USA > Wisconsin > Sheboygan County > History of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, past and present > Part 31
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STREET PAVING AND SIDEWALKS
Sheboygan is a city of beautiful and well-paved streets and in 1912 many more of the thoroughfares will be curbed and paved in a substan- tial manner. The first paving done in the city was in 1890 and was con- structed of cedar block, on a plank foundation. This work was done on
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North Eighth street from Jefferson to Michigan avenues, but in 1906 the cedar blocks were removed and replaced with brick on a concrete founda- tion. To date (1912) the amount of brick paving in the city is fifteen blocks ; cedar black, fourteen blocks ; concrete, twelve blocks ; macadam, one hundred and fifty blocks, or in all, 326 blocks, which cost the taxpayers approximately $600,000. For the information on paving and sewage the writer is indebted to C. U. Boley, city engineer and member of the board of public works.
CEMETERY AND PARKS
The city has for many years owned and maintained a cemetery-Wild- wood-on Wildwood avenue. The original plat covered about forty acres, to which has been recently added another forty acres. The grounds are well kept and are among the beauty spots of the city. Other cemeteries are the Catholic, North Tenth street and city limits; Hebrew, Upper Falls road; Lutheran, west of extension of North Eighteenth street; St. Peter Claver, south end of South Twelfth street.
As to sidewalks of Sheboygan, the miles and miles of them have not been accurately computed. Suffice it to say, practically all of them are of concrete and well made. The days of plank and brick sidewalks are num- bered.
PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
Sheboygan has an opera house in which her citizens take a great pride. It is a beautiful building, both from an exterior and interior view-point, and cost the subscribers to stock issued $45,000. It is conveniently located, on the corner of New York avenue and Seventh street. This play house was opened November 3, 1903, under the management of W. H. Stoddard, who presented to an admiring public "The Burgomaster," in one of the prettiest theaters in Wisconsin.
The Majestic theater was built quite recently and the house is an orna- ment to North Eighth street. While its stage is arranged for acting by people in the flesh, the attractions to a large patronage are entirely of mov- ing pictures of a high order. There are other moving picture houses in the city of lesser importance.
BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION
The first organization of business men of Sheboygan, for the purpose of advertising the virtues and beauties of the city and attracting thereby industries and inhabitants, known to the writer was the Sheboygan Busi- ness Men's Association, which was organized and incorporated in Sep- tember, 1885. The officers were: President, H. S. Barrett; vice presi- dent, J. M. Kohler; recording secretary, J. D. Stearns ; corresponding sec- retary, Francis Williams ; treasurer, W. J. Rietow ; directors, Carl Zillier, W. H. Seaman, J. L. Mallory, G. B. Mattoon, J. T. Dillingham. The mem-
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ICE SCENE, NORTH POINT, SHEBOYGAN
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bers were as follows: Carl Zillier, W. J. Rietow, H. A. Barrett, J. G. End, William H. Seaman, G. L. Holmes, Thomas McNeill, Emil Clarenbach, W. D. Crocker, R. E. Crocker, J. D. Stearns, E. E. Pantzer, J. T. Dilling- ham, George Heller, E. B. Garton, M. H. Wilgus, John Bodenstein, Adam Imig, George End, E. Lohmann, Henry Scheele, Jr., William Schrage, J. J. Hanchett, C. H. Roenitz, R. W. Billett, O. E. Sully, D. Jenkins, Jacob J. Vollrath, A. J. Vollrath, J. L. Mallory, D. Gibbs, Frank Williams, Felix Benfey, W. H. Gunther, J. M. Kohler, William Elwell, William S. Elwell, Julius Kroos, H. N. Ross, George E. Frost, F. Oetking, Jr., J. Mallmann, F. Lawrence, F. Geele, C. Wolf, E. L. Debell, John Gerend, W. H. Burk, V. Detling, C. B. Jones, O. E. Karste, R. S. Elwell, M. R. Zaegel, A. Bach- mann, A. F. Lebermann, Thomas O. Stearns, V. J. Luin, J. H. Mead, W. Calhoun, Clark Putnam, George B. Mattoon, F. L. Roenitz, Carl Muth, John R. Riess, C. A. W. Vollrath, William Braasch, E. G. Haylett, J. De- Smidt, Joseph W. End, Christian Ackermann, Emil H. Keller, W. C. Thomas, William Geele, Charles Grasse, John Thompson, A. D. Crocker, G. A. Bettelhauser, A. D. Barrows, O. H. Clark, Arthur F. Winter, J. C. Hoch, T. M. Blackstock, Michael Winter, E. J. Stewart, Albert H. Wright, Charles W. Kneevers, Frederick P. Reiss, Christian Eckhardt, E. H. Ruem- mele, W. Kunz, J. O. Thayer, John Stehn, Frederick Hoppe, G. J. McGraw, M. C. Patten, A. L. Weeks, Jr., John Griffith, Nathan Cole, M. Boden- stein, John M. Saeman, H. W. Trester, E. P. Ewer, Jacob Imig, W. T. Davis, E. R. Richards, William Weeks, C. Reiss, Frank Flath, Charles Whiffen, C. Imig, J. Mogenson, H. von Kaas, H. D. Otten, W. D. Hal- sted, L. K. Howe, J. L. Hart, P. Baltz, Stewart Conover, F. Pape, E. Nehr- lich, G. C. Cole, Frederick Karste, Otto Foeste, Otis Clark, J. Shufflebotham, R. Q. Johnson, O. Mattoon, A. O. Smith.
