VOLUME 38 NUMBER 2

PUBLISHED BY THE STAT WINTER, 1954-55

;5^^ife Porticoed and clapboarded, the Benjamin Church house observed the rugged life of early Milwaukee from its Fourth Street site. Restored, and wearing the cloak of a little shrine, it began a new and a somewhat sheltered life in the city's pleasant Estabrook Park through the efforts of the Milwaukee County Historical Society. There., on Septem­ ber 14, 1939, it was named '^Kilhourntotvn House." ON THE COVER: Its fluted columns frosted with snow, its eaves fringed with glittering icicles, how proud it would he to hear the crunching footsteps of a winter wayfarer and the excla­ mation: ^'How lovely, how snug . . . how wise!'' This picture was taken by Don Mereen, Milwaukee; it was entered in the Historical Society's Photographic Competition, Autumn, 1954.

The WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY is imhlislicfl by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 816 State Street, Madison 6, Wisconsin. Distrilmted to members as part of their dues (Annual Membership, $4.00; Contributinf;, SIO: Business and Professional, S25; Life, 1100; Sustaining, 5100 or more annually). ^ early subscription. 54.00; single numbers. 11.00. As of July 1, 1954, introductory offer for M;VV members only. Annual dues $1.00. Magazine subscription $3.00. Communications should be addressed lo the editor. The Society does not assume responsibility for statements made by contributors. Kntered as second-class matter at the post office at Madison, Wisconsin, under the act of August 24, 1912. ("opyright 1954 by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Paid for in part by tlu- Alaria L. and Simeon Mills Editorial Fund and by the George B. Burrows Fund. PERMISSION—Wisconsin newspapers may reprint any article appearing in the II isconsin Magazine of History provided the story carries the following credit line; Reprinted from the State Historical Society's Wisconsin Magazine of History for I insert the season an

PUBLISHED BY THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN • WINTER, 1954-55

Editor: CLIFFORD L. LORD Managing Editor: LILLIAN KRUEGER

CONTENTS

Notes on the Yalta Conference WILLIAM D. LEAHY 67

Andrew Jackson Turner, "Work Horse" of the Repubhcan Party DONALD J. BERTHRONG 77

The History of the Mineral Point and Northern Railway Company (Part II) PAUL S. NADLER 95

Gold Fever in Wisconsin LARRY GARA 106

FEATURES:

Meet the Authors 66 Pandora's Box 94 Smoke Rings 73 Sincerely Yours 109 The Collector 87 Readers' Choice 113 Circuit Rider 91 Accessions 125 meet the authors

FLEET ADMIRAL WILLIAM D. LEAHY the Commander in Chief, serving dur­ graduated from the United States ing 1942-49. Admiral Leahy's medals Naval Academy in 1897. He was and decorations are legion, among commissioned ensign, U.S. Navy in which are the Distinguished Service 1899, which began his ascendancy in Medal and the Navy Cross. A volu­ naval service. In 1939 he was ap­ minous history of the war years, / pointed governor of Puerto Rico, and Was There, was written by Admiral occupied the post of ambassador to Leahy; it is a convincing record of France, 1940-42. From there he was the period, published in 1950, and recalled to become chief of staff to has won wide popularity.

Native of La Crosse, DONALD J. BER­ master of science degrees, acquiring THRONG entered the Armed Forces a Ph.D. in history in 1952. During from State Teachers College, La 1950-51 he was a fellow of the Uni­ Crosse, serving from 1942 to 1946. versity of Wisconsin for History. For He was in the Air Force and the Sig­ some years Dr. Berthrong has been nal Corps, spending the latter part on the history staff at the Univer­ of his service in the Philippines. At sity of Oklahoma, where he teaches the University of Wisconsin he com­ courses in American History and the pleted work for his bachelor and History of the American Frontier.

BENTON H. WILCOX is chief librarian Michigan for a year, he received his of the State Historical Society Li­ B.L.S. degree in 1940. For two years brary. Born in Texas, he earned his Mr. Wilcox was a librarian at Michi­ Ph.D. degree at the University of gan, and then came to Madison to Wisconsin in 1933 and taught history join the Society's staff. Frequently he during 1934-39. After attending the contributes articles and book reviews Library School of the University of to the Wisconsin Magazine of History.

PAUL S. NADLER, New York City, re­ teaching assistant at the University of ceived his master's degree in history Connecticut, and was later an assist­ at the University of Wisconsin in the ant at the University of Wisconsin. summer of 1953. His thesis subject Mr. Nadler began service in the sum­ was "Abandoned Railroads in Wis­ mer of 1953, attended master gunner consin." His interest in railroads be­ school, and has been put in charge of gan at an early age, and it was natu­ service schools and information and ral for his hobby to develop into his education for the 26th AAA Group, field of study. In 1951-52 he was a at Fort Lawton, Washington.

66 WilHam D. Leahy, Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy, a prominent Wisconsinite, fre­ quently finds his way back to the State. The present sketch is based on the Ad­ miral's observations while at the mo­ mentous Allied War Conference at Yalta, in 1945. His brilliant career has put him in coveted places, not the least of these his presence at the Big Three Confer­ ence.

Admiral Leahy

Notes on the Yalta Conference* by William D. Leahy, fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy

This brief story of what happened at the Al­ "Argonaut" was proposed and vigorously lied War Conference at Yalta, where early in advocated by Prime Minister Churchill with 1945 the three Allied political commanders, the basic purpose of getting the Allied high American, British, and Soviet, planned their command in agreement as to details of the joint efforts to accomplish a total defeat of campaigns in our common efforts to conclude Hitler's armies at the earliest possible time, the war with Germany within the year 1945, is prepared from notes made by me at the the prospects for which appeared very favor­ conference meetings. able at the beginning of that year. At that time no thought was given to their America had then the most powerful mili­ publication. They are accurate statements of tary and naval forces ever assembled by any facts as known to me at that time. nation; containing 8,000,000 war trained men The three responsible military leaders of in the Army, and 4,000,000 in the Navy. the then active Allied powers were President General Eisenhower commanding a pre­ Roosevelt, Commander in Chief of the Army dominantly American Army in France and and Navy of the United States; Winston Belgium had already stopped a German offen­ Churchill, Prime Minister of England, who sive attempt to drive the Allies back from the was also Minister of Defense of Great Britain; German border. and Marshal Stalin who exercised direct com­ A Russian Army was advancing from the mand over all the Soviet Armed Forces. southeast toward Vienna. The Allied Big Three Conference at Yalta A great German Army of twenty-six divi­ was organized at the insistent suggestion of sions was confined in Northern Italy by the Prime Minister Churchill and given by him British General Alexander. the code name "Argonaut." Later in the im­ And a great Soviet Army along the Vistula mediate postwar period it became known in in Poland was prepared to attack Berlin. the American press as the most controversial This diversified disposition of the Allied of all the Allied War Councils. Forces indicated clearly a necessity for agree­ ment in detail by the supreme political com­ *The opinions or assertions contained in these notes manders of the Allied effort. express the private opinions of the writer at the time, All three, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the Naval Serv­ agreed to this in principle, but many detailed ice at large. difficulties persisted in the selection of the

67 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

site of the meeting and an agreement on the Flynn of the Democratic National Committee; agenda. Vice Admiral Wilson Brown, Naval Aide; Ad­ President Roosevelt insisted that it was nec­ miral Ross Mclntire, Surgeon General; Major essary for him to have mail communication General E. M. Watson, Military Aide; Stephen with his Congress in order to permit his con­ T. Early, Press Secretary; Commander H. G. stitutional required action on the acts of Bruenn, Assistant Surgeon; and Fleet Admiral Congress. WilHam D. Leahy, Chief of Staff. Marshal Stalin insisted upon a necessity for All of these started from Hampton Roads his being always in immediate contact with on the U.S. Cruiser "Quincy" on January 23, the Soviet Armies that were under his com­ 1945. mand. Later there was much adverse comment in Prime Minister Churchill wanted the con­ the American Press about the condition of ference to be held in the Mediterranean area the President's health, but in working with which always seemed of paramount importance him every day I saw no sign of deterioration to the British. of his physical or mental condition either at The Port of Odessa was given careful con­ sea or ashore after we reached Europe. sideration for the conference but was refused The sea was moderate, and we made a because flying weather there in winter ranged speed of twenty-one knots with a zig-zag from uncertain to very bad. course to avoid submarine attack; covered by President Roosevelt advocated Basra or destroyer escorts, lights out at night, and no some other site near the head of the Persian radio communication at any time. There were Gulf because of the facility and reliability no difficulties en route, and on the tenth day, there of mail communication by air. February 2, 1945, we entered the harbor of Prime Minister Churchill accepted a com­ Valleta on the British Island of Malta in the promise temporary meeting in Malta of the Mediterranean where we found other mem­ British-American Chiefs of Staff. bers of the American Joint Chiefs of Staff Stalin preferred the Crimea which met with who had preceded us by air to consult with final approval by Roosevelt and Churchill, al­ their British contemporaries. though Churchill later told the President that During our ten days' cruise at sea on the if we had searched the world to find the worst "Quincy," the President held daily confer­ meeting place it would not have been as bad ences on problems expected to arise at the as Yalta. Crimea meetings. Many messages had been exchanged on this President Roosevelt had two principles in subject before the Crimea was finally accepted. mind: he wished first to complete Allied plans The American delegation accompanying the for the defeat and surrender of Germany, and President by sea consisted of his daughter second to secure British and Soviet coopera­ Anna Boettiger; James F. Byrnes; Edward J. tion in his efforts to insure a permanent inter­ national peace by the establishment of a United Nations Organization in which he had The U.S.S. ''Quincy" Transported President Roosevelt, Admiral Leahy, and Others, Most of the Way to Yalta. full confidence. To Avoid Submarine Attacks It Traveled a Zig-Zag It was my opinion at that time, formed at Course, Covered by Destroyer Escorts. a previous conference at Teheran, that neither Prime Minister Churchill nor Marshal Stalin shared fully in the President's belief that his proposed United Nations would succeed in preventing international war. However, at Y^alta, by persistent effort he obtained the formal approval of both of them. Neither the Soviets nor Great Britain have since adhered accurately to what I understood to be their formal approval. President Roosevelt also made a persistent effort at Yalta, without success, in which LEAHY : NOTES ON THE YALTA CONFERENCE

