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 31
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
and WILLIAM ALLEN, appointed, but did not come, and BENJA- MIN CLOSE came as a substitute. Mrs. HANNAH PYNCHEON WRIGHT became a member this year. At the conference at Galena, Ill., August 12, 1846, Madison reported (including ad- jacent towns), 260 members. F. SMITH and R. R. FARNSWORTH, preachers; the latter did not come, but WM. TASKER was asso- ciated with the former. August 11, 1847- members, 234. JOHN PENMAN and C. B. FOSTER, preachers. The Wisconsin conference was formed July 12, 1848, and met at Southport (Kenosha), two hundred and twenty members reported, JOHN PENMAN, preacher. Conference held at Platteville, July 27, 1849, and sixty-eight members reported, one probationer and four local preachers. WESLEY LATTIN, at Madison. July 26, 1850, conference held at Beloit, and sixty-eight members and eighty-seven probationers, WESLEY LATTIN returned. The building of the church was commenced this year. June 25, 1851, conference held at Waukesha; one 104 members, 36 probationers and five local preachers. Madison district, WASH- INGTON WILCOX, presiding elder and JONATHAN M. SNOW, and ENOCH TASKER, preachers. Sept. 1, 1852, conference held at Fond du Lac; there were 106 members, nine probationers, two colored and one local preacher. J. SEARLES and W. H. THOM - SON, preachers. The church was completed this year and dedicated, Rev. S. C. THOMAS preaching the dedicatory sermon. Of the subsequent ministers of this church, we find, in 1853, O. F. COMFORT, pastor; 1854, J. NOLAN; 1855 and 1856, M. HIME- BAUGHI; 1857, C. E. WYRICK, 1858, J. WEST MILLER, for eight months, and Rev. SAMUEL FALLOWS, a student of the Univer- sity, appointed junior preacher, 1859, J. C. ASPINWALL and Mr. FALLOWS, assistant.
Rev. A. McWRIGHT, appointed October, 1859, and re-ap- pointed in 1860, but did not return. Rev. ELMORE YOCUM was employed for eleven months. September, 1861, Rev. J. A. SWETLAND appointed, and was re-appointed, but retired after a short service, owing to ill health, and W. H. WILDE appointed, and preached the balance of the year, and was re-appointed and labored until January, 1864, when his health failed. Rev. J.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
M. SPRINGER, chaplain of 3d Wisconsin regiment, supplied the pulpit until May 1, when H. H. PARKER was engaged to fill the balance of the year. He remained until September 1. Rev. GEO. FELLOWS supplied the pulpit in the month of September. He was re-appointed August, 1865, and served until August, 1866, when he was succeeded by Rev. Jos. E. IRISH, Rev. H. K. COBB, Rev. P. S. MATHER and Rev. H. STONE RICHARDSON to 1874.
Rev. SALMON STEBBINS, now of Bristol, Kenosha county, Wis., who, it is believed, is the first clergyman who preached at Madison, has furnished the following account of himself, and of his first visit here: He was born at Plainfield, N. H., July 13, 1795, and came to Wisconsin, October 26, 1837. He first stopped at Southport (now Kenosha), passed on to Mil- waukee, through the counties of Washington, Manitowoc and Sheboygan, to Green Bay and Fond du Lac, and reached Madi- son November 28, 1837. Here he found Col. A. A. BIRD and his posse of workmen employed in building the Territorial Capitol. He was invited by the Colonel to preach in his bar- room, who sent messengers, as he thinks, to the entire popula- tion of the town, to whom he preached, as he believes, the first sermon at the capital. He further says, " the character of his congregation may be estimated by the fact that, without solici- tation, the next morning he was presented with a purse of $11, to aid in his missionary work." In his diary at that time, he writes: "I preached to a very interested and interesting con- gregation." At that time there were no inhabitants between Madison and Jefferson, and but very few at that place.
The 4th of July, 1873, was generally observed as a patriotic holiday, although there was no regular celebration. There was no procession. The morning and a part of the afternoon was rainy. The Good Templars had an excursion to Devil's Lake, in which many participated, and many were drenched by a shower coming up on their return. There was a yacht race on Lake Monona in the afternoon. The old settlers of the city were entertained by WM. M. RASDALL, at his residence on Fair- child street.
