USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 122
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814
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
It does not often occur that a newspaper has the privilege of announcing, at the time, the first birth in a place, but the Wisconsin Mirror, under date December 2, 1856, thus breaks forth : " First Birth in Kilbourn City .- Little Nettie Kilbourn Munger (daughter of C. D. & M. E. Munger, late of Warsaw, N. Y.). was no doubt greatly astonished, last Thursday morning, November 28, on opening her eyes and finding herself the first child born in Kilbourn City-a matter she will probably have occasion to speak of a number of times in the next sev- enty years." The editor's prediction was not to be, as the little babe lived only until the next August.
The first male child was Victor Stillwell, who was born about two weeks later.
The first lawyer in Kilbourn was named Perry, who came early in 1856, but did no busi- ness. Chamberlain & Southgate came in the fall of 1856, and remained about twelve months, but the business not being remunerative, they, too. departed. In the spring of 1857, L. B. Noyes opened an office, and, in the fall, he and P. G. Stroud formed a copartnership, which lasted until September, 1859, Mr. Stroud succeeding to the business. Jonathan Bowman came up from Newport in 1862.
The first death in the village was Morton A. Holly, son of Alanson Holly, of the Wiscon- sin Mirror, the young man who struck the first paper from the press. On the night of March 13, 1857, young Holly was disturbed by a cat, near his sleeping apartment, and taking a gun he went out of the house and shot it. The next morning he arose early, went out, and taking up the animal, started to the river for the purpose of throwing it in. A slight snow was upon the ground, which was also very slippery. It appears, from the marks made, that when he arrived near the river, in throwing the animal in, his feet slipped from under him and he fell a distance of forty fect, upon the rock and ice below, meeting instantaneous death.
When the dam was torn away by the lumbermen, in 1859, the hydraulic company had become hopelessly involved. The building of the dam had cost them a very large sum of money, which, together with improvements made in the village, had compelled them to borrow largely, their heaviest creditor being Hon. Byron Kilbourn, who had taken judgment notes for all that he advanced. When the loss of the dam occurred, Mr. Kilbourn entered up his judgments, and in due course of time the property all passed into his hands.
No attempt was made to repair the dam until the year 1866. In that year was incorpo- rated the Kilbourn Manufacturing Company, with John Tanner, Edward T. Hooker, M. Grif- fin, Ulmer F. Hinds and Guido J. Hansen as incorporators. This company was organized for the special purpose of utilizing the immense water-power at this place, and were further author- ized to construct and provide such shops, factories, stores and other buildings, works, machinery and fixtures, as may be necessary and convenient for the purposes of milling and manufacturing any and all kinds of implements and fabrics, whether composed of wood, iron, wool, cotton or other materials, and all kinds of machinery ; to construct, provide and use water, steam or other power to propel machinery, and to sell, lease or let to any person or persons, or body corporate and politic, the whole or any part of the real estate, water, steam or other power, shops, factories, stores or other buildings, machinery or fixtures, for such price and on such terms as may be agreed on by the contracting parties, and to make and execute such decds, leases and other writings there- for as may be necessary to protect the rights of the respective parties thereto. The company was also authorized to complete the water-power on Sections 3, 4, 9 and 10, in Township 13 north, of Range 6 east, in the counties of Columbia and Sauk, by raising the dam a sufficient height for that purpose, not exceeding three feet above the usual low-water mark in the Wiscon- sin River, and so forming the same that rafts of lumber can pass safely and conveniently with- out hindrance or delay.
Pursuant to this act, the incorporators repaired the dam during the summer of 1866, raising it about two feet above low-water mark. It should be stated here that Kilbourn assigned all his right, title and interest in the dam on the east side of the river, acquired from purchase of the Wisconsin River Hydraulic Company, so as to enable the incorporators of the Kilbourn Manu- facturing Company to proceed with the work without hindrance or delay. A temporary
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
injunction was obtained restraining them in that work, and suit was brought in the United States Court at Milwaukee to declare the dam a nuisance. The trial was had before Judge Miller, who decided it was not a nuisance. Before the judgment was obtained, Byron Kilbourn died, and the company was obliged to abandon the work for a time. On the settlement of the estate of Mr. Kilbourn. Byron H. Kilbourn, his son, obtained possession of that portion of the dam owned by his father, as well as the real estate in Kilbourn City.
