from the Ocean Bank some time in May last. Councillor Waldo moved that the resolution be referred to the MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 281 finance committee, and in doing so took occasion to say that moder- tion and thoughtfiilness should be exercised in acting upon this reso- lution, and that, although he was in favor of all such inquiries, he hoped the board would not act upon it until the finance committee had an opportunity to examine its details, and therefore he hoped the reference which he moved would be made. Councillor Hadley said he offered the resolution with the utmost respect (!) to the mayor. He beUeved everything would come out right by the statement he asked for, and he only thought that such a statement should be made. The mayor promptly and emphatically denied ever having re- ceived a farthing from the city treasury, and with regard to the re- ceipts held by the treasurer his honor stated that at the proper time he would give what information he could upon the subject. Councillor Waldo's motion to- refer the resolution to the finance committee was carried, wl)en the board adjourned to Thursday even- ing. Mr. Prentiss Replies. To the People of Milwaukee-' I deem it hardly necessary for me to address you in relation to the subject matter of this card, and I only do so, at the request of many friends, for the purpose of putting you on your guard in relation to cer-i tain insinuations that something was wrong, contained in the article of the 27th, being accompanied by a single resolution, which wd.8 intro- duced into the board of councillors on Monday by Jackson Hadley, who is a candidate for the state senate, calling on me for a report in re- lation to an issue of bonds and a sum of money, amounting to about $10,000, drawn from the treasury by the city comptroller, the whole ob- ject of which is for political effect, intending, if possible, to gain votes, by alluring you into the belief that something was wrong, or that there is danger of a default on the part of myself or of the city comptroller. The facts are that the bonds were issued to me under the authority of law, and in accordance with an ordinance of the city council passed for the ]Durpose of retiring some portion of the past due indebtedness of the city, and which, so far as they have been used, have been made ap- plicable, dollar for dollar, for such indebtedness, and the balance will be used for no other purpose and in no other way. I now hold evidences of nearly 5!60,000 of city indebtedness, which has been taken up, and when a negotiation (made six weeks ago) shall have been consummated (which will probably take about thirty days to accomplish), a report will be made to the common council which will show that the city has suffered very little by the arrangement. The past due indebtedness of the city to the present time, which has accrued on matured bonds, and the interest on others, all of which were issued previous to the 6th day of April last, together with the sum of $120,000, borrowed of two of the city banks during the summer of 1857 by the late comptroller, exceeds 1200,000, much the largest part of 282 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. which has been contracted under the lead of the man who is now ask- ing your votes to place him in the state senate, and who is the instigator of the inquiry referred to. He is also the same man who made oath before a legislative committee last winter that he received $220,000 of certain railroad bjnds, but could give no account of what he did with the proceeds. At the time of my assuming the office of mayor the municipal debt, exclusive of bonds issued to railroad companies, was nearljf 1800,000, and this is the legacy left to you by the preceding administration. I am anxious to have all my official acts scrutinized by honorable men, and while in office I shall use my best exertions for the interest of the whole city. But with this Ijeavy burthen and an empty treasury I have been unable to accomplish but little up to the present time. During the year ending March 20 last it appears by the printed re- port of E. L. H. Gardner, late city comptroller, that the discount made on municipal city bonds sold by niv predecessors and others exceeds the sum of |122,00''. We have made no sacrifice as yet, and do not in- tend that any loss of consequence shall be made by any negotiation that we may enter into. William A. Prentiss. Milwaukee, October 30, 1858. It was brought up again, however, by Mr. Hadley on the 20th of November, when be offered the following: Resolved, That William A. Prentiss, mayor of the city of Milwau- kee, be requested to render to the council on or before the 6th day of December next a detailed statement, in writing, if any of the city in- debtedness has been canceled since the 1st of May last by the $100,000 Milwaukee city bonds then issued by the common council and given to him, together with |36,ii0n Milwaukee city bonds, then deposited in the Ocean Bank of the city of New York, and also ordered to be given to him; and also of the $10,193.74 taken from the city treasury and not ac- counted for. Laid over under the rule. This was amended in the board of aldermen by adding the words : " Provided that the mayor sliall deem it for the best inteiest of the city to make such report." Concurred in. But it did not bring the report, neither did it come until the mayor was ready to give it. Amolnt Wanted. The comptroller's report for 1855 shows the amount wanted for general city purposes to be : First ward $6,000 Second ward 3,900 Third ward 11,600 Fourth ward 4,300 Fifth ward 9,500 Sixth ward 3,900 Seventh ward 6,000 Eighth ward 2,950 Ninth ward 3,300 Total $51,450 milwaukee under the charter. 283 Election. The election for members of legislature in 1858 was held Novem- ber 2d. The annexed is a part of the res gesta, as the lawyers call it, of the proceedings had previous to the election, and go to shoiv that the people were in earnest : Republican Assembly Caucus for the First and Seventh Wards. The court house was quite filled last evening, at the caucus for nomi- nating a republican assemblyman for the First and Seventh wards. The Hon. Byron Paine was called to the chair, and J. E. Brigham appointed secretary. On motion of John H. Tweedy, the meeting agreed to adopt the viva voce vote in nominating a candidate. S. S. Daggett and Chas. K. Wells were appointed tellers, between whom each voter passed, and gave his name and his choice for the nomiuationj which was recorded by the secretary. Mr. Edwin Palmer having received forty votes was declared nominated by the convention. Mr. Tweedy then alluded to the fact that no nomination had yet been made for State senator against Jackson Hadley. He alluded in glowing language to the outrage that would be perpetrated upon common decency if such an openly and notoriously corrupt man should be allowed to run into the senate, without opposition, from this district. The Hon. Wm. A. Prentiss followed in a caustic analysis of the character and career of Jackson Hadley, and suggested the name of the ffon. Nelson Cross, as a suitable man to run against him. Gen. J. H. Paine made a warm speech upon La Crosse Bonds Hadley, and proposed the name of Cicero Comstock, as tbe one to defeat the wily demagogue. The suggestion was received with great applause, and Cicero Comstock was nominated by acclamation. Mr. Comstock being present, was called out upon the floor, and very handsomely thanked the convention for the compliment, and signified his acceptance. Committees were then appointed for challen^ng at the polls, and for election duties, ten in each ward. Much enthusiasm and confidence was felt, and expressed by the meeting, in the result of next Tuesday, and with a three times three, for the candidates and the cause, the assem- blage adjourned to meet at the polls and elect the ticket. The election resulted in the defeat of both Hadley and Bade. I remember this election, and the excitement it caused among the old Bourbons. The News nearly went wild over it. The Argus was right. No party could carry such a load and win, and there was wailing on account of it. Hotel Wettstein Opened, November 20. Opening of the Hotel Wettstein. — The new Hotel Wettstein, on Market Square, of which Messrs. Wettstein & Hoeinger are proprietors, was formally opened on Saturday, and a grand ball given in the eve- ning in honor of the occasion. A magnificent supper was partaken of by at least 300 guests about nine o'clock, after which dancing and all manner of merry making took place. The building is a large and com- modious one, and is elegantly flitted up and furnished. Success to the gentlemanly landlords. 284 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. There was some trouble in the Young Men's Christian Association this year resulting in a kind of breaking up, which some wag put in the following shape in the Sentinel of November 19th. The names alluded to here, as well as the puns upon them, will be duly appre- ciated by many of the non-elect as well as by the elect. For the Sentinel. Obituary. Died, on the eveniug of Thursday, December 16th, after a lingering illness of six weeks, the Literary Club of the Young Men's Christian Association. Though watched by a Good "Shepherd,'' who would have gone to the "Towns-end" to serve it, no "Taylor" could prolong its thread of life. The " Root" of its disease was too deeply seated, and having no "Constitution" to fall back on, nothing could save its " Bacon," and it kerflummixed. Its disease was a very painful one; for three weeks previous to its death it never spoke, and finally perished of non eti inventus {which may be liberally, notliterally, translated, nobody there). Requiescat in pace. " Facilis decensus Averni." Squix. The Answer. For the Sentinel. The Literary Club of the Y. M. C. A. Mr. Editor: Fearing that the " Obituary Notice," which you pub- lished on Saturday morning last, may mislead more, as I know it already has a few of your readers, I take the liberty of requesting you to inform the public that it was only the " Literary Club" of the Y. M. C. A., and not the Association itself, which "died on the evening of Thursday last," and that the last named society is as yet all Wright; and having bidden Farewell to the Skel'ton of their illiterate club, and employed a Boy'ntown (who was a Savage Young Man, by the way) to Cleav'er Root from Branch, they procured a Carter (Johns 'son) to Wheel'er for her Hide and Gall Down the Lane, through the Dale, over the Bridges, beyond the' Park, and out of the Parrish into the Cavern(o) which stands one Rood and an El'more beyond the Dyke, near Towns- 'end ; where the Sexton gave her Fitt burial, with her Head to the West. The association has thus cleared itself iu all Menzies of any Taint 'or suspicion of a disposition to Mix in Literary pursuits at any Price ; and though nothing could save the Bacon of that unfortunate club a String 'fellow can, and with Hemp 'shall bind us in the Bonds of brotherly Love and keep us Ever'in'ham, while the Moody Freeman who refuses to Holt 'on, now that our Chapman heralds the approach of Day, merits a Whaling with a Branch of Beech 'er Cherry. I write myself an Milwaukee, December 20. ASSociate Member. The Weather. The Sentinel cA November 30 had the following upon this subject: Autumn takes its leave of us to-day, and winter dates its reign from to-morrow. We have no compliments to bestow this year upon our MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 285 fall weather. Not to mince matters it has been abominable. True, September was a fine month, as well as the first four days in October. But from that time on it has been rain, snow and slush. Let us hope that when the Frost King once takes the helm that he will give us a regular old-time winter, like i844-'47 and '48, with plenty of good sleighing. River closed in 1858, November 15. The Frost King did get control in a few days and gave the General all he wanted. See annexed : December 8 — Mercury at 7 o'clock a. m. 8 degrees below zero. 9 ti 12 (( 2 it above zero. 12 et 7 o'clock p. M. 8 ti (< River closed, but opened again on the 13th below Walker's Point bridge. The boys were skating above there on the 15th. Early Ship Building. Ship building in Milwaukee dates from the infancy of its settle- ment by the whites, the first vessel, the schooner Solomon Juneau,'' of ninety tons burden, having been built upon the east bank of the Milwaukee River, at (or near) the intersection of North Water street and Broadway, by Capt. George Barber, in the winter of 1836. See Vol. I., Author's Pioneer History, page 86. t She was followed by the little steamer Badger in 1837 (ibid, page 116), firom which time the business was carried on to a greater or less extent by our citizens at various points, without the establishment of any perma- nent yard, prominent among whom was the late David Merrill, George D. Dousman, Clark Shepardson, J. A. Helfenstein, Daniel Newhall, Robert K. Caswell, Capts. James and William Porter and * She was the fir.st two-masted vessel. There was a small sloop (or at least it is claimed that there was) called the Wenona, of thirty tons burden, built by Capt. Barber for WiUiara Brown, Jr., for a lighter, previous to that, but of the truth of this I have no knowledge. t It was there stated, upon what was supposed to be good authority, that this pioneer craft was lost on Lake Ontario. This has, however, proved to be incor- rect. She was lost at Milwaukee, at or near the foot of Chicago street, in the fall of 1846, while in charge of the late Capt. Jas. Doyle, who, in attempting to make the harbor, mistook a light in a dwelling on shore for the pier light, thus causing her, after a varied life of ten years, to lay her bones at rest within less than a mile of the spot from where she was launched. Sic transit. 18 286 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Others, who built in all some fifty vessels prior to 1852,* when the nucleus of the present mammoth plant, now known as Wolf & Davidson's Ship Yard, Was started by Jas. M. Jones upon what is now known as Jones' Island,t upon that portion then occupied by the late Caleb Harrison with a Marine Railway,^ which Jones also purchased, and near which he also erected a sawmill for the purpose of sawing ship timber. This was the first mill ever erected in the city for such uses. Here Jones did an extensive business in building and repairing ves- sels. Among those built by him at this yard, and other points, were the Advance, barque Badger State,§ schooners Emily, D. O. Dickinson, Milwaukee Belle, Norway, Fred. Hill, Adda, Indus, May Queen, Undine, Odin, J. M. Jones, the barques Shanghai, Hans Crocker, schooners Driver, Brilliant, and the propeller Allegany. Upon the advent of this propeller, the first one ever built here, the Milwaukee Sentinel had the following puff: The Peopbllee Alleghany. This new propeller, the first ever launched in our waters, is now ly- ing in the river, about ready for sea. She was built by Jas. M. Jones, Esq., for the American Transportation Company, to replace the old Al- leghany, wrecked in our bay last fall. Her dimensions are: 113 feet long, 28 feet beam, 12 feet 6 inches depth of hold, measuring about 600 tons. She was moulded and gonstructed under the direction of John W. Capes, and superintended, on the part of the company, by Captain S. Alexander. Captain A. S. Curtiss, of the former Alleghany, will command her, and she has been fitted out under his immediate super- vision. * For a complete list of the men who were foremost in investing their capital in vessel property, in the infancy of the business, the reader is referred to the table in Vol. III., page 485. Also for the names of the master mechanics who built them. Of these, Capt. Samuel Farmin is supposed to be living in Oregon, or California, Capt. Geo. Barber died at Sioux Falls, Dakota, in 1881, Jas. M. Jones is carrying on the business at Detroit, and Alfred Gilson is a resident of Oshkosh. t So called on account of his establishing a yard there. J Caleb Harrison, who was always at something useful in a mechanical way, had constructed a marine railway at that point, for the purpose of hauling out vessels, no floating dock at that time having been constructed. § Built upon the south side of the Menomonee River, where the present St. Paul Freight House, No. 6. now stands. She was launched sideways. She was built in 1853, for Thos. P. Williams and Chas. H. Wheeler, and is I believe still afloat. The frame of this vessel was drafted by John B. Merrill in the garret of the old John Childs' house, now the residence of Hon. Geo. H. Paul, and known as Nos. 321 and 323 Hanover street. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 287 The joiner work, which will compare with any oh the lakes, was ar- ranged and put up under the superintendence of Mr. J. P. Wilson, of New York. The ornamental painting and gilding was done by Messrs. Lane & Corbusier, of this city, and is a first-rate job throughout, both as to taste and finish. We do not think a more neatly painted cabin is to be found on our seas. The carving is the handiwork of R. H. White, of this city, and is a most creditable sample of his skill. The engine is the one formerly in the old Alleghany, but it has been thoroughly re- fitted, improved and put under the direction of Mr. Lawrence, the re- pairs and alterations being made at the works of the Messrs. Lee. The coppersmithing and plumbing was done at the shop of Messrs. Read & Felthausen. The furniture and decorations came from Bradford Bros, and Seaman & Wing. In short, the propeller was built, fitted and furnished complete by the mechanics and dealers of our own city, and her neat, finished and tasteful appearance reflects credit upon all concerned in her construc- tion and equipment. The result shows that we have every facility here for building and fitting out steamers as well as sail vessels, and we see no reason why Milwaukee cannot henceforth successfully compete in this business with any city on the lakes Certainlj;, the Alleghany and the Hans Crocker, both launched from Jones' ship-yard this season, can safely challenge comparison with anything afloat on our inland seas, and are splendid specimens of Milwaukee-built steam and sail crafts. She was an unfortunate craft at first, as besides the accident at her launching,* she got a hole stove in her shortly after and sank. See annexed : Propeller Alleghany. This unfortunate craft lies on the bottom of the river, heeled over so that the starboard side is under water, in front of the Chequered ware- house dock. Every attempt to raise her so as to get at the leak seems to fail. Two of the marine pumps have been tried and failed to clear her. Floating docks have been applied without success. The schooner Napoleon is now moored alongside, and large timbers passed across to the arches of the propeller, so as to get a purchase upon her, but the operation did not seem to succeed. It is a pity that such a fine craft should be in jeopardy for want of a good dry dock at this port for ves- sels of her class. She was finally raised, repaired and ran for several years for freight and passengers between Chicago and Buffalo, and s now (1885) owned atTonawanda, N.Y., and running in the lumber trade between that village and East Saginaw, Mich. The money lost in the construction of this propeller, coupled with the stringency of the money market in 1857, was too much for *She was launched stern foremost, but owing to the shallowness of the water, as well as the soilness of the ground upon the island, her stern had hardly reached the water before her ways spread and she stuck upon the ground, and where she remained over a month before she was released. This accident cost Jones (in- cluding demurrage) over $10,000. The general foreman of this yard at that time was William H. Wolf, while Theodore Lawrence had charge of the marine rail- way, which Jones still used for the repairing of vessels. 