USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > Pioneer history of Milwaukee > Part 28
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tThe first brick church erected by the Methodists (see sketch of pioneer church vol. 2, page 302.)
įMr. Bode now occupies the store adjoining Mr. Tesch and is doing a large business as a chemist, dealing in pictures and artists materials and is one of our best German citizens.
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a business that he understands. He, like Mr. Bode, is of a very even temper, never gets excited or loses his self-control, and what he tells you can be relied upon.
In political faith he is a Republican, and has been the alderman of the Fourth ward three years, during the infancy of the city, and was city treasurer in 1860 .* He is also a prominent Mason and Odd Fellow, and a first class citizen in every respect. May the day be far distant, when the pleasant face, and kindly greeting, will be seen or heard no more on earth.
CABINET MAKERS.
J. F. Birchard (sketched in previous chapter) West Water; Alonzo D. Seaman, 370 and 372 East Water (present number) ; Samuel C. New- hall, 14 Spring street ; John Sidebotham, 282 West Water; and H. Auchmoody, 21 Main street; these were the principal ones.
Zachariah Clayton had a sash, door and blind factory (horse power) northwest corner of Marshall and Wisconsin street (see ad.) in the rear of what is now 236 Wisconsin street. This well remembered factory was pulled down many years ago, to make room for dwellings. Mr. Clayton is yet living, but physically a wreck. He was one of the early mechanics and has seen the city grow up from a hamlet, to its present size.
SASH, DOOR AND BLIND MANUFACTORY CORNER WISCONSIN AND MARSHALL STREET.
Z. Clayton would inform the public that he has at all times a full assortment of blinds, doors and sashes of all sizes and varieties. He will fill all orders for the above at shortest notice. I have the most extensive faculties for manufacturing in the city-using steam power, and being one of the oldest establishments in the city.
Z. CLAYTON.
* The election of John H. Tesch to the office of city treasurer over Geo. G. Dous- man, the Democratic nominee, was a "bitter pill" for the party to swallow, and they were determined that he should never take the office. And in order to pre- vent it, Joshua La Due, the then city attorney (elect) gave an opinion that he could not hold it because he had not resigned the office of alderman previous to his election, and a new election was ordered, at which, nothwithstanding all they could do, he was triumphantly re-elected. The majority of the people (knowing the true inwardness of the case) both Democrats and Republicans went in for him. But not satisfied with all this Ladue et al. then rushed a resolution through the council, at a special meeting, fixing the amount of bonds, which; had previously been $50,000 (five securities at $10,000 each) at $200,000 with two securities at $100,000 each, thinking in their blindness that that would floor him but it did not, he got the securities, Alex. Mitchell being one and Jas. H. Rogers, the other. Now was not that real mean.
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Meyer Friend
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BAKERY.
Alexander H. Johnson had a bakery this year at what is now Nos. 169 and 171 Second Street, where he carried on the business for a number of years. He was also quite a politiciar, and besides serving as alderman for several terms was elected city treasurer. He was a smart business man and very aggressive. Several of the build- ings erected by him-including the one used for a bakery-are yet standing in a dilapidated condition. He died some seventeen years ago. One of his sons follows his father's trade, and is rapidly acquiring wealth as well as a reputation for close dealing that is not to be envied.
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The principal clothing firms were Newbouer & Sons, Steinhart & Adler (already sketched), and the Messrs. Friend Bros., all of whom had at that time a department for custom work.
FRIEND AND BROTHERS.
This popular clothing house was founded by Henry and Elias Friend, who came to this country from Bavaria (Germany) in 1840, and settled in Alabama, from whence they came to Milwaukee in 1847, and opened a clothing store at what is now No. 370 East Water Street, for the wholesin and retail clothing trade. Meyer Friend came in 1848. Here they remained under a lease until 1852, when they purchased the property of Geo. F. Austin, and in 1855 they rebuilt it and occupied it until 1860, when they removed to the Lester Sexton store, erected the previous year, southeast corner of Broadway and Michigan Streets, and commenced the business of wholesaling only, which continued until 1876, when such had been their success as to enable them to purchase the property from the heirs of Mr. Sexton, at a cost of $110,000, then a two-story and mansard only, where they continued to do business until 1882, when two more full stories were added, which made the building one of the largest in the northwest.
