USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > The history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, containing an account of settlement, growth, development and resources biographical sketches the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 77
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The first town meeting for the town of Brooklyn was held at the court house in the village of Baraboo on the 3d of April, 1849. F. C. Webster, William Babb and David Vanalstein were the Judges of Election, while D. K. Noyes and F. G. Stanley acted as Clerks. The ticket chosen was as follows : Supervisors, John B. Crawford (Chairman), Lyman Clark and Solomon Soule ; Town Clerk, D. K. Noyes; Town Treasurer, William Griffith ; Assessor, A. A. Noyes ; Justices of the Peace, D. Vanalstein, R. H. Davis, W. H. Canfield and D. K. Noyes ; Super- intendent of Common Schools, Harvey Canfield; Constables, E. W. Piper, F. C. Webster and C. A. Clark. The town having been divided into thirteen road districts, the board at its first meeting appointed a Road Overseer for each district and apportioned the taxes of the town, which amounted to $473.30.
The next town meeting was held on the 2d of April, 1850, town officers being chosen as fol - lows : Supervisors, Lyman Clark (Chairman), John Metcalf and Leonard Thompson ; Clerk, D. K. Noyes ; Treasurer, Peter Folsom ; School Superintendent, John D. Perkins; Justices, W. H. Canfield and John D. Perkins ; Constables, C. A. Clark, James S. Badger and Joshua Delap ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, D. Munson. The new board came together on the day of their election and voted to raise $400 taxes to defray the expenses of the town for the ensuing year.
The following was the result of the spring election in 1851 : Supervisors, James B. Avery (Chairman), Harvey Canfield and Isaac Palmer ; Clerk, Joseph H. Waggoner ; Treasurer,. J. D. Perkins ; Assessor, James A. Maxwell ; Superintendent, Josiah Dart ; Justices, R. H. Davis and Peter Cooper ; Constables, Royal C. Gould, L. Parrish and Samuel Hartley ; Sealer, W. Andrews.
In 1852, the officers were : Supervisors, Bela Warner (Chairman), John Monroe and Jabish T. Clement ; Clerk, Mark Shepard; Assessor, M. C. Waite ; Treasurer, J. H. Pratt ; Super- intendent, Peter Conrad ; Justices, Isaac Palmer and A. B. Dearborn ; Constables, C. H. Mc- Laughlin, J. G. Wheeler, G. W. Tucker and R. T. Tinkham ; Sealer, James Dykins.
514
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
In December, 1852, the County Board voted to change the name of the town of Brooklyn to that of Baraboo, and at the spring election of 1853 the following officers were chosen : Super- visors, R. H. Davis (Chairman), A. P. Dearborn and H. D. Evans : Clerk, E. L. Walbridge ; Treasurer, J. H. Pratt; Assessor, M. C. Waite; Superintendent, D. S. Vittum ; Justices, D. Schermerhorn, C. Armstrong, W. H. Canfield and R. M. Forsythe; Constables, L. Parrish, C. H. Mclaughlin, E. Hart and R. C. Gould ; Sealer, James Dykens.
1854-Supervisors, Charles Armstrong (Chairman), R. C. Gould and H. H. Webster ; Clerk, E. L. Walbridge; Assessor, M. C. Waite; Treasurer, J. H. Pratt ; Superintendent, J. B. Avery ; Justices, William Brown and Martin Waterman ; Constables, John Miller, Daniel Smith, R. T. Tinkham and Hiram Langdon; Sealer, R. Parrish.
The record of the election for 1855 is incomplete, and only shows that James A. Maxwell, Charles J. H. Haines and B. B. Brier were chosen Supervisors, and L. F. Cook, Town Clerk.
In 1856, the result of the election appears to have been as follows : Supervisors, C. C. Remington (Chairman), C. A. Clark and S. M. Burdick ; Clerk, N. W. Wheeler; Assessor, R. G. Camp; Treasurer, B. L. Purdy ; Superintendent, Warren Cochran; Justices, Lyman Clark and G. B. Crawford ; Constables, Lyman Messenger, Daniel Smith and P. Burdick ; Sealer, R. Parrish.
1857-Supervisors, E. Martin (Chairman), C. C. Barnhaus and D. D. T. Perry ; Clerk, N. W. Wheeler ; Assessor, R. R. Remington ; Treasurer, B. L. Purdy ; Superintendent, War- ren Cochran ; Justices, E. W. Olin, E. Martin, R. R. Remington and B. B. Brier; Constables, D. Smith, H. H. Webster and D. Chamberlain ; Sealer, R. Parrish.
