USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume I > Part 40
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The bill, as proposed, was first seriously misunderstood and reported by the legislative committee, who had charge thereof. for indefinite postpone- ment, until the convention hall committee succeeded in convincing the varions members of the Legislature of their mistaken conception, and after being furnished with the details and written argument. the bill was taken up by the Assembly, after it had passed the Senate, and became a law.
An opinion later rendered by the late Charles Quarles, and approved by other leading attorneys, prompted the Board of Directors of the 'Merchants and Manufacturers Association to believe that it was absolutely safe to proceed with the project without further delay. But, on August 7. 1908. after the construction of the new building had begun, the Kilbourn heirs once more brought suit for the possession of the premises.
The case was earnestly contested and on November 9, 1908, it was decided by Judge W. J. Turner, that the city and the Auditorium Board were in law- ful possession of the premises. The case was thereupon appealed to the Su- preme Court, where the decision reaffirmed the lower court.
On January 3, 1908, an injunetion suit was brought by certain citizens restraining the Auditorium authorities from completing the building upon the plea that the contemplated uses of the same diverted it from purely public purposes, and that the law authorizing the jointure with the city was un- constitutional.
On September 19, 1908, after it had become known that changes had been
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THE MILWAUKEE AUDITORIUM
made in the plans of the building which obviated the danger of competition with the local theatres, the suit was dropped by mutual consent.
The Governing Board, however, realizing that the constitutionality of the law might be attacked at any time concluided to secure an amendment which would allay all question on that seore in the future. It had become apparent that the publie purposes of the building were not set forth in the law with sufficient clearness and that an amendment correcting the defeet, if such defeet existed, should be onacted by the Legislature.
Halls and Their Capacity .- The original plans, as carried out, provided for a main hall and seven smaller halls. Since that time, however, the floor area has been almost doubled by the addition of what is known as the Me- ehanies Hall.
The floor of the main hall or arena rested on solid ground when the build- ing was completed. In 1918, however, it was decided to remove the earth under the main floor and thus create a new hall room of large area. This projeet involved a difficult engineering problem, and the expenditure of a large sum of money. The cost was met ont of the earnings made by the build- ing and special support granted by the City Council. The capacity of the several halls is as follows:
llalls.
Seating Capacity. Exhibition Space.
Square Feet.
Arena
8,008
29,423
Mechanies
46,800
John Plankinton
1,112
Solomon Juneau
850
5,400
Byron Kilbourn
900
5,580
Peter Engelmann
850
5,520
George H. Walker
300
2,574
Market
1,500
9,655
Total
13,520
104,952
The three halls on the ground floor of the Annex to the main hall were named after the pioneer builders of the city, Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn and George II. Walker. One of the second floor halls was named after John Plankinton who had been a liberal supporter of the old Exposition Building. Inasmuch as the purpose of the structure was in the main educational it was believed that one of the halls should be named after a pioneer edneator. Thus the name of Peter Engelmann was chosen for one of the second floor halls.
Plankinton Hall is equipped with theatre seating and a large organ, all of which were donated by Miss Lizzie Plankinton, daughter of the pioneer Milwaukeean. The former pupils and friends of the late Professor Engel- mann decorated and equipped Engelmann Hall. The firm of Ferry & Clas, architeets, designed and superintended the construction of the building.
Administration of Building .- The law under which the municipality was permitted to enter into a jointure with the private corporation, in the con- struetion, maintenance and management of the AAuditorium, provides for a
ARENA
ARENA SECTION
SECTION
I
MAIN ARENA OF THE MILWAUKEE AUDITORIUM Seating capacity, 8,008. Exhibit space, 29,423 square feet
429
THE MILWAUKEE AUDITORIUM
Governing Board of eleven members, five chosen by the corporation and six consisting of government officials.
The Auditorium Company is represented in the Governing Board by five directors, and the municipality by six representatives, namely, the mayor, city treasurer, eity attorney, comptroller and the presidents of the library and museum boards. The five directors of the company are chosen by a vote of the stockholders, one being chosen each year to serve for a term of five years.
The first so-called Auditorium Committee was appointed July 21, 1905, by President Fred W. Sivyer of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association, consisting of the following gentlemen: E. A. Wadhams, chairman; Wm. N. Fitzgerald, David S. Rose, John P. Murphy, Alvin P. Kletzseh, Henry C. Sehranek, Sherburn M. Becker, Edward G. Pratt, B. G. Ellsworth, Chas. L. Blanchard, Arthur Koenig, Chas. E. Sammond, Col. W. J. Boyle, Fred W. Rogers and Wm. Geo. Bruce.
