USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 43
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the shining expanse of the lake beyond, with Rib mountain an impressive background. There is no finer view in the state, especially at sunset. The club has now over one hundred resident and several nonresident members. Besides affording an opportunity for the enjoyment of golf, tennis, boating and trap shooting, the club also supplies a most delightful means for social events of various kinds during the season, and altogether is as much a woman's as it is a man's club.
After the clubhouse was completed and the grounds had been put in shape, the interest in golf, which had been confined to a few members, began to grow and now there are over fifty men on the list of golfers, and nearly half as many ladies.
Some of the beginners were astonished as to the elusiveness of the little white ball. On one occasion three well-known lumbermen of Wausau attacked the game together, each prepared to drive the ball a mile. The first two managed to get a drive of a few yards, each taking a chunk of sod with the ball. The third made four strikes without hitting the ball and was then declared out by his companions, who compelled him to act as caddie thereafter.
The water hazards have lived up to their name. During the season a small boy is kept in a boat on the lagoon to pick up the balls that are driven into the water. One player achieved the record of driving nine balls in suc- cession into the water hazard.
The officers of the Country Club are: President, Louis A. Pradt; vice- president, Walter Alexander; secretary, M. B. Rosenberry; treasurer, Philip V. O. Van Vechten. Board of directors : Louis A. Pradt, Charles J. Winton, Franklin E. Bump.
THE CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE
of Wausau is a voluntary association of ladies and gentlemen whose aim is to make for a clean, healthy and more beautiful city. They interest simi- larly disposed people with them; they collect small donations, such as people are willing to give, and spend this money for such purposes. The society is entirely voluntary and patriotic, giving their time and money without com- pensation. The effect of their good work, unpretentious as it is, is getting felt more and more every year.
The president of the society is Charles E. Turner ; secretary and treasurer is Miss Dunbar.
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CHAPTER XXX.
Sports-Horse Racing-Shooting-Turn Societies-Base Ball, etc.
Wausau is a city where sport in the best sense of the word, as an amuse- ment or recreation, and as part of the physical culture is fostered and has its adherents by the hundreds or thousands. In early years, when the population was small and the village scattered through the woods, there was of course no chance for sport. Work was too exacting to leave much desire for play : rest was the greatest enjoyment, no doubt heightened by occasional visits or evening talks, with a dance or two in a year thrown in as the height of social pleasure.
HORSE RACING.
The first sport indulged in was horse racing. After a part of the fair grounds was cleared, a race course was laid, where it still exists, cleared of logs and stumps and somewhat smoothed, of course not rolled, and in Sep- tember, 1868, the people were treated to a gentlemen's horse race, the first ever held in Marathon county. It was a running race between W. D. Mc- Indoe's filly and August Kickbusch's colt Prince, Otto Kickbusch being the rider. There was no grandstand, no grandstand play, no entrance fee charged, no purse except the wager of the two owners themselves. It was won by McIndoe's filly after an exciting race.
In a few years afterwards a "Driving Park Association" was formed, all Wausau people, which gave many trials of speed, the races being trotting races almost exclusively. The Driving Park Association was not very pros- perous, and when, with county fairs and premiums for speed, better or faster horses, whose owners made it a business to go to fairs, appeared, the Driving Park Association disappeared.
SHARPSHOOTERS' SOCIETY.
A "Sharpshooters' Society" was organized, that is, without much of an organization some lovers of the sport secured a place where to shoot, and
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practiced; August Engel may be considered the founder of this club, with John Ringle and Gustav Mueller a close second.
TURN SOCIETY.
Next a "Turn Society" was formed with John C. Gebhard as principal organizer, and in 1887 the State Turn Festival was held here, the first of a state meeting of any kind.
MILITIA COMPANY.
A militia company, named the "Germania Guard," was formed about that time, with Captain Rehlitz as first captain. This company disbanded near the year 1890.
In the decade from 1880 to 1890 base ball began to be played by volun- teers, young business and professional men, and the game was then quickly picked up by Young Wausau.
With the growth of the population, the establishment of the high school and high school scholars, came basket ball, foot ball, and the last sport indulged in was golf.
