USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 28
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litigants, and the city and county attorneys working together in harness and digging deep into old musty law books, they found a hole through which to escape, and at the end of the year the city had obtained favorable decisions in most cases, escaping with no more damage than a discolored eye. From that time on, too, there was more attention paid to assessments, and on the whole, taking into account the after effect, the tax litigation did no lasting harm to the city, though it crippled it for a while.
D. L. Plumer refused to be a candidate at the end of his term, but three years later was again chosen to head the city government.
Under those circumstances there was a little chance for great improve- ments of a municipal character, but it was glory enough to have passed safely between the Scylla and Charybdis of litigation and an empty treasury. When Mr. Plumer turned city affairs over to his successor at the expiration of his first term, the taxes were collected, and the treasury was relieved from its former prostrate condition.
J. E. LEAHY.
J. E. Leahy was elected mayor in 1879 and re-elected in 1880 and 1881. His three years of service mark the beginning of a new era for Wausau. Times began to mend; the resumption of specie payment was an accomplished fact; the contraction of the currency had ceased, and the beginning of a period of expansion had set in. Business revived with advancing prices. These and other causes helped to mark the three years of Mayor Leahy's incumbency of office as a return of flush times of Wausau. In the summer of 1879 the Wis- consin Valley Railroad (now Chicago, Michigan & St. Paul) extended its line to Merrill, and the large crew of men engaged in that work were paid off at Wausau. In 1880, the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railway (now the Chicago & Northwestern) reached the city, which gave it an impetus, such as it had never enjoyed before. The Clark, Johnson & Co. saw mill (now the Barker & Stewart mill) was built in 1880 and was in full operation in 1881, and in this year was also commenced the erection of the factory of Curtis Bros. & Co. (now Curtis & Yale) and the Dunbar & McDonald mill, which burned down in July, 1885. The Murray Foundry works made a large addition to its already great establishment, and everybody was busy.
The location of the depot of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Rail- way in B. Williams' addition made it necessary to fill in the street down the hill to make it less steep and fit to haul freight over. It was an expensive work and left the road still deep enough to make hauling of freight very expensive and tiresome. The Northwestern railway felt the necessity of a different
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depot location, and when it extended its line west, it bought the property on which the freight depot is now located, and the city donated it a strip off the west side of Main street to make ample room for freight carriers and easy approach into the business part of the city. In these years was also begun the improvement of streets by planking the gutters to facilitate the surface drain- age, and the putting down of street crossings. The steam fire engine was purchased in 1880, and that was the commencement of the transition from the voluntary fire department to the paid department which, however, was not completed for several years thereafter.
In 1880 and 1881 occurred the highest floods known to the earliest set- tlers. During the summer of 1880 the railroad traffic between Wausau and Stevens Point was interrupted by the flood for two weeks, and as the high- way south was also overflowed, especially between Mosinee and Wausau, and at other places, too, and there being no other means of communication, there was for some days no communication at all with the outside world.
When the traffic was thus interrupted by the flood between Wausau and Stevens Point, it so happened that Mr. John Ringle was a delegate to the national Democratic convention at Cincinnati, Ohio, and had he waited for the flood to subside, he would have been too late for the opening of the con- vention and maybe too late altogether. Determined to be on time, he and WV. C. Silverthorn, who accompanied him, put their suit cases in a skiff and made the journey from Wausau to Stevens Point on the high, roaring Wis- consin, stopping one night at Mosinee, portaging their boat over the falls, and arriving next day in Stevens Point where they took the railroad. It was not a very pleasant trip for two gentlemen not accustomed to that sort of travel, but it was a duty which the delegate would not shirk, and his friend was patriotic enough to stay with him and share the duty and the danger.