The effort to secure subscriptions was undertaken at once and pursued for a time with considerable energy. The plan of operations was in the main confined to the leading merchants and manufacturers and those generally known as public-spirited citizens. Here it developed that the plan was too limited in scope in that it confined itself largely to a class of men who are usually called upon for financial aid of a publie character. The response from this souree was as generous as could be expected, but it was far from the ends yet to be attained.
When the sum of $72,250 was reached, it was found that the work of solieiting became more difficult from day to day and that in order to complete the fund of $250,000, future operations must assume a wider scope. Chairman Wadham's business engagements called him from the city quite frequently and prevented his giving the required time to the Auditorium projeet, and for some months there was a complete eessation of the eampaign labors.
Early in the year of 1906, a reorganization of the committee was deemed expedient and Wm. N. Fitzgerald, then president of the Merchants and Manu- facturers Association, appointed the following citizens to constitute the new Auditorium Committee: Alvin P. Kletzsch, chairman ; Oliver C. Fuller, Ed- ward A. Uhrig, Frank K. Espenhain, B. G. Ellsworth, E. A. Conrad, Chas. E. Sammond, Albert J. Lindemann, Robert J. Miller, E. A. Wadhams, Mayor S. M. Becker, Wm. Geo. Bruce, Frank N. Snell, Emil H. Ott, David C. Owen, Angust S. Lindemann, Chas. A. Paeschke, John H. Puelicher, Otto J. Seh- oenleber, Fred C. Fass, and Hugo Loewenbach.
On November 14, 1906, the following were elected members of the Board of Directors of the Auditorium Company: Alvin P. Kletzseh for five years : Wm. Geo. Bruee for four years; Oliver C. Fuller for three years ; Charles E. Sammond for two years; F. A. W. Kieekhefer for one year. The Auditorium Governing Board organized on January 2, 1907, with the following officers: President, Alvin P. Kletzsch ; vice president, F. A. W. Kicekhefer; secretary, Wm. Geo. Bruce; treasurer, Oliver C. Fuller.
The first meeting of the Auditorium Governing Board was held January 2, 1907, when an organization was effected. Representing the city: Mayor S. M. Becker, City Attorney John T. Kelly, City Comptroller Paul Bechtner,
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THE MILWAUKEE INDUSTRIAL EXPOSITION BUILDING Destroyed by fire Sunday afternoon, June 1. 1905
431
.
THE MILWAUKEE AUDITORIUM
City Treasurer W. H. Graebner, President Library Board J. M. Percles, Pres- ident Museum Board Edwin W. Windfelder; representing the Auditorium Company: Alvin P. Kletzsch, Wm. Geo. Bruce, Oliver C. Fuller, Chas. E. Sammond, and F. A. W. Kieekhefer.
Since then the following have served as president of the Governing Board : Wm. George Bruce, Charles E. Sammond, Otto J. Schoenleber and again Alvin P. Kletzsch.
The Auditorium Governing Board .- The following served as officers of the Auditorium Governing Board for the years named :
1907: President, Alvin P. Kletzsch; vice president. F. A. W. Kieckhofer; secretary, William George Bruce ; treasurer, Oliver C. Fuller.
1908: President and viee president, same ; secretary, A. M. Gawin ; treas- urer, V. JJ. Schoenecker, Jr.
1909: All officers same as previous year.
1910: President, William George Bruce : vice president, Alvin P. Kletzsch : secretary, Carl P. Dietz ; treasurer, Charles B. Whitnall.
1911: All officers same as previous year.
1912: President, same: vice president, Charles E. Sammond; sveretary, Louis M. Kotecki; treasurer, Joseph P. Carney.
1913: All officers same as previous year.
1914: President, Charles E. Sammond ; vice president, O. J. Schoenleber ; secretary, Lonis M. Kotecki; treasurer, Joseph P. Carney.
1915: President, Otto J. Schoenleber; vice president, Alvin P. Kletzseh ; other officers same as in 1914.
1916: Officers same as previous year, excepting treasurer, John I. Drew.
1917 : All officers same as previous year.
1918: President, Alvin P. Kletzsch : vice president, William George Bruce ; treasurer and secretary, same as previous year.
