The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 88

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 88

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Third Cavalry-Co. Il-Willis A. Ilawes. Co. F-J. Il. Clerk. Company unknown-H. R. Smith.

TOWN OF OTSEGO.

First Infantry-Co. G-George N. Lawton.

Second Infantry-Co. A-Henry M. Hunting, Brainard D). Graves, Philo Pason.

Sixth Infantry-Co. (-Ilenry M. Botten.

Seventh Infantry-Co. A-Wallace Ilenton, Cyrus Ifen- ton. Co. B-David B. Pulver, Richard Westly, John Il. Smith, John Hughes, Alexander Ilughes, Azel Stoddard, Azcl S. Miller, John E. MeMahon, llenry Sickels, Daniel Sickels, C. C. Spalding, D). B. Pormer, George Bush. Co. E-Tolly Ogden. Co. G-Nathaniel Jones.

Tenth Infantry-Co. D-Lyman M. Burleson, Thomas P. Darre, Alson Bush.

Sixteenth Infantry-Co. B-Alphanso Herrington. Co. D-Lewis Pettis.

Eighteenth Infantry-Co. 1-Hiram H. Brown, Lewis Anderson.

Twenty-third Infantry-Co. G-Ilugh Ilalb.

Thirty-second Infantry- Co. K-Newton Ackerman, Ancel Starr, James Pulver, Charles Lee, B. J. Fromdall, James A. Gano, Lewis Il. Stickney, George M. Stickney, Jabez Hunting, Jr , Dennis Blenis, Edwin Merrin, C. C. Holly, George S. Harring, Hiram Pittis, William An drews.

First Cavalry-Co. L-Joseph R. Lee.

Third Cavalry-Co. L-James McMahon.

Regiment unknown-Silas B. Roat.

TOWN OF PACIFIC.

Second Infantry-Co. (- Francis Gilmore.'

Tenth Infantry-Co. D-Hiram Mason, Samuel Mur- rey, Alfred Holmes, George W. Marsh, William Dow, Lorenzo Dow.

Fourteenth Infantry-Co. E-David Quackinbush.

Sixteenth Infantry-Co. I-Jolin Sines.

Eighteenth Infantry-Co. I-Francis Eaverson, Nathan Eaverson, James Eaverson. Company unknown-Owen Carrol.

Nineteenth Infantry -- Co. D-Ludwick Booth, William Маг.

585

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

Twenty-third Infantry-Co. C-Chester B. Flowers, James Holmes.

TOWN OF RANDOLPH.

Second Infantry-Co. A-George E. Maynard, Jasper Daniels, Charles Fletcher, William H. Thomas, Chester B. Thomas, Charles C. Thomas, Martin V. Bloodgood, Lewis Norton, Frederick Martin, Amasa Ketcham, Dan- iel Williams, William Lewis, Robert Welch.

Eighth Infantry-Co. D-Samuel Fanstenod, J. C. Voteman, G. B. Finney, Carlos F. Mansor, Avery Rob- inson, George H. Whirry, Thomas Collins, William Fitts, Henry Hockmer, George S. Holsie, Elisha Fletcher, John Wilson, Francis Gale, John Carlisle, George Plank, David L. L. D. Jones.

Tenth Infantry-Company unknown-Jos. G. Thomas. Eleventh Infantry-Co. H-Jonson Auderson, Fred- erick Langdon.

Sixteenth Infantry-Co. B-Lorenzo Ford. Co. D- Josiah Fields, James Sims. Co. H-Isaac Vanorunm, John Vanorunm. Company unknown-George Herrick.

Nineteenth Infantry-Co. B-William W. Griffith. Co. D-Edward McGrath, Byron Daniels, John Jones, John Griffith. Company unknown-Thomas Jones.

Twenty-third Infantry-Co. C-Porter Langdon, Byron Anderson.

Twenty-ninth Infantry-Co. E-Patrick Rada, Scott Carlisle, Jerome Gordon, John W. Phillips, James Dib- ble, Oliver Walch, Joseph Thomas, Job W. Perry, Sam- uel Mead, Lucius Cole.

TOWN OF RANDOLPH.

Twenty-ninth Infantry-Co. E-John Egan, Alfred Gary, John Jackson, John Riley, William Jackson, John Dutton, Alphonzo Dibble, Cornelius Palmitier, Frederick Hawky, Andrew Onto, Richard Perrott, Samuel Daward. Regiment unknown-Perry Thompson, Richard H. Jones, David Griffith, Lewis Evans, E. H. Prichard.