288 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Jones, and he, with many others who were in debt, went into liqui- dation, which virtually suspended the work in the yard (except gen- eral repairing) until 1858, when the assets passed into the hands of Buel B. Jones, who at once removed the plant to the site of the present Elevator A, upon the Menomonee river, southeast corner of Oregon and Hanover streets, where he built the brigantines Chas. G. Breed, Tanner and Hanover, and in the winter of i860 and 186 1 the barques Constitution and Golden West, Thos. Davidson (who came from the island as foreman for B. B. Jones in 1858) having charge of the work in the construction of the Constitution, and J. M. Jones of the Golden West. The success attending the building of these vessels resulted in the formation of a copartnership by Lemuel Ells- worth and Thos. Davidson with B. B. Jones, under the title of Ells- worth, Davidson & Jones, which continued until the spring of 1862, when Jones retired and the firm became Ellsworth & Davidson, who carried on the business until the spring of 1863, when they bought out the yards of Wolf & Lawrence,* at the foot of Biddle street, in the present Seventh ward, to which they at once removed their Me- nomonee yard, and where they carried on the business on a large scale. Among the vessels built there was the celebrated barquentiue Nel- son, one of the finest as well as fastest ever built in Milwaukee. They remained here until 1867, when Mr. Wolff repurchased Ellsworth's interest, and the firm became Wolf & Davidson, under which title it has remained until the present time. The new firm remained at Biddle street until 1868, when, having outgrown their quarters, they removed to their present location at *Williain H. Wolf and Theodore Lawrence, mention of whom has previou.=;ly been made as foremen in the original plant upon Jones' Island, had, upon the failure of Jones in 1857, formed a copartnership for the construction of fish and yawl boats, which they carried on for a year or more in connection with vessel work, when, wishing to enlarge their facilities, they built a floating dock, the largest at that time upon the lake, which they had located at the foot of Biddle street, and where they were doing a large business in general vessel work. f Mr. Wolf, upon the sale to Ellsworth & Davidson in 1863, went into the same business at Fort Howard, Green Bay, where he built among other craft the side- wheel steamer G. L. Dunlap, the propeller Favorite, the schooners Columbia, Winnie Wing, Lottie Wolf and the Minnie Slawson, besides doing a large busi- ness in lumber, and where he remained until he returned to Milwaukee and re- purchased his former interest, as stated in the text. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 289 the foot of Washington street, thereby restoring the plant to within a stone's throw of its birth-place and where, under the good manage- ment of its energetic proprietors, it his grown to gigantic propor- tions. It now covers nine acres of ground,* upon which, besides the buildings incident to and necessary for such a plant, they have nine floating docks, besides one stationary dry dock 325 feet in length, capable of holding the largest vessels upon the lakes ; they also have a branch yard in Chicago, in which are two dry and sev- eral floating docks, and where they also do an immense business. Their average working force is two hundred. Such, in brief, is the history of this mammoth ship yard, which from small beginnings has grown to its present status, without a break except as to ownership, and whose present proprietors were among its first employees. Commencing at the foot of the ladder, they have worked steadily up until they have reached the top — the sure result of doing honest work, coupled with good judgment and economy. Among the vessels constructed at this yard since the for- mation of the present firm are the following : Schooners Resumption, Ford River, Penokee, Geo. G. Houghton, Typo, and Lem. Ells- worth; barques Angus Smith. Joseph Paige, Marengo, Ahce B. Norris, Saveland, Moonlight ; the steamships Minnesota, Business, Jim Sheriff; sidewheel steamer Flora ; the steamship ' Progress ; besides small vessels ad infinitum.] And have now, January, 1886, on the stocks, a 1,600-ton steam barge, to be completed about Sep- tember I. She is intended for the market. Her dimensions will be 218 feet keel, 37 feet beam, and 23 feet deep. She is to be double- decked, iron-strapped, and as strong as wood and iron will make her. She is to have a fore-and-aft compound engine, which has not yet *In addition to which they have a branch yard for the manufacture of deck plank and cabins, and where they also do a general business in planed lumber. f The localities where several of these vessels were set np (not previou.syl given) were as follows: The S. R. Marvin and the Michael Dousman were built between the north end of Clinton and the present Kerry street, at what is now Nos. 264 and 266 South Water street; the Nucleus a little east of the Elevator known as Angus Smith's A., and the Mary G. Bonesteel at the foot of Detroit street; the Nebraska at the foot ol Prairie street in the Second ward. Could the exact locality where all these early vessels were built be obtained, it would form an interesting scrap for some future historian. But it will probably never be done. 290 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. been contracted for, and steel boiler. H«- cost will be about $100,000. Biographical and Personal. William H. Wolf, the senior member, as well as the financial head of this firm, is a native of Germany, having been born near the vil- lage of Mientz, on the River Rhine, on the 7th day of August, 1828, from whence he came to America in 1836, and to Milwaukee first in 1849, on an exploring tour, remaining a short time, after which he visited other parts of the country, but finding nothing which suited him better, he returned again in 1853 to stay, his first work, as pre- viously stated, being at Jones' Island, first as a journeyman and sub- sequently as foreman for J. M. Jones. In person, Mr. Wolf is of the medium height, compactly built, is very muscular, and capable of great physical endurance. He has a large head, a large, expressive and somewhat protruding blue eye, in which a mischievous smile will often be seen lurking, a florid complexion, and in personal characteristics is wholly unlike his part- ner. He has a strong, powerful voice, speaks very distinctly, is brusque in manner, has a nervous temperament, and is no wise diffi- dent in expressing his sentiments upon any matter in which he may have an interest, and if opposed will be found on the ' bull " side every time and always ready to face the music, and is a hard man to beat. He is a keen observer of men, reads character readily, makes up his mind what he wants to do and then does it. He has good executive ability, is very aggressive, and, hke Jas. Kneeland, always acts upon his own judgment, never asking or taking advice from any one, and consequently as a rule always wins. He is a very good diplomat, seldom taken off his guard, is fond of argument, will often have his antagonist badly tangled up before he is aware of it, and as a repository of anecdotes (with which he is usually loaded to the muzzle) is the Abraham Lincoln of the Cream City, and like him always has one ready for every occasion. He is a genial companion, has the faculty of making and retaining friends that few who are as outspoken as is he can boast. In political faith he is a thorough going republican, is an active politician, and a very influential man in the party. He has served in MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER., 291 the Board of Alderman, where his voice was always heard for the cause of right and justice. In religious faith he is a liberal, his creed consisting in doing what he conceives to be right. In short, the golden rule is the guiding star with him. He is a good friend, and if an enemy an open one. He is fond of music and works of art, loves sociecy, has good conversational powers, and is a general favor- ite with all who know him. Such are some of the leading charac- teristics of William H. Wolf. He has reached a high plane as a mechanic, made a good record both as a business man and citizen, and is ranked as one of Milwaukee's representative men. Mr. Davidson, who has the control of the work in the yard for his department, is of an entirely different temperament from Mr. Wolf. He possesses none of the brusque manner so natural to that gentle- man, but, on the contrary, is one of the kind who, to use an expres- sion common among railroad men, " goes slow around the curves." He first saw the light among the heather clad hills of "Auld Scotia," having been born at Ayreshire, March 20th, 1828, and possesses to a remarkable degree the cautious and methodical ways for which that historic race from which he sprung are so renowned. He first came to Milwaukee in July, 1855, his first employment after his arrival being as journeyman for J. M. Jones, which continued until the failure of that gentleman in 1857, and the sale to Buel B. Jones in 1858, when, upon the removal of the plant to the Menomonee, he was appointed to and accepted the position of foreman, which he held until the spring of 1861, when, as already seen, he became a member of the new firm of Ellsworth & Davidson, and B. B. Jones, since which time to the present (with the changes in partners pre- viously mentioned) he has continued in business the last eighteen years, the firm having been Wolf & Davidson. In person, Mr. Davidson is in height a little above the average, weighs about 160 pounds, and belongs to that class of men whose muscular development is perfect. He too has a large head, a large face, square cut features, has a clear blue eye, which when conversing with any one is fixed upon that person with a look that seems to read his thoughts. He is not nervous, always cool and collected, is very reticent, dislikes change, is fond of his friends, and will cling to them to the last, often to his own disadvantage. 292 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. He is also very conscientious and believes in doing right, is slow to anger, but if once aroused the old Scotch blood comes to the front and he will fight to the last for what he conceives to be his right. His likes and dislikes are very strong. He is a splendid mechanic, understands all the technical points connected with ship- building, depends on his own judgment, keeps his own counsel, wants every one in his employ to do just as he is told and ask no questions, and will take no back talk from any one. In political faith he is a Republican, but not a politician. In re- ligious faith his motto is the Golden Rule. Mr. Davidson, like Mr. Wolf, has reached the autumn of hfe, and like him can look back with just pride upon the record he has made, both as a business man and model citizen, and has won the respect as well as the confidence of all who know him. That his pleasant face and stalwart form, as well as Mr. Wolfs, may be seen upon -our streets for many years to come is certainly the wish of all who know them. This firm is noted' for the length of time it retains its employees, among whom is their confidential clerk, Stephen R. Smith. Mr. Smith was born at Troy, N. Y., May 13, 1843, came to Milwaukee in 1854, and went into his present office in 1863, since which time to the present he has held the keys and is one of the fixtures. He is a splendid book-keeper as well as an accountant, and handles a pen with a rapidity and skill which makes him an invaluable acquisi- tion. Few men in the city have filled a similar position for one house for as long a period. Besides Mr. Smith's qualifications as a book-keeper he is also a fine musician, and has manipulated the keys of the organ in Hano- ver street church for the last twenty years, a longer period than any other organist in the city. Mr. Smith, who is yet comparatively a young man, was also one of those who went to the front in the late rebellion as a member of the Twenty-fourth Wisconsin, and was wounded at the battle of Stone River. He is one of the kind of men who are always ready to do their whole duty, and is justly entitled to the position he has attained both as a business man and useful citizen. milwaukee under the charter. 293 Biographical. David Merrill, whose name appears in connection with this sketch, was a very prominent man among the early ship-builders and fur- nished the funds, in whole or in part, to construct several vessels, particularly the barque Nucleus, the schooner Michael Dousman, the S. R. Marvin, and perhaps others. He was a wide-awake, energetic man, and very aggressive, and generally accomplished all he undertook, while at the same time he was a very kind-hearted man. He disliked all sort of wrong-doing, always acted on the square, and wanted no dealings with any one who did not. He was no talker, but more of an actor, and left a good name among his brother pioneers. He was a native of the old Pine Tree state (Maine), and was the father of our well known fellow-citizens, W. P. and J. B. Merrill, of this city, and Hiram Merrill, of Janesville. He was born December 12, 1793, and came to Milwaukee February 25, 1837, where he died March 12, 1872. He was buried in Forest Home. Peace to his memory. The Milwaukee Shipyard Company (the old Allen McClellan yard) was chartered in 1874, with a work- ing capital of $50,000. President, John Fitzgerald ; secretary and treasurer, A. M. Joys. The master mechanics are Robert Allen and Louis Pahlow. This yard is situated on Vogel's Island. Their working force when in full blast is one hundred men. They turn out $100,000 worth of work yearly. Among the vessels built here since the or- ganization of the company are the three-masted schooner Myosotis and the steamer R. G. Peters. This company has two sets of sec- tional docks and a dry-dock capable of lifting a vessel of fifteen hundred tons. A Correction. The statement in the History of Milwaukee, pubhshed in 188 1 by the Western Historical Company, page 439, concerning the advent of the old steamer Detroit, in 1837, would imply that she was also built here. This is not so. She was an old boat when she came, and was purchased for the occasion. 294 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Improvements. The Jonathan L. Peirce and John Esh blocks, southwest corner of Wells and West Water streets, was erected this year. There were also seventy-five buildings, costing $88,000, erected in the Fifth ward ; thirty-four, costing $50,000, in the Sixth ward ; fifty, costing $358,000, in the Seventh ward, and fifty-four, costing $901,- 300 in the Fourth ward. Some of these were commenced in 1857 but completed in 1858. It is not claimed that this list is perfect, but it is as near correct (as far as it goes) as can be expected at this late day. The following are a few included in this list of which I will make a special men- tion : First is the addition to the Albany, erected by the late James S. Brown. Addition to the Albany. Among the many substantial and elegant buildings commenced in our city last fall and completed during the present winter, that erected by James S. Brown, Esq., on Main street, south of and adjoining the Al- bany, and of which it is to be a part, may fairly claim the palm for the beauty, novelty and completeness of its interior arrangements. It is a three-story brick building, 40 feet front by 120 deep, with a high peaked and slate-covered roof. The facade is neat and plain, corresponding very nearly with that of the Albany. The first, or ground floor, is designed for a first-class restaurant, and is provided with every convenience required for such an establishment. The second story, which forms one single apartment, is to be occupied as a billiard hall, and will be one of the largest, as it certainly is the most elegant, halls in the country. It is 118 feet long bv 39 wide, and of corresponding height; lighted at either end with four long windows, and abundantly provided with gas lustres for the evening. The walls and ceiling are painted in distemper by Mr. F. A. Lydston, late of Springfield, Mass., an artist of great promise, who is about to make Milwaukee his home. The third story of Mr. Brown's building is divided into a rotunda and four side rooms. Two of these, on the front, will be occupied as familj' rooms by Mr. Dickinson. One of those in the rear is intended for a dressing room ; the other communicates, by a dumb waiter, with the restaurant on the first floor, and will be used as a refreshment room. But the peculiar feature of this story, and the gem of the building, is the rotunda. This is an oval-shaped apartment, with arched ceiling, of artistic design and most graceful proportions. It is 74 feet in length by 38 wide, and 35 in the clear. The ceiling is dome-like in form, divided into panels, and, with the walls, of purest white. At the top is a sky- light of ground and tinted glass, corresponding, in shape and propor- tions, with the room itself. Around the walls are thirteen niches, 7J feet high, 3 feet wide and IJ in depth, each of which is occupied by a graceful and appropriate plaster cast, copied from models of Grecian statuary. These flgures are not only good in themselves, but greatly enhance the beauty of the apartment. They are the handiwork of MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 295 Joseph. Nicollet, whose residence is on Huron street, between Milwau- kee and Main. The room is abundantly lighted in the daytime by the skylight of the dome, while at night forty-nine gas lustres will eclipse the brilliancy of the day. This elegant apartment, certainly the handsomest we know of a3iymite!ie,ia designed either for a supper room in connection with the grand l^aTl room m ifee Albany, or for a picture gallery, or for a concert, lecture or ball room, when not over five hundred persons are expected. The rotunda communicates by two ample passage-ways with the Al- bany. The whole building is a credit to the enterprising owner and an orna- ment to the city. The masonry was done by James Allen, the carpen- ter work by Babcock Brothers, and Mr. Dillenburg was the architect. They may all well feel a just pride in this work of their hands and monument of their skill. This building stood directly south of and adjoining the Albany Hall, its site being now occupied by the chamber of commerce. It was an attachment in part to the Albany. Bonesteel's new store, now No. 381 East Water street, was built this year and, according to the Wisconsin, was the wonder of the age. Nearly the whole of the front of the first story, says the edi- tor, was of glass, immense plates, 3x2^ feet, costing $400, and it contained two hundred feet of solid mahogany counters. But, alas, all the primeval glories of that famous store have become a thing of the past, and as I stood gazing upon it to-day (October 18, 1884) the face and form of John N. Bonesteel came to view in memory's eye. Its habits {i. e., the store,) were regular. It opened every morning (Sundays excepted) at 7 a. m. and closed at 8 p. m., old style. J. N. Bonesteel is at present a resident of the city of Brook- lyn, N. Y. The Mabbett & Breed block,* northeast corner of Reed and Lake streets, was built this year. It was a wonder when built, but is of little account to-day. The Byron block, now Nos. 620 to 630 Grand avenue. Elevator A (now C), by Jesse Hoyt and Angus Smith ; 200 by 70 feet wide and 98 feet high ; master mechanic, Alex Miller. The first cargo shipped fi'om this elevator was by the W. J. Whahng, No- vember 26, 1858. *Hiram Mabbett and Charles Breed. 