1919-1920-1921-1922: All officers same as in 1918.
Directors of the Auditorium Company .- As already stated the directors of the Auditorium Company elected in 1907 were: William George Bruce, Oliver C. Fuller, F. W. A. Kieckhefer, Alvin P. Kletzsch, Charles E. Sammond. The personnel has remained the same through the several years except with the fol- lowing changes: In the year 1913 Otto J. Schoenleber succeeded F. A. W. Kieekhefer. In 1915 Edward A. Uhrig sneeceded Charles E. Sammond.
City's Representation .- With the changes in the city government there came also changes in the representation on the governing body, as follows:
1907: S. M. Becker, mayor; John T. Kelly, eity attorney : Paul Bechtner, city comptroller ; William II. Graebner, city treasurer ; J. M. Pereles, president library board : Edw. W. Windfelder, president museum board.
1908: David S. Rose, mayor; John T. Kelly, city attorney; A. M. Gawin, city comptroller ; V. J. Schoeneeker, Jr., city treasurer ; J. M. Pereles, president library board : George A. West, president museum board.
1909: Same as previous year.
1910: Emil Seidel, mayor ; Daniel W. Hoan, city attorney : C. B. Whitnall, city treasurer ; Carl P. Dietz, city comptroller ; J. M. Pereles, president library board ; George A. West, president musenm board.
432
IHISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
1911: All officers same with the following exceptions: 3. G. Flanders, library board ; Robert Ninmemacher, museum board.
1912: G. A. Bading, mayor: Daniel W. Hoan, city attorney: Joseph P. Carney, city treasurer ; Louis M. Kotecki, city comptroller ; E. W. Windfelder, president museum board ; J. G. Flanders, president library board.
1913-1914 and 1915: All officers the same as 1912.
1916: Daniel W. Hoan, mayor; Clifton Williams, city attorney: JJohn I. Drew, city treasurer : Louis M. Kotecki, city comptroller: E. W. Windfelder, president museum board ; William I. Greene, president library board.
1917: All officers the same as previous year.
1918: All officers same excepting R. P. Wheeler, museum board ; George C. Nuesse, library board.
1919: All officers same excepting William J. Kaumheimer, library board.
1920: All officers same excepting William L. Pieplow, library board.
1921 : All officers same as previous year.
1922: All officers same except George II. West, library board.
Joseph C. Grieb, who served as secretary of the original campaign eommit- tee, was in 1909 chosen the manager of the Auditorium, which office he has filled with remarkable ability ever since.
The Auditorium project has also been fortunate in that it has always en- joyed the loyal support and cooperation of the city council, and the successive administrations which have been represented on the governing board since the establishment of the same. Nor has the dual form of ownership and adminis- tration ever led to frietion. The directors of the stock company and the city's representatives have always worked together in harmony and for the best interests of the institution.
There is one other factor which deserves mention here. namely, the stockholders of the Auditorium Company. There are nearly three thousand of these, who subscribed in sums ranging from $10 to $10,000, and who have regarded their subscriptions in the nature of contributions to the public welfare. No stockholder has ever demanded a cash dividend. Every man and woman that has invested a dollar in the Auditorium enterprise has re- garded the service which this remarkable public utility renders as the best dividend that could be exacted.
When the enterprise was conceived and carried into realization the liberal- ity and loeal patriotism were put to a splendid test. There were men who readily recognized the need of sneh a publie utility ; there were those who took the initiative in securing it : there were also those who undertook the burden of carrying the project to a successful completion ; and finally there were those who stood ready to give such financial encouragement as the project required.
But, better still is the attitude of the general public-subscribers and tax- payers-who take a just pride in this model structure and who want the earnings reinvested in such improvements as will maintain the integrity of the structure and enable it to render the highest measure of service to the community. W. G. B.
PART III
GOVERNMENT, CITY AND COUNTY PARTICIPATION IN CIVIL AND WORLD WARS
THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF ROOSEVELT
Vol. 1-28
.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
"Traders had come and gone," says Professor Laurence M. Larson, "but no one seems to have taken up a permanent abode in the Milwaukee country before 1818. In that year Solomon Junean came to take charge of the fur trade and for the next fifteen years the log cabin of the Junean family was the only evidence about the bay of an approaching civilization." By the year 1834 the population of Milwaukee numbered abont thirty souls, and in the following year the arrival of immigrants rapidly increased the number. In 1836, "some sixty buildings were ereeted, many of them of goodly dimen- sions, streets were graded, ferries established, officers of the law appointed, medical and agricultural societies formed, a courthouse and jail erected, and all in five short months. " as stated in J. S. Buck's history.