1858-Supervisors, E. Martin (Chairman), D. D. T. Perry and A. Christie; Clerk, N. W. Wheeler : Treasurer, W. H. Thompson; Assessors, R. G. Camp and R. R. Remington; Super- intendent, H. A. Peck; Justices, D. K. Noyes, W. H. Thompson, A. Christie and C. Arm- strong ; Constables, D. Smith, E. L. Walbridge and John Miller ; Sealer, R. Jones.
1859-Supervisors, Charles Armstrong (Chairman), Daniel Brown and George Holah ; Clerk, A. L. Slye; Treasurer, W. H. Thompson ; Assessors, R. G. Camp and J. B. Avery ; Superintendent, H. A. Peck; Justices, A. Christie and Charles Armstrong; Constables, G. Gibbons, E. Martin and C. Messenger ; Sealer, R. Jones.
1860-Supervisors, D. K. Noyes (Chairman), F. G. Stanley and A. Allen ; Clerk, B. L. Purdy ; Superintendent, H. A. Peck ; Treasurer, C. A. Clark; Assessors, R. G. Camp and A. Christie; Justices, George Mertens and F. K. Jenkins ; Constables, G. Gibbons and W. W. Wolcott; Sealer, G. Gibbons.
1861-Supervisors, E. Sumner (Chairman), E. Walbridge and A. Allen ; Clerk, D. D. Doane; Treasurer, C. A. Clark ; Assessor, R. G. Camp; Superintendent, H. A. Peck ; Jus- tices, D. K. Noyes and A. Christie; Constables, J. C. Dockham, W. B. Boutwell and A. Wilder; Sealer, G. Gibbons.
1862-Supervisors, E. Walbridge (Chairman), A. Allen and F. G. Stanley ; Clerk, D. D. Doane ; Treasurer, Bela Warner; Assessor, R. G. Camp; Justices, B. L. Purdy, George Mer- tens and E. Walbridge; Constables, J. C. Dockham, Joseph Scott and Henry Holah ; Sealer, William Brown.
1863- Supervisors, F. G. Stanley (Chairman), A. Christie and A. R. Case; Clerk, D. D. Doane; Treasurer, C. A. Clark ; Assessors, R. G. Camp and E. Kimble; Justices, A. Christie and J. S. A. Bartley ; Constables, J. C. Dockham, John Miller and Robert Lott; Sealer, B. L. Brier ; Poundmaster, P. Pratt.
1864-Supervisors, R. G. Camp (Chairman), William Andrews and A. R. Case; Clerk, D. D. Doane ; Treasurer, George Holah ; Assessor, R. G. Camp; Justices, G. Mertens and B. L. Purdy ; Constables, J. C. Dockham, Peter P. Calhoun and Orin Huyck ; Sealer, B. L. Brier.
1865-Supervisors, F. G. Stanley (Chairman), George Hall and David Munson; Clerk, A. C. Tuttle ; Treasurer, D. D. Doane; Assessors, R. G. Camp and E. Kimble; Justices, J. S. A. Bartley and A. Christie; Constables, J. C. Dockham, Robert Lott and H. Calkins; Sealer, John Caldwell ; Poundmaster, P. Pratt.
515
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
1866-Supervisors, George Mertens (Chairman), David Munson and J. H. Harris ; Clerk, Mair Pointon ; Treasurer, D. D. Doane ; Assessor, F. G. Stanley ; Justices, B. L. Purdy, D. K. Noyes and J. J. Gattiker ; Constables, J. C. Dockham, Charles Pfannstiehl and George Caldwell.
A full complement of town officers has been elected each year, but since the spring of 1867 they have exercised no authority in the management of municipal affairs in Baraboo.
ORGANIZED AS A VILLAGE.
The Legislature of 1865-66 passed an act incorporating Baraboo as a village. Section 1 of the incorporating act provided for the boundaries of the village as follows : The southeast quarter and the south half of the northeast quarter, and the east half of the southwest quarter of Sec- tion 35, and the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 36, in Township 12 north, Range 6 east, and the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 1, and the north half of the northeast quarter of Section 2, in Township 11 north, Range 6 east, in Sauk County, shall hereafter be known and designated by the name of the village of Baraboo.