Prime Minister Churchill joined, to arrange starting in January 1945 followed a redisposi- that Poland should be permitted to choose tion of Soviet forces that gave him a numeri­ the kind of government it desired without cal superiority of two to one, that combined interference from outside of Poland's borders. with an overwhelming artillery superiority Remaining at Malta during the second and permitted an average advance of about twenty- third of February, continuous and sometimes five miles each day. acrimonious conferences on the question of a Prime Minister Churchill suggested that second front were held between the American General Marshall describe the Allied plans and British Chiefs of Staff, and between Presi­ and prospects on the Western Front which he dent Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill did very clearly. in which the President succeeded in getting Sir Andrew Cunningham then reviewed the British approval to attack the Axis Armies in success of Allied action against the Nazi sub­ Germany instead of having a diversionary at­ marines to date and expressed his opinion tack in the Eastern Mediterranean. that enemy submarines could be controlled. Transporting the delegates numbering about On Monday at 12:30 noon the first Allied 700 from Malta to Yalta by air involved de­ Military staff meeting—British, Soviet, and parting at ten minute intervals during the American—met with Sir Alan Brooke presid­ night of February 2 and 3. The President's ing. It developed into a friendly discussion plane started at 3:30 A.M. and landed at the in which the Soviet Army and Navy appeared Soviet airfield, Saki, at 12:15 P.M., Crimean to be happy to work with us. time, where we were met by a group of high President Roosevelt before that first politi­ political military Soviet officials who accom­ cal conference of the Big Three asked me to panied us in their own Soviet automobiles attend with him all the political conferences. ninety miles to the fifty-room Soviet palace Political assistants who accompanied their Livadia in Yalta where eight plenary sessions Chiefs of Mission at the political conferences of the conference were held. were generally as follows: Livadia Palace was constructed by Czar AMERICAN : Secretary of State E. R. Stettinius; Nicholas II before the First World War. It W. Averell Harriman, Ambassador to Russia; H. F. Matthews, State Department; Charles was looted by the German occupation who left E. Bohlen, Interpreter. it in complete disrepair, and it was used later BRITISH: Anthony Eden, Foreign Secretary; by the Soviets as a rest home for peasants. Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, Ambassador to It, however, had been put into a very satis­ Russia; Sir Alexander Cadogan, Foreign Office; General Sir Hastings Ismay, Per­ factory condition for the conference by the sonal Staff of Prime Minister Churchill; time of our arrival. Major Birse, Interpreter. Meetings of the Military Chiefs of Staff SOVIET: V. M. Molotov, Foreign Commissar; I. M. Maisky; F. T. Gusev, Ambassador to were held in the forenoons, sometimes each England; A. E. Gromyko, Ambassador to separately with their Chiefs of Government U.S.A.; Mr. Pavlov, Interpreter. who in the afternoons attended the plenary political conferences. Spacious Livadia Palace at Yalta, Used by the Mem­ It would appear that the simplest way to bers of the War Conference, Is Here Viewed from the give a brief statement of "What Happened at Side. Overlooking the Black Sea. Built before IForld Yalta" is to take the eight plenary political UarLIt \('t'(lr(l \hiii>f Urinti's \jti', tiir (onfVnt. conferences in succession and give the deci­ sions, if any, that were made at each. The first formal session at Yalta of the three Chiefs of Government lasted from 5 to 7 P.M., February 4. Marshal Stalin asked President Roosevelt to preside, Churchill approved, and the meet­ ing developed into a free discussion of the existing military situation on all the German fronts. Marshal Stalin said that the Soviet attack WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954^55

On February 5, from 4 to 8 P.M., the sec­ A report from the Foreign Ministers rec­ ond plenary session was held, President Roose­ ommended, and it was approved by the Con­ velt presiding. Marshal Stalin brought up the ference, that dismemberment of Germany be question of dismemberment of Germany which added to the terms of surrender. had been previously discussed at the Teheran President Roosevelt then offered for dis­ Conference. cussion his idea of an organization of United Prime Minister Churchill agreed in princi­ Nations to preserve international peace, and ple, suggesting the inclusion of Austria in Secretary of State Stettinius thereupon gave the dismemberment, the isolation of the Ruhr a detailed outline of a proposed charter. and Saar, and recommending that France be Mr. Churchill then made a long talk in sup­ consulted on the dismemberment. port of the President's proposed "United Na­ Stalin proposed a decision to dismember tions Organization." Germany, details to be decided later, Marshal Stalin then said that he believed Churchill could go no further at the time that the greatest danger to the United Nations than to accept the principle of dismember­ would be differences between the three great ment. powers, that he wished the great powers could All agreed to enter "dismemberment" in maintain a united front for a period of fifty the surrender terms. years. He was not at that time prepared to Churchill and Roosevelt agreed that France accept the President's proposal. be given a Zone of Occupation in the post The President then spoke at length about surrender period. the need in Poland for a representative gov­ President Roosevelt stated that United States ernment including all political parties. He had troops could not be expected to remain in no objection to the Curzon line as an Eastern Germany more than two years after the sur­ boundary of Poland and stated that world render whereupon Prime Minister Churchill peace in the future would demand a repre­ said that such a short stay by the American sentative government of all political parties troops demanded a French Zone of Occupa­ in Poland. tion, and that France must be admitted to the Stalin then made a long talk in which he Control Commission either then or later. said the Curzon line was invented by Clemen- It was then decided to give France a Zone ceau and Lord Curzon and not by the Soviets. of Occupation in the British-American Area, He insisted that Poland should be free, and that membership on the Control Commis­ independent, and powerful, that to the Soviets sion would be decided later. such a Polish Government was necessary to The President and Stalin seemed to be in security. full agreement on the undesirability of having He said the Polish emigre government in France on the Control Commission. London had been a constant annoyance to the Stalin brought up the question of repara­ Red Army in Poland. tions in material, money, and man power, but No agreement was reached at this meeting was not ready to discuss details. on the Polish question. Mr. Maisky elaborated on reparations of February 8, at 3 P.M., the American and different kinds and stated that the Soviet share Soviet Chiefs of Staff met to discuss informa­ of money reparations should be 10 billions of tion necessary at the earliest practicable date dollars in ten years. in order that we might proceed with detailed Churchill and Roosevelt then agreed that plans for war against Japan subsequent to the a special Reparations Committee be appointed collapse of Germany. The Soviet Staff was to study reparations. considerate and sympathetic with our ideas The President stated that the United States but could not reply to our questions without did not want any reparations in man power, permission from Marshal Stalin. They prom­ factories, or machinery. He did say that the ised to obtain such approval and did so at Americans might wish to seize some Nazi an early date. property then in the United States. We found no disagreement with Stalin or Tuesday, February 6, Third Plenary Ses­ his military staff in regard to our war with sion. Japan.

70 On February 8, upon the request of the American Staff, President Roosevelt and Mar­ shal Stalin, in the presence of Molotov and Harriman, with Bohlen and Pavlov as inter­ preters, talked about the Japanese war at which time Roosevelt said that with the recent fall of Manila the Pacific war was entering a new phase in which he hoped to establish bases in the Bonin Island and near Formosa, to make plans for the additional bombing of Japan. He hoped that it would not be necessary to invade Japan where there were about 4,000,000 men under arms, but he hoped to force them to surrender by intensive bomb­ ing and blockade. It was my thought at that time that an in­ vasion of Japan by our troops was not neces­ sary, but our Army high command in the In Jovial Mood, Prime Minister Churchill, Presidet, Orient had advised the President to be ready Roosevelt, and Premier Stalin (seated), and Admiral Leahy on the Patio of Livadia Palace at Yalta. to do so if it should become necessary. Marshal Stalin replied that he did not ob­ ject to our having bases at Komsomolsk or peace should meet in the United States on Nikolaevsk on the Amur River, but in regard April 25 and that this conference should de­ to Kamchatka he felt we should wait until cide upon which states may be admitted as the Japanese Consul there was withdrawn. original members. This was approved and the Marshal Stalin and the President at this United States and Great Britain agreed upon private conference agreed upon the importance the request of Marshal Stalin to support the of supply routes by sea from the West coast entry of two Soviet States as original members of America to Eastern Siberia as soon as war to compensate for members of the British broke out between Japan and the Soviet Union. Dominions that would have membership. The President gave Stalin a paper in which The President then took up again the Polish it was requested that the Soviet Staff be in­ problem saying that, while he had no constitu­ structed to enter into planning talks with the tional authority to fix boundaries in Europe, U.S. Staff. he saw no objection to the Curzon line for the The President also told Stalin that he wished Eastern boundary but thought that an exten­ the U.S. Air Force be permitted to use air­ sion of the Western boundary beyond the fields in the vicinity of Budapest for opera­ Oder River would make difficulties by the tions against the Germans in Germany. It was transfer of Germans across the border. Mar­ also desired that a group of U.S. experts be shal Stalin replied that there will be very few permitted to make surveys at an early date Germans remaining in areas occupied by the of the effects of bombing in liberated or occu­ Red Army. pied areas in Eastern or Southeastern Europe It was suggested that a committee of the by the Soviet Armies. three Foreign Secretaries be directed to or­ Stalin promised to give the necessary in­ ganize a government of Poland that would be structions without delay. acceptable to a majority of the political ele­ These were all friendly and considerate ac­ ments in Poland. tions promised by Marshal Stalin to President Mr. Molotov insisted for maintenance of the Roosevelt. Lublin Government and for its inclusion in February 8—The Political conference met any reorganization. at 4 P.M. Prime Minister Churchill objected violently The Foreign secretaries recommended that to recognition of the Lublin Government. He the United Nations Organization to preserve wanted to settle the Polish Government at this

