USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Memoirs of Milwaukee County : from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Milwaukee County, Volume I > Part 34
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On the evening of Oct. 28, 1892, between the hours of 5 and 6 o'clock, a fire broke out in an oil warehouse at No. 275 East Water street, between Detroit and Buffalo streets. This warehouse was occupied by the Union Oil Company, and the fire was immediately communicated to an extensive wholesale drugstore adjoining. By the prompt action of the fire department the flames were got fully under control, when, at about 7 o'clock, a second fire was discovered in the large furniture and upholstery manufacturing establishment of Bub & Kipp, situated on the corner of Broadway and Buffalo street, over 200 feet distant. The origin of this fire remains a mystery, as it com- menced in the interior of the building, and when first noticed the interior was a mass of flames from cellar to roof. It was a seven-story build- ing, covering 120 feet square on the ground, and was filled with inflammable material ; so that with the start the fire had it soon spread over a large portion of the Third ward and completely destroyed sixteen blocks. The conflagration was prevented from extending farther northward than Detroit street only by the strong wind which prevailed from that quarter. It extended eastward and southerly to the lake in one directon and to the main arm of the river in the other. It swept over the side-tracks of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, which were filled with standing cars, 215 of which were consumed and most of these were loaded with merchandise of
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various kinds. The total number of buildings destroyed by the fire was 440, of which eighty-one were brick and 359 were frame or wood. The value of the buildings and contents destroyed, as estimated by the officers of the fire department, was upward of four and a half millions of dollars. The insurance thereon was $2,742,050, of which $2, III,- 438 was very promptly paid. This did not include the loss sus- tained by the railroad company, including claims paid to owners of freight damaged and destroyed, and which amounted to $160,000. Two firemen were stricken dead while in the performance of their duty and four others were borne from the scene disabled, although they had bravely battled on until the flames were subdued. One unknown man was killed in endeavoring to protect a building from the flames, and the two firemen who lost their lives were Charles F. Stahr and Henry Peddenbruch. Mrs. Rose Callahan and Mrs. Mary O'Brien died from the effects of the shock produced by the sudden destruction of their dwellings, and four other persons were seriously injured in fighting the fire and rescuing property from the flames. The cities of Racine, Ke- nosha, Sheboygan, and Oshkosh, promptly furnished fire engines to aid in the struggle with the flames, and they did effective service after their arrival, between 10 and II o'clock. Four engines, with forty men and officers, were also quickly dispatched from Chicago, and although they did not reach the scene until near midnight, when the fire had been brought pretty well under control, they afforded great relief to the al- most exhausted force of the Milwaukee Fire Department, in staying the further progress of the flames. Hundreds of families were driven from their homes, without opportunity to rescue any of their posses- sions, but the charitable people of Milwaukee arose to the occasion, and the record they made in the relief afforded to the destitute stands al- most unparalleled in the annals of charitable work. More than $137,- 000 was collected and expended, and none who had been rendered des- titute were refused the needed aid.
On April 9. 1894, the Davidson Theatre was destroyed by fire, and this catastrophe was also attended with a sad loss of life. The fire started in the kitchen of the Davidson Hotel in the same building, and had gained great headway before the fire companies reached the scene. An heroic effort was made by the firemen to check the flames in their progress, and while the battle was being waged, without a moment's warning, the ceiling of the theatre gave way and in falling carried with it to the pit several men. A section of the roof was carried down with the ceiling, and men at work on the roof were also carried to the pit below, which was a seething furnace. Still others who were working below were pinned down by the mass of debris and were unable to
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extricate themselves, and as a result of this catastrophe nine firemen lost their lives and a number of others were seriously injured.
