History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc., Part 181

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052

USA > Wisconsin > History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc. > Part 181

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The western portion of the land grant donated to the State, by Congress, in 1836, was conferred to the State, on the La Crosse & Milwaukee Company. On the fourteenth day of March, 1857, the road was com- pleted as far as Portage, ninety-eight miles from Milwau- kee, and just half way to LaCrosse. In this year, the com- pany, owing to the financial depression of the times, suffered very much, and there were repeated charges in its board of officers. At the close of the year 1857, the debt of the road reached $8,263,660.91, while the stock of the road amounted to $7,687,540.26. In the annual report for that year the story of the financial embarrassments are given, in which they admit in guarded language, the disastrous results to the com- prany, of the legislative and other official corruption, by which the land grant of the previous year was ob- tained. On the twenty-seventh day of September,

1857, the road passed into the hands of Selah Cham- berlain, as lessee, by whom, as contractor, a large por- tion of it had been built. He leased from the La Crosse & Milwaukee Company, and continued the construction of the road till October 1, 1858, when the whole line was opened to La Crosse.

In 1860, Mr. Chamberlain surrendered the control of the road to Messrs. Bronson & Sutter, the trustees of the second mortgage holders, at which time an order had been made by the United States District Court, ap- pointing Col. Hans Crocker receiver of the Western Division of the road, from Portage to La Crosse. Col. Crocker was also appointed receiver of the Eastern Di- vision. Taking possession of the whole road, Col. Crocker operated it until the twelfth day of June, 1863, when on an order from the court, he surrendered the Western Division to the Milwaukee & St. Paul Com- pany, as purchaser, and the Eastern Division to the same company to operate under him as receiver, he continuing to act as receiver of the Eastern Division until January 9, 1866, when it was surrendered to the Milwaukee & Minnesota. Railroad Company. This company operated it until March 6, 1862, when they surrendered it to the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company, under a decree in the Circuit Court of the United States. On the 1st of January, 1872, the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company formally effected the purchase of the Chicago & St. Paul Railroad. The purchase was made by giving the bonds of the St. Paul Company for £800,000, or about $4,000,000 in gold, payable in Lon- don in 1902, at 7 per cent. The line of the road be- tween Milwaukee and Chicago was not completed until the Fall of 1872, and its formal transfer to the Milwau- kee & St. Paul was made in the following year. The route between Milwaukee and St. Paul, a distance of 410 miles, was then completed.

The Legislature of Wisconsin, which met in Janua- ry, 1874, passed a law, limiting the rates for transport- ing passengers and freights, and also for providing a Board of Railroad Commissioners. This was known as the " Potter Law," and went into effect May 1, 1874. The commissioners appointed were George H. Paul, John W. Hoyt and Joseph H. Osborne. There was considerable feeling at this time on the part of the peo- ple against the railroad company, who regarded the " Potter Law " as unconstitutional, and refused to ac- quiesce in the reduction of charges until compelled to do so by the final decision of the Supreme Court.

This road continued to operate under the name of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad until February, 1874, when by an act of the Legislature, the name was changed to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company.

In 1876, the " Potter Law " was repealed, and a law passed establishing maximum prices for freights. The present officers of the company are Alex. Mitchell, president ; Julius Wadsworth, vice-president ; R. D. Jennings, secretary and treasurer, and S. S. Merrill, general manager. The main line of this road runs di- rectly across Monroe County, passing through the towns of Sparta, Angelo, Greenfield, Tomah and Oak- dale. The first train passed over the county in 1858, running east as far as the tunnel, from which place the passengers were compelled to drive over the ridge, tak-

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.

ing the train for the East, from that side, the tunnel not being completed.

The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company .- In the year 1873, the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was constructed to and through this county. In view of this fact, a brief history of this, the most extensive railroad in the world, will not be out of place. The Chicago & Northwestern Railway was first organized as the Illinois & Wisconsin Railway Company, intended to be run from Chicago to the Wisconsin State line. It was consolidated with the Rock River Valley Union Railroad, which was to run from the State line to Fond du Lac. There the two formed the St. Paul & Fond du Lac Air-line Railway Company.

