Iowa County, Wisconsin - Mineral Point As a Village, 1881

Mineral Point As a Village

Honor - Incenuiakies .\nd Cholera - The Order of 1001 - Ladif-s' Cold Water I'nion - Business in 1856 - Old Bank.s - Education - Newspaper Comments - Early Telegraphic Communication.

The gradual improvements made in the tone of society, as well as in the size and needs of the village, up to 1844, necessitated a change in the local management of affairs. It became apparent by this time to every sensible resident, that the "slipshod" habit of gliding along must be abandoned or the general interests of the community would be damaged very materially. The old borough had done its duty in its day. but at this epoch something foreign either to borough or town government was needed. Witiiout entering into unnecessary details of the preliminary proceedings, it may here be stated that the village was formally incorporated by an act of the Legislature of Wisconsin Territory, approved Feb. 11, 1844, entitled "An Act to Incorporate the Trustees of the Village of Mineral Point," which included all of the country in Section 81, the west half of Section 82. in Town ."> north, of Ranse 3 east, and the north half of Section 6, in Town 4 north, of Range 3 eiist, in Iowa County. The same was to be known and distinguished as the village of Mineral Point, and the inhabitants were to be incorporated under the name of the "President and Trustees of the Village of Mineral Point."

The legal voters were required to meet at the court house, to decide by ballot whether they would accept the charter or not. The election was held on the 4th of March, 1844. and William Henry, William Prideaux and Samuel Rich were chosen Judges. There were 157 votes polled, 80 of which were in favor of the charter, and 77 votes against it.

The first regular election was authorized to be held on the third Monday of March, when one President, e.x officio Trustee, and four Trustees, one Clerk, one Treasurer, one Assessor and three Constables were to be chosen by ballot. Any other officers needed by the corporation were to be appointed by the Trustees. No one was eligible to office unless a voter of the village, and could not be elected except by a plurality of votes. The polls were only to be opened from 10 o'clock A. M. until 4 o'clock P. M. Vacancies in the offices of President and Trustees were to be filled by special election, while those occurring in the other offices could be filled by appointment.

The duties of the various officers were similar to those performed by the officers of any village corporation, and the Treasurer, in addition to the usual duties, had control of all the money accruing from the sale of town lots. The Constables were to receive the same amount of pay in the village as those in the county precincts. Numerous provisions of a valuable and necessary character were embodied in the charter, appertaining to the fiscal, prudential and municipal management, as vested in the President and Trustees, besides the provision allowing the making of special ordinances.

Notwithstanding the incorporation of the village, it was yet connected with the Mineral Point Precinct, except in the matters indicated by the charter, which did not materially alter the general relations sustained ; but, as nearly all of the precinct voters lived in the village at that time, it to all intents and purposes constituted the precinct and town, and thereby the relations maintained were not very unhappy for several years.

Kably Ordinances

- Some of the ordinances of 1844 and a few years later are rather peculiar when compared with those of to-day. We note one permitting persons to kill and appropriate anything of the swine order that might injure or annoy them; also one preventing the erection of awnings to extend into the street. One of the first things done by the Village Board of 1844 was to order, for the use of the citizens of the place in case of a fire, two ladders eighteen feet long, two sixteen feet long, two twelve feet long, with spikes at the bottom, and two ten feet long, with hooks at the ends. Leather buckets were also supplied at a later date. As chimneys were the exception and stove-pipes the rule for many years, one of the oflScers appointed by the Village Trustees in September, 1844, was a " Stove-pipe Supervisor,'' whose duty it was to perambulate the streets and see that the pipes stuck out of the buildings far enough, and that they were properly prevented from coming in contact with the wood. Another of the chief causes of trouble was powder. The people, being afraid that an explosion would occur, sent in petitions until an ordinance was passed restricting its use, and the manner of keeping it. On one occasion, a report was brought to the Village Board that a horse was lying sick with the glanders. A meeting of the fathers was immediately convened and resolutions passed, and, to make sure that the horse was removed, all of those who were present adjourned in a body to attend to the matter, as it was thought the presence of an animal sick with that disease might cause an epidemic in the place. Petitions of all sorts and kinds were being sent in constantly, and, taking the condition of affairs throughout into consideration, the holding of office at that time, even, was certainly no sinecure.

Business Condition In 1845

In 1845, there were a large number of business firms, the most notable of which were Curtis Beech and W. Tilley ; John Milton, T. Foster and Charles Stevenson ; 0. J. Minor and Francis Vivian, and I. T. Lathrop. The three principal hotels were the Mansion House, the Franklin House and the Central.

There were a large number of smelters also operating in the vicinity, and hundreds of miners were laboring among the surrounding hills, extracting the precious ores from their claylined or rocky beds.