Second Cavalry-Co. H-Even Evens.

Third Cavalry-Co. I-Edward Ricc.

TOWN OF SCOTT.

First Infantry-Co. A-Melvin L. Fuller.

Second Infantry-Co. A-Samuel Cook, James Lewis. Co. G-Horner Sweetman, John H. Langdon.

Tenth Infantry-Co. K-Horace Fuller.

Eleventh Infantry-Co. G-James Lee. Co. II-James O'Neil.

Eighteenth Infantry -- Co. G-Theodore Thomas. Co. I -Morris Cook, Hilard Taylor, George Garsuch, S. Lang- don, Adrastus Cook.

Nineteenth Infantry-Co. G-Charles Odey.

Twenty-third Infantry-Co. C-John D. Parislı, Free- man Bentley, Israel Cannon, Joseph Hewitt, Jr.

Regiment unknown-John Marshall, John J. Edwards, Thomas T. Roberts, John Luther Dutton, Reynold Nemitz, Mark Mead, Edward Wight, Erwin Grover, Charles Chapman.

Light Artillery-Co. B -- George Stancer (Mich.).

First Cavalry-Co. F-Martin Mayhew, Robert Wright. Second Cavalry-Co. E -- Stephen Woodard, Charles Heath, Herbert Ileath, Frank Hughes, - Stallman. Company unknown-William Stallman.

Third Cavalry-Co. C-Martyr Judge.

TOWN OF SPRINGVALE.

Second Infantry-Co. G-John Hause, Francis Gilmore, Horace Neely.

Eighth Infantry-Co. D-Daniel L. Morris.

Tenth Infantry-Co. D-Alexander Wiltsy, Allen Grow. Eleventh Infantry-Co. C -- Hugh Kelley.

Fourteenth Infantry-Co. K-Peller Palmitier, Kneel- ious Palmitier.

Sixteenth Infantry-Co. A-Joseph C. Kelley.

Eighteenth Infantry-Co. I-Evan II. Williams, William Furgurson, John Giance,

Nineteenth Infantry - Company unknown - Hendry Funk.

Twenty-second Infantry-Co. 1-Evan Roberts, Robert Williams.

Regiment unknown-Failo Brower, Joe Carrter, Hugh W. Hughes, Rowland Morris, Thomas Babcock, Edward Hartt, George Morgan, Edward Morgan, David Jones, John Williams, John Roberts, Edward Williams, David Williams, Owen Hughes,

Second Cavalry-Co. E-Austin Camian, Faiett Can- non.

Third Cavalry-Co. C-Hendrey Brower, James Palmer.

TOWN OF WEST POINT.

Second Infantry-Co. A-William Kibby, James E. Nor- throp. Co. G-Charles Morter, Jr. Co. HI-Thomas Kannon.

Sixth Infantry-Co. A-Marshal Keyes.

Seventh Infantry-Co. A-Albert O'Conner, John O'Con- ner. Co. D-P. T. Battan. Co. G-James H. Rodgers. Co. H-Oscar Parry, Edward Fenton, Hiram Wyatt, John Yule.

Eleventh Infantry-Co. A-William Madison, James Henderson, Michael Donahoe, Frederick Raymond, John Story. Co. H-Horace Polley, William Haassor, Harvey S. Barnes, Ed. Finton.

Fourteenth Infantry-Co. K-Lewis Lyman, Horace D. Lyman, Hiram Burroughs, Richard Jennep, Hiram T. Johnson, Samuel B. Jolinson, Horace A. Foster, Azro Abbott, IIarmon Tiffany.

Seventeenth Infantry-Co. H-Ansil J. Bugby.

Twenty-third Infantry -Co. H - Edgar Richmond, Alonzo Duel, Byron Wathe, H. P. Waffle, Charles Passage, Earnest Danger, Robert Mayward, A. B. Avery, Rufus Morrell, Lorenzo C. Warrener, Edward Streeter. Co. K -William Ballard, Martin Delaney, Henry H. Avery, Patrick Morrisy, Patrick Ryon, John Kehoe, William T. Shirtliff.

Second Cavalry - Company unknown - Edward H. Moore, Myron Z. Ribbet.

Third Cavalry-Arnold Pratt.