Before utilizing the water-power created by the erection of the dam. the Kilbourn Manu- facturing Company thought best to give the lumbermen time to test the work in order to ascer- tain whether trouble or damage would be done in passing over. The test being satisfactory, it was intended to embark in some enterprise that would be satisfactory to the members of the company.
In 1871, Byron H. Kilbourn, Harry B. Shears, George Lintner and G. J. Hansen, under the general law, secured a charter for the formation of the Kilbourn Mill Company, and obtained a perpetual lease from the Kilbourn Manufacturing Company, to use the water-power on the east side of the river, at the same time the manufacturing company binding itself to keep the same in good repair.
In 1871, the company proceeded to the erection of a large mill, which was completed and duly " dedicated " February 22, 1872, by a number of citizens of the place, who assembled at the mill, witnessed its works put in motion, and from the first flour ground, partook of biscuits, made by Mrs. Purcell and Mrs. Ramsay. Toasts were given and responded to, and Kilbourn was happy.
In the spring of 1872, some damage was experienced by the lumbermen in taking their rafts over the dam. Instead of appealing to the courts for redress, they called upon the Legis- lature to repeal the charter of the manufacturing company, on the ground the dam was danger- ous to their interests. This repeal was resisted by the company and the citizens of Kilbourn City. The latter issued a circular, in which, after quoting the charter of the company, they say : "By this charter the company is authorized to construct such a damn as that rafts of lumber can pass safely and conveniently, without hindrance or delay. If the company have done so, certainly no one can complain ; and if they have not, then they are not protected by this charter, and are subject to the same liability as though they had no charter. If the com- pany have complied with the provisions of their charter, then to repeal it would manifestly work a great injustice, not only to the company, but to the people of Kilbourn . City and vicinity. On the other hand, if they have not complied with its provisions, then the charter affords them no protection, and its repeal will not in the least aid those who claim to have been damaged thereby.
" The company claim that they have complied with the charter ; those opposed to them say they have not. Who shall determine the question, the Legislature or the courts ?- an impar- tial jury, or a committee, composed, in part at least, of those who openly claim to be the parties interested ? The company say, the courts and jury ; the lumbermen say, the Legislature, with themselves composing a part of it.
" Which is right ?
" The dam was constructed during the summer of 1871, in exact accordance with, and fulfillment of, the provisions of the charter ; and there was no difficulty in running the dam in the fall of 1871. But in the spring of 1872, the water cut away the west bank of the river, below the dam, and thereby an eddy was formed. This was an unforeseen difficulty, and there was no practical way to remedy it until winter, when work could be done on the ice. The company immediately called to their aid experienced lumbermen and engineers, to determine the best mode of remedying the difficulty, and acting upon the advice given them by the latter, determined to construct a gunwale below the dam. and during the present winter, the company have had a large force at work, at heavy expense, constructing such gunwale.
" The company have acted in good faith. They built their dam in accordance with the provisions of their charter. And, as soon as a difficulty, which no human foresight could have anticipated, occurs, and their dam becomes in the least detrimental to any other interest, they immediately go to work to remove the difficulty.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIAA COUNTY.
" And they only ask reasonable time, to remedy not only the present, but any future acci- dent, not happening through their neglect or the want of a proper regard for the right of others. " Shall they have it ?"
The efforts of the lumbermen to secure the repeal were in vain, and, therefore, they appealed to the courts. In the name of Bradford, McCoy & Co., of Quincy, III., they brought two suits in the United States Court, at Madison-one against the Kilbourn Manufacturing Company and G. J. Hansen, H. B. Shears, George Lintner and George Ribenaek; the other against the Kilbourn Mill Company and G. J. Hansen, H. B. Shears, George Lintner and George Ribenack. The gentlemen named composed the Kilbourn Mill Company, and the object of the lumbermen in. making them parties to the suit was to prove their individual lia- bility for the damages sustained. At the same time, suits were brought against the same par- ties by Weston & Co., in the Circuit Court of Sauk County. All these suits were brought with the avowed object of having the dam abated as a nuisance, and to recover damages sus- tained in running lumber over it.
In April, 1874, the cases were called in the United States Court, and the verdict of the jury was that the Kilbourn Manufacturing Company should pay damages amounting to $500. while the mill company should pay $1,000. A special verdiet was rendered in both cases that the dam was not a nuisance, and that Hansen, Shears, Lintner and Ribenack were not individ- ually liable.
Under these judgments, the dam upon the east side of the river was sold June, 1876, and purchased by John T. Kingston, representing the lumbermen. In consequence of these ver- diets in the United States Court. the suits in the State Courts were abandoned.
