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 62
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An auxiliary association known as the Manufacturers' and Job- bers' Association was organized about 1901. It includes in its mem- bership merchants of other cities, thus giving them the benefit of reduced railroad rates to Milwaukee from all points within the terri- tory of the Western Passenger Association. Since its organization it has been instrumental in bringing to Milwaukee about 10,000 mer- chants, many of whom have become permanent customers of Milwau- kee's wholesale houses. The manufacturers and jobbers make spring and fall excursions to different parts of the country for the purpose of advertising the city's resources, the one in the spring of 1908 ex- tending into Minnesota and North Dakota, a special train being fur- nished for the occasion by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway. Stops were made at all the principal towns along the route, in each of which the excursionists met a warm welcome. Speeches were made at each stop setting forth the commercial advantages of the Cream City, the Merchants' and Manufacturers' octette enlivened the proceed- ings with good singing, and were everywhere enthusiastically encored. The wholesale business for 1907 amounted to $442.414,742. In 1900 it was $266,668,295 and the remarkable increase has been due to a great extent to the excursions of the association.
CITIZENS' BUSINESS LEAGUE.
This league was organized in the fall of 1897 in response to a general demand that there be a systematic canvass to secure conven- tions for Milwaukee. Prior to that time conventions had been attracted to the city only as local members of various national associations took the initiative in asking them to meet here. All the conditions were favorable for such an organization-first and foremost being the nat- ural advantages of Milwaukee as a convention city, its beauty, location, climate, hotel accommodations, ample convention halls, etc.
Following closely the object for which it was organized, the league has brought to Milwaukee during the eleven years of its exist- ence nearly a thousand conventions, national and state in character and representing every line of association activity. It has also devoted itself
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to exploiting Milwaukee as a summer resort and has done much to stimulate tourist travel and the bringing in of large excursions. Through the work of the league Milwaukee has been widely adver- tised, the results being of a twofold nature; first, those of direct financial value to the city ; and second, those of an indirect character in spreading far and wide the fame of Milwaukee as a city of rare beauty and healthfulness, a center of commercial and industrial activity, well governed, and a city of homes.
The presidents of the Citizens' Business League have been W. G. King, Wilmer Sieg, Alvin P. Kletzsch, Edward A. Uhrig and John H. Kopmeier. The vice-presidents have been Theodore Borup, F. C. Safford and A. L. Severance. Frank J. Matchette served continuously as treasurer for eight years, when, at his own request, he retired from the office and was succeeded by Theodore Borup. The secretary for the first year was Milton W. Carmichael. At the end of that time he was succeeded by T. J. Sullivan, who served until 1900, and since then the office has been held by R. B. Watrous. The offices of the league are in the Sentinel Building, its membership embraces men of all lines of business, and its affairs are conducted by a board of directors com- posed of the officers and twenty-two members who meet regularly once each month.
OTHER SOCIETIES.
On March 21, 1888, a call was issued by the advisory committee of the Merchants' Association for a public meeting to be held in the rooms of the association on the afternoon of the 27th "To organize and incorporate an association or bureau of information, the purposes of such corporation being to devise ways and means to do all things to advance the business and other interests of Milwaukee." The consti- tution adopted at that meeting provided that the corporation should be called the "Association for the Advancement of Milwaukee," the offi- cers to be a president, ten vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and a board of fifty directors. One of the first things accomplished by the association was to secure the national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic for Milwaukee in August, 1889, though much other important work was done during the first year of its existence. Liberal contributions were made for carrying on the work of the association, a number of manufacturing concerns were induced to locate in the city. After several years of usefulness its functions were absorbed by the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association and the Citizens' Business League.
The Greater Milwaukee Association is interested in all lines of ac-
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tivity that tend to advance the city's civic and industrial welfare. The officers of this association for 1907 were: John H. Puelicher, presi- dent ; A. F. Remington, secretary : Michael Carpenter, treasurer. There are also associations of creditmen, real estate men, hotel keepers, underwriters, etc., all of which work together for the general good of the city.
LAKE COMMERCE.