Section 2 provided that the management of the fiscal, prudential and municipal concerns of the village should be vested in a President and six Trustees, one Clerk, one Treasurer, one Con- stable (who shall be ex officio Marshal), one Attorney, one Surveyor, and such other officers as the Trustees might see fit to appoint.
Section 51 of the charter related that the first election for officers should be held on the second Monday in April, 1866, "in case this act shall take effect on or previous to that date ; and in case this act shall not take effect on or previous to that day, or in case no election shall be held on that day, then such first election of officers may be ordered and appointed by any ten freehold voters.'
The first record, however, of any election held under the provisions of this act is dated April 2, 1867, when the qualified electors residing within the boundaries of the village assembled at the court house and proceeded to cast their ballots for a village President and the required number of Trustees. The record informs us that "the whole number of votes cast for Presi- President and Police Justice was 104, of which number S. M. Burdick received 83 and William H. Clark received 21; that the whole number of votes cast for Trustees was 104, of which B. F. Mills received 103, A. Andrews, 101; T. D. Lang, 96; J. R. Hall, 104; B. L. Purdy, 103; C. C. Remington, 80; J. R. Dibble, 2; M. J. Drown, 11; and T. Thomas, James Dykins, William Marrah and D. K. Noyes, 1 vote each. Consequently, Mr. Burdick was elected the first President, and Messrs. Mills, Andrews, Lang, Hall, Purdy and Remington the first Trustees of the village of Baraboo, which, up to the present writing, has been under village government.
The first meeting of the first Board of Trustees was held April 5. The officers elect, with the exception of Mr. Remington, took the oath of office, and the vacancy created by the declina- tion of Mr. Remington to serve was filled by the appointment of C. A. Sumner. The appointive offices were then filled as follows : Clerk, John Barker ; Attorney, C. C. Remington ; Treasurer, R. M. Strong; Constable, J. C. Dockham; Surveyor, W. H. Canfield; Fire Warden, M. C. Waite. The village attorney was instructed to draft suitable ordinances for the guidance of the board and the government of the village, and the first meeting of the first Board of Trustees was adjourned for ten days.
The second charter election was held March 9, 1868, and resulted in the choice of M. Mould, President and Police Justice, and E. Walbridge, C. T. White, T. D. Lang, James Dykins, Will- iam Powers and Andrew Andrews, Trustees. The appointive officers this year were Anton Fischer, Clerk ; R. M. Strong, Treasurer ; Frank Fletcher, Constable; W. H. Clark, Attorney ; W. H. Canfield, Surveyor ; M. C. Waite, Fire Warden, and James Goodwin, Poundmaster.
In 1869, J. R. Hall was chosen President; M. C. Waite, Police Justice, and N. W. Wheeler, Frank Avery, W. Burrington, T. T. English, William Moore and B. Frank Brown, Trustees. Officers appointed-Anton Fischer, Clerk; R. M. Strong, Treasurer; C. C.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
Remington, Attorney ; J. C. Dockham, Constable; W. H. Canfield, Surveyor, and James Goodwin, Poundmaster.
1870-President, J. R. Hall; Police Justice, M. C. Waite ; Trustees-N. W. Wheeler, Frank Avery, J. C. Chandler, Thomas Oates, T. T. English and B. F. Brown. Officers appointed-Anton Fischer, Clerk ; R. M. Strong, Treasurer ; W. H. Clark, Attorney ; D. E. Kelsey, Constable; E. Barstow, Street Commissioner ; James Goodwin, Poundmaster.
1871-President, J. R. Hall; Police Justice, M. C. Waite ; Trustees-J. G. Train, D. Munson, B. F. Brown, A. Andrews, George Mertens and G. W. Merchant ; Supervisor, J. G. Train. Officers appointed-Anton Fischer, Clerk ; Mair Pointon, Treasurer ; C. C. Remington, Attorney; B. J. Paddock, Constable ; Daniel Pruyn, Commissioner ; Abram Hunt, Pound- master.
1872-President, James Dykins ; Police Justice, M. C. Waite ; Trustees-Frank Avery, William Hoxie, T. T. English, M. Mould, J. J. Gattiker, and J. G. Train .; Supervisor, J. G. Train. Officers appointed-Philip Cheek, Jr., Clerk ; J. J. Gattiker, Treasurer ; John Barker, Attorney ; A. Andrews, Constable ; M. C. Waite, Fire Warden ; S. W. Emory Commissioner ; Thomas Oates, Poundmaster.