296 milwaukee under the charter. Organ Manufactory. An organ manufactory was established this year by Chas. E. Le Droit and John O'Brien. They erected the first church organ ever built in Milwaukee, the one formerly used in the old First Baptist church on Wisconsin street, where Chapman's store now stands. Mr. Le Droit was from Montreal. He died many years ago. I think Mr. O'Brien is still living. Those Early Sheboygan Houses. In the Milwaukee Sentinel oi July T3th, 1885, was the following: All the Way from Sheboygan. An Emigrant to Milwaukee Who Brought his House Along with Him. " There are a numbei' of old landmarks in Milwaukee that have queer histories," said an old citizen yesterday, " and among the most cele- brated of the lot is a house of fair appearance, located on Fifteenth street, between Wells and Cedar. The house was built at Sheboygan, in this State, in 1836, by Wm. Farnsworth, one of the first settlers of the country. He was a fur trader and a "great friend of Solomon Ju- neau's. In that year Sheboygan showed great promise of being a leading trading post, and of eventually becoming a metropolis, but it was a failure as a trading post, and as soon as the town showed signs of weakness, those who had erected houses took them apart as much as possible, placed them on scows and started for other points. Among the lot was the Farnsworth residence. It was landed at the piers here, and hauled in sections to the spot where Alexander Mitchell's green- house now stands, at the corner of Grand Avenue and Tienth streets. It was again erected and sold to Judge A. D. Smith, who resided there from IS-tf) until a few years after, I don't remember how many, when it was removed to its present site. The house was occupied until recently by Louis Eindskopf and family." This statement is incorrect. There were some four buildings re- moved from Sheboygan, and one or two from Port Washington, to Milwaukee, between 1837 and 1841, one of which was the Wells' Block mentioned, and cut given, in Vol. II., page 180, burnt in the great fire of 1845. One of the old frames, now standing upon the southwest corner of Milwaukee and Michigan streets, was also brought from Sheboygan by the late Richard Hackett. But the Farnsworth buildings were placed upon Jackson street, at what is now Nos. 419 and 421, and pulled down or removed about four years since, to make room for the present double brick erected upon their site. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 297 It is true that Judge Smith l\\ ed in one of these old Farnsworth houses on Jackson street for a short time, and I believe Alex. Mitchell. But the dwelling upon Grand Avenue and Tenth street was erected by Judge A. D. Smith in 1850, at a cost of $1,700, see Vol. III., page 28, and was the first one ever erected upon that corner, where he resided until his death in 1863, after which it was sold to the late Alonzo Fowler,* who died there, and his son, William H. Fowler, sold it to Alex. Mitchell, who, as there stated, sold it to Louis Rinds- kopf for $850, who removed it to its present location. Mr. Farns- worth never lived upon the West Side, and never spent a year in Milwaukee all put together. * This gentleman's name is given in Vol. III., page 282, as Chas. E. It should have been Alonzo. CHAPTER VI. 1859. Opening Address — The Weather — Political Trickery — Reports of the County Offi- cials — Legislative — The New Charter, and the Fight on Its Passage — The Result — The Mayor's Report — Comments Thereon — A Call for a Mass Meet- ing at Albany Hall — The Result — An Attempt to Divide the Third Ward — St. Andrew's Society Formally Organized — Jas. Siddell — Grain in Store — Horse Overboard — Swine Ditto — A Cow-Slip — The Spring Campaign — A People's Convention — Candidates Nominated — The Democratic Convention — ■ The Result — Major Fut Wins the Prize — (Comments of the Sentinel Upon E. L. H. Gardner's Nomination — New School Opened — School Census — -Ought to Be in School — ^And These Ought to Be Whipped — Report — Page vs. Pren- tiss—Page Gets Left— The Plot Thickens— J. T. Perkins Wants More Light —J. C. Starkweather Gets a Fall— The M. S. Scott Goes to Europe— The Ger- mans in America — ^July 4th Celebration — ^The Hog Nuisance — Mr. Pat Mc- Ginnis Makes His Maiden Speech — Likewise Did Misther O'Conner — Edi- torial Sparring — The Horse Railroad — Sam Piatt Gets a Bible — Father John Rosebeck on the War-Path — The Arrival of the New Steamers, the Detroit and Milwaukee — An Affair of Honor — The Old Blind Singer — How a Mil- waukee Carpenter Got a Floor Taken Up — The Eagle Mill, Sketch — ^The Phoenix — ^The Brewing Interest — The Empire Brewery of Phillip Best & Co. — Wm. P. Young's Block Burnt — The Sentinel Gets Spooney — ^Wouldn't Call Him Judge — ^The Old Market House — An Attempt to Divide the Coun- ty — Political — The Republicans Win — P. Van Vechten Scores the News — Winter Coming — Population — Improvements — The First Town Election — , The Semi-Centennial — Statistical. The winter of 1858-9 opened cold. The previous fall, as has been seen, was not of the Indian summer character of 1857-8, or even of the present one (1884-5). True, September and a few of the first days in October were very fine, but with the commencement of December the scene changed. The thermometer began seeking winter quarters very rapidly, ranging as low as 8° below on the 8th, which froze the river solid. It opened again on the 13th below Walker's Point, but above there it remained frozen until the last of the month, when it began to soften up a little, and January 2 we find the following 'plaint from General King in the Sentinel,* which reads as though it had thawed some. And it had: *The Sentinel came out in an entire new dress January i, 1859. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 299 The weather still continues drop-sical. For a week we have had scarcely enough sunshine to write by. We would this " winter of our discontent" could be made "glorious summer" for a day or two by a little solar eflFulgence, if it were only to thaw out the housed fair ones and set the hoops rolling once more. As we write, there is every ap- pearance of another rain (of terror). If those little mud fairies at the crossings could sweep the India ink out of our sky with the same suc- cess they display in scattering the mire of our streets, they might reap a harvest of pennies, at least from the be-nighted editors. The General refers to the subject again on the 6th, thusly : O tempo, O mud! "Terra firma" is as unstable as an ocean of soft soap.* Mother Earth looks like a badly compounded jelly — our streets hardly passable. If we were a poet (which we are not), what a beauti- ful "thaw-it" might be composed out of the present state of the weather. _ White stockings dance over the crossings as thoiigh they were afraid of being ad-mired, and the damp rasc^s who scrape the crossings with damp sponges have a very persistent way as they stick out their little palms for the money. Whereupon some modern Hiawatha, thinking this did not reach the case, tries his hand at it in the following ditty : The Weather Yesterday. When we woke up in the morning Janus over all, his banner White and pure had just unfolded And the summer air that recent Made us talk of spring and flowers. Was dead and decked in white array. But we mourned not as the snowflakes Shrouded all our vernal wishings, Mourned not at the death of sunlight. But with prophet ken we uttered Huge predictions for the morrow. How the cold and gloomy storm wind. With its cold and downy burthen. Would not with the weight of winter, Smother out those promised sleigh rides, Would not chill the cheery jingle. Jingle of the fleeting cutter, With its load of furs and whalebone. Then we laughed as fell the snowflakes. Laughed and rubbed our hands together. As we watched the tiny crystals Building up the path of pleasure. FIVE o'clock p. m. Now, alas for human wisdom, All our hopes and all the snowflakes, Like the promised joys of riches. Like the visions of the school-boy. All have vanished into tear-drops. Leaving nothing but the sighing. Sighing of the watery south wind. *And the mud did resemble that article as far as its slippery qualities were con- cerned. 300 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. The river soon closed again above Walker's Point bridge, where the youth of both sexes (and occasionally some who were not so young) could be seen almost every day gliding over the ice. But below the bridge it was kept open by the boats. The river opened this spring April i, and April 2 brought us our first boat from below, the steamer City of Cleveland, after which we could truly say that spring had come. Politically the past year had been a stormy one. A fearful amount of lying, or, to put it in a milder form, prevaricating, had been done by the Democratic papers, in order to shield the thieves then under suspicion for robbing the public treasury, in which laudable effort they had the aid of the leaders, or at least some of them, and who were doing all in their power to prevent any further investigation. But it availed them not, for the hands of the people were not stayed until the whole villainy was exposed and the thieves, or at least some of them (the small fry), brought to justice and others driven from the country. But notwithstanding all this the amount of improvements during the past year had been very large, and for those days some of the buildings erected were quite expensive. But the financial crash of 1857, caused by the over-issue of bonds to railroads (all of which were eventually paid by the city), and of city bonds for municipal purposes, kept the tax-payers in irons, so to speak, for several years. The business of the year opened with the reports of the different city and county officials, prominent among which was that of the jailor, who gave the number of commitments as 687, of which num- ber 78 were females; of the whole number, 175 could neither read nor write, and 82 of these were under sixteen years of age. As to their nationality, 258 were Irish, 18 were Scotch, 105 were Ameri- can (natives), 89 were English, 6 were Norwegians, 8 were Cana- dians, 2 were Welshmen, i Dane, 3 were Hollanders, 174 were Ger- man, 8 were French, 9 were negroes, 6 were Swedes, and i Bo- hemian; of this number, 47 went to Waupun. Robert Warren, jailor, December 31, 1858. Legislative. The members of the legislature for 1858-9, elected the previous November, were : MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTEU. 301 For the Senate — Cicero Comstock and Patrick Walsh. For the Assembly — Edwin Palmer, Chas. J. Kern, Thos. H. Evis- ton, Jas. A. Swain, Wm. S. Cross, Jos. Walter, Frederick Moscowitz, Jacob Beck and Edward Hasse. This session commenced January 12, 1859, and adjourned March 21, 1859. Erastus D. Canfield, Lieutenant-Governor, president of the sen- ate. William P. Lyon, speaker of the house. The New Charter. This document, for draughting of which mention has already been made of the appointment of a committee, with Judge A. G. Miller as chairman, was formally presented to the Council for examination, January 3d, upon which Councillor Hadley offered a resolution that the communication (as he chose to call it) of Judge Miller be placed on file, and the Charter published six times previous to the isth, in the Daily News, Seeboie, Sentinel, Wisconsin, Free Democrat, and the Grad-Aus, and that the clerk be instructed to call a special election for the last Tuesday in January, for the purpose of its adop- tion, and that the Atlas be also added to the above list. The mention of the Atlas brought Councillor Andrew McCormick to his feet, with a motion to amend by including the Tomahawk and Scalping Knife,* claiming that it was a prominent paper, and came out every day with flying colors. t To which Councillor O. H. Waldo objected, claiming that it would be very improper to publish it in any but the official papers. In this he was sustamed by Councillor Hadley, who stated that the paper mentioned was published clandestinely, and had no res- ponsible head. ^ Councillor Lapham thought that if such was the case it had better * A little 7x9 sheet, got up at the Light House (or some out of the way place), but by whom no one but its author knew. It was a spirited little sheet, and .1 perfect terror to evil-doers and snobs. It was supposed that the real editors of that spicy little sheet were Alexander and John Corbitt. Will the last named gentleman please rise and explain? t A broad grin illuminating the Councillor's classic face as he made the propo- sition. He was a great wag, and always on the watch for a chance to hit some one. 302 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. be included in the list, because if it had no responsible head there would be no tail to it, and therefore no bill to pay. To which Councillor McCormick replied, that the editor of the Tomahawk and Scalping Knife was a prominent gentleman, and that he was acquainted with him. Upon which Mr. Hadley withdrew his objections. [Laughter.] Councillor McCormick then moved the adoption of his amend- ment, which was put by the Mayor, William A. Prentiss, a peculiar smile illuminating his countenance as he did so. Lost. Councillor Hayden then objected to the adoption of the resolution. He believed the publication of the Charter in any other than the official papers would be an unnecessary expenditure.* Councillor Hadley insisted upon the necessity of having it spread broadcast before the people. He thought it contained many excel- lent provisions, but upon the whole was inadequate to the wants of the city, from the fact that it made no provision whatever for the payment of our debts. He wanted, therefore, that every taxpayer should have an opportunity of seeing it before voting upon it. Councillor Lapham inquired as to what would be the cost of having it published as proposed. Councillor Hadley said he had been informed that it would be about $80 in each English paper, and about $100 in the German papers. Councillor Waldo said he had not supposed it could be published for that amount, and he would vote for the resolution with the under- standing that the cost did not exceed $80 in the English, and $100 in the German language. An amendment to this effect was adopted. At the suggestion of Councillor Biersach, the resolution was amended by allowing $100 to the Seebote only, thus paying $20 for translating, and the other German papers could copy from it, and extending the time for publication to the 20th. The resolution thus amended was adopted. On motion of Councillor Waldo, that portion of the resolution * This I believe was true, as tlie Judge's reason for omitting such provisions was, that he did not believe a city should ever create a debt. Pay as you go, was his motto. A good and always a safe rule to follow. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Jj03 referring to a special election was rescinded, and referred to Council- lor Hadley to be drawn up in different form and reported at the next meeting. After which the Board adjourned. An Unkind Cut. — The New Charter. The Sentinel of January 6th, contained the following upon this subject, entitled : Repudiation. At the meeting of the Board of Councillors, held .January 3d, Coun- cillor Jackson Hadley characterized the New Charter as a repudiating instrument. " The idea," says the editor, " of Mr. Hadley accusing his political friend, Judge Miller, of getting up a repudiating Charter. Mr. Hadley might as well accuse the Judge of assumption." The vote upon this Charter, taken February i, was 392 for, and 1,093 against. This Charter was not rejected so much for what it contained as for what it did not contain. It was considered inadequate, inasmuch as it made no provision for paying the city's indebtedness, which made it look like repudiation. Report of the Mayor. The following synopsis of the report made by Hon. William A. Prentiss to the Common Council, January 7th, 1859, is inserted here as a proper part of the city's financial history, in connection with and during the administration of Jas. B. Cross, and is copied from the Milwaukee Sentinel of January 8th, 1859 :* To ike Common Council : On the 8th day of May, 1853, an ordinance was passed, authorizing an issue of City Bonds, bearing interest at the rate of ten per cent, per annum, payable semi-annually, to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, to be used or disposed of only " in the payment of, or in exchange for bonds, and the interest thereon, issued by the City, and in the payment of debts contracted previous to the 6th day of April, A. D. 1858, at not less than par value, as provided by law."' At the same time resolutions were passed, directing the Mayor and Comp- troller to proceed to New York, for the purpose of making an arrange- ment to retire some portion of the City debt; and in compliance with the resolutions referred to, the undersigned, and J. L. Hathaway, Comp- troller, soon after left for New York. Immediately after our arrival, we proceeded to engage in the duty *This is the document so persistently called for by Councillor Hadley at the meeting of the Council held October 27th, 1858, mentioned in previous chapter. 304 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. assigned us; but soon found the credit of the City in such a condition, owing to the non-payment of the principal on certain bonds, and the interest thereon, then past due, and also the interest on a large amount of municipal bonds, previously issued, that no arrangement could be made for the sale of new bonds which were authorized to be issued, under the amendments to the Charter and the ordinance referred to, nor could any exchange be made for past due City indebtedness. The undersigned, and Comptroller, remained in New York nearly two weeks, and made all possible exertions to dispose of the bonds author- ized to be issued, with a view to restore the credit of the City to a healthy condition; but all to no purpose. Inquiries were made of us at all places as to what amount City bonds had been issued, to aid in the construction of Trailroads, and what provision had been made for the payment of the interest coupons on the bonds issued to the several companies. ' Our reply was, that no provision had been made, either for the pay- ment of the principal or interest on these bonds, the city authorities having entirely relied on the securities taken, and the pledges of the officers of the several railroad companies, to meet the interest coupons, as they fell due, and ultimately the principal. Finding all further efforts useless, the undersigned returned with a view to await tlie collection of the taxes of 1857, which had been extended by the Legislature, calcu- lating that if the interest and sinking fund taxes were paid in, a suffi- cient sum could be realized to pay off the past due municipal indebted- ness, and thereby to some extent we should be able to restore the City credit. After waiting until the 1st of August, and ascertaining from the city treasurer that full one-third part of the city taxes were unpaid, and deeming, it important that a further effort should be made to restore our credit in the city of New York and other places East, I caused the bonds to be issued, and with the comptroller entered into an arrange- ment with certain parties to take up a considerable portion of the past due city indebtedness, consisting of matured bonds, the interest due thereon, bills payable, and the interest which had already accrued on the municipal bonds, the principal of which was not yet due. In the arrangement we agreed to furnish $20,000 out of the sinking fund levied for 1857 and the other parties the balance, but owing to the default of the tax-payers, only $10,000 could be obtained from the treasury, which sum was received by the comptroller and his receipt given therefor. For the money thus taken the comptroller will render an account, and return interest coupons and other city indebtedness taken up to a larger amount.* For the labor and expense of taking up the indebted- ness referred to, the undersigned and comptroller agreed to pay a small commission, not exceeding 4 per cent., in sinking fund bonds, which had been placed in the Ocean Bank, New York, in March last, by my predecessor. These sinking fund bonds could not then have been sold for fiftj cents on the dollar, but were to be received in payment of the commissions at par. Being unable to obtain the additional $10,000 from the interest and sinking funds, we were obliged to close the matter up, and I herewith report a statement of the city indebtedness in my hands, which has been taken up by a sale of a portion of the new issue of bonds, and also herewith return the remaining bonds, which I recommend be can- celed.* I deem it proper for the information of the tax-payers of the city to advert to the manner in which a very large amount of city bonds were disposed of by the late administration between the 22d of May, ]So7, and the 10th of January, a. d. 1858, and I herewith subjoin a schedule. ■ This part of the report being wholly tabular has been omitted. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 305 marked B, taken from the report of E. L. H. Gardner, late city comp- troller. It will be seen, from an examination of the schedule, that the sum of $122,073.18 was discoanted on the bonds sold during that period to maintain the city credit. During the same period a loan was made of the Farmers' and Millers' Bank, amounting to $90,000, and also a loan of f30,000 of the Juneau Bank, but from the improvident manner in which the public funds had been used during the preceding three years, they failed to pay the indebtedness due the 31st of March, 1858, and the credit of the city was consequently brought into disrepute. 