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
During the summer, the State authorities erected a coal vault and room for the steam boilers and apparatus for heating the Capitol. The vault was 68 feet long, 50 feet wide and 12 feet deep, one third for the boilers and engine room, and the remainder for storing coal, and will hold 1,400 tons. The walls were of stone, covered with brick arches between iron girders, and covered with sod, with proper openings for venti- lation and light. This is a fine improvement, and does away with the unseemly coal yard in the park. Neat walks were also opened in the park, and laid with a cement of asphalt. The iron fence around the Capitol grounds was completed, and the whole graded and put in good condition. The fence is now completed at a total cost of $37,912.37, which includes the sum of $7,500 for curbing and walk outside the fence, and large flagging stones in front of each of the gates, and $847.25 for the large ornamental figures on the gate posts.
In the year 1867, the State had expended some $8,000 in sinking an artesian well. After attaining a depth of 1,000 feet, the work was abandoned and closed up, in the belief that a flowing well could not be obtained. In 1873, the Legislature made an appropriation for improving the Capitol grounds, and, among other things, $5,000 for supplying the Capitol with wa- ter. This was made in contemplation of the erection of a steam pump and boiler house on the shores of Lake Monona, and forcing the water through pipes from there to the Capitol.
Gov. WASHBURN, being of the opinion that a supply of wa- ter could be procured from said well, caused some experiments to be made, which satisfied him of an abundant supply of water from the same, he caused a shaft to be sunk to the depth of the water standing in the pipe of the well, being about 60 feet from the surface, and at the bottom of it set up a power- ful steam pump, connected the same with the boilers in the vault, and at a largely diminished cost, obtained an unlimited supply of the purest water.
The Governor soon after sent a jug of this water to Prof. I. A. LAPHAM, of the State Geological Survey, who had it thor-
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
oughly analyzed by GUSTAVUS BODE, an analytical chemist at Milwaukee, who makes the following report:
" MILWAUKEE, Oct. 10, 1873.
"Prof. I. A. LAPHAM - Dear Sir :- Herewith please find re- sults of an analysis of the water of the artesian well in Madi- son, which I made at your request. One gallon of it contains the following salts:
Grains.
Chloride of sodium, -
0.671
Sulphate of soda,
1.538
Bi-carbonate of soda,
1.956
Bi-carbonate of lime, -
8.120
Bi-carbonate of magnesia,
6.937
Bi-carbonate of iron,
0.555
Silicia,
1.456
21.233
" The analysis shows the same small amount of salts, the ab- sence of sulphate of lime and of organic matter, and the slight excess of alkali characteristics of those waters which are rec- ommended for their medicinal properties in the 'Bethesda' of Waukesha, or the 'Siloam' of Milwaukee, or numerous others. In regard to purity and brightness, it is certainly not their in- ferior. Respectfully yours, GUSTAVUS BODE,
" Analytical Chemist."
The water from this well has proved very beneficial in many diseases, and some days there are large gatherings of people at the pump, in the morning, carrying the water to their homes for medicinal purposes. A charter for a company to lease the water of the State, for bottling and supplying the outside de- mand for it, is now pending in the Legislature.
At the spring election, 1873, Judge ORSAMUS COLE received 1,180 votes for Associate Judge of the Supreme Court, and Col. GEORGE E. BRYANT 1,171 for the office of County Judge. For the office of Mayor, J. C. McKENNEY received 504 votes, and
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
J. C. GREGORY* 962, who was elected by 458 majority. For Treasurer, WM. FARRELL received 791 votes, and CHARLES G. MAYERS, 671. Mr. FARRELL's majority, 120. Aldermen - 1st ward, GEO. W. BUNKER and J. HEERAN; 2d ward, C. P. CHAP- MAN and ANDREW DAUBNER; 3d ward, H. KLEUTER and DAR- WIN CLARK; 4th ward, A. SEXTON and THOS. DEAN.
The whole amount of receipts for the year (1872) was $127,957.33, and the expenditures, $104.333.79, of which $15,166.61 were for general city purposes.
On the 9th of June, the Presbyterian Church was re-opened for public worship. The building had undergone extensive improvements.
The only addition made, is an arched recess for the organ, in the rear of the pulpit. The greatest change made is in the windows; the plain, square sashed windows, with blinds, hav- ing been replaced by arched windows, the principal part of each large pane, ground glass, a colored border in vine-work surrounding. There are excellent seats, mainly of ash, left the natural color of the wood, with a rail on top and heavy scroll and panel work at the end of walnut. The pulpit is a neat little affair of black walnut, with ash panels. The choir is of black walnut. The wainscoting is of alternate strips of wal- nut and ash. The halls and ceiling have been delicately tinted almost white, and the windows and cornice very tastefully frescoed. The exterior of the church has had a new coat of white paint put on it and looks very fresh and pure.
The wood-work does credit to Messrs. SORENSON & FRED- ERICKSON; the painting, to Mr. POLLARD, and the frescoing to Mr. EGGE. The Church deserves great credit for so greatly improving their place of worship.