1873-President, Samuel S. Grubb ; Trustees-J. M. Haines, F. Barringer, William Hoxie, T. T. English. T. D. Lang and H. H. Webster ; Supervisor, William Stanley. Officers appointed-Philip Cheek, Jr., Clerk ; T. D. Lang, Treasurer ; H. J. Huntington Attorney ; A. Wistans, Marshal; George Nelson, Poundmaster.
1874-President, M. Mould ; Police Justice, Eli Jones ; Trustees-T. T. English, T. D. Lang, James Dykins, John Barker, P. Pratt and A. Andrews ; Supervisor, William Stanley. Officers appointed-Philip Cheek, Jr., Clerk; John Barker, Attorney ; J. R. Davis, Marshal ; Andrew Patrick, Poundmaster.
1875-President, M. Mould ; Police Justice, J. W. Blake ; Trustees-T. T. English, T. D. Lang, William Hoxie, John Barker, James Dykins and Gustavus Scharnke; Supervisor, W. Stanley ; Justice of the Peace, S. Hartley. Officers appointed-Philip Cheek, Jr., Clerk, Fred Johnson, Treasurer ; J. R. Davis, Marshal and Commissioner ; W. C. Hatch, Poundmaster.
1876-President, Frank Avery ; Police Justice, J. W. Blake ; Trustees-G. W. March- ant, P. Pratt, G. Scharnke, John Thatcher, W. Stanley, and J. H. Halstead ; Justice of the Peace, R. T. Warner ; Supervisor, George Mertens ; Constable, L. O. Holmes. Officers appointed-Philip. Cheek, Jr., Clerk ; W. Stanley, Treasurer ; Henry Cowles, Marshal ; William Hatch, Poundmaster ; M. Hoffman, Commissioner.
1877-President, D. S. Vittum; Trustees-W. Stanley, D. E. Welch, Isaac Green, W. Scharnke, W. Hoxie and J. Thatcher ; Clerk, Philip Cheek, Jr. ; Treasurer, Henry Cowles ; Police Justice, R. T. Warner ; Constable, L. O. Holmes ; Assessor, E. Walbridge ; Supervisor, J. J. Gattiger ; Attorney (as appointed by board), John Barker ; Street Commissioner, (ap- pointed), George Claus.
1878-President, D. S. Vittum ; Trustees-William Power, Isaac Green, W. Hoxie, A. Fischer, J. G. Train and E. A. Watkins ; Clerk, Philip Cheek, Jr. ; Treasurer, L. O. Homes ; Police Justice, R. T. Warner ; Supervisor, J. J. Gattiker; Commissioner (appointed), M. Hoffman ; Marshal (appointed), L. O. Holmes ; Poundmaster, W. Hatch.
1879-President, D. S. Vittum ; Trustees-William Hoxie, William Powers, J. G. Train, A. Fischer, W. Schranke; Clerk, Rolla E. Noyes; Treasurer, M. Hoffman ; Police Justice, Jasper A. Dibble ; Justice of the Peace, T. C. Thomas ; Marshal, L. O. Holmes ; Constable, J. Prethero ; Supervisor, George Mertens ; Commissioner (appointed), M. Hoffman ; Attorney (appointed), John Barker ; Poundmaster (appointed), M. Hatch.
1880-President, William S. Grubb ; Trustees-George Nichelson, W. Dower, J. Dykins, W. Stanley, Ira L. Humphrey and Frank Avery ; Clerk, R. B. Griggs ; Treasurer and Commis- sioner, E. O. Holden ; Police Justice, J. A. Dibble ; Justice of the Peace, T. C. Thomas ; Su- pervisor, George Mertens; Poundmaster (appointed), F. N. Ross ; Attorney (appointed), John Barker.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
Baraboo has about outgrown her village garments, and must necessarily become a city within the next two or three years.
THE BARABOO WHISKY WAR.
"Alas ! the depths of sin and shame That Bacchus' devotees have found ; Their hopes can now but live in name, Their joy is but an empty sound. Their manood has departed hence, For which they find no recompense.
" Despairing Hope to frenzy driven- In drunkards' wives and children too-
Has roused the strength to woman given And urged such deeds as they can do. Their votes go not in ballot-box, So more direct they slay the ox.