1857. May 22.— Discount on 94 bonds sold by J. B. Cross 120,376 31 July — . — Discount on 65 bonds sold by Meyer & Strecken 13,000 00 July 16.— Discount on 31 bonds sold by Bell & Co 6,200 00 Aug. 4.— Discount on 25 bonds sold by Bell & Co 4,777 36 Aug. 14. — Discount on 1 bond sold by Bell & Co 103 11 Aug. 14.— Discount on 25 bonds sold by J. B. Cross 6,871 95 Aug. 15.^ — Discount on number not stated nor by whom sold.. 2,505 81 Oct. 22.— Discount on 5 city bonds sold by Schall & Co 2,341 63 Nov. 30.— Discount on 92 city bonds sold by J. B. Cross 30,988 67 Dec. 2. — Discount on 66 city bonds sold by Schall & Co 31,075 71 Sept. 2. — Discount on number not stated nor by whom sold... 697 60 1858. Jan. 14.— Discount on 11 city bonds by whom sold not men- tioned ! 3,185 03 Total amount of discount on the foregoing bonds $122,073 19 This exhibit does not show the commissions paid on the sale, and I can find no statement thereof in the report of the late comptroller.* W. A. Prentiss, Mayor. January 7, 1859. Several articles commenting upon the condition of the city finances appeared in the Sentinel, following the publication of this report, prominent among which was the following, from some one signed X., in which the Mayor was very highly complimented for the faithful as well as able manner in which he had performed his duties, in clearing the city of the bad odor that had clung to her from the unwise, as well as illegal, manner in which Mayor Cross had administered the city government. The article stating, among other things, that now our bonds were eagerly sought after by eastern capitalists, while three years ago they were being hawked about the streets for forty-five cents on the doUar.f * Made to Council March i, 1858. f It would appear from this, that little as Mr. Prentiss was able to accomplish by this trip, it was sufficient to largely restore our city credit, and cause our bonds to be sought after once more, which was true. 306 milwaukee under the charter. They All Defaulted. As was prognosticated by many of our citizens when the city was so willing to grant subsidies, in the shape of bonds, to aid in the construction of the different lines of railroads entering the city (upon which both principal and interest was to be taken care of by said roads), that said loans would in the end prove to be a gift, came to pass, as they all defaulted, which led Mayor Prentiss to make a re- port to that effect, to-wit, that the Milwaukee & Watertown, the Mil- waukee & Horicon, the Milwaukee & Beloit, and the Milwaukee & Superior, had all defaulted on interest due December 31, 1857, and that the Milwaukee & Mississippi had done likewise upon that due January i, 1859, thereby adding an additional burden to the already over-tasked tax-payers, and which culminated in the following call in the Sentinel of January 15 for a mass-meeting at Milwaukee's " Fan- ueil Hall" (the Albany), on the 22d, of which the annexed is a copy : Call fob a Mass Meeting at Albany Hall. All persons interested in maintaining the credit and character of Mil- waukee, and of the whole state, and who believe that something should be done effectually and speedily for that purpose, are invited to meet at Albany Hall, on Saturday evening, the 22d inst., at 7 p. m., to con- sider such measures as will be called for by the present emergency. B. Townsend, , J. H. Rogers, G. D. Douseman, John H. Tweedy, J. A. Helfenstein, Alex. Mitchell, A. C. May, H. Ludington, Thomas L. Ogden, John H. Van Dyke, L. W. Weeks, James B. Martin, J. A. Phelps, D. A. J. Upham, W. H. Lindwurm, James Kneeland, R. B. Lynch, J. Taylor, John Plankinton, A. F. Clarke, J. Magie, J. Hadley, P. Kane & Son, Bradford Bros., J. B. Cross, Chas. H. Larkin, Sexton Bros., J. K. Bartlett, Chas. F. Illsley, D. Ferguson, John G. Inbusch, Geo. H. Walker, James Johnson, A. R. Chapin, John Finley, D. McDonald, Levi Hubbell, Emil Spangenberg, C. D. Nash, A. R. K. Butler, E. Cramer, J. P. C. Cottrill, G. Pflster, J . R. Brigham, Henry Williams, H. Crocker. At which Mayor Prentiss presided, and at which the late Judge MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 307 Levi Hubbell made an eloquent speech upon the rascality that had been practiced by the former city officials, and in consequence of which our present mayor had been grossly insulted in New York city while endeavoring to extricate our city out of the pit into which she had been plunged by the misconduct of these same officials. He was followed by James H. Rogers and John H. Tweedy, after which a committee was appointed, to act in conjunction with the committee from the common council, and report at a meeting to be held at the same place on the 24th, at which they reported as fol- lows :* First — That the people of Milwaukee were never in favor of repudia- tion. Second — ^That the city issue new bonds, running from twenty to thirty years, bearing a less rate of interest, and refuse to issue any more or contract any more debts. [Milwaukee Sentinel, January 24, 1859.] After which they adjourned. A partial attempt was made this year to attach that part of the Third ward from Wisconsin to Michigan streets to the Seventh, upon which somebody got off the following : A Sagacious Discovehy. The Madison correspondent of the News has discovered that the ob- ject of the bill to take a block from the Third and attach it to the Sev- enth ward is to make the Seventh a Eepublican ward. The petition for this change is headed by A. G. Miller. The idea of our Federal judge being engaged in a plot to make his own ward Republican is a peculiarly " Sioux '"invention. This would have been a singular move on the part of the Judge (with this object in view) but the truth is that the majority of the people in that tier of blocks were the movers, as their status among the unterrified democracy of the bloody Third was not a pleasant one on election days in the olden times ; it is somewhat better now. The St. Andrews society was formally organized this year, Jan. 18, at the Newhall House. President, Arthur McArthur; Secretary, Jas. MacAlister; Treasurer, James Murray. Back Again. We observe that our friend James Siddell, the well-known and popu- lar grocery and provision purveyor, is back again in his old business, *This meeting was the first of a series resulting finally in the readjustment act of 1862. 308 MILWAUKEE UNbEU THE CHAfttEIi. after rusticafiiig: a year or so hi the country. Mr. Siddell's new estab- lishment is in the bricli building, corner of Second and Wells street, a few steps from the Oneida street bridge. He has a very neat store, well filled with the choicest goods in the market, and it is enough to indue* a call, at least, from his old customers, to know that liis sojourn in the country has not at all changed his proverbially pleasant manners, and that he sells groceries just as cheap as of old. Mr. Siddell has been quite a prominent grocer in his day, and has accumulated a handsome fortune, the bulk of which was made dur- ing the civil war. He is a good citizen and has a clean record. He has now, however, retired from active business, in favor of his son. Police. Isaac Jacobs, a red man of ye forest, tasted of civilization to excess, .and his primitive constitution" couldn't stand it. In a word, the fire- water he drank rited him considerably, and a policeman took "him to the Captain's office to settle. Fined $1. August and Christian Smith were arrested for behaving in anything but an august or Christian manner. The city attorney asked whether they plead guilty or ntjt guilty, to the charge of disorderly conduct. Christian answered, nichts versiay. Miss , another member of the family, then testified in a series of nichis verstays, that it was a family jubilee, or free fight, or something else of an entirely domestic nature, and our city attorney, with his known abhorrence at meddling in the private concerns of others, dismissed the case. Grain in Stoke March 1st, 1859. It has been stated by some of our merchants, that there are over half a million bushels of wheat in store in this city. We think it some- what exaggerated, and would suggest that they obtain the correct figures. However that may be, that our warehouses have a capacity for holding large quantities of grain, cannot be doubted. The Sentinel of this morning says : The Badger State warehouse, owned by Dan'l Newhall, on Walker's Point, has on the first floor 5,000 barrels of flour, while the upper part of the building contains no less than 185,000 bushels of grain, the greater portion of which is wheat, making a grand total, including flour, of 210,000 bushels of grain. Mr. Newhdl has chartered the schooner L. J. Farwell to load from his warehouse at " going rates," upon the opening of navigation. The Farwell drew up to the dock yesterday, and is now taking in the first cargo of the season. Horse Overboard. A. singular accident occurred March 2, 1859, to one of the horses then belonging to the late iirm of Butler & Post, foot of Mason street (where Benjamin Mock now is) which as it showed the power of endurance possessed by that noble but much abused animal, the horse, I will relate. This horse took it into his head to have a bath, and acting upon the impulse of the moment, slipped his halter, after which he slipped out of the stable, and before any one was aware of MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 309 his absence had slipped into the river and nearly reached the middle of that classic stream without going under the ice ; and for the next hour Spring street bridge, as well as the roofs of the adjoining build- ings, were packed with an excited crowd, anxious to witness the result of this Arctic bath. He was finally rescued, when nearly dead, by G. W. Haack, P. N. Adams and Mr. Bower, by means of a long boat, and was finally brought round all right by means of sev- eral hot whiskeys and rubbing. I remember this affair as though it were but yesterday. There were two more of a similar kind, see annexed, at nearly the same time. Sudden Fall in Pork. Two adventurous porcine individuals (sometimes yclept " grunters ") foolishly ventured on the ice near Spring street bridge, Saturday after- noon, and when some distance from the shore they broke through, and one of them sunk to rise no more, but the other kept bobbing up and down for an hour, to the amusement of an excited crowd on the bridge, until a courageous individual, by the aid of a plank, succeeded in res- cuing it from a watery grave. An Early Cow-Slip. Yesterday, a cow, supposed by the spectators to belong to somebody, fell into the riveSr, and with true animal instinct, made for the Wisconsin office. After paddling about in the vasty and nasty deep, she was fi- nally rescued by several heroic individuals, one of whom, we are proud to say, is an attache of the distributing department of this journal. This was a cut at uncle Wm. E. Cramer. A people's convention called for. See annexed : Call for a People's Convention. At the request of many of our citizens, both republicans and demo- crats, we publish, this morning, a call for a convention of the people, without distinction of party (who are opposed to the nominations made by the late tax-eaters' convention), to be held at the Common Council Chamber, to-morrow afternoon, at 2 o'clock. The friends of the move- ment, and all who are in favor of making independent nominations for offices to be filled at the approaching Charter election, are urgently requested to meet at the places named in the call, in their respective wards, this evening, and nominate six delegates from each ward to the city convention. No time is now to be lost, and if those who are opposed to allowing the city government to pass quietly into the hands of the hungry poli- ticians, who controlled the late convention, will only act promptly, they will be sustained by the masses of our people, the credit of our city maintained, and certain defeat will be the doom of the tax-eater. The nominees to this convention, held March 30th, were for 310 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Mayor, John G. Inbusch ; Comptroller, Cicero Comstock ; Treasurer, C. Cotzhausen ; Attorney, DeWit C. Davis ; Municipal Judge, Albert Smith ; Clerk, J. B. Zander." S. S. Daggett was chairman, and Ed. Townsend, secretary. The regular democratic convention met the same day at the Court- house, where the representatives of the democracy arrayed them- selves in picturesque order (in the square), and of course the anxious candidates improved this opportunity for laying pipe, in which lauda- ble employment they all appeared to be ubiquitous. But in the amount of craft displayed in the way of button-holeing the delegates. Major Fpote (or Phut, as the Irish called him,) appeared to distance all his competitors, each delegate receiving a hearty hand shaking, as well as a knowing wink, from that anxious patriot. The convention was finally called tc order by the late Matt. Keogh from the First ward, after which Edwin DeWolf, that very intelligent school superintendent, was made chairman, and Geo. A. Wardner secretary, after which a motion was made that each delegate vote viva voce, whereupon one of the delegates arose, and, after blowing his nose (he used no handkerchief), spoke unto the august assembly as follows : Misther Chairman, and I " mane" that they name the man [laugh- ter |; concurred in, after which the committee on credentials reported and were discharged. One of the delegates then stated that in his opinion there was altogether too much log-rolling' going on to suit him, and made a motion that all but the delegates be put outside, (carried), but not carried vcAo s/SrcX, as no one appeared willing to undertake it. The balloting resulted in the nomination of H. L. Page, for mayor; Erastus Foote, for municipal judge ; Henry Hilmantel, for clerk, and E. L, H. Gardnert for comptroller. After which they adjourned. This convention, like most of the democratic gatherings in the olden time, was a scene of noise and sometimes of a '• ruction.'' The great part of the confusion at this one, however, grew out of the nomination of Erastus Foote for Police Justice. As his case * There was a public call tor Mr. Lapham to run for Mayor, and for Mr. Zander for Clerk. f Ezra L. H. Gardner. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 311 came up for ballot when each delegate was to vote viva voce, and at the same time " name the man," the first one called answered Old Foote, the next one Fut, and the third, who was pretty well set up, and had gone to sleep, answered " Here sor." The next, thinking he was in a saloon, and that some one was going to set 'em up, answered Beer. It was a rich scene. The Sentinel of April 6, in commenting upon the nomination of Mr. Gardner, had the following : For the Sentinel.' Who Shall be Comptkollee? Cicero Comstock was our first Comptroller. He took tbe office when the city credit was at its lowest ebb; when city orders were held at fifty cents on the dollar, and when the greatest confusion pervaded the city finances. Under his administration order was restored and the city credit raised to its highest point, the city bonds were sold at a premium, and the expenses of the city government were only fifty-one thousand dollars ! Under the administration of Mr. Gardiner the old confusion was restored, and became worse confounded; our city bonds went down to fifty cents on the dollar, and the annual tax for 1857, over and above special taxes, was over four hundred thousand dollars. No man has done more than E. H. L. Gardiner to reduce our city to bankruptcy' and render Milwaukee the subject of contempt everywhere. And who are the men who support Gardiner and oppose Comstock ? The men of spoils — the men of contracts and jobs — men who, under the administration of the late Comptroller, could get Street Commissioners' certificates countersigned on contracts four years old — the men who procured the certificates for cleaning the sewer in the 'Third ward — the men who could procure Street Commissioners' certificates to be coun- tersigned, and issued under contracts which had been annulled, or when the work had never been done. Fellow-citizens! Under the Charter as it now is, all bids for jobs are received and opened by the Comptroller. Would you prefer that deli- cate duty, where fraud and stealing is so easy, to be confided to B. L. H. Gardiner, or to Cicero Comstock ? April 4th, 1859. A Taxpayer. He was elected all the same. His medicine was too strong, as well as the pipes too well laid, and the people had to suffer for a while longer. The election resulted as follows : Mayor — Herman L. Page. Treasurer — Moritz von Baumbach. Comptroller — E. L. H. Gardner. City Attorney — Henry L. Palmer. Pouce Judge — Erastus Foote.* City Engineer — Fred. Schumacher. Deputy— F. S. Blodgett. * The vote for Police Judge stood, Albert Smith, 1,717. Erastus Foote, 8,264. C. Walworth, 2,785. 312 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. City Clerk— Robert B. Lynch. Deputy — Alex. Bolton. Clerk of Municipal Court— Henry Hilmantel. City AsseBsor — Geo. Cogswell. Chief of Police — William Beck. Bridge Superintendent — Alanson Sweet. Sealer of Weights and Measures — Christian Meyer. City Printers — (English) .Jas. Kerr. (German) August Kavell. Official Papers — (English) Daily News. (German) Seehote- .Vldermex. First ward — Nicholas O'Neil. Second ward — Joseph A. Phelps. Third ward — Edward Smith. Fourth ward — Samuel C West. Fifth ward — Geo. G. Dousman. Sixth ward — Joseph Philips. Seventh ward — Wm. A. Prentiss. Eighth ward — J. C. U. Medermann. Ninth ward — J. H. Lippert. S. C West, President. R. B. Lynch, Secretary. Councillors. First ward — John Lockwood, F. Heineman. Second ward — Henry F. Buening, Louis M. Auer. Third ward — Frank McCormick, John McGrath. Fourth ward — Alex. A. Johnston, John H. Tesch. Fifth ward-^John Eosebeck, Henry Kroeger. Sixth ward — Ernst Herzer, Carl Busach. Seventh ward — William A. Noyes, Victor Schulte. Eighth ward — Edward G. Hayden, Frederick Vogel. Ninth ward — S. H. Rueckertt, J. Laubenheimer. W. A. Noyes, President. R. B. Lynch, Clerk. Council met in Cross's Excelsior Block. Commissioners of Survey. Herman Haertel, John Ogden, I. E. Goodall, Otis B. Hopkins, S. B, Grant, Elisha Eldred, F. Schumacher, Andrew Mitchell, D. W. Keller. A. C. Bergeld.* Assessors. City Assessor — Geo. Cogswell. First ward — Stephen Hoff. Second ward — Jacob Gintz. Third ward — Edward Hackett. Fourth ward — Ambrose Elv. Fifth ward— Patrick Malleu. Sixth ward — Otto Fieburs. Seventh ward — Jas. Murray. Eighth ward — Daniel Keller. Ninth ward — Mathias Human. * This name is certainly misspelled, as no such name appears in the columns of the City Directory for 1S59. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 313 Justices of the Peace. First ward — Jas. B. Turck. Second ward — Chas. F. Bode. Third ward—William Holland. Fourth ward — D. L. Deyo. Fifth ward— C. C. Meyer. Sixth ward— C. Wichelhaus. Seventh ward — Albert Smith. Eighth ward— William A. Tucker. Ninth ward — Abram Vliet. Constables. First ward — Geo. Berkel. Second ward — Chas. Neuman. Third ward— Patrick Fahey. Fourth ward — William Burnes. Fifth ward — F. Holzinger. Sixth ward — Edward Klabatz. Seventh ward — Gottfried Luther. Eighth ward — Nathan Ulman. Ninth ward — John C. Maas. Kailroad Uom.missioneks. First ward — John Fertig. Second ward — Bernhard Berchel. Third ward — John Jennings. Fourth ward — Chas. Cunningham. Fifth ward — Martin Olson. Sixth ward — Peter Schram. Seventh ward — F. A. B. Becker. Eighth ward — Peter Buckhard. Ninth ward — A. C. Cron. Fire Dbpakt.ment. Chief Engineer — Thos. H. Eviston. First Assistant — John Larkin. Second Assistant — Fred. Heinenian. Third Assistant — Jas. O. Byrne. Fire Warde.vs. First district — William Spence, John If eller. Second district — C Dusolt, Hezekiah .Moore. Third district— Jas. O'Brien, Jas. Hay. Fourth district — 0. W. Bierbach, P. Jacobus. Fifth districl^Pat. Mullen, A. Hallert.* THUSTEE.S Fire Department. President — William H. Holland. Vice President — Henry Middleton. Treasurer — Christian Preusser. Collector — C. Reingaas. County Ofi'iceks. Sheriff— Andrew J. Langworthy. Register of Deeds — Samuel Wiegil. Evidently misspelled. 