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 28
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" The Capitol is surrounded with walks, greenswards, shrub- ยท bery and trees, which are carefully kept in good condition, and these, with the pearly white building rising in their midst, elicit the general expression that Wisconsin has a choicely lo- cated and elegant Capitol."
The election of city officers took place on the 7th of April, at which time DAVID ATWOOD* received 859 votes for
* Gen. David Atwood was born at Bedford, New Hampshire, December 15, 1815. At the age of sixteen years, he removed to Hamilton, Madison county, New York, and commenced work at a printer's case. After he became a master of his craft, he traveled extensively through the southern and western states for nearly three years, most of which time he was engaged in the printing business. In 1839 he returned to Hamilton, New
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
Mayor, and WM. T. LEITCH 853 votes, the former was elected, For Treasurer, JAS. CONKLIN received 1,016 votes, and CHAS. HAMMER 684; Mr. CONKLIN's majority 332. For Police Justice, J. R. BALTZELL received 897 votes, and J. C. McKENNEY 807; Mr. BALTZELL's majority 90. The following were elected! Aldermen: First ward, S. ENGEL and A. McGOVERN; Second ward, R. WOOTTON and H. STEENSLAND; Third ward, OLE THOMPSON and P. B. KISSAM; and Fourth ward, L. D. STONE and A. S. FRANK.
On the 27th of May, the corner stone of the new United' States Court House was laid with appropriate Masonic cere- monies, by the officers of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin .- Addresses were made by Gov. FAIRCHILD, President P. A. CHADBOURNE and others.
On the 31st of May, the German Lutheran church, on Wash- ington avenue and West Canal street, was dedicated. This church was organized in 1856, and in 1858 the congregation built a small meeting house on Main street, near the depot of the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad. This build -- ing was occupied by them until the last year, when the present edifice was erected. It is 32 by 60 feet, 20 feet high, with a belfry. The building is wood and cost about $3,000. At the dedication service, Prof. S. FRITSCHELL of St. Sebald, Iowa,, Rev. J. HAUSER of Cottage. Grove, and Rev. H. VOGEL, the" Pastor, delivered addresses.
York, and commenced the publication of a weekly newspaper called the Palladium, in conjunction with his brother. In 1859 he came to the west and located a farm near the city of Freeport, Illinois, which he soon after disposed of, and removed to Madison, Wisconsin. He became connected with the Madison Express and remained with it until the fall of 1852, when he commenced the publication of the Daily State Journal, which he has ever since published; in its early management he was associated with Hon. Horace Rublee, now United States Minister to Switzerland.
Gen. Atwood was a member of the legislature in 1860, and was appointed- United States Assessor when that office was first created. In 1868 he held the office of Mayor of the City of Madison. On the decease of Hon. B. F. Hopkins, Member of Congress, Gen. Atwood was elected to fill his unex -- pired term of office.
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
There was no celebration of the national anniversary by the civil authorities this year. There was a large gathering of people from the country to attend a circus performance. The patriotism of the day seemed confined to the younger portion of the community, who indulged largely in fire crackers and small artillery.
The City Assessor published in August, a statement of the valuation of taxable property as follows: Real estate, $2,733,179; personal property, $1,356,745.67, being an increase of one mil- lion of dollars since the last year.
The report of the Board of Education, for 1868, shows the whole number of persons of school age, 3,485; whole number enrolled since September 2, 1867, 2,087. The expenses of the city schools for the year were, $34,815.58, which amount was for school furniture, repairs, supplies and teachers' salaries.
The amount of taxes levied for city, state, county and school purposes this year, was $88,412.81; in addition to which is $6,000 indebtedness to Madison Driving Park Association, and a bonus to the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad of $25,000, for the completion of the road from Madison to Sun Prairie, making the whole amount $119,412.81-a tax of two and eight tenths per cent. on the valuation.
JAS. M. SUMNER, this year, raised a three story building on Main street, between Pinckney and Henry streets, 22 by 132 feet, and SIMEON MILLS erected a fine block of stores on Main street, 66 feet by 80, on the site of his former residence.
