History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 122

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 122

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July 8, 1878, the same officers were re-elected, with the exception that Mrs. Laura H. Feuling was chosen Librarian in place of Miss Field, declining a re-election.

During the year, the duties of the Librarian having largely increased, she was authorized to employ an assistant for certain hours of the week. Upon the completion of the present rooms used by the library, and on the 1st day of January, 1879, the Board of Directors were enabled to open a reading-room in connection with the library, and placed it temporarily under charge of the Librarian, then for the first time putting into operation and life all the departments con- templated by the statute and ordinance under which the free library was organized. At the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, held on the 14th day of July, 1879, the same officers were elected for the ensuing year, and Miss Ella A. Giles was elected Librarian, Mrs. Feuling, declining a re-election, and Miss Minnie Oakley was chosen Superintendent of reading- room and Assistant Librarian.

On the 12th day of July, 1880, the officers of 1879 were re-elected.

The Board of Directors first chosen were W. F. Allen, F. H. Firmin, J. J. Suhr, J. R. Baltzell, G. P. Delaplaine, A. Sexton, A. B. Braley, J. C. Ford and H. M. Lewis. The board still remains the same, excepting that Miss Genevieve Mills was elected to Mr. Ford's place in July, 1880, serving until September following, when she resigned, and C. N. Gregory was appointed in her place.

At the present time there are over 9,000 volumes in"the library The reading-room is well furnished and lighted, and the tables are supplied with four quarterlies, one bi-monthly, ten monthlies, three semi-monthlies, and four weekly periodicals.

CALEDONIA CLUB AND ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY.

The first society of Scotchmen in the city was the Caledonia Club, organized March 26, 1874, for the purpose of perpetuating the athletic games of Scotland, and for the care of indi- gent Scotch families. The officers elected were Alexander Findlay, Chief ; Angus McDonald, Chieftain ; William J. Park, Secretary ; W. T. Leitch, Treasurer.

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During the existence of that society, several gatherings were held, and suitable prizes were offered to the best athletes, which were warmly contested for by others as well as members of the club.

In 1876, St. Andrew's Society was formed, the Caledonia Club being merged into that organization. The officers chosen were W. T. Leitch, President; Samuel Shaw, Vice Presi- dent ; W. J. Park, Secretary ; Walter Waddell, Treasurer. This, like all other St. Andrew's Societies, holds to benevolent purposes, together with the commemorating of literary and historical events of a national character. Only Scotchmen are admitted to membership.

GAS WORKS.

On the 17th of January, 1855, an act of the Legislature was approved incorporating the Madison Gas Light and Coke Company-L. J. Farwell, Simeon Mills, Julius P. Atwood, Francis G. Tibbitts, David Atwood, Henry Parkins, Samuel Marshall, N. W. Dean, B. F. Hopkins, Levi B. Vilas and David J. Powers being the incorporators, and who were constituted the first Board of Directors. The Directors, at their first meeting, elected J. P. Atwood, President, B. F. Hop- kins, Secretary, and L. J. Farwell, Treasurer. At the same meeting, held January 20, a contract was entered into with II. Parkins & Co. to erect the necessary buildings for the sum of $35,000. The work was faithfully performed, and on the 10th of July a celebration was had in the village, at which time 2,000 to 2,500 persons attended in front of the capitol. Speeches were made by M. H. Orton, W. N. Seymour, J. W. Johnson, C. Abbot, A. A. Bird and L. B. Vilas, all of whom are now dead but William N. Seymour.

The gas works were located on the low ground northeast of the capitol, on Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, of Block 131. This enterprise, in the hands of the company, did not succeed as well as had been anticipated. The works were subsequently leased by the company to B. F. Hopkins, under whose energetic and skillful management the gas was soon conducted through the principal streets of the town, and within two years there were over five miles of pipe laid, and the enterprise became a decided success.

Mr. Hopkins continued at the head of the company until the time of his death, January 1, 1870. The administrators of his estate operated the works about a year longer, when they sold out to " The Madison City Gaslight and Coke Company," which was organized January, 1871, with the following officers : M. E. Fuller, President; Timothy Brown, Secretary and Treas- urer. Directors-M. E. Fuller, H. H. Giles, C. L. Williams, B. J. Stevens, S. D. Hastings, W. F. Vilas and Timothy Brown.