314 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Treasurer — Garret Barry. Surveyor — John Gregory. Coroner — Duncan C. Reed. Under Sheriff— Wm. W. Brown. Deputies— John W. Dunlap, L. Casper, Benj. F. Smith, F. W. Hund- hausen, John C. Crilley. Supervisors. First ward — Nicholas O'Niel. Second ward — Joseph A. Phelps. Third ward — Edward Smith. Fourth ward — Samuel C West. Fifth ward — Geo. G. Dpusman. Sixth ward — Jas. Philips. Seventh ward — Wm. A. Prentiss. Eighth ward — J. C. TI. Niedermann. Ninth ward — John H. Lippert. Wauwatosa — Andrew Eble. Granville — John Boyd. Milwaukee— Chas. Haupe. Lake — Peter Yates. Greenfield — Peter Lavies, Jr. Oak Creek — Eichard Hearty. Franklin— M. J. Egan. M. J. Egan, Chairman. Chas. F- Kasten, Clerk. Police were the same as 1858. School Commissioners. First ward — Dennis Culligan and Nelson Ludington.* Second ward — C. T. Bona and A. J. Langworthy. Third ward— Ed. O'Neill and John Shortell. Fourth ward — John A. Seger and H. H. West. Fifth ward — Duncan C. Reed and Edwin DeWolf. Sixth ward — Seventh ward — Albert Bade and Eufus King. Eighth ward — Geo. B. Bingham and Geo. Burnham. Ninth ward — Samuel Brown and Henry Hilmantel. Schools. There were nine Public and two High Schools, the latter being in the Second and Seventh wards, the Principals of which were : First ward — A. Markham. Second ward — F. W. Spaulding. Second ward High School — E. P. Larkin. Third ward — Fenimore C. Pomeroy. Fourth ward — D. 0. Davis. Fifth ward — J. E. Bateman. Sixth ward — H. W. Spaulding. Seventh ward — H. B. Coe. Seventh ward High School — J. G. McKindlv.f Eighth ward— J. Todd. Ninth ward — G. H. Dimmick. * There were but two from each ward this year. f New School. — The New School buildins;, the present Seventh ward, was open the first time for pupils January 13th, 1858. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 315 List of teachers same as in 1858, nearly. There were also eight select and secular schools. School Census. The number of children between four and twenty years of age, as shown by a census taken by J. A. Segar, under the direction of the school board, in 1859, was as follows: 1858. 1859. First ward 1,635 1,705 Second ward 1,343 1,293 Third ward 1,639 1,588 Fourth ward 1,.S90 1,544 Fifthward 1,391 1,588 Sixth ward 1,397 1,254 Seventh ward 1,584 1,711 Eighth ward 927 1,292 Ninth ward 1,998 2,058 Total 13,304 14,033 Showing an increase of 629. Of this number 6,940 were attending school — 5,133 in tlie public and 807 in private schools, the difference between the census report and the school report being 2,162, /. euts. In 1858 the general city tax levied for interest, sinking fund and current expenses was $175,000; for wards, $51,094, making a total of $226,094, being less than what is actually necessary this year, $39,550.62. The comptroller imputes bad faith to the common council of 1858, by charging that it omitted to levy a school tax sufficient to meet the over draft of the school board. No such tax could have been legally levied, as the amendments to the charter limited the amount to $175,000, and this sum would be entirely absorbed in paying the interest on the city debt, current expenses of the year and the sinking fund. The comptroller also says that ''the failure to pay the interest on our bonded debt has been a source of much embarrassment to the city offi- cers in retiring the past due bonds in exchange for a new issue. ;N"ow, it will be recollectea that when the common council came into power, in April, 1858, a very small portion of the taxes of the previous year had laeen paid, and the treasury was empty. The preceding administration (Democratic to the core, with the pres- ent comptroller as the financial officer) had failed to meet the principal and interest on bonds which matured in March, thereby striking a fatal blow to the city credit, thus rendering the common council of 1858 pow- erless in the matter of meeting any city indebtedness. Was the administration of 1858 therefore blamable in these matters, and is not this whole scheme of levying a tax of only about two-thirds of the actual sum necessary for political effect ? I have no doubt that it was gotten up and carried through for that sole purpose, but whether our tax-payers will swallow the pill thus sugared over will be deter- mined on Tuesday next. Wm. a. Prentiss. November 5, 1859. The ability, as well as the honesty, that characterized the admin- istration of William A. Prentiss, was a terrible ey»-sore to the democ- racy. It was the only republican administration (up to that time) the city had ever enjoyed, and the exposures it made of the rascal- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 321 ities of the democratic leaders, was a hard thing for them to bear. Hence their hostility. They were extremely anxious to wipe it out, but no matter how much they lied, it could not be wiped out, and Mayor Page* at al. were put to shame in every attempt they made to smirch Mr. Prentiss or his administration. They were a lovely crowd, those leaders of the Democratic party in 1859. But their feet all slid in due time, and they passed down the political incline to oblivion, where those who are now wasting their strength in quarreling over the license question and turning the meetings of the common council into a pandemonium are sure to follow. Verily, the way of the transgressor is hard, and the wages of political sin is political death. John T. Perkins wants more light and gets it : Office of Merchants & Traders' Insurance Co., Phoenix Building, Milwaukee, May 6th, '59. Mr. John T. Perkins: — Sir: You ask my opinion of your new Portable Gas Lamp. Well, I have used a good many different kinds of light in my day, among which are rush lights, sperm candles, tallow candles, lard oil, whale oil, camphene, benzine, lightning bugs, pine knots, and kerosene, everything in fact, from a skillet of soap grease to the morn- ing sun, and I say, without hesitation, after three months' trial, that your Gas Lamp is the best and cheapest artificial light I ever used. In this world I want nothing better, and I'll have nothing else. But if I get a little more light in the next, I shall not object. I cannot think of anything more to say in favor of your light; if I could, I would say it. Yours truly, etc., ' Sidney L. Rood. Milwaukee Light Guard Visit New York. Excursion of the Milwaukee Light Guard. — The Milwaukee Light Guard, Capt. J. C Starkweather, leave our city, at noon to-day, on their ■» Herman L. Page, who came to Milwaukee from Nunda, Livingston county, N. Y., in 1844, was a very able man, but like all renegades, was twice as bitter in his hostility to the party from which he had deserted, than are those born in the fold. He came to us an abolitionist, but having high political aspirations (and seeing no other way in which to gratify them) he forswore allegiance to that party and went over to the democracy, body and soul, where, as has been seen, he obtained his reward. But as it happens to all who seek political fame, at the ex- pense of their self respect, so it happened to him. His feet slid in due time, and he followed his predecessors down the political incline, to that political obhvion from whence no politician has ever returned or ever will. He was a man of fine presence, good business ability, very qu'ck to see any opening where money was to be made, and while in office accumulated a handsome fortune. Socially Mr. Page was a good repre.'ientative of the American gentleman, well educated and qualified to fill any position to which he might be called with credit to himself and the community. He was a splendid presiding officer and a prominent Odd Fel- low, very ambitious, and lerriljly aggressive. He died while on a visit to Ger- many, I think in 1874 or 1875, and at his own request was buried there, I believe at Dresden. 322 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. trip East. They will be accompanied as far as Detroit, and perhaps farther, by a number of bur prominent citizens and, as is hopecl, by the Governor of the State and the Mayor of Milwaukee. We trust that every member of the M. L. G., while on this somewhat extended tour, will bear in mind, that not only the credit of the comj)any, but the reputation of our City and State, is more or less involved in the conduct of the corps during their excursion. Milwaukee " expects every man to do his duty." The following is Capt. Starkweather's order of march: Head Quarters Mil. Light Guard, May 30th, 1859. Oedbe No. 15. First — Company and Staflf oflBcers, privates and band, will be at the Armory on the 6th of June, at 10:30 o'clock a. m. Company will leave for the boat promptly at 11:15 A. M. Dress — Full fatigue, white cross and body belts, knapsacks and shakos. Fatigue cap will be attached by strap to left button of coat at waist in the rear. Overcoats will be packed in and covered by flap of knapsack. Musket covers, with brush broom, hair brush and comb and six pair of white gloves, will be carried in knapsacks. Second — Full dress uniform, with white shoulder knots, will be care- fully packed in trunk, together with such citizen's clothing as each man may desire to take. Third — All baggage will be delivered to the baggage master at Armoi-y by 9:05 a. m., on 6th June, and names of persons owning same placed upon his check book and numbered. Fourth — Assessments and subscriptions for trip will be paid to Trea- surer before 1 o'clock p. M. of 4th of June. Honorary members will rieport to the Commanding Officer at Armory on morning of 6th June at 10:30 o'clock. John C. Starkweatheh, Captain. Capt. John C. Starkweather Gets a Fall. There was a ludicrous incident occurred on the journey, in which our esteemed fellow-citizen, Gen. John C. Starkweather (then the Captain of the Milwaukee Light Guards) got a bad fall. John was proud of his command, and well he might be, for a finer looking or a better drilled compa,ny xould not be found in the West, and of course at every town where they stopped, while en route, would put them through their paces. Now it happened that the little village at the Falls of Niagara lay in their path, and of course they had a parade, and while crossing the foot bridge into Canada, in order that Her Majesty's loyal subjects might examine their uniforms, it occurred to John that it might be well to see that the boys kept time, and for that purpose he faced abdut and commenced " advancing backwards" when some obsttuction caught his heel, causing him to measure his length upon the floor of the bridge with a force that came near part- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 323 ing the cables, his " shako" landing some twenty feet ahead of him. The boys were greatly amused at the mishap, but John wasn't. The M. S. Scott Clears for Europe. The schooner M. S. Scott, Nelson Blend, master, cleared for Europe direct (Liverpool), via the St. Lawrence, May 31, 1859, with a cargo of 1 70,000 feet of oak, black walnut, ash and maple lumber. She was owned by John Thorson and M. Fosdick. The Scott left Quebec June 30th, and made the run down the river at a rapid rate. She was a splendid sailor. The speed she made caused the pilot fa Frenchman) to remark in his patois, " By Gar ! how de shoer (schooner) do go troo de water." She made the run from Quebec to Liverpool in nineteen days; thirty nine from Mil- waukee to Liverpool. The Addie also cleared for Providence, R. I , on the 28th, with a similar cargo, from the yard of J. C. Stevens, St. Joseph, Mich. This cargo was shipped by Messrs. Rufus Cheney and S. C. Hall, of Whitewater. There was quite a furor about these shipments at the time, many believing that it was to continue, b,ut as the canals were too small at that time to allow the passage of any but a small class of vessels, it was not repeated. But the time is not distant when it will become a regular channel for a large part of the surplus of the West, and will prove a much cheaper route than through New York with its re- shipments. The Germans in America. The writer has often been asked by his German acquaintances why he does not say something about them and the effect the advent of such a vast horde of the descendants of the old Teutonic races, with all their national characteristics as well as social customs, so different from those of the Puritans, as well as the more liberal and free thinking portion of their descendants, will ultimately have upon our civilization. This, although he does not think that the proper time for such an attempt has come, or will before the close of the present century, if then, he had concluded to do and had prepared a short paper upon that subject. But the Milwaukee Sentinel of Oct. 324 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 9, 1883, contains an article from the pen of Hon. Horace Rublee, that, although not lengthy or by any means covering the whole ground, he has concluded to insert here as containing much that is right to the point, and undoubtedly superior to anything he could have written himself, only saying in addition, that for music Ger- many beats the world. She has also given to the world some of the brightest men it has seen as scientists, and is a land where more intelligence is diffused among the masses than in any other European State. It is also a land where the laws are made to be obeyed and not disobeyed, as is too often done in this country. The Germans in America. The two-hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Germantown was widely celebrated Sunday. Within the past two hundred years some 3,000,000 of Germans have come to this country, and with their direct descendaDts they form about a fifth of the total population. For several years we have received more immigrants from Germany than from any other country, and there is every reason to believe the annual influx will increase rather than diminish for some years. The German thrives in America. With the habits of frugality devel- oped by the conditions of life in Germany, he attains to a comfort and to a wealth unknown to his class in his mother country. He has had an influence on American social life, and particularly on the political life of the country. He has been able to etfect a modification of American customs, while his own have undergone a considerable modification. The emigrant who comes with a ridiculously short coat, a china pipe, a cap and queer old boxes, is likely to become the progenitor of a lusty lot of young Americans. There is much in his appearance, in his cus- toms and in his clannishness that inspires criticism. But while he is in some respects very different from the ideal of the ultimate American, he will have very much to do with shaping the destiny of that person. It should be remembered that while there is much about the German which is not at all to the taste of the American, there is also much about the American that is distasteful to the German. There is absurdity for absurdity, prejudice for prejudice, and bad habit for bad habit. The conditions of life are so very diflerent in Germany and the United Stated that we should expect what actually happens — that the people of each nationality should criticise the other, and that the Germans, com- ing into a strange land, should exhibit more or less clannishness, and should resist in a measure the progress of assimilation ; that German newspapers should be publishedj although they retard the progress of the immigrants toward Americanization; that there should De German societies of all kinds, which are only bodies for the obstruction of the assimilative process; that the Germans should act more or less together in politics — in short, that they should form a distinct class. But in spite of these natural exhibitions of exclusiveness— in spite of the difficulties in the way of changing the character of their civilization — the progress of assimilation goes on steadily and rapidly. With the strongest dispo- position to adhere to the customs of the fatherland, with organizations based on nationality, and with an unusual measure of political co-opera- MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 325 tion, the ways of the German's life are greatly modified and often entirely changed by the conditions of American life. On the other hand, the native-born citizen, in spite of his dislike of German customs and his criticism of German frugality, finds his opin- ions and his habits modified by contact with Germans. The mutual criticisms have a use in producing happv modifications of character. As the German abandons the feather bed for the spring bed, as he adopts the modern styles of dress and falls into the business ways of the country, he also loses some of that spirit of nationality which is forever struggling to raise a wall against New World customs. The American, in contact with the German, loses something of the feverish restless- ness, the absurd extravagance and the narrowness in morals which dis- tinguish him among the people of the world. The ultimate American will gain much from the German, while retaining that which is best in the American character. Out of the combination of Americans whose nativity dates back several generations, and of later arrivals from Eu- rope, will come a magnificent man. whatever may be his immediate influence on the political and social life of the United States, the coming of the German is of incalculable benefit to this country. He is daily losing such of his peculiarities as are not adapted to the conditions of this country. A law of progression is working out a future to which the presence of the Germans is highly, essential, and they should be welcomed as important contributions to the grandest work of the ages — the evolution of the highest type of man. The true friend of the race and of the Germans will labor to remove all the obstructions to the speedy Americanization of the immi- f rants — wiU frown especially on the political movements calculated to old the Germans together as a body. Celebration of the Glorious Fourth. The Fourth of July was celebrated this year with the usual amount of speech-making, exploding fire-crackers and accidents. The following were those who officiated as committee of arrange- ments : John S. Fillmore, S. S. Daggett, Caleb Wall, Christ. Preus- ser, Thos. H. Eviston, Ed. O'Neill, Dennis CuUigan, John Rosebeck, Phillip Best and Alex. Johnston. A procession was formed consisting of the fire department, the Turners, city and county officers, civic societies, " Old Folks," Sons of Malta in carriages. Revolutionary soldiers, the dragoons (horse marines), butchers (mounted), Major-General John L. Hathaway and staff. Brigadier- General Best and staff. E. B. Wolcott, marshal. The. Seniine/, in commenting upon this celebration, has the follow- ing puff: The Rink-Tum Spoodle-Whangers. During the day a very amusing calvacade of " fantasticals " made its appearance on the streets. Some of the talent and chivalry of the City of Bricks, mounted on every conceivable modification of liorse and 326 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. jackass flesh, and attired in satirical and outrageous wardrobes, de- lighted to wind their devious way through town, followed by the multi- tude, the latter laboring under the clear conviction that after a due ex- hibition of fun the former would triumphantly slide out of town on a barrel of soft soap, as per announcement. However, the company, like a great many others, failed to perform all on their bill, and after a kiln-ing display at the Newhall we lost sight of them. The same paper had the following allusion to that very annoying question : The Hog and Cow Question. There is a pleasant little village situated on the shores of Lake Michi- gan, not two hundred miles from Chicago, with over fifty thousand in- habitants. In this village the most distinguishing feature — setting aside its bricks — animate and inanimate, is the taste and cultivation displayed in the grounds attached to the residences. Another feature of this town is its cows and hogs. The two features taken together (and they generally are so found) form an interesting subject for statisticians, and measures have been taken to secure the invaluable services of our friend Caleb Wall to compile the amount of damage sustained by each ward through their very foolish practice of voting the freedom of the city to such unworthy animals. And thus the war went on, until finally the