History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 182

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

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Before the trains started running, Cam- eron on the "Omaha" was the nearest rail- road station. A. R. Thurston was operating stages between Barron and Cumberland, and Barron and Cameron, and carrying mail. William Bartlett was also running a stage several times daily between Barron and Cameron.

Charles S. and Jared W. Taylor. in 1884, completed a dam at the east end of the city, on the Yellow river, providing an eight-foot head of water. Two sluice ways, each twenty feet wide, and each with an eight- foot flow of water, were provided, and each equipped with a "Parker" gate, then con- sidered a marvel of ingenuity. A chute was provided for the passage through the dam

of ten or twelve million feet of pine logs which the Knapp, Stout & Co. people con- tinued to float down the Yellow river an- nually for several years thereafter.

Upon this water-power, the Barron Woolen Mills and the Barron Roller Mills were established.

The roller mills were established by Jared W. Taylor and Chas. S. Taylor, and the woolen mills by Charles S. Taylor and a few associates. Jared W. Taylor moved the Stanley mill machinery from old Cam- eron, and opened for business in the fall of 1884. The power was from a 36-inch water wheel, manufactured and patented accord- ing to the newspapers of the time, by C. C. Taylor, of Appleton, Wis., an uncle of the Taylor brothers. The mill had a daily capacity of from 75 to 100 barrels. The woolen mills started buying wool and mak- ing yarn at once, and in 1885 started full operations. The power was from a twenty- four-inch water wheel, of the same type as that in the flour mills. Later it was re- placed by a 40-inch wheel. The main build- ing was 401% by 60 feet in size, with an addi- tion of a boiler room, 16 by 20 feet. B. O. Ashdown was the first superintendent. Later an addition 40 by 80 feet was put on the main building, and three other build- ings erected.

The roller mills were operated by Jared W. Taylor until his death in 1917. The property was sold to Otto Berg in 1919. and he in turn sold to the city of Barron in 1921. The city is holding the property as a reserve water power. All outstanding in- terests in the woolen mills were gradually acquired by Charles S. Taylor, the founder, and are still owned and operated by the family.

The opening of the depot at Barron car- ried the trend of business eastward. In 1885 Telke Brothers moved to the north- west corner of La Salle and Fourth street, and the upper floor was fitted up as a hall. Smith & Conner put up a building on the northeast corner of La Salle and Fourth street. Thomas W. Parr erected a building between the jail and the Smith & Conner building, and moved his drug stock there from the general store of his father. John Quaderer and Simon Christeson put up a new Quaderer House on the southeast corner of Fifth and La Salle street. The building, moved eastward to the middle of the block, is still standing. John and De- Witt Post built a store on the northeast corner of Fifth and La Salle, and moved the hardware store there. Ed. C. Coleman and Nelson Carpenter opened a new store. Other smaller business enterprises were also started. J. F. and C. D. Coe put up an office building at the northeast corner of Third and La Salle streets. They fitted up the upper floor as a Masonic hall. In Sep- tember, 1885, the Bank of Barron was opened in this building. It was in July of this year that the Cumberland stage was discontinued, the postoffice of Price, on that route, being discontinued at the same time.

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The Barron County Shield in the summer of 1885 mentions the fact that there were then more than 100 men working on new buildings in the village. An article pub- lished on Sept. 11, 1885, says:

"Barron is a striking example of the op- portunities offered for farming, cattle rais- ing, lumber or flour mills, or other mill run by water power. With ample water power from the Yellow river, where already lum- ber, flour and woolen mills are in operation, about 150 stores and dwellings; with almost every variety of timber, as bass, birch, pine, tamarack, beech, cedar and the like, and a rich soll, growing the finest grass for cattle and giving excellent crops, it is surrounded by a rich cattle raising, farm- ing or dairying country."

At the same time, Jerome F. Coe was run- ning advertisements in various papers tell- ing of the advantages of Barron and Barron County. These advertisements set forth the conditions as they were at the time, and spoke most enthusiastically of the future. Probably at that time the advertisements seemed to be the most extravagant "boost- ing", but all the predictions as to the possi- bilities of the county have come true in a measure greater than could have been fore- seen in those days even by the men of the broadest vision.

