USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume I > Part 14
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EXPENDITURES
Permanent improvements made previous to June 30, 1910 ... $136,991.62 . Made in year ending June 30, 1911 :
George Hobbs, interest on Radliff farm ... $ 375.00 A. Ahern & Son, new closet and fixtures ... 125.70
Hughes & Helmer, building material. 252.49 Dr. McLeod, blooded stock I00.00
A. D. Conover, architect fees 1,300.00
Immel Construction Company, building contract
2,434.50
Total Total permanent improvements $141,579.31 $ 4,587.69
104
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Current expenses :
Made previous to June 30, 1910 $364,090.12
Made in the year ending June 30, 1911. . 17,679.10
Total current expenses
$381,769.22
$523,348.53
EARNINGS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 19II
State and Outside County Patients.
No.
Weeks
Days
Amounts
State at large
II
573
4
$2,006.72
Brown County
I
52
I
182.43
Calumet County
I
52
I
182.43
Door County
2
I04
2
364.86
Green Lake County
13
535
5
1,820.14
Lincoln County
I
52
I
182.43
Langlade County
I
52
I
182.43
Marquette County
5
229
2
791.86
Oneida County
2
104
2
364.86
Oconto County
I
52
I
182.43
Ozaukee County
I
52
I
182.43
Portage County
5
255
6
885.58
Shawano County
I
52
I
182.43
Vilas County
I
52
I
182.43
Waushara County
4
175
5
579.14
Winnebago County
I
52
I
174.43
Wood County
3
148
3
529.28
Fond du Lac County
IIO
5,159
4
6,456.43
Self-supporting patients
I8
1,599.42
Private patients
3
782.00
Total
$17,814.16
RECAPITULATION
Receipts
Due from board and clothing from state
and county patients .$15,432.74
Received from 18 self-supporting patients. . 1,599.42
Received from 3 private patients 782.00
From farm produce sold
3,237.76
Total receipts
$21,051.92
105
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Disbursements
Disbursements outside of permanent improvements ... 17,679.10
Receipts exceeding expenditures to June 30, 19II. $ 3,372.82
Earnings for the County
Cost of our insane if we did not have an
asylum, at $1.50 per week for board and 50c per week for clothing-5159 weeks .... $10,318.00
Receipts exceeding expenditures, June 30,
I9II
3,372.82
Total earnings .$13,690.82
Interest on money invested 3,000.00
Profit to Fond du Lac county on account of
having asylum $10,690.82
PHYSICIAN'S REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FOND DU LAC COUNTY ASYLUM FOR THE CHRONIC INSANE
To the Board of Trustees of the Fond du Lac County Asylum and Poor Farm:
Gentlemen :- I have the pleasure of presenting to you my fifth annual report as physician of the county asylum and poor farm.
The deaths at the county asylum for the year past were due to the following causes :
Infections of bowels, 4; heart disease, I; nephritis, 2; tuberculosis, I ; old age, 2.
At the county poor farm there were 7 deaths.
The general health of the patients has been very good. They have been free from contagious and infectious diseases. The patients have been well cared for and kindly treated. The sanitary conditions of the building have been well at- tended to.
The superintendent and matron have attended strictly to duty and have given the patients very good care and attention as have their assistants. The wards and rooms have been kept in perfect condition.
Yours respectfully,
H. E. TWOHIG.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FOND DU LAC COUNTY
ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE, FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 19II
Gentlemen :- I herewith submit to you my annual report as superintendent of the Fond du Lac County Asylum for the Chronic Insane for the year ending June 30, 19II :
106
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
EXPECTED RECEIPTS
Due from board and clothing from state and county patients $15,432.74
Received from self-supporting patients. 1,599.42
Received from 3 private patients . 782.00
From farm produce sold. 3,237.76
Total receipts $21,051.92
DISBURSEMENTS
Disbursements outside of permanent improvements. 17,679.10
Receipts exceeding expenditures to June 30, 19II . $ 3,372.82
THE EARNINGS OF THE ASYLUM
Cost of our insane if we did not have an asylum at $1.50 per week for board and 50c per week for clothing-5159 weeks. . $10,318.00
Receipts exceeding expenditures, June 30,
19II 3,372.82
Total earnings $13,690.82
Interest on money invested 3,000.00
$10,690.82
INMATES OF ASYLUM
Movement of Population
Male Female Total
Number in the asylum July 1, 1910. 8I 68
I49
Number received during the year on commitment or order of transfer 6
IO
I6
Total population during the year. 87
78 165
Number discharged recovered during the year (on reexamination of sanity) I
I
Number paroled (allowed to go on leave of absence and not returned) I
I
2
Number escaped (and not returned)
2
.