High street by this time had become the principal street, and during a great part of the day was the scene of remarkable business activity. A throng of hardy miners were coming and going constantly. The prices for labor were good, and the cost of goods correspondingly high, and money was plenty, and that in the main, of a thoroughly substantial character. Each day witnessed the arrival of stage loads of tourists, capitalists and miners, who had come either to make, break, or to see the sights in the raining El Dorado of Wisconsin. Speculation of all kinds was rife, and, in a word. Mineral Point was at the height of its raining prosperity, a prosperity which was the real foundation for the present substantial wealth of the city. For, strange as it raay seem, the greater part of the raoney derived frora the mining resources was spent here among the merchants and business raen, theirs being the real or permanent gain which accrued frora the general labor.

From about this time comes the rumor of a temperance agitation that had taken possession of nearly all circles of society. Meetings were held, and as much of a crusade as the nature of the times and people would admit of, was inaugurated. This eventually resulted in the organization of a lodge of that justly popular and useful order, the Sons of Temperance, the membership of which, at one time, embraced a large number of the prominent citizens of the place.

About this time also, a petition was sent into the town authorities, denouncing the groceries as a nuisance, and requesting tlie suspension of a number of them. However, the "groceries " still continued to operate with little restraint, except such as was imposed by ordinances, which were seldom fully carried out, and by the licenses, which were put as high as $75 for groceries, §50 for taverns, and .?40 for merchants.

About 1844 or 1845, the old Mineral Point Miners' Guard was organized, with Theodore Rodolf, as Captain ; A. W. Paris, as First Lieutenant ; and William T. Henry, as Second Lieutenant. At first there were about one hundred men, but, eventually, owing to the expensive uniform which was adopted, the number of braves dwindled down to less than fifty. The company was supplied with full sets of accouterments and arms by the Governor of the State, and was, during its time, the crack institution of the place. No public gathering was perfect without the Guards, and if any young man of that day could afi"ord it, he must needs be a member, and wear a cocked hat and brass buttons, and carry an old long-John Enfield, and enjoy all the glorv of military splendor. About the time of the California gold-mines rage, the company was disbanded, the muskets stored away, and until the irruption of the rebellion nothing more was done in a military way. Then the " Miners' Guard " was re-organized with si.xty men, the nucleus of whom were the ofd company. The " Miners' Guards " made their first appearance, armed and equipped, on the 9th day of June, 1860, and were the first to ofier their services to the country, and eventually did distinguished service (see war history). In 1846, while the Mexican war was rag ng, for some inexplicable reason the price of lead ran discouragingly low. and many of the miners, for the sake of change and adventure, went off and joined the array. During the summer of that year, Lieut. Francis Henry came to the village from the seat of war. His reception on the occasion was a perfect ovation : a banquet was served, and toasts and speeches in honor of the heroes of the campaign were the order of the day. None then conjectured how much more terrible an ordeal than that, almost over, the country would be called upon to pass in a few years; yet, when the time came, those here who had formerly celebrated the national achievements, were found ready with heart and hand to perpetuate the institutions sealed to them by their forefathers.

Durin" 1845, in honor of the election of James K. Polk, one of the grandest celebrations ever witnessed here was indulged in by the people to which nearly all parties contributed regardless of political difi'erences. G. W. Jones was the leading spirit of the enterprise, and being ably seconded by thirteen of the handsomest girls in town, on horse back, together with the never-to-be-forgotten Dragoons and Miners' Guards, and in a word, every one that could get out or make a noise. No elaborate description will be necessary to convince any one that the affair was one never to be forgotten by those who participated.

Newspaper Extracts

The Tribune of 1847, in one of the issues, gives a glowing account of the thrift, enterprise and growth of the place. The "Point" stirred with the hum of busy industry of such magnitude as to push to the front in advance of all the surrounding inland towns. The streets were thronged with a busy multitude. The stores and shops were filled to repletion with fresh supplies, and the miners, smelters and merchants were doing a prosperous business. Fifty new buildings were erected, the most of them of the most substantial materials, as brick and stone, and the greater part of these were scarcely completed before they were occupied ; in truth, the supply was, if anything, less than the demand. There were several commodious mechanic shops in operation, but the amount of work to be done was so far in advance of that of ordinary years that more were needed. Says the Tribune: '-The arrivals and departures of prairie schooners are as numerous as that of vessels and steamers at the largest sea-port town. There are now in the vicinity of Mineral Point five lead furnaces in successful operation, each producing about 120 pigs of lead per d:iy, which, averaged at 7-3 poun<ls, will make for each furnace 18,760 pounds, or an aggregate of 43,800 pounds of lead. We understand that one gentleman has paid for lead during the past season .$3(1,000. The copper furnace of Beech & Co., which has been put in operation within the past two weeks, is now producing from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds of copper per week." But, amid all the prosperity, the editor of the paper was left in straitened circumstances, or paper-rags were scarce, for his sheet appears, coupled with an apology for the same, printed on ordinary wrapping paper. Such are the vicissitudes to wiiich a journalist is exposed while trying to earn his bread in iloing public service.