Sixth Battery-Alonzo B. Avery, Samuel Clark, Charles Hutchinson, Thomas C. Jackson, Edwin Barheria, Andy Herren, Augustus Dilly, William Dowden, Frank Baker, W. W. Wyman, George A. Bigford.

Twelfth Battery-David Kyes.

Sixth Regiment-Webster Kyes, Orin Kyes.

TOWN OP WYOCENA.

Second Infantry-Co. G-S. A. Nichols, Peter Irwin, Edward Rice, George Briffett, Richard V. Dey, James Holden, Charles Johnson, George Mack, Henry Rensi- more, John Chapman, Stephen Eggleston, Charles Rey- nolds, George Williams, George Blanchard, Andron F. Pardee, H. K. Coffin, John House, W. H. Mathewson, Yates Ashley, Charles P. Bloom, Charles Rice, Richard Batson, John M. Carr, Charles Heath, Theodore Fletcher, George Hodgedon.

Fifth Infantry-Co. D-John Brady.

Sixth Infantry-Co. A-W. W. Spear.

586

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

Seventh Infantry-Co. B-James K. Salisbury. Co. E -Edward Bowen, Ira D. Grow, Charles H. Johnson.

Eighth Infantry-Regimental Band-Samuel W. Jones, Norman Coapman, Henry H. Blair, Samuel O. Leonard, Charles Cook, D. H. Culumings, Jr.

Tenth Infantry-Co. D-H. C. Luther, Henry Thrall, Daniel Babcock, Rollin Nichols, F. M. Spear. A. E. Patchin, Henry Oviatt, James Dickson, David Il. Cum- mings, Sr., Charles W. Hill, Alfonso Jones, Frank Cum- mings, Thomas Knowles, N. D. Cone, Charles Cone, Alanson A. Bull, Royal Hawkins, George Rouse, Hobert Parmenter. Marcus Parmenter, C. C. Merrill, James

Hayes, Chap. James L. Coffin, O M. Smoke, Alson Bush, Wescott Austin, James Forrister, Martin Gerry, Thomas R. Powers, Charles Rockwood, John Purves.

Eighteenth Infantry-Co. F-Henry Cooledge.

Nineteenth Infantry-Co. D-Volney D. Carpenter. Gerard Dey, Peter McGuire, Augustus Lobdell, Highland Whelock, John Pallister, John Ballard.

Twenty-third Infantry-Co. C-Albert L. Bonnell, John Ilunt, William Boothe. . Co. F-Henry C. Stanley.

Second Cavalry-John Brown, Jacob Luzeler, George Mack, Albert Steadman, Allen Grow.

Regiment unknown-Richard Williams.

COLUMBIA COUNTY OF TO-DAY.

The general surface of Columbia County is gently rolling prairie and openings, with some level marsh. There is about 40 per cent of the land that is styled openings, where the timber is mainly white, burr and black oak, and the balance is nearly equally divided into prairie, timber and marsh land. The timber is principally oak, maple, basswood and elm. The county contains 492,500 acres ; 485,580 acres of these are owned by actual settlers, which are assessed at an average value of $12.83 per acre. Nearly . two-thirds of the land are now cultivated. There are a number of excellent water-powers. Numerous quarries of lime and sandstone, and beds of clay, furnish first-class material for building purposes. The railroad communications are excellent ; there is no point in the county more than twelve miles from a line of road, and it will also have, at no distant day, it is believed, uninterrupted water communication with the Mississippi and Lake Michigan. On the Wisconsin River, where it passes through the county, some of the grandest scenery is to be found in the West. It has already been shown how cele- brated are the Dells of the Wisconsin. They are much visited by tourists, the number annually increasing. Two good boats make their regular trips daily, in the summer, and objects of interest are shown and fully explained to visitors.

The State census of 1875 showed a population of 28,803; of these, 19,653 are natives of the States, and 9,150 are foreigners, including 2,774 from Germany ; 2,681 from England and Scotland ; 1,564 from Sweden and Norway ; 1,332 from Ireland, and 511 from Canada. There are twenty-one towns, and two cities, containing an area of 800 square miles. The city of Portage has a total assessed value of real estate of $647,110, and personal property to the amount of $335,000. Her public buildings, business blocks and private dwelling houses are a credit to the place. The city of Columbus has real estate to the amount of $445,040, and per- sonal property amounting to $330,000. The principal villages in the county are Lodi, Kilbourn City, and Cambria. The other villages of the county are Wyocena, Rio, Otsego, Doylestown, Fall River, Pardeeville, Okee, Poynette, Arlington, and a part of Randolph. Besides the post offices in Portage and Columbus and in these villages, there are those in the county named Randolph Center, Leeds Center, Leeds, North Leeds, Keyeser, Lowville, Marcellon, Bellefoun- tain, Midland, Port Hope, Hampden, West Point, Farr's Corners, Rocky Run, Dekorra, Alloa, Colburn, Lewiston, Pacific and Hartman.