2
Number died during the year . 3
5
8
Total loss of population during the year. 6 Number remaining in the asylum June 30, 1911 . . 81 Number now absent on leave. I
7
I3
71
152
3 4
Number of paroled patients discharged during the
107
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
year as sane by virtue of Sec. 587c, R. S., as amended by Chap. 327, Laws of 1899, such patients having been continuously absent from the asylum under their respective paroles for two years
Total number who have been fully discharged since the asylum began II
I
I
I6
27
Total number who have been given a leave of absence since the asylum began and have not returned (including those who have since been fully discharged and those who have since died ) .13 I7 30
Statistics of Population
Number who work all day regularly . I5
I2
27
Number who work half a day or more regularly. . II
7
Number who work a less amount. I2
I2
34 83
Of these last, how many are physically disabled,
aside from their mental infirmity? .17
14
31
Statistics of Restraint and Seclusion
Number who have been temporarily in restraint or seclusion I
. .
I
Number never in restraint or seclusion 80
71 15I
Total number of days' restraint 14 . . I4
Cost of Maintenance
Total number of weeks' board furnished inmates, 7,756
Average cost of support per week for each inmate, $1.94, including interest; $1.841/2, without.
Estimated. total value of insane labor for the year, $2,500.00
Expected receipts from state for your own insane. . .$ 6,456.43 Expected receipts for insane from other counties and state at large 8,976.31
Total of these two items $15,432.74
RECEIPTS OF CASH AND CASH FROM SALES OF ASYLUM AND POOR FARM PRODUCTS
July
Mrs. George Taylor, board for M. Dobbs .$ 45.50
I8
24 Number who do not labor. 49
108
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
August
McLain & Mahoney, grave for pauper 2.00
Thomas Orchard, cattle 566.00
W. A. West & Son, cream. II6.28
September
J. L. Burling, board for W. L. Horner I50.00
Galloway & West, cream.
74.47
Thomas Orchard, hogs and calf 294.63
M. Stein, old barrels
2.00
October
Helmer Milling Company, barley 244.65
Rueping Brothers, cowhide 3.78
Galloway & West, cream
138.32
George R. Taylor, board for M. Dobbs
45.50
Conaghton & Barnes, onions 16.50
B. Klusterbner, clothing for J. Stracks
17.15
November
J. Fruth, butter 4.20
Galloway & West, cream
124.54
M. Shurman, onions 5.25
Thomas Orchard, two calves
20.40
December
Thomas Orchard, hogs and calves. 434.95
J. L. Burling, board for W. L. Horner I 50.00
J. Lemeness, stock hog 14.25
McLain & Mahoney, grave
2.50
Rueping Brothers, cowhide
3.84
H. Kretchman, hog .
9.75
Galloway & West, cream
115.62
Use of boar 1.00
Ripon Produce Company, cream
57.13
January
Ripon Produce Company, cream 177.89
E. H. Lyons, stock hog 13.91
George R. Taylor, board for M. Dobbs 45.50
Thomas Orchard, calf 8.40
Galloway & West, cream 91.20
McLain & Mahoney, grave
2.50
109
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
February
Ripon Produce Company, cream.
166.79
Thomas Orchard, cattle and hogs.
I45.75
M. Shurman, cabbage Conaghton & Barnes, cabbage
11.65
8.25
March
Ripon Produce Company, cream
199.87
Waupaca County Asylum, span of mares
500.00
J. L. Burling, board for W. L. Horner
150.00
Olson & Blom, Holstein bull
100.00
City of Milwaukee, board for Mrs. Lordner
4.42
Conaghton & Barnes, geese.
II.00
Rueping Brothers, cowhide
3.85
Thomas Orchard, calves
16.25
April
Rueping Brothers, hides
5.67
Helmer Milling Company, oats
228.68
Ripon Produce Company, cream 133.61
George R. Taylor, board for M. Dobbs.