" With aching hearts, but purpose true, They make their way to hell's dark door, From which the flames of wrath do spew ; King Alky feared ne'er thus before- But with such blows as woman gives They struck him hard "right where he lives."
"And lest his imps with lawyers bound Should bring him back again to life, They put him deep down in the ground Without the aid of drum or fife. His mourning friends look sadly on, While all his foes rejoice 'twas done."
Thus sang the local poet. The cause that inspired his muse will perhaps be better understood if given in prose. It was in the spring of 1854. A resident of Baraboo, a hard drinker, but withal a good citizen, when not "in his cups," became an habitual patron of the "Brick Tavern " bar. His appetite for liquor led him to neglect his family, and finally resulted in his attempting to take the life of his wife. The neighbors of the unfortunate woman, knowing the facts, and very naturally deprecating the cause, had more than once beseeched the proprietor of the rummery to refuse liquor to those of his customers whose thirst for it led them to deeds of violence ; but their appeals, being in opposition to the successful pursuit of his nefarious business, were not heeded. The wife, acting under the impulse of her desperate situation, had also sought to arouse the blunted sympathies of the rum-seller by personal interviews in her own behalf ; but all to no purpose. Death finally intervened, and the family of the poor inebriate saw the grave close about the form of the husband and father. In the meantime, the dispensation of intoxicat- ing drink went on unmolested in all the ante-rooms of hell then flourishing in Baraboo.
Sympathy for the widow and orphans was very deep throughout the village, and a quiet though earnest determination to put an end to such sad and disgraceful affairs in future seemed to take possession of the better classes of citizens. Especially was this feeling noticeable among the ladies, who were naturally the first to appreciate the situation of their grief-stricken sister. The painful subject furnished an excellent theme for the pulpit, and nearly all the ministers in the place referred to it in their discourses. The Sabbath succeeding the funeral, W. H. Thompson, Pastor of the Methodist Church, became particularly eloquent in denouncing the political system which permitted the sale of liquor, and said he wished " to God the thunderbolts of heaven would shiver the brick tavern and its contents, animate and inanimate." Lawyer Pratt, in private conversation a few days later, said he would like to see all the liquor in the village poured into the streets. In this expressed wish, a large number of the indignant citizens of Baraboo discovered a suggestion for summarily solving a difficult problem. At an impromptu
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
meeting of a few stalwart ladies, the subject was discussed and a line of action quietly deter- mined upon. As the local poet tells us-
" The drunkard's threat, the midnight shriek ; The cracking whip, the loaded gun,* The fruits of Rum and Rummy's votes- All plainly show what must be done- ' Destroy the fiend !' The word, the blow ; the last came first.
" They came with resolution fixed, Some forty matrons less or more ; And daughters, too, with earnest look, In all perhaps about threescore. Blessed prospect ! Something now is surely meant."
Hark ! There's a sound of devastation-a sudden unloosing of liquid devils. The bar- room of the Brick Tavern is in the process of female invasion. Fumes of liquor infect the air. " Rye," "Bourbon " and " Fine Old Tom " meet a common fate, and are rapidly absorbed by the parched earth in front of the hotel. The whilom dispenser of these evil spirits is wrapped in slumber ; for it is early morn, and none but sober citizens are abroad. The righteous work of destruction proceeds so quietly that his repose is not disturbed. In disposing of the empty bottles, a corrugated " Schnaps " is deposited in an adjacent dry goods box in which a reveler of the previous night has taken lodging. The breaking of the falling bottle does not molest him, but there is a familiar smell about it which brings him to his feet with all the alacrity of a toper invited to drink ; and he looks out upon the strange scene and weeps.
Across the street a grocer, " who keeps a little to accommodate his customers," has just opened his establishment, after having taken one of his own "eye-openers." Thither the earn- est band of women go, but before reaching the place the door is locked. The ladies make the liquor-seller a proposition to buy his stock that they may destroy it, but, while he hesitates to set a price, an entrance is effected from the rear of the house; and the quiet turning of faucets and drawing of stopples is not molested until the " wrath of the casks" has flooded the floor, and the "silent workers " are on the march toward " French Pete's." By this time the news of the revolution has spread to all parts of the village. The populace is alarmed. Rumors of a general uprising are abroad, and the people crowd upon the scene of action only to learn the facts, and calmly watch the result. There are many loud and earnest exclamations of acquies- cence in the proceedings ; there are also murmers of disapproval. The report of a gun is heard ! The keeper of the bagnio that is now being attacked, after uttering murderous threats against the Amazonian brigade, has discharged his shot-gun in the air, intending to scare them away ; but the ruse avails nothing.