If the building done in 1847 was large, what must we say of 1848, when twice the number of houses were erected, some of them the best of the present day. Certainly, Mineral Point was then growing very rapidly, but a year had not gone by when the whole business aspect of the place was changed.

Ho for the glorious climate of California I was the cry. Gold I Gold to be obtained as easily as lead. Hundreds of men of all ages and pursuits started for the land of bright dreams, and the business of Mineral Point came to a stand-still (see general sketch). Hardly had the emigration to El Dorado foirly begun, when a greater enemy to the happiness of the village made its appearance in the shape of Asiatic cholera. If anything was needed to " cap the climax " of unfortunate change, this was it; but now, as during preceding calamities, there was no alternative for the people who remained, only to make the best of the situation and await the dawn of a better day.

Jail Kreaking

One of the exciting episodes of 1848, was the breaking of the jail by Patrick Walch, Henry Brown and Francis McLary, three desperadoes who were accused of various heinous crimes. A general effort was made to recapture them, but the birds took flight to regions remote, and were never heard from again about the fastnesses of Mineral Point.

Although the country all through the early years was over-run with the very roughest of characters, many of whom would not hesitate at any crime, yet, in one respect, they were exceptionally honorable, almost to a man. If a miner bought anything and promised to pay, the promise was almost sure to be fulfilled, sooner or later, as the following will illustrate : A rough-and-ready fellow stepped into Curtis Beech's store one day and asked to be trusted to the amount of $40 or $50, saying that he would pay when he came to town again. He was given the goods, and left, and nothing more was seen of him for two or three years; then, all unexpectedly, one day, he stepped into the store and informed the clerk of whom he bought the goods that he had come to pay his bill, as he said he would the first time that he came to town again. It appears that, when he made the purchase, he intended leaving the country and made an equivocal promise, very likely thinking he could pass his word to pay on his return and neither break his word or do so ; but, as it suited his convenience to come back, he was bound, according to the miner's code of honor, to stick to the letter of his word, and he did so.

A canvass of the business interests of Mineral Point, made in May, 1851, revealed the fact that business activity had not been greatly retarded by the California fever, but very little building was going on. This was, probably, partially because those miners who had left families here, were already sending back large sums of money for their support, which, as a matter of course, was spent at the counters of the merchants. There were then ten dry goods stores, selling, on an average, $13,000 worth of merchandise each month; four groceries, disposing of $3,500 per month of common edibles, and two drug stores that were selling about $800 worth of materials. The postage on letters received per quarter amounted to $481.81; the postage on outgoing letters, during the same time, was $454.81 ; while the amount on papers sent and received was $73.42. The Ilotchkiss telegraph, which was then in operation, paid at the rate of $100 per month. The lead production was on an average 14,000 pigs per month, which weighed seventy pounds to the pig.

Incendiaries And Cholera

In October of 1851, the people were electrified, one night between 12 and 1 o'clock, by the cry of fire. Within a short time after the alarm was given, the streets were thronged with eager men, and, in less time, almost, than it takes to relate, the incipient conflagration was put out. During the time this was being done, two or three men were running about industriously burglarizing private houses, showing that the fire was the work of thieves. The citizens were unused to this sort of thing, never having had such an experience before, and were up in arms almost to a man, striving to catch the rascals ; but, fortunately for them, they escaped ; otherwise, beyond a doubt, it would have been the privilege of the historian to describe a first-class lynching sensation. The village, then being without any fire apparatus, was in no better condition to fight a severe fire than the city is to-day, and, consequently, many might have fallen an easy prey to the intentions of the knaves, had the fire once gotten fairly under way.

In 1852, the village experienced another severe attack of the cholera, which, fortunately, was the last visitation of that dreadful contagion.

Skipping an unimportant period, we come to 1856, the year from which dates one of the most prominent events in the history of the village, viz.: the arrival of the Mineral Point Railroad. But, before mentioning that particularly, we will notice, in a general way, what immediately preceded it. One of the most important occurrences was the printers' ball and banquet, in commemoration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's death. The affair was gotten up in a style to do honor to the memory of the great statesman, philosopher and printer, and is spoken of as having been, without exception, one of the grandest social demonstrations ever made here.