Another flood occurred in the fall of the same year, though without doing much damage. The highest flood known on the Wisconsin up to that time occurred in the last days of September, 1881, when the river rose to a height of 1472 feet above low water mark. During this last flood the upper boom broke and sixty million feet of logs came rushing down in a heap against the big round piers on the lower divide. These piers stopped the first power- ful rush, and then the logs formed an immense jam, which helped to relieve the mighty pressure and kept the logs confined in the boom. During the night hundreds of men and all available teams were hauling rock on the guardlock to weigh it down, but in the forenoon the water overflowed the embankment from the top, which also showed leakage below. To stop the leakage and the overflow of the bank became of the utmost necessity, for had a break occurred
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between the lock and the bank, the rush of the water would have swept the lock away in an instant, and the mills and mill yards full of lumber below would have been carried away.
J .. M. Smith voluntarily directed the work of stopping the leakage and making the embankment from the guardlock to and over the railroad track. Under his intelligent and cool management it was accomplished successfully. His long and varied experience as a railroad builder was worth a great deal to the lumbermen below and to Wausau at that time. It was an exciting moment when, while a score of men were at work on the eastern portion of the lock, that work formed of timber squares and filled with rock, suddenly moved between three and four feet down stream, and while everybody was jumping for life to reach the bank expecting a breakage, it suddenly came to a stop again. The ground timbers had struck a solid rock which gave it the required force of resistance. A number of lives were saved by this timely stoppage.
The strengthening of the east wing of the guardlock by backing it against the pressure from above was undertaken by B. G. Plumer, who personally took the place of greatest danger and accomplished his purpose.
The outlet to drain the marsh had become clogged up so as to let no water flow through the culvert, and the creeks from the east side and the water from the east hill filled the low ground of the marsh to overflow, converting it into a lake, so that at Mr. Young's place on Grand avenue it overflowed the street and ran in the ravine south of the Columbia Park. It is said that some person wishing to prevent the water from rising in the marsh and overflowing the near buildings, dug a ditch across the road to facilitate the flow of water. If that was his purpose he succeeded admirably. As soon as the water began flowing it commenced to wash out and in a couple of hours it had made a tear in the street about forty feet wide and twenty-four feet deep through which the water rushed with a tremendous velocity. The house of P. B. Mckellar stood on the east side of Grand avenue some few feet from the street. The water tore a great ravine washing away the land from under- neath the house, part of which tumbled down in the ditch, and the house was substantially destroyed. The ditch so created by the washing away, served as a complete drainage of the marsh; the large quantity of sand and dirt swept into the river and created a bar, plugging the free course of the river, since which time the river changed its channel and the largest portion flows now in the two western channels of the river. Afterwards a brick sewer was laid in that ditch, intending to carry off the water to the river. The break in the street was spanned by a bridge, but afterwards sufficient ground was had
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nearby, mainly from macadamizing of Grand avenue, to fill the break in the road again when the bridge was taken up, and the street was again its original width.
There was more or less damage done to streets, but that was quickly repaired, and when Mr. Leahy turned the city over to his successor, the inju- rious effects of the flood had all disappeared. The city, too, had largely grown in population, but the growth was more marked on the west side of the river than on the east side.
Mr. Leahy was a student at the state university when the war broke out, but left school and entered the Thirty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry as a volunteer, advancing to the grade of captain of Company E before the war closed. He came to Wausau in 1866 and engaged in lumbering, operating mainly on Trappe river, until in company with M. P. Beebe he built the Leahy & Beebe saw mill in 1882 and operated it until 1890, when the partnership was dis- solved, and the mill shortly afterwards sold. It is now owned and operated by the Jacob Mortenson Lumber Company.
J. E. Leahy was elected to the state assembly in 1882 and to the senate in 1886. While engaged in lumbering there was no man more popular with his employes. He was liberal in his views, fair in the treatment of. his men and in business affairs, and clean in his private character, and these qualities, coupled with a fine education, enabled him to give the city an eminently suc- cessful administration. J. E. Leahy has always taken much interest in polit- ical affairs, and as late as 1896 was an effective campaign speaker in Marathon county, his support being eagerly sought by the contending parties. His views on the coinage question made him a supporter of William J. Bryan, and since that time he has been in sympathy with advanced progressive legis- lation without becoming a radical. Although retired from active business, he still resides here and takes great interest in everything that is of advantage to the city.
