USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of Wisconsin from prehistoric to present periods : the story of the state interspersed with realistic and romantic events > Part 48
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In June, 1878, a cyclone swept through Grant, Iowa, Dane and Jefferson counties, eastward, devastating property, and killing about fifteen persons. During the year the state was overrun by tramps, who created disturbances at various points in the state. In Burnett county an Indian scare prevailed to the extent that hundreds of settlers left their homes, on account of large assemblages of Indians gathering to hold dances.
Ex-Governor Coles Bashford died April 25, 1878.
EVENTS OF 1879.
Wisconsin's thirty-second session of its legislature convened January 8, 1879, and, after being in session fifty-seven days, adjourned on March 5, 1879.
The senate was organized with James M. Bingham as president, Leander B. Hills, chief clerk, and Chalmers Ingersoll, sergeant-at-arms. The assembly
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was organized with David M. Kelly as speaker, Charles E. Ross, chief clerk, and Miletus Knight, sergeant-at-arms. The most interesting feature of this legislature was the election of Hon. Matthew H. Carpenter as United States senator on January 22, 1879. The election of Mr. Carpenter was considered a great victory by the able senator's numerous friends.
The Republican state convention placed in nomination Governor William E. Smith for a second term, James M. Bingham, lieutenant-governor ; Hans B. Warner, secretary of state; Richard Guenther, state treasurer; Alexander Wilson, attorney-general and William C. Whitford, state superintendent.
The Democratic state convention placed in nomination the following ticket :
James G. Jenkins, for governor ; George H. King, lieutenant-governor ; Samuel Ryan, secretary of state; Andrew Haben, state treasurer; J. Mont- gomery Smith, attorney-general, and Edward Searing, state superintendent.
At the November election Governor Smith and the whole Republican ticket was elected by majorities exceeding 12,000. At this election the follow- ing congressmen were elected as representatives from the eight districts : Charles D. Williams, Lucien B. Caswell, George C. Hazelton, Peter V. Deuster, Edward S. Bragg, Gabriel Bouck, Herman L. Humphrey and Thad- deus C. Pound.
EVENTS OF 1880.
The thirty-third session of the Wisconsin legislature convened January 14, 1880, and, after being in session sixty-four days, adjourned March 17, 1880.
The state senate was organized with Lieutenant-Governor James M. Bing- ham as president, Charles E. Bross, chief clerk, and Chalmers Ingersoll, ser- geant-at-arms. The assembly was organized with Alexander A. Arnold as speaker, John E. Eldred, chief clerk, and D. H. Pulcifer, sergeant-at-arms.
This legislature, during its brief existence, passed the usual amount of amendments to existing statutes, enacted several important general laws, and made large appropriations to the various state institutions, among which were the following :
State Hospital for Insane, for current expenses to January 1, 1881, $ 114,500 ; for closets and bath-rooms in wards, $1,000 ; for covering steam pipes, $1,500 ; for new floors, $1,500 ; for new wash basins and sinks, ; $900 ; for medical library, $500 ; for steam pipes and radiators in the west wing, $2,000 ; to the Northern Hospital for Insane, $55,218, for current expenses to January 1, 1881 ; for procuring a new water supply from Lake Winnebago, $15,000 ; for new pipe and hose for protection against fire, $1,300; for weigh- ing scales, $800 ; for enlarging dry-room, $500 ; for storm windows, $900 ; for boarding-house, $1,500 ; to the Wisconsin Horticultural Society, $600 ; to the State Board of Emigration, a sum not exceeding $3,000; to the Institution for
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Education of the Deaf and Dumb, for the purpose of rebuilding a portion of the building, the sum of $70,000 ; to the Industrial School for Boys, $19,967 ; to the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb, $14,000, and to the Commissioner of Fisheries, $2,000.
On October 19, 1880, the celebrated jurist, and the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Edward G. Ryan, died after a short illness.
EVENTS OF 1881.
The thirty-fourth session of Wisconsin's legislature convened January 12, 1881, and adjourned April 4, 1881, after a session of eighty-three days.
The senate was organized with James M. Bingham, as president, Charles E. Bross, chief clerk, and W. W. Baker, sergeant-at-arms. The assembly was organized with Ira B. Bradford as speaker, John E. Eldred, chief clerk, and G. W. Church, sergeant-at-arms.
The first important matter which received the attention of the legislature was the election of Hon. Philetus Sawyer, the veteran Oshkosh lumberman, to the United States senate. This occurred on January 26, 1881.