John R. Wolf, writing in 1892, said: "Possessing what is acknowl- edged to be the best harbor on the chain of lakes, Milwaukee is provided with water transportation unsurpassed by any but the seaport towns. * The cheapness of water transportation is well known, and gives the Milwaukee manufacturer and shipper considerable ad- vantage over inland competitors. The terminal facilities of the various lines entering this port are of the best and most modern character. The loading and unloading of cargoes is carried on in a scientific manner, and the work is done at night by the aid of electric lights with as much facility as during the day. The supply of labor is always good, and strikes and tie-ups are of rare occurrence. Harbor blockades are unknown, and it is seldom indeed that a vessel is delayed by grounding in the river on account of low water. Three navi- gable rivers, with over twenty miles of dockage, give abundant mooring room for a mammoth fleet. That the splendid harbor facilities of Mil- waukee are thoroughly appreciated by lake vesselmen is shown by the fact that last year nearly 150 of the finest vessels on the lakes, a fleet valued at over $6,000,000, went into winter quarters here."
What was true in 1892 is also true in 1908, with the added state- ment that during the sixteen intervening years the dockage has been increased, vast improvements made in other directions, and in October, 1908, the United States government acquired title to a tract of land on the Kinnickinnic river for the construction of a turning basin, which will be located between Clinton and Beecher streets. The new basin will be 650 feet in diameter, which will be ample room for the largest steam- ers on the Great Lakes, and when completed it will enable larger boats to enter the port of Milwaukee than heretofore. Other turning basins are in contemplation.
According to reports from the Milwaukee custom house there were 5.196 steam and 404 sailing vessels entered the port during the year 1907. the total tonnage of these vessels being 7,478,821. During the same period the clearances were 5,112 steam and 399 sailing vessels, with a tonnage of 7,451,132.
The principal exports were: flour, 2,790,452 barrels ; wheat, 2,-
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718,756 bushels ; oats. 4,817,226 bushels ; corn. 4,342,557 bushels ; bar- ley, 2,583,270 bushels ; lumber, 41,201,000 feet ; tobacco, 500,000 pounds ; meat, 5.999 tons ; beer, 4,490 tons ; leather, 385 tons. The prin- cipal imports were: coal, 4,160,845 tons, of which 858,744 tons were anthracite ; cement. 733,537 barrels ; salt, 948.967 barrels ; iron ore, 240,- 179 tons ; lumber, 77,640,000 feet : sugar, 227,096 barrels. The duties collected at the port during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, amounted to $752.998.39, an increase over the preceding year of $31,- 145.23. From these figures some idea may be gained of the importance and magnitude of Milwaukee's lake trade.
As a coal distributing point Milwaukee has made wonderful strides in the last twenty-five years. In 1883 the receipts by vessel were about 400,000 tons, and it is said that coal men would then worry over the problem of unloading a vessel of 500 tons within a reasonable time. To-day vessels of from 5,000 to 10,000 tons are unloaded and started on the return voyage within three days. There are now over twenty- five receiving docks with an annual capacity of 5,500,000 tons, the capital invested by the dock companies exceeding $6,000,000.
The principal transportation lines are the Goodrich Transit Com- pany, the Crosby Transportation Company, the Canada-Atlantic Transit Company, the Western Transit Company, the Lehigh Valley Trans- portation Company, the Rutland Transit Company, the Pere Marquette Line of steamers and car ferry, the Union and Anchor lines, the Nes- sen .Transportation Company, the Barry Bros. Transportation Com- pany, the Chicago & Duluth Transportation Company, and the Grand Trunk car ferry.
RAILROADS.
The railroad facilities of Milwaukee are so well described in the year book of the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association for 1908 that the paragraph devoted to that subject is quoted in full, to wit : "Ostensibly-and as a rule, this is what the casual observer sees or the inquirer discovers-Milwaukee has three systems of railroads, these being the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul ; the Chicago & Northwestern and the Wisconsin Central, all of which cover a total mileage, west, northwest, south and southwest, of about 17,000 miles. In reality the city has at her doors five leading all-rail systems, as to the actual land roads must be added the Pere Marquette railway system, with 2.400 miles of road, and the Grand Trunk system, with 5,000 miles of road. These are direct, all-rail. lines in that they both operate the large mod- ern steel car ferry boats across Lake Michigan at this port. cach boat having a rail capacity for carrying thirty freight cars, loaded or empty.