By the census of 1880 the population of Wausau was 4,272, as against 2,820 in 1875.
D. L. PLUMER.
D. L. Plumer was again elected mayor in 1882, re-elected in 1883, and much progress was made in these two years. School houses were built and enlarged, the first steel bridge built across the Wisconsin river over the falls at an expense of nearly $20,000, also the pile bridge constructed at the north end (both built in 1882), cisterns dug for fire protection, and all that without going into debt. The two sections which were added to the city on the north
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had become largely settled, as well as Dunbar's and Marquardt's additions on the west side, and those were years of great municipal activity.
Mr. Plumer was always a strong believer in the permanency of Wausau and at all times diligent in advancing its interest. With Mr. W. H. Knox and James McCrossen he founded the Wausau Lumber Company in 1879, which company erected and kept in operation its mill located at the mouth of Stinchfield creek until it burned in May, 1889.
For many years he was county surveyor of Marathon county, and as county surveyor he more than any other man became familiar with the lands and resources of Marathon county.
As early as 1866 he entered into partnership with W. C. Silverthorn, doing a brokerage business with the well known Milwaukee banking house of Marshall & Isley as co-respondent, and in 1868, with George Silverthorn as another co-partner, started out in a regular banking business under the firm name of Silverthorn & Plumer. From a small beginning it grew to quite large .dimensions, and at the request of many of the business men of Wausau, who desired to take an interest in the bank, it organized as the First National Bank of Wausau in 1880, electing D. L. Plumer as president of the bank which office he has since continuously occupied.
He is one of the pioneers, coming from his native state, New Hampshire, to Wausau in 1857, and being a civil engineer and surveyor, he soon became thoroughly familiar with the resources of the middle and northern part of Wisconsin.
As a surveyor his services were much in demand in former years, and it was he who made the first preliminary survey for the Wisconsin Central Rail- road at their urgent request, from Unity to Bayfield.
His business capacity and sound financial management as president of the bank stood the crucial test, when, by his foresight, prudence, and business tact he brought the First National Bank of Wausau successfully over the financial storms of 1893 when bank after bank tumbled down, and people pale with anxiety asked themselves day after day the question: "What next?" In these times the president, D. L. Plumer, was behind the counter day after day, meeting every caller with a pleasant smile, paying out cheerfully the time deposits called for by anxious depositors, before they were due-mostly working men and farmers-but keeping on fortifying the cash reserve, and in less than one month the panicky feeling of this class of depositors was changed to a feeling of utmost confidence, while other large banks outside of Wausau were still going down or still battling for months on the brink of destruction.
D. L. Plumer is one of Wausau's most liberal minded citizens, not only
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in ideas or words, but also when it comes to show liberality by deeds. While chief stockholder of the Wausau Gas Light and Coke Company and its presi- dent, he has twice enlarged the plant to satisfy the demand for gas for illumi- nating as well as for heating purposes, and erected a fine tasty office building for the use of the company. He sold the gas works in 1905 and has since given his entire time to the business of the First National bank. He is also president of the Northern Chief Iron Company, the mines being located on the Gogebic Range, Wisconsin.
For a period of over a quarter of a century, D. L. Plumer has served the people of Marathon county and of Wausau in many capacities, as county sur- veyor, supervisor in the county board, and as its chairman, and as member of assembly for the county, and four years as mayor of Wausau, and in every position he has conducted himself so as to reflect credit upon his constituency and honor upon himself.