The most important law passed at this session of the legislature was an act to submit to the people an amendment of Secs. 4, 5 and 21, Article IV., of the constitution of the state, which amendment provided that " the legislature shall meet at the seat of government, at such time as shall be provided by law, once in two years, and no oftener, unless convened by the governor in special session."
This act was known as the biennial session law, and was submitted to the people at the November election, and ratified by a large majority of the popular vote.
In September, 1881, the strike for reduction of labor hours by the Eau Claire workmen in the mills at that place necessitated the calling out of the national guard by the governor. Some property was injured by the strikers. Eight companies of the national guard were stationed there several days.
The Milwaukee Industrial Exposition was opened to the public during September of this year.
The Republican state convention placed in nomination the following ticket : For governor, Jeremiah M. Rusk; lieutenant-governor, Samuel S. Fifield ; secretary of state, Ernst G. Timme; state treasurer, Edward C. McFetridge ; attorney-general, Leander F. Frisby ; state superintendent, Robert Graham; railroad commissioner, N. C. Haugen; commissioner of insurance, Phillip L. Spooner, Jr.
The Democratic state convention placed in nomination Nicholas D. Fratt for governor; Wendell A. Anderson, lieutenant-governor; Michael Johnson, secretary of state; Frank R. Falk, state treasurer; M. J. Briggs, attorney-
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general ; Ambrose Hoffman, railroad commissioner; Lewis Kemper, commis- sioner of insurance.
At the November election the whole Republican ticket was elected by a plurality exceeding 11,000.
At this election the following congressmen were elected to the forty-seventh congress : Charles G. Williams, Lucien B. Caswell, George C. Hazelton, Peter V. Deuster, Edward S. Bragg, Richard Guenther, H. L. Humphrey, Thaddeus C. Pound.
DEATH OF SENATOR CARPENTER.
The well-beloved and illustrious senator, Hon. Matt. H. Carpenter, died at his home in Washington, on the 24th day of February, 1881. The Hon. Charles G. Williams, in his memorial address, spoke thus of the closing scene, that ushered the renowned senator into another and a better world.
" It so chanced that with others I spent the night at his bedside, and saw him breathe his last. I am aware that the scenes of the death chamber are sacred, not to be drawn upon for mere dramatic effect, but there were incidents connected with this one which, I think, more fully portray the characteristics of the deceased than volumes of eulogy could do. I was told that, some little time before, he had wandered slightly in his mind, and in his dreams fancied himself back among his Vermont hills again; that he spoke tenderly, even plaintively, of his mother, who died when he was a mere lad, and then for minutes together he would fall into deep and fervent prayer. But on this last night his brain was clear, and his lion-like nature never more strongly asserted itself.
"As the shadow deepened and he began to sink, his devoted wife clung to him on the one side, while on the other was his loving daughter, and above them the pale face of his young son. I noticed that the daughter invariably addressed him as ' My boy,' and when near the last she would say: ‘Do you know Pet, my boy ?' His great eyes would open, and in a voice modu- lated only by affection he would reply : 'Why, of course, I do;' and when the wife made the same inquiry, always addressing him by the familiar and en- dearing term, ' Matt,' the response was the same. At one time, near midnight, when the attending physician had persuaded the family to retire for a while, and himself was seeking needed rest, I was left in the room with no one but the colored man, Robert, who told me, in a voice stifled with emotion, that he had been the senator's body servant for twelve years and more. Having oc- casion to go to the parlors below, and returning before I was expected, a most impressive scene met my view. The light was low, the senator was sleeping. The thick silver locks fell back from his massive forehead. Near him on the carpet was the pile of law books which he had ordered from the office and studied in his last case, while at the foot of the bed the colored man, Robert, knelt in silent prayer. This is fact, not fancy, and it tells the whole story."
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Judge Arthur McArthur, who was present at the senator's death, speaks in this language of the decline and death of this great man :
"The death of a great man is nearly always sudden, unexpected and ap- palling. He lives so much in the public eye, and is interwoven so much with the public life, that what belongs to the individual is overlooked in the com- mon interest and admiration, and when his death occurs, it comes upon us like a tropical sunset-sudden, instantaneous, involving us in darkness and de- spair. This was in some measure true in regard to the demise of Senator Carpenter. Those who were intimate with him had for many months observed a marked change in his appearance ; his magnificent person was losing its fullness of habit; the luster of his merry eye, the cadence of his ringing laugh, were impaired and overcast with the coming shadow. Fits of indisposition were alternated with periods of apparently returning health, and hope and friendship recovered confidence and abandoned all fears for his safety.
