USA > Wisconsin > Eau Claire County > History of Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, past and present; including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county > Part 43
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One of the finest collections of orchids in the northwest is owned in this eity. It was aceumulated by an early citizen of refined tastes and thorough eulture, Mr. F. W. Woodward, and since his decease has been owned and sustained by Dr. J. V. R. Lyman, under the assidnous care of the same gardener who was employed in its ineeption by Mr. Woodward. There are several hundred of these wonderful patrician plants, titled prinees brought from Brazilian forests, Columbian peaks or Indian jungles, but quite at home in the new environment. The Cat- tleyas, Sobralias, Stantispea, Peristeria Aelata, Dendrobium are all yielding their wealth of tropic beauty and perfume to the skilled ministrations of the gardeners. A visit to this rare col- lection is well worth a long journey.
CHAPTER XXVIII. THE CHILDREN'S HOME.
By MISS A. E. KIDDER.
In 1872 it was agreed by the Christian women of Eau Claire that the various bands of workers engaged in charitable labors throughout the city should unite and form an aid society for uplifting and aiding the needy. This was done and most efficient work was accomplished for sixteen years. The reorganization of city officers and the apportionment of poor commissioners in time made it advisable to change plans, and an "industrial school" was opened, which met with success and gained approval until January, 1889, when it was decided to close the school and establish a "children's home" for the care of children needing protection, employment and assistance until permanent homes could be secured for them. A brick building on Dodge street was rented and the home was supported by voluntary contribu- tions. On March 1, 1890, the home was incorporated and the house and lot were deeded to the association by the generous owner, the late Sigvald Qvale. The incorporators were Mrs. Daniel Shaw, Mrs. D. W. Day and Mrs. J. E. Cass. The first officers were: President, Mrs. Daniel Shaw ; vice-presidents, Mrs. D. R. Moon and Mrs. Jane Rust ; secretary, Mrs. J. E. Cass ; treas- urer, Mrs. C. M. Buffington. The president felt the need of a larger building, and in June, 1891, she donated for that purpose a tract of five acres of land in the rear of her own residence and beautifully situated, but it has not yet seemed best to build thereon.
The management, conducted by a board of directors composed of twenty-four of the representative women of Eau Claire, is based on business principles and has proved its right to an honor- able place by the practical work of its teaching and care of the children. The community has been most liberal with work, gifts and interests. In the twenty-five years of its existence this asso- ciation has furnished three hundred and seventy-two destitute children with a happy, healthful, well equipped home and an opportunity to develop in such manner as to be fitted for the
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places open to them in due season. Twenty-seven of these have been adopted into permanent homes; a number have been kept, educated in the public schools, tactfully guided and enabled to find places where they could earn their own living and gain a worthy position in the world, but the greater number have been returned to parents when improved conditions in the home have admitted of this, or in many cases have been taken by other relatives who were able to care for them. The directors of the board, and the warm hearted supporters of the work have abundant reward in the saying of the King: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me."
CHAPTER XXIX. EAU CLAIRE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
By MISS A. E. KIDDER.