He has been a consistent Democrat all his life, even while training a short time with the Greenback party. He was a regent of the University of Wis- consin from 1891 to 1895, and was elected delegate at large to the national Democratic convention at Kansas City in 1900. His residence is the finest in Wausau; the First National bank building is the largest and finest business block in Wausau, and the Gas Light and Coke Company building, erected by D. L. Plumer is another solid and tasty business building, which all give evidence of D. L. Plumer's perseverance in upbuilding the city of Wausau.
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Wausau was now growing rapidly, and with the increase of building and population arose the question of water supply for domestic purposes and for fire protection. Prior to 1884 the granting of a franchise to a private cor- poration was voted down, and in 1884 the people decided by a large affirmative vote in favor of the municipal ownership of a system of waterworks, and Mr. John Ringle was elected mayor.
JOHN RINGLE.
The construction of such a system was no small undertaking. The project was new, and opinions as to the kind of power and the source of supply were as varied as the hues of the rainbow. Nor was the council a unit on the question of city ownership. But under the instigation of the mayor the project was taken up, was thoroughly investigated and, after careful planning and reviewing fairly accurate estimates of the probable costs, bids were invited, opened, read, and the meeting of the council adjourned for two weeks without action. It did not look very rosy for the success of the project at
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that time. When the first meeting was held, Mr. Ringle was in attendance in the senate, but he hurried home and a special meeting was called, at which he presided. He was in favor of the construction and his influence helped to carry the measure through, which was done in the last days in the month of January, 1885. There were several bids, but finally the bid from the Holly Manufacturing Company at Lockport, New York, was accepted, their price being $110,500, and the contract for the construction awarded to them finally by a nearly unanimous vote.
To Mr. John Ringle's administration belongs the credit of having inaugur- ated this greatest public improvement, which is still the pride of the city. Many cities, as, for instance, Oshkosh, Appleton, Ashland, and others, gave a franchise for the construction of water works to a private corporation at about the same time that Wausau constructed its municipal works, and every one of the cities regretted ever to have allowed the sale of water to pass out of its control. If Mr. J. Ringle had done nothing else than to secure the people of Wausau the absolute control of its municipal water works, he would be entitled for that alone to the grateful remembrance of the people. The works were to be paid in bonds to the amount of $90,000 and cash $20,- 000. These works have proved a blessing to Wausau, although at this time and for some years last past, the supply has deteriorated, but the remedy has been found, a new supply provided, which will bring it back to its original purity, tastiness, and crystal clearness. This matter will be treated later under the title "water works." Not only are the rates here lower than in any other city, not excluding those who also have municipal plants, but they have brought a net surplus to the city for a number of years, which last year was $10,000 over and above operating expenses, besides giving ample fire pro- tection.
The administration also contracted for the building of the first city hall at the foot of Washington street, for $10,200, but in this price was not included the cost of the tower, which was an extra contract, after Mr. B. G. Plumer and August Kickbusch had made a gift to the city of the tower clock. There was also the contract let for lighting the city with gas in the place of kerosene lamps, at the anuunal cost of $25 per light.
The proceedings of the council also show that in the same year a saloon license was revoked by an unanimous vote of the council because of gambling, having been carried on on the premises by card sharps, who made it their busi- ness to fleece unwary visitors.
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J. Ringle declined a re-nomination, and during the summer of 1885, ac- companied by his wife, made a trip to his father's old home in Germany, visiting places of interest, and the baths at Carlsbad.
R. P. MANSON.
It fell to the lot of R. P. Manson, who was elected mayor in 1885 and re-elected in 1886, to see that the work contracted for by the previous admin- istration was faithfully executed, and while Mr. Ringle is entitled to praise for planning and contracting, to Mr. R. P. Manson belongs the credit of accomplishing it. The contract for the construction of the water works system did not include the sinking of the supply well, and that additional work added another expense of $4,500 to the entire first cost. The work of laying the mains, building of the pumping station, etc., was completed in the fall of 1885, and after a thorough test, the works were accepted. It kept the administration busy during that summer, and between the ordinary work and the extra work thrown on the mayor in this uncommonly busy season, in which not only the water works, but the first city hall was built and completed, the mayor had his head and hands occupied with city affairs. The money had to be provided, too, for payment, which was not one of the least troubles which the administration had to meet and conquer. But all difficulties were met and overcome, and at the end of his term of office, Mr. Manson has the satisfaction of seeing the city advanced as it had never advanced before in two short years. And he was hampered, too, by partisan politics creeping into the city council of a very unpleasant character. It happened that the city council in the first year of his administration was exactly equally divided, one-half belonging to one, and the other half to the other national party, with the mayor having the casting vote.
