Madison city directory, a city and business directory for 1866, Part 4

Author: Suckow, B. W., comp; Smith, John Y
Publication date: 1866
Publisher: Madison, Wis.
Number of Pages: 412

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > Madison > Madison city directory, a city and business directory for 1866 > Part 4

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Catholics have a large and flourishing school at their fine stone church, on Main street.

COMMERCIAL COLLEGE.

This School was opened by Mr. R. S. BACON, in January, 1856, who sold to Mr. D. H. TULLIS, in the Fall of 1858. It was continue without interruption,

HISTORY OF MADISON.

under the care of Mr. TULLIS, until early in 1865, when by mutual arrangement, it passed into the hands of Messrs. WORTHINGTON and WARNER, by whom it is still continued, in YOUNG's block, corner of Main and Carroll streets. Like other institutions of the kind, the main ob- jeet is, to give a thorough course in the science of book. keeping, preparatory to entering upon mercantile and oth- er business pursuits. In addition to book keeping, in- struction is also given in the art of operating the tele- graph, and occasional lectures on Commercial Law are added. To make these schools worthy of the name they bear, and to secure to young men a thorough business education, students should not only be perfectly trained as accountants, but well drilled in the main principles of Commercial law and political economy. Those who pro- pose to engage in trade, should, of all others, next to the statesman, make themselves familiar with the laws of trade in the economic sense. It would enable them, in inost cases, to shun the rocks upon which so many fortunes bravely made, have finally been wrecked.

HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.

This institution is located on the north bank of Lake Mendota, three miles from the city by a direct line across the lake, and six miles by the carriage road. The grounds embrace one hundred acres purchased by the State from L. J. FARWELL, in 1854. By an act of the Legislature, approved March 30th of the same year, the Governor was authorized to appoint Commissioners to prepare plans and let a contract for the erection of a Lunatic Asylum, sub- stantially upon the plan of the Asylum in Worcester, Mass., both in respect to design and expense.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

In pursuance of this act, Gov. BARSTOW appointed S. G. BUGH, D. S. VITTUM and A. S. SANBORN, Commission- ers, and Dr. G. R. MCLANE was appointed Superintend- ent. On the 31st of October the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to ANDREW PROUDFIT, and the work was commenced. Upon the assembling of the Legislature of 1855, however, the question was raised as to whether the Commissioners had acted in conformity with the law, either in respect to the plan of the building, the cost of construction, or the manner of letting the con- tract, and the whole subject was referred to a select com- mittec for investigation.

This committee found that the plan adopted by the Commissioners was much more extensive than had been authorized, and bore no particular resemblance to the Worcester Asylum, which the legislature had adopted as a pattern. They also found that the work had been con- tracted by the piece, with no footings or statement of the aggregate amount, and consequently the total amount for which the State would be liable under the contract, was entirely uncertain. The committee procured the assis- tance of architects and builders, who made an estimate of the cost of the proposed structure, upon the basis of the rates agreed upon in the contract, and the result of their figures was $452,140.42, while the cost of the Worcester Asylum, to which they were limited, was less than $100,- 000. The result of the investigation was, that the legis- lature annulled the contract; and here the question of an Asylum for the Insane rested for two years.

By an act approved March 6th, 1857, the enterprise was . revived under the name of Hospital for the Insane. Un- der this act, L. J. FARWELL, JOHN P. MCGREGOR and LEVI STERLING were appointed by the Governor as Cominiss-

HISTORY OF MADISON.

sioners, with authority to mature plans and contract for the ereetion of a building, the cost being limited to $100,- 000. The Commissioners not being restricted to any model, adopted a plan which could be built in part and subsequently extended as the demand for accommoda- tions increased. They called for proposals for the erec- tion of such portion of the plan as they supposed would come within the expense limited by the legislature, and which they estimated would accommodate 75 patients, and the contract was awarded to NELSON McNIEL, at $73,000. This contract was exclusive of certain arrangements which entered into the plan and which the Commissioners sup- posed could be added for the balance of the sum limited.

Mr. McNIEL progressed but slowly with his contract. and finally failed entirely and threw it up, which caused much delay in the completion of the building, and it was not until some time in 1860, that it was turned over to the Board of Trustees, for the reception of patients, and then it was found that provision had been made for the accommodation of only 32-the Commissioners seeming to have arranged the apartments not so much with a view to furnish accommodations for the unfortunate persons for whom the Institution was designed, as to fit up a fine cs- tablishment for those who were to have them in charge.

