History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 65

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 65

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By the Constitution, adopted when the Territory became a State, in 1848, two represent- atives in Congress were provided for by dividing the State into two Congressional Districts, the First District being composed of the counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson, Racine, Wal- worth, Rock and Green ; the Second District, of Washington, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Calumet, Brown, Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Marquette, Sauk, Portage, Columbia, Dodge, Dane, Iowa, La Fayette, Grant, Richland, Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix and La Pointe. Under this authority, an election was held May 8, 1848, and William Pitt Lynde was elected member of Con- gress from the First District ; Mason C. Darling, of Fond du Lac, for the Second District. The people, therefore, then residing within the limits of Dane County, were represented in the Thir- tieth Congress by Dr. Mason C. Darling.

At the first session of the State Legislature, which continued from June 5 to August 21, 1848, the State was divided into three Congressional Districts, Dane County falling into the Second District, composed of the counties of Rock, Green, La Fayette, Grant, Dane, Iowa, Sauk, Richland, Crawford, Adams, Portage, Chippewa, La Pointe and St. Croix. This appor- tionment continued unchanged until 1861. The Second District was represented during that period as follows : Thirty-first Congress, 1849-51, Orsamus Cole; Thirty-second Congress, 1851-53, Benjamin C. Eastman ; Thirty-third Congress, 1853-55, Benjamin C. Eastman ; Thirty-fourth Congress, 1855-57, Cadwallader C. Washburn ; Thirty-fifth Congress, 1857-59, Cadwallader C. Washburn ; Thirty-sixth Congress, 1859-61, Cadwallader C. Washburn ; Thirty- seventh Congress, 1861-63, Luther Hanchett, who died November 24, 1862, and Walter D. McIndoe was elected to fill the vacancy, December 30, 1862.

At the fourteenth session of the Legislature of Wisconsin, continuing from January 9 to May 27, 1861, the State was divided into six Congressional Districts, Dane County falling into the Second District, composed of the counties of Rock, Jefferson, Dane and Columbia. For the next ten years, the Second District was represented in Congress as follows : Thirty-eighth Congress, 1863-65, Ithamar C. Sloan ; Thirty-ninth Congress, 1865-67, Ithamar C. Sloan ; Fortieth Congress, 1867-69, Benjamin F. Hopkins ; Forty-first Congress, 1869-71, Benjamin

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

F. Hopkins, who died January 1, 1870, and was succeeded, February 15 of same year, by David Atwood; Forty-second Congress, 1871-73, Gerry W. Hazleton.

The present Congressional apportionment was made at the twenty-fifth session of the Legis- lature of Wisconsin, continuing from January 10 to March 27, 1872, when the State was divided into eight districts, Dane County again falling into the Second District, composed of the counties of Jefferson, Dane, Sauk and Columbia. In the Forty-third Congress, 1873-75, the district was represented by Gerry W. Hazleton ; in the Forty-fourth, 1875-77, by Lucien B. Caswell ; in the Forty-fifth, 1877-79, by Lucien B. Caswell ; in the Forty-sixth, 1879-81, by Lucien B. Caswell.

STATE INSTITUTIONS IN DANE COUNTY.

I .- THE STATE UNIVERSITY.

This institution located in Madison, was founded upon a grant of seventy-two sections of land made by Congress to the Territory of Wisconsin. The law required the Secretary of the Treasury to set apart and reserve from sale, out of any public lands within the Territory of Wisconsin, "a quantity of land, not exceeding two entire townships, for the support of a university within the said Territory, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever ; to be located in tracts of land not less than an entire section, corresponding with any of the legal divisions into which the public lands are authorized to be surveyed."