The hardwood industry began to take on new importance. George Parr & Son con- tinued their mill with enlarged capacity. In May, 1899, the firm became merged in the Parr Manufacturing Company. The mill property was reduced to ashes Sept. 17, 1890, when the company bought the entire ma- chinery and fittings of the steam sawmill at Turtle Lake, formerly belonging to Joel Richardson and set it up near the site of the old mill. The new mill had a capacity of 40,000 feet a day, and employment is given to about 30 men. The company also pur- chased, in the spring of 1891, the shingle mill of J. W. Stone, of Turtle Lake, and erected it in close proximity to their other mill. It had a capacity of 40,000 shingles a day. The mill later passed through several hands, and on Oct. 25, 1901 was sold to the city of Barron.

In 1886, W. B. Judd erected a large saw and stave mill, having a capacity of about 40,000 a day. J. W. Mckesson put up a stave and heading factory the same year, with a daily capacity of 25,000 staves, and 10,000 headings. E. N. Stebbins, Sr., put up a stave and heading mill in 1891. It was several times demolished and rebuilt and continued business until the past decade. W. L. Morris and E. N. Stebbins, Jr., were asso- ciated in the business.

To the wood-working mills in Barron, in the nineties, came a wealth of hardwood from the surrounding region. The news- papers of the period speak of the fact that often on a bright winter morning, more than a hundred loads of hardwood logs all in one line could be counted, bound for the Barron mills. Not only did Barron get these logs, but it also became the trading center of a large territory especially to the southward.

The building of the Menomonie, Dallas &

Rice Lake branch of the "Soo," now the "Blueberry," from Barron to Ridgeland, took much trade from the city of Barron, by furnishing the farmers to the southward with convenient shipping and trading points nearer home.

But as the dairying industry increased. Barron shared in the prosperity of all the surrounding country, and it is now a grow- ing and flourishing place, with its natural advantages well developed.

Brickmaking has flourished in Barron since the early days, the various yards hav- ing been located on the Hillsdale road south of Quaderer Creek. The latest brickyard, quite a pretentious establishment, is still in existence but has not been operated for several years.

The stories of the creamery and canning industry are told in the chapter, "Modern Agriculture," in this volume.

Barron was incorporated as a city in 1887. The bill was introduced by Charles S.Taylor. At that time the county seat question was a vital one in the county. The friends of Rice Lake secured the introduction of an act in- corporating that city with four wards, thus making four members on the county board. Mr. Taylor at once rallied the friends of Barron, and was successful in securing the incorporation of Barron with a like number of wards, thus keeping the balance of power on the county board.

The first election was held April 1, 1887. and the following officers chosen: Mayor Ed. C. Coleman; aldermen and super- visors, first ward, John Quaderer; second ward, John Conner; third ward, George Parr; fourth ward, De Witt Post; clerk, Henry Olson; treasurer, J. J. Smith; asses- sor, A. M. Blodgett; justice of the peace, A. M. Blodgett. The first council meeting was held April 19, 1887. C. T. Webster was appointed marshal; and A. C. McLain, street commissioner. A little later, J. F. Coe was appointed city attorney.

The officers for 1920-21 are: Mayor, Henry Radermacher; aldermen and super- visors, C. P. Stenerson, W. F. Wichern, H. H. Dennison and J. E. Bowen; clerk, M. H. Mc- Kee; treasurer, John West; assessor, F. A. Hulbert; justice of the peace, F. B. Kinsley; marshal, Frank Burnham. M. H. McKee, the clerk, went into office in 1898, and has served almost continuously since that time.

The public water system was established in 1894 when the first mains were estab- lished. J. W. Stone was then mayor. Two large reservoirs were constructed, fed by springs. The present supply is from a well, some 424 feet deep, the water being ele- vated by two pumps, operated at the pump- ing station. The system covers the princi- pal business and residential portions of the city.

Oil street lamps were established for street lighting when Barron was but a ham- let. The city continued the system for many years. In 1898 the first electric system in Barron was established under the mayor- ship of E. N. Stebbins, Sr. A small brick building was erected on the banks of the Yellow river, arrangements made with R.