* Hon. Jared C. Gregory, a son of Ebenezer Gregory, was born in the town of Butternuts, Otsego county, N. Y., January 13, 1823; studied law at Unadilla and Cooperstown, N. Y., where he practised his profession. He was candidate for Congress in the 19th (New York) Congressional District, in 1856, but was defeated by Oliver A. Morse. Mr. Gregory re- moved to Wisconsin in 1858, and settled at Madison, where he has since made his residence. He was elected Mayor in the spring of 1873.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
The new organ, built by the MARSHALL Brothers and CLARKE of Milwaukee, price $3,600, is a large and very fine instrument. Its base is heavily cased in black walnut. Its pipes stand alone in the recess, and are painted chiefly with two shades of blue, and with drab, with stripes and markings of red and gilt. It has two manuals, CC to A, 58 notes, with pedal, CCC to F, 30 notes.
The instrument is a great improvement on any we have seen built by this firm, and is deserving of high praise. It is very powerful, well balanced, its voicing exceedingly good, its quality of tone excellent, and, indeed, little is left to be desired.
The expense of the repairs was about $7,000.
Rev. L. Y. HAYS, of Ottawa, Ill., having received an unani- mous call to the pastorate, was installed to that office on June 12. Appropriate exercises were held, and addresses made by Rev. C. L. THOMPSON, of Chicago; Rev. MATTHEW A. Fox, of Oregon, Wis .; Rev. Mr. KNOTT, of Lodi; and Rev. G. F. HUN- TING, of Kilbourn City.
The dwelling house located on the corner of Wisconsin Av- enue and Clymer street, was moved off in the month of June of this year, to make room for a more modern structure to be erected by Gen. D. ATWOOD for a private residence. This house was one of the old landmarks of the city, and has not been without its historic incidents. Gen. ATwooD in an editor- ial in the State Journal of June 10, says: " It was erected in 1842 by PETER H. VAN BERGEN, Esq., through whose energy many of the finest buildings in Madison were constructed. His last effort in building, we believe was the erection of what is now the Opera House block. In the early years of this house, a se- lect school was taught in it by J. R. BRIGHAM, Esq., now of Milwaukee. On graduating from College, Mr. B., returned to his home in Madison, and issued a notice for a select school in this house, and hither the then children, now men and women, some of whom have become distinguished in the land, repaired and received instruction in the rudiments of an education. The school was a success, and we are happy to know that the 24
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
young teacher has also proved a success in the world. He now ranks among Milwaukee's most enterprising, intelligent and prosperous citizens.
The house was then used as a dwelling, with frequent changes of occupants, for many years. On our first arrival in the place, ABRAM OGDEN, Esq, resided there. He was a brother of Hon. WM. B. OGDEN, of Chicago, whose name is world wide. At that time Mr. O.'s family were all around him. The writer well remem- bers that one of the first calls he made in Madison was at this house, where he spent a pleasant evening with the young ladies of Mr. OGDEN's family, now Mrs. J. D. WELCH and Mrs. S. B. BARTLETT. Since then, it has been occupied by Mrs. JESSE A. CLARK, WILLIAM WELCH, Dr. GRAY, Dr. RUDD, ALFRED EARL, WM. I. GORDON, GEO. CAPRON, and perhaps others, as a private residence.
In the winter of 1853, the house became specially noted, as " Monks' Hall." Under this title its reputation was extensive. Our neighbor of the Democrat a few days ago, spoke of it as the political headquarters of the "Forty Thieves." This was not wholly correct. That thieves existed there during the winter, we are not disposed to deny; but they were not wholly of any political party, nor were they wholly of that set known in the State as the Forty Thieves." We think there were at least forty of them, and their conduct was no better than that of the regular forty, but we would not willingly charge all the sins of "Monk's Hall," during the winter of 1853 to the parties known as the "Forty Thieves." Added to their other sins, this would be too much. It was perhaps the first great railroad session of the Legislature of Wisconsin. The " Rock River Valley Union Railroad Company," which had a blooming existence at that time, and which has figured somewhat extensively in foreign countries since, was asking legislation, and this old house be- came the headquarters of that organization under the euphoni- ous name of " Monk's Hall." It was here that members were taken in and done for; they were fed here, and they took liquid beverages in the same place; rates were fixed with various ap- pliances, and nights were often made hideous. But we will not
.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
attempt to give a detailed history of that winter at "Monk's Hall. Most of the prominent actors in the scenes of that time have gone to their long home; and we willingly throw the veil of oblivion over many of their deeds during this eventful win- ter, and trust the after lives of the individuals engaged in the work of that sess ion at Monk's Hall, have good enough in them to compensate for the evils of that time. The operations of that winter in this building, may be insignificant compared with those that have since occurred in matters pertaining to railroads, but in the then innocent condition of our people, be- fore railroads had reached our place, the scenes of that winter were deemed especially hard.