The Ordek Of 1,001

One of the celebrated institutions of " Auld Lang Syne " that deserves mention was the famous order of 1,001, founded by the joker brigade of the village, for the purpose of victimizing the nincompoops or any one unsuspicious enough to be taken in. The thousand of the title was supposed to be expressive of the number of tricks that could be played, while the one represented the candidate for initiatory honors.

The order is said to have been first started here by the three jocund Kelly brothers, Francis Henry and Andrew Hewitt. Within a short time after its incipiency, it had acquired a remarkable fame, both far and near. Every one who was a member became a great advocate of the benefits to be derived by belonging to the order. It was anything and everything to be desired. As a secret organization, nothing equaled it, and nothing approached it (the last clause being strictly true).

To describe the various ceremonies gone through, as riding the goat, blistering the moon, killing time, heaving on the billows (of a bed blanket), etc., would require as much ingenuity as was expended in inventing them. Sufiice it to say, the order did not last very long, as, owing to its very nature, it must needs die when its true character became known, and there were no more aspirants for its honors.

At about the time the 1,001 were flourishing, a sort of sub rosa, "night hawk " paper made its appearance occasionally, called the Golden Crown, which was devoted to the social affairs, which were generally unknown, or that those who were personally interested hoped would remain unknown. This sheet, like all such productions, lived a brief time then quietly subsided to give place to some fresh scheme for diversion.

On the 2d of May, 1856, a large number of the prominent ladies of the village met and organized a lodge of the Cold Water Union, No. 9, D. of T. (daughters of temperance). The ofl^cers elected were : Mrs. A. W. Bliss, P. S. : Mrs. A. A. Pierce, A. S. ; Mrs. F. Smith, A. R. S. ; Mrs. Mary H. Wright, F. S. ; Mrs. Amelia Cotterell, F. ; Mrs. Deborah Brake, C. ; Mrs. Ellen W. Priestly, A. C. ; Mrs. Catharine C. Robb, G. This order was instituted for the purpose of promoting temperance principles in the home and social circles, but, like nearly all such institutions, eventually died out for wapt of support.

Business In 1856

BUSINESS IN 1856. Up to 1856, there were still ten dry goods houses, four groceries and two drug stores, selling about the same amount of goods per month that they were during 1851, and, besides, there were several other establishments, selling a proportionate amount of merchandise.

The most prominent buildings in the village at this date were those of Messrs. Thomas & Co., John Milton's store on High street, and the store and warehouse of G. W. Cobb, on Commerce street - these being three-story buildings, and of stone. Among the dwellings were those of M. M. Cotheran, William Lanyon, Henry Plowman, N. B. Boydon and George Priestly. Those structures and about sixty others had been erected during the past year, exhibiting the fact that the village had taken a new start. These valuable improvements were caused by the expected advent of the railroad, which arrived in the fall of 1856, and to obtain which the city and town of Mineral Point had made unprecedented sacrifices, anticipating that by this means the place could be made to hold its own in the rapid march of improvement then going on through the State. That the road has proved largely beneficial in some respects cannot be denied, but these benefits have nearly if not wliolly been outweighed, in the estimation of a majority of the inhabitants, by the effects of the bonded debt that was incurred by them in favor of the railroad, and which eventuated in a course of litigation and general strife that has proved a source of great expense both to the city and town. However, there is one consolation to be derived from the cup of bitterness, and that is, the road is here, and will not be moved away soon ; and though the sacrifices made were great, matters might have been infinitely worse. Not to have had a railroad for many years after this one was built would have retarded the commerce and improvement of the entire country very materially, for it must not be forgotten, before this time every article had to be hauled in and out of the county with teams ; visitors were obliged to be satisfied with the necessarily slow movement incident to stage travel, no matter how great the hurry, and, taken all in all, the general inconvenience resulting from such a state of affairs was unquestionably very disadvantageous.

Old Banks

After the old Mineral Point Bank failed, there was no banking institution until 1846, when C. C. Washburn and Cyrus Woodman established a private bank. They continued to operate until 1855, when, by mutual consent, the bank was closed and the firm dissolved, all bills against the institution being paid. After the withdrawal of Washburn and Woodman from business, an employe named L. H. Whittlesey continued the bank, and, in 1857, took in Joel C. Squires as partner, who was at that time Bank Comptroller of the State. The institution then became the Iowa County Bank, operating under State laws, with currency based on bonds. In January, 1860, the bank passed under the management of a company, with Joel C. Squires as President. In 1861, it became a victim to the depreciation of values on Southern lands and the all-prevailing "wild-cat " money, and failed. There were no dividends declared, after 1859, by this establishment. Subsequent to the failure of the Iowa County Bank, B. F. Thomas did a banking business for three years or more ; then, after paying all demands in full, he closed the institution.