The Territorial Legislature, at its session in 1838, passed a law incorporating the " University of the Territory of Wisconsin," locating the same at or near Madison. At the same session, a board of visitors was appointed, consisting of the following persons: The Governor and Secretary of the Territory, the Judges of the Supreme Court and the President of the University, ex-officio, and B. B. Cary, Marshal M. Strong, Byron Kilbourn, William A. Gardner, Charles R. Brush, C. C. Arndt, John Catlin, George H. Slaughter, David Brigham, John F. Schermerhorn, Will- iam W. Coryell, George Beatty, Henry L. Dodge and Augustus A. Bird. Nothing, however, was done by this board, although they legally remained in office until the organization of the State Government. In 1841, Nathaniel F. Hyde was appointed Commissioner to select the lands donated to the State for the maintenance of the university, who performed the duty assigned to him in a most acceptable manner.

Section 6 of Article X of the State Constitution provides that "provision shall be made by law for the establishment of a State University at or near the seat of government. The pro- ceeds of all lands that have been or may hereafter be granted by the United States to the State, for the support of a university, shall be and remain a perpetual fund, to be called the ' University Fund,' the interest of which shall be appropriated to the support of the State University."

Immediately upon the organization of the State government, an act was passed repealing the law establishing the " University of the Territory of Wisconsin," and incorporating the State University. A board of regents was appointed, who organized the institution by the election of John H. Lathrop, LL. D., as Chancellor, and John W. Sterling, A. M., as Professor. The first Board of Regents, consisted of the following gentlemen : A. L. Collins, E. V. Whiton, J. H. Rountree, J. T. Clark, Eleazer Root, A. H. Smith, Simeon Mills, Henry Bryan, Rufus King, Thomas W. Sutherland, Cyrus Woodman, Hiram Barber and John Bannister.

The university was formally opened by the public inauguration of Chancellor Lathrop, Jan- uary 16, 1850. A preparatory department was previously opened under the charge of J. W. Sterling, Professor of Mathematics.

In 1849, the regents purchased 157} acres for the university site. It was the northwest quarter of Section 23, in Township 7 north, of Range 9 east, in Dane County, excepting there- from a small portion which had been laid off as a part of the city of Madison.

In 1851, the north dormitory was completed and the first college classes formed. In 1854, the south dormitory was erected. These buildings were built from the income of the university fund, without any appropriation on the part of the State, and in direct violation of the act of

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY

Congress granting these lands to Wisconsin for the " support of a university," and "for no other use or purpose whatsoever."

Owing to the fact that the lands comprising the original grant had produced a fund wholly inadequate to the support of the university, in 1854 a further grant of seventy-two sections of land was made by Congress to the State for that purpose. In these two grants there were 92,160 acres of land, of which there had been sold, prior to September 30, 1876, 74,178 acres, for the net sum of $264,570.13. Of this sum there were taken $104,339.43 to pay for the build- ings, the State having previously allowed the university to anticipate its income to that amount. This unwarranted reduction of its productive fund so crippled the university that its future use- fulness was seriously impaired, if its very existence was not endangered. In 1859, the central edifice, known as the University Hall, was finished at a cost, including the necessary work for its surroundings, of over $60,000. The Secretary of State, in his annual report for 1866, sets forth the condition of the institution at that time in the following forcible language :

" Although the fact may seem startling and contrary to general impression, yet it is no less true that the State of Wisconsin has never made an appropriation of one dollar toward the sup- port of its own university. But it has nevertheless charged the university fund income with the expenses of taking care of its lands and keeping an account of its funds. By reference to the disbursements of this fund, which may be found in the several reports of the Secretary of State for years past, it will be seen that a sum amounting to over $10,000 has thus been withdrawn from a fund too small to meet the necessary expense of sustaining the institution as the credit and good name of the State demand that it should be sustained. But, in addition to this, under the provisions of Chapter 268, Laws of 1862, one-half of the university fund itself, upon the interest of which the support of the university depended, was sunk into oblivion, thus reducing the income from $18,897.70 in 1861, to $13,005.56 in 1862, and to $11,540.90 in 1863, which has since been about the average. The amount of university fund income on hand September 30, 1866, was $5,501.47. This, with $144.93 belonging to the income of the Agricultural College Fund, constitutes the whole amount at the disposal of the Regents for defraying the current expenses of the university for the year commencing October 1, 1866, and ending June 30, 1867."