In 1859, the road was sold, and re-organized under the present name. Since this time, the Dixon, Rock- ford & Kenosha, and, in June, 1864, the Galena & Chi- engo railroads have been consolidated with this com- pany. In October, 1864, it received the Peninsular, and in 1869 the Detroit & Madison, and in 1871 the Baraboo Air Line, running from Madison. In due course of time, the following roads were absorbed : The Winona & St Peter, running from Winona to New Ulm, and thence extended to Lake Kampeska, Dakota, 320 miles from the Mississippi River. The line was then pushed from Madison to Elroy, where it formed a junction with the West Wisconsin road, and thus formed the shortest line from Chicago to St. Paul. There was still wanting the link to fill the gap between Winona and Elroy. The company then bought the La Crosse, Trempealeau & Prescott Railroad, from Winona Junction, finishing it to Sparta, Monroe Coun- ty, and opening it for regular traffic, with a grand excursion from Chicago, on the twenty-fifth day of September, 1873. The line from Madison to Sparta passes through the most picturesque portion of Wis- consin, and nowhere in the State can as grand and beautiful scenery be found as along this line. Passing at Madison the celebrated lake country, it soon skirts Devil's Lake, the dells of the Baraboo River, and runs into the hill country between Elroy and Sparta. On this part of the line can be seen work more difficult and expensive than can be found on any other road in the middle West. Among the difficulties met with by the engineers, were numerous springs that gave such volumes of water, that many devices had to be resorted to, in order to continue the work in the vicinity. Three long tunnels had to be made through mountain spurs, in this county. The largest, known as "No. 3," and situated in the town of Ridgeville, near Sparta, is 3,800 feet in length, costing nearly $1,000,000 in its construction. The other two, Nos. 1, and 2, are about 1,700 feet in length.

This great corporation now owns and operates over 2,000 miles of road. Radiating from Chicago like the fingers of a man's hand, its lines reach in all directions and cover about all of the country north, northwest and west of Chicago. With one branch it reaches Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee and the country north thereof ; with another line, it pushes through Janes- ville, Watertown, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Escanaba, to Nagaunee and Marquette; with still another line, it passes through Madison, Elroy and St. Paul and Minneapolis; branching westward from El-

roy, it keeps on through Winona, Owatonna, St. Peter, Mankato, New Ulm, and on through until Lake Kampes- ka, Dakota, is reached ; another line starts from Chicago and runs through Elgin and Rockford to Freeport, and via the Illinois Central to Dubuque and the country beyond. The present officers of the Chicago & North- western Railway Company are Albert Keep, president ; M. S. Sykes, vice-president ; Marvin Hughitt, second vice-president and general manager.

THE PRESS.

The first regular newspaper in the county of Mon- roe was established in Sparta, in the Spring of 1855, by Milton Montgomery and James D. Condit, and was christened the Sparta Watchman. The hand-press and type used in its publication were procured in Beaver Dam, and brought to Sparta by wagon. Prior to this, however, an eccentric old printer, named L. P. Rising, from Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., with a press of his own construction and a few fonts of old type, had issued, at irregular intervals, a publication about the size of fools- cap paper, which he called the Monroe County Citizen. He issued probably about fifteen numbers during the years 1854 and 1855. His office was at his residence, some two miles west of Sparta, where he increased the duties of publisher and editor by cultivating a small tract of land. The Watchman was published about a year by Montgomery & Condit, and was then transferred to Lucius M. Rose, who had formerly been connected with the Watertown Chronicle. This gen- tleman changed its name to the Monroe County Freeman, under which title it was published by him for about two years. In the Spring of 1858, the office and busi- ness was purchased by D. McBride, who had formerly been publishing the Mauston Star. Upon taking the paper he, too, altered the name, calling it the Sparta Herald, under which name it is still published, though it suffered a temporary suspension from 1867 to 1869, during which time the office material was used in the publication of the Sparta Democrat, by William J. Whip- ple, who since that time has published the Winona Democrat. The publication of the Herald was resumed in 1869 by Messrs. D. McBride & Son, its present pro- prietors. In politics it has been uniformly Republican.

In the Summer of 1859, the Sparta Democrat, a Democratic paper, was started by two young men, then recently employes in the Herald office, named Richard M. Copeland and George Babcock. It had a very short existence, having run about six months. when the firm in Milwaukee from whom the proprietors had bought their press and type on time, seized it in part payment.