45.50
Thomas Orchard, calves
14.30
State Home for Feeble Minded, Holstein bull
100.00
May
Ripon Produce Company, cream
144.69
B. Klusterbner, clothing for J. Stracks
7.44
Use of telephone
1.00
Thomas Orchard, hogs and calves
73.82
June
Ripon Produce Company, cream
250.35
Thomas Orchard, hogs
128.15
Joseph Luttenberger, labor
2.25
Peter Schrooten, Holstein bull
75.00
Mr. Wright, corn
.75
Joseph Wilkins, berries
1.40
Use of telephone
.40
Thomas Orchard, calf
9.45
J. L. Burling, board for W. L. Horner
150.00
Total
$5,689.90
110
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Concluding this report both Mrs. Kenyon and myself, superintendent and matron respectively, express our appreciation of the consideration and courtesies each of the members of the board of trustees has extended us in the discharge of our duties. We have both endeavored to give the best of our attention to the demands of the affairs of the asylum and farm, and the patients and inmates thereof, and if we have merited your approval we shall be certain that our work has not been without good results for all, taxpayer, board of trustees, and the people under our superintendency. We acknowledge with respect, the efficient services of Dr. H. E. Twohig, physician in charge, who has given much care and attention to the calls of the asylum and farm. Thanks are again due to those who furnished us with reading matter for the patients, as well as the officers of the Agricultural Society for the free admission to the fair of all the county charges.
The farm lands of both the asylum and poor house have furnished good crops, the season having been conducive to good production.
We can truthfully say that the past year has been the most prosperous in the history of the county institution, and more financial gain has resulted than can be shown in all previous records.
Thanking you gentlemen for your kind attention, we submit the statistical por- tion of this report, giving in detail the figures proving the success of your direc- tion of the asylum and farm during the past year, and which are more than pleas- ing to
Respectfully yours, LOUIS A. KENYON, Superintendent.
MILLS OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
The mill was the forerunner of manufacturing in Fond du Lac. The first one to be erected was the Clark mill, which was purchased by Dr. Darling before its completion. It stood on the west branch of the Fond du Lac river in the town of Fond du Lac. This mill was operated in 1845 and turned out the first lumber cut in the county. It was driven by water power. Soon thereafter a mill was erected by Wheeler & Short near the Western avenue bridge, on the east branch of the river, on land now occupied by the Crofoot lumberyard. The machinery was driven by water power but considerable lumber was cut during the season. Attached to it was a flouring mill. This was known as the Bissell mill and disap- peared in 1855.
In 1849 a lumberyard was established in Fond du Lac by Brandon Olcott, and soon thereafter E. Sawyer and I. K. and W. C. Hamilton also had lumberyards. These meant increased sawmills and also the gradual disappearance of log cabins and shanties and their places taken by frame buildings. By 1878 there were twelve lumber and shingle mills in Fond du Lac. In recent years lumbering has ceased to be a business in this county and most if not all of the mills have disappeared. A. T. Glaze, in an interesting history of the county, published in 1905, has this to say of the mills and lumber interests of Fond du Lac county :
"Persons without experience have little idea of the expense and difficulties of getting logs down the small streams on which they were banked from the woods, running them on the river to the boom, getting them through the sorting race and rafting them ready for the mills. During this work some of the logs became
111
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
water-logged and sunk. A few of these were recovered by the use of tugs with barges and grapples, but it is thought that many thousands of feet now repose on the bottom of Lake Poygan and the river. Pine and cedar are the only logs that can be successfully rafted. Even hemlock has to be mixed with pine, and to get hard wood logs, such as oak, maple, ash and elm, it is needful to place three or four good sized pine logs by the side of each hard wood log, and even then they will be very nearly under water. Such rafts were sometimes brought to Fond du Lac and it was found that T. S. Henry was the only man in the mills here who could file a circular saw to successfully cut these hard wood logs. The circular saw was then universally used in the mills here. The band saw was then practically unknown. The person who undertook to burn the slab wood from these hard wood logs was entitled to sympathy. The water took all the life out of the wood, and ashes the shape of the stick, with little heat, was left in the stove.
"The local decline in the number and work of the sawmills is not wholly due to the building of the railroads, however, and the contention of practical men that the roads were built because of a demand, is no doubt true. The decrease in the water flow in the streams made the running of logs difficult and expensive and there seemed to be a necessity for cutting the lumber further north and employ- ing railroad transportation. Hence the building of roads and moving of mills.
"It will be remembered that there was a time that the flow of water in Wolf river was ample at all seasons of the year for the running of such large steamers as the 'Tigress,' 'Milwaukee,' 'Tom Wall' and 'W. A. Knapp' between Oshkosh and New London as a daily line, and the 'Diamond' and 'Badger State' to Berlin. This was long since abandoned as impossible and as small a boat as the 'John Lynch' can now reach only as far north as Fremont. Formerly the largest logs floated over the Mukwa bar, but at some seasons it is now hardly practical to float a canoe over it. This being the situation, logs were liable to be 'hung up' for a whole year, and the risk was too great. The small tributary streams of the Wolf, that formerly floated out logs in the spring, are now almost destitute of water.
