Marathon County, Wisconsin - Chapter 8, 1913

Chapter 8

The Waiisau and South Line Plank Road - First Issue of Bonds for Higlnmy Work - The Mechanic's Ridge - Inauguration Ball at . U'ausau on the Event of President Pierce's Inauguration - Mike Rousseau's Bxind - The Finest House in IVausau - Change of Place of Supplies - Hon. George IV. Gate - Mail Route from Ontonagon to IVausau.

The deplorable condition of all means of communication with the outside world except the turbulent river, continued to exist as shown by these well remembered facts : Miss Harriett Crown came with the family of James Single up here from Stevens Point in 1852; they were traveling with a horse team; but it took them three days to come to Wausau. Of course after Miss Crowm had arrived here she was in some \vay compensated for the hard journey by the hearty welcome of the members of her own sex, who held a little party in her honor, so that they could become acquainted with her, and in counting the number of the women folks, they found that the newcomer was the eleventh of them, two only being single, which in the case of Miss Crown was soon changed, as in the following year she became the wife of Burton Millard.

In one of the mills on the Eau Claire the provisions gave unexpectedly out and more had to be had w-ithout delay. A horse team was procured to go to Stevens Point, and to make sure of a quick arrival with the needed foodstufif, five men besides the teamster went with the team to clear out the road and help the wagon out of tight places, and it took the team three and a half days to return from the Point with a load of 1,200 pounds.

The population had grown and the demand for food supplies increased, but the taxable resources did not keep step, most of all lands being still untaxable and the means to obtain supplies were as bad as ever.

The situation had become unbearable, and on the 26th day of August, 1854, the county board, C. A. Single and B. F. Berry, the chainnan being absent, "Ordered, that a notice be published in the U-isconsin Pinery (a newspaper published at Stevens Point) for four successive weeks, calling an election for the testing the sense of the voters in relation to the loaning of the credit of the county for the purpose of assisting in building the South Lme & Wausau Plank Road." *

On the seventh day of October, 1854, the election was held and there were -j-j votes for, and 2 against it; a very light vote on such an important question.

In consequence of this vote and probably having found a party or parties willing to undertake the building of this road on the security furnished by the county, the county board on the 29th day of March, 1855, appointed Benjamin Single as stock commissioner, and directed him to subscribe in behalf of Marathon county $10,000 to the capital stock of the South Line and ^^^ausau Plank Road Compau)' and sign the bonds in behalf of the county.

Mr. B. Single evidently was not in sympathy with this move to bond the county, paying 12% interest thereon, and refused to accept the office, whereupon on July 2, 1855, the county board appointed Asa Lawrence in his place and stead.

The bonds were issued later in portions of $2,500 at a time and turned over to the contractor as the road work progressed, but it was not until 1857 that the work \\as begun and the opening of the road was not completed until 1858; but it was many years and after an additional expense of ten thousand dollars by the county besides the expenses had by the towns through which it ran, to make a fairly passable road.

But it was a great improvement, making the distance to Stevens Point shorter by ten miles and enabled people to come to Wausau in two instead of three or four days, and making it passable for horse teams by taking due care.

A bridge was built across the Wisconsin at ^losinee by Henry Gate in 1854-1855, and a bridge ordered to be built across the Eau Claire river at Scholfield by C. A. Single for $1,250, and one across the Wisconsin at Wausau by Perley Dodge for $1,815. T'le years from 1855 to 1857 were the flush times of Wisconsin.