These gentlemen conducted the affairs of the company until the annual meeting of January, 1880, during which time the works have been materially enlarged in capacity and improved by larger and extended street mains, additional buildings, and improved apparatus, all of the most permanent character.

At the meeting in January, 1880, the present officers were elected, and are as follows : M. E. Fuller, President ; Andrew Proudfit, Vice President ; F. G. Brown, Secretary and Treas- urer ; Mr. Timothy Brown, former Secretary and Treasurer, having died November 15, 1879.

STEAMBOATS.

The first person to introduce steam as a propelling power upon the Madison lakes was I. E. Brown. He had a small boat, but it did not "pay." The next steamer was one run by Mr. Griffin to accommodate the guests of the Lakeside House. In 1864-July 21-Francis Barnes launched upon the waters of Lake Monona a steamer-the "Scutanawbequon "-twenty-eight feet in length, eleven feet wide and drawing eighteen inches of water. This may be said to have been the pioneer of the Madison pleasure-boats. The success of this boat induced Barnes to build a new one in 1866, fifty feet long, eleven and a half feet wide, capable of carrying fifteen tons and eighty persons. The boat was made at Whitewater, and was launched on Lake Mon- ona on the 17th day of April. Barnes purchased Wood's Point, sometimes called Strawberry or Squaw Point, on Lake Monona, across from the city of Madison, and gave it the name of " Win-

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nequah," built a dance-room, with refreshment rooms, a bowling alley, and fitted up the grounds with swings, tables and seats, making it a pleasant spot for picnics. It is still a favorite place of resort for pleasure-seekers. Barnes has but one boat now running, although five have, sooner or later, been placed on the lake by him. Winnequah is a favorite place for " campers-out " dur- ing the hot month.

The first steamer built for Lake Mendota, was " The City of Madison." It had two en- gines, and was fifty-six feet long, thirteen feet beam, with a cabin 16x12 feet. It was built by E. & M. Hinrichs, and was strongly constructed. It was designed to run to the Hospital for the Insane, Picnic Point, and other points on the lake. It was launched May 15, 1867. It was run by the Hinrichs Brothers about four years. They then sold it to Casper Mayer, who ran it one summer. Then it was sold to Esco Brothers, who ran it two summers-one on Lake Mendota and the other on Lake Monona. It was then taken to Kilbourn City.

A small steamer from Lake Monona was the next one to float upon the bosom of Lake Mendota, but its career was brief, and it was sold to a party who had it transported to Devil's Lake.

The Steam Yacht " Mendota."-In 1875, E. H. Freeman, whose home was in Boston, while spending a short time in Madison, hunting and fishing, was so struck with the beauty of the city and its surrounding lakes that he resolved to return the next spring and build a steam yacht, such as is used on Eastern waters, for a public pleasure boat.

Mr. Freeman, having had many years' experience on salt water (as will be seen by a sketch of his life in another part of this work), was peculiarly fitted for this enterprise. He had also a large experience in steamboating, also in building and fitting out a number of different steam- ships. The following winter he engaged the services of D. J. Lawler, the celebrated naval and marine architect. He got out the entire frame, and sent his foreman with it to Madison. The frame was set up here, and the boat finished under the supervision of Ed McLeod, Mr. Lawler's foreman, and the result is certainly a credit to them all. The machinery was designed by Mr. Freeman and is of about double the power ordinarily used in boats of her size. This, combined with her fine model, enables her to successfully contend with the fiercest storms. Several at- tempts had previously been made to make a pleasure steamer on Lake Mendota successful, but the boats were not suitable, and therefore failed in the one principal element of safety. This steam yacht is very fast, and has never, in four seasons, missed a trip on account of the weather. She is sixty-five feet long on water-line, twelve feet beam, and is about fifty tons' burden. She was launched in the spring of 1877, and christened " Mendota," thus localizing the name of the boat and lake together. She will carry 150 passengers or more.