"It will also be remembered by old settlers that there was a time that the east and west branches of the Fond du Lac river at some seasons of the year had so much water as to be burdensome and basements and streets in low places were flooded. This occurred almost every year, and at no time were these streams deficient in water as they are most of the time now. In early times the Soper and Bissell mills on the east branch, and the Seymour and Clark mills on the west branch, were able to run with water for power. All of this long since disappeared, and oftentimes now there is hardly water sufficient to water a flock of geese. The mills are dead and gone into ruin long ago.
"It is in place here to say that while Ripon had five water mills and one woolen mill in 1860, all run by the water of Silver creek, all but one have disappeared as water mills. No lumber was ever cut at that place, though Julius Eggleston at one time proposed to start a mill and bring logs from Winneconne by rail, but it was abandoned as impractical. Mills still run on the small streams in the county but they are weak. It has been said that the Phalanx had a small water mill there at one time but if so it was very short-lived.
"The following sawmills have had an existence in Fond du Lac and they appeared in about the order here given. As previously stated, there were some small water mills before the Davis mill was built but these were steam mills capable
112
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
of doing heavier work: The Colonel Davis mill, located on the bank of the river midway between Arndt and Scott streets, built in 1847 but not started until the spring of 1848. This was the first steam mill in Fond du Lac. Littlefield mill, located on the east side of the river near Johnson street, started in 1849, and burned after a year or two. The Butler mill on the west bank of the river near where the Wisconsin Central bridge is now, built in 1850, burned after two or three years' service. The Henry & McKibbin mill was in the warehouse at the foot of Arndt street, erected by E. H. Galloway in 1848, for the use of steamboats, but was never so used. T. S. Henry and John McKibbin started it in 1850 and it was the first mill in Fond du Lac to use a circular saw. It was sold to Alexander McDonald, who ran it several years. The second Littlefield mill, on the east bank of the river south of Scott street, was built in 1851, after the first Littlefield mill was destroyed. The Scribner mill, west side of the river near Johnson street, was built in 1852. The Sawyer mill, west side of the river near Scott street, was built by James Sawyer in 1853. The Leavitt mill (Hunter & Jewell, Deacon Fuller, J. Q. Griffith), on the west side of the river at Forest street bridge, where the Fond du Lac Implement Company's plant now is, was built in 1855 by Mr. Leavitt. The Asa Pierce & Leonard Bissell mill (Merryman & Hunter, D. W. Smith, E. N. Foster and Charles Chandler), is on the east bank of the river at the forks. It was built in 1854 and was the largest and strongest mill in Fond du Lac up to this time. The Galloway & Hunter mill, on the east bank of the river below Arndt street, was built in 1854 by E. H. Galloway and George Hunter. The I. K. & W. C. Hamilton mill (A. K. Hamilton) was a very active mill at Luco. It was started in 1856 and burned in 1884, was rebuilt the following year and sold to A. K. Hamilton. After two or three seasons it was again burned in an incendiary fire and the location was abandoned. The Crain mill, built in 1865, and in 1866 bought by M. D. Moore, has for many years been known as the Moore & Gallo- way mill. It has burned three times and been rebuilt. The A. K. Hamilton mill, northwest of West Division street bridge, was built in 1879 by J. Q. Griffith & Sons and bought by Mr. Hamilton in 1884, after the burning of the Luco mill. He sold it in 1891 to Mr. Curtis, who took it north, Mr. Hamilton retaining the land. The Railroad mill is below Scott street and the landing. It was built in 1857, mainly to cut hard wood for the car shops and was run but two years. The C. J. L. Meyer mill, on the marsh near the blast furnace, was built in 1868. The Moore & Galloway mill on the east bank of the river near Scott street, was built in 1866 and is the only sawmill now in Fond du Lac. The second Littlefield mill was overhauled by G. W. Sexsmith and run two seasons. He also remodeled and ran the Railroad mill. The Asa Pierce mill at the forks of the river and the Lea- vitt mill at Forest street bridge, were given overhaulings two or three times by dif- ferent parties and did fair work for a time. It is a fact, perhaps not peculiar, that all of the Fond du Lac mills were destroyed sooner or later by fire. It seems to have been their fate to burn. The mills of a later period that were rebuilt, were burned. The Meyer mill, the Moore & Galloway mill and the Steenberg factory, are of this class. The Meyer factory was on fire two or three times but escaped destruction. We can truthfully say that the Fond du Lac mills went up in smoke. A large proportion of the sawmills here named also cut shingles and lath but the following were distinct shingle mills : Littlefield mill, on the east bank of the river
113
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
near Scott street ; Beaudreau mill, east side of the river near Arndt street; Gallo- way & Hunter mill, east side of the river below Arndt street; J. W. Lusk mill, east side of the river near the forks.