From that time. nothing has been done to utilize the water power. The dam remains as constructed, and, although one-half is owned by the lumbermen (Jonathan Bowman owning, by purchase from Kilbourn, that upon the west side of the river), it is well known they have been willing to dispose of their interest or unite in the erection of such manufactories as may seem profitable. The mill from which so much was expected, after a two-years successful run, was burned in the fall of 1874.
Saturday, November 15. 1856, at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, held in Milwaukce, the contract for the bridge across the Wisconsin River, at this place, was let to Stone, Boomer & Boughton, of Chicago, to be completed the 1st day of September, 1857, and by that firm was completed by the time specified. The bridge was that of the "Howe's Patent Truss," and constructed at an expense of $100,000. It was 450 feet long and 30 feet wide, and had an abutment of solid stone, 60 feet high in the water. Its height was 20 feet, making a distance of 80 feet between the railroad track and the river. Under this track was a carriage-way. The span between the eastern shore and the river abutment was 200 feet. The bridge had three large arches, parallel to each other, and was well inelosed, painted and covered with tin. At that time, it was the finest structure of the kind in the State.
In May. 1866, just after a train of cars had passed over, it was discovered to be on fire. A large crowd of people gathered on the river-bank, but were powerless to prevent its destruction.
While the bridge was burning, a telegram was sent to the firm that built it, and one of the members arrived on the ground before the fire had died out. A contract was immediately entered into for the rebuilding, and, in time, another bridge of the same pattern was constructed. It consisted of four spans, two of 56 feet each, one of 91, and one of 247, giving a total length of 450 feet. The height of the traek above the water's surface was ninety feet. The bridge was composed of 2,345 pieces of timber, 5,912 pieces of wrought, and 3,460 pieces of cast, iron. mak- ing a total of 10,717 pieces of wood and iron. The lineal dimensions of the timber portion of the structure amounts to 29,450 feet, or over five and one-half miles, and that of iron 15,850 feet, or about three miles, making a total length of iron and timber of 45,300, or more than eight and one-half miles. All the timber of the main span, 247 feet in length, was burnettized, or submitted to a process by which the natural sap was extracted, and certain kinds of liquids
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
infused, by which the durability of the timber was increased nearly 100 per cent. The weight and size of the span was not equaled by that of any span in any bridge, in proportion to its length, in the United States. Although not so large and fine-looking as the first, it was thought to be a more powerful and durable structure, and the longest, finest and most costly one in the State, and even in the West, except three across the Mississippi-one at St. Paul, one at Clin- ton, and the other at Rock Island. It was erected, as stated, by the same firm that built the first, and under the general superintendency of J. B. Kupers.
This second bridge did not prove to be as strong and durable as its builders and the public predicted. After a time, it began to weaken, so much so that the company determined to replace it with an iron one of the most improved pattern. We are indebted to Le Roy Gates, of Kilbourn City, for the description here given. The bridge consists of one span 56 feet, one of 2431 feet, and two of 682 feet each, a total of 436-1, lineal feet, and is furnished for both railway and high- way uses.
" The railway is carried on four iron stringers, with ends riveted io floor beams, which in turn are riveted to the posts of the bridge near the upper chord. Commencing at the east end of the bridge, the highway passes under the 56-feet span, and then is carried on the lower chord of the 243-feet span. passing the two 682-fect spans, from the first of which it is suspended.
" The 243-fcet span is what is known as the whipple, or double intersection truss, and the small spans the single intersection trusses. The tension members of the bridge are made from the best quality of iron, capable of sustaining an ultimate tensile strain of 55,000 pounds per square inch, and having a limit of elasticity of from 28,000 to 30,000 pounds per square inch. Notwithstanding the great strength of the iron, it possesses remarkable ductility. In testing specimens to destruction, they were required to elongate at the least 15 per cent, and show a reduction of area at breaking point of 25 per cent. All tensile members, when manufactured, ready to place in the bridge, were tested to 18,000 pounds per square inch, without showing any defector signs of permanent elongation. The compression members are composed of built sections of channel plate and angle iron, and were all proportioned from the latest modifications of Gordon's and Rankin's formula, derived from recent experiments with posts of similar sections. All the material is wrought iron, with the exception of the massive bedplates upon the piers, and a few unimportant washers, whose office is simply to fill certain places without being subject to any strain.