" While the earth drinks in the rum The throng around exclaim, ' Hurrah ! A glorious jubilee has come ; We are ahead of Maine afar.' "
It is the most vigorous temperance movement ever witnessed by the people of Baraboo- temperance with a vengeance. Elder Cochran is present, his face wreathed in smiles. To him it is a pleasing sight to see the poisonous stuff mingling with the dust. The keeper of the saloon has joined the crusaders and is also emptying the bottles of their contents. He has irrigated his parched throat with the best in the house, to give him courage, and is now hurling beer glasses through mirrors and windows and creating a general havoc. The excitement is intense. Sheriff Munson commands Elder Cochran to disperse, but the Elder assures that high official that such a thing would be a physical impossibility. Another crash within ; the drunken saloon-keeper has fallen through a glass door. Tim Kirk mounts an empty beer barrel, and in supplicating tones beseeches the ladies, in the name of the forefathers and free institutions, to desist. He
* The implements with which the deceased inebriate had sought to "chastise" his wife.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
promises them that within thirty days every rum-seller in Baraboo shall be driven from the place. The ladies quietly withdraw and go to their homes; the crowd gradually melts away, and peace once more hovers about the scene.
A week or ten days later, warrants of arrest are issued for the ladies who are alleged to have been the ring-leaders in the crusade, and whose husbands are reckoned to be responsible for any damages that may be adjudged against them. They are taken to Lower Sauk for an impartial trial (the officials probably fearing that a Baraboo jury might hang them !) The Teu- tonic Justice holds them to answer before the Circuit Judge, and remands them to the pro- tecting care of the Sheriff, who returns with them to Baraboo, but does not find it within his heart to lock them up, and they are released on their own recognizance. At the next term of the Circuit Court Judge Wheeler assesses the total damage at $150, which is immediately paid. And thus endeth the Baraboo whisky war.
THE RIVER ON A RAMPAGE.
On the night of March 14, 1859, the Baraboo River, greatly swollen by the spring rains and melting snows, burst through the north wing of the boom, just above Bassett & Pratt's dam, carrying down a large " drive" of logs with great force against the upper dam timbers, which gave way. This increased the flow of water in that direction, and hurried thither hundreds of other logs, which, like so many battering rams, soon beat a large hole in the dam, and, within thirty minutes' time, a torrent of water four feet in depth, poured through the chasm with irresistible force. The immense volume of water, as it poured through the opening, struck the bank just above the flouring-mill, and was rapidly undermining it. As piece after piece of the dam gave way, the current gained force and volume, and at daylight beat so furiously against the bank, which kept dropping into the insatiable flood, as to oblige Mr. Bassett to look to the security of the large quantity of flour then stored in the mill. Several teams were employed to transport the flour to the neighboring buildings. This task about finished, it occurred to the assembled citizens that something should be done to stem the ravages of the stream, and repair the break. Great confusion reigned, some proposing one method, some another, but all agreeing that something must be done. Finally, William Brown took the lead. Parties were sent off to fell trees, and others were dispatched for teams to draw them to the spot. In a very short time the progress of the water was checked. Large trees, secured by cables, were deposited where the current struck the bank hardest. Brush, logs and stones were gradually added to the mass to give it weight. It is said there were nearly 500 men engaged in the work. But the current was not wholly checked until some 6,000 cubic yards of earth had been washed away. By this time, one-third of the dam was gone. The immense flood of water passing down broke away some twenty or thirty feet of the lower or Maxwell dam. The excitement had scarcely died away, when, early the following morning, the bells in the village rung for help. A large part of the artificial bank, made the previous day, had been carried off, and lodged against the bridge. The foundation of the mill was again being attacked by the relentless and obdurate current. A force of men and teams was soon on the ground, and two or three hours of unre- mitting labor warded off the threatened danger. The loss on this occasion was estimated at $2,000; but the citizens considered themselves fortunate in having saved the Bassett-Pratt Mill from destruction, as it was then the largest institution of the kind for many miles around, and about it centered the interest of the entire community.
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