71 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 conference and said that otherwise the con­ should become available to China. Upon a ference would be considered a failure. question by me as to when he thought such This altercation convinced me that Poland forces might be available, he replied reflec­ would probably end up with a Soviet form of tively: "It might be any time in the next 500 government, and I so informed President years." Roosevelt. He replied that he had done the February 9, 1945, the American-British best he could for the Poles so far. Combined Chiefs of Staff made a final ex­ At 7:30 P.M. the plenary meeting adjourned amination of our military report of the Yalta without reaching any agreement on the Polish Conference and at a meeting with President Government problem. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, we On February 8 I had discussions with Am­ obtained approval of the report by both of bassador Harriman and with President Roose­ them. velt on Marshal Stalin's attitude toward enter­ The plenary political meeting on February ing the war against Japan. From these talks 10 lasted from 4 to 8 P.M. It opened with a I learned that: report read by Mr. Eden recommending for (1) Stalin told Roosevelt the Soviets would the Foreign Ministers an organization of the assist us in the war against Japan within two new Polish Government that had been ap­ or three months after the collapse of Germany. proved by the three Chiefs of Government. (2) That Stalin desired no reparations from This compromise report seemed to me to Japan. be so vague and indefinite as to promise little (3) That he would support the Government or nothing toward the establishment of a gov­ of Chiang Kai-shek against the Japanese. ernment in Poland that would be acceptable (4) That he wished to obtain, if possible, to the United States. It did, however, receive for the Soviets at the end of the war those the approval of the Yalta Conference. things of value that Japan had taken from Prime Minister Churchill said that an agree­ Russia as follows: ment had been reached that the Curzon line a. A long-time lease of Port Arthur; b. All of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands to be returned to was acceptable as the Eastern boundary of the Soviets; c. Dairen to be a free port; d. Auton­ Poland, but that no agreement had been made omy of Outer Mongolia to be preserved; e. Lease of Chinese railroads in Manchuria to be returned as to the Western boundary. He was very same as prior to war; f. Fate of Indo-China to be doubtful of the advisability of going beyond open to discussion; g. Siam eventually to become the Oder River and recommended that the independent: h. American material to be provided for Soviet war effort against Japan; i. Lines of sup­ Western boundary be settled at the peace ply from the United States to be kept open; j. conference. American airplanes may be used from Kamchatka and Eastern Siberia. President Roosevelt then stated that he had no authority to act on Polish boundaries that These expressed desires of Marshal Stalin would require action by the Senate of the generally seemed reasonable to the Americans that spoke to me about them, and this met with United States in a peace treaty with Germany. no objection from either Churchill or Roose­ Churchill then proposed an agreement by velt, but no publicity could be given to it be­ the three powers that Poland should receive cause the Soviets were not then at war with an accession of territory on the west and Japan. north at the Peace Treaty. President Roosevelt subsequently undertook This suggestion was approved and referred to acquaint Chiang Kai-shek with the matter to the three Foreign Secretaries for phrasing. and to attempt to obtain his agreement. Mr. Eden read for the Foreign Ministers a At a later date in June 1945, T. V. Soong, recommendation that when troubles arise in Foreign Minister in China, proceeded to Mos­ any of the liberated areas, the three great na­ cow and confirmed an agreement for China. tions will immediately consult together on Prior to his departure for Moscow he told measures to carry out their joint responsi­ me privately that his country could not agree bilities set out in this conference. to permit Russia to exercise so much control This was approved by the three Chiefs of in Manchuria, but would prefer to settle the Government. controversy when forces for that purpose {Continued on page 110)

72 The Draper Centennial Year is now a matter of history. In many ways it has been a notable period in the Society's history. Totally aside from the other key developments of 1954, the Centennial observance made many opportunity for the spread of the Wisconsin direct contributions. First of all came renewed Idea in historical society work, as did the national recognition for the man who first joint meeting of the Chicago and Milwaukee made our Society great and who made a major Civil War Round Tables. Widespread use of contribution to the preservation of the vital our movie not only in Wisconsin but in key sources for the history of the Transappalachian situations in other states furthered this devel­ West. The lustre of Draper's name was re- opment. So too did the several calls made by burnished by the remarkable exhibit of his other states on our personnel and facilities. work featured throughout the year in our Town Meeting of the Air twice journeyed, Museum; the publication of the Hesseltine in June and September, to Madison for special biography; the tributes paid in Wisconsin by Draper year programs—the first times this Alice Smith, L. B. Dabney, Dean Fowlkes, program had originated from Madison, and Librarian Doane; special publications in other the first times its programs had been spon­ states such as the Draper-Ramsey correspond­ sored by a historical society. The June reunion ence in Tennessee, the reprint of the Kings of our former staff members, headed by ex- Mountain Boys in South Carolina, the tributes Superintendent Milo M. Quaife, was a happy printed in Iowa and elsewhere; the Draper innovation. We opened to scholars our half of dinner of the Mississippi Valley Historical the papers of the elder La Follette; added Association; and the nationwide campaign for handsomely to our gallery, begun by Draper, a special commemorative stamp for this great of portraits of past presidents and directors; collector of the materials of heritage. Four and established the Draper Assistantships on special symposia, "The American Collector" a permanent basis. The field service continued (January), "The College in Its Community" to make significant additions to the manu­ (April), "The Indian in Modern America" script collections, and the Historymobile, radio (June), and "Ideas in Conflict" (September) and TV have furnished the modern counter­ —the stimulating and provocative discussion parts to our first secretary's foot-and-horse- of major problems facing historical societies back expeditions. To all who participated in throughout the country—brought leaders from and made possible the Draper Centennial ob­ all over the nation to discussions which in servances, our heartfelt thanks. And to Lyman some instances broke new ground and in all —veneration for a great job, greatly done. cases proved mentally invigorating to those attending. The latter three symposia were Kcsloralion of Old Belmonl, our historic sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. first Territorial Capital, is about to take an­ Publication of the proceedings of all four will other major step forward. Shortly after World spread the benefits of the meetings to even War I, the Wisconsin Federation of Women's wider audiences. Clubs began this process with a campaign to The holding at Madison of the Draper year save the old Capitol building. They were told conventions of the Mississippi Valley Histor­ the building was too far gone for restoration, ical Association and the American Association but they bought the site, erected a marker, for State and Local History afforded a rare and presented it to the State. Within a very

73 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954r-55

few years the State bought the old building, a tourist attraction and as a place of employ­ moved it to its original site on the land pre­ ment for retired craftsmen. Restoration of sented by the Federation, and restored it. Now Aztalan by the Conservation Department is the Federation has purchased the remains of progressing toward that day when, as an the old building built to house the Territorial operable historic site, our Society, at the re­ Supreme Court (again after being told by quest of the Department, has agreed to take skeptics it was too far gone to warrant restor­ it over and run its educational program. There ation) . The Conservation Commission on De­ is discussion of a mining museum; a railroad cember 10 voted unanimously to let the Feder­ museum; a fur-trading museum; restoration ation move the shell of the court building to of another one of our old forts; a medical its original site, well within the borders of museum, most of them to be owned and oper­ the tract purchased by the Federation over ated by our Society. There is a good chance thirty years ago, and restore it as the second that our library, with its remarkable manu­ major unit of the restoration project. The script and research collections, may be desig­ Federation is now launching a drive for funds nated as the national center for manuscripts for this work, hopes to have it completed in in still another significant area of modern the next fifteen months. American history. Acquisition of two major collections, one in the museum and one in This new activity of the Federation prom­ manuscripts, will shortly be announced. The ises to rescue the Territorial Capital from historical pot really is boiling in Wisconsin relative obscurity. Belmont is one of the few these days. territorial or early state capitals anywhere in the country that can be reasonably fully re­ The period between Thanksgiving and stored. Most of its counterparts have become cities or at least sizeable towns, where restor­ Christmas this past year was proclaimed by Governor Kohler as Heritage Month. Citing ation becomes unfeasible. Belmont boasts only the insight and perspective that comes from a one present farmhouse on the original plat. knowledge of what has gone before, the Gov­ The court building project will restore the ernor called on our fellow citizens to study second of the four identical buildings with that heritage as never before. Heritage Month which John Atchison hoped to house the was taken by the Society as the real kickoff government of Wisconsin, and for a very brief for our 1954-55 membership drive. Through time did. Someday perhaps the other two will fine cooperation from the newspapers, radio be reconstructed, together with some of the stations, TV stations, and advertisers, the little shops which sprang up when Belmont Society's story was carried to the people as actually became the capital. Someday the never before. Four feature stories on the So­ Capitol and Court interiors must be restored ciety's program were widely carried. Editorial as they were when Belmont flourished as the comment was frequent and commendatory. governmental center of the huge Wisconsin Informal committees and individual members Territory. That dream comes much nearer were enlisted throughout the State to plug both realization through the current program of dollar and four-dollar memberships. Others the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs. were lined up to push sustaining memberships. We salute the ladies! Henry Tinkham, ninety-two-year-old member from Mt. Horeb, alone accounted for 106 new The pot is boiling elsewhere in the State, members. As this is written, with member­ too. One industry is talking with us about ships still coming in, our total stands at 4,868. setting up a records center and museum in its Sustaining memberships have risen from 54 field somewhere in Wisconsin under our own­ to 69; annual (four-dollar) memberships ership and direction. Another industry is pro­ from 2,571 to 2,665; dollar memberships now posing a living museum, coupled with a special total 1,466. hall-of-fame type of recognition for pioneers We hope that Heritage Month may become in the development of the various aspects of an annual event. We hope that with more time that industry. Private enterprise is building for advance planning, this may each year a brand new city-—a historic city of 1900—as become a more significant month of rededica-

74 SMOKE RINGS tion. We hope that other organizations will various fields. The Staff Assistance Committee, join us in future observances of this month. so helpful under Mrs. Fred Risser in the first It has great potentialities. Meanwhile we hope year of the Auxiliary, has been revived under that all our members will redouble their efforts the chairmanship of Mrs. Hampton Lee Aust to boost our membership. We are taking his­ and has been called on frequently for help in tory to the people as never before. We want the hectic days of this past winter. The Legis­ desperately to reach tens of thousands more lative Committee under Mrs. H. J. Schubert Wisconsinites we are not now reaching with is busily supporting the main segments of the the better citizenship, the perspective, the Society's legislative program. balance, the insight that comes from knowing With another full year and the first of a the background of present problems, the dra­ project series of annual treasure hunts coming matic development of our highly fluid society up this fall, the Auxiliary is once again mak­ and dynamic economy. To do our job effec­ ing a major contribution to the development tively, we have got to have your help. If every of things historical in Wisconsin. member would get one new member each month between now and July 1, it would turn The Wisconsin History Foundation, Inc.^ the trick. How about it? recently made its debut. Set up to support projects approved by the Society, it is now The Women's Auxiliary has completed formally incorporated under the laws of another highly useful year. Under the leader­ Wisconsin. Mr. D. C. Everest is president; ship of Mrs. Vincent W. Koch of Janesville, Mrs. B. C. Ziegler, vice-president; and the four major events have been held. The pil­ director of the Society is automatically secre­ grimage last spring visited picturesque Cooks- tary-treasurer. Your donations wifl be wel­ ville where the lovely old houses were opened come; your bequests are solicited. Those of to Auxiliary members by their hospitable own­ you who want to help the highly significant ers; the newly restored Milton House; the and fast growing history program in the Lincoln-Tallman House at Janesvifle; and the schools or among adults; who want to spon­ Rasey House, recently acquired by the Beloit sor research and publication, or radio and chapter of the D.A.R. Despite a pelting rain, a good crowd turned out for one the best TV; who would like to finance a HISTORY- pilgrimages the Auxiliary has yet had. At our MOBILE or some equally dramatic new device; June convention the Auxiliary held its annual or who would like to make possible the pur­ luncheon meeting. An innovation was a two- chase of special rarities for either library or minute report from each chairman, giving the museum; think well on this. The Wisconsin members a quick but effective glimpse into History Foundation, Inc., 816 State Street, the many activities of the Auxiliary. Featured Madison 6, Wisconsin, is your vehicle. Dona­ speaker was Lucius Bryan Dabney, disciple tions to the Foundation, of course, are tax- and admirer of Lyman Copeland Draper and deductable and tax-exempt. the institution he so effectively set on the road to greatness, who journeyed north from Vicks­ June 14 marks the t!«-iitiMmiid of the birth burg for the occasion. The fall exhibit, ar­ of one of Wisconsin's most famous sons. A ranged by a special committee headed by Mrs. dramatic, controversial crusader, warmly loved Charles Zadok and made possible by the and cordially hated in his day, a lifelong in­ cooperation of the Layton School of Art, surgent who nonetheless always maintained featured fine furniture of colonial and modern his connection with his party, the place of the days. The topic, "Good Design Is Ageless," senior Robert Marion La Follette in Wisconsin was the provocative summary of the effect of history is secure. Many of the reforms he the juxtaposition of the old and the new and sponsored were widely copied, have long en­ the obvious continuity of basic designs. The dured and, whfle opinions vary to this day as mid-winter meeting in Milwaukee saw Dr. W. to the long range value of some of his re­ C. McKern of the Milwaukee Public Museum forms, all students of Wisconsin history must speaking on the restoration of Aztalan. Many share the judgment of a constructive con­ committees have been actively at work in servative like Emanuel Philipp who, though