In the last twelve years the high school of Wausau had its regular tourna- ment with the schools as far south as Oshkosh, and they always had an hon- orable place. The game which had the greatest adherents, however, was
BASE BALL,
which has become an established institution in Wausau. It has a park in the city limits easy of approach by the street railway line on the northeast side. This city has been a member of interstate league, the "Wisconsin-Illinois League," since 1904, which league is composed of the following cities : Wausau, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, La Crosse, Beloit, Madison and Freeport. In the following year Beloit dropped out of the league and Eau Claire was substituted.
The Wausau players, nick-named "Lumber Jacks," took the pennant in 1908, and won second place in 1907, much to the disgust of other clubs, because Wausau was much smaller than the other cities in this league, and in the year 1909 Wausau was dropped from this league, and Appleton admit- ted in its place. It has always been claimed by the "fans" that it was thrown out for its supposed presumption to play good ball and win the pennant against cities twice its size.
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Not discomfited by this treatment, Wausau entered the Minnesota- Wisconsin League from 1909 to 1911, playing with Eau Claire, Red Wing, La Crosse, Rochester, Duluth, Superior City, and Winona, again playing good ball and keeping in the first division.
In 1912 it again took its place in the Wisconsin-Illinois League, consisting of Green Bay, Appleton, Beloit, Aurora, Madison, Racine and Oshkosh, with good chances for first or second place, when three members of the team were injured in a railroad wreck at Lyndhurst, when only twelve more games were to be played, which virtually broke up the team work for the season. The club has already organized and will take a good record in 1913.
THE WAUSAU SCHUETZEN VEREIN (SHARPSHOOTERS' SOCIETY).
This society existed a long time as a voluntary association, but elected officers regularly since 1873. It incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin in 1903. It is a member of the Wisconsin Union since its existence and a member of the Central Union since 1895. It has a long lease for twenty acres land joining the fair grounds, where it has its shooting cottage, a fine building, ten targets, and the land not used for practice is a fine park, where people hold their picnics in the summer. This society is distinguished for the utmost harmony which prevails and the friendship between its individual members.
FIRST PRIZES WON BY WAUSAU MEN IN COMPETITION AT STATE AND UNITED STATES TOURNAMENTS.
At the international competitive drill of all the militia companies at Chicago, Illinois, in 1888, Company G, Third Regiment, Wisconsin National Guard, the Wausau Company, commanded at that time by Captain Womer, won first prize as the best drilled militia company in the United States. Private Edw. Fitzgerald of the same company won first prize as the best drilled militia private.
SHARPSHOOTERS' (SCHUETZEN VEREIN ) SOCIETY PRIZES.
In the competitive shooting festivals between all the societies in the state, the following first prizes were won by Wausau men :
First prize, King's target ; Green Bay, 1888, Gustav Mueller. First prize, King's target ; Green Bay, 1894, Frank Mathie.
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First prize, Union target; Green Bay, 1894, Gustav Mueller. First prize, Wisconsin target ; Monticello, 1902. Otto Mathie.
STATE SHOOTING MATCH.
First prize, Champion target ; Milwaukee, 1904, Otto Mueller.
First prize, Stich target ; Milwaukee, 1904; Alb. Lipinski. First prize, Stich target ; La Crosse, 1906, Otto Mathie. First prize, Honor target ; New Glarus, 1908, Paul Weinkauf. First prize, New Glarus target ; New Glarus, 1908, Otto Mathie. First prize, Honor target ; Wausau, 1910, Otto Mueller.
First prize, People's target ; Wausau, 1910, Paul Weinkauf.
First prize, Stich target ; Wausau, 1910, Otto Mathie.
THE CENTRAL SHARPSHOOTERS' UNION
consists of the states between the Alleghanies and Rocky Mountains, to wit : Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Indiana and Wisconsin, and since 1895 the Wausau society is a member of this union. On the fourth tournament of this union, at St. Louis in 1903, W. R. Koppa, from the Wausau society, won first prize on Stich target.
A biennial telegraphic team shooting is held by the union.
Wausau had the second prize several times since that time.
An annual 100 champion shot match is held by this union.
At the match held in Davenport in 1906, and again at the next match shooting of this union, Otto Mueller won the championship. At the last tournament for the champion shot held in Chicago, Illinois (the best one hundred shots), held in 1912, Paul Weinkauf of the Wausau society won the championship.
