USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume I > Part 26
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In the spring of 1843 Congress appropriated the sum of $30,000 which caused much rejoicing. The struggle in Congress had been an intense one owing to the fact that the southern statesmen were hostile to expenditures for publie improvements in the western territory. When the news of favor- able action arrived the town went wild with delight.
About this time the commercial importance of the village was again demonstrated in facts and figures. It was shown that the imports had in- creased from $588,950 in 1835 to $1,805,277 in 1841. The exports proved even more illuminating. In 1835 there were shipped 125,000 pounds of furs, 25,000 pounds of "merchandise and sundry articles," 5,000 pounds of hides and 3,500 cords of wood at a total value of $26,145. In 1839 there were exported 100 barrels of flour, 25 barrels of pork and 5,000 pounds of shot and lead. The latter was brought over land from Fever River, later known as Galena. The total value of these shipments aggregated the sum of $43,568.
Milwaukee's subsequent importance as a wheat shipping center had its beginning in 1841. It was then that 5,000 bushels of wheat wore shipped by Holton and Goodall to the East via the Great Lakes. During the same vear there were shipped 30,000 pounds of copper and 1,738,175 pounds of lead. The latter was valued at $75,546. The total exports for the year were estimated at $286,777.
On May 22d an industrial parade under the leadership of Marshal L. H. Cotton, was held. This festive event included a float pieturing a shipyard at work and a blacksmith's forge in action. The speech of the occasion was delivered by Hon. Jonathan E. Arnold in front of the Milwaukee House. The parade and the speech drew "enthusiastic cheers from the throngs of spectators." Publie dinners were engaged at the Cottage Inn and other taverns.
The German-American residents conducted a separate parade and demon- stration led by Dr. Francis Huebschmann and Rev. Father Kundig. The records also show that a Reverend Schmidt and Messrs. Loth, Luther, Wiesner and Winter served on the committee on arrangements. "The body moved from the Wisconsin House to the Catholic Church where it was joined by French and Irish citizens, and thence proceeded to the Milwaukee House where all united in a general body."
The congressional action which caused this jubilant expression was ap- proved March 3, 1843, and read as follows: "For the construction of a. harbor at the most suitable situation at or near Milwaukee, in the Territory of Wisconsin, to be made under the survey of an officer to be appointed by the Secretary of War, for the said half of the calendar year (ending December 31, 1843) $15,000, and for the said fiscal year (ending June 30, 1844) $15,000."
The joy expressed, however, proved to be somewhat premature. In the judgment of the leading citizens the "straight cut" where the harbor en-
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
tranee is now located was the more direet and practical. The Goverment engineer was retieent and not over friendly to Milwaukee. He led the citi- zens to believe that he would ignore their judgment altogether. Indignation meetings followed, protests were sent to Washington, and for a time great turmoil prevailed. With the passing of another year the project was com- pleted to the satisfaction of the citizens.
Then opened the period when the municipality spent money for the im- provement of its harbor. The enterprise of the individual citizens began to assert itself in the construction of docks and warehouses, and the National Goverment, recognizing the growing commerce of the port, gradually .granted appropriations for harbor protection.
The Joeal Chamber of Commerce Jater asserted its influence in maintaining the harbor upon a high plane of efficiency. Government support came, from time to time, with increased liberality, and competent engineers were assigned to carry ont the needed improvements.
Milwaukee's Grain Trade .- Milwaukee made her debut as a grain ship- ping port in the spring of 1841, when the late E. D. Holton, then a member of the firm of Holton & Goodell, shipped a cargo of 4,000 bushels of wheat to a Canadian port on the schooner Illinois. No doubt small driblets of grain went to Chicago by lake previous to that time, but the cargo above noted marked the beginning of the grain trade to the lower lakes and thenee to tide- water ports, a trade which eventually won for Milwaukee the proud distine- tion of being the greatest primary wheat market in the world.
This flattering title was achieved in 1862, when the total receipts of wheat reached the aggregate of 15,613,995 bushels and the shipments 14,915,680 bushels. The total receipts of all kinds of grain during the same year amounted to 16,451,789 bushels and the shipments to 15,174,794 bushels. Chi- eago, which was Milwaukee's only rival as a wheat market, received 13.978.116 bushels in 1862 and shipped 13,809,898 bushels.