This firm have always conducted their business upon the European plan. viz: The eldest member being the head or managing partner. which position was filled by the late Henry Friend until his death by the loss of the ill-fated steamer Schiller, on the coast of Cornwall, England, May 7, 1875, when on a visit to his " Father Land." No
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change, however, was made in the firm name on this account until January 1, 1883, when it was changed into a stock company, with Elias Friend, president, Isaac Friend, vice president, and Bernhard Eiring, secretary. 4 Meyer Friend (whose picture accompanies this sketch), has retired from active business and is taking it easy in his autumnal years, his mantle having fallen upon Elias, (who is in every way worthy to wear it,) the present style of the firm being Friend Bros., clothing.
This, I think, is the only clothing house in the city which has been in business thirty-six consecutive years, and its success has been truly wonderful. From small beginnings it has grown to mammoth pro- portions. They were also the first to introduce the steam cutting machine-one of the most useful inventions of the age-which has enabled them to more than treble their former yearly business. Their employes now number over one thousand, and their business to over $800,000 annually. Everything is conducted upon a fixed plan, each having his department, and is held responsible for the proper working of it.
As citizens, the Messrs. Friends rank among our best. They are very wealthy, but not aristocratic. They are sharp in business, but will never take any unfair advantage of any one, and have made a record of which they may well be proud.
The writer's acquaintance .with the Messrs. Friend Bros. com- menced in 1850, since which it has continued uninterrupted to the present, and although of a different race, as well as a different religious faith, he can truthfully say, that Milwaukee does not contain within her borders, among our foreign born citizens, any one for whom he entertains more respect than for Messrs. Meyer and Elias Friend.
They are true men, and rank second to none as representative men among their people. And that the day may be far distant when the " dark angel" shall receive the order from the Master to open the gate and summon them from this life of toil to that haven of rest which lies beyond the river is surely the wish of all who know them.
مرميـ
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CONFECTIONERS.
Among the confectionery men of the olden time, and who have not before received any special mention, was Henry J. Goff, who had a large stock of confectionery and toys at 396 East Water, and who was a competitor of Edward Emery and Henry Miller for several years, for the privilege of getting up suppers for the balls and parties so common in those days, among the Odd Fellows, firemen and other associations, in which he invariably lost money, his out- goes in every case exceeding his income. He was a clever, but not a brilliant man, and after bucking against fate until somewhere along in the fifties, left for Minneapolis, where, I am told, he still resides. I remember him well.
SHERBURNE BRYANT.
This gentleman who has been one of Milwaukee's most promi- nent and successful master mason builders, came here from Thetford, Vermont, in 1851. His first employment was as a journeyman, under the late Chas. Waterman, for whom he worked one season, when he struck out for himself as a contractor, from whence to the present time he has been one of the most successful ones that ever came here. The following are among the buildings which bear his private marks, and upon which the mason work was done by him. The store of the Messrs. Rice & Friedman, 329 and 331 East Water Street. The J. M. Lawrence building, northeast corner of Broad- way and Michigan Streets. The two Hix buildings (now the prop- erty of Daniel Wells, Jr.,) Nos. 333, 338 and 340 and 329, 331 and 333 Broadway. The O. W. Gunnison Block, 347 and 349 Broadway. The Follansbee Block, 115 and 117 Wisconsin. The lithographing establishment of Messrs. Siefert & Schoffel, 311, 313 and 315 Broadway, which building he owns. The mammoth store of T. A. Chapman. The Van Dyke Block, southwest corner of South Water and Ferry Street. The Mack block southwest corner of East Water and Wisconsin Streets, which, as a business block, is his crowning work. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul shops in the Menomonee Valley. The depot at Chicago. Wm. A. Prentiss' dwelling, southwest.corner of Marshall and Martin Streets (now the residence of H. Mack). The residence of Elias Friend, northeast
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corner of Cass and Mason Streets. Mrs. Colt's residence 226 Pros- pect Avenue. The dwelling of J. H. Rice, 588 Marshall Street. The residence of Daniel L. Wells, 78 Prospect Avenue, (built orig- inally by Mr. Bryant on contract for Jas. A. Whaling). The dwell- ing of R. P. Fitzgerald, 585 Marshall Street. The J. G. Flint resi- dence, 272 Martin Street, as well as a large number for himself, several of which he yet owns.