The old house is gone, and mechanics have already com- menced the construction of a new one on the same lot, which it is hoped will be better suited to the location and the age in which we live, than was the old one, whose history we have briefly given."
One of the finest improvements of the city for the year 1873, was the High School Building, which was completed and pre- pared for occupation for the term commencing January 5, 1874. We are indebted to the " State Journal" for the follow- ing description :
"For the benefit of non-resident readers, it may be well to say that it is located on Wisconsin avenue, on the site of the old building, and is built of Waterloo brick, resting on a high stone basement. It more nearly approaches the Italian style of architecture than any other, with a Chinese-like tower, four- teen feet square, the top of the staff above the belfry being 114 feet from the ground.
"G. P. RANDALL & Co., of Chicago, are the architects. The contract was let to JAMES LIVSEY, who did the mason work, and H. N. MOULTON was sub-contractor, and did the carpenter work. The total contract price was $20,000, but it was found necessary to excavate a little farther than was at first intended, so as to get through clay into gravel, which added a few hun- dred dollars to the original estimate. Mr. LIVSEY's bill amounted to something over $8,000, and Mr. MOULTON's to
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
$12,000, for everything but the furniture. D. R. JONES, of this city, was the supervising architect. The work is admirably done.
" The main building is 63 by 44, with a wing 35 by 36, and is two stories high with a basement. The basement is 9 feet 6 inches from floor to ceiling, the first story 13 feet 4 inches and the second story 14 feet 6 inches.
"The main entrance, on Wisconsin avenue, up a flight of nine stone steps, is into a vestibule, 12 by 18 feet. This opens to the left, into the office and Superintendent's room, 16 by 23, in the east wing. At the end of the vestibule is the main hall, 11 by 28 feet. To the left is the lunch room, 15 by 23, in the wing. This is for those who bring their dinners. From the end of the hall is the two covered walks, for boys and girls, to the well arranged and ventilated brick building in the rear, 18 by 28. To the right of the main hall is a long hall, 5 feet wide, leading to the vestibule and door on Johnson street, and on each side of this wing is a school room 24-4 by 35 feet, each prepared to seat 40 pupils, and each having a dressing room 5 by 25 feet.
" From the main hall are stairs leading to the upper corridor, 11 by 13. To the right from this corridor is a door into the wing. This is one of the pleasantest rooms in the building, 23-10 by 33 feet with desks for 45, and from it is a door leading into a dressing room 11 by 20, located over the vestibule. There is also a door from the corridor to this room. To the left of the corridor is a door into the High School room, in the main building, on Wisconsin avenue. It is 33 by 41 feet, and will seat 90 pupils. The building will now seat 221 students. From this room and the corridor are doors to the boys' dressing- room, 10x27; the library, 14x27, and the recitation room, 15x27. The library is to be used as a recitation room for the present.
" The building is wainscoted, the school rooms 3 feet from floor, the corridor 5, and the dressing rooms 7 feet. The walls in the school room are prepared for chalk some distance above the wainscoting, by a green preparation of prepared slate. The windows have weights and inside blinds; the floors are double, narrow pine, and the upper one is "deafened." The
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
work is admirably finished, and was grained in oak by Mr. POL- LARD of this city. The building is heated by three large and three small Boynton furnaces. They are yoked together in pairs, the large one on the off side, as is usual with oxen. In moderate weather the small ones work alone; in colder weather the large ones work alone, and in very cold weather they all work together. They were put in admirably under the super- vision of Mr. CAMMACK, of the firm of M. JOACHIM & Co., of this city. The ventilation is on the improved Ruttan system, the foul air passing through a perforated base board and to the foul air shaft, 6 feet square and 62 feet high. This is an ad- mirable arrangement for health and comfort, and too much praise cannot be bestowed on the Board for introducing it.
" The basement is roomy and well arranged for taking fresh cold air for the furnace, storing coal and managing the heating apparatus; in fact from the bell in the tower to the brick of the basement floor, it is convenient and complete, an educational temple which some of the great men of the future will remem- ber with delight, we hope.
" The following is a list of members of the Board of Education: J. H. CARPENTER, President; W. T. LEITCH; E. BURDICK, ALEX. KERR, ROBT. WOOTTON, JAS. CONKLIN, J. C. GREGORY and J. C. FORD.