" The bridge is proportioned to sustain, in addition to its own weight, a train weighing 4,000 pounds per lineal foot, headed by an engine weighing 72,000 pounds, on a wheel base of twelve feet, and the train moving at the rate of thirty miles an hour. Additional strength is provided to sustain a wind pressure sufficient to overturn a train of loaded freight cars. Under the worst possible condition of loading, no portion of the structure will be required to sustain a load greater than one-sixth of its ultimate strength.
"The railway floor is composed of cross-ties, 5x8 inches, placed four inches apart, and, on each side of the steel rail is placed a heavy wooden guard rail, having its corners protected by angle iron, and clasped and bolted to each cross tie, so that in case of a train ever leaving the track, it could not possibly get off the bridge. In addition to a substantial oak floor, the bridge is provided with guard rails and handsome railing.
This bridge possesses many points of special merit, some of which have never been embodied in any other structure. Every detail has been designed upon scientific principles, and the closest attention paid to the manufacture of even the smallest pieces. The work has been supervised by a competent inspector, who has seen the manufacture of the bridge from the condition of the pig-iron all through the different processes to the magnificent structure.
D. J. Whitcemore, Chief Engineer of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, gave the work his personal attention, and spared no pains to attain the highest perfection in its every detail. The bridge was designed by C. Shaler Smith, President and Chief Engineer of the Baltimore Bridge Company, who is also the contractor. The shopwork was done by the Edge- moor Iron Company. of Wilmington, Del. It is proper to state in this connection that the
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
heavy pieces of iron in the bridge having a play of only one hundredth of an inch in the joints, when placed in position fit with the accuracy of clockwork. To save time, the manu- facture of the rough iron was done simultaneously in six different rolling-mills in Pensylvania and New Jersey.
The erection of the structure was commenced by Charles J. Houser, Assistant Superin- tendent of the Baltimore Bridge Company, who unfortunately lost a leg in the carly stage of the work.
When Mr. Houser was displaced, James Baldwin was placed in charge as foreman, with Onward Bates, General Superintendent.
But a little over a month was required in the construction of the bridge, and, while being built, and the old one torn away there was not a moment's delay to any train of cars passing over the road.
The village was under town government until 1868, when the Legislature of the State passed an act of incorporation, which was approved February 29, 1868, and which is very liberal in its provisions The officers of the corporation consist of a president, six trustees, clerk, treasurer, police justice, marshal. The charter provides that the trustees shall have power to grant licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors, wine, beer or cider, to organize fire companies, restrain gambling. and to pass any ordinance for the good government of the village not con- trary to the Constitution of this State or of the United States.
The first election, as provided by this charter, was held May 10, 1869. The following are the names of the officers elected from 1869 to 1879 inclusive :
1869-George Smith, President ; G. J. Hansen, John Tanner, Henry H. Drinker, George H. Daniels, Jolin N. Schmitz, A. Chamberlain, Trustees; H. II. Hurlbut, Police Justice; J. Jack- son Brown, Clerk ; George Ribenack, Treasurer; George A. Boyd, Marshal.
1870-George Smith, President ; George H. Daniels, G. J. Hansen, H. Corning, R. Her- ren, J. N. Schmitz, Charles Teshner, Trustees ; Hugh Murray, Clerk; Joseph Hainsworth, Treasurer ; W. A. Ramsey, Street, Commissioner ; J. B. Sanderson, Marshal ; Thomas B. Coon, Police Justice.
1871-George Smith, President; H. Corning, G. H. Daniels, G. J. Hansen, R. Herren, J. N. Schmitz. Charles Teshner, Trustees ; Thomas B. Coon, Police Justice ; Hugh Murray, Clerk ; G. J. Hansen, Treasurer ; J. B. Sanderson, Marshal ; W. A. Ramsey, Street Commis- ssoncr.
1872-G. J. Hansen, President ; I. W. York, George Ribenack, George W. Boyd, Amplius Chamberlain, Charles Buckminster, Charles Moeller, Trustees; Thomas B. Coon, Police Just- ice ; J. Jackson Brown, Clerk; Oscar C. Hansen, Treasurer; W. A. Ramsey, Street Commis- sioner ; William N. Barton, Marshal.
1873-I. W. York, President; George Ribenack, H. H. Drinker, Frank O. Wisner, O. C. Hansen, Frank Raddant, Charles Buckminster, Trustees ; Thomas B. Coon, Police Justice ; J. Jackson Brown, Clerk; I. II. Chickering, Marshal; W. A. Ramsey, Street Commissioner ; G. J. Hansen, Treasurer.
