The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 88

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1082

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The company has served under the following foremen: Keyes A. Darling, D. E. Hoskins, D. W. C. Wright, C. L. Pierce, Thomas W. Dee, Charles Chandler, A. T. Little, J. W. Benson, W. G. Curtis, Thomas Heathcote, D. R. Curran, J. G. Miller, E. J. Hodges, L. W. Parmelee, John C. Kennealy and John Davis.

It was a lively company, as many of its members were large property-owners and tax-pay- ers, and took great interest in arriving at as great efficiency as possible. The engine in use was a " hand engine " in every respect, the pumps being worked by " brakes," which were churned up and down, and drag-ropes were attached, by which man-power was applied to hanl it to and from fires. The city had few reservoirs when the company was first formned, and water was sueked out of the nearest pond or hole in case of fire. Frequently mud or rubbish would elog the pumps, although the nozzle was of unusual size. At the burning of Alexander White's house, late one fall, the machine was planted near a neighboring marsh-hole, which contained great numbers of frogs, newts and water animals. These were sucked up, and sent reeling and sprawling through the air and into the fire, greatly to the amusement of the assembled crowd.

At first the company had no engine-house, but one was soon built on First street, where the old Hook and Ladder house is located. In 1861, the building was moved to the west side of Main street to the lot next to the present American IIouse. Two years later it was moved to the south side of West Second street, where it remained until destroyed by fire on the 22d day of December, 1865. The company had nicely furnished rooms, the portraits of all the members -those of the soldier members who never returned from the battle-fields being especially prized --- and a fine set of band instruments. These, with records, clothing and miscellaneous articles, fine banners presented for valorous services on various occasions, were all destroyed. The engine was saved, and a temporary building was soon after erected on Second street, where the brick engine-house belonging to the self-propeller now stands. The citizens gave promptly and liber- ally ; Winnebago Company, No. 3, donated $50, and a grand ball was given by the business men which placed the company in possession of such means as sufficed to furnish the room anew and secure another set of band instruments. During its entire existence, balls were held annually on Washington's Birthday, which not only replenished the company's treasury, but were occasions of social enjoyment, the best people of the city being either members of the company or friends or relatives of members.

The City Council from the beginning voted $2 annually to each member, and in 1867 the Legislature passed a bill to exempt all active firemen from taxation. This never took

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

effect. being unconstitutional, and the Council then increased the firemen's alimony to $1 each per month. This was continued until the Fire Department was re-organized and its mem- bers hired and paid regular wages by the city.

The company participated in several tournaments, always with credit, and was called twice to Oshkosh, where it did excellent service and won much praise.

Washington Volunteer Company, No. 1, composed in part of men who were gray-headed and the prime movers in securing its organization, finally disbanded in 1878, after twenty-four years of continuous and faithful service.

The old " No. 1 Band," which furnished music for balls and other entertainments, consisted of I. N. Welch, G. W. Sawyer. A. W. Chapman, Thomas Heathcote, J. G. Miller, W. G. Hooker, Jerome Gibson, J. W. Byam and David Sickles.

Fountain City Company No. 2 .- In May, 1857, a second fire company, under the name of " Fountain City, No. 2," was organized, with James W. Partridge, Foreman, Edward S. Bragg, First Assistant ; J. V. McCall, Second Assistant, W. T. Coneys, Third Assistant, and Milton Ewen, Captain of the Hose Company. This company had a Button hand-engine. It was a lively and energetic organization, and did noble service at home and at Oshkosh.

Winnebago Fire Company, No. S .- This company was organized May 16, 1857, with Charles R. Harrison, Foreman : Alexander White, First Assistant ; W. B. Morgan, Second Assistant ; John S. McDonald, Secretary and Treasurer. This was more of a " Lower Town " company. It was officered by some of the leading men of the city. In 1866, this company got the "A. B. Taylor" steamer and turned its old Button hand-engine over to a new company then in process of organization.

In 1857, the County Board voted $100 to the members of the Fire Department for saving the Court House from burning.