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The car ferries at present travel daily to and from Milwaukee-and winter weather does not interfere with their operation. Added to this car ferry mileage of 7,500 miles of road, reaching out to all points east, southeast and to the seaboard, there are twelve regular break-bulk steamers operating to and from this port during the entire season each year of navigation. These boat lines are owned and operated by the Pennsylvania, the Lackawanna, the Erie and other large eastern rail- road systems and steamship corporations, thus adding to the 24,500 miles of direct rail systems touching here, an additional 30,000 miles of rail systems, extending to almost every section of the country."
To this it might be pertinent to add that most of these great rail- way systems maintain agencies in the city for the negotiation of rates on through freights. Although eighty-five miles north of Chicago, Milwaukee shippers have the advantage, with a few exceptions, of Chicago freight rates to all southern and southwestern points.
STREET RAILWAY SYSTEM.
The present efficient street railway service is the outgrowth of sev- eral feeble ventures. In July, 1859, the "River & Lake Shore Street Railway Company" was organized, the following spring a track was laid from East Water street bridge to Juneau avenue, and on May 30, 1860, two cars, each drawn by four horses, were run over the line- the first street cars in Milwaukee. In 1865 John Plankinton and others obtained a charter for the Milwaukee City Railway Company" and during the next four years constructed several miles of track. Isaac Ellsworth became the owner of all the street railway property in the city in 1869, when he took up the East side line and relaid the tracks on West Water street. The lines of the Milwaukee City Rail- way Company were extended on the South and West sides and other substantial improvements made, and for the first time the street railways of the city began to pay a small profit on the capital invested. In 1874 two street railway companies were incorporated-the Cream City and the West Side. The former built a line from the corner of East Water and Mason streets to Farwell avenue near Brady street, and subse- quently extended it south to Bay View. The West Side company laid a double track on Grand avenue from West Water to Eleventh streets, thence on Eleventh to Wells street and west on Wells to Twenty-second street. From this point a single track extended west to the city limits on Thirty-fourth street. In 1881 Mr. Ellsworth sold his interests to Peter McGeoch and others, who built several new lines, one of them extending to Forest Home cemetery.
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The Milwaukee Cable Company was organized in 1887 for the purpose of "constructing a road to run by a low-priced cable, etc." Before the road was built the franchise was so amended as to permit the use of electricity as a motive power and the idea of a cable road was abandoned. The lines of this company ran from Wells street to Burleigh on Sixth street ; across the Oneida street bridge, and on Mil- waukee street to Michigan ; on Wells street and north on Eighth to Vliet, thence west on Vliet, with a branch on Eighteenth street. The first electric cars in the city were operated by this company in 1889.
A corporation known as the North American Company, in which Henry Villard was the chief factor, acquired a controlling interest in all the Milwaukee street railway companies in 1890, except the West Side company. In October, 1891. this syndicate obtained possession of the property and franchise of the West Side company and the entire street railway interests of the city were consolidated under the name of the Milwaukee Street Railway Company.
The corporate title of the company at this time (1908) is The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company, as the corporation furnishes the electricity for lighting the streets, public buildings, and a large number of private buildings. The company has about $20.500,000 invested in the city plant, and an additional capital of some $6,500,000 in the suburban and the three interurban lines operated by it. The first of these interurban lines was completed in 1896, the three lines cover a radius of fifty miles or more from the city, and electric railway con- nection with Chicago is one of the certainties of the near future. There are about 125 miles of single track in the city, and not far from 200 miles in the suburban and interurban lines. On the city lines 300,000 passengers are carried daily, and the interurban and suburban lines carry about 30,000 daily. The offices of the company are in the Public Service Building on Sycamore street between Second and Third streets.
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, GRAND AVENUE
CHAPTER XIX.
MILITARY HISTORY.
LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE INDIANS-EARLY MILITARY COMPANIES- THE LIGHT GUARD AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS-THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD THE PERIOD SINCE THE WAR-VETERAN SOLDIER ORGANI- ZATIONS-RE-UNIONS-SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR-PROMINENT SOL- DIERS.
Tradition tells of an Indian battle fought along the Milwaukee river between the Menomonee and Sioux tribes some time before Father Marquette landed at Green Bay, and the number of arrow heads and implements of Indian warfare found along both sides of the river seem to bear out the story. The victorious tribe made the site of Milwatt- kee its home for many years, and were undoubtedly the residents of the section when it was first visited by white men. Details of the bat- tle are naturally lacking, although much has been surmised, but as the affair does not properly belong to the military history of the city it is unnecessary to present the deductions drawn by the late Abner Kirby and Col. Elisha Starr, to whose interest in the affair may be credited the knowledge of it.
Probably the only encounter between Indians and white men was stirred up by a dozen drunken Indians, who had been to Chicago and become well burdened with fire-water, and took it upon themselves to oust Solomon Juneau from the domicile he had erected. Before at- tacking they sent one of their number, less drunk than the others, to inform Mr. Juneau that he would not be molested should he agree to pack up and move that night. Juneau's reply was that he had come to stay and helped the emissary on his way with the toe of his boot. Ten minutes later the red-men with hideous yells staggered toward Juneau's force, which consisted of Juneau, two hired men and a friendly Indian. They were commanded to stop and Juneau pointed to the flintlocks in the hands of his hired men. The Indians hesitated but a moment, however, and then came on again. One of the hired men was directed
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to shoot the leader in the legs. The distance was short and the aim good, and the brave was seized by his comrades and hurried out of range. On sobering up the Indians begged Juneau's pardon and pledged him their lasting friendship. This was the only serious diffi- culty that the pioneers of Milwaukee ever experienced with the In- dians. The trouble, however, led to the organization of a semi-military company composed of the settlers prior to 1835 or 1836. The under- standing was that each settler, in case an Indian attack threatened, was to report at a given point and obey the orders of the man chosen by the assembled pioneers to lead them. There was no occasion, however, to necessitate the calling together of the company.
There are no records to show that any steps were taken for the organization of a military company prior to 1844. As a result of agi- tation by the Sentinel a company was formed on Sept. 21 of the year named and David M. Keeler, one of the editors of the paper, was chosen captain and a son of Solomon Juneau was a sergeant. The company met in the Sentinel office and appeared in public but a few times. The organization was short lived. Several other companies, composed mostly of Germans who had seen army service in their na- tive land, were organized and had brief existences, participating on one or two occasions in the celebrations of Washington's birthday an- niversary and the Fourth of July. In the celebration of Independence day, 1847, there were two companies, the Washington Guards and the German Riflemen, each with a membership of less than fifty, which participated in the exercises of the day. There was also organized for the celebration of that day what was known as the Mounted Artillery Company, which had charge of the iron gun presented to the city. That year a Lieutenant Wright of the regular army was in the city recruiting soldiers for the Mexican War and he appeared in the pro- cession with fifty of his recruits. The festivities of the day were closed with a dress parade on the site where the John Plankinton residence was later erected. In 1848 a battalion was organized in the city com- posed of three companies, the German Riflemen, Captain Millar com- manding, the Washington Guards, Lieutenant Geisberg, and the Mil- waukee Dragoons, under Lieutenant Gruenhagen, all under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel George. The address to the militia was made that year by the late Harlow S. Orton, subsequently chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. By 1849 there had been added to the Milwaukee battalion another company, known as the Mil- waukee City Guard. In the Fourth of July celebration of that year the battalion was reinforced by the Chicago Flying Artillery and the Chicago Light Hussars, and on the next Fourth of July the Milwau-
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kee battalion visited Chicago and assisted in the festivities there. Between 1850 and 1855 there was little interest in military affairs, but in the latter year the organization of a company composed wholly of native born Americans and known as the Milwaukee Light Guard gave new life to the other organizations and the Fourth of July cele- bration of that year was second only to that of 1849, five companies participating in the parade.