In 1860, a slight dissension among the Republican leaders led to the establishment of a rival Republican paper called the Sparta Eagle, published by William H. Farnham, assisted by L. P. Noyes. The latter left the paper in about a year; the former continuing to publish it until 1868, when it was bought out by a gentleman from Ohio, named George Redway. The paper from this time seemed to lead rather a checkered career, and frequently changed hands-Redway, in less than a year, turning the office over to his brother, R. E. Redway. In the Summer of 1869, it was purchased by D. B. Priest, of Viroqua. About the same time, William Nelson, also of Viroqua, and who has since

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

been United States Marshal for the Territory of Utah, had a brief connection with it. In 1871, W. R. Finch came into possession, but soon left it, giving R. C. Bierce, of Viroqna, charge, who formed a partnership with Henry Rising, a son of the former editor of the Monroe County Citizen. In the Fall of 1871, D. W. C. Wilson and Theodore F. Hollister bought it, and after a few months' trial, they, too, gave it up, and the Eagle expired. Mr. Wilson subsequently purchased the type, presses and material, and started the Monroe County Republican, a Democratic paper, which he continued to publish until. January, 1879, when negotiations which had been in progress for some time culminated in the purchase of the concern by Messrs. F. A. Brown and G. A. Foster, who had been publishing the Monroe County Democrat, at Tomah. The latter was discon- tinued, and Messrs. Brown & Foster merged their un- expired subscriptions with the list of the Republican, at Sparta, which they published under that name for about one year, and then changed it to the Monroe County Democrat. In August, 1880, Mr. Foster retired from the paper, and Mr. Brown has since continued its pub- lication up to the present time.

The first number of the Wisconsin Greenback was issned June 29, 1876, Dr. J. Lamborn editor. The paper, as its name indicates, was an organ of the Green- back paper, which, in that period of its rise, counted many prominent Republicans in this region among its recruits. For a time the firm was Lamborn & Need- ham, the latter a practical printer, but he left the paper some time during the Fall, and the publication was continued by Dr. Lamborn and his son, Arthur B. Lamborn. It worked zealously in the cause which it advocated, during the Cooper campaign of 1876, and early the following Summer, after the nomination of the Greenback State ticket, at Portage, headed by Hon. E. P. Allis for Governor, the paper was removed to Milwaukee, and, backed by Allis, George Godfrey and other leading Greenbackers, took rank as the lead- ing organ of the party, in the State, during the guber- natorial campaign of 1877. It still claimed to retain a nominal residence at Sparta, however, and after the battle was over, in 1877, was removed back to Sparta.

The Tomah Journal was started in 1867 by the pres- ent editor, J. A. Wells, and has been published ever since, never having changed its owner or name. About the same time, a paper called the Tomah Democrat was started by a Mr. Averill, but died out in about six months.

The Badger State Monitor, published at Tomah, is- sued its initial number July 1, 1881, and is edited by J. R. Hinckley.

At the present time the newspapers of Monroe Coun- ty are as follows : Sparta Herald, D. McBride & Son, and Monroe County Democrat, F. A. Brown, both pub- lished at Sparta; Tomah Journal, J. A. Wells, and Badger State Monitor, J. R. Hinckley, published at Tomah.

MONROE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

This was the first society of an agricultural nature in Monroe County. In 1857, Mr. Robert E. Gillett, of Tomah, a prominent man, and an earnest worker in all that pertained to the welfare of the county, made the

suggestion that an agricultural society be organized, and the idea met with great favor, culminating in a special meeting of citizens who were favorable to the project. Those who showed great interest in the or- ganization, were Robert E. Gillett, Samuel Hoyt, T. B. Tyler, L. S. Fisher and Amos Kendall. After some discussion, the society was formally organized early in 1858, under the statute provided by the State law of that year, providing for the organization of State and county agricultural societies, and was known as the Monroe County Agricultural Society. The first officers elected were Samuel Hoyt, president; L. S. Fisher, secretary, and Amos Kendall, treasurer.

The first fair was held in Sparta, September, 1858, on " Denny's Lot," situated on South Water street. and now owned and occupied by O. L. Irvin as a lum- ber yard. The receipts were rather light, but exceeded the disbursements. The society were unanimons in claiming the gathering to be a success.