" The Building Committee are E. BURDICK, J. H. CARPENTER and J. C. GREGORY."
From the annual report of the Board of Education for the year 1873, we learn the whole number of school children be- tween 4 and 20, was 1,842 males, 1,955 females; total 3,798; number of pupils in all schools enrolled, 1,183; Receipts, $37,785.41; of which $25,000 was from loan from school land commissioners; and expenditures $34,760.62, of which amount $17,072.43 was for building High School; $12,105.22 for teacher's wages, and the remainder for fuel, janitors, repairs, etc. The whole number of teachers employed, 25. SAMUEL SHAW, Su- perintendent.
The following statistics of the improvements in Madison in 1873, are also taken from the State Journal:
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HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
" Any one living or visiting here, who has " kept his eyes open," must have noticed that there has been considerable building going on during the past year in our beautiful city, including some substantial business blocks and handsome resi- dences; but few we apprehend, realize, what the figures below show, that over $300,000 has been expended in building im- provements in the Capital City during the past year. The buildings erected too, like most of those constructed within the last few years, in substantial material, good workmanship and beauty of design, will compare favorably with those of any city of its size in the State. We submit a list of the principal buildings during the past season, for which we are mainly in- debted to Mr. W. T. FISH, of the firm of FISH & STEPHENS, one of our principal contractors and builders:
FIRST WARD.
The new Congregational Church, built of Madison stone, from the quarries of Messrs. FISH & STEPHENS, is nearly completed at a cost, including furnishing of about -
$40,000
The High School building on Wisconsin avenue, built of cream colored brick, with stone trimmings, cost about - 22,000 The splendid residence of A. H. MAIN, on Langdon street, built of brick and cost . 6,500
Mrs. NEELEY GRAY, on Washington avenue, has built a neat brick house, costing 3,500
Mr. ALEX. GILL's brick store, on State street, cost 3,500
Mr. THOMAS ROCK has made additions to his residence to the amount of 2,000
SECOND WARD.
The flouring mill and brewery so recently destroyed by fire, have been, by the energy of the respective proprietors Messrs. ROBBINS & THORNTON and Mr. JOHN RODERMUND, entirely replaced by new and substantial structures and machinery, at a cost of nearly 50,000
The solid cut-stone walls of the new Methodist Church on Wiscon- sin avenue, are nearly up to the auditorium floor, and have cost thus far about 10,000
Mr. TRUMAN BIRD'S Carriage Repository, on Main street, 22x66 of brick cost 5,500 Mr. E. M. WILLIAMSON's cottage residence on Pinckney, street, .
cost 2,500
.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
Mr. J. H. STEWART has made additions and alterations to his purchase of the late residence of D. R. GARRISON, Esq., to the amount of
8,000
THIRD WARD.
Fairchild estate, elegant stone store, on Main street, adjoining the
Vilas House, 28 by 63, three stories, occupied by B. KOHNER, 8,000 EDWARD SUMNER's fine new residence of cream colored brick, cor- ner of Wisconsin avenue and Wilson street, 7,000
CASPER MAYER's handsome stone saloon, 22x63, on Main street, RAMTHEN's brick hotel near the C. & N. W. R. R. depot 5,500
6,500
Mr. J. G. Ott, brick residence, 5,500
Mr. O. C. MALLOWS, brick residence, 5,000
HELTMAN'S planing mill, cost 4,000
FOURTH WARD.
Messrs. DAGGETT, FRED MOHR, CHRISTOPHERS & Co, have united in erecting a substantial brick block, 66 feet front, by about
85 feet deep, on Main street, costing some 16,000
The residence of Gen. DAVID ATWOOD, a model of convenience, enclosed and ready for plastering, to be finished July 1, 1874, and will cost from $12,000 to 15,000
Prof. B. M. WORTHINGTON's elegant residence on Wilson street built of cut stone, cost 7,000
Alderman THOS. DEAN's planing mill on Main street, cost, 5,000
Mr. JOHN FAY's neat residence of brick, cost 3,200
Mr. WM. SLIGHTAM's new house of brick, cost
2,000
Mr. F. BLISS has a new frame house, costing 2,000
Opposite the county offices, on Fairchild street, near the court house, is CHANDLER P. CHAPMAN'S building for abstract office and fire-proof vaults, costing 3,800
STATE WORK.
In addition to the above, the work of building the coal vaults, re- moving the boilers and finishing the basement of the capitol building, as well as other improvements in and about the State building and grounds, have furnished employment to many, and have cost about $35,000
At the Hospital for the Insane has been added a new stone building for an ice house, also one for a carpenter shop, cos- ing about 7,000
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