The following exhibit shows the gross amount of sales of the leading business firms in the city of Madison, as returned to Assessor MAIN, for the year ending April 30, 1868. None are included whose sales have not exceeded $25,000. Consider- ing the great depression in the value of merchandise the past year, and especially in dry goods and clothing, this list is a very creditable one, and in the aggregate quite largely exceeds the sales of 1866-7, and especially so in agricultural imple- ments, the sales in this department reaching $900,000, none of which were manufactured here except those sold by E. W.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
SKINNER & Co. Deputy Assessor MAIN estimates the aggre- gate of sales during the year in the city at $3,500,000:
S. L. Sheldon & Bro., agricultural implements, $350,000
M. E. Fuller & Co., agricultural implements, 345,000
S. Klauber & Co., dry goods and clothing, 260,300
J. Lenz & Co., dry goods and clothing, 127,000
Alex. Findley, groceries and drugs,
105,200
S. Klauber, King street, groceries,
95,500
Wayne Ramsay & Co., hardware,
95,009
Dunning & Sumner, groceries and drugs,
93,500
L. P. & M. P, Jerdee, agricultural implements,
87,000
McKey Bros. & G. H. Folds, dry goods,
73,300
John N. Jones, hardware,
68,300
J. L. Bartels, dry goods, -
52,000
W. J. & F. Ellsworth, groceries,
45,000
J. W. Sumner & Co., groceries and drugs, nine months,
45,000
Geo. Paine, groceries and drugs,
41,000
M. L. Daggett, groceries,
39,000
Huntley & Taft (now G. W. Huntley) groceries, 36,000
Moseley & Bro., books, 36,000
E. B. Crawford, clothing, 45,000
M. Friend, clothing, 42,090
J. M. Dickinson, dry goods, 42,000
Gray & Co., coal, salt, etc.,
50,000
E. W. Skinner & Co., agricultural implements, 60,000
H. Steensland, groceries, 46,000
The city election of 1869, came off April 9. There was no regularly nominated candidate for Mayor made by the Repub- licans. The vote for that office was 1,350 for ANDREW PROUD- FIT, * and 145 for ELISHA BURDICK. For Treasurer FRANK
* Hon. Andrew Proudflt, was born in Argyle, Washington county, New York, in August, 1820. He came to the Territory of Wisconsin in June, 1842, and took possession of some lands in Brookfield, then in Milwaukee county on the Rock river canal reservation, which was not then in the market. He cleared 60 acres for cultivation, part of which was heavy tim- ber, set out an orchard and built a barn. This property he sold in 1847. Mr. Proudfit removed to Milwaukee, and was bookkeeper for Shepard & Bonnell from 1844 to 1846. He then went to Delafield, where he improved a large tract of land and built a mill. He carried on a large business at
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
MASSING received 714 votes, and WILLAM HABICH 784, who was elected by 70 majority. The aldermen elected were, GEO. AN- DERSON and D. K. TENNEY, 1st ward; M. T. BAILEY and A. R. JONES, 2d ward; H. WINCKLER and J. M. BOWMAN, 3d ward; PETER YOUNG and SIMON FOREN, 4th ward. Hon. L. S. DIXON received 1011 votes for Judge of Supreme Court, and GEO. E. BRYANT 1018 votes for County Judge.
The expenses of the city for the past year were $26,919.26, and the bonded indebtedness $254,000 - The assessed value of personal property, $3,839,502.
In the month of May, the section of railroad between Madi- son and Sun Prairie was finished, thereby shortening the dist- ance to Milwaukee twenty miles, and bringing Madison in con- nection with Watertown and points east. The first passenger train arrived here from Milwaukee May 22.
that place for six years. In 1852 he was elected Commissioner of the Fox and Wisconsin River Improvement, and was re-elected in 1853. During that year the works were transferred by the State to a stock company, and he closed the business and was engaged the remainder of that season in building three miles of the Milwaukee and Watertown railroad, under a sub-contract. In the year 1854, he built the south wing of the State Prison at Waupun, and completed the same in October of that year. In Novem- ber, 1854, he took the contract for building the State Lunatic Asylum at Madison, and had expended over $19,000 on the same, when the Legisla- ture repudiated the contract. By act of the legislature the matter was settled by a board of arbitrators. In 1855 he disposed of his unsold prop- erty at Delafield by exchange with Beriah Brown of Madison. In the year 1858 and 1859 he represented the Madison district in the State Sen- ate. In 1864, he built the north wing of the State Capitol, and laid the foundation to the rotunda and south wing. In the year 1867 he built and completed the last two wings of the State Lunatic Asylum at Madison. In the spring of 1869, he was elected Mayor of the city, and was re-elected in 1870 by large majorities. During the war he had a number of contracts for subsistence and other supplies for Wisconsin soldiers. He has also been connected with one of the largest agricultural implement houses in the State since 1862.