The first public library and reading room was established in June, 1875. The president of the association was H. C. Howland; vice-president, Rev. J. F. Dudley ; secretary, F. W. Woodward. A large room in the rear of the postoffice, which was then in Putnam block on Grand avenue, was secured and eighteen hun- dred dollars was raised by subscription. The room was furnished, one hundred volumes were donated and Miss Jessie Hoyt was chosen librarian. An entertainment was given by the Mendels- sohn quartette to aid the fund and citizens were liberal with money and gifts of books. This place was rented until April, 1894, when Mr. O. H. Ingram gave the use free of charge of a spacious room in the Ingram block, corner of Grand avenue and Farwell streets, and Mrs. Sears was elected librarian, with Miss Hoyt as assistant. Miss Sutermeister succeeded in 1895 and in 1896 Miss E. D. Biscoe. The librarians in charge sinee that time have been Miss Durtin, Miss Hawkins, Miss Mary A. Smith, Mrs. B. S. Cronk and the present ineumbent, Miss Laura M. Olsen. In 1904 Andrew Carnegie gave the eity forty thousand dollars to erect a library building. A site on the corner of east Grand avenue and Farwell street was chosen and purchased for seven thousand dollars, a large part of which was donated by leading citizens. The building is of Bedford stone, blue for steps and lower wall courses, and buff for the remainder; an auditorium in the basement has a seating capacity of four hundred. Five thousand dollars was appropriated by the eity for library main- tenance yearly, and since 1911 the sum has been raised to six thousand dollars. The librarian has four assistants and the service is excellent in all respects. A large room is beautifully furnished and equipped for the use of children, and is in nearly constant use by them on Saturdays and out-of-school hours. The library is open daily from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. and the reading rooms also on Sundays from 2:30 to 6 p. m. The number of volumes is 22,610; the circulation for the past year 80,198. The library has
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deposit stations in the Fourth and Tenth wards of the city. The officers of the library board are: President, W. K. Coffin; vice- president, M. S. Frawley ; secretary, William W. Bartlett, assisted by eight directors.
Eau Claire was the first city in Wisconsin next to Milwaukee to place trained librarians in charge of its free circulating library, and for years was one of the two in Wisconsin best administered. The shelves contained many rare and curious books, pamphlets and papers contributed by friends. The average increase yearly is 900 volumes, many having been added to the department of useful arts. The reference room has steadily grown in demand, and is used by from one hundred to one hundred and fifty per- sons daily. The reading room is well patronized, fifty-nine monthly periodicals are taken, thirty-eight weeklies and fourteen dailies. A few shelves of Tabard Inn books are a supplement to the fiction department.
CHAPTER XXX.
POSTOFFICE.
When the territory of Wisconsin became a state, in 1848, the whole Chippewa Valley was without roads, mails or any regular communication with the outside world. It was not long, how- ever, before the legislature made an appropriation to lay out and open a road from Prairie du Chien, via Viroqua, Black River Falls and Eau Claire to Hudson. During the fall and winter of 1849-50 Judge Knowlton, who had the contract for performing the work, had so far succeeded in making the road passable that Congress early in the fifties established a mail route over it, with a postoffice at Eau Claire. George W. Randall was the first post- master and his office was called the Clear Water postoffice. His successor was J. J. Gage, who kept the office in a store on a thor- oughfare later known as Eau Claire street, just east of where the city clerk's office stood in 1892. He was succeeded by Henry Huntington when the office was removed to the location later occupied by Hart's Hotel. The ground was then occupied by the store of Shaw & Huntington. The latter held the office from 1857 to 1859, when he was followed by Peter Wychoff, who removed the office to the corner of Barstow and Gibson streets. His term of office was for two years, from 1859 to 1861, when owing to a change of administration John T. Tinker was appointed his successor. Under his administration the postoffice was located on Barstow street, near where Tabor Thompson's drug store was later sitnated. In 1863 Mr. Tinker assisted in organizing a com- pany for the Sixteenth Wisconsin regiment, for which he received a commission as first lieutenant. He went south in the fall of that vear and appointed as his substitute in the postmastership Robert Cobban.