people called a mass meeting at Albany Hall on the 13th, for the purpose of taking some action in reference to this intolerable nuisance. The meeting was called to order, when Caleb Wall opened the ball in a neat little speech, stating, among other things, that the meeting was not called, as some claimed, for the purpose of injuring the poor man, upon which Pat McGinnis, from the Third ward, backed by a crowd of his brother Celts, took the floor, and spake unto the august assembly these fearful words : Well, now thin, if yees don't want to oppriss the poor, what the divil would yees be after doing the loikes of this for, be jabers. For sure what is a poor man or a widdy to do wid her cow or pig, and she not the Bchmell av a pin to kape them in. Why couldn't yees get a shilling's worth av nails and a boord and fix up yees' old gate, and not be makin' sich a sphlatter as this? He was followed by a gentleman by the name of O'Connor, who, sans coat, sans collar, sans shirtsleeves, and for the last six months at least had been sans razor, felt called upon to take a hand in aiding Mr. McGinnis, which he did in a " nate a little spache," that no reporter has ever been able to translate, to the great amusement of those present (at least the American portion), and to the great joy MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 327 of Mr. McGinnis et al. Misther O'Connor was followed by Dr. L. W. Weeks, who spoke as follows : I can speak feelingly on this subject, for I have been soiled and sub- soiled and manured. I have yet to hear one reasonable excuse for such an intolerable nuisance. I have kept hogs and cows, and I know by experience that it is more expensive to let them run at large than to pen them up. The idea of making an agricultural field of our city on which to run hogs, cows and pigs, is too preposterous a proposition to be entertained. Dr. Weeks then gave a scrap of hog history, eloquently pointing to the halcyon days when hogs were not allowed on this side of the river, and said : If our citizen (Mr. McGinnis) of the Third ward is so poor that he must pasture his cows on the city, for God's sake let him go out four miles where he can get land enough to raise cows and hogs right. This is a beautiful city and must be kept beautiful. I have planted trees three times before my lot, and if I have got to box them up, I will let them go; there are two out of fifteen left. The cows come the whole length of my sidewalk — drop, drop, all the day ; and though I instruct a man to clear the path oflf every afternoon, so that ladies and gentlemen may pass by to the church, the same thing occurs the next morning. I say this is "not to be endured in a city like this. It is self-evident tliat no man has a right to keep property that is an injury and nuisance to his neighbors. And I see but one way if we want our streets to correspond with our buildings and taxes, and that is to take some decisive action immediately. After alluding to the excellent regulation in Massachusetts, and pointing out the benefits arising therefrom, he said : The common council tax us all we can bear, and some more. Shall we be taxed and have no protection from the people who pasture their cows and hogs upon us ? Mr. Aiken then made a few remarks, narrating how he discovered a sow in one of the stores down town, with her head in a firkin of butter, of which she ate ten pounds. He then read the following resolutions, drafted, he said, immediately after driving two hogs out of his yard : Whereas, Our city government has long neglected to take proper and efficient action in regard to the suppression of the disgraceful nuisance of allowing cattle and hogs to run at large in the streets of the city, it becomes necessary for the people, in their primary capacity, to act in this matter, and demand of their servants such public action as the exigencies require and the popular will demands. Therefore, Resolved, That the neatness, beauty and good name of the city, as well as the interests and convenience of its citizens, demand that an ordinance be at once passed and enforced that shall entirely and for- 328 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. ever rid the streets of all hogs, cows, and other animals found at large therein. Eesolved, That the daily destruction of trees, shrubbery, gardens and yards, by the hogs and cows that roam at large over the city, is so extensive arid annoying that our city government cannot delay action longer without forfeiting all claim to act as the representatives of the people and the conservators of the public good. Resolved, That no argument can be brought against the action re- quested, that cannot be brought in favor of stealing and piracy; for the man who will allow his cows and hogs to forage upon nis neighbors' trees and shrubs, is worse than the thief who robs our houses of that which money will readily replace. Resolved, That such members of the council as favor the passage of a strict ordinance on this subject are requested to press the matter to a vote, that we may know who represent the people and who represent the hogs. Resolved, That when this meeting adjourn, it adjourn subject to the call of the chairman in event immediate action is not taken by the com- mon council. The above were adopted tremendously if not unanimously, not- withstanding the fortunate possessors of public cows, Mr. McGinnis and friends, united in a very savage yell of " No." I was present at this meeting, and remember the fun we had there. It was the first regular blast against the cows and hogs, and culmi- nated finally in their expulsion from the city. Editorial Sparring. There was a sensational item sent to the Sentinel concerning an accident said to have occurred on the raging Milwaukee, by which William E. Cramer came near going to Davy Jones' locker, to which the Sentinel made the following reply : The gross story sent us by an evil-minded person, that our friend of the Wisconsin, while rowing on the river, came near losing his lifej be- cause there was a weak spot in the vessel and he put his foot in it, is not true. The latter part of the "yarn" is especially incredible — that he only saved the lives of the party by putting his head in the hole un- til they were pulled ashore, thus stopping the leak. We don't believe that would have stopped it. It would appear from this that General King had some doubts about Mr. Cramer's head holding water. The Horse Railroad. There was a horse railroad called for in August, this year, upon which, as usual, some chronic individual, who evidently was not friendly to the enterprise, went for it like a bull at a red flag, and MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 329 who( if alive to-day, would advocate it as strongly as he opposed it then. Ground was first broken for this road on the 28th of November, 1859. See annexed : City Railroads. Mr. John Myers, the engineer and contractor for our horse railroads, will break ground on Monday for the road on the east side of the river. Commencing about a hundred feet from Walker's Point bridge, the track will be laid up East Water street to Wisconsin, and up Wisconsin street past the post-office. It is not yet decided what street the road will follow from Wisconsin street north. The first trip on the new horse railroad was made from the foot of Wisconsin street to Jefferson, up Jefferson to Biddle, up Biddle to Van Buren, up Van Buren to Division, up Division to Prospect, up Prospect to Albion, iVlay 30, i860, cars (first trip) drawn by four horses. The earnings the first day were $38;* earnings Sunday, June 10, $168.10. Sam Platt Gets a Bible. Pkksektation. Last evening a very pleasing affair came oft' at the Newhall. A select number of friends assembled in one of the parlors, the occasion being the presentation of an elegant Bible to S. K. Platt (formerly ticket agent of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad), bearing the following inscription on one of the clasps: "To Sam Keyes Platt, by Messrs. Wm. Taintor, H. O. Wilson, E. H. Brodhead, Fred. West and H. C. Taintor." In presenting the book Mr. Taintor made a few pertinent and feeling remarks, which were happily responded to by Mr. Platt. I remember Mr. Platt very well. He was a genial fellow, loved good cheer and all that it implies, and probably needed that Bible. He left here long ago, but some of his former boon companions are on the " war path " yet. Sam must have enjoyed that Bible muchly. John Lewis appointed flour inspector, the first one appointed, July 23 ; fees, 2 cents per barrel. John Rosebeck on the War Path. A JoLi/Y Councillor. Councillor Bosebeck is an ambitious Councillor, and withal a humor- ist. Not content is Eosebeck with the monotonous line of duty marked out in the "order of proceedings" of the honorable body. He boldly *The writer was one of the party who rode to Prospect street on this trip. 330 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. marks out an entirely original path of his own. Instance the following from the official rejjort of the last meeting of the Board: Councillor Eosebeck offered the following: . Whereas, The dignity of all men rests on the pillars of honesty, and as the press should be looked up to as the maintamers of that principle, which has, to a certain extent, as yet been a failure in this city, " espe- cially by the Sentinel and its reporters." Therefore, This Board is in duty bound to protest against all foul or rotten machines, which the Sentinel has always so readily furnished; and this Board can't stand any longerthe encroachments of such; there- fore be it Resolved, That this Board has the fullest right of cleaning, cleansing and ordering out, all such as have been guilty of any such offences; and in case they do not leave on request shall be waited upon by the police, as the honor and dignity of this Board must be preserved. On the motion of Councillor McCormick, it was referred to the Com- mittee on Taxes and Committee on Licenses. As our readers probably never heard of Councillor Rosebeck before (and those who read the above will scarcely want to hear from him again), we will volunteer to throw a little light on the origin of the emanation we have quoted. Some weeks ago Councillor Rosebeck vol- unteered a heavy speech on a very light subject, and the Sentinel re- porter, appreciating as he supposed the humor of the thing, published the speech verbatim, which was as follows: On the question to refer, Councillor Rosebeck spoke as follows: I hope, Mr. President, this question won't be referred. I don't see why we shouldn't take the bull by the horns; we have handled about these lords long enough, and it's time they was told to mind their own business. Some of the honorable members maybe is afraid, but I ain't. I don't think there is nothing to be afraid of; and I hope the resolution will be adopted. Motion to refer carried. To this undue jjublicity of the irate Councillor's speech, we owe his after-clap of Municipal wrath. The facetious old gentleman spent half a day or more in running after the reporter, denounced his own words as "an undue persecution," and threatened to stop the pubUcation of the paper, by virtue of some peculiar attributes ot his own, unless an extra edition was got out, retracting the fact. Councillor Rosebeck is duly impressed with a salutary sense of the awful dignity of his posi- tion. Unfortunately, no one else is. Councillor Rosebeck is pecuharly sensitive. Publicity galls him, and the reflection of his own sentiments hurt his feelings. Councillor Rosebeck, as a man, undoubtedly is an extra fine fellow, we don't doubt it for a moment, but as a Councillor, we apprehend, not only in the eyes of his more intelligent fellow-mem- bers, but to the public at large, he will be regarded henceforth and for- ever as — to use tne words of a popular writer — an "unmitigated ass." Uncle John Rosebeck, who is yet alive, was a wind-mill of no small dimensions, and kept the pot a-boiling while the boys looked on. This speech was a fair sample of his forensic abilities. Navigation. The new steamers, the Milwaukee and Detroit, arrived August 28, upon which there was a great torch-light procession. This wa.s a great day for Milwaukee. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 331 The Milwaukee was under the command of William S. Cross and the Detroit of James McBride. They were great favorites while they lasted, but had their day, and like their gallant commanders have passed away, while other boats, as well as other men, have taken their places. They were too ex- pensive as well as somewhat unfortunate, the Milwaukee going ashore November 29 at Grand Haven, getting off again December 24. They were better fitted for the ocean than the lakes. An Affair of Honor. Among the amusing scenes occurring in the olden time was an affair of honor, growing out of a dispute over billiards. See an- nexed : The Card- Writer in Trouble. The card-writer Morrison, who was initiated into the mysteries of .the 1001 when lie first came here, last evening, we understand, got a glass of ale applied to him externally, and the glass which contained' the contents came in collision with his hat, and projected it violently out doors into the street. It occurred at a billiard room, and arose from the card-writer audaciously giving the lie to a gentleman he had been playing billiards with. Otherwise Morrison was uninjured, and to-day he 18 as serene and tranquil as ever. Mr. Morrison was of course very, indignant when he saw this, and answered thusly : Mr. Morrison Becomes Indignant and Indites a Card — A Duel on THE Carpet. : Having mentioned yesterday, as an instance of what is occasionally going on in the way of pugilisrn that does not get into the police court, the circumstance of the well known card-writer having been roughly treated by a gentleman he had been playing billiards with, because he gave him the lie, Mr. Morrison writes us to-day that some of our details were untrue. The main facts, however, which he does not deny, stand out in glaring and terrible proportions, and this being so the details are of but little consequence comparatively. We fear the afl^air is likely to become one of national iniportance, for Mr. Morrison informs us that he has been challenged by his antagonist, and he has accepted the challenge, and selected pistols at ten paces, and his antagonist can name the place and time. Mr. Morrison has evidently got blood in him, and don't mean to be hoodwinked. We publish his card with pleasure : . "August 18, 1859. "Editor Wiacondn: Sir — I contradict the statement in your paper that the card-writer was initiated into the order of l,y John Brown, and known as the City Brewery, then located upon the southwest corner of Main street (Broadway) and Division MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 349 Street (now Juneau Avenue). Here Mr. Brown carried on the manu- facture of lager beer on what would now be considered an infinitesi- mal scale unti] his death in 185 1, when the plant came into the possession of Mr. Valentine Blatz (a former employee), who at once commenced to build it up. The outlook for its future was not very encouraging for its young proprietor, as its annual sales were at that time only 150 barrels. But Mr. Blatz was full of energy, and the little plant soon began to grow, and such has been its growth as to make it the third largest in the city, its output for 1884 being 245,000 barrels. This brewery, like those of the Messrs. Best and Schlitz, has a bottling establishment. Mr. Blatz is a man of few words, but is a hard worker and watches over his business very closely. He is of medium size, very muscular, has a keen dark eye and, taken as a whole, is a very fine looking man. He has a good reputation for honesty, probity and business abihty, and that he is possessed of good executive ability, his success fully proves, and like his brother brewers has become very wealthy. Mr. Blatz is a Bavarian, having been born at Mittenburg on the Main in 1825. The Franz Falk Brewing Company, The next in rank, was founded in 1855, by Frederick Goes and Franz Falk, Sen. Its present officers are Franz Falk, president; L. W. Falk, vice president, and Frank R. Falk, secretary and treasurer. Their output for 1884 was 75,000 barrels. There are several others just out of the city, prominent among which is that of F. Miller, which has about the same capacity as that of the Messrs. Falk. The amount of capital invested in the manufacture of Beer in Milwaukee and vicinity is estimated at $9,000,000. W. P. Young's Block Burnt, June 21, 1859. This fine building had just been completed. It was the second time Mr. Young had been burnt out on this corner, the first being February tsth, 1852. (See Vol. III., page 371.) There seemed to be a fatality attending all this gentleman's enterprises, owing as many thought to his stubbornness, and that the burning of these two 350 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. blocks was not accidental, but the result of ill feeling on the part of some of his employees who he had treated unjustly in the way of pay. He was a man of strong will. The third block (a vast im- provement upon the two burned ones) is yet standing, and known as the Miller Block. It has been thoroughly rebuilt, however, as well as internally remodeled, and is one of the most desirable pieces of property in the city. Wouldn't Call him Judge. Among the many amusing scenes witnessed m Judge Phut's (Foote's) court while it existed, was one in which John Doe (an old offender), who had been convicted of some crime, was called up for sentence, when his counsel, one Mr. Van Deutch, who had knowl- edge that said Court had been abolished, told him " to get," as there was no such Court, and he got. And in the next case called, the Judge told the same attorney not to ask a certain question, and was told by said attorney that he should ask what questions he pleased, at the same time addressing his honor as Mister Foote, etc. Market House Remodeled. The old Market House — the present City Hall — was ordered to be converted into a Municipal Court Room this year, at an expense not to exceed $6,000. It cost double that, however. The ordinance authorizing it was passed May i, 1859. An attempt (a second one) was also made to divide the County, by making the City into a County by itself Nothing came of it, however, except the usual amount c.f windy talk. But h answered for a hobby horse for some one to ride into the Legislature upon. Political. As the time for the fall election drew near, the fur began to fly in earnest. The following, taken from the Sentinel, gives a slight idea of the hostility manifested by the Democratic leaders, and the News^ to the Republicans, who had commented pretty severely upon the administration for permitting Governor Wise, of Virginia, to hang John Brown. Here is what the News said about the affair, and the SenHnePs comments : milwaukee under the charter. 351 Not a Bit Scared! The Eepublicans of the rural districts do not seem to be in the least alarmed by the truculent threats of George Brass Smith, backed by "Bob Acres" of the News, that the government would hang them all, as it was about to hang old John Brown, if they dared to carry out their principles. Hear the defiant reply of the Janesville Gazette to this menace : " Going to Hang the Eepublicans. — George Brass Smith, of fragrant memory, proposes that the government shall bang the Eepublicans if they attempt to carry out their principles. " The Milwaukee News says: " ' Old Ossawatomie BroWn was pointed at as a striking illustration of the dangerous tendency of this slavery agitation ; and he (Smith) very truly said: "Whenever the Eepublicans undertake to carry out their principles the government will hang them as they are about to hang Old Brown." ' " George B. and all his miserable doughface crew whom he so fitly represents had better say their prayers before they commence." We think as much. We trust that every Eepublican of Milwaukee will come to the polls to-morrow and carry out his principles by voting the straight Eepublican ticket, as an invitation to George Brass Smith, the News, and tne Government to commence their cotilion. And they did. A call was made for Ed. D. Holton to run for the assembly. See annexed : Independent Candidate foe the Assembly — Fourth Ward. A call, signed by 275 electors of the Fourth ward, has been addressed to Mr. Edward D. Holton^ inviting him to become an independent can- didate for the Assembly in the Fourth ward. Mr. Holton accepts the invitation, as may be seen by the correspondence in to-day's paper. The names signed to the call give great weight to it; and Mr. Holton, as all men know, has every qualification to represent the ward faithfully and ably. James H. Paine was also nominated in the First and Seventh wards. A Republican caucus was also held in the Fifth and Eighth wards. See annexed : At a Eepublican caucus held at Melms' saloon last evening, on motion S. H. Martin was chosen chairman and Wm. Goodnow secretary. On motion the following delegates were chosen: H. Toser, Wm. Cook and S. H. Martin from the Fifth ward, and E. Neukirk, Wm. Greenslade and Wm. P. Merrill from the Eighth ward. • The caucus was well at- tended and the best feeling prevailed. Moved that the proceedings of the meeting be published in the Sen- tinel. S. H. Martin, Chairman. Wm. Goodnow, Secretary. Election held November 8. 