"On the afternoon of Wednesday, I visited at his residence and stood by his bedside, where he was then asleep. I saw a dreadful change had happened ; the end was written upon his face, and then for the first time I gave up all hope. Upon calling later in the evening, I found his respiration painful and laborious, and it seemed as if his life were struggling to retain its dominion in every breath. A torpor had seized upon his countenance, but his attention could be aroused to particular persons and objects. Placing my hand upon his shoulders, and gently shaking him, I asked him if he knew me. After a second he replied, 'It is the Judge ;' and after another short pause, he added, 'Mrs. Carpenter and I have been talking of going over to see you ;' and then, as if his old spirit of humor and merriment had returned, he said, 'Judge, I want to make a motion ;' to which I replied that the motion was granted with- out argument.
"An hour or two after midnight I was again by his bedside. He was still weaker than before, and the vital forces were yielding slowly but surely to the impending catastrophe. The last indication of consciousness occurred shortly before daybreak, when he slowly turned his head toward Mrs. Carpenter and his daughter. It was his last effort at recognition, and he closed his eyes never again to behold his loved ones on earth.
"At this time there were present, his wife, daughter and son. Dr. Fox, who had traveled night and day from Milwaukee, and who supplemented science with friendship and love, was also present, as was the Hon. Charles G. Williams. As the members of his own family sat by the bedside of him they loved so dearly, it seemed to me the most beautiful, the most sad and touching tableau I had ever witnessed. At length daybreak broke through the crevices of the curtains, the sun came forth in unclouded splendor, and the atmos- phere was balmy as in the early days of spring. It was full of the elixir of life,
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but brought no relief to our friend. Leading Mrs. Carpenter to the window, I asked her if she could remember the dying expressions of the great Mirabeau, whom her husband so much resembled in his powers of persuasion. 'Open the windows,' he exclaimed. 'Throw aside the curtains and let the sunshine fill the apartment and bathe me in its beams, and let the incense of the garden reach my senses, for I would die amidst the perfume of its flowers.' 'How different,' I said to her, 'is this scene in one respect, for the great Frenchman, though he feared not death, believed it to be an eternal sleep. But your gifted husband, although so largely absorbed in the activities of life, and al- though taking such large share in public business, had a strong and fruitful religious vein in his nature, and believed that death, instead of being our final destiny, was but the entrance into a higher and truer life.'
"At about nine o'clock, Dr. Fox called me suddenly to the bedside. The breathing had almost ceased, the quick respiration had entirely gone. The breath came at long intervals, and the attending clergyman began reading the solemn service of the Episcopal church for the dying. The physician kept his hand upon the heart to mark the ebbing tide of life. I looked at the doctor after each spasm, and the reply was, 'Not yet.' At last came a pause- long, endless. The physician withdrew his hand. Carpenter was dead."
Matt H. Carpenter was the son of Ira Carpenter and Esther Ann Luce- Carpenter. He was born in the very heart of Vermont, at Moretown, in the center of Washington county, on December 22, 1824.
THE FUNERAL.
The funeral of Senator Carpenter, which was held in Washington, was one of the largest ever held in that city, and was extremely impressive and sorrow- ful. It was held at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon, February 27, 1881, at the Carpenter residence on Connecticut Avenue. Members of the cabinet, judges of the United States supreme court, diplomatic officials, members of congress, and many distinguished citizens from Wisconsin, Vermont, New York, Illinois, and other states were present.
The pall-bearers appointed from both houses of congress were Angus Cameron, Roscoe Conkling, George H. Pendleton, John A. Logan, F. M. Cockrell, Charles G. Williams, George C. Hazelton, Horace F. Page, J. Ran- dolph Tucker and E. G. Lapham.
The ceremonies at the residence consisted of the impressive burial service of the Episcopal church. While the bells of St. John's church rang out their sweet but sad vespers for the dead, the procession moved to Oak Hill Ceme- tery. At the cemetery prayers were read, and the coffin, strewn with fragrant flowers, by the dead senator's daughter, was consigned to the vault to await its final interment in Wisconsin.
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Six weeks later, the United States senate adjourned, especially for the purpose of honoring the dead, and attending the funeral cortege to its last rest- ing place in Wisconsin. The congressional pall-bearers, the family and nu- merous friends, left Washington on a special train, with the dead, on Friday, April 8. Governor William E. Smith, of Wisconsin, a legislative committee, and about one hundred members of committees from the Chamber of Com- merce, Milwaukee bar, and other organizations met the funeral train at Chi- cago, and accompanied it to Milwaukee. At the depot in Milwaukee, a large procession of military and civic societies joined the procession, and led the way to the court house, where the casket was consigned to the care of the local committees, by Hon. Roscoe Conkling, who said :
"GOVERNOR-We are deputed by the senate of the United States to bring back the ashes of Wisconsin's illustrious son, and reverently and tenderly return them to the great commonwealth he served so faithfully and loved so well. To Wisconsin the pale and sacred clay belongs, but the memory and the fame of Matthew Hale Carpenter are the nation's treasures, and long will the sisterhood of states mourn the bereavement which bows all hearts to-day."