The question arose as to whether a man could hold two gov- ernment commissions at the same time. In the end Stephen Marston became the postmaster of Ean Claire in the place of Mr. Tinker, and held that office from 1863 to 1871. During the absence of the latter from the village and before Mr. Marston's appointment the postoffice was destroyed by fire. It was after- ward removed to the latter's store on the corner of Barstow and Main streets, and ultimately to the Music Hall bloek on the
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former street. It was finally taken to the corner of River and Kelsey streets January 6, 1875, where, in 1877, a substantial briek block was built. Mr. Marston's successors were: E. S. Chase, four years to 1875; James M. Brackett, 1875 to 1886; Charles R. Gleason, 1886 to 1888; H. P. Graham, 1888 to 1890, when W. W. Winterbotham was appointed his sueeessor. Mr. Winterbotham held the office for one term of four years and was succeeded by E. Horan, who removed the office to the Drummond building, after which he served one term of four years, being sue- eeeded by G. W. Smith, who removed the postoffice to the corner of River and Gibson streets. Mr. Smith held offiee until March 31, 1907. On February 12, 1907, Earle S. Weleh was appointed postmaster, but did not assume the duties of the office until April 1, 1907. On the 27th of April, 1911, Mr. Weleh was reappointed, without opposition, for four years and at the date of this writing is still holding the position. On the 29th of June, 1909, under the administration of Postmaster Earle S. Weleh the postoffice at Eau Claire was removed from its rented quarters at the corner of River and Gibson streets to its present palatial home, which occupies one entire block of ground bounded on the north by Gray street, on the east by Barstow street, on the south by Jones street and on the west by River street, a total of 8571/2 feet front- age. Under the direction of Postmaster Weleh, who in the year of 1909 had been by the treasury department appointed eusto- dian of the publie property in Eau Claire, the grounds surround- ing the United States court house and postoffice building have been beautifully decorated with shrubs and trees, so that it may be said a handsomer federal site is not to be found in the nation. The eost, in round figures, of this building, ineluding the grounds, fixtures, ete., amounted to $180,000. Each year, usually in the month of June, the department of justice for the Western Dis- trict of Wisconsin, holds its annual court session at Eau Claire in this building, and it is declared by federal officials competent to judge that a more attractive, complete or up-to-date structure of its kind is not in existenee.
The Eau Claire postoffice was made a money order office July 1, 1865, and the first order was issued to Alexander Kempt. The money order business for 1890 amounted to $20,682.63. It was made a free delivery office in 1884, and in 1892 had eight carriers and sixty-three street letter boxes. The letters mailed in 1890 numbered 802,580, with 114,232 postal cards and 356,522 pieces of second, third and fourth elass matter ; registered letters mailed, 2,436. The letters received for delivery during the same period
FOURNIER'S AUDITORIUM
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numbered 398,818; postal cards, 110,278; and second, third and fourth class matter, 695,197.
The growth of the postal business in its various channels has been marked in Eau Claire through the fact that the money order business has increased from about $20,000 in 1890 to an annual figure representing in all its detail $1,199,221.60, which is the result shown in this connection from figures compiled by Post- master Welch at the close of business, December 31, 1912. The postal sales at this office in 1907 were a trifle over $40,000, while at the close of business in 1912 the sales for that year reached over $66,000. The total number of registered pieces in 1892 was 2,436, while in 1912 this increased to 7,502. In 1892 there were eight city carriers and this number was increased from time to time until 1912, when fifteen city carriers were required. In 1900 a rural free delivery service was established at Eau Claire, and from time to time this was extended and now six routes emanate from this postoffice. In September, 1911, the postal sav- ings system became operative at Eau Claire and has proven a success. In January, 1913, the parcel post system was established throughout the United States and this necessitated the employ- ment of one extra city carrier in the Eau Claire office, who works exclusively in delivery of this class of mail matter. The business at this postoffice increased to such an extent that it became neces- sary to employ a superintendent of mails, and this position was created in Eau Claire on July 1, 1913. There are at this writing employed in this postoffice, all told, forty-five men, three of whom are employed in the custodian force, forty-two of this number being employed exclusively in postal work. The administrative work in connection with the United States court house and post- office at this city is conducted at this writing by Earle S. Welch, postmaster-custodian; Peter J. Smith, assistant postmaster; Arthur A. Jost, superintendent of mails, and G. A. Weizenegger, superintendent of postal savings system.
CHAPTER XXXI. SOCIETIES AND CLUBS.