352 milwaukee under the charter. Peter Van Vechten Goes for the Milwaukee " News." Hear him : Good for Number One! The News of Saturday made a savage attack upon Engine Co. No. 1, of this city, for tolling their bell and setting their flag at half-mast on Black Friday, as a mark of sympathy for John Brown. The News called upon the mayor to disband the company, or remove the foreman, Peter Van Vechten, Jr., one of the oldest and best members of our Milwaukee Fire Department. To all of which Peter, good fellow, makes answer as follows: Mr. Editor : — ^The News of Saturday morning contains an article headed "An Insult to the City," in which it makes a personal attack on myself. As to the detriment or credit any article published in that paper would have upon my persoijal character, I care not, neither do I care for the expression of a paper whose only existence is the city printing; but that the matter may be set right before the public. I make this state- ment: I was informed that the other bells would be tolled, then I said I would have the bell belonging to Engine Co. No. 1 tolled also. The bell spoken of in the News belongs to the company exclusively; the flag the city has not one cent interest in; even the rope which tolled the bell belongs to the company, and was paid for by the private funds of the company ; so with all the property inside the house we occupy, except the engine, hose-cart and hose. We have even paid for our torches. If the mayor and common council wish to disband the company be- cause I ordered the bell tolled, let them do so. I claiuT the right to direct the action of my company according to the dictates of my con- science, regardless of the opinion of the News. I shall continue to do so as long as I have command. They cannot intimidate me with threats nor tempt me with bribes. Unfortunately for the News my company, with one or two exceptions, think as I do in this matter; there lies the difficulty which the News cannot overcome. In regard to breaking me of my office, the mayor and common coun- cil may do it if they see fit. I shall exercise command of my company just as I see fit as long as I hold the office of foreman. All that the News can say about my ambition will not alter my views or change my action. Yours, etc., P. Van Veghten, Jr. Of all the public prints in the city in 1859 the Daify News was undoubtedly the meanest. It was to the North what the Okolona Gazette of to-day is to the South. If it ever told the truth (politi- cally) it was wholly by accident. But it furnished just tlie kind of food such men as Albert Bade, John White, Edward McGarry, Jona- than Taylor, and a few others of the old-line Democracy, wanted, a few fossilized specimens of whom are to be seen upon our streets to- day, who have all the symptoms of having been palsied, and who, politically, are petrified samples of the effect of that lying sheet dur- ing the editorship of J. R. Sharpslein and Geo. W. Clason. milwaukee under the charter. 353 Winter Coming. River closed December 3, upon which General King said winter has come ; air is full of needles. Eight degrees below zero on the 7th. First snow fell on the 1 7th, six inches in depth, with nice win- ter weather. It remained cold during the month, not varying much until the 30th, when the frost king gave us 30° below zero, closing the river from the mouth to the dam with ice six inches in thickness. Literary. The Milwaukee Advertiser, a literary quarto, was started this year by Messervey & Culbertson. The Wisconsi7i editor, in speaking of it, says he doubts its success, but that, in the language of Governor Randall, it has his prayers. This killed it, of course. Population. The population of Milwaukee in 1859 was 51,449. In 1857 it was 44,524. A gain of 6,925. The only ward which fell behind being the Third ; the cause claimed for which was the wasting away of the beach by the encroachments of the Lake, causing quite a number to migrate. City Improvements. The following statement of the amount of city improvements is from the Sentinel, and furnished to them by that wide-awake citizen, now long since gone to his rest, Caleb Wall, who was indefatigable in his lifetime in helping make Milwaukee a thing of beauty, as she is to-day. City Improvements. From the tables prepared by Caleb Wall, which we have published, it will be seen that the cost of the new buildings now in progress in this city is $722,3.50; or, deducting diflference in cost of labor, and $140,000 for public buildings, $33,850 in excess of the improvements of last year. There are many small buildings not reckoned in and, in all probability, $100,000 may be set down in addition to the above, on that account, either now contracted, or to be so during the summer. Second Ward. Among the improvements in this ward were three brick dwellings, northwest corner Fourth and Poplar streets by Geo. Abert, one on Winnebago street, and the present Second Ward Bank building. This 354 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHAftTfeR. was built by a Mr. Wise at a cost of $15,000. The gross amount known to have been built in this ward was $60,000. Third Ward. Seven stores on Main street (Broadway), by John McA. Lindin, yet in use, and known as Nos. 185 to 195 inclusive; one No. 269 Broadway, and the old ruin known as Nos. 197 to 201 Broadway. This building has never been a paying investment; it was built twenty years ahead of time for that locality. Also three brick stores on southwest corner of Broadway and Huron street (now the pro- perty of Mrs. Samuel Chandler), and some thirty frames in various parts of the ward — in all $100,000. Fourth Ward. Among the improvements in the Fourth ward were sixteen brick stores on West Water street, cost $100,000. Five of these were on the southeast corner of West Water and Clyboum streets, by Jona- than Taylor (Nos. 100 to 108 West Water). Two, Nos. 35 and 37 West Water, by E. D. Holton.* Nine, by Hans Reese, Nos. 130 to 146 West Water, inclusive. And a Jewish Synagogue on Fifth street, cost $7,000. Five brick dweUings on Spring street; four on Eighth street ; two on Clyboum street ; one on Sixth street. Seven frame buildings on Spring street; one on Tamarack street; two on Fourth street ; one on Wells street ; one on Seventh street ; one on Eighth street ; four on Seventh street ; two on Seventh street ; one on Spring street ; one on Clybourn street — costing in all $66,000. The Sentinel gets spoony over Hans Reese's block. Hear him : West Water Sthebt is looking up. It would be difficult for bricks to take a more imposing form than they have assumed in Hans Reese's block. Look at it from any point it is grand, andjo a person coming down Michigan street from Albany Hall at night, when tne moon falls upon this pile across the river, and its long rows of windows are dupli- cated in the water, it bears the appearance of an immense coliseum. Five minutes walk from Spring Street Bridge, in either direction on West Water street, will bring you to several significant improvements; half a score of new buildings have grown up with the past summer, and look bright and fresh across the river to the dusky walls on this side. And these buildings are all massive and stylish, not mere shells run up to order, but gifts from architecture to commerce ; monuments of beauty and utility which are making West Water street advance with rapid * I think the contractor for this block was a negro. There certainly was one worked on it. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 355 strides. Considerable progress has also been made in the grading, so that the street may be said to be rising in a literal as well as a figurative sense. West Water street may never attain to the picturesque dignity of a Broadway, but we will hazard the assertion that it is destined to be the business street of Milwaukee at some future time. The heavy street, where Gunnybags shall store his investments, and Mr. Firkin feel the variations of stock, and where he can take the horse cars at Spring street and glide up the hill to his mansion. This block, although yet in use, is, when compared with those more modern, a ruin, and did it not occupy a prominent point for business would be considered worthless and probably converted into a depot for rags. It did not net its owner much rent for a number of years after the erection, but pays well to-day. It is yet owned by Mr. Hans Reese, and is in charge of Edgar J. Tapping, who is a sharp business man. Seventh Ward. Of improvements in this ward, Caleb Wall says : We presume it is well known that this ward contains all the finished dwelling houses in our city (with a very few exceptions). Its situa- tion is delightful, being principally along the shore, from which we have a fine refreshing breeze. As we ourselves live in the Seventh ward, it would not be in good taste to say much about it; but one thing we must say, and will say, that there are more hogs and cows at large in the Seventh ward, which destroy trees and muck sidewalks, than ought to be. I wonder what argument one can make use of, to get our esteemed city council and aldermen to make a law to prevent hogs and cows running at large. I (Caleb Wall) promise this : If they will pass some law, to prevent hogs and cows from making so much destruction, that a benefit shall be set up immediately in the beautiful Albany Hall, to be expended at our Newhall House, for a supper that has not yet been equaled. Now, Mr. Aldermen, what say you to that f Improvements in the Seventh Ward. Two brick stores on East Water street $3,000 •' 5,000 10,000 6,000 3,000 3,000 4,000 One Two Two One Two One I ii t ti (( { i( I it a it 11 Martin street. 356 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. Four three-Story dwellingB corner Main and Biddle streets 16,000 One brick store back of Juneau Bank One handsome brick dwelling corner Martin and Cass streets... *10,000 Two brick stores on Milwaukee street 7,000 Three fine brick dwellings on Wisconsin street 20,000 Two brick dwellings on Jefferson street 12,000 Large brick addition to house corner of Oneida and Van Buren streets 2,000 Two brick dwellings on Biddle street 6,000 One " " on Jefferson street 3,500 One " " on Van Buren street 5,000 One " " " " 2,500 Three brick dwellings on Milwaukee street 14,000 One brick dwelling ou Milwaukee street 3,000 Two brick dwellings on Jackson street 8,000 One small brick dwelling on Main street 800 One frame dwelling on Jefferson street 2,500 Two frame buildings on Division street 2,000 Total $154,300 Besides these, the following were erected in the First ward : Two frames on Ogden street, three on North Water, one on Lyon, one on Jefferson, one on Milwaukee, one on Racine. Six brick, the Hadley block, southeast corner Jackson and Lyon, nine brick on Jackson northeast corner of Knapp, known as the Grant block, two on Marshall street, cost $17,000, one frame $8,000, one brick on Knapp, one on Division, one corner of Marshall and Knapp, and one on Prospect street by Hans Rees. Total, $80,000. Besides these there were the Mayor Page residence, No. 2629 Grand avenue, now the property of Geo. E. Lyman ; the Keenan mansion, Nos. 455 and 457 Jefferson; the old Levi Merrick house. No, 420 Jefferson, and the present Sentinel building, and the build- ing known as Union Hall (see annexed), were built this year. Union Hall — Something New. Our old friend and fellow-citizen, William Sivyer, has just completed a new and handsome three-story brick block, on Main street, between Huron and Detroit streets, Third ward. The lower story is divided into two large and handsome stores, with spacious cellars beneath. In the second story are dwelling rooms over one store, and a dining-hall, or supper room, connected with the hall above, over the other. The third story is the Union Hall, forty feet wide by eighty feet deep, with convenient side rooms, and all nicely fitted up for concerts, lectures or balls. The building is a neat and substantial one, and was put up un- der the immediate supervision of Mr. Wm. Sivyer himself, who laid the first brick and raised the first boy in this good city of Milwaukee. That same " boy," by the way, is now a man, doing business on his own By John Harris. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 357 hook, and offering a first-rate gtock of family groceries and " feed for all " at the north store in the new block.* The block on the northeast corner of Reed and Lake streets was also built this year by Hiram Mabbett and Chas. G. Breed. Mechanical, Mercantile and Professional. There were in Milwaukee in 1859-60: 17 insurance agents, 12 houses for the sale of agricultural instruments, 7 architects, 3 salt agencies, 4 steamboat agencies, 7 auctioneers, 38 bakeries, 3 billiard table manufactories, 13 billiard saloons, 34 blacksmith shops, 5 blank book manufacturers, 4 block and pump manufactories, 62 private boarding-houses, 4 boiler shops, 9 book binderies, 6 book-sellers and stationers, 38 boot and shoe dealers (wholesale and retail), 52 shoe- maker shops, 3 bowling saloons, 30 brewers, 9 brickmakers and deal- ers, 27 master carpenters and mason builders, 32 carpenters only, 20 cabinet manufacturers, 5 oil-cloth makers, 16 crockery stores, 36 to- bacco and snuff stores, 12 civil engineers, 29 wholesale and retail clothing stores, 8 carriage manufacturers, 6 coal dealers, 64 commis- sion merchants, 20 confectioners, 41 cooper shops, 2 copper-smiths, 10 dentists, 6 distillers, 17 dressmaking establishments, 26 retail drug stores, 10 wholesale drug stores, 49 retail dry goods stores, 15 whole- sale dry goods store, 9 who kept dye-stuffs, 23 flour and feed stores, 9 flouring mills, 14 forwarding houses, 12 foundries, 12 fruit stores (wholesale and retail), 11 furniture dealers, 5 gas and steam-fitting shops, 22 gents' furnishing goods stores, 4 gilders, 4 grate, register and furnace dealers, 224 retail grocers, 27 wholesale grocers, 20 hair- dressing establishments, 17 hardware and cutlery stores, 12 harness shops, 1 7 hat and cap stores, 1 2 hide and leather stores, 42 hotels and taverns, 8 house-movers, 2 hub and spoke manufacturers, 7 iron and steel warehouses, 7 lamp and chandelier stores, 73 lawyers and law firms, 11 livery stables, 27 lumber dealers, 12 machine shops (iron), 70 meat markets (retail), 27 milliners, 37 house and sign *This was an unfortunate block. The alteration of the grade on Broailway soon after it was built (by raising it) rendered it almost untenable, and Mr Sivyer sued the city, and after an expensive litigation recovered $8,000, or about that. The building, however, remained in that condition until 1882, when it was purchased by O. D. Bjorkquist, who pulled it down and has erected a handsome block upon its site for a boot and shoe store, known as Nos. 300 and 301 Broadway. 358 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. painting shops, 64 physicians and surgeons, 62 produce dealers, 23 provision stores (only), 27 real estate brokers, 15 restaurants, 6 safe manufacturers, 202 saloons, 60 tailors, 14 tanneries, 29 tin and cop- per-smith establishments, 13 trunk manufacturers and dealers, 28 wagon shops, 18 jewelry stores, 51 wine and liquor stores, 5 wood- yards, 9 wooden-ware stores, 6 wool dealers, 2 woolen manufac- tories. Correction. On page 202, Vol. IV., when sketching E. P. Matthews, the writer omitted to state, when speaking of the official positions he had filled, that he also represented the Fourth ward in the legislature in 1880 and 1881. They Are Passing Away. This cut or diagram is a fac simile of the buildings* formerly standing upon the southeast corner of Grand avenue and Second street, and known (present numbering) as 119, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129, 131, 133, 13s, 137 and 139 Grand avenue, and which, although an eye-sore to the community for the last ten years, were as much of an improvement when erected, over their predecessors (which were small frames) as will be their successors when completed over them. The history of the erection of these buildings, as well as the occu- pation of a portion of them, is substantially as follows : The nucleus of the two seen upon the left, and known as Nos. 1 19 and 121 Grand avenue, present numbering, and 33 and 35 Spring street, old numbering, were erected in 1847 by John Plankinton,t who, in connection with G. W. Evins, had purchased May 11, 1846, the north fifty feet of lot 18, block 71, Fourth ward, of J. L. Bean, for $800. Evins sold his interest September 2, 1847, to Nelson H. Northrop,! of Palmyra, N. Y., for $600, who built the next one. No. *Now (May I, 1886) partly demolished. fThese buildings stood directly west of and adjoining the alley, and were the first brick ones ever erected upon that part of the block. This alley has now, however, (1884) been vacated and occupied by a portion of the hotel. JMr. Northrop was the successor of John E. Cameron in the American House livery stable. He was a brother-in-law of George F. Oakley, to whom he subse- quently sold out, I think in 1853, and returned back to Palmyra. MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 359 360 MILWAUKEE UNDER THE CHARTER. 37, now No. 123. These three buildings were partially destroyed by fire June 6, 1850, while occupied by the common council iu the up- per story and by Doctor Matloy in the second. This fire also de- stroyed a portion of the city records. These buildings were, however, all quickly repaired, after which Nos. 119 and 121 were converted into a livery stable,* /. 138 Burroughs. P. W 100 Bay State Foundry 102 Bates, Arthur 107 Bradley, Edward 108 Bryne, Lawrence 109 Brugman, Henry - , — 124 Banking 122 Biersach, Carl 126 Business Status 126 Billings, C. F 130 Bacon, E. P 132 Bradford, John 133, 138, 204 Bradford, Jas 133 Bradford, Joseph L 108 Bradford, Ephriam P 133 Bradford, Robert C 133 Bradford, Jas. R 134 Bradford, R. C 134 Bradford, Frank C 134 Burr, Walternian 134 Burr, Ephriam B 134 Brown, Wm 134 Barber, Capt. Geo 13S, 285 Board of Trade Organized 138, 150 Bilty's Tremont... 153 Brick, Nathan 146 Brown, Jonas 146 Button, Edwin 148 Burdick, M. L 150 Burnell, Levi 163 Beal, W. J 164 Bryant, S 167, 237 By Torchlight- .'. ' 170 Bear vs. Bull 171 Bolton, Alex 191, 261, 312 Beech er, J. A 197 Baumgaertner, H.J 2 10, 424 Burdick & Armitage 2io Buestrin. H 229 Burnham, J. L 235 Brown, Jas. S 25 1, 294 Bombach von, M 261 Brown, William, Jr 285, 400 Blodgett, F. S 311, 377 Blend, Nelson 323 Bertschy, Jacob 335 Bertschy, John 335 Bertschy, Frederick 330 Best, Jacob 344 Best, Jacob, Jr 344 Best, Chas 344 Best, Lorenz 344 Brown, John 348 Blatz, Valentine 348 Breed, Clias. G 357 INDEX. 451 Brown, William W 377 Base Ball Discovered ^ 381' Bean, Jacob L 58, 389 Belden's Old Home Saloon Removed 39 1 ■ Bailey, John 410 Bird, A. C 410 Barber, J. H , 410 Buck. Jas. S 423 Boardman, M. A 423 Census 101, 240 Crawford, John 15, 17 Cole, Thos. C 16 Conover, S. S 21, 24, 28, 78, 150 Cotton, Chas. C * 22, 23 Complaints , 25 Church, Benj 26, 27, 78, 149 Cramer, William E 27, 72, 112, 113, 221, 226, 309 Cummings, John 27, 69, 70, 78 Crocker, Han.s 27, 36, 225, 251 Crilley, J.J 377 Craig, A. J 28 Catlin, John 35 Cobb, J... 35 Cramer, E , 36, 44, 45 Carey, Joseph 43, 55 Carey, Chas. J .' - 44 Cross, Jas. B 44, 46, 49, 51, 60, 68, 77, 94, 112, 120, 147, 191, 222 Cady, R. P 49 Crounce, Jonathan - 49 Crosby, F. J 54 Charnley, F 55, 177 Conroy, Jas 65 Cook, Carlise D 56, 237 CoUingbourne, Th 5^ Chapin, Emery D 59 Commercial Statistics 59,121, 122 City Convention 272, 310 Corrections 60, 293, 357 Chase, Horace 60, 64, 185, 198, 422 Chase, Dr. Enoch 64, 422 Chase, Reuben 69 Crummy, Jas. M 71 Corson, Dighton 75, 141, 167, 220, 244 Church Going 98 Crawford, Henry 125 City Officials, Names of 26, 77, 147, 191, 267, 312, 377 Clarke, Abram 236 Commissioners of Survey, Names of 26, 77, 148, 191, 262, 312 County Officers, Names of 28,78, 150, 151, 192,263,313, 377 Constables, Names of 27, 77, 148, 192, 262, 313, 378 Coon, S. P 112 Cremation 113 Cogswell, Geo "4. 