Rapid Growth of the Settlement .- The early settlers of Milwaukee who came in the '30s believed that a large city would grow up here. "Many even thought," says Professor Larson, "that most of the commerce of the region west and south of Lake Michigan would eventually center at this point. For a number of years it was a matter of speculation as to whether Chieago would ever become a dangerous rival ; and had it not been for the influence of the railways the final onteome in the race for local supremacy might have been somewhat different.
"It was felt in those early days that Milwaukee had greater possibilities in the way of a harbor than any other city on the lake. No great importance was attached to the bay-it is hardly more than a westward curve in the shore line-but the rivers were full of promise. Of these the larger is Mil- waukee River, a small stream less than a hundred miles in length, which at that time emptied into the bay a short distance below the point where the shore begins to curve southeastward. For several miles of its lower course it flows almost parallel to the lake shore, in places approaching it very near.
"Within the limits of the present city the stream is about two hundred and fifty feet wide and of considerable depth. MeLeod, who wrote a history of Wisconsin in 1846, states that it was then from fifteen to eighteen feet deep and navigable for three miles for the largest vessels on the lake; however, the winds and the waves had built up a sand bar at the river-month which virtually elosed the stream to all but the smaller craft. About a mile and a quarter from its month the Milwaukee is joined by a stream from the west, the Menomonee. These two rivers divide the region into three distinct see- tions : a narrow strip lying between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan
435
5
S.CHARLES
WELCOME
SHRINERS
ST.CHA HOTEL
THE CITY HALL AND MARKET SQUARE
437
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
known as the East Side ; the territory lying to the west of this river and north of the Menomonee called the West Side: and the country lying south of the Menomonee Valley, or the South Side. At that time this division into sections was further emphasized by broad belts of marsh land that edged the rivers for several miles along their lower courses."
Incorporation of the Town of Milwaukee .- In 1836, the year in which the Territory of Wisconsin was organized, Milwaukee was merely a group of three small villages rather than one community. On the east side of the Milwaukee River the settlement which clustered around Juneau's old trading post was commonly known as "Juneautown, " while across the river to the west was "Kilbourntown," so named in honor of Byron Kilbourn who had first begun a settlement there ; and south of the Menomonee River where Col. George II. Walker was the principal resident the settlement was known as "Walker's Point. "
From the beginning a feeling of hostility between these three settlements had grown up which resulted in some violence. However, in 1838, Juneau and Kilbourn harmonized their differences so far as to jointly petition the Territorial Legislature for a consolidation of their two villages into the "Town of Milwaukee," to be divided into an East and a West Ward. This was granted and later, in 1845, the town was enlarged by the addition of Walker's Point as a South Ward.
Financial Troubles of the Town .- With the organization of the town a host of demands arose requiring the expenditure of money. There were streets to improve, sehools, fire and police protection to provide for, ferries to be established and bridges to be built. The act of incorporation empowered the trustees to levy a small tax, but little could be done with the meager pro- ceeds. Still the board bravely passed ordinances for necessary purposes which were either slow or impossible of accomplishment. The trustees made a loan of $15,000 in 1838 at ten per cent, which afforded some relief. Property owners-Solomon Junean, Morgan L. Martin and others-spent their own money in making improvements of a public character. Some help was de- rived from a poll tax. In 1840, Mr. Kilbourn built a bridge over the Menomo- nee River, "the first one built in Milwaukee."
At the beginning of the year 1846, the settlement on the Milwaukee River was twelve years old. During the years which had elapsed great progress had been made; a town of 10,000 people had grown up where stood a solitary log cabin only a few years before. "The population was scattered over three separate areas," says Professor Larson, "each of which was practically self- governing. There was no police department and no organized effort had been made to protect and preserve the public health. The fire department was a crude affair, the wards had provided something in the way of apparatus for fighting fires, but the municipality seems to have owned nothing. The school facilities were miserable; the streets were generally unimproved. Thus far the village had built no bridges. The Federal Government had done some- thing to improve the harbor, but the sand bar was again forming at the river month. As far as municipal activities were concerned matters were at a standstill.