The body lay in state in the rotunda of the court house, heavily draped in mourning, with the Sheridan Guards as a guard of honor. Early Sunday morning, on April 10, 1881, the court house doors were thrown open and before 2 o'clock nearly fifty thousand persons had viewed for the last time their beloved leader, neighbor and friend. The funeral procession contained the entire legislature, state officers, members of the supreme court, several military companies, and a large number of civic societies. The line marched to Forest Home Cemetery, where the last sad rites were performed.
EVENTS OF 1884.
On December Ist, the building at the State University, known as Science hall, was burned to the ground.
At the Republican state convention, the following ticket was placed in nomination : For governor, Jeremiah M. Rusk ; lieutenant-governor, Sam. S. Fifield ; secretary of state, Ernst G. Timme; state treasurer, Edward McFet- ridge; attorney-general, Leander F. Frisby ; state superintendent, Robert Graham ; railroad commissioner, Nils P. Haugen ; commissioner of insurance, Phillip L. Spooner, Jr.
The Democratic state convention placed in nomination the following ticket : Governor, Nicholas D. Fratt ; lieutenant-governor, A. C. Parkinson ; secretary of state, Hugh G. Gallagher ; state treasurer, Frank R. Falk ; attorney-general, Willis C. Silverthorn ; state superintendent, Isaac Stewart ; railroad commis- sioner, Conrad Krez ; commissioner of insurance, Ole S. Holum.
At the November election the whole Republican ticket was elected, Gov- ernor Rusk's plurality being 19,269.
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The Wisconsin members of the forty-eighth congress were John Winans, Daniel H. Sumner, Burr W. Jones, Peter V. Deuster, Joseph Rankin, Richard Guenther, Gilbert M. Woodward, William T. Price, Isaac Stephenson.
EVENTS OF 1885.
The thirty-seventh session of the Wisconsin legislature, which was the first biennial legislature, convened January 14, 1885, and adjourned April 13, 1885, after a session of eighty-nine days.
The senate was organized with Lieutenant-Governor Sam. S. Fifield as president, Charles E. Bross, chief clerk, and Hubert Wolcott, sergeant-at-arms. The assembly was organized with Hiram O. Fairchild as speaker, E. D. Coe, chief clerk, and John M. Ewing, sergeant-at-arms.
On January 28th, John C. Spooner was elected United States senator.
EVENTS OF 1886.
This year was noted for its labor troubles at Milwaukee. The workmen, principally at Bay View, organized a strike to enforce the eight hour system. On May 3d, 4th and 5th, they became riotous, and on the last day named, refused to obey the authorities. They were fired upon by the national guards, under instructions from Governor Rusk, and several were either killed or wounded.
In October, the limited express on the C., M. & St. P. Ry. was wrecked at East Rio, Columbia county, and from eleven to fifteen persons killed, many being burned to death.
The Republican state convention nominated the following persons : For governor, Jeremiah M. Rusk; lieutenant-governor, George W. Ryland; sec- retary of state, Ernst G. Timme; state treasurer, Henry B. Harshaw ; attor- ney-general, Charles E. Esterbrook; state superintendent, Jesse B. Thayer ; railroad commissioner, Atley Peterson ; commissioner of insurance, Philip Cheek, Jr.
The Democratic state convention made the following nominations: For governor, Gilbert M. Woodward ; lieutenant-governor, John D. Putnam ; sec- retary of state, John C. Ludwig ; state treasurer, John A. Johnson ; attorney- general, George W. Bird; state superintendent, Edward McLoughlin ; rail- road commissioner, James Meehan ; commissioner of insurance, John Karel.
The whole Republican ticket was elected by a large majority, Mr. Rusk's plurality being 18,718.
Wisconsin's representatives in the forty-ninth congress were Lucien B. Caswell, Edward S. Bragg, Robert M. La Follette, Isaac W. Van Schaick, Joseph Rankin, T. R. Hudd, Richard Guenther, Ormsby B. Thomas, William T. Price, Hugh H. Price and Isaac Stephenson.