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Holliday, then the owner of the old Parr Manufacturing Co. plant, to furnish the power for the electric lights and to pump the water for the water works. A fifty-volt generator was established. At a special election held Sept. 23, 1898, it was deter- mined to install a 110 volt system, and in- augurate street lights. Oct. 4, 1898, a con- tract for pumping water and running the dynamo was let to Gillet & Soderberg, the successors to R. Holliday. Oct. 23, 1901, the city bought the mill and mill site, including the waterpower and six acres of land. The mill burned, and in 1902, the city built a temporary structure over the fiume to house the wheel and generator. New apparatus was established at that time. May 20, 1914, a contract for purchasing power was made with the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light & Power Co., and a day current established. The city now manufactures some of the current, and buys the rest from that com- pany. The present building and plant was constructed in 1918 under the mayorship of T. J. Thompson. The present cement dam was completed late in 1920. The plant is a modern one in every respect and well equipped. July 12, 1920, the city purchased the J. W. Taylor property at the east end of the city half a mile below the city plant. The new purchase includes the flour mill and waterpower of the old Barron Roller Mills.

The city hall, a brick structure on east side of Fourth street, between La Salle and Division street, was built in 1907, when J. T. Atwater was mayor. The special election for the purpose was held May 16, 1907. The building houses the fire apparatus in its lower story, while the upper story is used for council chambers. When Barron was a hamlet a volunteer fire department was established. After the city was incorporat- ed, the council voted on July 14, 1887, to organize a regular volunteer fire depart- ment, and to spend $1,500 for a hand pump engine. The appropriation was confirmed at a special election, Sept. 9. 1887. A. N. Clemans was the first chief. The first hand pump engine was a crude affair, necessi- tating the pumping of water from the creek or any convenient well. The equipment is now adequate and excellently cared for. W. Robert Reed is the present chief. The fire apparatus for some years was housed in sheds, first on rented property, and then in a small structure on the grounds of the pub- lic pound, now the city hall site. A shed was moved to the same site and converted into a lock-up. Part of the time, the county jail was also used as a detention place for city prisoners. The city council held its meetings in the C. D. Coe law office on the upper story of the old Bank of Barron building, then standing on the northeast corner of LaSalle and Third streets, but now moved north on Third street.

The city park is a beauty spot of forty acres of woodland, lying along the course of the Yellow river. It is conveniently lo- cated, and of a picturesque naturalness. Plans for its improvement have been made by a landscape artist. It is not only a place

of recreation for the people of the city, but also for travelers, a pleasant tourist camp with ample camping facilities having been provided by the city. The property was purchased from Clarence C. Coe on Oct. 14, 1918, when T. J. Thompson was mayor. The city also owns a small park of two lots, just north of the Carnegie library on Third street. The lots were purchased in 1921.

The Wayside Cemetery, a beautiful city of those who sleep, is located northeast of the city, in a place of beauty, peace and repose. The cemetery was started by the town of Barron and later taken over by the city. A plan is now being worked out by which the cemetery will be made perpetual- ly self-sustaining. The first cemetery was started west of the city od Division street, on the rise of land now being cut down, a few rods west of the tracks. Next a ceme- tery was started on the south side of La- Salle creek, near its eastern end, on the banks of Quaderer's creek. This was later abandoned, and the bodies removed to Way- side cemetery. One of the features of the Wayside cemetery is the beautiful monu- ment erected by the citizens of Barron to the heroes of the Civil War.

The first schoolhouse in Barron, as al- ready noted, was erected in 1877, and was located on Division street, east of the tracks. Margaret Clary was the first teacher. The schoolhouse was burned in 1881. In its place a building was erected on Franklin street, on the present site of the Ward school. In the fall of 1884 it was enlarged to two departments, with two teachers. Prof. Lellen S. Cheney took charge of the school in 1886. Prof. Cheney graded the school and established systematic courses. The growing number of pupils, together with the systematic grading, necessitated more room, and two of the grade rooms were housed in rented store rooms, a third teacher being employed in the fall of 1886 and a fourth in January, 1887. In 1887, Prof. Cheney started giving instruction in the first year's work of a three years' high school course. One of the two staircases of the building was boarded up and partitioned off. and a small room thus made on the second floor for the new high school.

At the end of the 1886-87 term, a deal was made for the purchase of a lot on a rise of land in the west end of the city. The sum of $400 was to be paid for the lot, and the sum of $1,500 was to be spent in construct- ing a schoolhouse. But while the deal was hanging fire, the people living toward the east end of the city became active, and at a meeting held soon thereafter it was decid- ed to purchase a lot on the south side of LaSalle street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, from John Quaderer, for $1,500. The sum of $4,000 was appropriated for a new school. A four room frame building was started. The two lower rooms were finished ready for occupancy in 1888.