It was well for the city that he was a man too old and too wise to let little politics disturb the even tenor of his way. He mapped out a line of policy for the interests of the city, as shown by results, and he was able to carry all his measures through because he commanded the undivided support of his party friends at least, even though he was nearly always opposed by the other party until towards the latter part of the year, when the petty opposition and sparring for some supposed political or personal advantage ceased.
He was glad to relinquish the cares of the office at the end of the second term, carrying with him into private life the highest regard and esteem of the people of Wausau, irrespective of party.
R. P. Manson also belonged to the group of pioneers, coming to Wau-
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sau in the spring of 1851, being then twenty years of age, from his native state, New Hampshire. He was elected county clerk and held the office from 1858 to 1864. The court house was then a small one-story frame building (no court was ever held, only the county offices were located therein), which was moved down on Maine street, opposite the August Kickbusch second store, when the second court house building was completed, where it burned down late in the seventies, being then used as a saloon. Mr. Manson not only was county clerk, but most of the time also acted for the treasurer and some- times for the clerk of court in those days.
He was prompt in the discharge of his duties and very affable in his treatment of the many farmers who came to the court house for advice in town matters or private affairs, and the old settlers with most of whom he came in contact in his position, always held him in the highest regard for the patience and attention with which he listened to their tales, with their lim- ited knowledge of the English language, until he understood what they wanted and then made them understand him in reply. He was twice elected sheriff and once member of the assembly. He, too, took to logging and lumbering soon after he came to Wausau, and for a number of years operated a steam mill on Rib river, and in 1883 built a saw mill in the city which burned down in 1902. Mr. R. P. Manson died on the 19th day of February, 1897, being sixty-seven years of age.
He was a man of strict integrity in his business as well as private affairs; no man stood higher in the estimation of the people of Marathon county for his amiable characteristics, his candor, and goodness of heart.
Politically he adhered to the Democratic party, and to his influence was due in a large measure the united front which that party preserved decade after decade, until 1896, when new issues made a break, and led to new align- ments.
R. P. Mason belonged to the Masonic order, being a member of Forest Lodge F. and A. M., and Wausau Chapter 31, R. A. M., and St. Omer Com- mandery 19, K. T.
The census of 1885 showed the population of Wausau to be 8,810, a gain of over 4,277 over 1880, a gain of over one hundred per cent in five years.
ANTON MEHL.
Anton Mehl was elected to succeed Mr. R. P. Manson in 1887. With the exception of one year's service as alderman during the Leahy administration, this was the first office which he hield, and as a public man he was nearly an
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unknown quantity, outside of the circle of his intimate friends. Until elected to this office, he had strictly attended to his business as a dealer in boots and shoes, beginning in a small way, and working up a large trade by clean, honorable business methods. Occasionally he had assisted some particular personal friend politically, but rather in a quiet, unostentatious way. He had come to Wausau from Germany in 1872, and did not belong to the pioneer class. His acquaintance was not very large, but all his acquaintances were also his friends. There was much speculation after his election as to whether he would turn out to be a competent chief executive, and not a few persons expressed their fears that he would prove a failure. All these doubting Thom- ases were happily disappointed. Mr. Mehl took hold of city affairs with a strong hand and justified not only the high opinions of his friends, but by his open and straightforward course disarmed all adverse criticism. In the dis- charge of his duties he displayed that rugged common sense without which no success is possible.
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