PERSONALE.
Mr. Bryant is in many respects a wonderful man. His ambition is unbounded, and had he been a politician, he would have made " Rome howl." He is very aggressive, and whoever gets in his way, will be compelled to step lively or get run over. He knows no such word as stop. Born in a part of the Union where men and boys had to work or starve, work has no terrors for him, in fact he loves it and is never so happy as when at it. And as for making others work, it is no disparagement to his brother contractors to say that there is not one of them all who can get more work out of a gang of men, and at the same time retain their good will and re- spect, than can Sherburne Bryant. Neither is there one of them who can figure closer or who has made more money out of his contracts, than has he, a statement which, I think, they will all confirm. He is very sharp and quick to see where to strike, and can, and does, handle a hundred thousand dollar deal in lumber or real estate bet- ter than half the men who make that their regular business.
In person Mr. Bryant is of the medium height, has a large and compactly built frame, wonderful powers of endurance, and is a good representative of the New England type. He is all life, and quick- motioned as a cat, has an extremely nervous temperament, decides a matter almost in a moment, and if he wants anything, like Horace Chase, he wants it bad, and wants it now. His face is round and full. He has a clear blue eye, speaks very quick, his words coming out with a rolling intonation and with a vim that gives whoever hears them to understand that he is in earnest. He is a splendid friend and a generous enemy. But if once you are unfortunate enough to lose his confidence, you will not be likely to regain it again, a fact which it will not take over thirty days to discover, as
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there is no hypocrisy about him. He detests all cod fish aristocratic notions and ways, and although abundantly able to do so, never puts on any style or false airs. He is somewhat radical in his views upon all subjects, but if convinced of his error, will surrender like a man, has good judgment and always relies upon it, hence his suc- cess. In political faith he is a Republican, and in religious, a Free Thinker. He is probably the wealthiest mechanic in the city-un- less it may be John Roberts-and enjoys life as he goes along. The writer has known Mr. Bryant, intimately, since his first arrival in in Milwaukee, and knows the truth of what is written above, and can only wish that our city had many more like him, for of such is the nation's wealth.
THE EXCELSIOR SOCIETY.
The meeting of the Excelsior society this year, January I, at Gardiner's Hall, was a grand affair. The sons of the Empire state were out in force, it was a veritable gathering of the clans.
The president, Gen. Rufus King in his opening address, which was quite lengthy, spoke as follows :
Gentlemen-We have now discussed the substantials, disposed of the regular toasts, and the field is now cleared for general action. Our western custom exacts that this should be a free fight, and every man is expected to take a hand in "a la Donnybrook," (i. e., if you see a head, hit it,) and they did.
Luke Seaver, Esq., made a feeling eulogy upon John E. Cameron deceased .* The proceedings of the evening occupied nearly a page in the Sentinel and Gazette of the 4th. As the writer was not a son of the Empire state, he did not get a regular invitation. but was present all the same.
SPIRIT RAPPING.
Spirit rapping was discovered this year, the Sentinel of the 6th had a long article descriptive of a "seance" held at the residence of E. G. Loomis, which was very amusing as well as ridiculous. The subject of spiritual manifestations (i. e., outside of a saloon) was then just be- gining to disturb the equinimity of the citizens of the Cream city, considerably, (i. e.,) the church going portion claiming that it was of the devil, while a few prominent ones, among whom was the late
* It was beautiful and John was worthy of it.
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Dr. James Douglass and James P. Greves, defended it, claiming that it came from above. But one thing is certain, no good has come out of it so far, to those who followed it up.
The paper mill was also finished this year at Humboldt, by Noo- nan & McNab.
This mill was one of the bones of contention that brought about the slight misunderstanding (of which the present generation at least have some slight knowledge) between the late Josiah A. Noonan and John J. Orton, resulting in a series of law suits, which were con- tinued unil Noonan was financially ruined, and Orton badly dam- aged, and that cost the county of Milwaukee more for juror's fees and other expenses, than all Humboldt (minus the cement works) would sell for to-day. Both were spunky and both had money to fight with. The property over which the battle was fought, is gone, Noonan is gone, McNab is in California, and Orton alone is left, like the servants of Job, to relate the story. It has been written that the wages of sin is eternal death, and the writer would add that the re- sult of law suits (as a rule) is the financial death of both parties.
