USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > Madison > A history of Madison, the capital of Wisconsin : including the Four Lake country : to July, 1874, with an appendix of notes on Dane County and its towns > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
Another paper says: " Business in real estate in our city is becoming lively. We have before us the operations of a single individual, during the week last past. From this, it ap-
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 249
pears that this person was one party to sales amounting in the aggregate to $33,000. This is simply the operations of one man, in one week, and the property that changed hands is all within the city limits. Others, no doubt, have done as much, and perhaps more, of which we have no account. There has been no time when the business prospects of our place were brighter than at present. Strangers are flocking into the city in large numbers; all delighted with the place, and taking up their residence among us. In addition to an active business in sales of lots and lands, the building of stores, shops and dwel- lings is unusually active this spring. New buildings are being erected in every direction, and some of them of a superior order. It is truly gratifying to witness such indisputable evi- dences of prosperity. Long may it continue."
Mr. D. Y. KILGORE, Superintendent of the village schools, in his report for the year 1855, says, the whole number that have attended school during the year is 750; that the whole number of children, by the last census, is 1,600; that the only build- ing owned by the village for educational purposes is a small brick school house - fast becoming obsolete and incapable of accommodating one-thirtieth part of those entitled to public school instruction, and attributes the fact that so large a pro- portion of pupils attend no school whatever, to the shameful lack of school accommodations and strongly urges on the Board of Education and the village authorities the necessity of four ward schools and one High School.
R. S. BACON, of Cincinnati, Ohio, during the year, made a purchase of the lot on the corner of Mifflin and Pinckney streets, for a Commercial and Business College, and SIMEON MILLS built a block of four stories adjoining those previously built by MILLS & CATLIN on King street. They were of stone, uniform with the other.
S. R. Fox made a purchase of the grounds on the corner of Main and Carroll streets, for a block of stone buildings, to be erected the succeeding year. WILLET S. MAIN put up his stone block, corner of Mifflin and Carroll streets; LEONARD NOLDEN, a similar building on State street, on the block west toward 17
.
250
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
the University, to be occupied as a hotel; and the elegant resi- dences of J. E. KENDALL, corner of Langdon and Pinckney streets, and W. B. JARVIS' octagon house on Wilson street, were erected; and among others, were the residences of N. B. VAN SLYKE, Mr. ASHMEAD, I. N. DE FOREST, H. H. HAYES, A. BOTKIN and H. B. STAINES. Much attention was bestowed this season upon sidewalks, many miles of which were laid in differ- ent parts of the village.
The Board of Education established three grades of schools: the High School, the Intermediate and the Primary, under the immediate supervision of a Superintendent, and the general supervision of the Board, and the system has continued with- out material change to the present time. By the act of incor- poration, the Board was authorized to borrow $10,000 on the credit of the village, and the Board of Trustees authorized to. issue bonds for the amount, for the purpose of erecting Union school houses. But the Board of Education were unable to induce the Board of Trustees to issue the bonds, the latter be- ing of the opinion that $10,000 was a larger debt than the vil- lage ought to incur at one time, and nothing was done in the way of building that year.
In the summer of this year, the Congregational church in- vited Rev. N. H. EGGLESTON of Plymouth church, Chicago, to become pastor, and its call was accepted. The spirit- ual and material prosperity of the church rapidly increased, and within a year, nearly fifty were added to its membership. The church room becoming too narrow for the needs of the congregation, in 1856, they moved first into the large hall of BACON's Commercial College, which was then ready for occu- pancy, and then built a brick chapel which they occupied until 1873-4. This chapel is situated on the east side of Washington avenue, on lots 5 and 6, block 66, with accommodations for about 500 persons. It was built at the expense of $4,400, with the hope of soon adding to it a church building. In May, 1858, Mr. EGGLESTON retired from the pastorate and soon after re- turned east, where he has been for a number of years pastor of the church in Stockbridge, Mass., so long honored by the min-
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 251
istration of JONATHAN EDWARDS. He has since then been connected with the faculty of Williams College, in the chair of rhetoric.