There have been other fires of note in Milwaukee, but those men- tioned have been the most destructive both as to life and property. The Stadt Theatre was destroyed in 1895, and on March 26 of the same year fire destroyed property on Grand avenue valued at nearly $1,500,- 000, one of the largest business blocks in the city being entirely de- stroyed and seven other buildings greatly damaged. On Aug. 22, 1895, in the afternoon, a fire occurred in the lower part of the Fourth ward, which for a time threatened to rival the Third ward fire of 1892; but thanks to the gallant and well directed efforts of the firemen, the prog- ress of the flames was stayed and the loss was small compared with that resulting from some previous visitations of the fire fiend. The fire started in what was known as the Union Warehouse, and rapidly ex- tending to adjacent buildings of the same character, five warehouses were quickly consumed, besides thirty-six cars standing in the freight yards of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway company. Wis- dom has dictated the adoption of precautionary measures during the later years, and it is thought that catastrophes of the nature de- scribed may be prevented.
FRATERNAL AND OTHER SOCIETIES.
The social spirit of the city of Milwaukee is revealed in a long list of secret and benevolent societies, and from the records of each organ- ization it would seem that each one is prosperous. The first meeting of the Masonic fraternity in the city was held on July 5, 1843, in the Cottage Inn, which afterward became known as the Harriman House. At that time there were between forty and fifty Masons in Milwaukee, and among those who petitioned for a dispensation, under which a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons could be organized, we find the names of Lemuel B. Hull, A. D. Smith, David Merrill, J. B. Zander, D. F. Lawton, W. W. Kellogg, and J. Gale, Jr. The dispensation was granted and came from Springfield, Ill., signed by the Grand Master of that state. The document bore the date of June 12, 1843, and the first officials of . "Milwaukee Lodge" were: Lemuel B. Hull, mas- ter; A. D. Smith, senior warden, and David Merrill, junior warden; and in addition to these gentlemen, those who signed the by-laws were Walter W. Kellogg, treasurer; Charles S. Hurley, secretary ; Dwight F. Lawton, senior deacon; T. F. Wainwright, junior deacon. But for some reason or other, the charter of the lodge was not signed until Jan. 17, 1844. Among the early members of the Milwaukee Lodge
21
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was Byron Kilbourn, who exercised a deep interest in the fraternity, and especially in the lodge which made him a Mason. In 1859 he leased the hall in which the lodge met to the Order for the term of ninety-nine years, in consideration of one dollar a year rent and the annual payment of taxes. In 1866, the lease was modified and the term was extended to 999 years, beginning with the death of himself and wife. According to the lease the entire block was let on these condi- tions : First, that one-half of the net income from rentals was to be devoted to the establishment and maintenance of a Masonic library ; second, a library of general information; third, a Masonic temple ; the other half of the proceeds from rentals going to his son and daughter in equal parts, and to their heirs of direct descent. One year after the lease was executed the name of the lodge was changed to "Kilbourn" and it is now known as Kilbourn No. 3.
Wisconsin Lodge No. 13 was organized as "Tracy Lodge" in 1847, the dispensation being issued on Feb. II of that year, and the charter was granted on Jan. 15, 1848. Among the charter members were Dr. L. M. Tracy, worshipful master, and in honor of whom the first name was selected; A. W. Hatch, senior warden, and O. Alexander, junior warden. This lodge has been quite prosperous. Aurora Lodge No. 30 came next in point of organization, the dispensation being granted on Jan. 7, 1850. The charter was granted on Dec. 14, following, and the original officers were A. C. Crom, worshipful master ; A. C. Williams, senior warden; and D. Upham, junior warden. Independence Lodge No. 80 was organized under a dispensation issued on July 17, 1856, the charter being granted on June 10, following, and the original offi- cers were Melvin L. Youngs, worshipful master ; J. S. Harris, senior warden ; C. Holland, junior warden.