1874-Charles A. Noyes, President ; Robert Drinker, Carl Moeller, H. Corning, H. N. Whitney, A. Chamberlain, D. McMaumon, Trustees; Thomas B. Coon, Police Justice; J. Jack- son Brown, Clerk ; J. B. Sanderson, Marshal ; W. A. Ramsey, Street Commissioner; D. E. Loomis, Treasurer.
1875-Charles A. Noyes, President ; H. Corning, R. W. Drinker, Charles Moeller, D. MeManmon, HI. M. Whitney, George Oswald, Trustees ; John Jackson Brown, Police Justice ; John Jackson Brown, Clerk ; Daniel E. Loomis, Treasurer ; John R. Snider, Street Commis- sioner ; J. B. Sanderson, Marshal.
1876-I. W. York, President ; William F. Angell, Charles O. M. Buckminster, James H. McNeil, Aiken J. Sexton, John Mylrea, Charles W. Snider, Trustees ; J. Jackson Brown, Police Justice and Clerk ; Daniel E. Loomis, Treasurer ; Gilson Van Alstine, Marshal ; John Cowley, Street Commissioner.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
1877-George Smith, President ; Frank Hill; John N. Schmitz, Charles Schroeder, R. B. Rose, George Oswald, Bernard Krech, Trustees; George F. Noble, Police Justice ; Thomas J. Conner, Clerk ; Daniel O. Loomis, Treasurer ; Gilson Van Alstine, Marshal.
1878-Charles A. Noyes, President; Frank Hill, R. B. Rose, J. P. Soldner, J. N. Schmitz, Henry Snider, Charles Schroeder, Trustees ; William Snoad, Police Justice ; Charles E. Mylrca, Clerk ; Daniel E. Loomis, Treasurer; Robert Sexton, Street Commissioner ; George Oswalk, Marshal.
1879-I. W. York, President ; P. J. Mechler, B. Krech, R. B. Rose, Charles Schroeder, M. A. Rublee, Frank Hill, Trustees : William Snoad, Police Justice ; C. E. Mylrea, Clerk : J. Roemback, Street Commissioner ; Daniel E. Loomis, Treasurer ; N. A. Fedderly, Marshal.
In 1857, the village had three public houses-the Forest City House, the St. Nicholas and the Kilbourn City House. There were two dry-goods stores, one cigar manufactory, one hard- ware store, one printing office, one clothing store. one livery stable, one grocery and provision store, one blacksmith-shop, one drug and grocery store, one carpenter-shop, one book and variety store, one barber-shop, two millinery stores, one saloon, one boot and shoe store, one meat- market, one lawyer, one doctor, one music-teacher and one editor. There were in process of construction four storc buildings, two steam saw-mills and a machine-shop.
In the year 1835, the steamboat Frontier, Capt. D. S. Harris, made a trip up the Wis- consin as high as the Dells, but did not attempt to pass through. Steamboats continued to make occasional trips as high as the Dells for some years afterward. In 1850, the Enterprise, Capt. Gilbert, reached the Dells, tied up in the eddy over night, and the next morning con- tinued on through the Dells and as high up the river as Point Bass. The same boat after- ward made two or three trips to the same point.
For several years before the railroad reached Kilbourn City, John B. Du Bay kept a keelboat on the river a considerable portion of the time, carrying freight from Portage City to Point Bass. Owing, however, to the swiftness of the current in the Dells in high water, and the numerous sandbars in the river above and below that point in low water, the navigation of the Wisconsin above Portage was always both nncertain and expensive, and the charges for freight 75 cents per hundred alone justified the expense of navigation.
Notwithstanding the existence of the Dells was known for many years, and a few ventur- ous spirits, in frail skiffs, explored the river and admired the fine scenery, it was not until 1873 that any special effort was made to accommodate the sight-seers who desired to visit the wonder- ful scenes which they had heard described, but who were too timid to row the river. In the summer of that year, Capt. A. Wood brought the steamboat Modocawando down the river from Quincy, Wis., with the design of making regular trips through the Upper Dells. The season was tolerably successful. In 1874, she continued her trips through the Upper Dells until about the 1st of August, when she was transferred below the dam, and, during the rest of the season, made trips through the Lower Dells. In 1875, she passed into the hands of Capt. Walton McNeel, who continued to run through the Lower Dells during the season. In 1876, the boat was sold, taken to Portage and placed upon Fox River.
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