EAU CLAIRE WOMAN'S CLUB.
By
MISS A. E. KIDDER.
This club was organized October 31, 1895, with the object, as stated in the articles of incorporation, "Of creating an organized center of thought and action among women and for the promotion of social, educational, literary and artistic growth, and whatever relates to the best interests of the city." The charter members were Fannie M. D. Galloway, Elizabeth N. Day, Bessie W. Doo- little, Ida May Hill Starr, Fannie E. Buffington, Annette J. Shaw, Belle F. Cutler, Cordelia M. Allen, Augusta E. Kidder, Sara W. Holm and Mary O. M. Walmsley. The membership the first year was fifty-four, and it has increased steadily until it numbers now in 1914 over 240. The club was federated with the state organi- zation in 1896 and with general organization in the same year. There are five departments for work in special lines, viz .: Art, literature, modern drama, public welfare and travel, each depart- ment conducted by a leader chosen annually by ballot. In addi- tion to its efforts for intellectual esthetic and moral development the club has proved its interest in civic improvement on many practical lines.
"The Associated Charities," organized by the club in 1896, is given financial aid each year, and its anti-tuberculosis com- mittee, composed of men and women, has been aided by mem- bers in the club so signally as to merit special mention. In order to secure the Eau Claire County Sanitarium for the treatment of advanced cases of tuberculosis the committee pledged itself to purchase a site. Over twelve hundred dollars were raised by subscription, and the admirable nine-acre site at Shawtown, Mt. Washington, was bought and deeded to the county. The com- mittec also raised fifteen hundred dollars for furnishings and equipment. For five years the club has responded to the request of the Wisconsin Anti-Tuberculosis Association, and has cach year conducted a sale of the Red Cross stamp for the support of the state and city work.
A juvenile court committee is appointed by the club to assist
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in the work through volunteer probation service and through plans for the convention of delinquency among children. This committee comprises also prominent men of the community who are willing to give time and thought to the cause.
The traveling libraries owned by the club for a number of years were given in 1908 to the county of Eau Claire to form the nucleus of the county traveling library system. A case of books is still kept at the rest rooms, and these books are loaned to visitors to the rooms. In July, 1899, public rest rooms were estab- lished in the city under the auspices of the Woman's Club. These rooms not only afford a pleasant place where people from out of town may rest, eat luncheon and exchange ideas, but they also tend to establish a closer relationship between the dwellers in the country and those in the city. In addition to the circulating library in the rooms, quantities of magazines and other reading matter contributed by the women of the city are sent into the country. The use of the rooms is free, the expense being met by the business men of the city, together with an annual appro- priation from the club and occasional contributions from the country districts. The matron's register shows the average num- ber of daily visitors to exceed forty. Besides these matters of vital importance to the welfare of our city, others not less urgent are receiving earnest consideration and practical aid. The club contributes yearly a liberal sum to the salary of the visiting house- keeper, lectures, social center work in the schools and other kindred subjects, and is cordially recognized by the Civic and Commerce Association of Eau Claire as a valuable aid in its cam- paign for righteous living and loyalty to the best in all things, with a full recognition of human interests everywhere and a prime motive expressed in the club motto, "Come let us help one another."
The following is the list of the presidents of the club since its organization : Mrs. W. K. Galloway, Mrs. Elizabeth N. Day, Mrs. M. S. Frawley, Mrs. L. A. Doolittle, Mrs. E. S. Clark, Mrs. Mary D. FitzGerald, Mrs. D. R. Davis, Mrs. H. E. Lamb, Mrs. A. H. Shoemaker, Mrs. W. K. Coffin and Mrs. David Drummond.
THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF EAU CLAIRE.