Mr. Proudfit is Vice President of the First National Bank in Madi- son, and is regarded as one of the most successful business men in the city.
1
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
The Roman Catholic Church, known as the " Church of the Holy Redeemer," was formally dedicated on the 22d of May by Rt. Rev. Bishop HENNI. The exercises were very impressive, twelve priests assisted in the service. This church was organ- ized in 1855 with some forty families, and has at this date about two hundred and fifty members. The building is of Madison stone, 125 feet long, 52 feet wide and 40 feet high. The main audience room is 30 feet at the sides, and 36 feet at the top of the arched ceiling in height, tower 160 feet high. The cost of the building is about $25,000. In the afternoon the Bishop ad- ministered the right of confirmation to 102 persons. During a severe storm in the year 1874, the steeple was so much in- jured as to require its removal; a new and more architectural one is to be erected.
The anniversary of National Independence was not formally observed by the citizens or authorities. Celebrations were held at Mazomaine and Middleton station in this county. The an- niversary this year came on Sunday, and as a consequence Sat- turday, Sunday and Monday were more or less observed by the different nationalities as a holiday on Saturday, the Dane County Stock Association had a fair, which, with races adver- tized in connection with it, drew a large crowd. The sermons by the city clergymen on the 4th, were of a highly patriotic character.
We do not find notices of as many improvements in the city this year as some others. BILLINGS & FIRMIN built their Mad- ison Plow Factory on Webster street, of stone, two stories in height, 50 by 66 feet. This establishment has been very successful and the excellence of their plows has achieved for them a wide reputation.
The small brick chapel on Washington avenue, which had been occupied by the P. Episcopal Church as a house of wor- ship, was demolished in the summer.
From the report of the Board of Education for 1869, it ap- pears that the city schools afforded facilities for 1125 pupils - the whole number of students enrolled since September 2, 1868, 2,080. Students in attendance at the making of the re-
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
port, 969. Number of children of school age, 3,640. The Su- perintendent of Schools refers to the necessity of the immediate erection of the University Avenue school house, which had been prominently brought before the public.
SIMEON MILLS erected this year one of the finest residences in the city, on Wisconsin Avenue, near Lake Monona, 66 feet on the avenue and 75 deep, of cream colored brick, with Mansard roof, etc.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
CHAPTER IX.
EFFORTS TO REMOVE THE STATE CAPITAL - NOTICE OF COL. BIRD - HISTORY OF GRACE CHURCH, CONTINUED - PARK HOTEL COM- PANY - UNIVERSITY WARD SCHOOL HOUSE - "STATE JOURNAL " REMINISCENCES - PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, 1870-4 - FEMALE COL- LEGE -SCHOOLS - NATIONAL ANNIVERSARY - RAILROAD ENTER- PRISES - THE MESSERSMITH HOUSE - YACHT AND BOAT CLUBS - NOTICE OF JOHN STONER - PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IMPROVE- MENTS - METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH - ARTESIAN WELL - HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING - ELECTIONS, 1870-4 - GRACE CHURCH CHIMES - CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH BUILDING -- DANE COUNTY CAVE - CONCLUSION.
At the session of the State Legislature, held in 1870, a vig- orous effort was made by the citizens of Milwaukee to remove the seat of government from Madison to Milwaukee. Similar efforts had been made from the very first session of the Terri- torial Legislature, in 1836. On the 19th of February (1870), a bill was introduced for this purpose, and referred to the com- mittee on State Affairs, which was reported back unfavorably. In the report, the committee referred to the want of hotel ac- commodations for the large number of persons visiting the capital during the sessions of the Legislature, but saw no good reasons, after the State had expended so large an amount in the erection of the present building, to make a change. On the 28th of February, a memorial was received from the citizens of Milwaukee, making a formal tender to the State, and free occu- pancy of the extensive and costly buildings now in process of erection for the County Court House, to be constructed in their interior arrangements under the supervision of the State; the property occupying the whole of block 71 in the city of Mil- waukee. To this memorial the Board of Supervisors assented.
The bill in the Assembly came up for action on the evening of March 9, in committee of the whole, when a long and ex- citing debate took place on the merits of the proposed removal. The bill was reported back to the Assembly, with an amend-
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
ment striking out all after the enacting clause, when a motion was made that the bill be indefinitely postponed, which mo- tion prevailed, the vote being 55 in the affirmative and 31 in the negative.
