Monroe County, Wisconsin - The Legend of Castle Rock, 1912

The Legend of Castle Rock

Among the natural curiosities to be found in Monroe county there is, situated near Sparta, an enormous bhitf which is about 600 feet high, liaving on its summit a large circular rock, and from its resemblance of an ancient castle it has received the name of Castle Rock. It is about five miles northeast from the city and surrounded by a range of l)luft"s. and is plainly visilde for a long distance along the St. Paul railway when approaching Sparta from the east. For a great many years it has been a resort for picnic parties and travelers and a curiosity even fo those Avho reside near it. The top can now be reached by means of a ladder and a view from its summit unfolds a ])eautiful picture such as only AYisconsin can produce, and on a clear day even the hills of Minnesota are plainly visible. Around this beauty spot has been drawn a delightful romantic legend from the pen of D. jMcBride. Esq.. now deceased, foi-merly one of the editors of the Sparta Herald, which runs as follows :

"Some 200 years ago a roving band of Senecas made a raid upon the land of the Dakotas, while the latter were on the warpath, in pursuit of the Cheyennes, and captured Yah-ha-rah (Silent AVater), daughter of Keneau-ton-aken (AVar Eagle). A terrible storm having struck down the Seneca chief and tlu^ majority of his followers soon after the raid, his brother, Po-ga-mie, took the captive girl to the French missionary station, at the point now known as ]\Iackinaw, where she was ransomed by the missionaries and put under the charge of the 'sisters' until such a time as she could l)e returned to her relatives. At this place Silent Water made the acquaintance of a young Frenchman l)y the name of LeClere, who had been banished from his native land for killing a person of rank in a duel. The two lonely ones became sympathizers, and a tender affection sprang up between them, which was soon interrupted by the appearance of AVar Eagle, who had, after some months, succeeded in finding the Avhereabouts of his child and had come to take her home. LeClere was lonely after Silent AVater had gone, and he resolved to seek liis l(i\f ill till' 1.111(1 dl' the Dakotas. Taking an interpreter with him lie stalled out on his journey, and after many stirring adventures reached the camp o\' War Eagle. He Jiow found that the old chief had betrothed liis daughter to a favorite, ]\Iame-tah, looked on LaClere Avith distrust and jealousy. F'inding that their love was hopeless if they remained in the land of the Dakotas, the young lovers planned an elopement. Tliey left the lodges Avhile War Eagle was on the war-path, hut were closely followed by Mam-e-tali. who led I hem a Jiard eluise, until he was finally slain by the arrows of Silent AVater. In their wanderings, for they were journeying towards the missionary station, the young lovers discovered the bluff, now known as Castle Kock, the beauty of Avhich so charmed Silent Water that she begged LeClere to make a lodge there for the season, at least, and iie reluctantly complied. The rock ))ecame their castle, and on its very summit w^as their wigwam erected. Autumn was beginning to brighten 'the oak leaves with a ruddier hue, and the lovers had concluded that they would shortly continue their journey towards the missionary station Avhen an incident occurred tliat dashed all of their hopes from them. Wai- Eagle, who had spent the intervening time in searching for his child, came suddenly upon them, just as they were preparing for their departure. Silent AYater discovered him and his followers sitting at the base of the rock one morning upon arising from lier eouch. The chief and his men were in counsel, and when the counsel was ended the former advanced close to the rock and ])ade liis child, whom he could not see, to come down, declaring at the same time that he intended to kill LeClere and to take her home. The lovers resolved at once to die together if either nnist die: but they also concluded to sell their lives dearly, and they made instant ])i-eparation to defend their fortress. The siege lasted for several days - in fact, until all the arrows and ammunition of tln^ Ix^sieged ones had been used, then, clasped in each others arms, they awaited the end. War Eagle, on finding himself no longer o])- posed, boldly ascended the rock and aimed an arrow at the breast of LeClere, Avhich was anticipated by Silent Watei". who sprang forward in time to receive a death wound, thus for a nioment saving her lover's life. P'xasperated by her death LeClere smote "War Eagle Avith his weapon, and having rendered the old chief senseless, hurried the body from the eminence. A moment later the Frenchman yielded up liis sjiii-it at the hands of War Eagle's braves.

torn and crumbled the stately form and graceful battlements into small rocks and sandy debris at the base of the rock. Its beautiful flowering shrubbery and noble crown of evergreens have long since disappeared. Naught but the scraggy stubs and roots of the tall red cedars that once adorned the lofty summit are left to tell the sad and melancholy tale of the fearful tragedy at Castle Rock."