In 1909, after a lapse of some years, the association was reorganized under the old name, and William A. Pfister was elected president, and Otto Aldag, secretary. These gentlemen are still performing the duties of these offices and the association, being alive to the virtue of advertising and continual advertising, is doing some valiant work in acquainting the business world with the many advantages of Sheboygan and offering in- ducements to worthy enterprises to come to the city and set up their stakes for a permanent abiding place. The membership of the association is large and enthusiastic for anything good that will "boom" Sheboygan.
THE POST OFFICE
The mails to Sheboygan were first brought here by what may be justly termed a rural mail carrier, who trudged afoot the entire distance from Green Bay to Chicago, with his pack upon his back, accompanied by an Indian guide. The round trip consumed two months' time and the mail carrier was paid $60 a month for his services. The mail route at that time, the early "thirties," was an Indian trail, that only hit the lake in but three or four places between Green Bay and Chicago, Sheboygan was one of them.
The postoffice at Sheboygan was first established between 1836 and
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1839, being changed from Brown county and named Chebowagan. On April 18, 1836, William Paine was appointed postmaster at Chebowagan, the name of the office being so designated by the department at Washing- ton. Paine took care of what little mail arrived in the settlement until July 21, 1836, about three months, when his successor was appointed, in the person of Joel S. Fisk, who served until November 25, or four months, and then Charles D. Cole took up the arduous ( ?) duties of handling "Uncle Sam's" business.
Some time between the years 1836 and 1839, not exactly shown by the records of the postal department at Washington, the name of this office was changed from Chebowagan to Sheboygan and has ever so remained.
After the panic of 1837, the village of Sheboygan was practically de- serted and, on November 20, 1839, the postoffice was discontinued and moved to Sheboygan Falls. On October 25, 1844, the office was re-estab- lished here and Samuel B. Ormsbee was the appointee. His successors have been the following:
Jairus Rankin, June 7, 1845; Elias H. Howard, August 31, 1847; Ed- ward Gilman, January 18, 1849; George W. Gillett, December 21, 1849; Warren Smith, February 24, 1853; Alfred Marschner, February 4, 1857; John J. Brown, April 17, 1861 ; Alfred Marschner, September 20, 1864; William W. King, June 8, 1869; J. L. Marsh, December 11, 1873; Nathan Cole, September 23, 1882; Carl Zillier, August 9, 1886; William J. Mall- mann, December 23, 1890; Carl Zillier, January 10, 1895; C. H. Maynard, February 15, 1899; Edith L. Maynard, June 18, 1903; Edward B. Mattoon, January 13, 1908. He died May 26, 1911, since which time his widow, Mrs. Emma G. Mattoon, has been acting postmistress.
Many changes have taken place in the manner of handling and trans- porting mail, since the first postoffice was established at Sheboygan. Trains, that travel over massive steel rails, at the rate of sixty miles an hour, arrive in the city daily and more than one of them at that. In the pioneer days a letter was not carried for less than ten cents and often the charges were as high as twenty-five. This was demanded before the delivery of the precious document. Finally, the government established a system of mail- ing stamps and later additional mailing facilities in the way of penny post- age-the postal card.
Today, the farmer, as well as the merchant, has his mail, including the daily paper, brought to his door, city mail carriers being first started on their rounds while Carl Zillier was postmaster, in the '8os, there being four carriers at first. Now there are seventeen. A few years later rural free delivery routes were established and at this time five branch out from this city. A splendid federal building was erected in 1894, at a cost of $32,000, to which an addition was placed, in 1907, costing $26,000.