On the 20th of May, 1860, the Trustees elected Dr. JOHN P. CLEMENT, as Medical Superintendent, and he ap- pointed Dr. JOHN FAVILL as his assistant, and the first pa- tient was admitted to the Hospital on the 14th of July, of the same year. It had already been ascertained that the number of insane persons in the State, of both sexes, cx- ceeded 200, and the . Trustees were obliged to apportion the few that could be accommodated, among the counties presenting the most urgent cases, from one to three to cach,

HISTORY OF MADISON.

while many counties were necessarily excluded entirely. Keen was the disappointment of many who had friends bereft of reason, and who had been looking long and anxiously to the completion of the Hospital, when, as they supposed, they would have a right, as citizens of the State, to share in its munificence. In view of the pressing demand, the Medical Superintendent, with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, consisting of Dr. A. I. BENNETT, SIMEON MILLS and THOMAS HOOD, set about rearranging and economizing the apartments, and so suc. cessful were they in their efforts that on the 17th of De- cember, of the same year, 89 patients had been received and only eleven discharged.

Still the capacity of the Institution was far from meet. ing the wants of those suffering from mental disease, and by an act approved March 11, 1861, the legislature author- ized the enlargement of the building, by which its capaci- ty was considerably more than doubled. In this case the law wisely placed the work in charge of the Trustees, with authority to choose an Executive Committee to aet for the Board, and Dr. A. 1. BENNETT, SIMEON MILLS and THOM- AS HOOD were appointed said committee. The legislature appropriated to the object $40,000. The contract for the mason work was awarded to JOSEPH PARKINS of Dane, County, at $20,500, and the carpenter and joiner work to Messrs. BRADLEY & NORTON, of Racine, at about $9,000. This was exclusive of heating and gas apparatus, sewer- age, &c., which absorbed the balance of the appropriation. In this instance the State was more fortunate than in the former ones in deriving benefits commensurate with the money appropriated. The work was executed with a good degree of promptness and in the summer of 1862 was ready for the accommodation of patients.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

In April, 1864, Dr. A. II. VAN NORSTRAND was elected Medical Superintendent in place of Dr. CLEMENT, and now holds that position, with Dr. J. W. SAWYER as as- sistant physician. Mrs. MARY C. HOLLIDAY has occupied the position of Matron from the opening of the Institution to the present time.

It appears from the report of the Superintendent for the year 1865 that there were admitted to the Hospital, during the year, 87, of whom 44 were males and 43 females. The whole number receiving the benefits of the Hospital during the year was 257. Discharged during the year, 80; leaving in the Institution, on the 1st of October, 1865, 177-89 males and 88 females.

The capacity of the Institution is still very inadequate for the accommodation of all who need care and treatment, and, it being a Hospital rather than an Asylum, the hope- less cases must often be returned to their friends or to the County poor houses or jails to make room for more recent and hopeful cases. The census of 1860 shows that there were then 540 insane or idiotic persons in the State, and the number must be considerably greater at the present time, while the present accommodations are scarcely suffi- cient for 200.

During the legislative session of 1865, numerous peti- tions were presented to the legislature asking that further provisions be made for this unfortunate class, and a bill for the eulargement of the present Hospital passed the Senate, but failed in the Assembly in consequence of a disagreement amongst members as to the relative expedi- ency of enlarging the present establishment or building a new Hospital in some other section of the State. The subject is now before the legislature of 1866, and it is earnestly hoped that considerations of humanity will so

HISTORY OF MADISON.

far preponderate over seetional interest that the much needed provision will be made, in some form and on a scale which will make the Institution or Institutions not only the resort for temporary treatment, but the Asylum -the home of the most unfortunate class of sufferer, the hopelessly insane.

.STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

We find the germ of this Society in a small meeting of citizens of Madison and persons from other parts of the State, held at the American Hotel, in Madison, Jan. 29, 1849, of which J. Y. SMITH was Chairman and E. M. WILLIAMSON, Secretary. This meeting resolved to call a general meeting in the Senate Chamber the next evening to consider the expedieney of organizing a State IIistori- . cal Society. . At the meeting on the 30th, Prof. ELEAZER Roor was called to the- Chair, and Gen. WML. R. SMITH chosen Sceretary. A constitution was formed and adopt- ed, and numerously signed by those present, after which the Society proceeded to the election of officers. NELSON DEWEY, the Governor of the State, was elected the first President, I. A. LAPHAM Corresponding Secretary, and Rev. CHARLES LORD, Recording Secretary. One Vice- President was also chosen for each of the 23 counties then organized.

The Society held annual meetings at which able historie discourses were delivered, but during the first five years of its existence it accomplished next to nothing in the way of historical collections-so little that in 1854 the library contained only 50 volumes, and all but three of these were State laws, journals and documents, and were deposited in a small cupboard 3 by 4 feet.

In 1853 the Society was incorporated by an act of the

HISTORY OF MADISON.

legislature, and in 1854 it was reorganized under the charter. In the reorganization Gen. W. R. SMITH was elected President, LYMAN C. DRAPER Corresponding Sec- retary, and Rev. CHARLES LORD Recording Secretary. This formed an important era in the history of the Socic- ty. Under the energetic and untiring efforts of the Cor- responding Secretary, Mr. DRAPER, it made rapid progress from this time onward, in the objects for which it was formed-the securing of Historical Collections. He open- ed correspondence with other Societies and with individ- uals throughout the country, soliciting don'ations and ex- changes from every available source as well as written contributions and relies relating to the history of our own State, and the result was that collections rapidly accumu- lated. At every meeting of the Executive Committee, which recurred several times in a year, the members were surprised at the amount of labor accomplished and its vis- ible results. Small appropriations have been made from the State Treasury for the purchase of such works as could not be obtained by donation or exchange, and these have been expended with great care and discrimina- tion and added much to the value and interest of the col- lection.

In 1855, DANIEL S. DURRIE, Esq., was chosen Librarian of the Society, but for some two years his duties were but nominal and rendered without compensation. In 1856 it became obvious that the Society must have rooms specially devoted to its use and a small apartment in the basement of the Baptist Church, on Carroll street was first obtained and soon it required and obtained the use of nearly the whole basement of the church. In 1857 the collections had become so large and of so much in- terest that Mr. DURRIE devoted his whole time to the du-

HISTORY OF MADISON.

ties of Librarian, in which position he has been continu- ed by the votes of the Society to the present time. With the care of the rooms and collections, indexing the vol- umes by subjects, and assisting in carrying on the vast cor- respondence of the Society, he has performed a vast amount of labor upon a small salary.

Chiefly as the result of the labors of the Corresponding Secretary and Librarian, the Society has become a success beyond any thing of the kind of its age, in this, or prob- ably any other country. The library now contains 21,366 volumes, bound and unbound, of which 1136 are bound' newspapers; 188 of these were published in the last cen- tury, several of them by Dr. Franklin, and one in the previous century ; over 100 Atlases, maps and diagrams of ancient date, illustrating the vagueness of the ideas concerning the American Continent, which prevailed 200 years ago.

One of the most attractive features of the collections is the picture gallery. It consists of 60 fine oil portraits of early pioncers of the State, Wisconsin Governors, and other prominent men, and of several Indian Chiefs, all re- markably true to the life and some of them showing high artistic finish. The Society has also made good progress in the collection of a Cabinet of ancient and modern relics, both of nature and art and which promises to become, ere long, an object of very great interest.

The Society, as will be inferred, is not an institution of the State Government, though the State has generously fostered it by a sinall annual appropriation, for several years past, to aid in sustaining its management and to augment its collections; but its management and control is wisely retained in the hands of private citizens, residing in all parts of the State, and associated under their charter.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