On Feb. 21, 1863, a dispensation was issued, and on June 10, fol- lowing, a charter was granted for the organization of a lodge to be known as Harmony Lodge No. 142, the first officers being Lawrence Phillips, David Adler, and Henry Friend. During the thirty years of its existence its membership was confined almost exclusively to brethren of the Hebrew faith, and in 1893, owing to differences which had arisen among the members, the charter of the lodge was sur- rendered. After the surrender of the charter, a petition signed by twenty brethren who had been members of Harmony lodge, was pre- sented to the Grand Master, asking a dispensation to form a new lodge; and this being granted in June, 1894, a charter was issued under which a lodge was organized, known as Milwaukee Lodge No. 261. Later a new lodge was organized which took the name and number of the de- funct lodge and is known as Harmony Lodge No. 142.
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On Jan. 21, 1869, a dispensation was issued for the organization of Excelsior Lodge, and the number given it was 175, the charter being granted on June 9 of the same year. The first officers of this lodge were M. L. Youngs, worshipful master; W. H. Seymour, senior warden, and George Hackney, junior warden, Lake Lodge No. 189 was organized in accordance with a dispensation issued on Sept. 7, 1872, and the charter was granted on June II of the year following. Lafayette Lodge No. 265 and Damascus Lodge No. 290 complete the list of what is known in Masonic circles as the "Blue lodges" in Mil- waukee.
On Feb. 16, 1844, was organized the first Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in the city, under the name of "Milwaukee Chapter No. I" and on Feb. 5, 1862, by resolution the name was changed to "Kilbourn Chapter". The charter members were D. F. Lawson, Maurice Lewis, B. A. Foirsseth, Benjamin Church, and A. C. Williams, and the first convocations of the chapter were held at Cottage Inn, corner of East Water and Huron streets. Wisconsin Chapter No. 7 was organized under a charter granted on Feb. II, 1852, the charter members being L. M. Tracy, A. W. Hatch, and S. S. Daggett. Excelsior Chapter No. 30 was the third chapter of Royal Arch Masons in Milwaukee, and with Calumet Chapter No. 73, completes the list. Of the Royal and Select Masters there are two councils in the city : Wisconsin Council No. 4 and Kilbourn Council No. 9.
On June 12, 1850, the first commandery in the state of Wisconsin was organized in Milwaukee, and the charter members were L. M. Tracy, Henry L. Palmer, and George W. Chapman. The charter was granted by the Grand Commandery of Wisconsin on Oct. 21, 1859, and the first officers under this charter were H. L. Palmer, eminent com- mander ; Daniel Howell, generalissimo; L. M. Tracy, captain general; H. M. Thompson, prelate ; E. F. Townsend, senior warden; W. T. Pal- mer, junior warden ; S. S. Daggett, treasurer ; J. B. Kellogg, recorder ; E. Irons, standard bearer; H. W. Gunnison, sword bearer; Ellis Worthington, warder; S. Haack, sentinel. The Ivanhoe Commandery No. 24, was given a charter in October, 1890, and was instituted in December of the same year. The original officers were M. J. Haisler, eminent commander; Samuel Wright, generalissimo; C. D. Rogers, captain general ; E. J. Stark, prelate ; S. P. Cole, senior warden ; A. W. Hard, Junior warden ; C. L. Clason, treasurer ; J. H. Barber, recorder ; W. H. Thurston, standard bearer; J. E. Bast, sword bearer; C. M. Cottrill, warder.
To epitomize the Masonic order in Milwaukee there are now, thanks to the persistent work of the members of the organizations, ten
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Blue lodges, five Royal Arch Chapters, two Commanderies of Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite bodies, four Eastern Star, and six lodges of Colored Masons. One of the acts of Masonry in the city was the erection of Ivanhoe temple, which is one of the most beautiful lodge buildings in the West. Wisconsin commandery also has a fine temple.