In 1911 a postal savings bank department was inaugurated at this office, which is meeting the anticipations of its projectors. The amount of busi- ness has increased from year to year and this condition has continued even up to the past fiscal year, when the office showed the gratifying amount of $69,650.75. In the year past the office issued in money orders $113,- 269.47 and paid out on money orders presented, the sum of $100,888.23.
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FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
THE GERMAN BANK
James H. Mead came to Sheboygan, June 14, 1856, from Findlay, Ohio, where he had been engaged in the banking business, to organize the Ger- man Bank, which opened its doors to patrons, July 1, 1856. He was one of the organizers of the Phoenix Chair Company and its first president. He was also president of the Crocker Chair Company and one of its in- corporators.
The German Bank is one of Sheboygan's strong institutions and has done much to make the city what it is. The bank has witnessed the evolu- tion of the city from the settler's cabin to the present magnificent opera- tions in commercial strength and architectural beauty. It was owing to the efforts of the bank that the first manufacturing plant of any magnitude was placed here. Its officers have always fostered and financially sus- tained manufacturing industries and other sources of gain to the com- munity. It is the oldest and largest bank in the county. The capital stock is $250,000; surplus, $350,000; undivided profits, $54,000; deposits, $2,- 993,500. The officers are: F. Karste, president; F. Williams, vice presi- dent ; George Heller, cashier; Otto Kaufmann, assistant cashier. Directors, F. Karste, F. Williams, George Heller, A. P. Steffen, H. Scheele, Jr.
The building stands on the corner of Eighth and Center avenue and while it was built thirty years ago, it is still admired for its architectural beauties.
BANK OF SHEBOYGAN
This is one of the powerful financial institutions of the county and was established in 1873 as the First National Bank, by J. H. Dow, of Ply- mouth, Casper Pfister, John Bertschy, James Bell, C. F. Arpke, F. R. Townsend, H. F. Piderit and L. W. Tillotson. It was capitalized at $50,000. The first officers were: F. R. Townsend, president; John Bertschy, vice president; H. F. Piderit, cashier.
The bank continued under its charter as the First National until 1879, when it was reorganized as the Bank of Sheboygan, under a state charter. The capital stock was $50,000 .. The former officers were retained until 1880, when H. F. Piderit died and Julius Kroos succeeded him as cashier, In 1881 F. R. Townsend died and George End was elected president. Mr. End continued at the head of the institution until 1905, the year of his death, when Julius Kroos succeeded him in the presidency, and Adolph Pfister, who had been assistant cashier since 1890, was elected cashier. At the same time Joseph L. Pfeiler assumed the duties of assistant cashier.
In 1906 the capital stock was increased to $100,000, and from the start the bank has done a large business. In 1875 its deposits were $212,000; 1880, $222,000; 1885, $383,000; 1890, $487,000; 1900, $1,171,000; 1912, $2,263,000. The present officers are: Julius Kroos, president; William
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H. Gunther, vice president; Adolph Pfister, cashier; Joseph L. Pfeiler, as- sistant cashier.
Years of growth and prosperity made the quarters of the bank inade- quate and it was decided to erect a new building. A great deal of time was spent in arriving at the best results in modern bank construction. A building was erected on the west side of North Eighth street and is one of the show places of the city. The front is of classic design, 53 feet wide by 50 feet high, and the structure extends 110 feet from front to rear. The beautiful pediment rests upon two heavy pilasters of ashlar construc- tion, supported by two monoliths 29 feet in height, forming a portico of liberal dimensions, which greatly adds to the architectural effect. The entire front is constructed of Cherokee Georgia marble, a material unsur- passed by anything for beauty and durability. The entrance opens into a vestibule constructed of English veined Italian marble, with a beamed ceil- ing of polished mahogany, in the center of which is a dome finished in gold leaf, with concealed lighting, making a most pleasing effect. On the right of the vestibule facing the loggia is the president's room, and on the left is provided a ladies' parlor. After passing through the vestibule one enters upon a spacious lobby 20 feet wide by 40 feet long, on either side of which are provided cages, also the officers' quarters and the ladies' department. Back of a heavy steel grill at. the rear are vaults, three in number, including a safety deposit vault. There are also well arranged quarters for the employers, equipped with gymnasium and shower baths. Mural paintings which occupy the half-round panels at either end of the banking room proper represent in one the beginning of the struggle for the establishment of civilization in the neighborhood of Sheboygan; and the other is an apotheosis of the industrial and commercial spirit which has triumphed over so many obstacles and made Sheboygan the thriving, pros- perous center of business and manufacturing that she is today.