The usual anniversary services of the 4th of July were this year changed. Under the direction of CHARLES G. MAYERS, Esq., a regatta was held on Lake Monona, open to sail boats and row boats. It is supposed some three thousand persons were present. This was the first regatta held on the lake. Hon. L. J. FARWELL, ALEX. T. GRAY, G. P. DELAPLAINE, Dr. OTIS. HOYT and Hon. A. MCARTHUR, judges. The whole went off very satisfactorily, and was a decided success."
The members of Grace Church (Episcopal) held a meeting on the 6th of August, Rev. J. B. BRITTAN presiding, and J. G. KNAPP, secretary, at which time a committee was appointed, consisting of Hon. L. J. FARWELL, WILLIAM A. MEARS and H. K. LAWRENCE, to solicit subscriptions for the erection of a church edifice.
The real property of the village was assessed this year at $284,700; personal, $39,300. The corporation receipts were $5,836.09. Liabilities unpaid, $963.56.
The census of the village, as reported January 26, 1855, showed 3,781 males, 3,082 females; total, 6,863.
The amount of tonnage received at the Madison depot, over the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad, and forwarded from. there, as shown in the tabular statement published, exhibits the amount of business greater, perhaps, than any other town in Wisconsin, in proportion to its size. The whole amount of merchandise transported over the road westward, was 27,580,378 lbs; the amount received here was 12,596,023, almost one-half of all shipped over the road. The whole number of bushels of wheat shipped eastward was 1,931,407, and from this place, 604,624, almost one-third of the whole.
On the 2d of February, 1856, the Board of Trustees of the village appointed a committee, consisting of A. A. BIRD, SIMEON MILLS, Dr. THOS. O. EDWARDS and J. P. ATWOOD, to. draw up a city charter, and to procure its passage before the legislature then in session. The bill was drawn, and Madi-
.
252
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
son became a City by an act approved March 4. On the 11th of March, the first city election was held. JAIRUS C. FAIR- CHILD* being an Independent, and JULIUS P. ATWOOD the Democratic candidate for Mayor; the former received 711 votes, and the latter 506, electing Col. FAIRCHILD by a majority of 205. ABRAHAM B. BRALEY received 784 votes for Police Jus- tice, against 419 cast for WM. WELCH; JOHNSON J. STARKS, 632 votes for Treasurer, against 370 for ALFRED MAIN; FRED MOHR, 503 votes for Marshal, against 383 for STEPHEN G. BEN- EDICT.
The following Aldermen were elected:
First Ward-ADAM KRETZ, THOS. HERRAN and A. E. BROOKS. Second Ward-N. B. VAN SLYKE, D. J. POWERS and JOHN N. JONES.
Third Ward-C. G. MAYERS, P. H. VAN BERGEN and A. S. WOOD.
Fourth Ward-S. M. VAN BERGEN, JOS. HOBBINS and TIMI. KINNEY.
D. H. WRIGHT, Dr. J. W. HUNT, H. N. FOSTER and D. C. BUSH, Justices of the Peace, and W. N. SEYMOUR elected Clerk by the City Council.
*Col. Jairus C. Fairchild, was born at Granville, Washington county, N. Y., December 27, 1801. He removed to Ohio in 1822, settling first at Hudson, then at Franklin Mills, Portage county, in 1826, where he was engaged in business as tanner and currier, having for a partner the celebrated " Capt. John Brown. He removed to Cleveland in 1834, and was engaged in merchandise, and was Secretary of the Cleveland and Newburgh Railroad Company. He removed to Wisconsin, with his family, in June, 1846, and at the organization of the State Government was elected State Treasurer, which office he held from August, 1848, to De- cember 31, 1851.