In 1866, the university was completely re-organized, so as to meet the requirements of a law of Congress passed in 1862, providing for the endowment of agricultural colleges. That act granted to the several States a quantity of land equal to 30,000 acres for each Senator and Representative in Congress, by the apportionment under the census of 1860.

The lands received by Wisconsin under this act of Congress, and conferred upon the State University for the support of an agricultural college, amounted to 240,000 acres, making a total of 332,160 acres of land, donated to this State by the General Government for the endow -. ment and support of this institution. Had this magnificent grant been properly managed, it would have yielded a productive fund of at least $1,000,000. But, instead of holding these lands as a sacred trust, to be disposed of only in the interests of the university, the Legislature sacrificed to the cupidity and avarice of lobbyists and speculators this rich inheritance of the children of Wisconsin. "For the purpose of encouraging immigration," the 92,160 acres, com- prising the first two grants, were appraised so low as to come in competition with Government lands, and large tracts were bought up on speculation for $3 an acre, which would to-day bring $25. Nearly one-half the sum derived from this ruinons sale was then, in violation of the terms of the original grant, applied to the erection of buildings, which the State was under every obli- gation to furnish. The same policy, on the part of the Legislature, characterized the manage- ment of the grant for an agricultural college. These lands were located, and put upon the market, at $1.25 per acre, and the most valuable of them promptly purchased on speculation; while the lands located within this State, under the same grant by the Trustees of the New York Agricultural College, have been held at their market value, and have been sold at from $8 to $25 an acre. This serves to illustrate the manner in which the State managed the munificent funds intrusted to its guardianship for the support of its University.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Up to the time of its re-organization, the university had not received one dollar from the State, or from any municipal corporation. In pursuance of a law passed in 1866, Dane County issued bonds to the amount of $40,000, for the purchase of about 200 acres of land contiguous to the university grounds, for an experimental farm, and for the erection of suitable buildings thereon. The next winter the Legislature rendered the university partial justice, by passing a law which appropriated annually, for ten years, to the income of the university fund, $7,303.76, that being the interest upon the sum illegally taken from the fund by the law of 1862, to pay for the erection of buildings.

This appropriation dates the inauguration of a more liberal policy toward the university, which was enabled to increase its instructional force, and adapt its course more nearly to the educational wants of a progressive people. In 1870. the Legislature appropriated $50,000 for the erection of a female college. The entire cost of the structure was less than $47,000. In order to comply with the law granting lands for the support of agricultural colleges, the uni- versity was compelled to make large outlays in fitting up laboratories, and purchasing the appar- atus necessary for instruction and practical advancement in the arts immediately connected with the industrial interests of the State, a burden which the Legislature very generously shared, by making a further annual appropriation, in 1872, of $10,000, to the income of the university fund. Under these more favorable auspices, the institution rapidly grew in public favor. Its course of study met the popular demand for higher culture, and its successful management inspired confidence and gave promise of greater usefulness. In its report for 1874, the board of visitors, made up of intelligent and practical men from all parts of the State, said : . A hall of natural sciences is just now the one desideratum of the university.' 'It can never do the work it ought to do, the work the State expects it to do, without some speedily increased facilities.' The Legislature promptly responded to this demand, and at its next session appropriated $80,000 for the erection of a building for scientific purposes. It was completed in 1877, at a cost, exclu- sive of steam and water, of a little less than the amount appropriated for its construction.

In order to permanently provide for deficiencies in the university fund income, and to establish the institution upon a firm and enduring foundation, the Legislature of 1876 enacted :

" That there shall be levied and collected, for the year 1876, and annually thereafter, a State tax of one-tenth of one mill for each dollar of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of this State, and the amount so levied and collected is hereby appropriated to the university fund income, to be used as a part thereof."

This was in lieu of all other appropriations for the benefit of this fund, and all tuition fees for students in the regular classes were abolished by this act.

Organization .- The University of Wisconsin, as now organized, comprises the College of Letters and the College of Arts.