75 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 he fought Progressives for the rest of his life, papermaking equipment and the art itself are felt it high time for a reformer like La Foflette included. to emerge when he did at the turn of the Dard Hunter will be director of the mu­ century. seum, which he has built up over the past The Centennial of La Follette's birth will be forty years. A noted designer. Hunter is the observed at the Society building, Sunday, June author of twenty-three books about paper, 19, 1955, at 2 P.M. Speaker of the occasion eight of which he produced on his own press will be the Chief Justice of the United States. and on his own handmade paper. Bishop Clifford Northcott will give the invo­ This adds another major museum to Wis­ cation; a well-known Catholic prelate will consin's resources, and another mecca both pronounce the benediction. President Everest for the curious and the scholar. will preside; former Governor Philip La Foflette will present Chief Justice Warren. The problem of abandoned cemeteries is National radio and TV coverage is being one frequently brought to the attention of this sought. Members of the society and the general Society. Many of our readers will therefore public are cordially invited to join in the be interested in a change in the law on this occasion. subject effected by the 1953 Legislature. From now on, when a cemetery falls into Our burgeoning photographic and print disuse, or is abandoned or neglected, and collection is at last in the charge of an ac­ where because of the death or removal of the knowledged expert in the field, Paul Vander- people interested in its upkeep, there is no bilt. Mr. Vanderbilt has joined the staff after active or effective cemetery association to eight years' work with the Library of Congress transfer the cemetery to the town, "the town as a consultant in iconography. Prior to World board, at the expense of the town, shall take War II he was for some years editor and charge of the cemetery and manage and care librarian of the Philadelphia Museum of Art; served during the war with the Navy Depart­ for it." Where the town board fafls to act, the ment and the Office of War Information as a county judge may, on petition of six or more visual information specialist. He also served in interested persons, order its transfer to the Germany immediately after the war with town. Changes in the law include initial ac­ AMGUS on archival restitution programs. He tion by the town board rather than the county is the founder of the Graphic Arts Society and judge, and a change in the wording to make editor of its magazine Eye to Eye which moved it very clear that cemeteries so transferred are to State Street with him. An energetic and not to be handled by the town as anything imaginative specialist, Mr. Vanderbilt is a but cemeteries. They are now "transferred" welcome addition to our staff. to the town for management and care, rather than being "acquired" by the town. The ap­ Another important specialty museum is propriate section of the statutes is 157.04 (4). being added to the Wisconsin scene. At Ap- The new statute is Chapter 591, Laws of 1953. pleton, the Institute of Paper Chemistry has announced the acquisition of the Dard Hunter Paper Museum, located for the past fifteen years at the Massachusetts Institute of Tech­ nology. This coflection, said to be the world's finest, iflustrates the art of paper making from 105 A.D. to the present. Specimens of paper made of wood, straw, thistle stalks, corn-husks, leaves, potatoes, cabbage stalks, and other fibres are included. Original watermarks, both ancient and modern, are numbered in the thousands. Decorated papers, mostly Oriental, number some 20,000. Rare manuscripts, early engravings and rare books on the evolution of

76 Andrew^ Ja( Frederick . —ply the newspaper trade, he served in local elective offices and as \ member of the State Legislature f^ several terms during the 1860's. T( Republican Party found in him an en? ergetic supporter, his journalistic pen aiding in the election of more than or Republican candidate.

Andrew Jackson Turner

Andrew Jackson Turner "Work Horse' of the Republican Party by Donald J. Berthrong

New England's farmers were restless people, Turner early turned to the attractions of searching for fertile land as they expanded the newspaper office. While still at Schuyler north and west. A descendant of such people, Fafls, the future editor often spent rainy days Andrew Jackson Turner, was born at Schuyler in the print shop of Francis X. LaBonne, who Fafls, New York, on September 24, 1832.^ was trying to establish a small newspaper to Settling first in the Connecticut Valley in the serve both American and Canadian settlers seventeenth century, the paternal branch of in the area.^ Later, on his first westward trek the Turner family had moved north along the in 1854, he found employment on the Grand Connecticut River and finally turned west as River, Michigan, Eagle, the town where some Abel Turner, father of Andrew J., settled on of his relatives resided. There he became suf­ a farm at Schuyler Falls. Andrew's mother's ficiently proficient in the art of printing so family, too, had moved west with the expan­ that upon his return to Plattsburg (of which sion of New England, Turner's maternal Schuyler Falls was a part). New York, in grandfather leaving North Adams, Massachu­ 1855, he set up the first edition of the Platts­ setts, to establish a sawmill at Schuyler Falls. burg Sentinel.'^ Evidently Turner found little Andrew Turner spent his youth on his father's to keep him in the East for later that same farm until his early twenties when he, too, year we find him back in the West at Portage, moved on with the advance of the frontier.^ Wisconsin, with ten cents in his pocket.^ ^Memorial and Biographical Record and Illustrated Until the spring of 1856 Andrew Turner Compendium of Biography of . . . Columbia, Sauk, worked on the Portage Independent, then and Adams Counties, Wisconsin (George A. Ogle & Company, Chicago, 1901), 306; A. M. Thomson, A ^Portage Wisconsin State Register, July 18, 1891. Political History of Wisconsin (Milwaukee, 1902, *A. J. Turner to Frederick Jackson Turner, Oct. 10, 2nd ed.), 324. 1894, in Turner Papers, Wisconsin Historical Society ^Memorial and Biographical Record of . . . Colum­ Library, Madison; State Register, Sept. 25, 1880. bia, Sauk, and Adams Counties, 306; Fulmer Mood, Though some sources give the year of his arrival at "Frederick Jackson Turner and the Milwaukee Sen­ Grand Rapids as 1855, Turner himself mentions the tinel, 1884," Wisconsin Magazine of History, 34:21 date 1854 in a letter to his son. (Autumn, 1950). 'State Register, Feb. 23, 1878.

77 WISCONSLN AFAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954r-55

moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to join the staff not interfere with the wishes of the congres­ of Horace Rublee's Madison Wisconsin State sional leaders who assumed control of the Re­ Journal. He worked first as a typesetter, then publican Party on the death of Lincoln. as a legislative reporter, and later received his Turner could "thank God that if we could not first political appointment as clerk for a legis­ have Abraham Lincoln for our executive, we lative investigating committee.^ Sandwiched can have Andrew Johnson. No one questions between his clerkship on the committee and his ability and no one dares question his his labors on the Wisconsin State Journal, patriotism."^° Praise turned to censure, how­ Turner served for a few months in the summer ever, after the veto of the Freedman Bureau of 1856 as an editor of the Portage Record. Bill because Johnson then vetoed "any bill His wanderings continued when in the spring thought wise by Union men of the north."^^ of 1857 he and Julius C. Chandler set out on On the occasion of the appointment of foot for Friendship, where he assisted the lat­ Horace Rublee to the ministership to Switzer­ ter in founding the Adams County Independ­ land Turner took the opportunity to compli­ ent. Some months later he was back on the ment President Grant upon "another evidence Record in Portage where he worked until that the General is selecting his subordinates elected clerk of the circuit court for Columbia in the civil service with the same charac­ County and served in 1861-62. It was in 1861 teristic good judgment that distinguished his that he purchased the Record and consolidated military appointments."^^ Later in Grant's ad­ it with S. S. Brannan's Register. He was ministration the loyal editor dismissed the elected and re-elected at this period to the Credit Mobilier as a "ruse of the Confederate Wisconsin Legislature where he served one- Press," to discredit the Republican Party.^^ year terms in the assembly in 1863, 1864, Only with reluctance did Turner admit to the 1866, and 1869. On March 16, 1861 he issued guilt of Oakes Ames and the bribery charges.^^ his first Wisconsin State Register. It did not After seventeen years as co-editor and co- appear for a few weeks and was subsequently pubhsher of the State Register Turner sold his issued by S. S. Brannan and A. J. Turner as interest in the paper in 1878 to accept the proprietors, with I. Holmes and A. J. Turner appointment as railroad commissioner of the as editors. Brannan became the local editor."^ State of Wisconsin.^^ But throughout the re­ During the period Turner published and mainder of his life Turner maintained his edited the State Register, his loyalty to the close relationship with the press of the State Republican Party never wavered. The policy by contributing many articles to the Portage, of the recognized party leadership was his Madison, and Milwaukee papers. policy. When Abraham Lincoln's plan for Although many people expressed surprise Southern reconstruction came under fire from when the appointment of Turner to the com- the Radicals of the Republican Party, Turner missionership was announced. Turner could was willing to cut the deviationists loose from view this position as a reward for his efforts the party.^ "For ourselves," the State Register in behalf of the Republican Party. A member editorial read, "we are for Abraham Lincoln since 1856 he had already held a variety of and the Union, and cannot discover that we elective and appointive public offices. Prior have much sympathy with Messrs. Davis & to 1878, in addition to those already men­ Wade, as they have voluntarily cut loose from tioned, Turner had been a supervisor of Co­ the administration, let them be regarded as lumbia County, printer of the Wisconsin Blue any other enemies of our cause."^ Andrew Book, and chief clerk of the Wisconsin State Johnson, however, could be criticized since Senate. Further, newspaper editors were the his elevation to the presidency was fortuitous. backbone of the nineteenth century American At first it looked as if the new President would political parties. Often vital cogs in the local ^'Secretary of State of Wisconsin, "Eleventh Annual 'Ibid., Aug. 20, 1864. Report," 1858, p. 93; "Twelfth Annual Report," 1859, ''Ibid., July 15, 1865. p. 97. Turner received $297 for his services. ''Ibid., Feb. 24, 1866. 'State Register, April 27, 1861, Sept. 25, 1880; J. E. ''Ibid.. April 17, 1869. Jones, comp., History of Columbia County, Wisconsin ''Ibid., Sept. 21, 28, 1872. (Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1914), 2:135. "Ibid., Jan. 18, 1873. 'Ibid., Dec. 19, 1863, June 18, 1864. "Ibid., Feb. 23, 1878.