Col. F. was prominently identified with the business enterprises of Mad- ison, and died here July 18, 1862, aged about 61 years. He left four chil- dren: Lucius, who has served six years as Governor of the State, and was distinguished for his services in the late rebellion; Cassius, who died at Mil- waukee of wounds received in the war; Charles, now of Boston, connected with the Navy Department during the war, and a daughter, Mrs. E. B. Dean, of this place. Mrs. J. C. Fairchild died at Madison, October 21, 1866, aged 65 years.
253
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
The officers of Grace Church advertised, February 8, for four hundred cords of stone, with a view to commence the erection of their church edifice.
The Daily Argus, of April 28, in speaking of the improve- ments commenced for the year, says: "We notice five first- class dwellings going up, five brick dwellings, forty framed dwellings, and sixteen stone and brick buildings for stores, in progress." The evidence of thrift and enterprise was very ap- parent. The number of new comers was large and increasing, and the prospects for the growth and prosperity of the city were never so promising. The State Journal, of June 3, gives the names of the more important business firms and institu- tions in the city, as follows: The brick block built by W. D. BRUEN, and known as BRUEN's Block, occupied by the Dane County Bank, and J. RICHARDSON & Co., on the corner, as land agents; HALE & HARRIS, dry goods; D. S. DURRIE, books and stationery, and D. HOLT, jeweler, and WRIGHT & MAYERS as land agents and agents of American Express Company, all on the first floor. The second floor by ORTON & HOPKINS, AT- WOOD & HASKELL, and HOOD & TENNEY, attorneys; Drs. BOWEN & BARTLETT, physicians; MAUL & GRIMM, book binders; State Agricultural Society, POWERS & SKINNER, publishers, and State Journal editorial rooms. The third story by the Madison Mutual Insurance Company, Madison Gas Light Company, S. V. SHIPMAN, architect; the City Council and Clerk's office; the Norske Amerikan, Norwegian newspaper; N. W. DEAN, office; W. H. WYMAN, insurance agent, and Western Telegraph Com- pany. The fourth story, the State Journal printing office; Museum of the Wisconsin Natural History Association, and Mr. BRONSON, artist. The basement by HALE & HARRIS, as an eating saloon. The building adjoining, on Pinckney street, by S. MARSHALL, as the State Bank, on the main floor; DELAPLAINE & BURDICK on second floor, and by ex-Gov. FARWELL as a real estate office. The frame building next east, by L. GUILD & Co., dry goods; similar building adjoining, by COLWELL & Co., drug- gists; next, G. W. GILMAN, boots and shoes, the second floor by Dr. J. C. HOWELLS, dentist. The next building of brick, known
254
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
as the Badger Building, first floor, CATLIN, WILLIAMSON and BARWISE, land office and exchange dealers, and SMITH & KEYES, as attorneys. The upper part used by the United States Hotel, which adjoins it on the east. The basement by W. H.
NOLAND, barber, and P. L. MOHR, real estate dealer. The United States Hotel, kept by GILBERT DUTCHER. In FAIR- CHILD's block, on Main street, S. KLAUBER & Co., dry goods, occupied two stores on the first floor, and H. B. MERRILL, cloth- ing; the second floor as the St. Julien saloon; the third floor by LANGRISHE & ATWATER, as a theatre. In the basement, A. P. DÆRSCHLAG, as a saloon. The adjoining frame buildings, by GLEASON & MEMHARD on the first floor, dry goods and hard- ware, and G. E. WOODWARD, attorney ; the next, by ISAAC BON- NELL, stove store, and A. NEUHOFF, clothing; adjoining, by DONALDSON & TREDWAY, dry goods, and second floor by ABBOT, CLARK and CoIT, attorneys, the banking house of M. T. MAR- TIN; B. U. CASWELL's hat store and FRENCH as a saloon. The next brick store, owned by J. C. FAIRCHILD, occupied by D. C. POOLE, dry goods and crockery, and second floor by VILAS, RoYs and PINNEY, Drs. GRAY and BROWN, Col. FAIRCHILD'S office, and that of WM. WELCH, Justice of the Peace. The adjoining building, the Capitol House, kept by NELSON and RUSSELL, and by Cook and BELDEN, jewelers, and M. STRAUSS, as tobacconist. Across Wisconsin avenue, the next business firm is R. T. CURTIS & Co. (T. REYNOLDS), dry goods and gro- ceries, in the brick store built by W. C. WELLS in 1851; the next by W. B. JARVIS, land agent, and T. S. WOODWARD, drugs and medicines, and S. R. Fox, hardware; and across Carroll street, Miss McMAHON, milliner, A. ABBOTT, marble shop, and SANDERSON, milliner, REUIL NOYES, land office. The adjoining building across Fairchild street being the County Court House.