Education

There is no surer index of the character and enterpris' of a community than the public and private schools. They in reality reflect the sentiment and aspirations of a people, their hopes for the future and their condition in the past. They are the mile-posts on the road to moral and mental improvement ; the signs that mark the eras in the passage of time, from the intellectual infancy of a country to its maturity, in the various developments of civilization.

When viewed retrospectively, the change that has come over the educational systems of the country, as especially exemplified here, is something remarkable, as well as peculiarly suggestive with regard to the future. " What has been done, can be done again," and often with numerous improvements. Thus for the fifty or one hundred ensuing years, who can predict what may not be achieved? As all energies for good are cumulative, it may be hoped that then every individual here and everywhere throughout the country will be the recipients of a liberal education and its refining influences, and that ignorance and its concomitants, bigotry, cruelty and superstition, will scarcely find lodgment in a single heart or brain.

First School. - One of the very first schools in the State, and the first in Iowa County, was taught at Mineral Point in 1829. This temple of learning was a small cabin made of poles or sods, built to accommodate some one for a few weeks or months, as the case might be, then to be left for some needy successor, or to be torn down for fuel, and to give place for some more pretentious structure. The first teacher was a Mrs. Harker, who began to train the ideas of some seven or eight youngsters in the course which they should rightfully pursue, quite early in the spring of the year. What the text-books used were, remains a mystery, but if she was a New Englander, it would not be hard to determine (providing, of course, that there were any books at all). The children were principally from a family by the name of Nolton, with a little four-year-old by the name of White. Mrs. Harker after having continued this institution of learning for a short time, turned her charge over to a Miss Beulah Lamb, now Mrs. John Schillinger, of Wiota, La Fayette County, who conducted the school to its close, in the summer of 1829°

Boyer School. - In 1830, Robert Boyer opened a subscription for select school here, which is generally, though erroneously supposed to have been the first one taught in this section of the country. At that time the number of resident families had so largely augmented, that they could furnish about twenty pupils, thus making a very respectable number for so young a colony. The schoolhouse was a good sized log cabin, built in the usual style, with puncheons for a floor, but in all probability without desks, except such as were provided by resting the chin in the palms of the hands.

Boyer's school closed before the Black Hawk war, and from that time until 1834, there appears to have been no regular school, so far as can be ascertained ; then a school was started in a log building, which stood near Mrs. May's spring, by George Cubbage, who taught here for several years. The structure used was, according to tradition, built both for a meeting and schoolhouse, but at what time does not especially signify; it may possibly have been the cabin erected by the Rev. Roberts (spoken of elsewhere), or it may have been the work of the entire community. One of the scholars of 1835, in speaking of this school and the means of instruction employed, says: "Neai'ly everything about the building was of wood; the seats were puncheon benches, and the desks, if there were any, were certainly nothing more at the best than puncheons fixed up in front of us. I remember that the seats were so high that several years of growth was required upon the part of the little fellows before they could hope to touch their toes to the floor. From those elevated perches we were constantly dropping all sorts of articles down through the yawning cracks, and receiving the benefits of lively drafts of air that found entrance where our playthings went out, but, notwithstanding those discomforts, we were happy." Their time was employed then principally by blackboard exercises, or what would now be termed such. The blackboards were supplied by other but not less ingenious contrivances. Along two sides of the room were placed troughs, coming about up to the chin of a small boy, which were about eighteen inches wide, and filled with dry sand. This contrivance constituted the blackboard, and here, dr.y after day, detachments of the Mineral Point youth used to marshal their forces and wrestle mightily with the diflicult task of drawing A B in the sand, or limning the first elements of Cocker. One of the digits was the pencil used, and the erasers were ready at hand, being the fat palms of each lusty little scribe.

When the borough was incorporated in 1837, the school became, to a considerable extent, the protege of the village government, such appropriations being made from time to time as the finances of the place would guarantee. These funds, in connection with what was subscribed by the people independently, were generally sufiicient to keep the school in operation the greater part of the time during the existence of the first corporatmn.

For some time previous to 1840, the propriety of building a comfortable schoolhouse was discussed by the town authorities, and finally in that year, after nearly half the people of the locality had begun clamoring for something to be done in the way of making improvements in the school facilities, it was decided to erect a new schoolhouse. The building, which was 26x30 feet in area, and 12 feet high, was constructed of stone and brick. It was erected and finished, all but plastering, in the fall of 1840, at a cost of about §500, Joseph Turner and James Hugo being the builders. This edifice may be properly denominated as the first building thus far used, that was a really fit place to confine children during several liours of each day. The first school was taught here during the winter of IS-IO, by J. E. Heaton. The old schoolhouse was subsequently sold for the small sum of $15. In 1844, the brick schoolhouse was enlarged and improved to a considerable extent to provide room for the rapidly increasing number of children, but the extra expenditure so exhausted the exchequer of the district or town, that in the spring of 1845, the school had to be suspended. The schoolhouse was rented very soon after at the nominal sum of $6 per month, and for a year or more following, the only schools in the place were strictly pi-ivate, the town extending no support to them.