"C. R. Harrison, T. S. Henry, Alexander White and a few others were recog- nized experts in mill management almost from the beginning in Fond du Lac and were identified with it almost to the end. When anything goes wrong or changes are to be made, the services of such men are a necessity, and it was fortunate for the Fond du Lac mills that they had such men to draw upon
"While the Henry & McKibbin, C. J. L. Meyer and A. K. Hamilton mills may be referred to as among the best Fond du Lac has ever had, it is doubtless true that the one until lately remaining to us was at least the equal of any of them. The last Moore & Galloway mill was built by M. D. Moore, C. A. Galloway and G. N. Mihills, under the corporate name of the Moore & Galloway Lumber Com- pany, and besides the sawmill they have a large factory where about everything is made that is needed for building purposes, whether for the modest dwelling or the most elaborate trimmings and finishing for the business structure. They also maintain three large lumberyards in this city and furnish the lumber for yards in other places.
"Besides the men above named in connection with these mills, were some finan- cially interested more or less in some of them at different times, among them A. G. Ruggles, John Bannister, S. E. Lefferts, Colonel N. Boardman, Orson Breed, B. Nightingale, J. C. Lewis, George W. Weikert and others.
"Shingle mills were invented and patented by William P. Valentine, Dr. William H. Walker, Kasson Freeman and L. Beaudreau. The Valentine machine had a wide sale and all were manufactured here by Peacock & White.
"In 1850 A. G. Ruggles became interested in the Colonel Davis mill and late in that year put in machinery for dressing lumber, but there being so much diffi- culty at that time in getting the knives of planing machines ground properly, the work was for a time abandoned and the mill closed. Later on C. R. Harrison arranged a machine to grind the knives and these and other machines were started to prepare lumber for all sorts of building purposes. These were the first plan- ing machines here and were run for several years. John Bonnell started a planing mill on West Johnson street in 1854.
"The first mills all had sash or mulay saws and the first circular saw in Fond du Lac was put into the Henry & McKibbin mill by T. S. Henry. The filing of circu- lars had to be learned by experience, and though the first ones were a quarter of an inch thick, there was much trouble with them. The idea of running a saw as thin as those of late years would have been thought foolish. The old saws with the set in them, took out about three-eighths of an inch of the log at each cut. . "In 1863 U. D. Mihills started a sawmill and a large factory in which all sorts
of lumber were prepared for building purposes, including sash, doors and blinds. This plant burned and was not rebuilt. In 1874 the Mihills Manufacturing Com- pany was formed with G. N. Mihills at the head, but its plant also burned after a time and the company was merged in the Moore & Galloway Lumber Company.
"The most successful of all our lumber firms, though passing through three fires, was the Moore & Galloway Lumber Company, started in 1866 by M. D. Moore. C. A. Galloway was the bookkeeper, but in 1868 he became a partner under the firm name of Moore, Galloway & Baker. In 1884 the firm was in- Vol. I-8
114
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
corporated under the name of Moore & Galloway Lumber Company, M. D. Moore, C. A. Galloway and G. N. Mihills being the owners. They make every sort of material for building purposes. Besides the extensive yard at the mill, the company has two large yards up town. Mr. Moore died in 1902 and his sons took his place in business.
FLOURING MILLS
"When the pioneers arrived in Fond du Lac county, among the first things inquired was, 'Where can I get grinding done to feed myself and family, and where can I get lumber to cover ourselves from the storm?' The most important thing was food, for we must remember that the situation then was very different from that of the present time. Then the farmer's own wheat and corn as a grist had to be taken to the mill and be ground by the miller ; now the grain is sold readily and there is no waiting upon the motion of the miller or for the dam to fill with water to give power to his mill. Flour, meal and feed for stock may now be had from dealers in extreme frontier towns. Our pioneers had to go to the mill ; but where was the mill? Up to 1846 it was no uncommon thing to start out with oxen and wagon for Watertown and Sheboygan Falls with grists. The late Lyman F. Stow, J. C. Wedge, Seth Sylvester, Sr., E. A. Carey and others have been over these roads for this purpose. Cheap power, except water, was many years in the future and steam engines and boilers are heavy and difficult of transportation into a new country.
"The first mill within reasonable distance of Fond du Lac, however, was one driven by steam at Ball's Corners, Calumet, built in 1843, primarily for the Brothertown people by George W. Featherstonhaugh. It was located on a small brook but the water was insufficient to drive it, so a small steam engine was obtained. The mill was of limited capacity but was in use a number of years and when it burned, mills were more numerous and it was not rebuilt.
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