Within the last three or four years the rooms of the Society, never very suitable from their underground posi- tion, low ceilings, and want of enclosed alcoves, have be- come more and more crowded and insufficient for the proper display and protection of the collections, and in 1865 the legislature manifested its interest in the enter- prise and their appreciation of its usefulness to the State, by appropriating to its use the entire second floor of the south wing of the Capitol and ordering it fitted up in an appropriate manner, and in January, 1866, the effects of the Society were removed and tastefully disposed in their new and elegant depository. On the evening of the 24th of the same month the rooms set apart by the munificence of the State, were formally dedicated to the use of the Society, by an eloquent address by ex-Gov. SALOMON, of Milwaukee, and other appropriate proceedings, and the occasion was one of unmingled satisfaction to the found- ers and early friends of the enterprise, and of deep inter. est to the large assembly convened upon the occasion. We know of no enterprise, of the like magnitude, which reflects so much credit upon the State as this. While its cost, in money, has been but trifling, its usefulness is be- yond estimate. It will be a favorite and profitable resort for State officers and members of legislatures, Professors and Students of the University, and the curious and stu- dious of all classes; and future generations of citizens will bless the forethought which provided such a reservoir of knowledge. No stranger should visit Madison without spending a day at the Historical Rooms, where he will always find a cordial welcome.

HISTORY OF MADISON. THE NEW CAPITOL.

Very soon after the organization of the State Govern- ment, the Capitol became inadequate to the proper ac- commodation of the several departments which the organ- ization brought into being, and the business of which rapidly increased with the growth of the State. Still, by renting some rooms in other buildings, it was made to answer the purpose for ten years after Wisconsin became a State.

In 1857 it became apparent that a new capitol must be built withont further delay, and this necessity gave rise to a proposition, in the legislature of that year to remove the seat of government from Madison to some other point. Whether there was any real danger of the success of the. proposition or not, the people of Madison became alarmed and voted to donate to the State $50,000, in City bonds, to aid in the construction of a new capitol upon the old site.

This proposition was accepted by the legislature and by an act, approved February 28th, 1857, the Governor and Secretary of State were authorized to adopt a plan and contract for the erection of the east wing of the building. The plan was drawn by Messrs. KUTZBOCK & DONNELL, and the contract for the east wing was let to A. A. Mc- DONNELL, and first occupied by the Assembly in 1859. Messrs. KUTZBOCK & DONNELL were appointed Architects. *

By an act, approved March 9th, 1861, the construction of the West wing was anthorized, under the direction of the State officers, and the contract,was awarded to Messrs. HARVEY & MOXLEY. At the session of 1863, the As. sembly (according to the design) took possession of the West wing and the Senate of the East wing.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

By act of March 26, 1863, the creation of the North wing and the laying of the foundation of the South wing, and of the Rotunda, were provided for and the North wing was first ocecupied the winter following.

By act of April 2d, 1864, provision was made for the completion of the South wing and raising the walls of the Rotunda to the roof of the wings. The South wing was first occupied by the State Historical Society, in January, 1866.

The erection of the Dome and finishing the Rotunda only remain to complete the structure, and this will prob- ably be done the present year.

The East and West wings were built on either side of the old capitol, which was not removed until these two wings were ready for use, and the occupancy of the build- ing has never been interrupted. For the North and South wings, Mr. J. LIVSEY, HARVEY, MOXLEY and MOULTON, were severally contractors upon different parts of the work.

The diameter of the structure from North to South, is 250 feet, and from East to West, 275 feet. Its extreme height, according to the design, will be 221 feet. It is built in the Corinthian order of architecture, and though plain in its exterior finish for that order of architecture, its internal finish is more elaborate, presenting an appear. ance of elegance and comfort, in broad contrast with the the smooth, dripping stone surfaces and cavern like ap- pearance of the interior of the Capitol, at Nashville, Tenn. The building has not the massive quality which should characterize public buildings of this description, and will hardly be able to sing the song of a thousand years. But this defeet was, in a great measure, at least, unavoidable from the absence of massive building material within availa-

HISTORY OF MADISON.

ble distance. Still the new Capitol will long remain a credit to the State and the crowning ornament of the most beau- tiful town in the United States.

THE MADISON PRESS.

The following paragraphs are extracted from an inter- esting historic sketch of the Dane County Press, written by Hon. DAVID ATWOOD, of the State Journal, and pub- lished in the proceedings of the Wisconsin Editorial Con- vention, of 1865. The notices of the subsequent career, of the cx-members of the Madison Press, are omitted, and the names of some of the less successful enterprises are barely mentioned-these being the only respects in which the sketch seems to admit of condensation.

WISCONSIN ENQUIRER.