Chaptkk Viit Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul

Rnnuiiig tlirough the county of IMoiiroe are two good systems of railroads which Jiave brought not a little to the development of the resources and interests of tliis county, as well as of the state of AVisconsin, and a brief outline of the history of these two great lines deserves a place in this work. For after all that may be said it is i)Iain to i)e seen from the records of the past that the real development of the county began Avith the establishment of the railroad system affording, of course, a rapid and cheap method of transportation when othci-wise food, clothing and supplies of all kinds and public travel wci'e accomplished by means of the old-fashioned stages and frcnght-hauling lines, with teams.

Tile LaCrosse and ^Milwaukee Railroad Company was incorporated by an act of the legislature, approved on the 2nd day of April, 18r)2. Its first president Avas Byron Kilborn. a man who played such a prominent part in the development of the city of ^Milwaukee and of ihe state. In 1854 stock subscriptions were obtained, and ;i survey having been made the general line of the road was established on Avhat is ]>ractically the same route now used by the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul railway between ^Milwaukee jind LaCrosse. Previous to this, liowevei-. in 1851, the ^Milwaukee and Koiid dii Lac Kailroad Comi)aiiy was incorporated and in 185o the conii)aiiy received its eiuirtei" under liie name of Alilwaukee, Fond d\i Lac and Green l^ay railroad. By an act of Ihe legislature. ;ij)i)i'oved .lune 27. 185.'i these iwo railroads were allowed and autiioi-i/.ed 1o coiisolid;ite. which ihey did. niid began the building of Ihe road towards Fond dii L;ic later on in 1854. The Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and Green liay railroad was consolidaleil with the LaCrosse and ^Milwaukee company, assuming the latter nanu> and proceeded Avith the eonsti-uction of the road already commenced, by turning it in tlie direction of LaC'rosse.

assist in railroad purposes, and the western part of this was conferred by the state to the LaCrosse and INIilwaukee company after the consolidation, and on March 14, 1857. the road was completed as far as Portage, ninety-eight miles from ^Milwaukee and just about one-half way to what is now the city of LaCrosse. The times were hard during the year 1857-58 and the railroad, in common with other l)usiness interests, suffered very much and there were a numlier of changes in its officers. Tlic cud of the year 1857 found this little railroad with a debt of .^8,263,660.91, while the entire stock issue of the road amounted to $7,687,540.26. The annual report of that year is truly a story of financial embarrassment and business difficulties. The report set out as fully as the officials dared to but in a much guarded manner the disastrous results of the acts of the legislature and other official corruption by which the land grant of the previous year was obtained. On the 27th day of September, 1857, the road passed into the hands of Selah Chamberlain, avIio had been the original contractor and builder of a portion of it. He leased it from the LaCrosse and jMilwaukee company and continued with the construction of the road, and the whole line was opened up from INIilwaukee to LaCrosse on the first day of October, 1858.

In 1860 Chamberlain surrendered the lease to ^Messrs. Broson & Sutter, the trustees of the second mortgage holders at this time. An order was made by the United States District Court appointing Col. Hans Crocker as receiver of the western division of the road from Portage to LaCrosse. He was also subsetpiently appointed receiver of the eastern division from Portage to INIilwaukee, and after taking possession of the entire road he operated it until the 12th day of June. 1863, when by an order of the court he surrendered tlie western division to the INIilwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company as purchaser, and turned over the eastern division of the same company to operate under him as receiver, in which capacity he continued to act until January 9, 1866, when the entire road went into the possession of the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company. Previous to this the Chicago and St. Paul Railroad Company had l)een organized and started to build a line between Chicago, INIilwaukee and St. Paul, and on the first day of January, 1872, the Milwaukee and St. Paul company formally purchased the Chicago and St. Paul railroad. This was made by giving the bonds of the St. Paul company for about $4,000,000 in gold, payable in London in 1902, bearing 7 per cent interest. The road between Milwaukee and Chicago was not completed until 1872, and in the following year was transferred to the ]\Iihva\ikoo and St. Paul company and a route 410 miles lon^ between ^lihvaukee and St. Paul then completed. The road continued to operate under the name of Milwaukee aiul St. Paul railroad until Febnuiry. 1S74, when hy an act of 1he legislature the name was changed to the Chicago. ^lilwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company, which name it has borne ever since.

