The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 103

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050

USA > Wisconsin > Waukesha County > The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc > Part 103

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RICHARD STREET, JAMES POOLE.

Two Champion Extinguishers were, on the strength of this report, finally purchased, at a cost of $1,400.

The officers and members of the present Fire Department are as follows : Chief Engineer, Charles Cork ; Assistant Engineer, W. P. Babcock ; Foreman, C. A. Haertel; Assistant Foreman, M. Adams; Secretary, N. McBeath ; Treasurer, John Patterson ; Trustees, R. H. Hunkins, W. P. Babcock and H. Williams ; Janitor, George Klock.

Engine Company No. 1 .- Captain, R. H. Hunkins; Assistant Captain, W. P. Babcock ; J. Herbrandt, G. Lindtner, G. Deakin, J. Patterson, W. H. Holbrook, A. Carver, H. Kebler, R. Schley N. Madden, F. Friedenstein, A. Wagner, F. Kramer and A. Schley.

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

Engine Compang No. 2 .- Captain, G. H. Abbott; Assistant, C. Barnes ; J. Conners, G. T. Willets, C. Cork, E. Wells, N. McBeath, Peter Lau, E. B. Sweet, L. Abbott, H. Wil- liams, J. Kebler, C. Weidenhaft, M. Adams and J. Cross.

Hook and Ladder Company .- Captain, George Klock ; Assistant Captain, F. Ploss ; E. Evans, H. J. Hepp, D. Johnson, C. A. Hacrtell, H. H. Sehrt, R. Varley, E. K. Kimball, N. Sumner, S. Herbrandt, H. Theilman, J. Hurley, H. Schneider and G. Gleissner.

The village owns the old pumps, as well as the extinguishers, and at a fire all four of the machines are brought out for use.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

Lord, Gale & Barber's Saw-Mill .- The dam having been built and a race excavated, early in 1838 Lord, Gale & Barber began the erection of a saw-mill where the old planing- mill stands, a short distance below the Saratoga Mills. This was the first saw mill in Prairie- ville and the third in the county. A Mr. Lampman was the mill-wright, and did most of the work of building it. In this mill much of the lumber for the flouring-mill, the timbers for the first frame dwelling and much other lumber used in the vicinity of Waukesha, was sawed. The old mill is of little account now for any purpose, and has not been used as a saw-mill for many years.

Saratoga Mills .- There is probably no flonring-mill in Wisconsin which has seen more years of service than Bowman's Saratoga Mills, at Waukesha. The water power was on Alonzo R. Cutler's claim, who settled upon it in 1834, as an eligible manufacturing site. Soon after, a trade was made with M. D. Cutler, his brother, and in 1837 the claim, consisting of 160 acres and the water privileges, was sold to Lord, Gale & Barber, through William A. Barstow, for $6,013. The flouring-mill was begun in 1838. The frame was hewed by the late John Woodworth, out of logs, and was floated down the Fox River to the foundation. The timbers for the frame are unusually heavy and strong, and will last a century unless destroyed by fire. The mill was over a year in building, owing to the scarcity of labor, the great cost of material and the difficulty in getting milling machinery transported from the East. There was rejoicing in Prairieville when the old-fashioned ""pitch-back" waterwheel finally set the buhrs in motion, for the mill contained the only "smutter " in the Territory, and the only flour bolt anywhere in the vicinity. It was the beginning of an important era in the village, as it brought a large amount of commerce to her merchants which before had gone to Milwaukee and else- where. Probably in 1850, the mill was sold by William A. Barstow & Co. to Thomas J. Williams, who rented it to various parties until 1855, when the entire property was bought by Russell N. Kimball. Mr. Kimball made some changes in the machinery of the mill, putting in new waterwheels, steam power and additional runs of stone. In 1876, Benjamin Bowman, the present proprietor, came into full possession of the mill property; removed the steam machi- nery; put in improved waterwheels and made other improvements. The new wheels are of such power and economy that enough water is always had to run the mill. It has five runs of stone with a flour capacity of two hundred barrels per day. Its capacity to do custom work is sixty bushels per hour. Mr. Bowman ships largely to Scotland, but sells mostly in domestic rkets.

The mill, with necessary belongings, cost Lord, Gale & Barber, and William A. Barstow, $30,000, which was a large sum in 1839.