An emigration unprecedented in the annals of the United States had set in and was coming to the new state of Wisconsin. The great majority of the emigrants were German farmers who settled on lands in the southern and western parts of the state, next in numbers were the Norwegians, and then the Irish, most all of whom took to farming, only Milwaukee attracting a considerable number of professional workers. The population had increased

* Several questions of similar kind regarding tax levies had been submitted to a vote of the people, which shows that the referendcim was made use of by our forefathers as a self-evident proposition, but they did not think worth while to claim a patent right as for an invention.

from 305,391 in 1850 to 552,109 in 1855; the emmigrants, as a rule, brought sufficient money with them to buy the cheap lands which attracted them ; they were industrious and thrifty, all of which stimulated business and helped to make good times. But it gave at the same time an impulse to speculation, which was aided by the issue of large amounts of notes of state banks which circulated as money. Railroad building was contemplated, promised to be built into every settlement, and farmers and village residents were induced to subscribe for railroad stocks, and gave notes secured by mortgages on their real estate in payment for stock, expecting rich returns from the increased value of their land after the railroad came within a short distance from their farms or villages. The Milwaukee & Horican Railroad succeeded in securing quite a large amount of mortgages in the pinery at Wausau on village lots and lands in Marathon county as well as in other parts of the state. These securities were sold, came in the hands of innocent purchasers (so-called) long before they became due, and had to be paid, although the railroad stock given in exchange was absolutely worthless, the promised railroad not having been built. Some of the Wausau parties who had subscribed paid, some settled, some let their lands go for the mortgage, and in many instances the mortgages were cut off by later tax deeds, and by some sharp practice some of the bitten victims escaped payment. But in the south where farmers were living and occupying their lands, they had to pay when the bubble bursted. Marathon county profited indirectly in this flush times; the bonds were taken and the road to Stevens Point cut out in 1857-1858; lumber prices were high and this county got a share of the most desirable emigration, Germans and Irish, going farming.

The road to Stevens Point was cut out where it is now located \\ith very slight changes made later ; it stopped at the south line of the county on the town line of 25 and 26 from where it was yet eighteen miles to Stevens Point. It has always been claimed by the supply teamsters, who knew every foot of the road, that Portage county refused to improve the road from the county line to Stevens Point to the great dissatisfaction and hurt of the people in Marathon county. The whole supply trade came now from Berlin in the winter and from Gills Landing in the summer via Stevens Point, and Stevens Point profited undoubtedly greatly by the constant travel and hauling of supplies. But its failure to do its share in making a fairly passable road to connect the end of the South Line road with Stevens Point created an unfriendly feeling in the minds of the Wausau people against Portage county which existed for many years and asserted itself finally in the detemiination of the Wausau business men to resist the building of the Wisconsin "Valley Railroad to Wausau via Stevens Point, leaving the two cities unconnected by railroad, except by way of Junction City, no doubt to the detriment of both places. It is sumiised if not susceptible of proof, that the sum of $25,000 given by a large number of the business men of Marathon county, nearly all Wausau men, as an additional contribution to the Wisconsin Valley Railroad after it had already contracted with the county for the building of the road to Wausau, was expressly given on condition that said railroad should not run into Stevens Point. They seemed to fear that if the road once struck Stevens Point, some mysterious influence would prevent the building of the road to Wausau.

If the Wisconsin Valley Railroad would have run into Stevens Point and then to Wausau instead of cutting off the latter city by way of Junction City, it would have benefited both cities, but that unfriendly feeling referred to had its baneful effect for the existence of which, however. Portage county must be held responsible.

The next temi of the circuit court was held in the "Blue Eagle" - a one and one-half story building. It opened February 16, 1852, with the same judge and other officers, and an indictment was found against Timothy Engler, the town treasurer. He had collected some of the taxes and absconded, but the amount must have been hardly more than to get him out of the country, because it appears in later proceedings that the bondsman, G. G. Green, was discharged from all liability by the pajnnent of $200.

Walter D. Mclndoe was again the man upon whom the task fell to accept the vacant office and bring order in the chaos brought about by Engler's flight.

There were several other indictments found which, however, never culminated in a trial, and there being no other business, court adjourned February 17th, after one day's session. The next and last court held by Judge Larrabbee was held in August, 1853, and again adjourned without any important business having been brought to the attention of the court.