" This was the first paper established in Madison, and the first number made its appearance on the 8th of No- vember, 1838. JOSIAH A. NOONAN was the editor and proprietor. It was a six column weekly, and commeneed its career full of spirit and energy. In the introductory I find the following paragraph :

"With party politics we shall not for the present take any very active part, believing that there is nothing in the situation of the Territory that makes it necessary for the newspapers in it now, to burden their columns with labor- ed discussions of the common political questions of the day. Whenever we do enter the political arena, however, we shall be found advocating the principles and measures of the Democratic party."

"The paper was not long free from politics. The great- est strife, however, was of a local nature. Parties at this day, had not become fully organized.

HISTORY OF MADISON.

"April 6, 1839, Mr. C. C. SHOLES became a partner with Mr. NOONAN, and the paper was published by NOON- AN & SHOLES. For a time, both of the proprietors being absent, C. L. SHOLES had the management of both the editorial and business departments of the establishment.

" November 30, Mr. SHOLES retired, leaving Mr. NOON- AN again sole editor and proprietor. At this time another column was added to each page, making a seven column paper.

"July 8, 1840, Mr. C. C. SHOLES again became a joint proprietor with Mr. NOONAN as editor and publisher.

"December 5, 1840, Mr. NOONAN retired from the of- fice, leaving Mr. C. C. SHOLES sole editor and proprietor.

" April 10, 18-11, Mr. GEORGE HYER became a partner with Mr. SHOLES, and the paper was conducted by SHOLES & HYER.

"June 9, 1841, Mr. SHOLES retired from the office, leav- ing Mr. HYER sole editor and proprietor.

"February 23, 1842, GEO. HYER retired from the office, and J. GILLETT KNAPP became sole editor and proprietor.

"July 2, 1842, Mr. KNAPP retired, and Mr. HARRISON REED became the editor and publisher. Up to this time the Enquirer had been Democratie in politics, so far as it had been anything ; its special point was anti-DOTY. On assuming control of the establishment, Mr. REED changed the spelling of Wisconsin, at the head of the paper to " Wiskonsan," and the position of the paper to that of a strong supporter of DOTY.

"September 2, 1842, Mr. REED retired, and DAVID LAMBERT succeeded him in the editorial control of the paper-Mr. REED, however, continuing as publisher. In his introductory Mr. L. expressed his dislike of both par-

HISTORY OF MADISON.

ties, but pledged his support to the then National (TYLER) and Territorial (DOTY) administrations.

"January 5, 1813, Mr. REED withdrew entirely from the office, and Mr. LAMBERT became sole editor and pub- lisher. During this winter the paper seems to have had a feeble existence, appearing about half the time on a small sheet, and printed on a very poor quality of paper. Strong symptoms of a decline were visible in the appear- ance of the sheet from week to week.

"June 7, 1843, the office was conveyed, by Mr. DAVID, LAMBERT, to BARLOW SHACKLEFORD and HENRY A. LAM- BERT. From this date I have been unable to trace the Enquirer. From a notice, however, in the Madison Ex- press a week or two after this date, announcing its suspen- sion, I infer that no papers were issued after the assign- ment to Messrs. SHACKLEFORD & LAMBERT, or, if any, not more than one number. It will be seen that, in an existence of something less than five years, the Enquirer experienced twelve changes of proprietorship. During most of the time the paper was very well printed, and gave evidence of a good degree of ability in its editorial columns ; more than is usual in small country places.

THE MADISON EXPRESS.

" The Madison Express was the title of the second pa- per established in Madison. The first number was issued on the 2d day of December, 1839. W. W. WYMAN, ed- itor and publisher. It was a neatly printed six column weekly paper, starting off in supporting the then Territo. rial administration, and claiming to be devoted to the ad. vancement of the best interests of the people.

"July, 1840, the Express was enlarged to a seven col- umn paper, and came out decidedly in favor of the Whig

HISTORY OF MADISON.

party, raising the name of WM. HENRY HARRISON at the editorial head-declaring for HARRISON and reform. We note no changes of proprietorship for several years. Dur- ing the term of the Second Constitutional Convention, in 1847-8, and the last Territorial legislature, the Express was issued tri-weekly. The paper continued with varied success, until May, 184S, when it was temporarily sus- pended. For five months the office remained idle, except to do a small amount of job printing-no paper being is- sued from it.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.