312 Crampton, j! H •. 127 Chandler, Samuel 128 Charter Amendments ■. 138 Council Proceedings 145, 168, 169, 388 Corn Exchange 151, 277 Cordes, J 148 Cannon, J. W 146 452 INDEX. Chapman, Silas — 149 Conway, J -. .-- 150 Carpenter, A. V. H -. 158, 162, 410 Criminal 167 Cattle Market Established ■. 171 Clayton, Z 176, 237 Carney, Dabney 187 Cotzhausen, Alex I9I> 244 Conrad, F. ...' , ..^ 191 Caleb Wall Scores the Council 198 Chapman, Geo. W. 218 Combs, Martin B 220 Collins, C. C ,. ..-.' 227 Clarke, Wm...\ 227 Casgrain, W. P 231 Chamberlain, Selah 233 Cameron, D. E.. .- 244 City Indebtedness. , 246 Couldn't Wipe It Out 260 Chamber of Commerce Organized — 277, 278 Chamber of Commerce, List of Presidents 316 Caswell, R. K 285 Childs, John 286 Comstock, Cicero 301, 310, 338 Cross, Capt. William S 501 Corbett, John 301 Corbett, Chas 301 Corbett, Alex 301 Call for a Mass Meeting, Proceedings at 306, 307 Councillors 261, 312, 377 Cheeney, Maj. Rufus 323 Cameron, J. E 358 Crouch, Jonathan 360 Carpenter, Matthew H 384 Clark, J. T 409 ColUns, S. J 409 Campbell, R. B 409 Clinton, Geo. O 410 Crocker, J. T 410 Clasen, G. B..1 , 410 Childs, Mrs. Sarah 411 Dewey, Chas. C 16 Durr, Emil ^., 19 Delaney, Martin 26, 65, 77, 135, 148, 190 Duggan, Thos 27, 78 DeWolf, Edwin 27, 69, 79, 149, 320 Daggett, S. S 28, 77, 103, 160, 310, 400 Dodge, H. S 424 Devlin, F 28, 77, 149 Duval, Chas 27 Douglass, Andrew 28 Dousman, Geo. D 32, 285 Dousman, H. L 36 Davis, S. B 41, 225 Davis, John 41 Dixon, Jas 43 Douglass, Jas 45, 235 Delany, A. K 48 Davis, Cyrus D 54 Dickinson, Geo. M 90 INDEX. 453 Dibble, J. P 97 Decker, Chas. C 103 Death of the General 113 Division of the 1st, 2d and 5th Wards 144 Dick, J. C 148, 167 Dawes, Wm 163 Damon, Lowell - 200 Durand, W. T 21b Davis, Robert 211, 334 Doran, J. L 25 1 Doyle, Capt. Jas ' 285 Davidson, Thos 288 Davis, DeWitt C 310 Dunlop, J. W 377 Dressier, J. M 396 Domschkee, B 396 Davis, T. M 410 Dunck," Garrett 424 Epps, Jesse ^ 20, 108 Edwards, J. B 26, 46, 77, 147, 167, 222 Eldred, Elisha i...' 26, 77, 148, 361, 381 Elmore, R. P 56 Elections 26,76,147,191,271, 283, 377, 400 Ellsworth, Orlando 244 Eves, J. J.. 91 Eavesdropping 92 Ely, Ambrose 77 Eddy, Russell 77 Elmore, S. L. .' 78, I49 Eliot, Roberts Co - 96, 97. "7 Eviston, M. J 114 Eviston, Thos. H "4. 148, 19°, 3°' Eviston, J. W., Sr "4 Eviston, J. W., Jr 114 Emery, Edward 119 Esch, John ■ 128 Elmore, Geo. M 131 Ehlman, M. D '- 146 Everts, Chas. P 15° Edgerton, Mrs. H. K - I57 Excursion to Beaver Dam 163 Evins, Wm 188 Emmons, N.J ... 204 Egbert H. Smith Outdone 241 Early Shipbuilding 285 Ellsworth, Lemuel 288 Elevator A (now C) Built 295 Evins, Geo. W 3S8 FoUansbee, A 16 Finch, Asahel, Jr 17. 3^, 4" Fire Department 28, 77, 148, 195.263,312, 378 Foote, Eraslus 26, 77, 141, 19'. 3io, 3" Fisher, Geo 27, 77, 109, 148 Fratney, F 27 Fillmore, J. S , - 28 Fowler, Henry 28, 151 Fitzgerald, Garrett M : 29, 78, no, 151 Featherstonhaugh, Geo. W 37' Freeman, Chas. F 32, 226 First Snow-fall , 60, 112, 172, 239 454 INDEX. Fowler, Albert 60, 62, 64 Fox, Mrs. Harriett 61 Fire 71, 139 Fitch, W. J 87 Fight With a Burglar loi Flertzheim, A 124 Frank, August , 126 French, Edgar U 128 French, Orvis 128 Fess, Henry, Jr 138 Flint, J. G 139 Flint, W. G 140 Flynn, Jas 149 Funeral ot Solomon Juneau I7'3 Fellenz, John 255 Farmin, Capt. S 286 Fitzgerald, jf. P 293 Farhsworth, Wm 296 Fowler, Wm. H 297 Fowler, Alonzo 297 Furlong, William 363 Foley, Jas.. 383 Furlong, John - 407 Fowler, D. W 423 Great Fire of March, i860 381 Gardner, Ezra L. H 191, 222, 310, 311, 319, 374, 375 Goodman, Wm. E 16, 36, 102 Graham, W. W 147 Goodrich, J. C 28, 69, 71, 77, 148 Grange, Richardson 19 Geisburg, Chas 26 Goodall, Ira E 26, 69, 77, 148 Gregory, J 29, 78, 151 Goodrich, J 36 Greeves, Doct. Jas. P 42 Gates, L. M 49 G0II& Frank 57 Goodrich, Timothy W 16, 57, 126, 131, 132 Greenleaf, F. H 77, 149 Grant, S. B 78, 138, 148, 190 Griggs, H. C 97 Green, S. M 108, 229 Greulich, August 125, 148, 187, 191, 244, 245 Gunther, F 131 Goodrich, E. H... , 138 Great Military Parade 154 Goss, Owen 157, 334 Goodrich, I. G 175 Gunnison, Austin 183 Gunnison, H. W 184 CJunnison, Olivet W 184 Goetz, A. W , 210 Grading Wisconsin Street ^ 237 Geo. S. Mallory on the Warpath 256 Gilson, Alfred 286 Grain in Store 308 Goes, Frederick 349 Iladley, Jackson, 15, 16, 26, 27, 69, 77, 78, 125 147, 148, 149, 167, 17J, 190, 191, 245, 251, 253, 256, 280, 301 Hunter, Rev. Eli S 16, 131 INDEX. 455 Haskins, J. W l6, 17 Jlagerty, Timothy 15 Horn, F. W 15 Hubbell, Levi ,..., 24 Houghton, Richardson 26, 77, 145 Hayden, J 26, 244, 302 Humphrey, Capt. Jaspei 26, 1 10, 135, 148, 154, 187 Holland, Carlelon .„ 26, 77, 135 Hathaway, Joshua 26 Heartle, H 26, 77, 145, 148, 1^7, 187 Holland, Wm 27, 77, 148 Hill, P. B 27, 78, 148, 407 Hale, P. C 32, 72 Hall, S. C 35 Holton, E. D 36,97. 108, 351 Horning, F. Y 4S Hiedie, H. C 50 Hunn, W. S 54 Hull, D. P 56, 72 Heath, Dr. Jas 60 Haisler, M 92 Holms, J. M 96 Helfenstein, J. A 99, 148, 285 Harris, J. S : 102 Harrison, S. A 108, 2z8, 231 Hale, O. J 108 Hardy, J .' 109, 128 How is dose no Huebschman, F 1 10, 112, 222, 225, 226 Herman C. Adams Shot "2 Hibbard, W. B "7. Z04 Haulmann, F. A 121 Harris, J. P 121 Hawkins, Wm. A 125, 135, 154 Hewitt, A. E v 13° Hoffman, J. C 13° Hamilton, Chas. S 132 Hill, Horatio 138. '65 Higby, L. J 138. «5I Hewitt, G.P 138 Hibbard, R 146 Houghton, R. P 146 Houghton, Geo. G 146, 384. 38$ Hoover, J. A 148 Holland, W. H M9 Hooker, S, T 'SI Hill, J. F 165 Hibbard, C. F 210 Hooker, D. G zz? Hanrahan, M 244 Hathaway, J. L z6i. 303 Hinesdale, W. L 261 Hotel Wettstein Opened 283 Hackett, Richard 296 Hasse, Ed 3°' Horse Overboard 308 Hillmantel, H 3^0, 312, 385 Hall, S. C -■ 323 How a Milwaukee Carpenter Got a Floor Taken Up 334 Hurd, L. H 339 456 INDEX. Hiles, John 341 Hundhausen, F. W 377 Herzer, Ernst ^. 394 Highway Robbers 401 Hollister, Mrs. Mary 412 Hassee, Henry 424 Issuing Bonds 21 Improvements 54, 95, 115, 175, 234, 294, 353, 354, 355, 356, 403, 404 Imbush, J. G 78, 204, 310 Insurance Board Organized 99 Ice, Thickness of 1 73 Investigating Committee's Report 226 to 251 Ice Left the River 14, 68, 187, 244, 300, 373 In the Lobby 395 In Memoriam, 405 IngersoU, A. M 410 Jenkins, Chas. E 17, 26, 27, 78, 149, 167 Jacks, R. C , 28, 30, 57, 77, 149 James, Chas 29. 60, 61, 78, 150 Jennings, John; 30, 148, 190, 191 Johnson, Ralph 56 Juneau's Log House 60 Justices 27, 77, 148, 192, 262, 313, 378 Jennings, R. P 128, 273 Johnston, John 135, 137 Johnson, S. R 146 Johnson, W. B 146 Johnston, Alex .' 148, 191 Jung, F. J 148, 149, 167 Johnson, Dr. Jas 149, 252 Judd, Stoddard 163 Johnson, Thos 182 Jacobus, P 191 Johnson, D. H 218 Judge Hubbell Buys a New Milch Cow 276 Jones, J. M 286 Jones, BuelB 288 Joys, Andrew M 293 John T. Perkins Wants More Light 321 Judd, Truman H 341 Judson, John B 360 Judge Foote's Court Abohshed 390 Jasper Vliet's Safe Attached 380 Jennings, R. D 409 Jennings, E. C 433 King, Rufus 27, 30, 31, 57, 76, 78, 79, 147, 177, 381 Kibourn, Byron 26, 117, 138, 163 Kuehn, Ferdinand 26, 77, 148, 149, 167, 245,256, 377 Kane, A. L 26, 77, 120 Koch, A : 28 Kern, C. J 29, 78, 149, 150, 301 Kimball, R. N '35 Kennedy, L 44 Kittridge, W. E 48, 410 Kellogg, L. H 55, 138, 227 Kennedy, D 77 Kluppach, M...i no Knukle, Wm no Kane, Philander 120 Kane, Sanford R 120 INDEX. 457 Kroeger, H ,29 Kneeland, Jas [ 140 Kline, J 1 148 Kasten, C. F 151 Keyes, D. W 161, 410 Kershaw, C. J 165 Keogh, Thos 189, 252 Keogh, Ed 190 Koehler, L , . 201 Kean, Michael 204 Keogh, Matt 3 10 Kern, John B. A -535 Krug, August ; 347 Kendrick, Wm 406 Kendrick, Wra. J 407 Kendrick, Chas. D 407 Ludington, Harrison 423 Ludington, Jas 17, 26, 45, 46, 77 Lapham, I. A 26, 77, 148, 149, 231, 301 Langworthy, A. J 30, 44, 149, 377 Lathrop, Joseph 31 Lincoln, L 37 Larrigo, C. A 37 Light House Located 40 Lee, Williams 42 Lockwood, J 46, 116, 394, 397, 398 La wry, J. M 48 LeCount, W 49 Luening, Dr. F. A ■ 50 Levy, Simon 50 Lynde, W. P 55, 65, 116, 252, 377, 391 Lee, Thos 57 Layton, F 59 LeTendree J. B 61 Lcomis, L.G 64 Lane, Chas '. 65, 149 Lee, Chas 65 Ludwig, N 77, 149 Leeland, A. G 93 Lee, L. L -95. 138 Lawrence, J. M 108, 191 Lynch, R. B no, 261, 312 Luscomb, S. D 139 Larkins, C. H 148, 149, 227 Lowther, J [48, 236 Liebhaber, J. A '. '. 150 Loomis, Dr. H 157 LaDue, Joshua 166, 377 Layton, J 17 r Locomotive Works 172 Lawrence, Theodore 288 Lydston, F. A 294 LeDroit, Chas. E 396 Ledyard, J. W 381 Lowry, J. M 409 Lennox, B. G 48, 410 Legislature (Names of Members) I5> 69, 125, 187,244, 300, 367 Martin, Jas. B '5. 59) • '6 McGarry, E J 15, 27, 69, 78, 251, 390 Milwaukee Hydraulic Company 16 458 INDEX. Martin, S. H 19, 27, 58, 235, 321 Miller, A. G 22, 23, 79 Mitchell. J 120 Messenger, J. A 24 Mnsou, Thos 24 Municipal 26, 72, 147, 245, 261, 369 Mallory, Geo. .S 26, 28, 77, 145, 148, 149, 154, 225, 377 Murphy, D , 26 Maloy, Pat 27 Meyer, Chas 27, 77, 145, 147, 191 Morris, Louis 28 Miller, Capt. H 30 M. & M. K. R. Report 33 Merrill, S. S 35, 47. 9°, '59. '6' Mitchell, Alex 36, 116, 135, 136, 181, 296, 422, 423 Milwaukee's Second Great Fire 4I Mallory, J. S 42, 15°. 39^ Mygatt, G. W 42, 45, 57, 58, 125, 255 McCoy, John 424 Myrose, G 43 Merrill, J. B 43. 2«6 Metcalf, William H 54. 9^ Muny, Jas 57> 3°? Mack Bros , 57 Mill Built 59 Miles, F. B 59 Magie, Jas - 64 McCollom, J 65 ItfcGregor, J. P 103, 166, 422 Milwaukee in 1825 60 Mayor's Proclamation 75 Mentzel, Gregor 92 Millman, H 77, 145, 148 McCormack, Andrew 77, 125, 187, 190, 191,245,255, 301 Martineau, Peter 77 Meyer, Enno 7*^ Mitchell, Andrew 26,27, 77> HS, '49, IS4, 168, 225 Milwaukee Locomotive Company 95 Marine Disasters 109 Miller, E. K. , 116, 227 Marine List 123 Maxfield, J. B 130 Morse, Samuel 130 Merrill, David 135, 285, 293 Merrill, W. P .• 135, 351, 423 Medbury, J. B 138 Markey, Pat 147, 191 Merrill, Hiram 154, 252 Marnell, L 148, 149 Messenger, R.N 148, 164 Meyer, A 148, 149 Moore, Hezekiah ; 149 Martin, C. K 150 McQuillan, P 150 Milwaukee & Watertown K. K ., When Organized 164 Milwaukee & Horicon K. R., Names of Directors 164 Marquis, J 169 Mix & Boynton 170 Mitchell, J. S 187, 267 Matthews, E. P 199, 357 INDEX. 459 Matthews, A. R 199 Matthews, Q. A 200 Montgomery, F. W. & Co 210 Merrill's Cornet Band, Members' Names 1 219 Merrill, N 220 Municipal Rascality Unearthed 222, 372 May, A. C 236; 381 McAlister, Jas ^. 307 Meyer, Christian , 312 Milwaukee Light Guard Visit New Yoik 321 McBride, Capt. Jas 331 McGeoch, Peter ' 3 ^9 Moss, Chas. H 341 Melms, Chas. P 344 Miller, F ; 1 349 Market House Remodeled 350 Mabbit, Hiram ■ 357 Morse, William 360 Mix, E. T i 370 Milwaukee's Third Great Fire S^ii to 341 Miller, Roswell. . . , 409 Merrill, A. F 410 Morrison, W. R '. 410 Meyer, P. M 410 Milwaukee's Semi-Centennial 42 1 10 448 Nazro, H. J 15, 43 Nieman, D. N ; 28, 49, 77, 174 New Military Company — Names of Members 30 ■Nowell, J 32 Nazro, J 35, 138, 148 Neikerk, F 50, 344 New Warehouse 58 Newhall, D 58, 138, 285 Nichol, P 77 Nash, C. D 103, 209, 236 Nichols, H. A 107, 138 Norris, Chas. W 109 Noonan, J. A ill, 112 Noyes, Wm, A 24, 398 Noyes & Flertzheim 124 New Wood Yar4 142 New Bridge , 142 Nunnemacher, H 154 Nunnemacher, Rudolph 126 Nute, Benj 151 Norris, G. D 165 Nash, A. E 177 New Year's Calls 183 Newhall House 208 to 211 Newhall House — When Burned 210, 213 Nicolet, Joseph 295 Not a Bit Scared 35 1 Northrop, Nelson H 358 Newbre, Lester G 361 Nichols & Britt's Mill Burned 402 Ogden, W. B 14, 94 Opening Address 13, 67, 124, 181, 243. 298, 366 O'Neil, Edward 15, 69, 78, 125, 149, 187 Oakley, Geo. F 18, 358, 360 460 INDEX. Olin, C. G 24 Owens, R. G 26 O'Brien, 'L' 26, 29, 77, 7S, 148, 150, 190, 191 Olin, D. A 35 Orton, J. C 65 Opening of the L. S. R. R 93 Ogdcn,J., Sr 129 Ogden, J. Jr 129 Ogden, Henry 130 Ogden, Geo — 129 Opening Excelsior Block 168 Ogden, P. L 181 Ogden, Samuel M l82 O'Brien, J 187, 269 Opening, of the Newhall 203 Opening of the Atlantic Cable 269 Obituary 284 Oregon Manufactory 296 O'Brien, J 286 Paine, Halbert E 231 Paine, Jas. If. 23, 251, 351, 400 Pardee, J. S 26 Powers, Haven 27, 77, 78 Parsons. Oliver — - 27, 77, 148 Place, C. A 27, 49, 79 Pomeroy, F. C 27, 150 Public Schools 27, 79, 149, 194, 314, 385 Pereles, Nathan 28, 217, 225 Page, H. L ^.28, 78, 167, 310, 311, 318, 321 Paving Streets 38 Powers, D. G 42 PoUett, D. S 42 Pfister, G 43 Pierce, Mrs. W 45 Perry, W. R 49 Prentiss, Wm. A ---49, 52, 255, 261, 281, 303, 423 Pfiel, Gustav 50 Pratt, W. H 56 Palmer, Edwin 58, 125, 236, 301 Phelps, Daniel 65 Philip, August .*. 71, 154 Police Court 72, 308 Philological 85 Plankinton, J ; 108, I16, 134, 138, 148, 171, 177, 185, 191, 255, 358, 398 Plankinton, Wm 108, 179 Pillsbury, O 108 Peckham, Geo. A 116 Preusser, Gustav 118, 119 Preusser, Christian 118, 119 Post, O. H 127 Public Market 135 Pierce, R. W 139 Portner, Adam 148 Parsons, W. G 150 Palmer, H. L 161, 167, 311 Paige, Michael 167 Potter, J. F 171 Policemen, No. of 192, 398 Payne, H. C 2ii INDEX. 461 Pereles, T. J 218 Pereles, J. M 218 Propellors, No. of ., 240 Phelps, J. A 268 Porter, Capt. Jas 285 Porter, Capt. William 2S5 Paul, Geo. H 286 Pahlow, Louis 293 Pierce, Jonathan L 294 Pat McCjinnis Makes a Speech 326 Pabst, Capt. Frederick 344 Population : 353 Pautke, Ed. H , 363 Political Ruffianism 392 Political Skullduggery 393 to 397 Prior, H. C 409 Place, C. H 406 Quentin, Chas 175, 225 Quinn, Jeremiah 184 Removal of the Court House 273 Retirement of Matthew Keenan 279 Reply of William A. Prentiss 281 Rood, Sidney L 32 1 Rublee, Horace , 324 Rockwell, Henry H 341 Riedelschoefer, Herman 344 Railroad Commissioners, Names of 26, 77, 148, 192, 263, 313, 378 Riddel, Theodore 16 Reed, D. C 17, 135, 148, 167, 191, 256 Rugee, John 17, 58, 235, 255 Rogers, Jas. H '7> 43> 108 Rugee, J. C 19 Rycraft,J 24, 55,. $8 Rice, Abram 204 Ray, Adam E 35 Rebuilding the Burned District 44 Roddis, T. H , 45 Rock, L. B 47, 409 Rattinger, Carl 50, izg Roddis, Edwin 56 Rice, C. L 56, 71 Ripley, F. J 64 Reports 69,245,246, 300 Ray, Chas 89, 108 Rosebeck, J ---77. i35. '45. 1 54. 329. 367. 394. 395. 399 Reynolds, Edwin 104 Rice, Jas 109 Randall's Afiidavy ill Roundy, J. A 56 Richards, D. H 164, 165 Ross, C. H 210 Report at Albany Hall j - 222 Rundle, J. P 268 Richard Cleary Jumps in the River 221 Rindskopf, L ; 296 Shaw, Daniel ■ 20, no Searched the Wrong Man 21 School Commissioners, Names of 26, 78, 149, 193, 262, 314, 378 School Houses 28, 79, 314 Supervisors, Names of 28, 78, 150, 162, 264, 314, 378 Shultie, V 26, 77, 145 29 462 INDEX. Schultz, D 26, 148, 252 Sawyer, A 26, 39, 339 Smith, Albert 27, 77, 148, 310 Starkweather, J. C 31, 161, 175, 321, 322 Spencer, R. C 37, 38 Spencer, Piatt. R.. 37 Stelnhart, J.. 42 Shoyer, E. M 42, 45 Shoyer, S 42, 115 Siikman, J , 42, 45 Shepardson, C 44, 175, 285 Sexton, L 45, 138, 151 Southwell, Geo. 45 Sheriff, Jas 45 Sanborn, J. S 49 Schwarting, H 50, 71, 77, 147, 191, 261 Shadbolt, J 55 Sperry, Abel 56 Shumway, C. M 65 Smith, J. B 65, 164 Scholes, Chas. C 69 Smith, Jas 84 Smith, Jtibez M 91 Sebastopol vs. the Straight Cut 91 Stone, IVIatthias 92 Shorten, J 77, 145, 148, 167 Sprague, Ralph 77 Simpson, J 95 Strong, Moses M 187 Sharpstein, J. R in, 230 Shute, W. B 229 Spence, Thos 268 Sibley, D. D 55 Seaman & Wing 95 Scott, Geo 99 Saville, Jas '. 103 Shaughnessy, Thos t no Stark, Joshua 125 - Salomon, Louis 126 Salomon, Rudolph 127 Skidmore, B 127, 148 Stephenson, Thos. H 128 Smith, P. M 129 Strong, R. H 138 South Side Gas Works 154 Skinner, L. N 155, 406 Schoeffle, J 148 Schandein, Emil 149, 344 Scott, M. S 151 Sill, Wm. R 163 Starkweather, Geo. A 182 Sinclair, Wm. M 184 Seeman, C 191 Sherman, S. S 209 Small, Simeon N-. ..1. 209 Sercomb, J 255 Smith, Stephen R 292 Smith, Angus 295 Smith, Abram D 290 Swain, Jas. A 301 St. Andrew's Society Formally Organized 307 INDEX. 463 Siddel, Jas , 307 Sweet, Alanson J 312 School Census 315 Stevens, J. C , 323 Sam Piatt Gets a Bible 329 Sanderson, Edward .' 338 Sanderson, William 338 Stirn, B 340 Sanger, Rockwell & Co 340 Sivyer, William 356 Sid. Rood's Game Cock 371 Stewett, Herman 388 Skinner, Morgan L 405 Skinner, Chas. D i 406 Stone, W. L 410 Smith, Winfield 1 400 Strong, Reuben 400 Simonds, Chauncey 422, 423 Smith, U. B 423 Statistical 357 The Glover Rescue 22 Tichenor, M „., 24 Trowbridge, W. S 26, 77, 147, 191 Tracy, L. M 3° Taintor, Wm 35 The First Large Glass 39 The Shepardson House, 45 The Cloven Foot Appears 49 Thompson, J .• 6S Trumbull, J 65 The Old Hospital 66 Townsend, Edward 72, 310 The Hog and Cow Nuisance 85, 326, 391 The Marshal Refuses to Act 85 The Reliance Works 103 The Ice Bear 107 The Sebastopol 109 Taberner, W -, "O The Steamer Boston Lost no The Sag Nicht "o The Evistons' "4 The First Bridge Superintendent "5 Tibbets, F. G "6 Trowell, Capt. Jas. M 123, 179, 180 Tiffany, Geo. A - 414 Terry, Frank H 126, 131, 132 Tracy, Geo '3° The Star Mills HO Trial of Old Jones HI The Propellor Allegany 280 Taylor, Jonathan 142, 148, H9. 167, 187, 190 191 The Old Military Hall '5? The Golden Gate Saloon '56 The Dean Richmond Goes to Europe 165 Tweedy, J. H 175,225,252, 423 The Albany - - 'Si. 294 The People Begin to Wake Up ^°9 The New Postmaster 196 Tice, B. K 213 The Murry Block 237 The Growth of the City Z3» 464 INDEX. The First Ward Cemetery 241 The Harbor Contract Enjoined 258 The Glorious Fourth , 267, 325 The Fall Campaign 274 to 276 The Milwaukee Ship Yard Company - 293 Those Early Sheboygan Houses 296 The New Charter 301 The Mayor's Report - 303, 316 They all Defaulted 306 The M. S. Scott Goes to Europe 323 The Addie Goes to Providence 323 Thorsand, John 323 The Germans in America 323 The Rink Turn Spoodle Whangers 325 The Horse Railroad Makes Its First Trip -- 329 The Steamers Detroit and Milwaukee Arrive 330 That Duel on the Lake Shore 333 The Way he Sang It and the Way It Read , 334 The Eagle Mill 335 The Phoenix Mill 338 The Kilbourn Mill 339 The Daisy Mill 339 The Phillip Best Brewing Co 344 The Schlitz Brewery 347 The Blatz Brewery 348 The Franz Falk Brewery 349 They Are Passing Away 358 Tischafer, Henry 363 Tesch, J. H 377, 396 Trial of Jehu M. Lewis ; 384 The Third Ward Market 390 The Horse Railroad Craze 391 The Lady Elgin Goes Down 404 The Original Town Records 416 to 421 The Semi-Centennial 421 to 448 Upman, Herman 26 Utley, Chas. P 48, 49, 409 Upham, D. A. J 64 Uncle Sam's Jurors 85 Uihlein, Henry 348 Uihlein, Alfred 348 Uihlein, August 348 Uihlein, F. G 348 Vance, F. L 31, 32 Vance, Chas 31, 32 Vance, David 31, 32 Van Cott, A. B 39 Van Dyke, J. H 57 Vessel Tonnage 60 Vliet, Jasper 69 Vliet, J. B 163 Van Slyck, J , 77, 147 Vliet, Garret 165 Velton, Jacob 227 Vilification 265 Von Baumbach, M 311 Van Schaick, Isaac 338 Van Vechten, Peter, Scores the News 383 Webster, N 138 Weather 15, 122, 125, 172, 183, 239, 244, 280, 299 Wells, D. L , 18, 145, 229, 233 INDEX. 465 Wolcott, E. B 23, 35, 335 Walworth, Clinton 26, 51, 77, 147, 167, 191 Wonderly, Dr. E 26, 25 1 Whitehead, Robert 26, 77, 79, 147, 148 West, S. C 26 Weisner, Ed , 29, 72, 78 Walker, Geo. H 35 Wall, Caleh 42, 198, 353, 354, 391 Wells, W. S 42 Worthington, E 44 Wheeler, A 44, 99 Whaling, W.J ---44, 138, 151 Williams, Thos. P 46, 93, 100, 166, 286 Wells, H. N., Famous Cow Case 52 Weiskirk, E 56 Weeks, Dr. L. W 57, 204, 327 White, Mrs. Theresa 61, 62 Wolf, W. H 64 Wederhoff, H 65 Wheeler, C. H 94.95, 2«6 Webb, John 95 Walton, W. B 102, 235 Whitcomb, CD 108 Warner, C no White, John no, 166 Warren, Hewitt & Tracy 130 Webber, Julius 131 Whettimore, A 138 Wasson, R 1 50 Woodward, Geo. A 26, 167, 310, 414 Waldo, O. H 17s, 222, 301 Warner, J 182 Wells, D. Jr 209, 422 Wheeler, L. A , 210 Walsh, Patrick 244, 301 Wol(& Davidson's Ship Yard 286 Wolf, Wm. H 288 W alter, Joseph 301 Wouldn't Call Him Judge '. 350 Winter Coming 353 Wood and Hay Market Established in 3d Ward 401 Wardner, Fred 4'''l, 413 Whaling, J. P 409 Winne, W. N. D 41° Wells, Daniel Mrs 4lo Wardner, Jas. A 414 Wardner, Edward B 414 Young, W. P ' "7, 56, 138, 184, 349 Yale, Philetus W 42 Yates, Peter 92, 93 Yale, W. W 77 Young, William 120 Zander, J. B 65, 310 Zellnor, B 126