Milwaukee's wheat trade reached high tide in 1873 when the total re- veipts of that grain aggregated 28,457,937 bushels and the shipments 24,991,266 bushels. The total receipts of all kinds of grain in 1873 amounted to 32,567.565 bushels and the shipments to 27,124,194 bushels,
Beginning with 1875, owing to various eanses, but mainly to the develop- ments of markets at St. Paul, Minneapolis and the head of the lakes, Mil- waukee's wheat receipts began to fall away steadily. On the other hand. the receipts of other grains began to increase, but it was not until 1892 that the total receipts of all kinds of grain exceeded the record of 1875.
Since that time, with the exception of two or three years, the combined receipts of all grains increased annually. The record of the year 1914 of 76,654,300 bushels represents the largest amount of grain received during any one year in the history of the city.
In 1920 wheat represented only 12.9 per cent of the volume of all kinds of grain received at Milwaukee, whereas, in 1873, when wheat receipts were at high tide, it made up 87.4 per cent of the volume of all kinds of grain. In 1862, when Milwaukee became famous as a wheat market, 90.6 per cent of the total grain receipts consisted of that product.
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HARBOR AND MARINE INTERESTS
Naturally the total shipments of grain from this market have kept pace with the receipts, minus, of course, the amount consumed by local millers and others. The course of grain shipments has undergone a great change, however.
In the early days of Milwaukee's prominence as a grain market, the bulk of the outgoing surplus went forward by way of the lower lakes: but rail rontes gradually made inroads on the sum total of grain shipments, until in late years shipments by way of the lower lakes, except on railway line steamers, have been nominal in character.
The change was largely the result of rail rate manipulation, the ex-lake. or the rate between the lakes and the seaboard, being maintained at a point which, coupled with other insinuating advantages, made it more profitable for shippers to eonsign grain products by way of all-rail routes. Since 1880 ship- ments of grain from upper lake ports by way of the Great Lakes, and Erie Canal have deelined over 85 per cent. Shipments from Milwaukee by way of the lower lakes during 1914 were larger than during any . year since 1900.
Report of Milwaukee's First Harbor Commission .- Rendered February 17, 1842, by Messrs. I. A. Lapham and F. Randall, who were appointed by the trustees of the Town of Milwaukee to make a survey relative to the commerce of the Town of Milwaukee and the commerce of Lake Michigan.
To the President and Trustees of the Town of Milwaukee: In compliance with the requirements of the resolution of your board, appointing the under- signed to collect information in relation to the Imports and Exports of this town since its first settlement in 1835, and such other facts, as may be im- portant with reference to the application for an appropriation from Congress for the construction of a harbor at Milwaukee, we have attended to that duty, and now beg leave to submit for your consideration the result of our in- quiries :
As a more ready means of obtaining the desired information, a printed circular, giving an appropriate form, and requesting that it might be filled up, was sent to the principal business men (amounting to eighty-six in number), and from most of them, full and satisfactory returns were received ; a state- ment of the amount of these returns, with a suitable addition for those who neglected, from sickness or other cause, to make return of their business, is herewith communicated, marked A.
A copy of this statement was sent on the 12th inst. to Col. J. J. Abert, of the Topographical Bureau, in answer to his letter directed to the collector of the Port of Milwaukee, accompanied by a letter calling his attention to the subject ; a copy of which is herewith communicated, marked B. This letter and statement, in order to seeure their being brought properly before the Bureau, were inelosed with a letter (marked C) to our delegate in Congress.
The whole amount of business each year, in the shape of Imports and Exports, is shown in the table marked D. The grand total being nearly six millions and a half of dollars.
We have also received the statements of the business done at one of the towns in this county (Prairieville), and a table of the result for the past year is inclosed, marked E. The commerce of this town is of course done through the Port of Milwaukee.
The Register of the Land Office has obligingly furnished at our request, a
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LANDS NOW OWNED BY CITY . MILWAUKEE
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LANDS TO BE ALQU'EEN AY STY CT MI NAULEE
MAP OUTLINE OF PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS OF MILWAUKEE'S COMMERCIAL WATERFRONT
It will be noted that those waterfronts are situated on both the north and south ends of the harbor entrance. The north section lies between Wisconsin Street and the harbor entrance while the south section embraces the Jones island area down to Wilcox Street. The project provides docks and wharves on the lake side of the enlarged Innd areas thus ensuring ample shipping facilities for the city's future waterborne commerce,
MICHIGAN
BAKAN ETME MILLE D BY THE FAT OF MANVALLEE
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HARBOR AND MARINE INTERESTS
statement of the proceeds of the sales of publie lands, in this district, which with the amount received at Green Bay, for land in this district before the establishment of the land offiee at this place, amounts to about one and- a half millions of dollars.