Among other buildings erected this year, was P. H. VAN BERGEN's block, corner of Clymer and Pinckney streets; R. S. BACON & Co., commercial college building; BILLINGS & CAR- MAN'S plow manufactory; city engine houses; Fox & ATWOOD's elegant stone block, occupied by S. R. Fox; Mrs. TREVOY and A. RASDALL, stone block on King street; JAMES CAMPBELL,
255
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
planing mill on Washington avenue south of the Capitol, and several fine private residences.
The Merchants' Bank of Madison was this year organized under the general banking law. Hon. A. A. BLISS of Ohio, President, and C. T. FLOWERS, Cashier. It commenced busi- ness in BRUEN's block, July 2.
There was no celebration on the 4th of July. An excursion was had to Mazomanie, in which many participated. There was also a regatta on Lake Mendota.
The post office was removed, July 27, to their new rooms in P. H. VAN BERGEN'S block. The office is twenty feet wide by sixty-five feet deep and twelve high. Has 1,100 letter boxes and 100 private drawers. The usual daily mail matter received is from 20 to 50 bushels, and during the sessions of the legisla- ture, one to three hundred bushels.
The " Madison St. George's Society," was organized and held their first meeting, August 13. The officers for 1856 were: Dr. Jos. HOBBINS, President; W. B. JARVIS and R. SHORROCKS, Vice Presidents; H. WRIGHT, Treasurer; J. W. MAYHEW, Recording Secretary; WM. WELCH, Corresponding Secretary; Dr. Wu. HOBBINS, Physician.
R. S. BACON's commercial college was opened in January, 1856, and was very successful. In the fall of 1858, it was pur- .chased by D. H. TULLIS. It was continued without interrup- tion under his charge until 1865, when, by mutual arrange- ment, it passed into the hands of WORTHINGTON & WARNER, by whom it was continued in YOUNG's block, on Main street, and more recently in W. J. & F. ELLSWORTH's building on Pinckney street.
The Dane county peat beds were discovered this year. Mr. HOUGH, County Surveyor, made a plat of the peat bog lying on the lands of Cols. W. B. and GEO. H. SLAUGHTER and Wy. GREEN, lying six miles west of Madison, and immediately on the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad There are three irregularly shaped beds contiguous to each other, which lie in depressions of the surface; the whole outline gives unmis- takable evidence of having been, at a remote period, covered
256
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
with water. Mr. HOUGH estimates that the one hundred and fifteen acres contain nearly 350,000 solid cords of peat. Efforts have been made to manufacture the article to be used for heat- ing purposes, but for some some reason they have not been en- tirely successful.
-
In 1856, the village having become a city, the Common Council, on the 20th of August, appropriated $24,000 for the erection of school houses in the four wards of the city. Here the matter rested, with some trifling progress in the selection of sites, until after the council had raised from the sale of city bonds, and had at its disposal a large amount of money. The sites for school houses having been selected or assented to, and paid for by the Common Council out of the money set apart for that purpose, at a cost of $6,887.50, the Board of Education immediately thereafter advertised for proposals for the erection of the four school houses, to be built of stone, forty by fifty feet on the ground, and two stories high. When, however, the proposals were received, the season for building had so far passed, that it was deemed advisable to construct but two- houses during the season (1856), leaving the remaining two to be erected the following spring. Accordingly, contracts. were entered into for the erection of school houses in the First and Third Wards, to be completed by January 1, 1857. After the work had so far advanced that it became necessary to make payments to the contractors, the Common Council were applied to for money for that purpose, but refused for some reason never made known to the Board. In consequence of this action of the Council, the Board of Education were deprived of the means of continuing the work, or meeting the engage- ments they had entered into, and the contractors brought suits to recover pay for work performed and for damages for non- performance on the part of the Board.