The Wausau society won so many honors and stands so well that the union of this eight states has voted to hold the next champion tournament in 1913 in Wausau.
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CHAPTER XXXI.
Wausau in the Spanish-American War-Record of Company G, Third Wis- consin Regiment, National Guard-Patriotic Addresses-Presentation to Louis Marchetti-Roster of the Company.
WAUSAU IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
For over fifteen years prior to 1898 there was here in existence a militia, known as Company G, Third Wisconsin National Guard. It was originally recruited and drilled by Capt. J. D. Warner, formerly of the Guppy Guards, Portage City, and counted among its officers and privates such men as Senator Crosby, D. J. Murray, O. Holway, Neil Brown, L. A. Pradt, Stephen Thayer, L. Wright, business and professional men, and others similarly situated.
The company made a splendid record. At the great international com- . petitive drill in Chicago in 1888 this company received first prize as the best drilled militia company in the United States, and one of its members, Edw. Fitzgerald, received the first prize as the best drilled individual soldier. Ten years had passed away since that time, during which the personnel of the company had entirely changed. Nevertheless there lived in the new mem- bers that esprit de corps which made the company live up to the best traditions of the past. When war seemed inevitable, this company offered its serv- ices to the Federal Government through the Governor of Wisconsin, and was accepted.
The whole membership, from the commanding officer down, were young men, only very few over twenty-four years of age; the fact that after a thorough examination by United States Army physicians in Milwaukee they were all accepted as fit for the service, is proof that they were the pick of the healthy youth of Wausau.
On the 20th day of April, President Mckinley approved the joint resolu- tion of Congress declaring Cuba an independent republic, which was tanta- mount to a declaration of war, the formal declaration of which was then only a question of a few days or hours, and so was the certainty of the company being called into service.
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While the final result of that war was not for a moment in doubt, still to see a company of Wausau boys, all of them in the height of youthful exu- berance, go to a tropical climate, was not lightly contemplated. To make the company feel, however, that the heart of the people was with them wherever they would be sent, and also to make all the people feel that they had a local personal interest in these pinery boys who were to go to a country whose climate was more dangerous to their health and life than the enemy, it occurred to a citizen that it would be the proper thing to give public expres- sion to these thoughts and sentiments.
There being no. public flagstaff in the city, he, after a long search, found a pole, had it lengthened with gas pipes and quietly set it up on the market square on the 22d day of April. This could not escape the watchful eye of the passersby, and on inquiry they were told that the flag would be raised in the evening. The afternoon newspapers gave this piece of news wide publicity, and in the evening market square was crowded with people. A new flag had been purchased and everything was in readiness, only waiting for the arrival of Company G, which had promised to attend the ceremony. The company had assembled for muster in the evening in full strength, then marched to the square, halting in front of the staff, as if on dress parade. Darkness had set in when the order was given to hoist the flag. As it slowly rose in the air and half way up, caught by the evening breeze, majestically unfurled, the red fire flashed up from different parts, lighting up the whole square, the clarion command "Present arms" was heard, followed by the clash of arms; Cone's Band struck up "The Star Spangled Banner," and under the mighty shout from the multitude of men and women it rose to the height of the staff, waving full length in the air, the symbol of American independence, liberty and union.
These were sublime moments not easily forgotten by the cheering thou- sands, as the flag was going up there, while the soldiers saluted and the band played the national hymn. After an appropriate remark by Louis Mar- chetti, he introduced the speakers, first J. E. Leahy, a soldier of the Civil war, then M. A. Hurley, who both in eloquent language, complimented the soldiers and reminded the people of their obligation to them who went forth to uphold the honor of our country. The flag remained floating from the pole until after peace was declared and greeted the boys at their return home.
On April 27th Capt. H. J. Abraham received his order by wire at 1I P. M. to report next day at Milwaukee with his men, and at 7 o'clock next morning the whole company was in field armament at the Northwestern Rail- road depot and took the train for Milwaukee.
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After the company had departed, Mayor Manson at once called a citizens' meeting to look to the interests of the company and relieve its members, who had some dependents at home, from all anxiety on account of their absence during service. A committee was chosen for that purpose with Mayor Manson as chairman, and with what success will afterwards appear.