The Eau Claire Philharmonic Society was established in 1911 by a few enthusiastic spirits whose love for the best in music was inspired and urged on by an indomitable spirit which yielded to no obstacle and overcame all difficulties. They have seen their
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efforts crowned with success, for the society now boasts of a chorus of one hundred, an orchestra of thirty, a conductor of acknowledged ability and the best of financial credit, resting as it does upon a foundation composed of the very best citizens, whose faith and appreciation are proven by generous yearly donations. The objects of the society are first to educate the tastes of the young people of the city through practice and studies under a competent conductor in the best music. Second to give the public the benefit of this study through public musicals and yearly festivals, and third, to bring to our city better musical attractions and musicians than would come were there no such society here. These hopes have been realized even in the brief life of the society thus far, and the future will develop this prediction with a great certainty of achievement. Three annual May festivals have been held and these have become a yearly event, looked forward to with keenest anticipation and attended by the citizens of this and surrounding cities with every evidence of thorough appreciation.
The greatest material benefit aside from the bringing of musicians to our city of a higher grade in rank than might other- wise come is in the musical advantages given our young people and the incentive given for the higher and better things in the world of music. The outlook for the future of the society is most encouraging, its members will be recruited from the many schools of the city, and a large, permanent membership is assured. The ordinary citizen is slow to awake to a realization of the advan- tages and benefits from the best music and a musical education, but those awake to these things realize the immense importance of this society to our city, both from a civic and a social stand- point. It furnishes an outlet for the superabundant life of our young people, and is a constant uplift to a higher plane of life and living. The officers of the society are: F. H. Graham, presi- dent; C. Midelfart, vice-president; Mildred Henry, secretary ; R. Westlund, treasurer, and Edwin Howard, conductor. The directors are F. H. Graham, C. Midelfart, Rev. II. M. Thompson and C. W. Lockwood.
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
MASONIC. Eau Claire Lodge, No. 112, F. & A. M. Meets the second and fourth Fridays in Masonic Hall.
Eau Claire Chapter, No. 36, R. A. M. Meets the first Friday at Masonie Temple.
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SOCIETIES AND CLUBS
Eau Claire Commandery, No. 8. Meets third Friday at Masonic Temple.
Eau Claire Chapter, No. 126, Order of Eastern Star. Meets second and fourth Mondays at Masonie Temple.
BEAVERS. Colony No. 538. Meets first and third Fridays at Odd Fellows' Hall.
B'NAI BRITHI. Chippewa Valley Lodge, No. 334. Meets third Sunday at Pythian Ilall.
BROTHERHOOD OF AMERICAN YEOMEN. Meets the see- ond and fourth Thursdays at Odd Fellows' Ilall.
CATHOLIC KNIGIITS OF WISCONSIN. St. Joseph's Branch, No. 8. Meets second Tuesday of each month at Tomashek Hall.
St. Aloysius Braneh, No. 160. Meets third Tuesday of each month at Saered Ileart of Jesus' Sehool Hall.
Degree of Honor, Eau Claire Lodge, No. 1.
EAGLES. Eau Claire Aerie, No. 129. Meets every Friday night at Eagle Hall.
BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS, No. 402. Meets first and third Tuesday at Ean Claire Auditorium.
EQUITABLE FRATERNAL UNION. Meets third Tuesday at No. 2 South Barstow street. Ean Claire Assembly, No. 117.
CATHOLIC ORDER OF FORESTERS. St. Anne's Court, No. 195. Meets first and fourth Monday in Pythian IIall.
St. Mary's Court, No. 537. Meets first and third Tuesday at K. C. Ilall.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF FORESTERS. Eau Claire Court, No. 907. Meets first and third Monday in I. S. W. E. Hall.
FRATERNAL RESERVE ASSOCIATION. Eau Claire Coun- eil, No. 26. Meets seeond and fourth Tuesdays at Pythian Hall.
GRAND ARMY OF TIIE REPUBLIC. Eagle Post, No. 52. Meets every Wednesday at G. A. R. IIall.