From the report of the Superintendent, we learn that the whole number of scholars attending school during the year, is 694; less by 56 than the number reported last year. The cen- tral or High School was kept in the old Congregational church, and has 133 pupils, of which number 67, are in the higher Eng-
257
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
lish and classical departments. Eight teachers had been en- gaged.
The annual election of city officers for 1857, took place in April. For Mayor, A. A. BIRD received 763 votes, and F. G. TIBBITTS, 672 -- the former was elected. FRED. SAUTHOFF Was elected Treasurer, receiving 735 votes, and C. H. BILLINGS 683. The Aldermen elected were: THOS. HEERAN and C. ZWICKY, 1st ward; DAVID J. POWERS and J. T. CLARK, 2d ward; J. C. GRIFFIN and DAVID HYER, 3d ward; and Dr. Jos. HOBBINS and T. KINNEY, 4th ward.
The First and Third ward school houses were completed and occupied this year. They are fine two story stone buildings, built after the same plan, and costing the sum total of $9,500, exclusive of furnishing. In each building, the second story has one large study room, capable of seating one hundred pupils, with a recitation room adjacent to and leading out of the main room. The lower story is divided into two rooms communicating with each other, used for primary and inter- mediate departments. They are each capable of seating sixty- five pupils.
The City Superintendent, Mr. D. Y. KILGORE, in his report, says: "At this time, 1857, there are eleven separate schools, in which are employed fifteen teachers. The whole amount expended for rent of school houses, repairs, fuel, incidental expenses and teachers' wages, is less than $6,000; and that, according to the school census, 1,865 children between the ages of four and twenty, reside within the city limits."
On the 4th of July, the Germans had an extempore celebra- tion. AUG. KREUR, Orator. The firemen had also a celebra- tion; the Declaration of Independence read by Prof. E. S. CARR, and addresses by MYRON H. ORTON, CHAUNCEY ABBOT, J. W. JOHNSON and S. D. CARPENTER. A circus performance, with caliope music, was a feature in the celebration.
The Wisconsin Bank of Madison was organized during the year. M. D. MILLER, President, and NOAH LEE, Cashier.
N. B. VAN SLYKE and A. A. McDONNELL erected their beau- tiful residences near Lake Mendota, during the season; and the
-
258
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
American Hotel was enlarged by an addition, seventy by thirty feet, three stories. BRADFORD WILLIAMS, proprietor.
The City Hall building was in process of erection in 1857. The size of the same is fifty by one hundred feet, three stories high, with a front on Mifflin and Wisconsin avenue. DON- NELL & KUTZBOCK, architects. The first story, above the base- ment, designed for stores; the second floor for the use of the city council and city officers, and the third floor, in one large room, for public meetings, concerts, etc.
The chapel of the Congregational Church, on Washington „avenue, was commenced in September. The building is forty- three by seventy-two feet. JAS. JACK & Co., carpenters, and J. W. HARVEY, masons.
The German Catholic Church on Johnson street, between Carroll and Henry streets, and the German Evangelical Luth- eran, on Main street, between Broome and Bassett streets, were also erected this year.