Under this flag on the market square the people assembled to hear and celebrate every victory gained by our navy and army. At noon on the day that the news flashed over the wire of Dewey's victory preparations were made to celebrate the event and at night the band played, and speakers, Senator Leahy and C. B. Bird, spoke, after which John Ringle read the latest dispatches. At noon on the 4th of July the wire brought the news of the sinking of the Spanish fleet at Santiago, and in the evening the place was again illuminated and Senator Brown, Kreutzer and G. D. Jones were heard in jubilee. When San Jago capitulated, on the same evening, C. B. Bird was on hand to celebrate with others, and the square was always on such occasions thronged with people who gave vent to their patriotic outbursts. There was no need to give any previous notice. A few chinese lanterns or platform put up in the afternoon or a shot from the signal gun was notice enough for the people to assemble by thousands.
When the company returned, on October 31st, their homecoming was a veritable triumph for them; the whole population was out en masse to receive them; cannons belched forth when the train came in sight and a surging mass of humanity pressed forward to the right of way and depot ground of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway as the train pulled in fifty minutes late, or at 9:30 A. M. Boys that could not get in line climbed the telephone and telegraph poles and cheered as the men marched by on their way to the courthouse square, headed by the pupils of the schools and some of the societies. At the courthouse square the pupils and societies opened ranks and let the company pass through them to the speakers' stand, where Mayor Manson received them with the following welcome :
MAYOR MANSON'S ADDRESS
"BOYS OF COMPANY G: I welcome you to our city and your home. You have a welcome that words can but feebly express. You have ever been in our hearts and minds and we have followed every move you have made from the day you left us to this happy reunion. We have been proud of you, our brave soldier boys, and we watched with anxious care for every word we could get of your welfare. You have suffered much, but have endured all with fortitude and bravery. You have proven to the world that the American soldier is the bravest on earth and a man every inch of him, anywhere and everywhere. We have earnestly hoped yon would return to us with unbroken ranks, but, alas, one brave soldier has fallen by the wayside. One more name upon the roll of honor; one more name among the nation's
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heroes. The boys you left in the east in hospitals, I am assured, are recovering rapidly and will be with us in a few days. The city is yours today. We have a jubilee planned for all. Now go to your homes, to your wives, children, mothers and the girls you left behind you."
(Cheers were given with a will at the conclusion of the speech. )
After the address, the captain gave the company leave to disperse, many of them-all of them that preferred to walk-were taken home in carriages. The multitude then proceeded to the market square, where a new flag was to be raised in place of the tattered one which had whipped itself into shreds since the boys had left in the spring. The exercises opened with prayer by Reverend Carrier, then the pupils of the parochial school, under the lead of Professor Wininger, all joined in the "Te Deum Laudamus," at the conclusion of which Louis Marchetti, chairman, stepped forward, making the following introductory remarks :
LOUIS MARCHETTI'S ADDRESS
"A little over six months ago, when the clouds rose darker and darker on the political horizon, and when we expected that the next electric flash from Washington would bring the news that our country was involved in war, we assembled here on this market square and resolved to stand as one man by our country, and as one people uphold the honor and dignity of America against any and all foreign foes. We knew at that time that we had a company of soldiers here that would be called to the front in case of war, and the next day realized our expectations. Our men were ready and without the least hesitation they responded to the president's call to arms.
"Our flag, then on this staff, was to them not only the symbol of every thing held dear by every American, but to them it was also a pledge by the people of Wausau, that wherever they would go, our hearts would be with them; a pledge, that in any emergency whatever, - the people of this city and county would come to their relief.
"To us who remained at home, it was a monitor reminding us of the duties and obliga- tions assumed and I am proud to say, because I can say it without flattering, that the people of Wausau have manfully fulfilled their duties and redeemed their obligations and kept their plighted faith to our soldiers.
"Today we rejoice because they have come home again, or will come, all but one, 'who sleeps the sleep that knows no waking' far from home; and the aged stricken father whose son died in his country's cause, the father who stands today, a childless man, has our deepest sympathy.