How HAVE THE MIGHTY FALLEN.
The following puff for this well remembered claimant for the post of honor as the real Milwaukee, is given here to show that it had good prospects at one time, for being a place of business:
THE VILLAGE OF HUMBOLDT.
We were shown yesterday, the plot of the new village of Humboldt, which has just been laid out on the west side of the Milwaukee river, at the point heretofore known as Mechanicsville. Very good taste has been displayed in the location, and in the selection of the names of the streets, &c. Among them are the familiar ones, to our German fellow-citizens, of Liebnitz, Schiller, Goethe, &c., while the American ear is gratified with Taylor, Franklin, Jefferson, &c. There is at this point one of the very best water powers in the state, the whole volume of the Milwaukee river with a fall of 16 feet. Messrs. Wolcott & Cotton's fine flouring mill and excellent saw mill, are already in successful operation here, and our la- mented friend Cameron has just commenced his new paper mill. The proximity of Humboldt to our city, the extensive water power there, and the fine site and excellent plan of the village combine to render it an attractive point, either for settlement or investment.
This village notwithstanding the above is now a ruin and no longer makes any pretensions to be anybody, and were it not for the cement
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works erected there, it would long ago, like Tadmor of the desert, have been forgotten, and become a resort for the bats and the owls. The old German saloon keeper with the elephantine proboscis, is dead .* And not even a glass of the frisky lager can be obtained there. It is busted as a suburban resort or commercial center. Sic transit gloria mundi (or Tuesdi) take your choice, they are both same price.
NEW BRIDGE.
A bill for a new bridge at Buffalo Street was passed this winter (1851), at Madison, February 6, upon which the Sentinel had the following :
THE NEW BRIDGE.
Messrs. Editors :
We would like to ask a few questions concerning the new bridge, which ought to interest every citinen, but which nobody appears to know anything about.
Is this bridge to benefit the railroad ? If so, why does not that company build it themselves ? Is it to benefit Higby's warehouse, as marsh lots are benefitted .by the downfall of their loftier neighbors ? If so, should n't it have been a sus- pension bridge, so high that no further obstructions should be placed in our already clogged up river ? Is it to be a rival of the Spring Street Bridge ? If so, we hope Spring Street will give it their attention. Is it to do away with the Point Bridge? If so, East Water Street and the Fifth Ward had better give their atten- tion to it. If a new bridge is to be built, would n't it be polite and generous to place it where the irrelevant bridge now stands, and let the boys have the latter for a bon-fire next election day ? Would n't it be a good plan to give our Legis- lature a castigation, and a severe one too, for treating matters of the first impor- tance with an eye only to the wants of a corrupt and unknown few. We pause for a reply. CENSOR.
P. S. Perhaps some one would like to know the reason why so much secresy has been observed in the passage of this important bill.
[Censor will see that the bill referred to has not passed, but has been laid on the table.]
CHARTER MEETINGS.
There were several meetings held by the would be solons of those
* There was a German who kept a saloon there away back in the sixties, who had a nose at least four inches in length, it fairly hung down over his mouth, so inuch so as to necessitate the holding it away, whenever he drank a glass of lager, and to see that, was a sight not easily forgotten; the little boys used to make regular pilgrimages up there for the purpose of seeing that awful nose. It was a nose as was a nose.
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times in relation to the new charter, at most of which, judging from the proceedings, no small amount of buncombe as well as carbureted days, in the fall and winter of 1850-1, said to be to fix up matters in hydrogen was expended by the politicians. One was held at John- son's Hall, now No. 309 East Water Street, William Stupenski, chairman, A. Cary, secretary, January 29, and one in the Second Ward, February 3 .* The proceedings of which last meeting, pub- lished and commented upon by the Wisconsin of the 5th, brought out the following letter, published in the Sentinel of the 7th, which read as follows:
Editor Sentinel and Gazette :
In yesterday's Wisconsin, February 5th, as well as in your paper of the 6th, was the report of a large and enthusiastic meeting, held in the Second Ward, at the " Mansion House," at which August Greulich was chairman, and R. D. Jen- nings and J. B. Vliet, secretaries, held, it is claimed, according to previous notice, etc. Now the truth is, Mr. Editor, that this whole matter is news to us, as well as to a large majority of the citizens of the Second Ward, and if any previous notice was ever given it was certainly a private one, and only then to a few kin- dred spirits. We here in the Second Ward did not know of any such meeting. until we read it in your paper.