College of Letters .- This college embraces the departments of Ancient Classics, of Modern Classics, and of Law. In the department of ancient classics, the course embraces the ancient classics, mathematics, natural science, English literature and philosophy. In the depart- ment of modern classics, German and French take the place of Greek. The studies are arranged to give students a good knowledge of those languages and their literature, and to fit them to engage in the duties of instruction, or to prosecute to advantage professional studies.

The department of law was organized in 1868, and at once went into successful operation: The city of Madison furnishes superior advantages for a law school. The Circuit and District Courts of the United States, and the Circuit Court for Dane County, and Supreme Court of the State are held at Madison The law library of the State is at all times accessible to the stu- dents. Moot courts are held each week throughout the course, under the personal supervision of the Dean of the Faculty. The special work assigned students in the drafting of instru- ments is examined and criticised before the class. The method of instruction is by lectures, and examinations upon portions of text-books assigned as lessons. Doubtful questions of law are given as special topics to be carefully worked up by the student and presented to the class. A large number of the students is connected with some one of the various law offices in the city where they receive personal instruction and aid.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

College of Arts .- This college is organized under the law of 1866. It is designed to provide not only a general scientific education, but also for such a range of studies in the appli- cation of science, as to meet the wants of those who desire to fit themselves for agricultural, mechanical, commercial, or strictly scientific pursuits. The courses of study are such as to insure a sound education in the elements of science, and at the same time to give freedom in the selection of studies according to the choice of the individual student. As higher demands are made, they will be met by adding to the list of elective studies, and by the enlargement of the faculty of arts, so as to form distinct colleges, as provided for in the act of re-organization.

This college embraces the departments of general science, agriculture, civil engineering,

mechanical engineering, mining and metallurgy and military science. The department of general science embraces what is usually included in the scientific course of other colleges.

It is the design of the university to give in the department of agriculture a thorough and extensive course of scientific instruction, in which the leading studies shall be those that relate to agriculture. The instruction in this course will be given with constant reference to its prac- tical applications, and the wants of the farmer.

The university farm is used to aid this department in conducting experiments in agriculture and horticulture. Students can enter the department of agriculture, as all other departments of the university, at any time, upon examination ; can pursue such studies as they choose, and receive a certificate of attendance. The analytical laboratories are connected with this department.

The object of the department of civil engineering is to give students such instruction in the theory and practice of engineering as to fit them, after a moderate amount of work in the field, to fill the most responsible positions in the profession of the civil engineer.

The instruction in the department of mechanical engineering is comprised under three heads : First, lectures and recitations in the lecture-room ; second, exercises in the drawing-room ; third, work shop practice. A machine-shop is open for the admission of students.

In the department of mining and metallurgy, the object is to furnish instruction in those branches of science, a thorough knowledge of which is essential to the intelligent mining engineer or metallurgist. It is designed to give the student the option of making either mining, engineer- ing or metallurgy the most important part of his course, and to this end parallel courses bave been laid out.

The object of the department of military science is to fit its graduates to perform the duties of subaltern officers in the regular army.

Post-Graduate Course. - The object of this course is to secure a higher grade of scholar- ship in literature and science than it seems possible to attain within the limits necessarily pre- scribed to a four-years course. Bachelors of Art, Science and Philosophy, are admitted as candidates for appropriate degrees. They must devote two years' study under the direction of the President and Faculty, and pass a satisfactory examination. The studies are optional, but they must be selected from at least two sections, and the studies in some one section must be con- tinued during the whole course.

Astronomical Observatory .- The fourth section of the act of 1876, to permanently provide for deficiencies in the university fund income, is as follows :

"From and out of the receipts from said tax, the sum of $3,000 annually shall be set apart for astronomical work and for instruction in astronomy, to be expended under the direction of the Regents of the University of Wisconsin, so soon as a complete and well-equipped observatory shall be given the University, on its own grounds, without cost to the State: Provided, that such observatory shall be completed within three years from the passage of this act."