The organization of the Light Guard was the direct result of the church riot of 1851 when a mob attempted to prohibit an ex-monk from giving an address in the Spring Street Methodist church on the subject of Catholicism. It became apparent that the city needed a mili- tary force to squelch such outbreaks as the above and in June, 1854, the City Guards, a company of fifty men, was organized. That same year two other companies, one an artillery organization, were formed, but interest in all three seemed to lag and it was not until 1855 that a determined effort was made to effect a permanent organization. Par- ticular stress was laid upon the fact that the organization was to be strictly American and fifty signatures were secured. At the first meeting, however, but half of the signers were present and it was nec- essary to hold many more meetings before the requisite number could be obtained. After a heated discussion it was decided to call the com- pany the Continentals, but sentiment changed later and the company became known as the Milwaukee Light Guard. The name of Rufus King headed the list of members of the company. He was at that time editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel and was made captain of the com- pany after Dr. E. B. Wolcott had refused the honor because of the pres- sure of his business affairs.
The other commissioned officers were Silas Hawley, first lieutenant, J. P. Wood, second lieutenant and George B. Bingham, third lieutenant. The officers received their commissions on Aug. 22, 1855, and the first public parade was held on Nov. 23 of the same year. The event was quite a function in the city's history and after the company had paraded for miles and hours, arms were stacked in front of the American House, where the Plankinton now stands, and the soldiers were escorted to the dining room by a com- mittee of citizens. Addresses were made by the mayor and Captain King and a beautiful stand of colors was presented to the company. In May, 1856, the Guard received an invitation to participate in a military encampment in Chicago, to begin July I and to last a week. The invitation was acepted and on May 13, 1856, the following addi- tional officers were chosen: adjutant, John L. Hathaway ; quarter- master, John Nazro ; paymaster, John C. Starkweather ; surgeon, Dr. Louis McKnight. Just before starting for Chicago Lieut. Gov. Arthur
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MacArthur presented the company with a silk flag, donated by the ladies of Milwaukee. The Chicago visit gave the company a reputation throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, and it won special men- tion because of its excellent appearance and service. The first anni- versary of the company's organization was celebrated on July 16, 1856, by a target shoot near Forest Home and a review by Gen. Thomas Stevens, inspector general of the state. On Nov. 28, of the same year, the company, together with all the civic and other military organiza- tions in the city, participated in the funeral parade of Solomon Ju- neau. For several years the annual dress balls of the Light Guard were the events of Milwaukee's society year. The first function, held on Dec. 29, 1856, was attended by representatives from the Chicago Light Guard and other military companies, the governor of the state and many members of the legislature.
As in nearly all other companies strife arose within the Light Guard, the cause being the discussion over the extra expense incident to the Chicago trip. The result was the formation of a new company, thirty-five members of the parent company leaving to join the new. Harmony was so far restored that the companies were named A and B of the Milwaukee Light Guard. Company B had difficulty at first in finding a captain, but finally the office was most acceptably filled by Edwin E. Townsend, a West Point graduate who had resigned his commission. He continued captain until the strife between the two companies became so pronounced that the men of his company decided to uniform themselves in a much more expensive manner than the young captain considered wise or proper. However, Captain Town- send did not retire until Company B ranked with Company A as a body of thoroughly drilled soldiers. He is now a brigadier general. United States army, retired. On April 4, 1857, the work of effecting a Light Guard battalion was completed with the election of Rufus King as major : Frederick B. Miles, paymaster ; Dr. Louis McKnight, surgeon : John M. Durand, commissary ; John Nazro, quartermaster ; Rev. J. P. T. Ingraham, chaplain ; and John L. Hathaway, adjutant. The pro- motion of Captain King left a vacancy in the captaincy of Company A which was promptly filled by the election of John C. Starkweather, who had been a member of the company from the start. Captain Starkweather gave Company A a lively experience from the day of his election until the beginning of the war, and then took most of its members with him to the front in the First Wisconsin Infantry. Cap- tain Starkweather was born in the state of New York on May II. 1830. and led the First Wisconsin as a three months regiment and later as a three years regiment until he was appointed in 1863, a brigadier-
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