All parts of the county are well supplied with water, and the various streams afford com- plete drainage. The Fox River and its tributaries drain the northern part; Rock River the eastern part, emptying into the Mississippi at Rock Island, Ill. ; the Wisconsin the remainder, pouring its waters into the Mississippi at Prairie du Chien. Many of the streams afford good water privileges, which are utilized at several points in the driving of flouring-mills. Spring Creek has now six ; Duck Creek, fonr; Rowan Creek, two; Rocky Run, one; Crawfish, two ; Fox Run, one. The majority are custom mills and do only local work.

Stock raising is now recognized as quite an industry among the farmers. As the land becomes less adapted for the cereals, pasture lands take their place, and the hills and valleys are now seen dotted 'with herds of cattle and flocks of sheep ; of the latter the finer breeds are being introduced. As an outgrowth of the cattle feeding and grazing, together with the low

587

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

price of wheat, the dairy business was begun. A number of cheese factories are distributed at different points, the export during the season of 1878 amounting to about 1,000,000 pounds.

Three lines of railroad enter the county and afford easy exit in all directions. These are the Wisconsin Central, which has Portage City for its southern terminus, and connects with points to the northward ; the Madison, Northern and La Crosse Divisions of the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul ; and the Chicago & North-Western. In all there are about one hundred and twenty miles of road within the limits of the county.

The educational facilities in the county are excellent. There are 149 schoolhouses, a large proportion being in good condition. Instruction is spurred on by Institutes, by the County Teachers' Association, and by the visits to the schools of the County Superintendent.

There are seven newspapers in the county. These. in mechanical appearance and editorial ability, take high rank in the State. The State Register, Democrat and Columbia County Wecker are published in Portage; the Democrat and Republican, at Columbus; the Valley News, at Lodi ; and the Dells Reporter, at Kilbourn City.

In the internal improvements of the county are found abundant indications of the enter- prise, good taste and prosperity of its citizens. A large number of first-class farm houses and private residences is seen. Church edifices are numerous, and are respectable in size and appearance. The county buildings are large, convenient and well adapted to the purposes for which they are designed, and no more faithful, intelligent and accommodating county officers are anywhere to be found.

Considering its geographical position, its physical features, its agricultural, social and financial advantages, and the intelligence and enterprise of its inhabitants, Columbia County may be regarded as a model county.

588

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

CHAPTER X.

THE CITY OF PORTAGE.

EARLY SETTLEMENT-GROWTH OF PORTAGE-PORTAGE THIRTY YEARS AGO-PORTAGE IN 1860- "CLAIM TWENTY-ONE"-RICHARD FREEMAN VEEDER-THIE GUPPEY PLAT AND VEEDER CLAIM-ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT OF PORTAGE-THIE CANAL-THIE SCHOOLS-RELIG- IOUS INSTITUTIONS-MANUFACTORIES-FERRIES AND BRIDGES-THIE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE RECORD-BANKS-WISCONSIN EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION-EARLY JUSTICE IN PORT- AGE-THE SCHULZE BAND-THE POST OFFICE-HOTELS-PUBLIC HALLS-LOCAL MILITIA- ORDERS AND SOCIETIES-CEMETERIES-PORTAGE OF TO-DAY.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Henry Carpenter, now residing at Coloma, Waushara County, was the first white man to make, within the present city limits of Portage, improvements of a permanent and progressive character, though preceded, as a resident, by Silas Walsworth. Mr. Carpenter says :

" I landed in Portage in July, 1837-my wife and I and a man and wife by the name of

Hart. Henry Merrell was keeping a sutler's store when I came, in a building close by the fort .* He afterward built and moved to the west side of Fox River. The first white woman who came to the portage, and permanently settled there, was Sarah Carpenter, my wife; the first white child born at the portage was George Carpenter, my son. Silas Walsworth kept a small grocery on the Wisconsin River, near the place where I built my hotel. Gideon Low (an army officer), then living at the fort, was building the Franklin House when I came, and afterward moved into it."