In 1874 the legislature passed wliat Avas known as the "Potter" law, wliich limited the rates foi- passengers and freight traffic, and this provided for a l)oard of railroad commissioners. This law Avent into effect ^lay 1. 1874. and George II. Paid. John W. TToyt and Joseph Hosborn were appointed railroad commissioners. At about this time there was considerable feeling on the part of the people against the railroad company on account of the fact that the 7-ailroads regarded the "Potter'' law as unconstitutional and refused to reduce their charges for the passage and freight traffic until compelled to do so by a decision of the supreme court of the state.

In 1876, however, the "Potter" law was repealed and a law passed establishing the maximum prices for freights, and since that time there has been considerable legislation Avhich has resulted in the present law giving supervision of railroads to the jurisdiction of a railroad commission appointed by the governor.

The Chicago, .Milwaukee and St. Paul railway has completed the line to the coast, beginning at Mobridge. South Dakota, where it joins on to the end of the old line under tlie lunne of Chicago, ^Milwaukee and Puget Sound raihvay. While llu' two systems are i)ractically one lliey are i-un under sepai'ate management, and through this county tliei-e now passes daily two of the finest passenger trains, perhaps, in the world, the '" Olympian" and the "Columbian," fitted wilh every convenience known for the comfort of a tvn\eler.

The Northwestern Railroad Company

In the year 187.S the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company eonstrueled its line through this county. This eompany was first organized as tlie Illinois and Wisconsin Railway Company and was to lun the line from Chicago to the Wisconsin state line. It was consolidated, iiowever. with the Rock Rivei; Valley Union railroad, which was to run from the state line to Fond du Lac and thus to form what was afterwards designated the St. Paul and Fond du Lac Air Line Railway Company.

Railway Company. Subsequently the Dixon, Rockford and Kenosha and the Galena and Chicago railroads became consolidated with and a part of the Northwestern in June, 1864, and in October that same year it absorbed the Peninsular railway, and in 1869 the Detroit and INIadison railway, and in 1871 tlie Baraboo Air Line, running from ^Madison, and in due course the Northwestern absorbed the Winona and St. Peter running from AVinona to New Ulm, Minnesota, and thence extended to Lake Kanipeska, Dakota, 320 miles from the Mississippi river. The line was built from iNIadison to Elroy, where it formed connections with the West Wisconsin railroad, and this and the other line formed the shortest route from Chicago to St. Paul, only lacking a short length to fill the gap between AVinona and Elroy, but while this Avas not a \'ery great distance and the difficulties encountered in constructing this line were tremendous. There was in existence a company called the LaCrosse, Trempeleau and Prescott Railway Company which contemplated building a railroad from AVinona, running southwest into Alonroe county. The Northwestern company purchased this road from AA^inona junction, finished the track to Sparta, Alonroe county, and opened the whole line for regular traffic with a grand excursion on the 25th of September, 1873. The line from Aladison to Sparta passes through one of the most picturesque portions of AVisconsin, and nowhere in the state can more beautiful scenery be found. Passing through Aladison, the lake country, it skirts the shores of Devil's lake, goes by the dells of the Baraboo river, and runs into the beautiful hill country between Elroy and Sparta. But this beautiful hill country was the means of a vast exi^enditure of money, perhaps greater than any other present road in the middle west. Among the difficulties met with were the numerous springs of water, and many devices had to be resorted to in order to continue the work and take care of the tlow. It became necessary to make three long tunnels between Kendall and Sparta, the longest of which, "No. 3," is situated in the town of Ridgeville and is 3,800 feet in length and cost nearly $1,000,000 to construct. The other two, "No. 1" and "No. 2." between Norwalk and AVilton, and AVilton to Kendall, are al)out 1,700 feet in length.

This great company has grown to be one of the important railroads of the country, and a map of its lines shows tlu^ vast territory reached by its various ramifications; and the traffic has demanded not only the building of direct routes, but great hauling capacity for freights to and from the far west, so that in order to avoid the heavy grades between Elroy and Sparta the

Xurlliwcslfni (-uiui)aiiy cMUSftl to in' iiicr>r[)()i'ati'(.l in J!»l() what is known as the "^lihvaukoe, Spai-1a and Northwestern Railway Company." wliieh lias eonslnicted an aii- liuf in tlir slioi-t space of one year from ^Milwaukee to Sjiaila. passin^r through llic eastern and central portion of llic count.w ])iei-('inu- tlic range of hills at Tunnel City, near the tunnel of the St. I'aul (-omi)any, and crossing the tracks of the St. Paul a few miles east of the city of Spar^a. At the time this work will !)(> dis1ril)ut('d trains Avill he in opei'ation on this road.