Blair's Iron Works .- The large stone building now used by William Blair as his machine and iron works was begun early in the spring of 1845, by W. D. Bacon, and completed in 1846. The corner stone of the building was laid with considerable ceremony, which was witnes- sed by a large number of spectators. The cavity of this corner stone contains coin of various de- nominations and other articles desired by some of those present to be preserved. The building is three stories in height, with a large and spacious attic. The walls are all of solid stone and built in a thorough and substantial manner. The structure was erected for a wagon and

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

blacksmith shop, and was used by its proprietor for many years for that purpose, or until about 1853, when Mr. Bacon sold the property to Jacob L. Bean, who owned it for some time and finally sold it to William Blair.

At the time the building was erected, it was one of the largest and best in the State. Its central and commanding position as a wagon and blacksmith shop attracted customers from a great distance, who came hither for their work and repairs. The principal roads leading to Milwaukee through the State passed through Prairieville, as Waukesha was then called, in close proximity to Mr. Bacon's building. It was no infrequent sight to see scores of wagons and horses in and about the shop awaiting their turn for repairs. This building, besides being one of the oldest in the country, has many interesting historic incidents connected with it.

It was from this building the first Abolition paper printed in Wisconsin was issued. It was in the third story of this large structure that the " Ancient and Sublime Order of the 1,001 " held some of its very first meetings, and continued to " raise Hail Columbia " in it for several years. This was long before such an organization had an existence in Milwaukee. It was to this building the most prominent and wealthy people came from all portions of the State to be initiated into the order. Many came from Milwaukee and elsewhere, among whom might be mentioned Don A. J. Upham, Jonathan E. Arnold, Levi Hubbell, John S. Rockwell, Andrew E. Elmore, and scores of others, who occupied the leading positions in the State. If this old building could talk, could tell all it knew in a voice loud enough to be heard one hundred miles in every direction, there would go up the greatest roar of laughter ever heard by mortal man.

The first lodge of Odd Fellows was instituted in this building, and was used by them for some time. It is now managed by Frank Blair, William Blair's son, as a general machine shop.

Milwaukee and Waukesha Railway Car Shops .- The original or first railroad com- pany, the " Waukesha & Milwaukee," since the Milwaukee & Mississippi, and now the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, in 1849 commnced the erection of a large stone building, 80x120 feet, with two very high stories, for the manufacture of cars. The building was completed in the spring of 1850, and in it car building immediately commenced, which continued until the company removed their works and shops to Milwaukee. The company then sold the building to Messrs. Case & Co., who manufactured freight cars in it until 1855; but, not finding the business profitable, suspended operations, and sold the property to Messrs. John Nazro, of Milwaukee, W. D. Bacon and William Blair, of Waukesha, for $12,000. From that time until about 1866, the building remained unoccupied, except for the storage of customary rubbish, and goods of but little value. About the year 1866, the building was pur- chased by R. N. Kimball, who used it as a planing-mill for a brief time, and for storing wool, lumber, thrashing machines and wagons, and finally, at considerable expense, he converted it into an elevator, putting in mammoth bins, expensive truck and platform scales and modern machinery for elevating grain. There being but a small amount of grain to elevate, the machi- nery was but seldom used, and stood idle for years. In the month of September, 1877, on a hot Sunday afternoon, the building was discovered to be on fire, supposed to have origi- nated from the rays of the hot sun passing through the large glass windows on to the waste used in cleaning the engine and machinery about the building. The large stone structure, with its entire contents-engine, scales, machinery, together with a large amount of season- ed pine lumber-was totally destroyed, incurring a loss to its owner of over $10,000 without a dollar of insurance.

In this building, whose ranges of ruins are yet to be seen near the depot, were erected the first railway cars built in Wisconsin, or the Northwest, and for a time a large number of men were given employment within its walls. When the old Milwaukee & Waukesha Railroad Company secured the right of way through Waukesha, and was receiving other material aid, its officers promised that these car shops should always be maintained where they were built, in full operation. If that promise had been kept, Waukesha Village would have been much larger than it now is.

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

Waukesha County Manufacturing Company .- A charter was granted incorporating the Waukesha County Manufacturing Company, by the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin, and the act approved March 13, 1866.

A meeting of the Commissioners named in the act of incorporation was held at the office of A. Cook, in the village of Waukesha, on the 17th day of March, 1866. Present, Albert Kendrick, Sebina Barney, G. C. Pratt, Silas Barber and Edward Porter.

On motion, A. Kendrick was elected President, and G. C. Pratt, Secretary.