Neither Carpenter nor Low came to Portage to settle there, although they finally became resi- dents. The same may be said of Henry Merrell, who was a suttler at Fort Winnebago, and came to the portage in 1834. He built a store on the west side of the Fox River, opposite the fort, in the summer or fall of 1837, about the same time that Carpenter erected the old original United States Hotel. Both Merrell and Low lived and died in Portage. Silas Walsworth, whom Carpenter found. living on the portage in July, 1837, eame the same year. He afterward married the Widow Pervonsal, more familiarly known as Madame Pauquette, and, in 1846, when Columbia County was organized, was chosen to fill the responsible office of County Judge, though he failed to qualify and assume its duties. He came to the portage as a trader who might at any time leave for another place.

The year 1838 witnessed the advent of Andrew Dunn, Hugh MeFarlane, Clark Whitney, J. Garrison, Archibald Barker, Jonathan Cole and others. Dunn, McFarlane and Whitney, it seems, were the only ones who "came to stay." The full tide of immigration set in during 1839-40, and continued unabated for nearly twenty years.

GROWTH OF PORTAGE.

The development of Portage, during the first fifteen years of its existence, was rapid. Unlike most Wisconsin cities and villages, dependent upon the local water-power site for their earlier greatness, Portage commanded a large share of the trade of all those portions of the State lying between Green Bay and Prairie du Chien : that is to say, the products of the region of country extending along the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers found their way to Portage, where exchanges and sales were made, and thus the place became, and, in fact, has since remained the entrepot of Central Wisconsin. Under these eireumstances, its growth has been rapid, though of a less substantial nature in the earlier part of its history than now. In fact, from 1849 to

* East of Fox River, and therefore outside the present city limits.

589

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

1860 may be denominated the speculative period in its development : while the era of permanent progress occupies the time from the latter date to the present. The canal, of course, was the improvement toward which every one looked and the thoughts of all reverted. When it was finally decided that there should be a canal, before the survey had been made, great excitement prevailed among the people owning and occupying the little cluster of houses along Wisconsin street. It was generally believed that the two rivers would be connected through Bronson avenue, inasmuch as the two streams approached nearest together at this point, and a demand for property along the avenue was necessarily soon manifested. But, as some experience has long since taught, there is no telling where canals and railroads are going until they get there ; the Portage Canal was no exception to the rule. Bronson avenue property owners were seriously disappointed when the fiat went forth that the canal, with a perplexing elbow in it, should be located some distance northwest of them. This announcement created confusion, and real estate values were sadly effected. Immigrants were constantly pouring in, but very few of them chose to locate upon "the flat ;" they preferred high ground. And then it was that the first settle- ments were made along the brow of the semi-circular hill, then so clearly discernible, in what are now the Second and Third Wards. The population of this new settlement was composed almost entirely of former residents of Fremont, Ohio. A very brisk rivalry soon sprang up between the old residents of "Lower Town " and the new comers of "Upper Town ;" and when the latter became influential enough to secure the removal of the post-office to the north side of the canal, the name " Gougeville " was immediately substituted for " Upper Town " by the chagrined denizens of "The Flat. " The energy and industry of all classes, however, soon united in the common cause of progress. The two settlements became one, and local differences of a character to retard development were thereafter seldom indulged in.

In the fall of 1853, there were ten dry goods stores in Portage, with an aggregate stock worth nearly a quarter of a million of dollars. Of other mercantile establishments, such as grocery, drug, clothing, hardware, jewelry and tin stores, there were sixteen. This number did not include the "grocery stores " where liquor was the chief commodity dealt in. In several of the establishments mentioned, the daily receipts were from $100 to $150, and it was generally conceded that more business was transacted in Portage (then but three or four years of age) than in Jamesville, the latter having the advantage of three times the population and twenty years' experience.

" Three years ago," says a writer of 1854, "it was but a bare frontier settlement around the old Fort Winnebago; now it numbers 3,000 inhabitants, and is the center of trade for a large tract of the best country in the State. Two freight and passenger steamers are running to this place weekly from the Mississippi River, thereby connecting Portage with St. Louis and New Orleans. There is but one check to its growth, and that I regard as only temporary ; I mean the Veeder claim dispute, just decided by the Supreme Court in favor of Veeder."