The Bank of Sheboygan may be said to be a continuation of the old Bank of Sheboygan, which was started by Francis R. Townsend and others in 1852 and which continued in business until 1869, when it went out of business. W. W. King was its president, and Francis R. Townsend, cashier. After an interim the First National Bank was organized in 1873 and, upon reorganization the old name was adopted and has been retained to the present time.
THE CITIZENS STATE BANK
The Citizens State Bank was organized in 1896 by John Mogenson, C. B. Freyberg, E. B. Garton, Emil Ladwig, C. A. Crawford and others. It is capitalized at $50,000. The bank first began doing business on the corner of Eighth and Pennsylvania avenue and remained there until it moved into its new quarters on North Eighth street, between Center and New York avenues, which occurred March 7, 1910.
The first officers were: John Mogenson, president; Emil Ladwig, vice president; C. A. Crawford, cashier; P. M. Reuter, assistant cashier. J. P. Jagodnigg succeeded Mr. Crawford as cashier December 1, 1896, and
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Henry Hillemann followed him in that office December 1, 1899. July I, 1907, J. W. Hansen bought Mr. Hillemann's interest and became cashier and for the following six months acted in the capacity of president.
January 1, 1908, Henry Jung was elected to the presidency. June I, 1908, the capital stock was increased from $50,000 to $75,000, and June I, 1909, to $100,000. The present officers are: Henry Jung, president ; J. W. Hansen, cashier; D. W. Huenink, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $100,000; surplus and undivided profits, $40,000; deposits, $665,000.
The handsome new $50,000 building which was occupied in 1910, is one of the handsomest devoted to the purpose in this section of the state. It is distinguished for the good taste manifested in construction, adorn- ment and appointments, the exterior and interior being harmonious through- out in equipment and decoration. The front is classic in design, built of Bedford stone, with two large pillars. The main entrance opens into a vestibule wainscoted with Greek Skyros marble. From the vestibule the visitor steps into the main lobby. The entire banking room, including this lobby, is 36x50 feet in size and 26 feet high. The main banking room is finished in mahogany and marble, the decorations are in tan and ivory shades, with gold leaf trimmings. The other appointments are in harmony with the beautiful structure. The vaults are of modern construction, which means they are burglar and fire-proof and the safety deposit vault is all that the many patrons of the concern could desire.
FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANK
The Farmers and Merchants Bank was established in 1905 and was opened for business on December 10th of that year. Its business has steadily increased and the stockholders find their money has been well invested. The capital stock is $50,000. The officers are: President, W. J. Schafer; vice president, Charles Hanf ; cashier, O. C. Neumeister.
The bank building stands on the corner of Eighth street and Michigan avenue and was planned by Architect Charles Hilpertshauser, of She- boygan. It is neat, but very attractive, constructed of glazed, pressed red brick and Bedford sandstone. The arrangement of the material makes the building a handsome one, while the style is appropriate to the use for which the structure is devoted. It is of the renaissance type. The. in- terior is fully in keeping with the exterior. The fixtures are of oak and the floor is tile with a border of marble. The building is 60 feet long, 25 feet wide and two stories high.
ST. NICHOLAS HOSPITAL
The first hospital and the only one in the city is St. Nicholas, the build- ing of which was thrown open to the public May 9, 1890, and to Rev. Father Thill, pastor of Holy Name church, and others, may be given the credit for its inception and completion. The first quarters of the in- stitution was a brick building at the corner of Superior avenue and Ninth street, owned by a retired priest, Father Strickner. It was commodious
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and serviceable, and the Working Men's Aid Society, which had taken the initiative in promoting the enterprise and who had raised the first money through entertainments and other means, was soon satisfied that their worthy labors had not been in vain. On the date herein mentioned, four Catholic sisters of Springfield, Illinois, took charge of the hospital and from that day to the present the institution has proved a real boon to Sheboygan and vicinity. It was not long, however, before the capac- ity of the building was taxed to its utmost, so much so that a larger build- ing was considered indispensable. By 1907 a handsome three story struct- ure built of red brick, was erected and was formally opened in February of that year. And through the munificence of business men and big- hearted citizens of Sheboygan, the various wards in the hospital were furnished. The furniture dealers donated articles for the halls. The Phoenix Chair Company and the Woman's Charity Club made valuable contributions and through the officers of the Catholic Charity Club an attractive grotto was placed on the hospital grounds. Others who donated to the furnishings were: Northern Furniture Company, in memory of Walter Liebl; the C. Reiss Coal Company, Woman's Relief Corps, She- boygan Chair Company, Thomas McNeill, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Knights of Wisconsin, Catholic Foresters, Dr. O. J. Gutsch, Gustav Huette, Mrs. Clemens Reiss, Jennie Mead Circle, King's Daughters, T. M. Blackstock, William Braasch, in memory of George End; Mrs. Her- man Schreier, H. C. Prange Company, St. Elizabeth's Ten, Crocker Chair Company, Barrett & Dennett, Mrs. Dr. Fiedler, of Eaton, Wisconsin, in memory of her mother, Mrs. Morris; Silver Cross Circle, M. Winter Lum- ber Company, the Mueller Lumber Company, Art Furniture Company and the Parlor Furniture Company.
CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
One of the earliest successful efforts to organize a public, or semi- public, library in Sheboygan was that of the members of the First Con- gregational church, who gathered together about seven hundred volumes of standard and miscellaneous literature for the church library and the general use of the public. This library was transferred to the Sheboygan Library Association, a corporation chartered in 1880, the first officials of which were: William H. Seaman, president; George End, vice presi- dent ; L. D. Harvey, secretary ; A. Rabe, Jr., treasurer ; Frank Stone, libra- rian. One hundred and twelve shares of stock, at the par value of ten dollars each, were sold and the innovation started out with bright prospects and a collection of over one thousand books, which with the periodicals and daily papers gave to the reading public a long-felt want.
The present public library had its commencement in the summer of 1897 when the common council appropriated for the support of a library for the ensuing year the sum of $1,316. Under the law the mayor then appointed a board of library directors which organized July 12, 1897. Library rooms were obtained in the Foeste building on North Eighth street, and an active canvass was made to obtain funds for the purchase.
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This canvass resulted in obtaining $1,474 in subscriptions, of which about $800 was obtained through the efforts of the Woman's Club. Miss Mary E. Gale was employed to install the library and Miss Katharine Buchanan was employed as the regular librarian.
In March, 1901, Mr. Carnegie, in response to a request made by F. A. Dennett, offered to give $25,000 for a library building if the city would appropriate $2,500 annually for the support of the library. The common council passed a resolution in May, 1901, accepting Mr. Carnegie's gift and providing for the annual appropriation required. When the board of directors called for plans it was found that $25,000 was too small an amount with which to construct an adequate building, and Mr. Carnegie was asked to increase his gift to $35,000. This he agreed to do in March, 1902, upon the city increasing its annual appropriation to $3,500.
Patten & Miller, of Chicago, were employed as architects and in July, 1902, their plans for the present building were accepted. Bids for the building were opened September 10, 1902, and the contracts were let a few days after. The building with all furniture and book stacks cost about $500 more than the amount given for that purpose by Mr. Carnegie.
The first board of directors was composed of A. W. Pott, Paul Reuther, O. B. Joerns, M. R. Zaegel, E. H. Sonnermann, Ernst Aldag, W. H. Gunther, George Heller, Henry Schilder and Francis Williams. In 1899 Mr. Heller, who held his position by virtue of being superintendent of schools, resigned as such superintendent and the new superintendent, H. F. Leverenz, took his place on the board. In 1902, Messrs. Zaegel and Sonnemann resigned and Messrs. Carl Zillier and Thomas McNeill were appointed in their places. Carl Zillier is at present, president of the board ; Francis Williams, secretary. The librarians have been: Katharine Bucha- nan, from the organization to May, 1900; Bertha Rombauer, May 1900, to April, 1901 ; Bertha Marx, April, 1901, to the present time, 1912.
The Carnegie Public Library building is plain though pleasing in its architectural lines and stands on the corner of North Seventh street and New York avenue. The formal opening of the handsome structure oc- curred Saturday, January 30, 1904, and was attended by appropriate and impressive ceremonies. This public institution, made possible by the gen- erous benefaction of the great iron master, is the pride of Sheboygan and its citizens are generous in their patronage. The library shelves now con- tain about 13,000 volumes.
HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF SHEBOYGAN
The following brief extracts taken from the school records on file may recall many interesting facts to some of the old residents who have labored so faithfully in the upbuilding of this city and who in their busy lives have never forgotten to provide educational advantages for their children. The younger generation will see from this brief history that interest in public education is not a matter of the last decade but that the earliest settlers of Sheboygan were much concerned in it and ready to provide the best at their disposal.
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