78 BERTHRONG : ANDREW JACKSON TURNER political machines, they turned out the vote his followers firm against the Carpenter steam­ for the party of their choice. They gathered roller, was clearly fighting a losing cause.^^ information, tended to organizational prob­ Late in the senatorial struggle Carpenter's rep­ lems, listened at local and county caucuses, resentatives approached Turner and asked him printed persuasive editorials, and were re­ to concede defeat by withdrawing his candi­ warded with political jobs as compensation. date. With a mixture of sorrow and humor Jack Turner and Sam Brannan made an Turner replied: "Yes, I see that Carpenter will ideal team for partisan journalism. Jack car­ be nominated, but I don't see what there is ing for the state and political editorials of left of my candidate to withdraw."^^ the paper and Sam looking after local affairs After two undistinguished terms as Wiscon­ and the printing establishment.^^ Freed from sin railroad commissioner. Turner was elected many routine tasks. Turner devoted a con­ mayor of Portage and served in that office siderable part of his time to the affairs of the from 1881 to 1884. As mayor he carried out Republican Party and, when on infrequent programs to improve the water supply of the occasions his partner ran for political office, city, to pave some of the main business streets, he gave him full support. In one campaign, and to strengthen the levees about the com­ Brannan was the Republican Party's nominee munity as protection from the spring floods for mayor of Portage. When an embarrassed of the Wisconsin River.^^ His program for member of the local "Democracy" was asked municipal improvements was well received by to account for Brannan's success he gave this both political parties, and the Republicans and explanation: "You see . . . that d d little Democrats supported his re-election in 1883.^^ shanghai, down at the printing office went Turner in addition to serving as mayor was around and got in all the republican votes by elected county supervisor nine times in a span . noon, and then got a man to stay at the door of twenty-four years, beginning in 1870, serv­ who hadn't more'n half got over the small pox. ing four terms as chairman of the county After that no democrat dared to go to the polls board.^^ As a local politician, he was often if he hadn't had the small pox himself, and so elected without opposition, and his election­ Sam Brannan got 25 majority for Mayor."^'^ eering costs were infinitesimal compared with Not only did Turner assist his friends in those of today. His last term as county super­ obtaining local offices but he also aided them visor cost him exactly $1.25, a sum assessed in securing nominations to more important by the county Republican committee to meet elective political posts. While in the Wiscon­ their expenses.^^ sin Legislature in 1869, Turner served as the Turner started angling for bigger political floor leader of the candidacy of Horace Rublee prizes after the termination of his railroad for the United States Senate.^^ Turner had commissionership and his terms as mayor of known Rublee for many years. In this sena­ Portage. He fully intended to utilize the claim torial race the three aspirants, C. C. Wash­ of the western half of the Sixth Congressional burn, Matt H. Carpenter, and Horace Rublee, District of Wisconsin for a congressional nomi­ were competing for the seat of James Doolittle nation from that portion of the district.^^ In who had committed political suicide by sym­ 1884 Turner strove unavailingly to nominate pathizing with President Andrew Johnson Jonathan Bowman to the Republican ticket when the Radical Republicans attempted his for Congress and when beaten complained bit­ impeachment.^^ Despite an overture from terly of the discrimination against his part of the successful candidate. Turner remained ''Horace Rublee to A. J. Turner, Nov. 17, 23, 1868, staunchly faithful to his friend and former Turner Papers. employer.^° Rublee, who asked Turner to hold "State Register, April 24, 1869. -'Ibid., April 9, May 28, 1881, March 25, April 8, "Lbid., March 9, 1867. July 29, Nov. 4, 1882, May 5, 1883. "Ibid., April 10, 1869. ~^Ibid., March 24, April 7, 14, 1883. ""Ibid., April 17, 1869. -'Ibid., April 9, 1870, April 6, Nov. 16, 1872, Nov. ^''Louise P. Kellogg, "The Senatorial Election of 22, 1873, Nov. 7, 1874, April 10, Nov. 6, 1875, April 1869," Wisconsin Magazine of History, 1:418 (June, 8, 1876, Nov. 9, 1886, Jan. 7, 1888, Jan. 19, 1889, 1918). March 23, 1894. '''Matt H. Carpenter to A. J. Turner, Nov. 4, 1868, ''Hbid., April 9, 1898. Dec. 9, 1868, Turner Papers. -Ubid., July 3, 1886.

79 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 the district. He then made little effort to aid if Columbia county desires recognition in this Richard Guenther, the successful candidate, particular, they must lay aside her pompous and was openly charged with defection from midget, and bring out some of her worthy the Republican Party.^^ citizens. . . ."^^ The newspapers of the town adjacent to Stunned by this experience Turner was Portage supported Turner's campaign in the reluctant to venture forth from his own summer of 1886, and both of the Portage pa­ stronghold so when four years later he was pers added their editorials to the drive.^^ approached about the possibility of again run- When the canvass reached the convention at ing for Congress, he rejected the offer. "Four Berlin in September, Turner had the delegates years ago," Turner commented, "I had some of the western half of the district in his pocket, desire for the congressional nomination—not but was short of a majority. His opponents a consuming desire by any means—but I put were the incumbent Richard Guenther of it aside at Berlin once and forever, and no Oshkosh, a Sawyer man, and C. B. Clark, a political ambition now disturbs me. . . ."^^ wealthy paper manufacturer of Neenah.^° His quest for public office shattered, Turner found another field in which to employ his talents in the service of the Republican Party. In the fafl of 1890 the Republicans suffered one of their infrequent defeats in Wisconsin politics. A Democratic Legislature meant a re­ apportionment of the State because for several decades the Repubhcans had apportioned the legislative and congressional districts to their advantage. When the Republicans determined to resist any change. Turner with his vast and ' ^^ accurate knowledge of Wisconsin voting rec­ ords projected himself into the thick of the resulting fray. Editorials in the Republican press laid the foundation for an assault on the apportion­ ment early in the legislative session of 1891. It was certain that a committee on reappor­ tionment dominated by Democrats boded no At Portage, Home of the Wisconsin State Register good for the party of "Lincoln and the Union."^* Under the leadership of Edward C. Wall and Dr. Wendefl A. Anderson, chair­ Turner's adherents blocked the nomination of man and secretary of the Democratic State Guenther, and the latter's group returned the Central Committee respectively, the committee favor to Turner.^^ Clark was then selected as confirmed the worst fears of the Republicans, the compromise candidate. When the Appleton reporting out a "gerrymander rotten beyond Post, which supported Guenther, explained its all precedent."^^ position, it was evident that not all the vitu­ The reapportionment statute made the pre­ peration of the Republican press was being vious sins of Republican gerrymandering seem poured on the Democrats. "Jack Turner is too venial compared with the "Democratic atroc- small a man, physicafly and mentally, to be ity."^^ The law, rushed through the Legisla­ sent to Washington as a substitute for our ture of 1891 by the Democrats, was clearly present able and efficient representative and, unconstitutional; it violated the Wisconsin '^Ibid., July 24, 1886; Oshkosh Northwestern, July Constitution on two counts—by cutting across 22, 1886; Appleton Post, July 8, 1886. county lines to establish assembly and senate ''State Register, July 10, 1886, quotes articles from the Lodi Valley News, and the Baraboo Republic; ''Appleton Post, July 15, 1886. Portage Democrat, July 16, Aug. 27, 1886. ''State Register, July 26, 1890. ''State Register, Sept. 4, 11, 1886; Oshkosh North­ ''Ibid., Feb. 7, 1891. western, Sept. 2, 1886; Appleton Post, Sept. 2, 1886. "Ibid., April 18, 1891. ^'Portage Democrat, Sept. 3, 1886. ^''Thomson, Political History of Wisconsin, 244.