Previous to 1840, the old court house was utilized by different parties for school purposes, and even after, according to the exigencies of the times.

One of the teachers who taught here before 1840, was Dr. Losey, who held forth in the court house, having a large patronage. Another of the early schools was taught by C. C. Rynerson, in an old part log and part frame building, which stood on Lot 38, of Vliet's Survey. School was kept here for several years before 1850. The above schools, in connection with the school taught in the old brick schoolhouse, were, previous to the adoption of the State system of schools, the leading educational institutions of the place. There were also other schools at different times to suit the convenience of those who could find no other employment, and seized this method of occupation for a brief time. One school, of considerable importance, not mentioned, was taught by a Mr. Hollow, a preacher, in a small church erected about 1845, as described in the church history. The majority of the schools up to this date were comparatively wretched affairs, especially in the accommodations afforded the little ones. Buildings that would hardly be considered fit to live in, in many cases were used for schoolrooms, and these were but poorly seated, ventilated, warmed and cleaned, the chief object being, seemingly, to get as much money out of the scholars as possible, and give as little in return as possible.

Newspaper Comments

The Trihune of 1849, remarks that there were five schools in Mineral Point, two of them being spoken of as very good. One, taught by Mr. Moore, in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the other, by Percival T. Millette. From the above, it will be seen that there was no dearth of schools, although less and better may have been desirable.

After the introduction of the State law respecting public schools, which became effective after the 1st of May, 1849, the subject of making general and extensive improvements in the schools here were publicly discussed, as appears from an article of June 10, 1849, in a local newspaper, and which is presented without cumraent :

" It is desirable that immediate steps be taken to arouse the people to a sense of their own interests, in relation to the education of youths under the present school system. The law has been in operation since the 1st day of May ; and, hitherto, there has been an apparent apathy on the part of our citizens on this subject, which is anything but desirable. The attempts of the Town Superintendents to discharge their duties are not seconded by the energies of the people themselves - the parents and heads of families. This is much to be regretted, and, as a remedy, and to foster the good work of education, the Town Superintendents of Dodgeville and Mineral Point propose to their fellow-citizens that a county convention of the reverend clergy, Town Superintendents and citizens generally, and all who take an interest in the education of youth, and in the system of public schools as established by law, to be held on Thursday, 19th of July, at the court house."

The Fimt Public School. - On the 1st of May, 1850, the first public school under the improved State law was opened, the attendance was quite large, there being about 200 pupils, and the accommodations provided are spoken of as having been very good. The funds raised by taxation not proving sufficient to meet tlie expenses of the schools, in 1851, the scholars were required to pay 25 cents per month, to be appropriated toward their teachers' salary. This new departure, so soon after the establishment of the new school system. althouL'h it might have been anticipated under preceding circumstances, did not meet with general approval, or, if it did, many of the people did not have the money to pay. At any rate, the school's attendance rapidly diminished, and. witiiin tlie year, the schools were closed for want of funds to continue them. This method of aiding the schools was pursued with varying success for several years, and again, in 1854, the schools were closed for want of funds; but, probably, for no great length of time. One of the schoolhouses of 1855, is spoken of as having no chairs, while " the seats were rickety, and the floors interspersed with yawning gaps."

School Nuisances. - The Tribune, in an article of March 11, 1856, speaks of a movement on foot to start a people's union school, or college, and also says that there is a considerable talk about opening a denominational school under the management of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In this connection, it may be mentioned that a school was then running under the management of the Methodist Episcopal society. A correspondent of that <late, in writing to the Tribune, having been connected with a teachers' institute here, and having examined the schools, describes a school kept in what is denominated '' Carter's Shop," as " a nuisance," it being " a low. dam]) place, where ninety -five boys, from the ages of four to eighteen years, were huddled together." Another place is spoken of as a " dismal den," " with a cold, damp, poisonous atmosphere," which was under the Presbyterian Church, where nearly as many children were congregated. From the general tenor of reports concerning educational facilities at that time, they could not have been up to the average.