From this statement we can safely say that this portion of our country has paid at least its due proportion toward the support of the General Gov- erment, and is therefore as much entitled to consideration as any other part of the country. Five per cent on the amount we have paid for lands alone would be more than sufficient to construet the work we ask for, and this is no more than is now granted, as a permanent fund, to several of the states.
From the general statement, marked A, a great many faets may be seen which show the growing importance of our place from a commercial point of view, and the high character of the surrounding country in agriculture. It will be seen that the amount of merchandise, lumber, shingles and salt im- ported has been increasing with a gradually augmenting ratio-while the im- portation of agricultural prodnets which are now mostly supplied from our own soil-as flour, pork, ete., has been gradually diminishing until they are now taking their places in the table of exports.
The very great excess of 1841, over those of former years, occasioned by the introduction of several new articles of trade (especially lead, shot and copper), and by the rapid increase of the agricultural products, cannot fail to strike every one, and it goes far to prove, what is believed by us all, that our commerce is yet only beginning to be developed. We will not, how- ever, stop to enumerate all the inferences that may be drawn from the facts collected by ns, as they will readily oeeur to intelligent persons, upon in- speeting the statement herewith presented.
The experiment now made, in the transportation of the valuable mineral prodnets of our western counties, has shown that Milwaukee may, and soon will, be made the outlet of most of that trade, even during the present unim- proved state of the roads-and when greater facilities, which are now being made for transportation across our territory shall be completed, the amount of business of this kind which will be done here, can hardly be calculated.
Another subjeet has engaged our attention, which in importance we be- lieve to be inestimable. We alluide to the information in the accompanying paper marked G, in which we have enumerated all the losses of life and prop- erty, on Lake Michigan, so far as we have been able to ascertain the facts, sinee 1834, which may be considered as the commencement of navigation upon this lake. We can say with truth that we are astonished at the result of our inquiries on this subject. We may state as the general result, that 118 lives have been lost-or fifteen each year. That $1,052,450 worth of prop- erty has been destroyed or lost-being $131,556 per annum. That eighty-nine vessels, including several steamboats, have been more or less injured or lost- being eleven each year.
These are facts, not mere conjecture, and to show that we have confined ourselves to facts, we give the name of each vessel injured, the nature of the injury, and the year in which it happened ; so that if we have exceeded the bounds of truth, the means of detection and exposure are before yon. We
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
will not pretend to say that none of these accidents would have occurred, and all this loss of life and property been prevented, had there been harbors for shipping, but when it is remembered that the list is far from being complete, we may with safety suppose that a very considerable proportion might in that way have been saved. We might enlarge upon the various considerations suggested by our inquiries, but it is unnecessary. Enough has been elicited to show the pressing necessity of harbors on Lake Michigan and the prominent importance of one at Milwaukee.
1)
A statement of the aggregate amount of Imports and Exports, at the Port of Milwaukee, for each year, from the first settlement of the town. up to January 1, 1842, made by 1. A. Lapham and F. Randal, in pursuance of a resolution of the trustees of said town :
Years
Imports
Exports
Total
1835-36
$
588,959
$ 26,145
$ 615,095
1837
641,235
47.745
688.980
1838
783,458
47,690
831.148
1839
866,740
43,568
910,308
1840
1,147,803
53,828
1,200,631
1841
1,805,277
286,777
2,092,054
$5,833,472
$505.753
$6,338.216
E
Statement of the amount and value of the exports and imports, at the Town of Prairieville ( Wankesha), Milwaukee County, Wis., for the year 1841 :
I. Exports
Flour, 7,000 barrels
$35.750
Pork, 250 barrels
2,250
Ilides, 12,000 pounds
$40
Total value of exports
$38.840
11. Imports
Merchandise
$20,000
Limber, 100,000 feet 1,400
Salt, 600 barrels 1,500
Irons, 35,000 pounds
2,800
Total value of imports $25.700
Total amount of exports and imports. $64.540
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IIARBOR AND MARINE INTERESTS
A statement of the loss of life and property on Lake Michigan, much or all of which might have been avoided or prevented by the construction of suitable harbors at the most prominent points ; made by I. A. Lapham and F. Randall, in pursuance of a resolution of the trustees of the Town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory :
1834 .- The navigation of Lake Michigan may be considered as having been commeneed in this year; only three steamboats and a few sail vessels having landed at Chicago; and the amount of life and property lost was probably not very great when compared with the next year. The Town of Milwaukee was not then in existence. Although there doubtless were many more, we have been able to ascertain, with certainty, only two accidents within this year :
The schooner Prince Engene was driven ashore near the mouth of Grand River, nearly opposite Milwaukee. One man, the captain, lost.