The astronomical observatory, the construction of which was provided for by this act, has been erected by the wise liberality of C. C. Washburn. It is a beautiful stone building. It is finely situated and well fitted for its work. Its length is eighty feet, its breadth forty-two fest and its height forty-eight feet. A spacious ante-room opens on the right into a computing-room, on the left into a transit-room, and in front into the base of the tower. Over the door to the rotunda is a marble tablet, bearing this inscription :

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

"Erected and furnished A. D. 1878. by the munificence of CADWALLADER C. WASHBURN, and by him presented to the University of Wisconsin-a tribute to General Science. In recog- nition of this gift, this tablet is inserted by the Regents of the University."

Stairs ascend from the ante-room below to the ante-room above, which opens into the dome. This contains the great telescope. Especial pains have been taken with the pier which supports the instrument and with the machinery by which the dome is revolved.

The telescope has a sixteen-inch object-glass. This size is a most desirable one for the great mass of astronomical work. It was constructed by the Clarks, at Cambridge. Prof. 1 James C. Watson is in charge of the Observatory.

On Observatory Hill, extensive improvements are in progress. Upon the east end of the Washburn Observatory an addition is being built, as large as the original building, and of a similar style of architecture. In this new structure will be Professor Watson's library and his computing instruments, while a reception-room and computing-room will be the special features. An addition of the same size and style will be projected from the west end of the observatory next year, so that by another twelve months the institution will be just three times the size originally planned. The western addition will be devoted to an extension of the transit instru- ments. A small observatory, purely for class instruction, has been erected by Professor Watson across the carriage drive, to the northeast of the main structure. The Professor desires the observatory proper, with its magnificent appointments, now on hand and being manufactured in Cambridge, Mass., for exclusive use in his planetary investigations ; hence the erection of a class observatory wholly unconnected with the principal building.

At the foot of the first hill slope, in front of the entrance to Washburn Observatory, the. Professor is erecting, at his own expense, the Watson Solar Observatory, a novelty in astronom- ical investigation. It is generally known that from the bottom of a deep well the stars can be very plainly seen at bright noonday. Upon this principle, Professor Watson is conducting his experiment. A cellar, twenty feet in depth, has been sunk below the surface of the ground, at the bottom of the slope ; over this a fine stone building is being erected. At the top of the hill, which is about sixty feet above the bottom of the cellar, powerful reflectors are to be placed, to throw rays of light down a large tube which ends in the cellar, where the observer will be stationed. This method of mirror reflection is an invention of the Professor's, pure and simple, and is the result of extended individual experiment. It is thought that by this means, which is in effect the same as gazing at the heavens through a telescope located in the bottom of a well, observations of the sun and its vicinity can be taken better than ever heretofore obtained. This experiment of Professor Watson's is entered into because of his strong desire to learn more about the inter-Mercurial planet, Vulcan, the existence of which he has no doubt of; being particularly confirmed in his opinion by an observation made two years ago, during the total eclipse of the sun. If at all successful in his experiment, the Professor will no doubt discover other planets in the neighborhood of the sun, wholly unknown to present astronomy. This experimental solar observatory is, as before stated, being built at Professor Watson's individual expense; the work on the building is being done by the day, under his own supervision. It will cost, exclusive of any instruments or internal fittings, nearly $3,000.

The addition on the east side of Washburn Observatory is being constructed under the supervision of the contractor, Mr. James Livesey.

The Magnetic Observatory .- In the year 1875, the Regents received an application from the Coast Survey Department of the United States for the erection of a magnetic observatory upon the university grounds. The proposal was accepted and the building erected.

The specific object sought to be accomplished by this magnetic observatory is a continuous and reliable record of the variations in the direction and intensity of the earth's magnetic force, by means of photographic self-registration. The instruments provided by the Government are similar to those used in Greenwich, Paris and other European localities for a like purpose. The building is adapted to the object by being located apart from all other structures, entirely under ground, and built without iron. The floor of the instrument-room is 16x18} feet in superficial

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 65

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