80 BERTHRONG : ANDREW JACKSON TURNER districts for the state Legislature, and by es­ After a prolonged correspondence involving tablishing disproportionate voting districts.^''^ Henry C. Payne and George W. Hazelton of The Republicans fumed that one Democratic Milwaukee, Charles E. Estabrook of Madison, vote under the new apportionment would bal­ Senator John C. Spooner, and Turner, the ance three Republican votes.^^ Immediately group decided, perhaps at Turner's sugges­ the Republican leaders in the State began to tion, to bring the case before the court by communicate with each other on how best to action of a county board of supervisors.^^ attack and destroy the apportionment.^^ The county board of Adams County, under Among the Republican leaders. Jack Turner the sway of a Republican majority, and work­ was an old hand at complaining about ap­ ing through the district attorney, S. W. portionments, even those of his own party. Pierce, furnished Turner and his compatriots Twenty years earlier he protested that an ap­ with necessary documents to initiate court portionment had broken county lines and action.^^' The county board sent the Republi­ thus was unconstitutional.^^ As a loyal Repub­ cans a petition which alleged that the act in lican he bridled any inclinations to take action and contented himself with a few caustic edi­ question was "unconstitutional, unjust, and torials. In addition, before an impending con­ directly subversive to representative govern­ gressional election in the 1870's the editor of ment." It further empowered the district at­ the State Register claimed that the Eighth torney of the county, S. W. Pierce, to institute Congressional District "embraces so many dif­ such proceedings as would nullify the law.^^ ferent and distinct interests that no representa­ Democratic leaders meanwhile relied on the tive could do justice to the district. . . . One hope that the supreme court would not accept can start from here and go to Europe in less jurisdiction over a case involving the constitu­ time than he could make a circuit of the dis­ tionality of the law.^^ Although the Demo­ trict. . . ."^^ Later he suggested a modifica­ cratic press of the State was by no means tion in the apportionment, but the proposal unanimous in its approval of the statute,^^ was shelved by the intervention of Elisha W. for the most part the Republicans were ad­ Keyes.^^ Turner also criticized the Republi­ vised to "grin and bear it" as their opponents can leadership in the 1880's when Columbia had for the past twenty years.^^ In private, County was attached to the Sixth Congres­ though, the Democrats were worried. Because sional District to assure the re-election of the Republican tactics had him confused, Ed­ Richard Guenther to Congress.^^ This action ward C. Wall continuafly sought advice from brought about, in part, the bitterness which United States Senator Wifliam F. Vilas.^^ blocked Turner's one effort to be elected to Finally, the Republicans presented their brief Congress. to the Attorney General and requested the use Conceivably the Wisconsin Supreme Court might hold that an apportionment lay exclu­ '^C. E. Estabrook to A. J. Turner, Oct. 21, 1891, Turner Papers. sively within the jurisdiction of the Legisla­ ^''S. W. Pierce to A. J. Turner, Nov. 11, 1891; C. E. ture thus was not subject to review by the Estabrook to A. J. Turner, Nov. 14, 1891, Turner courts.^* To avoid this possibility the Repub­ Papers. lican leaders planned their strategy carefully. '^S. W. Pierce to A. J. Turner, Nov. 11, 1891, Turner Papers. Charles E. Estabrook acted as counsel '^Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 15, 1892; State Register, for Solon W. Pierce in presenting the petition to the Feb. 7, 1891. Supreme Court. =^'La Crosse Chronicle, May 14, 1891. ''^Clarence C. Clark to Wendell A. Anderson, Feb. ''^See bound volume of letters and documentary ma­ (n.d.), 1892, Wendell A. Anderson Papers, Wisconsin terial collected by A. J. Turner, Turner Papers. Historical Society Library; Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 14, 1892, Letter to the Editors, signed by S. M. '""State Register, March 4, 1871. Smead of Fond du Lac. "Ibid., Feb. 24, 1872. ^n,a Crosse Chronicle, March 24, 1892; also attack 'nUd., March 9, 1872. by the Milwaukee Seebote and the Madison Demo­ "Ibid., July 24, 1886; Portage Democrat, Jan. 8, crat, see Madison Wisconsin State Journal, Jan. 16, 1892. 18, 1892; Madison Democrat, Jan. 8, 1892. ''H. C. Payne to A. J. Turner, April 23, 1891; G. 'Tortage Democrat, May 15, 1891. W. Hazelton to A. J. Turner, May 4, 5, 20, 1891; C. ''Edward C. Wall to William F. Vilas, May 18, E. Estabrook to A. J. Turner, May 4, 1891, Turner Dec. 4, 1891, Jan. 8, 1892, Vilas Papers, Wisconsin Papers. Historical Society Library.

81 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

of his office to introduce a test case before and by correspondence with the members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.^- that body.^^ Turner, Keyes, and others wished to begin Edward S. Bragg, long time political power court action before January, 1892,^^ but Sena­ in Democratic politics and perennial candi­ tor Spooner delayed the opening move until date for the United States Senate, was the he returned from Europe and was able to give sole counsel for the secretary of state and the it his full attention.^^ Spooner wanted an­ Democratic Party. He contended that the ap­ other term in Washington and the apportion­ portionment of the State was exclusively ment, important in senatorial elections, was within the jurisdiction of the Legislature and of vital interest to him.^^ If a late decision not susceptible to review by the courts. Bragg could be obtained upsetting the Democratic also claimed that the parties presenting the apportionment, the next legislative election petition did not show "any injury present or would be held under the old apportionment, impending" and thus did not have a cause of which was more favorable to him. The su­ action.^^ Unfortunately for the Democratic Party Bragg made a resounding political ora­ preme court in February allowed the attorney tion when he should have presented a constitu­ general to proceed with the case against the tional brief. Senator William F. Vilas cor­ gerrymander but reserved the right to accept rectly predicted a Republican victory, and the or reject jurisdiction until such time as it Democrats were thrown into confusion by the considered the complaint.^^ verdict of the supreme court declaring the Ap­ Technically, the attorney general was the portionment Law unconstitutional.^^ plaintiff, but actually the Republican Party "What are we to do? How shafl we pro­ managed the case. In the oral arguments be­ ceed?" queried Wall of his superior. Senator fore the supreme court, George W. Bird and Vilas.^^ Absolving himself of all blame for the Charles E. Estabrook of Madison, and former mistakes of the apportionment. Wall claimed Senator Spooner were counsels for the At­ that no one had ever mentioned that "it was torney General.^^ In the main they followed unconstitutional to cross county lines and so the reasoning outlined by Turner and pub­ in good faith and within the law, we followed lished in "The Gerrymander of Wisconsin." the precedents of former apportionments tak­ They pleaded that it was the plain intention ing all advantage we could to our party be­ of the framers of the constitution to divide lieving we were doing so legally."^^ Who the State into districts of equal population, could find fault in a businessman for not to respect county lines, and to select the vot­ knowing the intricacies of constitutional law? ing areas from convenient and contiguous ter­ Senator Vilas thought the Democratic Party ritory.^^ The Republican attorneys and Turner could still devise a "judicious apportionment" supported their brief with references to the and one which could not be declared uncon­ proceedings of the constitutional convention stitutional. It was his belief that the Legisla­ ture has sole discretion over the distribution ^'E. C. Estabrook to A. J. Turner, Jan. 3, Feb. 4, of surplus population among the voting dis­ 1892, Turner Papers. tricts.^* With another apportionment law al­ ''E. W. Keyes to A. J. Turner, Jan. 12, 1892, Turner Papers; A. J. Turner to E. W. Keyes, Jan. 13, 1892, most drafted. Wall advised Governor Peck to Keyes Papers, Wisconsin Historical Society Library. call a special session of the Legislature to ''H. C. Payne to A. J. Turner, May 4, 1891; John C. Spooner to A. J. Turner, Aug. 13, 1891, Turner "Charles Larkin to A. J. Turner, May 15, 1891; Papers. Harrison Read to A. J. Turner, May 19, 1891; H. W. ''Henry Casson to J. M. Rusk, April 20, 1891, Rusk Tenney to A. J. Turner, Oct. 20, 1891, Turner Papers. Papers, Wisconsin Historical Society Library; John ''"Milwaukee Journal, Feb. 9, 1892. C. Spooner to E. W. Keyes, Jan. 12, 1891, Keyes "State V. Cunningham, 81 Wis. 440 (1892); E. C. Papers. Wall to William F. Vilas, March 22, 1892, Vilas ''Milwaukee Journal, Feb. 2, 1892. Papers. ''Wisconsin State Journal, Feb. 9, 10, 1892. ^'E. C. Wall to William F. Vilas, March 22, 1892, ""Ibid., Feb. 9, 12, 1892; A. J. Turner, "The Gerry­ Vilas Papers. mander of Wisconsin: A Review of the Legislative "Ibid., March 26, 1892, Vilas Papers. Apportionment Act of 1891" (n.p., n.d.) in Pamphlet ''William F. Vilas to Wendell A. Anderson, April 8, Collections, Wisconsin Historical Society Library. 1892, Anderson Papers.

82 BERTHRONG : ANDREW JACKSON TURNER

enact the second "gerrymander," which dif­ to allow his son to receive credit for the tract, fered from its predecessor only in its respect but the historian, sensitive to the political im­ for county lines.^^ plications of the article, protested that "it When the second Democratic apportionment would be gravely injudicious for me to be appeared, it was immediately assailed by the connected with it."^^ Spooner then agreed Republican press as only a slight improvement that the pamphlet should be given general over the bill which had been declared uncon­ distribution,^^ and Frederick Jackson Turner stitutional. Turner announced that he would took care to see that his father's work was dis­ aid but not lead a movement to have this law tributed among the academicians of his ac­ also invalidated by the courts.^^ The new ap­ quaintance.'^* portionment was also declared unconstitu­ The action of Jack Turner brought him re­ tional, but on a third try the Democrats passed newed prominence in the Republican Party of an apportionment which survived until the Wisconsin, and he was mentioned as a possi­ Republicans recaptured control of the state ble successor to Payne as Chairman of the government.^^ The first two apportionments Wisconsin Republican State Central Commit­ were unconstitutional, but the Republicans tee.'^^ The historian counseled his father not used their court victories to offset the Demo­ to accept the chairmanship although he ac­ cratic triumphs in the Treasury Cases.^^ knowledged that his father had eminent quali­ An interesting minor episode occurred dur­ fications for the position.^^ (Available records ing the apportionment controversy. Turner, do not indicate that Turner was ever offered after collecting his materials, privately pub­ the chairmanship, and perhaps he never faced lished a smafl pamphlet and distributed it the decision of accepting or rejecting this among the Republican leaders for their in­ difficult and arduous office.) formation and use. At the outset. Senator After twenty years of witnessing the pit­ Spooner insisted that the pamphlet be kept falls of partisan apportionments, the elder secret or at least out of the hands of Demo­ Turner recommended the creation of a non­ crats so that they could not forestall the Re­ partisan apportionment board to the Legisla­ publican tactics,^^ but a copy of this pamphlet tures of 1893 and 1895.^^ Neither the Demo­ strayed and an article based on it was pub­ cratic nor the Republican Legislatures would lished in the December, 1891, issue of the endorse the idea since both zealously desired Review of Reviews. The editor of the maga­ to enjoy the maximum advantage from their zine mistook the author to be Frederick Jack­ political victories. The Republican Party, son Turner, who was then on the staff of the though, did utilize Turner's exceptional knowl­ history department of the University of Wis­ edge of the voting records of the Wisconsin consin.^° With the secret out, a change in the districts when he served as the secretary plans of the Republican clique was needed. of the Legislative Apportionment Committee Son Fred assured his father that he still pos­ which met in November, 1895.^^ The law sessed the copy sent to him but insisted that which he helped to frame was enacted at a the brochure be made public immediately be­ special session of the Legislature called in cause the work would certainly "continue to February, 1896.^^ leak out.^'^^ Evidently the father was inclined Near the end of his political career Turner was backed by the Republicans of his com- "E. C. Wall to William F. Vilas, April 29, 1892, Vilas Papers. ^'Frederick J. Turner to A. J. Turner, Dec. 1, 1891, ''State Register, July 2, 1892. Turner Papers. '^Thomson, Political History of Wisconsin, 246; ^^John C. Spooner to A. J. Turner, Dec. 1, 1891, State V. Cunningham, 83 Wis. 90 (1892). telegram; also a letter on the same day. '^See Arlan Helgeson, "The Wisconsin Treasury ^'Woodrow Wilson to Frederick J. Turner, Dec. 17, Cases," in Wisconsin Magazine of History, 35:129-36 1891; George E. Howard to Frederick J. Turner, (Winter, 1951). Jan. 4, 1892, Turner Papers. ''John C. Spooner to A. J. Turner, Oct. 24, 1891, "Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 9, 1892. Turner Papers. ''Frederick J. Turner to A. J. Turner, Feb. 12, 1892, ^"Albert Shaw to Frederick Jackson Turner, Nov. Turner Papers. 24, 1891, Turner Papers. ''State Register, Feb. 3, 1893, Turner Papers. ^^On Shaw's letter, Frederick J. Turner wrote the ""Ibid.; Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 25, Feb. 3, 1893. explanation to his father, Turner Papers. "State Register, Feb. 22, 1896.