The reviews in the common branches were continued and at the close of the winter term of 1888-89, the pupils of the grammar grades and the high school grades were examined, with the result that twenty-eight

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sets of papers were secured to offer to the educational authorities as a basis for the establishment of a free High school.

Prof. Cheney resigned after the close of the school work of 1888-89, and went to Madison. He took the examination papers and other documents with him and at once interviewed the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Three of the sets of examination papers presented were thrown out because they were written by non-resident pupils. The other twenty-five were passed and the school admitted to the list of free High schools with a three-year course of study. When the school entered upon its next year's work, it was a full-fledged High School, with its highest class beginning its third or senior year's work.

The first class started by Prof. Cheney was duly graduated from the three years' course in the summer of 1890. Farlin F. Wood was then the principal. The first class consisted of Noble W. Mason, Ralph Parr, Nellie Blodgett Skinner and George Wright. George Wright is dead. Noble W. Mason is a Barron business man, and the other two are living elsewhere.

Classes continued to graduate annually from the three years' course until 1894. In that year no graduation was held. The course was then changed to a four-year course, and the first class, consisting of one student, was graduated in 1895. In 1902, the High school was inspected by Prof. Cheney, then assistant professor of botany at the University of Wisconsin, and representing the faculty of that institution, and the English course duly placed on the accredited university list. Later other courses have been accredited.

As already noted, Prof. Cheney was the first principal in 1886-1889. Prof. Cheney was succeeded by Prof. Farlin F. Wood, who was in the school three years. He was followed by Professor Travis, who was here one year.

From 1893 to 1898 Prof. T. H. Lage, later county superintendent, was principal of the city schools. During the first year of this period, the second story of the old High school building was finished and fitted up for school use. The High school was moved into the east room, while the grammar grades occupied the west room. The enroll- ment of the High school at this time was 73. Prof. W. S. Freeman succeeded Prof. Lage, and superintended the workings of the school from 1898 to 1901. The High school grew very rapidly so that in 1901 an assist- ant was employed to aid the principal. The same year, the grammar grades were moved to the east room on the first floor and the room vacated by that grade was divided into two rooms, one being fitted up for a recitation room and the other for a labora- tory. On account of this change two grades were obliged to be placed in Theater hall.

This year a new brick ward school was erected near the old white building. This brick building is the present ward school.

In the autumn of 1901 Prot. O. E. Rice was employed as principal of the schools

and in 1902 Latin and German being added to the course, a second assistant was neces- sary to teach these branches. After 1903 Prof. F. H. Swenson superintended the schools and it was during his first year that the work was found to be too heavy for three teachers so a third assistant was added to the staff. By the autumn of 1904 the enrollment had increased to such an extent that the assembly room could no longer accommodate the whole High school, so the Freshmen were placed downstairs and given over to the supervision of the third assistant.

In 1906, Prof. G. M. Snodgrass became principal of the schools.

Because of the increasing need of the schools, a new High school building was be- gun in the summer of 1906, and finished the following April. This constitutes the front part of the present building.

Since then the story of the schools has been one of steady growth, fully in keep- ing with the general educational progress of the state, and the industrial progress of Barron county. The principals have been: 1909-10, Charles C. McCormick; 1910-11. Margaret Kennedy; 1911-14, H. H. Hum- phrey; 1914-18, L. L. Fulton; 1918-20, P. L. Coon; 1920 to the present time, F. T. Hansen.

At present a broad general course is given, with specialized lines in Agriculture, Domestic Science and Manual Training. Nine instructors, including the principal, are now engaged in the High school alone, and the enrollment is slightly over two hundred pupils. The faculty is composed as follows: F. T. Hansen (principal), Lucile F. Wood- bury (English), Florence Pearson (history). Maude M. Morrison (mathematics), N. C. Lippincott (science), Paul G. Singleton (his- tory and civics). Gladys Arnold (domestic science), Philip Peloquin (agriculture), Fred Short (manual training).

In the early months of 1922 an addition to the High school was completed, more than doubling its size, and making it one of the finest High school buildings in this part of the state.

The Barron Public Library had its be- ginning in 1909 under the auspices of the Men's Club, an organization of the leading business and professional men of the city. Early in the year books and papers were solicited by a house to house canvass and funds for a start raised by popular subscrip- tion. Early in April, rooms in the second floor of the old postoffice building, near the corner of Third and La Salle streets, were opened with a pile of old Youth's Com. panions, Saturday Evening Posts and Amer- ican Boy Magazines piled up in one corner and some chairs and reading tables.