Soon after the adjournment of the Legislature, a meeting was called of the prominent citizens of the city to organize the "Park Hotel . Company," which was chartered by an act of the Legislature, approved March 18. Several meetings were held, and propositions made for a site for the proposed building. The lots on the southeast corner of the public square, corner of Carroll and Main streets, were purchased of N. W. DEAN, Esq., the company organized, and stock sub- scribed to an amount sufficient to erect the building. The work was commenced and continued during the winter, and the house ready for occupancy in 1871. A description of this elegant building will hereafter be given.
On the 25th of February, 1870, one of the first and most noted settlers of Madison paid the debt of nature. On that day, Col. AUGUSTUS A. BIRD died very suddenly at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. JOHN STARKWEATHER, in Green Bay, in the 68th year of his age. He was apparently in good health , and had, less than an hour before, walked home from town, and was sitting at the table, when his head suddenly dropped forward, and he was dead. He is supposed to have died from the effects of cancers, of which he had several near the heart.
Col. BIRD was born on the 1st day of April, 1802, in the State of Vermont. His mother was a daughter of Dr. BUR- GOYNE, who was a nephew of Gen. BURGOYNE, of the British army. When three years of age, Mr. BIRD's father, with his family, moved from Vermont, and settled in Madison county, N. Y. In April, 1824, he was married, in the town of West- moreland, N. Y., to Miss CHARITY LE CLAR, who was a daughter of LOUIS LE CLAR, a Frenchman. In 1826, Mr. BIRD moved with his family to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he remained over two years, and moved back to Madison county, N. Y.
In 1836, he located at Milwaukee, and there engaged ener-
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
getically in the business of building. He was appointed one of the three commissioners for the erection of the Territorial Capitol at Madison, and was the active and efficient man of the Board. On the first day of June, 1837, Col. BIRD, at the head of about forty workmen, and a train of four wagons, loaded with provisions, tools, and other articles essential in commencing a new settlement, started for " The Four Lakes," the present site of Madison. There was then no road, and the party were obliged to make one for themselves. By the aid of an old map and compass, by perseverance and energy, Col. BIRD and his party were enabled to pursue their route, chopping their way through the forests, building long cordu- roy roads over swamps, and fording or bridging streams.
As a more particular account has been given in the former part of this volume of this journey to Madison, and the inci- dents connected with the history of the building of the " old capitol," it is not necessary to be repeated.
In 1851 and 1856, he was chosen to represent the Madison district in the legislature, and served the city as one of its ear- liest Mayors, and became well known to all early prominent men of the Territory and State. In the prime of life, he was a man of much energy, and was well fitted by his har- dihood of character for a pioneer. He passed through many hardships and privations. Long will his tall, commanding form be remembered. We trust that his old pioneer associates will see that a portrait of him is secured and preserved in the gallery of the Historical Society. Colonel BIRD leaves a wife, also several children, who have reached mature years and in dif- ferent walks of life - three sons in connection with newspapers in this State and elsewhere, have attained positions of useful- ness and prominence.
At a meeting of Grace church, held on the 28th of February, 1870, it was resolved to proceed as soon as practicable to the completion of the tower and steeple of the church; and at a subsequent meeting, a building committee was appointed, con- sisting of Messrs. D. WORTHINGTON, A. PROUDFIT and W. T. LEITCH.
22
330
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
The funds for this purpose were soon after raised, and the work was finished during the year, and the building made com- plete by a graceful spire 165 feet in height. The subsequent, history of this church to the year 1874 is as follows:
In the summer of 1872, the church was thoroughly reno- vated, the walls replastered and painted; the pulpit removed,, and a new one put in its place, the pews varnished and the aisles newly carpeted.
On the 10th of February, 1873, the rector Rev. Dr. SPALD- ING* having been invited to another field of labor, tendered his resignation, which was accepted with deep regret.
In his farewell discourse he gave some statistics of the church, and of his labors in the vicinity, which are here given for pres- ervation :
"He entered, he said, upon his duties as their Rector on the 10th of November, 1867, and found, as the results of previous labor and faith, the church with its organ and furniture, though without a tower or spire, or its present commodious Sunday school rooms.
" The Parish Register, dated from une 13, 1852, and reported up to the time of his rectorship - 15 years:
"Baptisms-Infants, 272, adults, 41; total, 313, or an average of more than 20 a year. Of these, some were administered at Blooming Grove, some at Vienna, a number at Middleton, and a large number are recorded as private.
*Rev. Henry W. Spalding, D. D., is a son of Rev. Erastus Spalding of Western New York, and was born at Rochester, April 14, 1832.