The building and erection of the saw mills and keeping them in repair had brought quite a number of millwrights and mechanics to Wausau. After they had ascertained that the hardwood ridges around Wausau were good, arable land, they improved the opportunity to enter lands from the government as soon as it was sun'eyed and subject to entry, secured eighty acres, and they went farming. They could clear and plant when not otherwise engaged, leave their families on the land (those who had families), raise some vegetables and keep at least a cow. Cows were purchased and brought up from what was then called "The Indian Countrj^" in the Green Lake prairie near Berlin and Princeton. They cut the road out in 1854 and started. The road went slanting up the east hill, beginning somewhere at the east end of La Salle street, and from the top of the hill took a northeasterly direction not quite reaching what is now called Nutterville. Along that road they set-, tied, scattering from four to six miles and started farming. There were D. Ferguson, William Gowan, Daniel Gowan, W. W. Wilson, B. Millard, E. Wilson, Calvin Crocker, Hass and M. F. Billing, G. Perkins, and later William Bradford, J. W. Nutter and F. Constable. Nearly all sold out as soon as German emigration had given more value to the land, except J. W. Nutter, who died after making a fine farm. The ridge whereon they settled is one of the finest in all Marathon county, and became widely known as "Mechanic's Ridge."

Another short road was begun to be cut out by the county to lead up into town Texas, a little north from James Moore creek, going east and then north, which became known as the "Whiskey Road'' from the fact that in the opinion of the county board too much whiskey was consumed while cut out, which unnecessarily increased the cost.

Among the new arrivals in 1854 was Dr. D. B. Wiley, who engaged in lumbering; bringing up here the first portable mill in 1856, where logs were hauled to the mill in the winter and sawed, the lumber hauled to the river below the fall, and rafted during the winter, and run out in the same spring, where there was always a good reliable freshet.

It has already been described how the pinery settlements were scattered over a large territory and there was little chance if any for social gatherings. Nevertheless or because of that scattered condition, they felt the need of coming together sometimes, and the distance to be walked or traveled by ox team, there being neither stage nor stage horses or roads, only lent increased charms to occasions of that kind. In the spring of 1853, John Le Messurier had his new hotel or tavern finished, and the event was celebrated with a dance, solemn for the occasion and the published program printed in Stevens Point, because there was then no printing office here, is reprinted here to show how far people at that time would go or come for a social gathering.

Invitation To Inauguration Ball

The company of yourself and Lady is respectfully solicited to attend a ball in Wausau on Friday, March 4th, 1853, at the House of John Le Messurier.

M. Rousseau's band consisted of himself alone. He played the fiddle for this and the next generation and there was no one who could compete with him. Xo dance was a first class dance unless he furnished the music. His fiddle could be heard over a whole city block and he had a way of singing out the figures of the quadrille or square dances in a stentorial, nevertheless mellifluous voice as an accompaniment to his violin, which simply charmed the dancers.

He was a character in himself. Good natured withal, a large, massive man, of fair education obtained in the Soult Mary's misson school I he had a trace of Indian blood), where he was brought up, he came here early and for years acted as interpreter for the Indians at Washington and later afterwards was foreman in the mill of W. D. Mclndoe; still later he removed to Stevens Point where he was sheriff and deputy sheriff for several years, but even as late as 1890 the older generation which had danced to his music in their younger days, when they v.anted a good old-fashioned dance, had him come to play and sing out his figures as in the auld lang syne.

The enlarged output of lumber caused by the installing of muley saws, needed the employment of more men in the mills and also in the running of the Imnber ; the village had been platted, people could get title to land on which to build, in consequence of which little buildings were put up, scattered though over four or five blocks of the original plat with trails leading up to the houses.

One saw filer. J. Kennedy, also working for Mclndoe and e\'idently impressed by the spirit of his employer, built a house for himself and his family on the comer of Fourth and Forest street in 1854 which at the time and for many years afterwards, was the finest home in Wausau. It stands today, with very small additions made since that time, where originally built and is now the property of the A. Schuetz heirs.