Fire Engine Company, No. 4 .- When Winnebago, No. 3, purchased a steamer, this company was organized, December 10, 1866, to take and use the old hand-engine the Winnebagoes dis- carded. The first officers were Frank Seymore, Foreman ; C. H. Tuttle, First Assistant ; Ed. Seymore, Second Assistant, and Solon W. Edson. Secretary.

Etna Fire Company, No. 5 .- In 1874, the City Council purchased the self-propeller "Alex- ander White" for Washington Company, No. 1. A company called Etna, No. 5, was then organized to take No. 1's discarded steamer, October 25, 1874, with these officers : M. Richert, Foreman ; A. M. Green, First Assistant : F. Werner, Second Assistant ; F. J. Martin, Captain of the Hose ; W. H. Hurley, Secretary, and Geo. P. Dana, Treasurer.

Fountain City Hook und Ladder Company, No. 1 .- This company, which was a very strong one, was organized February 20, 1862, with S. Eudemiller, Foreman ; William Kars- tens, First Assistant; M. Krembs, Second Assistant; Joseph Wolf, Treasurer, and C. A. Handt, Secretary. At one time this company had forty members, and did efficient service at all fires in preventing the spread of the flames, saving property and guarding goods taken from burning buildings.

This volunteer system was continued up to August 7, 1878, when the City Council disbanded all the old companies and re-organized the entire Fire Department, paying all members of it by the month. Who should become members was also determined by the Council, after recommend- ation by the Chief Fire Marshal. Geo. P. Dana is Chief Fire Marshal and Joseph Auchue. Assistant. The department now consists of the following companies.

No. 1, Engine Company .- M. Nightingale, engineer ; Thomas Evans, stearsman ; C. T. Green, night watchman ; James Nary, cart driver ; H. Rosenow, J. Buechner, L. A. Lange, J. Niland, Will Becker and D. Fontanna, pipemen. This company runs the self-propeller "Alexander White," and is stationed on East Second street.

No. 3, Engine Company .- John Coates, engineer ; F. Lohmiller, driver ; John Conway. stoker ; J. Kennedy, cart driver ; O. Evans, J. Boomer, Joseph Auchue. J. Fontanna and W. G. Casey, pipemen. This company is stationed on Arndt street, corner of Packer.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

Etna Company, No. 5 .- H. Rupp, engineer; E. R. Hammond, driver ; M. Chamberlain, stoker ; John Haughey. cart driver : H. Bauman, F. Werner, Charles Werner, L. J. Homes, H. Sawyer and Thev. Krause, pipemen. This company is stationed on Main street.

Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1 .- M. Furlong, driver ; H. J. Dircks, J. Q. Haas, A. Buechner, John Sharp, John Jergens and H. Rider. The driver has $25 and the others $8 per month.

The Chief Fire Marshal receives $250 per year ; Assistant $100; Engineers, $54.25 per month ; drivers, $32.50 per month ; stokers, $27.50; cart drivers $25 and pipemen $8 per month. The average cost of the Fire Department for salaries, fuel, repairs and incidentals is about $10,000 per year.

The engine-houses are all of brick, well furnished with beds and accommodations for those who always remain with the engines. No. 5's engine-house, erected on Main street in 1874, cost $20,000, and is one of the finest in the Northwest.

The different Chief Fire Marshals have been Allan Carswell, Keyes A. Darling, S. E. Lefferts, D. W. C. Wright, Azro B. Taylor, B. F. Sweet, Casper Buechner and George P. Dana. When nearly all the horses of the country were prostrated with the "epizootic," a fire broke out and no horses were to be had to haul the engine to it. As a last resort a yoke of oxen which had been purchased for the American Express Company was secured, and attached to the machine. It was novel business, not only for the frightened oxen but for the firemen, who knew nothing about driving cattle in the yoke. Ropes were attached to the horns of both oxen, and being grasped by a half-dozen firemen on either side to steer the animals, the strange team was started and the engine hauled to its destination at a rapid but very uncertain gait, to the consternation of pedestrians and teamsters.

CITYĮLOCK-UP.