83 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

munity for the state senate.^^ This effort was not have to legislate upon state affairs.^^ As a the occasion of considerable turmoil because man who prided himself on being a practical Turner gained the nomination from one con­ politician, he was wifling to effect a compro­ vention, while a group of "bolters" nominated mise but he must have known that neither the incumbent State Senator Conger.^^ Neither faction would be satisfied short of complete side would agree to withdraw its candidate mastery of federal and state offices and patron­ and finafly compromised by nominating an­ age. Injecting a modern note into the fray, other person to the Republican slate.^^ the state Republican convention of 1902 Turner, in his later years, observed the rise sought approval of conditions which Spooner of the Progressive faction of the Republican must accept before confirming his eligibility Party with mixed emotions. Although he for re-election. Turner denied that the conven­ dutifully voted for La Follette in 1896 as in­ tion had the competence to establish "new and structed, and supported H. C. Adams for Con­ unusual tests of political orthodoxy."^^ gress, Turner could not concur with all the Turner's interest in politics was wider, how­ reforms of the Progressive program.^^ In ever, than mere office holding or manipulations particular he dissented on the value of the of the Republican slate because he was fully primary election law which the Progressives cognizant that politics and one of his main considered a key to the reformation of the economic concerns, railroads, were inseparably mechanics of American politics. As a devotee enmeshed. Like virtually every other city of the caucus and convention system. Turner which endeavored to attract a railroad to serve maintained that the political nominations were it, Portage assumed that its state legislator would scramble in Madison to secure the the private concern of the political parties. greatest advantage for his community. One of The primary elections might be theoreticafly the greatest needs in Wisconsin after the Civil feasible, but in practice he feared they would War was a north-south railroad which would prove impractical. When the issue came to a run through the center of the State. The pre­ head in 1901, he wanted to see the proposal vious railroad routes were largely east and presented as a vigorous plank in the state west and served the eastern cities bordering platform instead of having it sneaked in at on Lake Michigan connecting them with the the last moment without the approval of the Mississippi Valley. It was obvious that cities majority of the party.^^ which would serve as southern terminals of The Progressives and Stalwarts were strug­ the desired central Wisconsin railroad would gling for control of the Republican Party, the profit from their link with the pine lands in former dominated by Robert M. La Follette the north. Turner both as a railroad promoter striving to unseat the group headed by John and legislator represented Portage in its strug­ C. Spooner. The latter group dispensed the gle to acquire the southern terminal of the federal patronage and if the Progressives central Wisconsin land grant railroad. could acquire control of it, they would be able As early as 1864 Assemblyman Turner tried to build an even stronger political machine to procure a connection between Madison and than they had prior to 1903. Undoubtedly Portage when the Sugar River Valley Rail­ Turner sympathized with the Stalwarts be­ road Company failed to fulfill the conditions cause he repeated their arguments to secure of its land grant of 1861.^^ Reaching no im­ Spooner's reseating in the United States mediate satisfactory conclusion to his problem Senate.^' Spooner, after all, did not have to he turned his attention to the larger project acquiesce to the State Party platform because of the land grant railroad to run north from he dealt only with national matters and did central Wisconsin to Lake Superior.*^ Here he faced powerful opposition. 'Vbid., April 30, May 28, July 2, 1898, quoted articles from the Kilbourn Mirror Gazette and the Milwaukee had controfled most of the pre­ Columbus Republican favoring Turner's nomination. vious grants of land in the construction of the ^'State Register, Aug. 20, 1898. ''Ibid., Oct. 8, 22, 29, 1898. ''Ibid., Aug. 2, 1902. "Ibid., Aug. 1, 1896, Sept. 6, 1902. "Ibid., Aug. 16, 1902. ''Ibid.. March 9, 1901. ''Ibid., Jan. 30, 1864. ""Ibid.. July 19, 1902. "Ibid., Aug. 27, 1864, Jan. 28, 1865.

84 BERTHRONG : ANDREW JACKSON TURNER

railroads into the Rock, Wisconsin, and Fox could relax now that the land grant railroad River valleys, and also had been the de­ for which he had struggled for ten years was terminant in the selection of the La Crosse- assured to Portage. Turner had served his Milwaukee route.^^ It was the intention of the community well and long. Milwaukee railroad investors, led by the for­ Not content with this success Turner midable Alexander Mitchell, to secure the branched out into other railroad projects southern terminal for Fond du Lac so it would which continued to occupy a portion of his be accessible to the eastern cities of the State.^^ time for the next twenty years. In 1873 he A bifl was introduced for this purpose in the stressed the importance of linking Portage Legislature of 1866, but Turner watchful of with the Sheboygan and Fond du Lac Rail­ Portage's interests offered a measure to make road and then north from Stevens Point to it the southern terminal.^^ Eventually a com­ serve as an additional feeder to his city.^^ promise was achieved between the two groups, Six years later he urged the Chicago and and Portage became one of the terminals of North Western to survey a route from Portage the Portage and Superior Railroad Company to Princeton in the event they should buy the and Turner became its first secretary in 1867.^^ former railway.^°° In the same period Turner Even after the Legislature had aflocated served as president of the Portage, Friendship, the lands for the construction of the railroad, and Grand Rapids Railroad Company, which precautions were necessary to insure that sub­ consolidated with the Madison and Portage sequent Legislatures did not alter the railroad's Railroad completed earlier in 1871.^°^ Later route. During his last term in the state Legis­ in the 1880's Turner was among the confidants lature in 1869, the editor from Portage was of William S. Rosecrans, the former Union prominent in the formation of the Portage, Civil War General who was in Congress as a Winnebago, and Superior Railroad Com­ representative of California from 1881 to pany.^* Also in the interest of Portage, he 1885, and who was trying to complete plans fostered with others a line between Madison for the Chicago, St. Paul and Northern Pa­ and Portage completed in 1871, the culmina­ cific Railroad Company.^^^ The last railroad tion of over seven years' activity. In the same project in which Turner associated was the period he also served as a director of the Chicago, Madison, and Portage Railroad Com­ Portage, Stevens Point, and Superior Rail­ pany which, serving as an extension of the road.^^ Finally the Wisconsin Central Railroad Illinois Central, was to run from Freeport, emerged in 1871 from the several railroads Iflinois to Madison.^^^ which Turner had helped to promote and With his many activities in journalism, poli­ create.^^ To make certain that the corporation, tics, and railroad promotions, Turner still had headed by the Boston banker Gardner Colby, time to pursue many avocations. He found would not ignore the community of Portage, the opportunity to enjoy fishing the streams, Turner testified before the Railroad Commit­ rivers, and lakes for trout or pike and gunning tee of the assembly in 1873.^^ His recom­ for ducks and geese as they passed on their mendations prevailed, and the officials of the migratory flights.^^* He also was able to spon­ Wisconsin Central agreed first to complete the sor and participate in the curling tournaments track from Stevens Point to Portage or give in the city of Portage and the Northwest.^^^ up a part of their land grant.^^ Jack Turner "Ibid.. May 31, 1873. "'Ibid., June 7, 1879. ''Ibid., Feb. 18, March 4, 1865. "'Ibid., Sept. 25, 1880, June 17, 1905. "Ibid., Feb. 10, 1865, July 2, 1898. "'Ibid., July 21, 1883; W. S. Rosecrans to A. J. "Ibid., Jan. 20, Feb. 17, 1866; Wisconsin Assembly Turner, Aug. 19, 1883, Turner Papers. Journal, 1866, p. 251. '"'Milwaukee Journal, March 7, 1891. "State Register, Feb. 24, April 28, June 2, 1866, '"^Portage Wisconsin State Register, May 14, 1870, March 2, 1867; Wisconsin Session Laws, 1867, Chap. March 9, 1872. Subsequent issues of the State Regis­ 362. ter abound in indications of Turner's interests as a "State Register, Feb. 27, March 13, 1869. sportsman. ''Ibid., May 28, June 4, Nov. 19, 1870. '""'"Andrew Jackson Turner," Works Progress Ad­ "Ibid., March 4, 1871. ministration, W.P.A. Wisconsin Biographies, 5, in "Ibid., Feb. 8, 15, 1873. Wisconsin Historical Society Library; State Register, "Ibid., March 1, 1873. June 17, 1905.