"Now that our soldiers have returned, let the old tattered remains of the flag be taken down and put reverentially away, and let our soldiers be greeted with a fresh emblem of our nation, every stripe as unsullied as their honor, which they have preserved as American citizen soldiers, every star as bright as their patriotism, courage, discipline and fortitude has made them a bright, shining mark among thousands of men. And let the flag be raised today, proclaiming peace, hallowed peace, and good will among men."
(At an appropriate time during the address the old flag was taken down and a new flag slowly raised under the frantic cheers of the multitude. )
The new flag was then raised under the inspiring strains of the "Star Spangled Banner," after which G. D. Jones spoke in part as follows :
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G. D. JONES' ADDRESS.
After reviewing the causes which led to it, he said:
"It was not a war for conquest or for revenge, but was waged in the interest of humanity, and the annals of history record no juster war than this; that the conditions confronting our country when war was declared were appalling; that the climate in Cuba in the hot season was deadly to one not inured to it, and that this season was upon us; that Spain had an army in Cuba thoroughly acclimated, well armed and equipped, and five times as large as the entire standing army of the United States, and that this army must be met and overcome in its intrenchments. The great heart of the nation responded most loyally to the President's call for volunteers, the ani- mosities of a life were forgotten, sectionalism disappeared, and North and South united in support of the cause; that this response, with the heroism shown by the men in facing the deadly Mauser rifles of the Spaniards and the still deadlier pestilence, was the glory of our nation, and that the part taken by our Wausau boys was the glory of our city. That this action was pure patriotism, devoted and unselfish, and called for the highest praise; that it was a noble example of duty well done, and the honors lavished on our returning heroes were most deserved. That the glories of the day would be forever remembered by those present, and that to the children and the young people particularly it thought that in unselfish devotion to duty would be found the highest honor. That
'Only those are crowned and sainted Who with grief have been acquainted, Making nations better, freer.'"
Senator Neil Brown followed with a short address, full of patriotism, sometimes pathetic, in which he spoke of what the company had accom- plished; of their discipline, not only while in camp at Chickamauga, but while in Porto Rico; of the hardship of the forced march under a tropical sun ; of their splendid physical appearance when they left, and feelingly referred to the sick which had to be left in hospitals, but which would soon be restored to their friends.
Secretary John Ringle then read the resolutions adopted by Company G while in Porto Rico, thanking the citizens of Wausau for their devotion to the welfare and comfort of their representatives in the field, adopted in camp near Coama, Porto Rico, October Ist; then the meeting dispersed and the rest of the day, all afternoon, was given over to unbounded joy.
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In the evening the banquet given to the boys at Fraternity Hall was an elaborate affair, under the direction of Mesdames Walter Alexander, D. L. Plumer, F. W. Kickbusch, C. H. Mueller, P. Planz, William Wilson, and Annette Swope, assisted by the female friends of the boys, after which there was to be a reception for them in the Alexander Hall. But it was impos- sible to hold a reception properly, so called.
As soon as the doors were opened there was such a throng that every nook and corner of the hall was crowded, and it was with some difficulty, because of the crowded condition of the mass of humanity, that the boys could march into the hall, that is, press themselves one after another to their seats reserved for them in front of the hall. Louis Marchetti presided at the meeting and after some patriotic music by the Philharmonic Orchestra. under the lead of Prof. Jacob Reuter, introduced as first speaker C. S. Curtis, who said :
C. S. CURTIS' ADDRESS
"Soldiers of Co. G:
"In behalf of the committee, and in behalf of the friends here assembled, we bid you hearty welcome on your return to us. We have met here tonight to rejoice over your safe return to your homes, and I had hoped to be able to congratulate you that notwithstanding all the dangers and hardships which you were obliged to endure, incident to army life and the severe climatic changes, you were permitted to return to us after so long a period with an unbroken column. But it is with sorrow and regret that we learn that on the very eve of your departure from Porto Rico, one of your number, Fred Gauger, laid down his life for his country, so that tonight, on this otherwise joyous occasion, we are called upon to mingle our tears with those of the friends of the departed. We regret to learn that on account of sickness eight of your brave boys have been left sick in hospitals. I trust that the report made to us that none of them are seriously ill, is true and that before many days we may be able to extend to them the same glad hand that we extend to you tonight.
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