In early days a small wooden building, hardly large enough for a smoke house, located on Portland street, served as a city lock-up. It had no cells, or its single apartment might have been called one cell, and was made secure by weak wooden shutters. It was used only for the incarceration of unfortunates who had become so drunk they could not break out of a paper house. In 1866, a more substantial structure of brick, with cells and apparatus for warmth, was erected near the corner of Macy, on First street. In 1878, this having become too small to accommo- date the constantly increasing numbers of tramps, or wandering vagrants, and too dilapidated to secure criminals, the present brick and stone structure was built at a cost of $2,300, on the same site. It is two stories high, with six single and four double cells, and a commodious office for the Chief of Police and police headquarters. The building is well provided with heating and ventilating apparati, and is strong enough to confine any criminal. It is used merely as a place of confinement for persons charged with crime, until their trial-not as a place of punish- ishment to those who have been sentenced to imprisonment.

ARTESIAN WELLS.

One of the most noticeable features of Fond du Lac is its large number of fountains or artes- ian wells. From them the place took the popular name of " Fountain City." Theodore Conkey, now of Appleton, was building the Badger House, on the corner of Main street and Western avenue, during the summer of 1846, and desiring to know how deep a well must be to reach the gravel bed, that he might calculate how many cords of stone to secure for walling it up, set Mr. Curtis to drilling for the required information. Mr. Curtis drilled to what he considered an unusual depth without reaching water, and one night about the Ist of August, thinking Mr. Conkey might not desire any more money expended, asked if the drilling should be continued. "Yes," said Mr. Conkey, "go on if you reach purgatory." The drill had then been sunk between eighty-five and ninety feet, and when Mr. Curtis returned to pull out the tools for the night, water in liberal quantities, cold and of good quality, began to flow with considerable force. The discharge was at the rate of 1,000 gallons per hour.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

Since that time, fountains have been sunk in every portion of the city. The water is used for domestic purposes, to supply the Fire Department, and to furnish the boilers of steam machin- ery. For this latter purpose, the water of some fountains is not well adapted, the lime and mineral substances with which it is impregnated being injurious to the iron. These substances, which more strongly impregnate the water of some fountains than of others, possess medicinal properties. These are contained in the oxide of iron, chloride of sodium, sulphate of lime, sul- phate of magnesia, sulphate of soda, carbonate of soda, and carbonic acid, which have, by analysis, been discovered in liberal quantities. Hunter's Magnetic Fountain, which discharges a strong stream several feet above the surface of the ground through a two-inch pipe, became particularly famous for the cures wrought by its use in cases of kidney disease and rheumatism. The fountain was sunk to get water for a paper-mill, which proved to be unfit for the desired purpose. The analysis ordered by Mr. Hunter, to discover what the water contained to render it unfit for use in the manufacture of paper, resulted in developing the fact that it possessed val- uable curative properties. A large bath-house and hotel were then erected on the spot and the fountain advertised. This resulted in bringing invalids from all parts of the Union, many of whom came on crutches and returned home eured.

For fire purposes these fountains furnished an ample supply of water at a trifling cost ---- without cost, in fact, except to maintain pipes and reservoirs. The water from the large fount- ains on the high-school grounds, at B. Wild & Co.'s bakery, on the premises of S. B. Amory, and from others, is discharged into the fire reservoirs which are located at all the necessary quar- ters of the city. These are all connected by large underground mains with each other, so that when water is being pumped from any one of them it receives a supply from all the others and also from the several fountains whose flow never ceases. No city has a cheaper or more effect- ive water supply than Fond du Lac.

For ornamental purposes, the fountains can also be utilized in all possible ways, as the supply is inexhaustible and not effected by frost or drought. Those who have put up ornamental fountains with the best effect are S. B. Amory and T. F. Strong, Sr., the jets being about twenty feet in height, and of undiminished volume at all seasons. Mr. Strong's fountain throws over 100 distinct jets of water, and Mr. Amory's has three large jets in as many different localities, all supplied from one bore.

No fresher, purer, sweeter water can be found anywhere than flows from these fountains, and no city in the West is so fortunate in this respect as Fond du Lac.

GAS WORKS.