Milwaukee Lodge No. 2 was the pioneer Odd Fellows' lodge in the city of Milwaukee, and it was duly instituted on March 14, 1843, by John G. Potts, assisted by Past Grand William C. Taylor, and Past Grand A. D. Robinson of Galena, Ill. James S. Baker was installed as noble grand, W. W. Caswell, vice-grand, and Edward Staats, re- cording secretary. In 1846, Kneeland Lodge No. 5-afterward changed to Menomonee No. 5-was instituted, the charter members being H. L. Page, Rufus King, S. P. Coon, W. M. Cunningham, and James Knee- land. On July 21, 1847, a charter was granted for a new lodge in Mil- waukee, to be known as Excelsior Lodge No. 20, with the understand- ing that it should be located on the west side of the Milwaukee river, and within the limits of the Second ward. This lodge was duly in- stituted on July 29, 1847, by Duncan C. Reed, the first officers installed being : Edwin Bridgeman, noble grand; Thomas Ward Taylor, vice- grand; John B. Vliet, recording secretary; William Doughton, perma- nent secretary, and A. J. Langworthy, treasurer. Teutonia Lodge No. 57, chartered in 1851, was the first one authorized to work in the Ger- man language. Its charter was granted on the petition of John P. Jager, Anton Schaehner, Charles Kupper, Guido Pfister, Henry Friend, Charles Hackendahl. Jacob Kipp, and Charles F. Bode, and its first officers were: John P. Jager, noble grand ; Charles Kupper, vice- grand; Guido Pfister, recording secretary, and Henry Friend, treasurer. Other German lodges in Milwaukee are: Armenia Lodge No. 97, in- stituted in 1859; Aurora Lodge No. 145, organized in 1868; Bee- thoven No. 206, established in 1872; Moritz Arndt No. 218, instituted in March, 1873; Evening Star No. 224, organized in 1873; Allemania No. 248, instituted in 1875; and Humboldt No. 266, established in 1877. The other Milwaukee lodges are: Cold Spring Lodge No. 100, Kin- nickinnic Lodge No. 131, and Taylor Lodge No. 173. In the city there are thirty-five organizations of all sorts of the Odd Fellows fraternity. Inasmuch as this organization was the second to take root in the newly formed city of Milwaukee its growth has been favored with that advan- tage. It has expanded to the extent that there are several lodges of the uniformed rank and a number of organizations of which women are the directing geniuses.
Milwaukee Lodge No. I of the Knights of Pythias order was or- ganized by H. C. Berry, Grand Chancellor of Illinois, assisted by John
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G. Sprague, J. A. Winters, John White, John J. Healy, and other mem- bers of the order resident in Chicago. Among those who became members of this pioneer lodge of the Knights of Pythias were H. A. Rogers, George Des Forges, E. S. Finch, A. T. Riddell, George R. Milmine, Frank W. Cutler, L. W. Coe, L. C. Curtis, Charles H. Sweet- land, Charles A. Curtis, S. F. Kahle, and Charles H. Bingham, the nine gentlemen last named constituting the first corps of officers. Schiller Lodge and Wisconsin Lodge were instituted in 1871 and Columbia Lodge in 1872. From that time forward the order grew rapidly in popular favor and in membership, and Juneau Lodge and Franklin Lodge were organized within the next few years. Since then Richard Wagner Lodge, Walker Lodge, Taylor Lodge, Garfield Lodge, Damon Lodge, Bay View Lodge, Prospect Lodge, National Lodge, and Lake- side Lodge have been instituted, and there are now in existence in the city fifteen lodges in all. The Uniform Rank division of the order is also represented by Milwaukee Company No. 2, Juneau Company No. 5, John B. Zaun Company No. 6, and Columbia Company No. 8. Cres- cent Temple No. 3 and Star Temple No. 8 are the lodges of Pythian Sisters.
The first lodge of the Knights of Honor was established in this city in 1876 with forty members enrolled, W. E. Howe, A. W. Baldwin, E. W. Clark, W. H. Brazier, J. O. Thayer, G. E. Fernald, C. D. How- ard, and others being the charter members and organizers of the lodge. Four lodges are now in existence in the city, bearing the following names : Milwaukee Lodge, Wisconsin Lodge, Security Lodge, and Aurora Lodge. Of the Knights and Ladies of Honor, six lodges are in existence in Milwaukee, as follows: Thusnelda, Concordia, Milwau- kee, Cream City, Prosperity and Rovnost.