The Old Seminary. - The project for the starting of a denominational Methodist pchool, already mentioned, was properly the work of John Nolan, which finally resulted in interesting the General Methodist Conference, and the organizing of a Seminary Association, which became incorporated by an act approved March 20, 1856, with the following board of Trustees : Cyrus Woodman, J. E. Messmore, James Hutchinson, W. Wilcox, John Murrish, John Toay. William H. Curry, William Langdon, Samuel Thompson, M. M. Cotheran, Samuel Wheeler, Alfred Brunson, John Bracken, Robert Frazier, James Davenport, E. C. Jones, Albert McVVright, James Wallis, T. S. Allen, William Huniber and Matthew Dinsdale.

The purpose of the organization is stated in the charter to have been " the establishing, maintaining and conducting an institution of learning."

The first regular meeting of the Trustees was convened three months after the act of incorporation. A subscription was obtained, amounting to over $2,000, in aid of the enterprise.

On the 19th of February, 1857, Lots 1. 2, 7 and 8, of Block 93, Strong's Addition to the city, were purchased as a building site, and general arrangements were made soon after for erecting a substantial and commodious school building. In order to obtain sufficient funds to conduct the scheme to a successful issue, before the building arrangements had ])rogressed to any great extent, the city authorities were induced to lend their credit to obtain §5,000, the same to be secured by a mortgage on the building. This was accomplished under a provision of the city charter, obtained in the spring of 1857. After this, the house was rapidly pushed to completion. Mr. Nolan opened the school when the edifice was ready, and continued the school until 1861.

Previous to this, in 1860, the Trustees of the seminary, finding the institution not really profitable, and knowing that the city needed a good public school building, made a proposition to sell the property to the city. Accordingly a citizens' meeting was held on August 20, 1860. and §2,500 were voted to pay off the outstanding expense incurred by the seminary authorities in erecting the buildiug, over and above the §5,000 spoken of. Nothing further of moment was done until the 28th of January, 1861, when a bargain was finally consummated by the city purchasing the property. The Trustees in the meantime had secured an act, approveil February 9, 1861, by which they were authorized to dispose of the property as they saw fit, and thus enabling the city to buy.

The building as intimated, was not yet finished, so the first thing to be done was to complete the work before the institution would be fit throughout for occupancy. Tlie first teacher employed by the city as Principal in the new school building was I. E. Pillsbury, one of his daughters being the first assistant.

The following extracts made from an article published in March, 1859, exhibits the condition of the common schools of the town at that time.

" Warren's School on Fountain street accommodated about forty-five scholars, which were progressing rapidly, but the building in which the school was taught was entirely unfit for the purpose. It was so situated that whenever a rain-storm carae, large ((uantities of mud were washed in under the door, onto the floor, where it would have collected had it not found ready egress through the gaping cracks. It is spoken of as a disgrace to allow a school to be kept in a building not fit for human habitation."

In June of that year, the City Council purchased a brick building of Chas. Bracken, known as the Westminster (or Old School) Presbyterian Church, and fitted it up for a school-house.

A local paper at this time quaintly remarked : " Under the circumstances, this may be a wise movement, it being understood that the old schoolroom on Fountain street will be converted into a stable, for which it has been remarkably well adapted for a number of years."

In 1860, from general reports, it appears that the schools were never better or in a more prosperous condition. At this time it will be remembered the city was one school district, controlled by the city authorities, in accordance with the charter of 1857. Such portions of the town as belonged to tlie old district, that were not within the city limits, were set off" and united with other districts ; satisfactory arrangements were eff"ected with regard to the division of, and pay for, the joint property. In accordance with a charter, a City School Superintendent was appointed, and after the purchase of the seminary property and the Presbyterian Church, a regular system was adopted, the schools being divided into seven departments ; one high school ; three intermediate and three primary. This condition of things did not last long, for in an article published by the City Board, of March 12, 1862, they announce that the high school department will be conducted for a few months by Mr. Pillsbury, as a private school, the parents having agreed to supply any deficiency that might arise in the payment of the tuition fees. Eventually the public school system was resumed, and has been continued successfully to the present time.

On the 5th of November, 1861, the City Council, upon a petition of the School Board, submitted the question to the people as to whether a tax of $4,000 should be levied or not to build a new schoolhou.se. This project was defeated by a vote of 125 against 103. The exigencies of the war arising at that time made such a demand upon the resources of the community that the idea of erecting a new school building was abandoned for the time. Nothing further was done in the matter until 1867 ; then, in response to a petition, the City Council announced a special vote to be made on the 2d of April of that year, for the purpose of authorizing a $5,000 tax and loan to erect a new school building. The ballot resulted in a three-fourths majority in favor of the tax, so this was finally decided. Very soon after, the contract for erecting what is known as the Second Ward Sciiool Building was let. and within a year the structure was completed and a school under full tide of operation. During this year, the brick schoolhouse and the Lots 11 and part of 12, in Block 23, of M. M. Strong's Addition, connected therewith, were sold to the Methoilist Episcopal society for $1,000. This brought the building actually in use, to accommodate the school, down to the present number, for the old brick schoolhouse was then being rented, and subse(|uently was sold, with the lot on which it stood, at auction, for $200.