During 1854. manufacturing institutions, schools and churches sprang up on every hand. The very atmosphere appeared to throb with the pulsations of progress. McNeal & Burgher completed their four-story stone flouring-mill on the canal in this year ; Smith & Blair estab- lished a furnace on Dodge street ; work was commenced on the La Crosse & Milwaukee Rail- road depot buildings ; a classical institute was placed upon a sound footing ; a daily mail was estab- lished between Madison and Portage ; H. Orton organized a circus, and gave a performance for the benefit of the poor ; while numerous other progressive movements were made.

In 1855, D. Vandercook built and finished his substantial brick block, 46x65, three stories high ; B. F. Pixley erected a steam planing-mill, on the north bank of the river, near the ferry. Arnold, Fargo, Mappa, Dunn and McFarlane broke ground for an extensive brick structure (now the Corning House), on the northwest corner of Cook and Wisconsin streets; Mr. Sexton completed a block of stores on Cook street ; six brick buildings, the property of Mr. McTighe, were in course of construction ; the Methodist Church was completed ; the Presbyterian Church was commenced ; the Episcopal Church was finished, and numerous private residences were occupied for the first time. A local editor sums up the work of two years as follows : "Two

590

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

years ago this month (August), we took possession of the room we now occupy as a printing office-which was hurriedly finished for the purpose-in an isolated building, with a few tempo- rary cabins in the immediate neighborhood. The corner opposite was cultivated as a vegetable garden, and one unfinished building on DeWitt street stood alone between us and the corner above. Now, the space, from street to street, is covered with handsome business blocks-one banking house, twelve new stores, offices, saloons and shops-and the busy hum of trade rises from the spot then covered with cabbages and potatoes. On the next corner, where the grass- plat spread so invitingly for the circus folks to pitch their tents, now stands a block of fire-proof buildings, fifty-four feet high from cellar to battlement, with a front of one hundred and thirty feet, and built in a style unexcelled by any in the State. Alongside of this, fronting on Wis- consin and Cook streets, masons are actively engaged in raising the walls of a block of still larger size ; and still another store and brick building is being erected on the northwest corner of Wisconsin and Cook streets, by Mr. Haertel. Three handsome church edifices are being fin- ished with all the dispatch that circumstances will admit." At this date, the population of Port- age, officially ascertained, was 2,062, as follows : First Ward, 612; Second Ward, 443; Third Ward, 464; Fourth Ward, 543. This did not include the residents in the vicinity of the Fort, those in Pacific or that portion of Lewiston embraced in the business of the city. In September, Prospect Hill was surveyed and laid out in city building lots by Dr. McCulloch, and in the early part of October, Milo H. Pettibone purchased of Thomas Christopher the lots corner of De Witt and Cook streets, paying therefor $4,000. One of the conditions of the sale required Mr. Pettibone to erect within one year a brick block, not less than three stories high, and to occupy the entire front on De Witt street (114 feet). C. J. Pettibone was then at work on a similar structure on the opposite side of the street. As showing the normal condition of things at that date, it is stated that during three months of the summer and fall of 1855, more than ten thousand persons, with their teams, stock, etc., crossed the Wisconsin River in the neighbor- hood of Portage, en route for homes in the great Northwest.

At the beginning of the year 1856, contracts had been let for the completion of 100 buildings the then coming season. Among other institutions in successful operation at that date, there were five hotels, one iron foundry and machine-shop, one steam saw-mill, one planing-mill, one flouring-mill and three brick-yards. Besides the numerous mercantile institu- tions already established, eleven brick structures, to be filled with new goods when completed, were then in process of construction; five churches and three printing-offices helped to make up the list of important things.

In the fall of 1856. Ketchum's Second Addition to Portage was laid out, and became a part of the city ; the Portage Bridge Company was organized, and preparations made for the construction of the great bridge over the Wisconsin River. About the middle of November, on a damp, still morning, the heavy atmosphere vibrated to notes never before heard in the vicinity, Whence came they ? The "thing" screamed again. The oldest settlers' knees trembled, and women are said to have fainted. The citizens assembled in little knots on the street cor- ners, and, finally, a Committee of Safety having been appointed, it was ascertained that a rail- way construction train, somewhere between Pondsville and Cambria, had run out to the end of the road to wake up the natives with its little whistle. Fear and sorrow was soon afterward turned to joy when the iron horse came puffing into the city.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 88

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104