The schooner Juliett, with a valuable cargo, was driven ashore near St. Joseph. The expense of getting her off was $1,500.
1835 .- The brig Austerlitz, attempting to land passengers in a small boat, it was swamped (or filled with water by the waves), by which accident four men were drowned.
The brig Austerlitz was afterwards driven ashore, during a severe storm, having on board a full cargo of valuable merchandise, which, with the vessel, was entirely lost. Two lives lost by this accident.
The schooner Bridget was sunk at sea-all hands and passengers lost. The number of persons on board not known, but supposed to be twelve.
The schooner Chance was also sunk while at sea in this year, and the number of persons drowned was nine.
The steamboat Newberryport was driven ashore at Chicago, and proved a total loss.
The schooner Swan (Captain Gilbert ), was lost, with all on board, supposed to be twenty.
The schooner Hoe went ashore at four different times during the year. No lives lost.
The steamboat Pioneer was driven ashore at the south end of the lake. Total loss.
The schooner Marengo went ashore opposite Chicago. Cargo and vessel lost.
The schooner Erie Packet-driven ashore in a gale and totally lost.
The schooner Post Boy was upset, with ten persons on board; of whom only two escaped.
The schooner Adelade went ashore twenty miles from Milwaukee, and was wholly lost.
1836 .- Four men were drowned in the early part of the year, near the mouth of the Milwaukee River.
A gale occurred in October, in which nine vessels were more or less injured or destroyed.
1. The schooner Martin Van Buren sustained a hole stove in her stern and sunk.
THE MENOMINEE RIVER COAL DOCK CENTER Vessel unloading coal
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A LAKE COAL CARRIER OF THE LARGER TYPE UNLOADING AT A MENOMINEE RIVER COAL DOCK
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HIARBOR AND MARINE INTERESTS
2. The schooner General Harrison, with a hole stove in her side, was driven ashore very much injured.
3. The schooner Celeste was driven ashore and filled with water; her main mast "gone by the board." and otherwise much damaged.
4. The schooner Erie was driven ashore, her fore and top-mast gone, and her hull not very much injured.
5. The barque Detroit broke from her fastenings, and dropping an anchor. which was dragged some one hundred and fifty rods, finally rode out the storm with but little damage.
6. The schooner Sea Serpent parted her cables and was driven ashore near Michigan City, and was entirely knocked to pieces.
7. The brig North Carolina went ashore thirty miles from Chicago, and was thrown upon the beach "high and dry."
8. The sloop Clarissa Harlow was driven ashore near New Buffalo, on the east side of the lake.
9. The schooner Chicago parted her cables, and was driven ashore with immense velocity.
Several other vessels (one dismasted) were reported to have been seen passing Chicago, and if so they were undoubtedly all blown ashore.
All the vessels lying at Chicago pier, were more or less injured-the harbor being then in an unfinished state.
Several lives were lost during the gale, but the number not aseertained.
The schooner Wave was driven ashore at three different times during the year : no material damage done, except loss of time of vessel and crew and cost of getting her off.
The cost of getting vessels off from the shore, varies from one hundred to fifteen hundred dollars, according to circumstances.
The schooner Agnes Barton lost her main-mast while lying at anchor.
The schooner Ocean was driven ashore at Milwaukee, but little damaged.
1837 .- The steamboat Detroit, which had been engaged in the trade between Milwaukee and St. Joseph, after having several times been much endangered and onee actually grounded at Michigan City, was finally. in November, driven ashore and totally lost at Southport.
The steamboat Champlain was driven ashore at St. Joseph, and wholly lost.
The Harbor Steamboat at Milwaukee, used to convey passengers and freight between the town and vessels lying in the bay (nuable to enter the river), was driven ashore and lost at the mouth of the river.