The next year, a large barge, 25x75, was built, which was towed around the lake when there were more passengers than the steamer could accommodate. It is also used for dancing and picnic parties-also for giving excursions to the patients of the Insane Asylum once or twice a week. For the last two years, the barge has been stationed (when not in use) at Maple Bluff-a beautiful point, making out into the lake, about three miles north of the city. This magnificent park of sixty-five acres is used as picnic grounds. It is finely shaded, and, owing to its height, is always cool and comfortable. . No one should miss the pleasure of a visit to this charming place. The view from the bluff is very fine. At one glance you see the whole of Lake Mendota, the capitol, State University, Washburn Observatory, the State Asylum for the Insane, all the beautiful residences on Terrace Hill, and the whole north side of the city. An artesian well has been drilled in the solid rock, which furnishes an abundant supply of the purest water. The water has been analyzed and pronounced equal to the celebrated capitol water in Madison. The park is fitted up with numerous swings, tables and rustic seats. The steamer makes, during the season, frequent trips to the bluff daily. She also makes regular trips to the Insane Asylum and, evenings, around the lake, following the shore line, a distance of nearly twenty miles. At the landing in Madison is a large building, 25x75, part of which is used for an office, the rest for waiting-rooms and a boat-shop. One of the most experienced boat-builders occupies the shop and builds new boats, as well as repairs old ones. In front of the boat-house

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is a boat-shed, 120x25 feet, where a number of row and fishing boats are kept; also various kinds of fishing tackle and bait, together with hunting canoes, etc. Some very fine boats have been built in this shop, notably several of solid red cedar, and many others with red cedar trimmings and gratings. In front of the boat-house is a well-laid-out park of nearly two acres, studded with shade trees and flowering shrubs.

. Among those from abroad who have enjoyed a trip around Mendota in this beautiful steamer, are President Hayes and wife, Gen. Myers (Old Probs) and a large party of noted people ; Postmaster General Key, Don Cameron and party ; Gen. Sherman, daughter and party ; Gov. Wiltz, of Louisiana, and party ; Gen. Grant and son Fred, and many others.

On the 1st day of November, 1880, Warren H. Freeman purchased the entire interest of his brother, E. H. Freeman, in the " Mendota," and all the other property of his in Madison, connected with the boating business.

The Steamboat Bay State .- This boat was built in the spring of 1876; is fifty feet long, with ten and a half feet beam, and draws twenty-two inches of water. It carries ten tons burden ; has a double hull, filled and lined with pitch ; side wheels and first-class machinery, manufactured at Fitchburg, Mass. It is a stanch little steamer, and plies between the city of Madison and Ton-ya-watha and Scheutzen Park. Its city landings are at the foot of Carroll street and North-Western depot. The boat makes connections with all daily trains. It was built and is owned by Bernard Blackmer.

HOTELS.

Madison House .- John Catlin says: "I again visited Madison [he had been there in February ], in March [1837], where I found Mr. Eben Peck drawing logs to erect a house, which was partially completed in April, and in May he removed into it. This was the first house built in Madison that any one lived in. Mr. Peck kept on adding to it until it was capacious enough to entertain comfortably the travelers and first settlers who visited Madison, and it was then a great accommodation." This, the first public inn, was called the " Madison House." Its first landlady was Mrs. Peck. In June, 1838, the house was vacated by the Pecks, and R. L. Ream took possession as landlord, and " ran " it as a public house about two years, when it was turned into a dwelling.

Madison Hotel .- In the winter and spring of 1838, the Madison Hotel was built on Block 104, and kept the first year by Charles H. Bird. The original building was a small, unpretend- ing structure, to which additions were made until it covered considerable ground. On the first of June, 1838, the first session of the Territorial Supreme Court met and organized there -- Charles Dunn, of La Fayette County, Chief Justice. In December of the same year, the Terri- torial Legislature convened, and Gov. Dodge and the leading members of that body took rooms at the Madison Hotel. Charles H. Bird was succeeded by W. W. Wyman, and after him A. A. Bird, the proprietor, took the hotel and kept it about four years. During this period of time, powerful efforts were made, at each session of the Legislature, to remove the capital from Madi- son ; and it was at this hotel that the friends of Madison made their headquarters, Bird standing the expense of looking after the wavering members; being chief in concocting schemes to defeat the removal. Any friend of Madison from abroad could obtain from Bird board, champagne and his last cent.

Bird was succeeded by Jesse A. Clark, who purchased the property, and, after keeping the 'house a short time, leased it to E. Quivey, who built an addition; and again, after him, his lessor, Clark, kept the house until the 31st of December, 1845, when he sold to Chester Bush- nell and William Welch. Bushnell sold to J. D. Welch, who, with his brother, kept the house some time, when William Welch leased his interest to H. W. Yager. Soon after P. H. Van Bergen purchased J. D. Welch's interest, and with the other Welch kept the house until 1848, when it was leased for one year to Charles Weed. He was succeeded by William Van Bergen, brother of P. H. Van Bergen. He kept the house until 1849, when P. H. Van Bergen again took the property ; and, finally, in 1853, in October, purchased the half-interest of W. Welch,

J.S. Tvang

OREGON.