138
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
"The citizens of Milwaukee cannot be wholly blamed for this situation. nor can they be wholly exensed," continues Professor Larson. "As a rule pioneers are not wealthy ; in a new country revenues from taxation are bound to be small, the shrinkage in land values that came with the panie of 1837 cansed, of course, a corresponding shrinkage in the available taxes. The tax of 1838 was only about one-fifth of that of the preceding year.
"Moreover, the location was one that demanded vast expenditures. Where the down-town section is at present there was a marsh in those days. In such a locality small expenditures would make an exceedingly small impression. It is also true that the limitations of the village charter were such that the trustees could undertake no extensive improvements. But, after all, if the leading citizens had not been so utterly lacking in foresight. and if sectional feeling had not been allowed to grow so strong and so arrogant, Milwaukee could have accomplished much more in those days than she did." At this point Professor Larson adds in a footnote that "it was said that Byron Kil- bourn, when he laid out the streets on his side of the river. took care that the streets should not meet those planned by Mr. Junean on the east side."
Milwaukee Incorporated as a City .- While Morgan L. Martin was a resi- dent of Green Bay he explored the harbor facilities of Milwaukee, and in 1833 made a map of the small settlements there which he called "Milwaukie." Ile entered into an agreement later in the same year with Juneau and Michael Dousman for its development. A sawmill was built in 1834. and settlers began to arrive.
In the article on Milwaukee, in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, it is said that "the east side was platted in 1835, and very soon afterward the plat of a settlement on the west side was also recorded, Byron Kilbourn being the chief projector and proprietor of the latter. The rival settlements, officially known as Milwaukee East Side and Milwaukee West Side, bore the popular designa- tions of Juneautown' and .Kilbourntown.' A third settlement, begun on the south side by George 11. Walker and known as . Walker Point.' was subse- quently platted independently.
"The rivalry between the east and west sides was intense. the plats were so surveyed that the streets did not meet at the river, and there were bitter quarrels over the building of bridges. Milwaukee County was set off from Brown County in 1834, and in 1836 the establishment of townships was authorized. Under this aet the east and west sides were independently ineor- porated in February, 1837. A realization that the continuation of independent and rival corporations retarded growth eventually led to a compromise by which the two were united as two wards of the same village in 1839. the autonomy of each being still recognized by an odd arrangement whereby each maintained practically independent management of its own affairs and finances. Walker's point. the south side, was annexed as a third ward in 1845. and in 1846 the three wards were incorporated as the City of Milwaukee, of which Solomon JJuneau was elected first mayor."
A charter for the incorporation of Milwaukee as a city was obtained from the Territorial Legislature, January 31, 1846, more than two years before the State of Wisconsin was admitted to the Union. The charter incorporated an
439
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
area of nearly eight square miles, its boundaries corresponding to the fol- lowing outlines: North Avenue and Walnut Street on the north ; Twenty- seventh Street on the west ; Greenfield Avenue on the south ; and the shore of Lake Michigan on the east.
This area was divided into five wards: the old East Ward made up the First and Third wards; on the west side were the Second and Fourth wards; and Walker's Point became the Fifth Ward.
The old plan of ward autonomy was continued under the new charter. Each ward was made responsible for such debts as existed December 31, 1845, and must provide for later indebtedness ineurred on account of expenditures to be made within its own limits. Loans for the general improvements of the city were to be paid by those wards only, a majority of whose aldermen voted for such loans.
It is clear that such a system would eventually result in confusion as indeed it did. Amendments to the charter and special aets authorized the aldermen of the wards "to levy special taxes for improvement of the streets, building wharves, dredging rivers, and to Jevy a general harbor tax; also to borrow money and issue ward bonds for street work, for building market houses, and to provide in various ways for building sidewalks, sewers and the like," says Professor Larson. All such work was supervised by the alder- men in their own wards.
County and Township Government .- In deseribing the provisions of the charter under which the City of Milwaukee was incorporated in 1846, Pro- fessor L. M. Larson, in his "Financial and Administrative History of Mil- wankee," says of the powers and duties of the aldermen, that in addition to the clauses in the charter already enumerated, "the aldermen also had a hand in the county government. Each ward was also a township and as such was governed by its three aldermen acting as township supervisors. One of the three was chosen chairman, and represented the ward in the county board." In a footnote it is added that at the time the history was written (1908), "Each ward is still a township, but a supervisor specially chosen represents it in the county board ; the ward has no town government."
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