A committee was appointed to obtain subscriptions to the capital stock of the company, and in a comparatively short space of time a sufficient sum was subscribed to entitle the com- pany to organize under its charter. This they proceeded to do on the 21st day of April, 1866, by electing the following-named gentlemen to serve as their first Board of Directors : William Blair, Albert Amsden, Isaac Lain, Silas Barber, T. D. Cook, G. C. Pratt and M. S. Hartwell. Subsequently, on the same day, the Directors met, and elected the following officers : President, William Blair ; Vice President, Silas Barber ; Secretary, G. C. Pratt ; Treasurer, T. D. Cook. The board immediately proceeded to buy a lot and erect buildings thereon for a woolen-mill. A stone building was erected 36x100 feet, three stories in height, with a one- story addition for wheel and dye house.

They commenced running by water power, having built an overshot water wheel thirty-six feet in diameter. But they soon found the water power was not sufficient to drive the neces- sary machinery, and then added steam.

In December following, they commenced the manufacture of woolen goods. Additional buildings have been built from time to time, and new and better machinery has been added from year to year, until now they have one of the largest and best woolen-mills in the State, employing some seventy hands and working up about 200,000 pounds of wool annually. No better goods are made East or West than are turned out at this mill. For several years, nearly the whole product was woolen shawls, the sale of which they had contracted in advance to Field, Leiter & Co., of Chicago, for cash.

For several years last past, the product of this mill has been of a mixed character, fine cassimeres, shawls, flannels, blankets and yarns being the principal articles manufactured.

The Present officers are William Blair, President ; Richard Street, Vice President; Isaac Lain, Secretary ; T. D. Cook, Treasurer ; Richard Street, Superintendent. This is the largest and most important manufacturing institution in Waukesha County, and serves a three-fold purpose, viz., furnishing employment to a large number of persons, making a good market for wool, and, by the excellence of its products, making Waukesha County famous for fine wool and fine goods.

Hartwell's Planing-Mill .- In 1859, the planing-mill and sash, door and blind factory, owned by M. S. & C. S. Hartwell, on the west side of the river, was burned. The firm imme- diately secured the site on Grand avenue and erected the stone factory as it now stands. Since 1875, it has been owned by Clark S. Hartwell and is run in connection with his building operations. In it he does re-sawing, planing, scroll-sawing, turning, matching and nearly all kinds of wood-work. The motive power is steam.

West Hill Brewery .- In the fifties, Mr. Meyer erected a brewery, of wood and stone, on the present site of Stephen Weber's buildings.Mr. Meyer failed, and the property, through Sheriff's sale, fell into the hands of Peter Peffer and Charles Nohl, who, in 1862, sold the entire property to Stephen Weber. He erected the present substantial stone structure over the old cellars, in 1873. In 1870, he erected a two-story ice-house of stone, which was made one story higher in 1879. Mr. Weber manufactures about 2,200 barrels of beer per annum, and on the opposite side of the street from his brewery has a building and machinery for bottling beer, which branch of his business has grown to considerable proportions. West Hill is the largest brewery in the county.

Olin & Clinton's Cheese Factory .- The cheese factory on Carroll street, in this village, was opened for business by its present owners, O. Z. Olin and Orson P. Clinton, in May, 1875. The proprietors make no butter; their specialty is pure cheese. They now have an

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

average of 3,000 pounds of milk per day. During the first year, their cheese averaged 11} cents per pound. This year it has averaged a little over 10 cents per pound. The market is mostly in New York and Chicago.

Barnard's Mill .- The upper dam on the west side of the Fox River, was constructed to furnish water power for a factory built by W. S. Barnard. Various small articles in wood and iron were manufactured by Mr. Barnard. He finally changed the machinery into that for 'a flouring-mill; but it never was a profitable investment. In this old building, which, cracked and weak, still stands opposite the Barstow residence, William Blair began his iron manufac- turing business. He had no lathe in those days, and did all the necessary turning by hand.

Porter's Wool Storehouse .- In 1876, Edward Porter erected a large wool and grain store- house, near the Fox River. He has purchased from the farmers, adjacent to the town of Waukesha, during the past ten years, upward of 1,225,000 pounds of wool, for which he has paid Eastern prices, less transportation. He makes his shipments principally to the cities of Philadelphia, Boston, Syracuse, and North Adams, Mass. Mr. Porter also handles immense quantities of barley, which furnishes a ready market near home for the large barley crops of Waukesha County.