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and became sole proprietor. He soon after sold to B. F. Perry. After that time it was occu- pied by numerous tenants. A gentleman by the name of Slater changed the name of the hotel to that of his own ; and then again it was occupied by a gentleman of the name of Osborn, who gave his own cognomen to the establishment. But the old building finally went down as the " Madison Hotel." At 12 o'clock, March 17, 1863, it was burned to the ground.

American Hotel .- The American Hotel was erected by James Morrison and A. A. Bird, on the corner of Pinckney street and Washington avenue, in 1838. The avenue wing of the building was originally a store located on King street. The Pinckney street, or northwest wing, was added about 1851. The building was destroyed by fire September 5, 1868. The ground upon which it was located was for a number of years in litigation. It was sold afterward, and the building known as the Park Savings Bank erected.

National Hotel .- The "National" was erected in 1841, on the corner of Main street and Washington avenue, the present site of the "Vilas House," by Zenas H. Bird. It was a two- story frame building. It had a succession of landlords until 1852, when it was purchased by E. B. Dean, Jr., and removed to Clymer street, to be used as a dwelling-house.

The Lake House .- This house was built on Lot 1, Block 270, by Carman & Barker. It was commenced in 1843, and finished and opened by them as a hotel in 1844. It was a two- story wood building, with basement kitchen and dining room. It had during its day many different occupants and owners, and at different times has been known as the Grover House, the Meredith House, and perhaps by some other names. It was finally destroyed by fire, while kept by Mr. Phillips, and bearing its original name.

Kentucky House -The Kentucky House, subsequently known as the City Hotel, was com- menced in the fall of 1843, and completed in 1845, and was situated on the corner of King and Webster streets, on Lot 9, Block 107. It was 30x45 feet, with an ell of thirty feet for dining- room and kitchen, two stories high, and would accommodate fifty or sixty persons. It was built by William M. Rasdall (who came in the spring of 1842). The house had a variety of landlords ; a Mr. McCord stayed a year and a half. He was succeeded by Mr. Rasdall, who continued it till 1849, when he went to California. He was followed by two Mr. Otts, by Penrith, Dewey, Car- ter, Van Wie and Cutter. On Mr. Rasdall's return, he kept it three years and seven months, when he was succeeded by Scollans & Tiernay. The building was destroyed by fire December 14, 1865.

City Hotel .- A one-story framed dwelling, put up on the southeast corner of Main and Pinckney streets, set back from Main street, and built by A. P. Field, Secretary of the Terri- tory, was subsequently altered to a hotel, known as the City Hotel, kept by A. A. Bird; also as a store, by S. F. Honn, J. H. Lewis and others. The house was finally taken down, and the Fairchild Block built in its place.

The Park Hotel .-. At the session of the State Legislature, held in 1870, a vigorous effort was made by the citizens of Milwaukee to remove the seat of government from Madison to Milwau- kee. Similar efforts had been made from the very first session of the Territorial Legislature in 1836. On the 19th of February (1870), a bill was introduced for this purpose, and referred to the Committee on State Affairs, which was reported back unfavorably. In the report, the com- mittee referred to the want of hotel accommodations for the large number of persons visiting the capital during the sessions of the Legislature, but saw no good reasons, after the State had expended so large an amount in the erection of the present building, to make a change. On the 28th of February, a memorial was received from the citizens of Milwaukee, making a formal tender to the State, and free occupancy of the extensive and costly buildings now in process of erection for the county court house, to be constructed in their interior arrangements under the supervision of the State; the property occupying the whole of Block 71 in the city of Mil- waukee. . To this memorial the Board of Supervisors assented.

The bill in the Assembly came up for action on the evening of March 9, in committee of the whole, when a long and exciting debate took place on the merits of the proposed removal. The bill was reported back to the Assembly, with an amendment striking out all after the enacting

cơ

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clause, when a motion was made that the bill be indefinitely postponed, which motion prevailed, the vote being fifty-five in the affirmative and thirty-one in the negative.