Eagle Corps, No. 20. Meets every Wednesday at 2:30 p. m. at G. A. R. Hall.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS. Eau Claire Lodge, No. 140. Meets every Tuesday at I. O. O. F. Hall.
Frieden Lodge, No. 254. Meets Thursdays at 208 Eau Claire. Morgenstern Lodge, No. 91. Meets second and fourth Friday at Frieden Hall.
Myrtle Rebecca Lodge, No. 76. Meets first and third Mondays at I. O. O. F. Hall.
INDEPENDENT SCANDINAVIAN WORKINGMEN'S AS- SOCIATION, Grand Lodge.
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HISTORY OF EAU CLAIRE COUNTY
Norden Lodge, No. 1. Meets second and fourth Friday at Union Savings Bank building.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. Eau Claire Council, No. 1257. Meets second and fourth Tuesday at Chappel Hall.
KNIGHTS AND LADIES OF TIIE MACCABEES. Eau Claire Tent, No. 93. Meets second and fourth Fridays in K. of P. Hall.
Eau Claire Hive, No. 31. Meets second and fourth Monday at K. of P. Hall.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. Odin Lodge, No. 43. Meets every Thursday in Lay Cocks Hall.
Germania Lodge, No. 49. Meets every Wednesday at Pythian Hall.
JOHN BARR GLEN DIVISION, NO. 10, UNIFORMED RANK. Meets first Friday at Pythian Castle.
Sunshine Temple, No. 11, Pythian Sisters. Meets second and fourth Thursdays. Minerva Temple, No. 12, Pythian Sisters.
MODERN BROTHERHOOD OF AMERICA. Eau Claire Lodge, No. 1365. Meets first and third Thursday at I. O. O. F. Hall.
MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA. Eau Claire Camp, No. 475. Meets every Thursday at Pythian Hall.
Security Camp, No. 537. Meets in K. of P. IIall.
MYSTIC WORKERS OF THE WORLD. Eau Claire Lodge, No. 445. Meets first and third Friday at K. of P. Hall.
NATIONAL UNION. Old Abe Council, No. 226. Meets sec- ond and fourth Wednesday at 208 S. Barstow.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF RED MEN. Win-ta-ka Tribe, No. 13. Meets first and second Monday at K. of P. Hall.
ROYAL ARCANUM. Eau Claire Council, No. 1004.
ROYAL NEIGHBORS. Rebb Camp, No. 665.
UNITED ORDER OF FORESTERS. Court Eau Claire, No. 67.
UNITED SPANISH WAR VETERANS. Camp Eau Claire, No. 27.
WOODMEN OF THE WORLD. Eagle Camp, No. 54.
MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. Associated Charities.
Catholic Relief Benefit Association.
Eau Claire Chapter, A. I. B.
Eau Claire Country Club.
Eau Claire County Bar Association.
Eau Claire County Old Settlers' Association.
Eau Claire County Verband.
Eau Claire Driving and Athletic Association.
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Eau Claire Rod and Gun Club.
Eau Claire Visiting Nurse Association.
Eau Claire Women's Club. Francis Willard Union.
German Singing Society. Jolly Bowling Club.
Literary Round Table.
Rawena Circle.
Masonic Lodge. The initial steps for the institution of Eau Claire Lodge, No. 112, F. & A. M., were taken by W. P. Bartlett, H. C. Putnam, D. R. Moon, L. B. Foote, H. P. Graham, William Mosher and George Mulks, in the fall of 1857. A dispensation was granted in December to L. B. Foote as W. M., D. R. Moon as S. W. and W. P. Bartlett as J. W., and the lodge was instituted on March 26, 1859. The charter was received on June 14 and the first officers under it were as follows: L. B. Foote, W. M .; D. R. Moon, S. W .; W. P. Bartlett, J. W .; H. C. Putnam, treas- urer; Thomas C. Spencer, secretary ; B. F. Cowen, S. D .; Charles P. Mosher, J. D .; Charles Pringle, tyler.
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