Haynes' Elevator .- The old stone building erected by the Milwaukee & Mississippi Rail- road Company, which was formerly a portion of the depot, was leased to Thomas Haynes, in 1863, for the purpose of storing, elevating and shipping grain, in which business he was engaged. The increase of business soon compelled him to put in machinery and other facilities for the more speedy handling of grain, and now it is one of the best elevators for its capacity on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, outside of Milwaukee.

The receipts of wheat purchased by Mr. Haynes of the farmers adjacent to Waukesha, vary from one to five cars per day during the fall and winter. The grain is shipped mostly to Milwaukee. In addition to the elevator, Mr. Haynes, in 1878, erected a warehouse, 60x30 feet, near the railroad track, east of his elevator, for the storage of salt, cement, plaster, etc., in which he deals largely.

For the seventeen years Mr. Haynes has been in the business, he has paid Milwaukee prices, less the cost of transportation, and has disbursed, satisfactorily, a very large amount of money among the farmers, who receive more for their cereals at his elevator than they could realize by hauling them to Milwaukee.

MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.

Cutler's Park .- This handsome property is located near the center of Waukesha Village. There are about thirty kinds of trees and various kinds of wild flowers and plants growing upon it. The park, which contains eight acres of land, is owned and occupied by Morris D. Cutler ; who built a residence in the center of it over forty-six years ago. Mr. Cutler will not sell the place, neither does he make modern improvements, but, on the contrary, he wishes to see things as nearly as possible in the state of nature.

The park has now three pre-historic elevations of earth, called Indian mounds, which he allows to remain untouched. Mr. C. located on this property forty-six years ago, and began to clear out the under-brush, and to set out trees at that early day, which he has continued without interruption ever since. The report is that when Mr. Cutler is done with the park, he will deed it to the village with the proviso that the mounds never be disturbed.

Town Cemetery .- This beautiful home of the dead is as much for the village of Waukesha and surrounding towns as for the town of Waukesha, although owned and controlled exclusively by the latter. As is the case with every newly settled place, Waukesha was for many years without any common burial-place. David Jackson was buried in an Indian mound in the east part of the village of Waukesha, in December, 1841; a few were buried on the knoll where the Park Hotel now stands, opposite the Silurian Spring, which was the seat of an Indian cemetery ; and some, a few years later, were buried where the present cemetery was afterward located. The fact that the locality possessed no common burial-place was the subject of much talk in an early day, the newspapers as, well as the citizens taking the matter in hand. Early in 1848,

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

the Democrat referred to the subject in this manner : "A spot so sacred as the burial-place of our friends and relatives should not be exposed to the intrusion of cows and other animals, as the village cemetery is from the highway and adjoining fields. * *

* Citizens of Prairie- ville, will you do something to wipe off this reproach from our good name ?"

Again, in 1849, the subject was handled in a still more vigorous and pointed manner by the newspapers. This agitation seems to have had the desired effect, for in November, 1849, the Supervisors of the town of Waukesha resolved to purchase ground for a burial-place, and December 3, of that year, purchased three acres of Nathaniel Walton for $50 for that purpose. On April 13, 1864, a little over five acres additional were purchased of S. S. Sawyer for $500. The cemetery is situated in the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 10, town of Waukesha.

The first person buried in this cemetery was the mother of Rev. O. F. Curtis.

Shakespeare Club .- This literary society was originated in the winter of 1856 by S. A. Bean, Prof. Evans, C. C. White, W. L. Bean, I. M. Bean, F. W. Monteith and a few others. The society was not kept up during the war. In 1874, it was again started by Rev. Isaac Woodle. The officers at present are : M. S. Griswold, President ; Mrs Annie Leedom, Secre- tary. Among the principal exercises are the readings and criticisms of Shakespeare. Mrs. C. C. White and F. W. Monteith are the only members left from the organization of 1856. The present members are as follows : Rev. T. G. Watson, M. S. Griswold, F. W. Monteith, T. W. Haight, S. H. Vedder, Prof. G. H. Reed, Mrs. S. B. Waller, Mrs. C. C. White, Mrs. T. W. Haight, Mrs. Marsh, Mrs. Eliza Darwin, Mrs. C. Jackson, Mrs. S. A. Randles, Miss Eva Filley, Miss Annie Leedom, Miss Emily B. Marsh, Miss Louise M. Park, Miss Wilbor, Miss Alice P. Perry and Miss Georgie Bennett.