The Royal Arcanum instituted Alpha Council in Milwaukee on Dec. 19, 1877, and seven councils are now in existence in the city, known respectively as Alpha, Allen, Occident, Milwaukee, Bay View, Daniel Webster, and Fairchild.
Milwaukee has more lodges than any other city of its size in the world and of the 350 who find a home here it is practically impossible in the space allowed to give an individual mention of more than a few. In doing this an effort has been made to select those which to the greatest extent have withstood the vicissitudes of years. The younger organ- izations are equally entitled to honorable mention and if it were possi- ble to do so within the scope of this work it would cheerfully be given them. Both of the local lodges of Elks and Eagles have had a phe- nomenal growth in the period since their formation, and together they have a total membership of about 250,000, and constantly increasing.
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The Elks have two lodges in the city and the Eagles one. One of the features of lodge life in the Cream City was the general convention of the Eagles in 1906, when thousands of delegates from all portions of the United States attended and made merry in the city for a week.
The Modern Woodmen of America, one of the largest orders in existence, has twenty active lodge organizations in the city. This lodge held its biennial convention in Milwaukee in 1904, bringing to the city about 15,000 of its members.
The Catholic Knights of Wisconsin have organized twenty-nine lodges in the city. There are a great many Catholic organizations, of which may be mentioned two lodges of Knights of Columbus, twenty- nine lodges of the Catholic Order of Foresters, two lodges of Colum- bian Knights, and two lodges of Druids. The work of these lodges has been co-operative with the work of the Roman Catholic church and the result has been shown in the interest taken in the acquiring of insurance protection and in the fraternal features of the lodges.
There are twelve lodges of the Independent Order of Foresters in the city, and in all there are in Milwaukee, counting the temperance organizations which class themselves as fraternal organizations, 344 lodges. It points to the vast fraternal spirit which pervades the Cream City and the fact that Milwaukee is a city of home-loving men and women. And women are not weak in their organizations. In the auxiliaries to the Masonic, Odd Fellows, and other organizations are found memberships as great if not greater than any found in the male orders. This may be explained in a measure when it is seen that the women's orders may be joined by any female members of the family of a member of the main organization.
Of labor organizations the number at present in existence in Mil- waukee is legion, and a volume-which would not be without interest- might be written concerning their rise and progress. In 1907 there were 133 labor unions, of different kinds and having different names, represented in Milwaukee.
In addition to the fraternal and labor organizations, of which brief mention has been made in the foregoing pages, there are in existence at the present time hundreds of associations, societies, and clubs of various kinds, including the sporting and recreation associations, the musical societies, and established associations for promoting what may be called the general business interests of Milwaukee. There are also many minor associations of business and professional men, organized to advance special interests or promote social intercourse among the members.