In 1863, the society became the purchasers of their present capacions grounds, situated in the western por- tion of the village of Sparta, for which they paid $725, receiving the deed on the third day of September, from William King, the former owner. The plat consisted originally of one entire forty, but this being too much for their purpose, the society sold all but twenty-five acres, which they inclosed as the fair ground proper. The Monroe County Agricultural Society has for its object, the advancement of agriculture, horticulture, and the mechanical and household arts, using the fair held annually as a medium. At the annual gathering may be seen the best products of the soil and dairy, the most improved machinery, and implements for aiding agriculture and lightening the burdens of the house- hold. Farmers, merchants, manufacturers, artisans and representatives of all other activities, which help make a thriving and prosperous community, meet on the fair ground annually, and make exhibits of their specialties. No pains have been spared to give the institution a na- tional reputation, and to establish upon a lasting basis an exposition that would afford to the whole county facilities, heretofore unattainable, to meet under the most pleasing and favorable circumstances. Liberal premiums are offered in all branches of industries, and has the effect of stimulating the exhibitors to a sharp but friendly rivalry.

The annual exhibition is held in September of each year, lasting through three days. In the early days of the society, when it was in its infancy, the fairs were not so successful as they otherwise would have been, but the executive committee, being gentlemen who were all earnest and thorough workers for the prosperi- ty of the county, would not allow the interest in the association to flag, but by their example stimulated those, who at the best were but lukewarm in its inter- ests. For four years the society labored against all the disadvantages, such on organization is sure to meet with in a new country.

In 1861, the balance in the hands of the treasurer, received from all sources, amounted to but 899; 1862, 835; 1863, 8593.85; 1864, 8745.37; 1865, $796.93; 1866, $893.99; 1867, $614; 1868, $391.52; 1869, $571.75; 1870, $775.61 ; 1871, 8520.69 ; 1872, 8576.47 ; 1873, $832.35 ; 1874, 8981.30 ; 1875, 81,834.08 ; 1876,

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.

$924.28 ; 1877, $313.59 ; 1878, $726.05 ; 1879,$999.45, and flooding the marshes, at the proper seasons of the and 1880, $1,055.18.

The donations received from the county are as fol- fows :

November, 1869, $200; November, 1870, $300, and 1871, $300, aggregating total amount received from this source, $800.

In September, 1873, the village of Sparta presented them with $250, raised by subscription among the citi- zens. The financial affairs of the society were, until June, 1880, in a flourishing condition. At this time the tornado which passed through this section of coun- try, caused them to suffer severe loss, and in conse- quence, became somewhat indebted ; the buildings of the fair grounds being completely demolished, causing an expense of some eight or nine hundred dollars to repair them. By prudent management, however, the debt has been paid, and a solid financial footing again secured.

The receipts of the present year, up to the 1st of Angust, amount to 8209.92; disbursements, $170.02; leaving a balance on hand of $39.90.

The fair grounds are well situated, the buildings which have been improved since the tornado, in good order, with plenty of room for those requiring space, for outside exhibits.

The driving track may well claim to be one of the best half mile tracks in the State, being well laid out and carefully cared for, by men employed by the socie- ty for that purpose.

The present officers of the society are as follows : R. H. Rogers, president ; C. E. Hanchette, vice-presi- dent ; Frank Bloomingdale, secretary ; J. A. Clark. financial secretary, and T. B. Tyler, treasurer. Execu- tive Committee are A. T. Colburn, J. W. Smith and Roswell Smith.

During fair time there are nine departments, with a superintendent over each, who are appointed by the executive committee. The different departments are as follows: Ist, horses ; 2d, cattle ; 3d, sheep ; 4th, swine ; 5th, fowls ; 6th, farm and field crops ; 7th, agri- cultural implements ; 8th, domestic manufactures, and 9th, department of flowers and plants. Each of these departments are divided into classes.

CRANBERRY CULTURE.

The cranberry culture in Monroe County as in that of Jackson and Wood counties, is one of its most ex- tensive productions, as well as being one of the best paying investments to the cultivator. At the present time in the State of Wisconsin, there are more than 16,000 acres under cultivation, and about 40,000 acres in wild marsh where the berry grows to almost as great a state of perfection as in the cultivated marsh. Ow-

ing to the fact that for the last few years the demand for this fruit having been in excess of the yield, a great many capitalists are embarking in it, and it bids fair to become one of the greatest productions of the West. To those who are unaware of the great commercial im- portance of this berry, which is appreciated as the last fruit of the season, a few remarks on the subject will not be amiss.

In the first place the culture of the berry is very simple. It consists in ditching, draining, damming

year. The plants are always flooded in November, re- maining under water in most cases until the following May. This is to protect the plants or vines from the exposure to snow or frost, to which they are very sus- ceptible. Upon occasions it is found necessary to flood or cover the plants during other periods of the year, to protect them from an accidental frost. To do this it is necessary to have the troughs or drains of suffi- cient depth to overflow them at a very short notice. By damming and draining carefully, all danger of a blight from frost is averted, and the cultivator can in all cases have a good yield.