He was graduated at Hobart College, Seneca, in 1855, and removed to Milwaukee, and was nearly six years in charge of the 6th Ward School as Principal, prosecuting his studies for the ministry under J. P. T. In- graham. In 1858, he was made a Deacon, and took charge of the Mis- sion church in Milwaukee. He removed to Janesville; was ordained President and took charge of Christ church at that place. After a resi- dence of five years, he traveled one year, and was subsequently at White- water and at Evansville, Ind., where he labored three years. He accepted the call to Grace church, and entered on his duties November 10, 1867. He resigned February 10, 1873, and is now settled at Pittsburgh, Pa. In July, 1870, he received from his college at Seneca, the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
"The Confirmations are: Men, 21; women, 103; total, 124- an average of a little more than eight a year; some from Mid- dleton and some from Windsor. Marriages during that time, 124; burials, 142.
" The Communion Alms amount to $3,451.41, an average from 1855 to 1867 of $245 per year.
" He regretted the imperfect record and loss of papers concern- ing the work of his predecessors, and said that much in the past, of self denial and earnest hard work for Christ would be lost till the great day shall make manifest the deeds of God's servants.
" The summary, he continued, of our five years' work together is as follows:
" Baptisms-of infants, 202; adults, 106; total, 308; an aver- age of a little less than 60 a year. Confirmations, 270; 13 of which were at Vienna; 7 at Middleton; and 23 at Evansville; 55 were males. Marriages, 49. Burials, 64. Communicants, 260 or 270. Families about 120. Offertory, $12,680.68; expenses. about $15,000; the other moneys received, making a total of $30,000. Five missions have been built up. Five clergymen have taken orders, and six are now candidates for orders. There, are three working organizations under the Diocesan Board of Missions."
June 19, 1873, the Vestry unanimously resolved to call Rev. JOHN WILKINSON, of Chicago, who accepted the invitation, and entered upon his duties July 13.
The city election took place April 5, 1870. There was no candidate put in nomination against Hon. ANDREW PROUDFIT for Mayor, who received 1164 votes. 104 votes scattering. For Police Justice D. C. BUSH received 487 votes, and JOHN R. BALTZELL 1067, who was elected by 580 majority. For Treasurer ANDREW PICKARTS received 796 votes, and P. D. BARRY, 761. Mr. PICKARTS' majority 35. The following were the aldermen elected: 1st ward, F. DAUBNER and F. O'BRIEN; 2d ward, W. DEARDS and A. DAUBNER; 3d ward J. M. BOWMAN and W. H. KARNES; 4th ward, JAMES Ross and T. O'NEIL.
From the office of United States Internal Revenue at Mad- ison, it appears that the sales of all the dealers in agricultural
.
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
implements for the year ending April 1, 1870, aggregate $1,468,000; the firm of M. E. FULLER & Co., report sales to the amount of $778,000, three firms return sales of over $100,000, and the remainder, range from $10,000 to $80,000.
The United States census was taken this year, and we find the population of the city reported as 9,173, and the town of Madison, 857. The county of Dane 53,109. The value of city property as equalized by the county board of supervisors in June, was, real estate, $2,500,000; personal, $1,260,018, and the town of Madison, $70,000.
In connection with the above statistics as illustrating the healthfulness of Madison, the interments in the "Forest Hill Cemetery " for the year ending March 31, 1870, were seventy- one. Very few localities can make so good a report.
There was no formal celebration on Independence Day. Meetings were had before that date to make arrangements for a proper celebration, but subscriptions were not received to warrant the carrying out the plan. There was, however, a good number of persons from the country towns. The Zouave Com- pany, recently organized, had a public parade and drill. Races were held at the Driving Park. Fireworks at the Soldiers' Or- phans' Home. In the afternoon there was a burlesque proces- sion with reversed arms to satirize the omission of a regular celebration.
Orations were delivered at the following places by citizens of Madison: Oconomowoc, by Hon. GEO. B. SMITH; Watertown, by Hon. H. S. ORTON; Portage City, by S. U. PINNEY, Esq .; Richland Centre, by Hon. JAS. Ross.
From the annual report of the Board of Education for the year 1870, the following statistics have been obtained: The number of persons of school age, 3,958. Number of pupils en- rolled from August 31, 1869, to July 18, 1870, 1,992; present number of members 956. The Board has in its possession eight school house sites, valued at $14,900; eight school buildings with furnaces, and seating, valued at not less than $70,000, with a library, melodeon, apparatus, maps, globes, charts and books of reference, valued at $700. During the year the Board pur-
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