On Saturday evening, September 21, 1861, Mayor J. M. Taylor called a special meeting of the Council for the purpose of taking action on propositions to light the city with gas. There were two propositions submitted-one by J. Lockwood, of Milwaukee, and one by John P. Crothers. The latter was accompanied by an ordinance, which was unanimously adopted. It gave to said J. P. Crothers, his successors and assigns, the right to all streets, lanes and alleys, for the purpose of laying and maintaining gas mains and pipes, upon giving proper notice to the Street Commissioner ; provided, that he or they repair as soon as possible, and be liable for, all damage done in laying the pipes and mains. The work of erecting and maintaining the gas works was subject to the conditions of Section 2 of the ordinance, as follows :

" SECTION 2. The privileges hereby granted are upon the express conditions that said John P. Crothers, his associates successors, and assigns, shall, during the month of September, 1861, commence the work and arrange the apparatus for the manufacture of gas from coal or any other material from which gas is now or may hereafter be made, which shall be equal to and as good as any ordinary coal gas, and will prosecute said work with vigor and all diligence to com- pletion ; and that the gas furnished the city for public use shall be furnished at a price not exceeding $3 per 1,000 enbic feet ; and that the gas furnished to the citizens of said city shall be furnished at a price not exceeding $+ per 1,000 eubie feet; and that the service pipe, from

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

the main pipe to the curbstone or side of any street or alley or public grounds, shall be fur- nished, provided, placed and fixed by the said Crothers, his associates, successors and assigns, at their own cost and expense; and that the service pipe from the curbstone or side of streets, alleys or public grounds to the building, shall be furnished, placed and fixed by said parties at a cost to the city or person using the same not exceeding 25 cents per lineal foot ; the lamp-posts, containing pipes, lamps and other necessary apparatus, being furnished by and at the expense of the city. The right hereby granted shall not be forfeited by reason of accidents not the results of the acts of the said parties, provided, such accident be remedied and said work resumed and completed within a reasonable time."

The Council also passed an ordinance guaranteeing these rights and privileges to Crothers. his successors and assigns, during a term of fifteen years, without being in any manner inter- fered with during that time by any person or corporation claiming to have any rights in oppo- sition to him, his successors and assigns.

On the 12th of November, 1867, the Council passed an ordinance extending the gas monopoly during a period of twenty-five years, subject to the conditions of the ordinance of September 21, 1861, and upon the new and further condition that the gas works should at all times be kept in suitable condition to supply their consumers with a good quality of gas and in sufficient quantities.

The land upon which the works were built was purchased of Isaac S. Sherwood, in Block "K," on Macy strect, between Second and Court streets, and the gas works built in 1861. Their capacity was not equal to that of the present works-in fact, they were very small compared to those in existence at the present time. On the 16th of October, 1862, J. P. Crothers, the founder of the enterprise, sold his entire interest to H. J. Hayes for $9,700, and, the following June, according to the records, Mr. Hayes sold to James G. Miller for $12,100. In September, 1863, the firm became Miller & Bonestcel, and, September 4, 1867, James G. Miller and Augustus D. Bonesteel sold the entire works, buildings, pipes, site and good will to Jesse Beckley for $33,000. He immediately enlarged the works to their present capacity, and laid several miles of new pipes and mains. Mr. Beckley continued sole proprietor until August 13, 1879, when he sold for $35,000 to Joseph Andrews, of Cincinnati, Ohio, who, on August 16, three days later, organized and had chartered the Fond du Lac Gaslight Company, the present proprietors. The city contains 183 street lamps, which are lighted by gas at an annual cost of a little less than $5,000.

SCHOOLS.

Notwithstanding a few childless croakers who have, during many years, never failed to do what they could to cripple the efficiency of the schools of the village and city, Fond du Lac has, with one or two unimportant exceptions, always maintained a liberality toward her educational institutions which is a credit to the good sense of her citizens and a precious benefit to the young who have grown up in her midst. Excellent teachers have generally been procured, and ample accommodations provided for the children in every quarter of the city.

In former times, parents were compelled, by circumstances, to consult their resources rather than their desires, and during several years the cause of education was in any but a flourishing condition. When, however, once the limits prescribed by inexorable necessity were overcome, and the inhabitants began to accumulate faster than they expended, a lively interest was taken in all educational matters, and school affairs received the earnest attention and support of the foremost citizens of Fond du Lac. This was not spasmodic, but was continued during more than a quarter of a century, to which the city is indebted for her fine school buildings, thorough organization of teachers, and admirable system of grading.