In September, 1875, a meeting of the people was called, in accordance with an act of the Legislature, approved that spring (Chapter 233), to decide upon having a free high school, under the law. The vote being favorable, the board immediately instituted this department where the former high school had been conducted. W. W. Rav was the first teacher here at $1,20(1 per annum.

Since the establishment of the city schools, the reports of general progress have been uniformly excellent, the standing having been kept up to the best known throughout the State. The number of pupils, in average attendance in the high school department was, during 1880, thirty-two, all of whom are on the free list, or residents of the town. In the city, during last year, there was an attendance of 542 children between the ages of four and fifteen years, who find ample accommodation in the various departments, which are provided with three male and female teachers. There are also three private schools in the city that are attended bv six female teachers. The school buildings now in use are creditable to the character and intelligence of the people, being commodious and neatly furnished, as well as being well heated and ventilated, no means having been spared to make them all that can be desired.

Early Telegraphic Communication

Up to 18-1:9, the only means of communication with the outside world afforded to the citizens of Mineral Point, was through the mails or by special messengers. In view of the nature of commercial life and transactions, this condition of things often subjected the business men here to a great inconvenience and ofttimes absolute losses, which could have been avoided by quick communication with the large trade centers. Thus It will be readily surmised, that when a proposition was made to erect a telegraph line, by the operatives of the old Hotchkiss Telegraph Company, the people were not only interested, but a liberal pecuniary support was extended by the representative business men of the place.

During the summer of 1849, the company being satisfied with the encouragement given, began the work of erecting the line, and by the Ist of December of that year had it completed ready for transmitting messages. The office was situated in the old Miller building on Lot 40. The Tribune was then located in that building, and its editor, G. W. Bliss, was appointed telegraphic operator. The line which extended to Dodgeville was in operation several days before the main line was open.

At 9 o'clock P. M.. December 1, the circuit was opened, and the signal I. I., 0. K. & D. I., was received at Mineral Point. The first message transmitted was one complimentary to the Madison editors from G. \V. Bliss, of the Tribune, to which H. A. Tenney, of the Argus, answered with exchange of greetings. The company failed, and the line was abandoned after about four years, and thus ended the first telegraphic enterprise with the exception of the Dodgeville end, which is still in operation.

The old company was known as the " Hotchkiss Line, Milwaukee, Galena & Chicago Telegraph." The proprietors were Messrs. Hotchkiss & Powers. In communication with Milwaukee, Waukesha, Whitewater, Fort Atkinson, Janesville, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Madison, Dodgeville, Mineral Point, ShuUsburg, Hazel Green, Galena, Beloit, Rockton, Rockford, Belvidere, Racine, Southport, Waukegan, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York, Boston, Washington, St. Louis, Port Washington, Sheboygan, Sheboygan Falls, Fond du Lac.

From this time until 1868, although the railroad had been in operation for over ten years, there was no outside telegraph connection. Perhaps the town would have remained without it much longer, had not the Mississippi Valley Company sent their special agent here, J. W. Crouse, to confer with the inhabitants about establishing a line. The matter was at once taken in hand by the business men, and such substantial encouragement was extended by them that within a few hours after Mr. Grouse's arrival, the establishment of another telegraph was an assured thing. A subscription paper was circulated by William T. Henry, and in one forenoon thirty-three subscribers were secured who took fifty-five shares, at $50 per share. They were as follows : William T. Henry, James Spensely, John Strachan, William Langon, Brewer and Penhallegon, A. B. Ferris, D. M. Piatt, A. K. Johnson, John Spensely, Gumbert and Hughes, J. Graber, P. Lanahan, R. 1). Pulford, J. Gundry, P. Allen & Co., J. M. Hadfield, T. J. Clancey & Co., G. W. Cobb, Langan, Kinsman k Co., Josiah Langon, Gillman Brothers, Samuel Code, E. J. Cooper, A. Wilson, Powell & Lawrence, Amasa Cobb, J. J. Ross, John James, James Hutchison, J. Speilman, Argall & Walker, David Jacka and Gundry & Gray. The line was duly constructed according to agreement, but had only gotten fairly under operation, when it passed into the hands of and was continued by another company. The stockholders lost all they had invested, and would have lost more, as the original price of the shares was $100, had not Mr. Henry inserted a written proviso that they were to be but $50 each. The line is at present being operated by the Western Union Company. Thus, after a considerable pecuniary loss upon the part of the people, a permanent line was secured.