Isaac Newstadt1,
F. Oberman,
F. Schnhm,
Chas. Grundel,
Rowan Sherhan,
Conrad Kissinger,
F. Ilerzer,
Chas. Ran, Adolph Wiel. Citizens of the Second Ward.
Thus the efforts made by a few political bummers to commit the Second Ward to their plans did not succeed. But it was like the times. Half a dozen would get together, hold a meeting and put a flaming report of the proceedings in the papers, which generally went unanswered, but this time it did not work that way. A few of the Germans, at least, were not to be placed in the political stocks, so cunningly prepared for them by Huebschmann and his allies, so easily.
The meeting referred in the above letter, of which they knew nothing, was one gotten up secretly by Huebschmann and a few of his ilk, who were " anti-bank," and anti everything else, including the
*At which Dr. Huebschmann fired his " Long Tom," with such disastrous effects to himself and party.
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removal of all restrictions to raising taxes (same as they want to-day) which did not originate with him, in order to make political capital for their views. But the people as a mass were determined to have Banks, and no charter for Milwaukee, or a Constitution for the State, could ever have received their sanction which did not contain a pro- vision to that effect. Nor could any legislative enactment that forbid them be enforced in this country, and never will be. What could the advocates of no Banks have been thinking about when drafting that first Constitution? A few of them have since seen their folly, and had the manliness to admit it. But I know of one who never has and who never will.
The annexed are the proceedings had at the meeting held at the . Court House, February 3, and published the Sentinel of the 7th, when John White was sheriff, at which it will be seen that the Boys had a circus. It was by far the most important of the series, and will conclude all I have to say upon that subject. The following are the proceedings :
MASS MEETING OF THE CITIZENS OF MILWAUKEE.
In pursuance of a public call issued by several committees appointed at prior meetings, the citizens of Milwaukee assembled at the Court House, Monday evening, at 7 o'clock.
The meeting was organized in the lower hall, by appointing A. I). Smith, Esq., president, and D. E. Cameron and E. F. Herzberg, secretaries.
John White, Esq., sheriff of the county, being present, addressed the Chair, stating that upon adjournment of the Court for the day, the bar were unwilling to have a public meeting held in the Court room; but, with all respect for the wishes of the bar, to accommodate the multitude of citizens assembled together, who could not find room in the lower part of the building, he would take the responsi- bility, with the assistance of three men, such as the Chair might appoint, to open and prepare the Court room for their reception. Thereupon the Chair appointed Messrs. A. Sweet, F. Fratney, and Wm. Stupenski said committee, who dis- charged their duty in a few moments, when the meeting retired to the Court room.
Order being fully restored, the president in a few brief and pertinent remarks, stated more fully the objects of the meeting, and expressed his own disapproba- tion of many of the features contained in the new charter, and especially of the manner in which said instrument was got up, by a few individuals only, who afterwards sought to establish it, as our fundamental law, without letting the people know what it contained. This was a hold stroke at our liberties, and should not be tolerated.
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Mr. Stupenski then, in behalf of the several committees, offered the following
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS.
WHEREAS, It is a fundamental Republican principle, that governments derive their just powers from the people-that they are instituted for the benefit of the people-that the people have the best right to decide which laws would be bene- ficial to them, and by what kind of laws they would choose to be governed.
AND, WHEREAS, A few individuals, citizens of Milwaukee, took it into their heads to compile and draft a city charter for the city of Milwaukee, and, without consulting the wishes of the inhabitants of this city, and without even publishing the contents of this important document, sent the same in haste to our Legislature for final legislation; therefore,
Resolved, That we are opposed to the passage of this whole rough draft of a charter, for the following reasons :
I. We disagree with the provisions for the qualifications of voters at the elec- tion of city and ward officers, requiring a continuous residence of one year next preceding such election, as well as with some of the provisions against illegal vot- ing, giving the inspectors a wide range of power over the voter.
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