The first schoolhouse erected in what is now the city of Fond du Lac was built on land owned by Dr. M. C. Darling, on the east side of Main street, between Second and Third streets, in 1843, and, in 1848, was moved to the north side of Fifth street, between Marr and Main streets, where it burned in December of that year. Dr. Darling did not give a deed of the land

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

on which the building stood for school purposes, and as building lots soon became more valuable, the modest structure, which stood on wooden blocks, was removed.

The first teacher was Theodore Conkey, now of Appleton. The following fall and winter, 1844, John A. Eastman opened a "select school " in the same building, having at one time twenty scholars, though not all of them in Fond du Lac.

The Franklin School .- The first free public school established in Fond du Lac was projected and organized under an act of the Territorial Legislature, passed and approved February 1, 1846. The more important sections are these :

SECTION 1. That School District No. 1, in the town of Fond du Lac, as now established by the School Com- missioners of said town, is hereby organized into a separate school district for educational purposes ; and shall enjoy all the powers of a corporation, so far as is necessary to carry out the objeets of this aet, to be known as the Board of Trustees of the Franklin School aud by that name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended in all courts of law and equity, in all actions, suits, causes and complaints whatever, and may have a common seal, and alter the same at pleasure.

SEC. 2. The inhabitants of said school district who are qualified by law to vote at any district school meeting, shall be authorized to levy a tax not exceeding $2,000 in any one year, for the purpose of building or repairing a schoolhouse, and the necessary fixtures and appendages thereto, and for the payment of the wages of teachers, and for the providing of fuel, for the purchase of all needful apparatus for the use of said school, and for defraying the necessary incidental expenses for keeping the school in operation. * * * * *

SEC. 4. The Board of Trustees of said distriet shall from time to time appoint a Board of Superintendents for such district, not less than three nor more than five in number ; said Superintendents to hold their offices for the term of two years, unless sooner removed by the Board of Trustees, whose duties shall he as follows, to wit: To determine the qualification of teachers to be employed in said school ; to direct and prescribe the course of instruc- tion in said school, and from time to time examine into its condition and make report thereof annually to the School Commissioners of the town, as required by law ; ta direct, in consultation with the Principal of said school, the arrangement and classification of the scholars in the several departments of study ; to establish, with the advice and consent of a majority of the Board of Trustees, different departments of the school for the classification of seholars of different ages and advancement in studies, as the future wants and necessities of the district may require ; to advance scholars, upon evidence of merit, from one department to another; to preseribe the proper text-books; to have power to remove any of the teachers of said school for incompetency or other sufficient eause, and to have a gen- eral supervision over the government and discipline of the school. * *

* * * * *

SEC. 6. All schools kept in said district, in pursuance of this aet, shall be free to all scholars between the -ages of four and twenty-one years inclusive, who shall permanently reside therein. Nothing therein contained shall be construed to prohibit the Board of Trustees from admitting scholars not residents of said district, into said school, upon such terms and conditions as they may deem proper. * * * *

SEC. 9. All taxes raised for the purposes contemplated by this act shall be assessed upon the taxable property of such distriet as exhibited by the assessment roll of the town, and shall be leviedl and collected in the same manner as now provided by law for collecting taxes for the building of schoolhouses in school districts in the counties under the township system of government.

* * * * * *

* *

SEC. 15. Whenever school shall be kept in said distriet, in accordance with the provisions of this act, the length of time now required by law, the said district shall be entitled to receive its portion of the public school moneys in the same manner as other districts. * * * * *

SEC. 17. No religious ereed or seetarian principle shall ever be made a requisite cither for the admission of scholars into the school or for the employment of the teachers therein, and no particular religious creed or sectarian principles shall ever be taught in said school.

In January, 1848, the matter of affording better accommodations for the school children of the village was vigorously agitated. Edward Bceson wrote that the district contained 100 scholars and but one schoolroom, which was hardly large enough to accommodate 40 children. He advised that, if a suitable building could not be secured any other way, certificates of stock be issued, at 12 per cent interest, for the required amount, the debt to be paid by taxation when the district should have grown richer. The plan was not adopted.

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The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 88

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1082

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1082