Soon after the adjournment of the Legislature, a meeting was called of the prominent citizens of the city to organize the " Park Hotel Company," which was chartered by an act of the Legis- lature, approved March 18. Several meetings were held, and propositions made for a site for the proposed building. The lots on the southeast corner of the State park, corner of Carroll and Main streets, were purchased of N. W. Dean, the company organized, and stock subscribed to an amount sufficient to erect the building. The work was commenced, and continued during the winter, and the house made ready for occupancy in 1871.

The location of the hotel is directly opposite the south corner of the park. The ground upon which it stands is several feet higher than that upon which the capitol is located, and is the only point commanding a view of both Lakes Mendota and Monona. Its size is 120 feet upon Carroll street, fronting the park, and 100 feet upon Main street. It is built of Milwaukee pressed brick, with trim- mings of the best of Madison stone ; is four stories high, with Mansard roof of fine finish. On nearly the entire front on Carroll street is a broad two-story verandah. This front is to the northeast, where the sun only strikes it for a few hours in the morning ; it thus renders it a pleasant place for recreation in warm weather. Upon Main street, also, a balcony runs along a portion of the building, supported with light columns or pillars. The exterior of the building presents a pleasing appearance. In the interior there is no attempt at show, but a neatness of design and execution has been attained that is quite marked.

Much attention has been bestowed upon the plan of the house, with a view to its conveni- ence. The lower, and of course the best, story is not devoted to stores or other business uses, but the entrance to the office of the hotel is upon the corner of the first story. This room is large and presents an inviting appearance to the weary traveler as he enters it; and, to add to the attractions of the first entrance, there are two gentlemen's parlors adjoining the office, to be used for writing, or for conversational purposes. The dining-rooms, large and elegant, are also upon the first floor.

In the second story are the ladies' parlors, and numerous suits of rooms designed for families, fitted up with all modern conveniencies. This arrangement prevails throughout the house. All the rooms are pleasant and conveniently arranged, and the views from the most of them are of great beauty. On the one side is had a glimpse of the lake, with a fine landscape in the distance; on the other, the park, and some of the best business streets in the city. It is doubtful whether any other hotel in Wisconsin can produce so many rooms from which such varied views are obtained as from the Park Hotel.

No expense has been spared to make the furnishing correspond fully with the elegance of the building itself, and, at the same time, afford substantial comfort to the guests. The hotel is heated by the most approved steam apparatus ; and water, both hot and cold, is distributed through every part of the house ; and, for protection against fire, hose attachments are provided on each floor.

The hotel was opened in the year 1871 by Mark H. Irish, formerly of the Queen's Hotel, Toronto, and by him successfully conducted until the expiration of his lease of five years, when A. H. West, of Detroit, Mich., secured the next lease of the hotel, which had in this short time attained a reputation second to none in the West, and managed it until his sudden death, in August, 1879.

Dr. William Jacobs, who had, in 1876, purchased the building from the company, then bought the furniture and placed the hotel under the control of P. B. Parsons, formerly proprietor of the Vilas House, by whom it has since been conducted with marked success.

Tonyawatha Spring Hotel .- This rural summer resort was erected in 1879, by the owner of the " Park," as an adjunct to the same. It occupies a commanding site upon the east shore of Lake Monona, directly opposite and in view of the city.

Surrounding it is a magnificent grove of native forest trees, and in proximity to it a fine, large spring of the purest water, called Tonyawatha (Healing Waters). The hotel is well

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furnished in every department ; has baths and all conveniences, and will accommodate 100 guests. There is a telephone communication with the city; and, through the season, a steamboat con- nects with the resort every hour during the day and evening.

The Vilas House was erected by a joint-stock company, consisting of L. G. Farwell, L. B. Vilas, G. C. Fairchild, Simeon Mills, E. B. Dean and others, and was commenced in the year 1852, and opened for business in the latter part of 1853 under the name of "Capital House," and continued thus until 1865, when L. B. Vilas purchased the entire interest of the other stockholders, and changed the name to " Vilas House."

The house is built of cream-colored cut-stone, five stories high, with the modern improve- ments. It is located in the very business center of the city ; nearest the capitol and all places of amusement. It fronts on one side upon the beautiful park surrounding the State House, and on the other, upon Monona Avenue, leading by a few steps to Lake Monona, and affording a fine view of that beautiful sheet of water.

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 122

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1304

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304