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Hon. Joseph Rankin died, January 24, 1886, and T. R. Hudd, his suc- cessor, was elected to fill the vacancy on January 18, 1887. Hon. William T. Price died January 7, 1886, and Hugh H. Price was elected January 18, 1887, to fill the vacancy.
EVENTS OF 1887.
The thirty-eighth session of the legislature convened January 12, 1887, and adjourned April 15, 1887.
The senate was organized with Lieutenant-Governor George W. Ryland, as president, Charles E. Bross, chief-clerk, and T. J. George, sergeant-at-arms. The assembly was organizcd with Thomas B. Mills, speaker, E. D. Coe, chief clerk, and William A. Adamson, sergeant-at-arms.
On January 26th, the legislature elected the Hon. Philetus Sawyer, as United States senator to succeed himself.
This year was principally noted throughout the state as being the great booming year in Gogebic iron stocks.
EVENTS OF 1888.
The Gogebic iron stocks having reached a high figure, a reaction set in, causing a collapse in these stocks, which resulted in the failure of many stock speculators throughout the state and elsewhere.
The Republican state convention, this fall, made the following nomina- tions : For governor, William D. Hoard ; lieutenant-governor, George W. Ryland ; secretary of state, Ernst G. Timme; state treasurer, Henry B. Har- shaw ; attorney-general, Charles E. Esterbrook ; state superintendent, Jesse B. Thayer ; railroad commissioner, Atley Peterson; commissioner of insurance, Philip Cheek, Jr.
The Democratic state convention placed in nomination the following ticket : For governor, James Morgan ; lieutenant-governor, Andrew Kull ; sec- retary of state, August C. Larson; state treasurer, Theodore Kersten ; attor- ney-general, Timothy E. Ryan; state superintendent, Amos Squire ; railroad commissioner, Herman Naber; commissioner of insurance, Evan W. Evans.
The next November election resulted in the election of the entire Re- publican ticket, Mr. Hoard's plurality being 20,273.
Wisconsin's representatives in the fiftieth congress were as follows: L. B. Caswell, Richard Guenther, Robert La Follette, Henry Smith, T. R. Hudd, C. B. Clark, Ormsby B. Thomas, Nils P. Haugen and Isaac Stephenson.
SCENE ON THE LINE OF THE M., L. S. & W. RY.
CHAPTER LXIV.
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR RUSK.
1882-1889.
Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah M. Rusk .- Important Events During His Incumbency.
PROBABLY the strongest and most pronounced character yet chosen for governor of Wisconsin was Jeremiah M. Rusk. He was born in Morgan county, Ohio, on the 17th day of June, 1830, of Scottish ancestry. His early education was principally derived from nature. His physical and mental strength he gained from out-door ex- ercise, plain food and a thorough deter- mination to succeed. Under these fa- vorable conditions he was well adapted for the great future which lay undisturbed before him.
He was but fourteen years of age when his father died, leaving him, a mere boy, to battle with the world in order to help support his mother and two sisters. For this reason, at the age of fifteen, he sought work, and at last found a place as driver of a four-horse stage between Zanesville and Newark. Passionately fond of horses, he soon became an ex- pert in horsemanship, an accomplish- ment of which he was very proud. He next learned the cooper's trade, and, although he did not work at his trade for any great length of time, still, it is said, he could set up a barrel as well as the best in the trade.
He was married at the early age of nineteen, and settled on a farm in Vernon county in 1853, at which place he resided up to the time of his death. His good sense and shrewdness made him a favorite among the people, and he was soon placed at the head of public affairs. In 1855, Mr. Rusk was made sheriff of his adopted county, and was one of the best sheriffs the county has ever known. In November, 1861, he was elected to the legislature, and in this position did all he could to further appropriate war measures. At the end of his term, "Jerry," as he was familiarly known throughout the country, turned his entire attention
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to the war. He was commissioned major of the Twenty-fifth regiment. After serving but a short time he was promoted to the colonelcy, and in this capacity served with General Sherman from Vicksburg to the close of the war. He was brevetted brigadier-general because of his bravery at the battle of Salkehatchie.
General Rusk's popularity as a soldier was well known. He never ordered his boys to go, but always led them himself, and bade them " come on." He was brave, courageous and decided, and when McPherson fell Rusk's com- mand was at the front. He lost one-third of his men in this engagement. Rusk himself was completely cut off from his men and surrounded by the rebel forces, armed with saber-bayonets. The enemy ordered him to surrender, but General Rusk, his sword having been lost, drew his pistol, and used it with such good effect that he was able to reach his own ranks, with only a slight wound on his leg, and the loss of his sword and horse, the latter being com- pletely riddled with bullets.
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