Waterworks Company .- A corporation designing to supply the hotels, Industrial School and private houses with drinking water, and the village with water for fire purposes, has been chartered under the name and style of the Mineral Rock Spring and Water-Works Company, with a capital stock of $100,000. Of this amount, $20,000 has already been subscribed. The corporation consists of C. C. Olin, President ; Barzillia Douglass, Secretary ; M. D. Cutler, Treasurer; Richard Walker and F. W. Olin. The design is to erect a water tower and pumping works on the large vacant lot east of Grand avenne, and thus to furnish mineral water to all the houses, public and private, in the village, as well as for public and private fountains, factories, fire purposes and street sprinkling, and to have the work completed by July, 1881.

Waukesha Observatory .- This structure, about the first feature noticed by the visitor to the vicinity of the village of Waukesha, is an octagon tower ninety-five feet in height, built by Thomas Spence, in 1873, for the accommodation of those who desire a complete bird's-eye view of the surrounding scenery. It looks down from the highest hill in the vicinity of Waukesha. The highest gallery is 220 feet above the Fox River, which flows at the foot of the hill, a few rods distant, and 445 feet above Lake Michigan. The view to be had from this tower is an extended one and of rare beauty. Washington County points, thirty-five miles distant, can be seen in the north, and Walworth County points as far distant as Elkhorn, the county seat, on the southwest. A janitor is in attendance, who points out and names the localities of interest to be seen from the observatory, for a small fee. During the summer of 1879, 1,300 visitors ascended the tower and left their antographs on a register kept for the purpose. The struct- ure is on Block C, plat of West Wankesha Village, immediately south of Lawndale Addition, and cost about $3,000. It will accommodate 200 persons, and, though in part of wood, was built to stay.

OLD SETTLERS DONE UP IN RHYME.

The following verses were written in 1853 or 1854 by a schoolboy who has been dead many years :

A pretty place is Waukesha, Its many scenes I love, Its rippling streams and summer greens, Its towering hills above.

. -

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

Our citizens are active, brisk, With names and manners droll , And so to make my meaning plain, I'll call the village roll.

We've SMITHS in town of various kinds ; Some work in iron, tin, While others use up mortal man With drugs and medicine.

To which some of the craft object- Are down on drugs and bills ; And while the battle wages warm SLEY-ly gives their little pills.

Men of physic here we see, Who say they're always WRIGHT, While athers fram their CASTLE wage War's opposition might.

But then, our WRIGHT has passed away ; He loved the negro race- But stole a woman who was WHITE, Before he left the place.

We still have people who are white ; But oh ! it gives me pain, To think that some of these dear WHITES Will always WHITE remain.

Upon the hill there stands a mill, They named it Carroll College- A vast machine to fill the brain, And grind out useful knowledge.

A word to you, professors dear, You labor for your pains- Make SMALL men great, hut 'tis a sin To CRAM their little brains.

We have a Cook in town who will not cook A fowl or fry a fish ; But if you want a batch of law He'll cook you up a dish.

Our legal men of cities large On knowledge oft are bent, Which to obtain they da consult The commentator, KENT.

But in our town 'tis not the head, But stomach kept in view, At 2 A. M. they do consult Kent's " common taters, " too.

Our clergymen have told us all That we to hell will drop, Unless we go the narrow path, Straight through the cooper shop.

In literary strength we haast- Enlightened claim to be ; Yet some advise with SAVAGEB, And listen, as we see. -

Our ladies' mouths are very small- Sa very small, I'm sure That they would scarcely hold a pint Of crystal water pure.

But I have seen what I ne'er saw before, In lands of north and south, Some of our small-mouthed ladies, dear, With HOLBROOKS in their mouth.

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

SELLERS are seen in other towns, Yet far beneath the ground ; But here, 'tis common to relate, Our SELLERS walk around.

We've MINERS, too, who dig for gold- I am not spinning yarns- For at one time our MINER kept His gold close by his barns.

But now his barn has been removed, And is no longer found- Our MINER only borrows it, But not beneath the ground.

A BAKER, too, I've seen at home, And often in the street ; But if you ask for bread or cake, You'll get some music sweet.

We have a LAIN, and it is long, "In summer, when 'tis seen Even after showers-the food of flowers- It's very seldom green.

Around this LAIN some prim old maids Are ever hovering near- But why they hang around this LAIN To me dotli not appear.

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The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 103

Author: Western Historical Co., pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050