One of the first to enter into this business were Messrs. Brooks & Wise of New Lisbon, who bought marshes in the northeastern part of the county before railroads were built in that section. They had to haul berries thirty miles to New Lisbon for shipment. This was before cultivation began, and the berries were mostly raked. Since then a large amount of money has been put on the marsh for improvement, such as walks, dams, ditches, buildings for pickers, storehouses, etc. A post-office was established at Dodge's mill called Nor- way Ridge. Mr. Wise sold out some years ago, and has a marsh at another point.

One of the finest and most carefully cultivated marshes in Monroe County is that of Mr. Stillwell, lo- cated near La Fayette. This marsh is a very small one, but as Mr. Stillwell says as much as he cares to handle. The marsh consists of fourteen acres, and is divided into fourteen separate sections of one acre each. He has located about one hundred yards above the marsh proper a large reservoir, with an average depth of three and a half feet, which amply supplies the flood neces- sary to manure, keep the vines and destroy the bog moss. Each section of this model marsh has the ditch boarded, and sluice or flood gates arranged by which the flooding can be easily regulated, and which enables him to flood at any time one section, leaving all the others free from water. In 1879 the yield from this marsh was 1,400 bushels. In 1880 the yield was 1,600 and in 1881, Mr. Stillwell says it will average about 135 bushels to the acre, or about 1,900 bushels to the crop. The peat bed of the Stillwell marsh is five feet thick, and if cared for inexhaustible. There are other marshes in the county, but none of them will yield a crop to exceed Stillwell's. Wm. Kerrigan, of Sparta, who is proprietor of the Pine Hill marsh, Jackson County, which contains thirty-two forties (1,280 acres), says his yield this season will far exceed any preceding it. Mr. Kerrigan has but a very small portion of his marsh under cultivation, but says he will average from forty to forty-five bushels to the acre on about 400 acres, which he has partly ditched and dammed. This marsh will probably be one of the most prolific in the State of Wisconsin, Mr. Kerrigan intending to devote his whole time to the culture of the berry.

Other important marshes are the "Hitchcock" marsh which is owned by a corporation ; J. I. Case, of Racine, being one of the principal stockholders. F. O. Wyatt's marsh, Runkel & Freeman's marsh and others.

The Agricultural Associations throughout the dif- ferent counties are beginning to take an active interest in the success of this product, and as in the case of the

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

State Agricultural Society intend to offer premiums for the finest specimens of the fruit. There is an enor- mous quantity of these berries shipped from Sparta and Tomah, and is fast becoming the principal shipment. The demand is growing greater each season.

SPARTA.

Sparta, the county seat of Monroe, was incorporated May 11, 1857, under Chapter 52, of the Revised Statutes of the State of Wisconsin, and comprised all that area de- scribed as follows: Commencing at the center of the northeast quarter of Section 13, in Township 17 north, of Range 4 west, of the fourth meridian; running thence west, on the one-eighth line, to the center of the northwest quarter of Section 14, in said township; thence east, on the one-eighth line, to the center of the southeast quarter of Section 24; in said town; thence north, on the one-eighth line, to the place of beginning, making an area of thirty- six forties, or 1440 acres, according to Government survey, being in the town of Sparta, Monroe County. The officers of the said corporation consist of one President, and six Trustees, one Clerk, one Treasurer, one Police Justice and one Constable, who shall be ex-officio Marshal of the village, and such other officers as the Trustees shall ordain.

In 1851 two brothers, by the name of William and Frank Petit, settled on the site of the present village, the latter having settled prior to this in the La Crosse Valley, but had to leave it on account of trouble with the Indians. On the fifth day of July, 1851, William Petit built a log cabin on the bank of Beaver Creek, near where the old Globe Hotel now stands, on corner of Court and Main streets. This was the first building, of any kind, in Sparta. During the years 1849 and 1850, the lands had been surveyed and brought into market, causing a flow of immigration almost immediately. Owing to this, and feeling the necessity of finding a resting-place for the numerous travellers who passed through the village, Petit decided to turn his dwell- ing-place into a tavern, although it contained but one room and a loft. Travellers wrapped their blankets about them and laid down upon the rough boards or slabs, which were put down loosely.

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Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1052

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052