Among the organizations that have characterized the social life of
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MILWAUKEE YACHT CLUB
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENON TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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Milwaukee in the past, some of which are in existence to-day, were the Arions, the Gessang Verein Milwaukee, the Bay View Chorus, the Cecilian Choir, the Deutscher Mannerverein, the Harmonie Singing Society, the Liederkranz Society, the Liedertafel Singing Society, the Milwaukee Musical Society, the Palestrina Society, the Philharmonic Club, the Burns Club, the Chautauqua Literary and Social Circle, the Germania Society, the Milwaukee County Pioneers' Association, the Milwaukee Cricket Club, the Milwaukee Curling Club, the Milwaukee Gun Club, the Milwaukee Lawn Tennis Club, the Milwaukee Rifle Club, the Milwaukee Schuetzen Verein, the Milwaukee Whist Club, the Milwaukee Yacht Club, and the Wisconsin Industrial Exchange. The Harvard Club and other organizations made up of alumni of diff- erent universities play an important part in the community life. An- other department is represented in the Athenaeum, a third in the Mil- waukee Collegiate Alumni Association, a fourth in the Milwaukee College Endowment Association, a fifth in the Society for Sanitary and Moral Education, a sixth in the University Club, a seventh in the Milwaukee Blue Mound and Woodmount Country clubs, an eighth in the Mothers' and Teachers' club of the Eighteenth ward. The Equal Franchise Club is one of the organizations that point to some of the new thoughts gaining ground. The Art Students' League is a flourishing organization, and the Galileo Galilei is heard from. The Oconomowoc Country Club and the golf clubs ; theMillioki, Calumet, Deutscher and Sunset clubs ; the Westminister Civic League, the Milwaukee Club, the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Milwaukee Chi Psi Association, the Mil- waukee Zoological Association, the Women's School Alliance, the Social Economics Club, each has its sphere, and they are all taking an acceptable part in their respective ways.
CEMETERIES.
Around the resting places which have been set apart for the sacred burial of the dead lingers the tenderness of the living, and it is fitting that this chapter which is devoted to the city of Milwaukee should be closed with a brief review of the cemeteries.
Forest Home cemetery was established in 1850, by the vestry of St. Paul's (Episcopal) church, and at that time was described as being situated "at the junction of the Janesville plank road and Kilbourn road," but it is now within the corporate limits of the city. The first purchase was for about seventy-two acres (including five acres donated by the seller, Mrs. Hull, for the free interment of indigent members of the Protestant Episcopal church), but the original tract has since
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been largely added to. The main body of the land is about four miles from the postoffice, and it was originally laid out by the lamented I. A. Lapham; but since then thousands of dollars have been expended in cutting and smoothing wide graveled roadways, maintaining beautiful flower beds, planting trees, erecting a fine fountain and otherwise mak- ing it a beautiful and restful city of the dead. For beauty of natural location and taste in artificial adornment it has not a superior in the West. The first interment on the record appears Aug. 3. 1850, being a child of John P. McGregor. In 1864, under authority from the legis- lature of the state, the bodies interred in "Milwaukee Cemetery", then located in the Fifth ward on National avenue, and numbering about I,200, were removed to Forest Home.
In the early history of Milwaukee there was a plat of ground in the First ward, near the lake, which was fenced in and used as a burial place for citizens, regardless of their religious views. It later became a Catholic cemetery, and in 1844, Bishop Henni purchased what was known as the "Old Cemetery," situated on Grand avenue. The first interments were the 'remains of many taken from the First ward cemetery. The "Old Cemetery" consisted of ten acres, and contains the dust of several pioneer Catholic clergymen. This ground becoming too small, and also being in the city limits, what is now known as the Calvary Cemetery was purchased by the Right Rev. John M. Henni, Bishop of Milwaukee, and consecrated by him on Nov. 2, 1857. This cemetery is located in the town of Wauwatosa and it is nicely improved. The first interments were the remains of persons removed from the old cemetery. Among the prominent men buried here may be mentioned George Furlong, father of John Fur- long, who, it is said, was the second white man to die in Milwaukee; Solomon Juneau ; Peter Bradley ; Thomas Eviston, chief engineer of the fire department ; Captain Barry and other victims of the "Lady Elgin" disaster ; P. J. Englehardt, H. Hilmantel, A. H. Johnston, Andrew Mc- Cormick, C. D. Nash, H. Stoltz, J. Hathaway, and M. J. Zander, who was the first Catholic undertaker in the city. Trinity (Catholic) ceme- tery is situated in the town of Lake, on New Road one and one-half miles south of the city limits. The grounds, which originally con- sisted of six acres, were purchased by the Trinity congregation, who afterward admitted St. Anthony and St. Stanislaus. The original cemetery was consecrated in 1859, and an additional six acres were consecrated on July 8, 1877.
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