There is an annual loss to community at Milwaukee, of 25 cents for all passengers, and 10 cents per barrel bulk, or $10 per ton, on all freight passing to or from lake vessels at that place: occasioned directly by the want of a harbor.
The schooner Sea Serpent having been re-built at Michigan City, was driven ashore and lost, at the mouth of the Milwaukee River.
The schooner Owanngha was driven ashore at the south end of the lake.
The schooner America, driven ashore near the mouth of the Muskegon River, in Michigan, and with her cargo was totally lost.
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IHISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
The schooner Wenona went ashore near Milwaukee.
The schooner J. S. King went ashore at the mouth of the St. Joseph. Such was the force of the storm. that she was driven over a sand bar, which is entirely above water in calm weather!
1838 .- Captain Powell killed in the Milwaukee Bay, on board of a vessel.
The schooner Juliett was thrown upon a rock at the northern extremity of the lake, and mneh damaged. The cargo was thrown overboard, to save the vessel and the lives of the persons on board.
The steamboat Taylor was driven ashore and totally lost at Michigan City.
The schooner Illinois was ashore twice this year, but not materially injured.
The schooner White Pigeon was driven ashore at Michigan City.
The brig John Kenzie went ashore at Michigan City, and proved a total wreck.
The brig Queen Charlotte, one of the trophies of Perry's splendid achieve- ment on Lake Erie, was driven ashore near Chicago this year and lost.
The schooner Virginia was driven ashore at the south end of the lake.
1839 .- Four men were drowned at Milwaukee, in attempting to land from the steamboat De Witt Clinton, lying in the bay, in a gale ; and several others very narrowly escaped the same fate.
The schooner Solomon Junean was driven ashore near the Milwaukee River.
The schooner Van Buren was driven ashore at Milwaukee.
A gale occurred in November, in which five vessels (two of them steam- boats) were injured or destroyed :
1. The schooner Thomas Jefferson driven against the pier at Chicago. and mueh injured. Two lives were lost by this accident, and many more would have been lost, but for the timely assistance of the citizens of Chicago.
2. The schooner Vietor was blown by the Chicago pier, and was only secured, with her crew, from destruction, by the almost superhuman exertions of her captain.
3. The schooner Virginia, which had just been got off shore. was again beached near Michigan City.
4. The steamboat Vermillion broke her shaft near the Maniton Islands, and was driven, by the gale, to St. Joseph. One of her passengers became deranged, from fear, and jumped overboard. She was out of sight of land three days, without wheels.
5. The steamboat Fairport was driven back to Chicago. by the gale, not having been able to reach Milwaukee Bay.
The brig Neptune was this year driven ashore on the uninhabited coast of Michigan, north of Grand River, and proved a total loss. Out of twenty-five persons on board, only three were able to reach the nearest settlement : the others having perished on the way, from cold, fatigue, and hunger. Of the three persons saved, one lost both his legs, the others, each one leg. from freezing.
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HARBOR AND MARINE INTERESTS
The ship Milwaukee was driven ashore, having on board a cargo of wheat, which was much damaged.
The sehooner - (belonging to Leavenworth) went ashore, a total wreek.
A man was drowned in the Milwaukee Bay, while engaged in supplying wood to steamboats.
Two wood seows were driven ashore, at Milwaukee; one of them, and a considerable quantity of wood, totally lost.
1840 .- Mr. L. Robbins was killed by accident, on board the Harbor Steam- boat, at Milwaukee, while engaged in unloading vessels lying in the bay.
The schooner Marsh went ashore at the month of the Milwaukee River. Total loss, vessel and cargo.
The schooner Milwaukee, and the sloop Clarissa, driven ashore at Mil- wankee.
1841 .- Four persons drowned near Milwaukee by the swamping of a boat, viz. : R. Young, A. Brown, ---- Pinney, and I. S. Skinner.
The sehooner Post Boy again upset, and sunk, and with erew, passengers and eargo-all lost-twenty persons thus found a watery grave.
The steamboat Milwaukee, in attempting to enter the Milwaukee River, got fast on the bar, and laid there until driven in by the gale in October- thus materially interrupting the business connected with the navigation of the lake.
Two wood-seows, and a large amount of wood lost at Milwaukee.
The schooner Horner was driven ashore near Racine. (twenty-five miles from Milwaukee) and was totally lost.
In November a gale occurred which did much damage to the shipping viz. :
1. The schooner Jefferson was driven ashore at Chicago.
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