Mrs. T. J. Powell was secured as librarian and the first afternoon's work for her was picking over that pile and entertaining the interested ones who came to see the new library. But books and magazines of all descriptions came fast, also traveling li- braries and a number of books donated by the state. Both city papers donated their current issues and Mrs. J. E. Bowen gave

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a year's subscription to the Youth's Com- panion. In October, the library board saw its way clear to subscribe for a few periodicals.

On July 1, 1909, the city assumed the maintenance of the library and now an annual appropriation of $700 is made for that purpose.

In January, 1912, rooms over Rader- macher's store were secured and the library moved into them.

On March 17, 1912, application was made to Andrew Carnegie for funds to build a permanent home for the library and word was received a month later that he would donate $6,500 for that purpose. Negotia- tions for suitable lots and to secure plans for the building were begun at once. A fine location at the corner of Third and Divi- sion streets at a cost of $500 was secured and work commenced on the building late in August.

In February, 1913, the building was com- pleted and the books placed in their new home.

Mrs. Powell continued as librarian until 1913. She was followed by Mrs. Isabelle Young. The present librarian, Mrs. Jose- phine (J. H.) Anderson, took the position September 1, 1920.

The chairman of the Men's Club at the time the library was projected was Clarence C. Coe; the secretary and treasurer was J. W. Soderberg. The arrangement com- mittee consisted of J. T. Atwater and M. I. Berg; the financial committee, of G. H. R. Kershaw, L. S. Cheney and W. A. McKee.

Henry Radermacher, Julius C. Rockman, Geo. Post, George R. Borum, J. E. Bowen, Mrs. J. P. McGuan, Mrs. J. H. Anderson, Mrs. K. E. Thompson, Mrs. Isabelle Young and P. L. Coon are also names which appear on the early records.

When the permanent organization was perfected November 25, 1910, Geo. Post was made president, and Geo. R. Borun, secre- tary and treasurer. Mr. Post was followed as president by John W. Soderberg, who is still serving. The present members of the board are, in addition to the two officers mentioned: J. E. Bowen, Mrs. J. P. Mc- Guan, Mrs. Josephine Anderson, Mrs. K. E. Thompson and Prof. F. T. Hansen, ex officio.

The story of the county buildings has already been told. Early meetings of the county board were held in the Quaderer headquarters. Feb. 8, 1875, the county board designated the upper floor of the Quaderer House as the courthouse. In 1876 the first courthouse was completed on the present courthouse square donated by John Quaderer. Later a small building for the register of deeds was erected in the same yard. In 1879 a jail was completed on the block north of the courthouse on lot 12, near the present postoffice. In 1891 the present jail and sheriff's residence was built. In 1901 the present sightly court- house was completed. It is a pretty build- ing, occupying a commanding site on a rise of land overlooking the principal business street. In its rear flows the limpid stream of Quaderer's creek, on the north bank of

which stands the humble frame house of John Quaderer where the official county ma- chinery was first set in motion.

The first postoffice was established in 1868. It was kept in the Johnson House, so called, on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 27, just north of the river. This house was designated by the county board as the county headquar- ters the following year and the locality is still known as "the old county seat." James Bracklin, superintendent for Knapp, Stout & Co., carried the mail to and from Me- nomonie. The postmaster was S. P. Barker, another Knapp-Stout man. In 1872, John Quaderer was appointed postmaster, and moved the office to his house on Quaderer's creek, in the present city. John Conner was appointed postmaster in 1881, and J. J. Smith was his assistant. They kept the postoffice in their store at the head of Third street, and in 1885 moved it to their new location at the northeast corner of Fourth and La Salle. Benjamin Harrison, the next postmaster, moved the office down La Salle street, to near the northwest cor- ner of Fifth and La Salle. He was fol- lowed by Jared W. Taylor, who left Mrs. Harrison in charge. J. J. Smith, the next postmaster, moved it to a building near the northeast corner of La Salle and Third, a few rods from the Bank of Barron. H. G. Ellsworth also kept it there. Fred B. Kinsley moved it to the present location. He served twelve years, then came K. E. Thompson who served four years, and then, A. J. Osborne, who held the office for six years. Lester B. West is the present post- master.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 182

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767