Corey built a house on Third street where now stands the First National Bank building, and a few buildings were erected on \\'ashington street. Howfew and scattered the buildings were as late as 1854 is apparent from the fact that even as late as 1854 a saw filer working in the mill of \V. D. Mc- Indoe, buried his deceased wife on his lot in the block between First and Second and Jefferson and Scott streets, where the little mound covering her grave could be seen until his removal from here years afterwards.

Galena still remained the base of supply for the pineries until the latter part of the decade from 1850 to i860, which may seem curious to many readers and needs some explanation. As heretofore pointed out, the lead region had attracted the first great emigration, part of which took up farming.

The lands-being rich, fertile and easy of cultivation because mostly prairie, soon proved more attractive than lead mining and so when Wisconsin became a state that portion, including Grant county with a population of 16,169, Lafayette with a population of 11,531, and Rock with 20,750, was the thickest settled portion of the state. The erection of Fort Winnebago in 1828, so-called because it stood on land claimed by that tribe, caused a settlement to spring up in close proximity which took the name of Portage City, from the historic portage. It became the county seat of Columbia county which in 1850 had a population of 9,565, a large element being emigrant farmers.

It was the time prior to the railroads when the natural water routes were utilized. Galena being the largest nearest place to Fort Winnebago and Portage City with a navigable water way connecting them, it was not long before a steamboat plied upon the \\-aters of the Mississippi and the Wisconsin between the two places. As early as 1849 a little steamboat, the Enterprise, made trips between them and carried on commerce. Then from Portage City supplies were carried up through the open country by wagon as far as Stevens Point; from there the heavy forest barred the passage of wagons, and as early as 1850 there was a regular stage service between Portage and Stevens Point which carried mail.

But after 1856 there was a change. The Green Lake prairies had become settled, a railroad began building towards Berlin and Oshkosh, and from the latter place a steamboat was already on the Wolf river to Gills Landing; Berlin could be reached from Stevens Point better than Portage City, and when the railroad reached Oshkosh in 1859 with a boat on the \Volf river to Gills Landing and a railroad ran as far as Berlin, the base of supply was changed.

The lower country had so much grown that a new judicial circuit was created in 1854, including the counties of Adams, Waupacca, Waushara, Portage, Wood, Marathon, and Juneau, constituting the sixth judicial circuit of Wisconsin, and the Hon. George W. Gate was elected as judge thereof.

He held the first term in Marathon county in the month of February, 1855, and was continually elected without opposition, remaining on the bench until 1874, in which year he was elected a member of congress from the eighth congressional district, of which Marathon county was then a part.

This congressional district was heavily republican, and it was his own popularity which carried him through, but in the following election when party feeling ran high and party lines were closely draw^n, he was defeated by a small majority. Before his election as judge he had served two terms with distinction as a member of the assembly and w-as one of the managers for the state in the impeachment trial of Judge Hubbell. Although a resident of Portage county he was personally very highly thought of by the people of Marathon county. He was a fine lawyer, a scholar, and as an advocate before a jury he had no superior in the state. He had come to the pinery when only nineteen years of age, a poor lad, and supported himself for a while as a common mill laborer, working on the construction of the Eau Glair dam. He reached a high old age and retained his mental faculties until the end, practicing his profession and died universally respected at Stevens Point in the spring of 1905.

The Ghippewa Indians were all the while very numerous around Wausau, Mosinee, and Merrill, but did not molest the whites. They received their annuities at Wausau, which undoubtedly helped the trade in this place. Mail continued to arrive from Stevens Point, and there was a mail route established from Ontonagon to Wausau. There was the old Indian trail from Lake Superior to the portage, which was utilized. The mail was carried in sleds by dogs in the winter, but was discontinued in the summer, as then steamboats kept up commerce on Lake Superior. Later on towards the end of the fifties the trail was cut and widened to let a team through in the winter, and mail went there nearly regularly being drawn by ponies, and then called the pony express. It was discontinued when the railroad reached up in the northern peninsula.

There were stations so-called, one at Grand Father Falls, the next at Grand Mother, next at Pelican near Rhinelander, and from there to Lake View Dessert, and crossing the watershed, the route followed closely the course of the Ontanagon river.