An act was passed by the legislature, approved February 28, 1857, enabling the Board of Regents of the State University, to borrow $40,000 from the principal of the University Fund, for the construction of the main edifice of the University, to .contain all the public rooms required in an institution of learning of the first class. After much consultation, the board adopted a plan for the edifice, of the Roman Doric style of architecture, combining beauty of outline with convenience of internal arrangement. The drawings were furnished by WILLIAM TINSLEY, Esq., of Indianapolis, an architect of experience and reputation. The edifice to contain a chapel, a lecture room for each department with study annexed for the use of the Pro- fessor; apartments for library, apparatus, cabinet, and for col- lections in natural science and in art.
The plan was accepted, and the contract for the building awarded to JAMES CAMPBELL for the entire work complete at $36,550, he being the lowest bidder. The stone work of the basement story was in an advanced state of forwardness in the fall of 1857, and it was expected that it would be completed before winter, so as to enable the building committee to com-
-
259
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
plete the entire structure before the first day of November, 1858.
The committee in their report say: "The exterior plan of the building is a model of architecture, imposing and massive; and the internal arrangements are such as to most fully meet the wants and necessities of the institution in all its several departments."
The ground was broken for the construction of the building on the first of June, 1857. The following is a brief account of its arrangement: It stands on the highest point of ground in the University Park, one hundred feet above the level of the lake, and the water table of the structure will be more elevated than the dome of the present (the old) Capitol. The general design of the building is a parallelogram, one hundred and forty by seventy feet, and about sixty feet to the cornice; to be sur- mounted by a dome whose extreme height will be nearly one hundred and fifty feet. It is not, however, a building of plain surface, like those now erected, but is broken by angles and projections, securing additional convenience and higher archi- tectural effect -giving adequate space for its cabinet collec- tions, laboratory, scientific apparatus, libraries, reading rooms, society rooms, etc.
The old log house on Butler street - the first dwelling erected in Madison - built in the spring of 1837, and occupied by EBEN PECK, the pioneer settler, as a hotel, was torn down to make way for some handsomer if not better structure, in the month of May. It was old, decayed, and must have tumbled in at no distant day, had the work of destruction not been hastened.
Very soon after the organization of the State government, the Capitol building became inadequate to the proper accom- modation of the several departments, which had been brought into being, and the business of which rapidly increased with the growth of the State. Still, by renting rooms in other buildings, it was made to answer the purpose for ten years after Wisconsin was admitted into union.
It had now become apparent that a new capitol must be built without further delay, and the necessity gave rise
260
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
to a proposition, in the legislature of that year, to remove the seat of government from Madison to some other point. Whether there was any real danger of the success of the proposition or not, the people of Madison became alarmed and voted to donate to the State $50,000 in city bonds to aid in the construction of a new capitol upon the old site. This propo- sition was accepted by the legislature, and on the third of March, an act was passed authorizing the enlargement of the State Capitol. By this act, the Commissioners of School and University Lands, were directed to sell the ten sections of land appropriated by Congress "for the completion of the public buildings," and apply the proceeds towards enlarging and improving the State Capitol. The State also appropriated $30,000 for the same object. The Governor and Secretary of State were made commissioners for conducting the work. The plans of Messrs. DONNELL & KUTZBOCK, then architects living at Madison, were adopted, and the east wing was put under contract, and JOHN RYECRAFT of Milwaukee, received the award, being the lowest bidder, at $92,000. Mr. RYECRAFT subsequently gave up the contract and it was awarded to A. A. McDONNELL. The work was completed and occupied by the Assembly in 1859. The following is a brief account of the building: The basement is divided into two rooms, twenty- three by thirty-five feet, and two, twenty-six by forty-five feet. In the first story the same - all these being fire proof, or covered with fire proof arches, the latter to be the governor's and his secretary's, and the secretary of state's appartments. In the upper story an assembly chamber,* sixty-five by sixty- seven feet; one room for the speaker of the house, a clerk's room, a postoffice, and a cloak and hat room; and the ladies' and gentlemen's galleries, two separate galleries leading to the latter. In front of this projection, a massive stone platform ten feet wide. The roof above it being supported by ten columns fifty feet high and about four and a half feet thick.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.