85 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

Local history, though, must certainly be came the trading post, the trading post the ranked as one of his most fruitful leisure time city. . . ."^^^ It would be easy to overstress, activities. however, the influence of the father upon the Long a leading citizen of Portage and news­ son, and we must remember that Frederick paper editor. Turner had many opportunities Jackson Turner early transcended his father's to learn the interesting history of his com­ localism when he came under the influence munity. Portage, astride one of the old water­ of such men as William Francis Allen and ways of the Northwest, the Fox-Wisconsin Reuben Gold Thwaites in Madison and had Rivers, had been the route of travel since the access to the rich Draper Collection.^^^ days of the French occupation of the North A man of talent, abounding energy, and American continent. After the United States considerable popularity. Turner never seemed assumed control of the Old Northwest, Fort to attain the fullest possible measure of suc­ Winnebago was built at Portage in 1828 to cess. Associated with a number of railroad protect the fur trade.^"" As early as 1865 projects both as a promoter and official, an Turner called attention to the significance investor in pine lands, it seems probable that of the local history of the area and its rela­ he should have "hit the jack-pot" at least tion to the French. Indian, and American once. Here the explanation lies, perhaps, in fur trade.^'^' In particular, he wished to the fact that the railroad promotions in which coflect information from the old settlers whose he participated were bought out by the large anecdotes and reminiscences were among the combinations in their consolidation of the Wis­ more important sources of local lore and consin railroads. Thus, Turner did not directly history. 1 sually Turner's local history nar­ share in the greater profits of the larger and rated the formation of Columbia County or more powerful railroad organizations. Politi­ the history of Fort Winnebago and occa­ cally, Turner supported too many losing causes sionally he authored articles on political his­ within the Wisconsin Republican Party. His tory with which he had intimate affiliations.^°* friends and political associates, Lucius Fair- His historical studies were based upon of­ child, Horace Rublee, and Elisha W. Keyes ficial country records, reminiscences of old lost control of the Wisconsin Republican Party settlers and their letters, archives of the State by the 1880's and were replaced by a new Historical Society of Wisconsin at Madison, controfling faction led by Philetus Sawyer. and correspondence with the historical socie­ Then, later in his political career his influence ties of the surrounding states.^^^'^ His interest within the Republican organization was fur­ in the fur trade and frontier history proved ther curtailed by the rise of the Progressives contagious, for his more famous son, Fred­ for whom Turner had little affection. Even erick Jackson Turner, based his doctoral dis­ when disappointed in his aspiration to elective sertation on such a topic. Steeped in the office. Turner seldom failed to defend the local traditions of Portage, the great historian actions of the Republican Party when it was could easily have been thinking of his home under attack. Until his death on June 10, town when he wrote, "The Indian village be- 1905, Andrew Jackson Turner as a journalist '"'Andrew Jackson Turner, "The History of Fort and politician was truly one of the "work Winnebago," Wisconsin Historical Society Collec­ horses" of the nineteenth century Wisconsin tions. 14 (1898) : 65,71. Republican Party. END '"State Register, March 25, 1865. '"^Andrew Jackson Turner, The Family Tree to ""Fulmer Mood, "Turner's Formative Period," in Columbia County (Portage, Wis., 1904), in the Pam­ The Early Writings of Frederick Jackson Turner phlet Collection of the Wisconsin Historical Society (Madison, 1938), 15. Library: Andrew Jackson Turner, "Genesis of the "'Ibid., 13; Fulmer Mood, "The Development of Republican Party," in State Register, March 19, 1898. Frederick Jackson Turner as a Historical Thinker," '"'•'Turner, Family Tree of Columbia County; Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts. Turner, "History of Fort Winnebago"; also corres­ Transactions, 1937-1942 (Boston, 1943), 34:288ff, pondence in Box 1, File 1, in Turner Papers. 294.

86 Have you a well-defined policy on the collecting of printed materials? After you have read this "Catechism," your questions should be resolved.

Catechism on the Collecting of Printed Materials by Local Historical Societies by Benton H. Wilcox

What should the local historical society collect? first about the community, or the first pub­ "Collect" is the key word here. Some li­ lished in the community though in point of braries do not "collect," they merely "accumu­ years these are less than a century of age. late." It is very easy, every time some one At the same time, books much older in years calls and says: "I have been cleaning out my wifl have no interest for the Society at all for attic and have some old books you might they do not relate to it in any direct way. want," to take the "old books" and add them Furthermore, when one considers rarity, a to the society accumulation. In the course of book published by a standard publisher in a few years one's shelves are filled with old New York in the 1830's is not usually rare Bibles, sets of Shakespeare, works of devotion, while one printed in Platteville in 1863 by a and the like, none of which have any real local printer may be a genuine collector's item. significance for the purpose of the historical society. To "collect" implies bringing together Should not these general books of literature, materials with a purpose, according to a plan. and so on, be collected because they mirror Since the purpose of the historical society is the culture of our forefathers? to preserve and disseminate information on Now you are getting over into the field of the history of the community, county, or re­ museum work. True, one could very well plan gion, it should limit its collecting to materials and develop a collection of books showing which will contribute to the attainment of what our forefathers read and enjoyed. It this end. would have some interest for the public and, if one has space, money, and time, it could Isnt it the business of a historical Society to be a worthwhile project. But put first things collect old books and newspapers? first. If this project detracts from your central Like so many axioms, this is only a half- objective of a collection preserving the his­ truth. First, age is a relative term. While we tory of your community, it had best be left expect things belonging to the same class to to the public library which will have all of age in the same way and at the same speed, these old classics anyway. this is not true for books. Some books are like a lady's hat, they become old almost im­ What, then, is left for the local historical mediately; others have lives comparable to society to collect? Methuselah. Furthermore, from the standpoint Collectable materials fall into two principal of a historical society library, age is only one classes, namely, material printed in the com­ aspect of interest. A given pamphlet or book munity and material printed about the com­ may have great interest because it was the munity. It is difficult to say which is the

87 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER. 1954-55 more important though perhaps the materials known, the only surviving copy of this particu­ printed in the community take precedence as lar item and it is interesting for that reason research materials. These materials wifl in­ more than for its content, though the bill of clude newspapers, books and pamphlets (if fare at least indicates a high degree of culinary any), hand bifls, broadsides, and particularly civilization in the early community. These for the period of settlement and beginnings fugitive imprints constitute a prime source for every scrap that came from the local press. history; they are what one should look for in Books about the community will not only in­ cleaning out the attic. clude those devoted wholly to the community —either history or description—but also any Where should one draw the line in collecting that treat briefly of the community in any imprints ? section. That is a question no one has yet answered to everyone's satisfaction. At the State Histori­ Are newspapers worth the space they occupy? cal Society Library we have rather arbitrarily The backbone of any collection of local his­ set the year 1865 as the dividing line up to tory materials is a complete file of the local which we wifl collect printed items as "im- newspaper or newspapers, or as nearly com­ prints.^' For later materials we demand that plete as possible. In their weekly issues one it have content as well. One can quite safely really catches the pulse beat of the community, say that anything printed in the first twenty as well as finding all the trivia which while or twenty-five years of a community's life de­ unimportant in detail adds up to the full pic­ serves to be saved. If a society is really doing ture of life as it was lived. A community with­ a good job of collecting, it will, however, con­ out a newspaper file is almost a community tinue to collect this same type of ephemera without a history. on a current basis. This will not be done so For those communities who can find files of much because of the interest in imprints as their newspaper only in the library of the because of the interest in the contents—the State Historical Society, microfilm makes it picture given of the life of the community. possible for this to be brought back to the community, at least in facsimile. If the pub­ Would you include state histories in a local lisher has a file which is not well cared for society library? or available for public use, film again makes The purpose of the local collection is to en­ it possible to both insure its preservation and able citizens of the community to better under­ make it readily available for reference. This stand their community. To do this, they must is an exceflent beginning project. understand the broader community of the state within which they are but a small unit. What is the significance of early imprints? This will require having at least the better Collectors revel in early imprints, i.e. prod­ state histories on hand for reading and refer­ ucts of the printing press produced very early ence. Some general works, such as the twenty- in the history of any community. In part this one volumes of the Historical Society Collec­ is the result of the rarity of these items—most tions of Wisconsin may be necessary because having been produced in but few copies and of specific references dealing with the history these lost in the prevailing frontier conditions. of the locality, which may also be true of the But while rarity makes these items financially Wisconsin Magazine of History. valuable today, they are equally important be­ cause in them is stored the record of life in This type of collecting will not produce a very that early period. large library, will it? Most printing presses were brought into If worked at diligently, this will produce their communities for the purpose of publish­ more than you might think. Consider again ing a newspaper, but in addition did a jobbing in review the collectable categories: (1) news­ business also. Before me is a folded brochure papers; (2) local imprints, particularly for announcing the opening of the Westcott House the first twenty-five years and at least selec­ at La Crosse on June 9, 1862, including the tively for later years also; (3) afl books and bifl of fare for the dav. This is, so far as is pamphlets dealing with your community or

88 WILCOX : COLLECTING OF PRINTED MATERIALS having any significant mention of your com­ materials. Most societies wifl find the local munity; and (4) a selection of the principal library the most adequate solution. Most local works dealing with the history of Wisconsin libraries will welcome the assistance of the as a state. What such a collection lacks in historical society in building up carefully re­ size, it wifl make up for in usefulness and stricted collections of the type outlined above. quality. It wifl fulfifl the purpose of the li­ And if placed in public libraries, the materials brary; anything more would be sheer excess. gathered wifl be accessible to afl the citizens of the community. So work this problem out Where should the collection be housed? with your local librarian, unless you have the This is a very real problem for most local quarters and the volunteer staff to operate a historical societies which simply do not have real community research and reading room. adequate quarters of their own for library END

Born, A New Art Center $5,000 Fellowship Created In the Autumn of 1953 a group of The University of Kentucky Press an­ Madeline Islanders purchased the Old nounces the establishment of a fellowship Mission Inn hotel. Cabin, and its sur­ awarding $5,000 to the writer who dis­ rounding property, situated on Made­ plays the most insight and scholarship line, and formed a nonprofit educational in projecting a book-length manuscript corporation. analyzing some significant aspect of the Madeline Island is the largest of the culture of Kentucky or its region. When picturesque Apostle group, situated off completed, the book wifl be published Wisconsin's Lake Superior shoreline. by the Press. The purpose of the award The site purchased is associated with is to attract the attention of outstanding much of the State's earliest history. scholars to the opportunities for interpre­ The Wisconsin Alumnus, in its Decem­ tive writing about Kentucky. ber issue, narrates that something new The successful candidate will be se­ has come to Madeline: the Madeline lected on the basis of his understanding Summer Art Center, which had its begin­ of the whole culture of the region, the nings the past summer. Though the Inn freshness and originality of his idea and has been a resort for some sixty years, his development of it, and his literary its operation is entirely separate from the Art Center. style and ability. Applicants wfll be asked to submit a 25-page essay on their sub­ There were nine students enrolled in ject; from this and from interviews the ^ve courses, serving as a pilot group in Press Fellowship Committee will choose developing the new center. Each student the winner. Up to $4,000 will be paid as was given a great deal of individual in­ a stipend while the candidate is com­ struction, but there was time allowed for the enjoyment of sports. Another feature pleting his manuscript. The remainder of the center drew several nonenroflees of the $5,000 wifl be paid upon submis­ to Madeline on weekends. These bi­ sion of the book to the Press in an weekly seminars brought widely known acceptable, publishable form. artists to teach a Friday night class, to Deadline for application for the Fel­ conduct a Saturday afternoon workshop, lowship will be April 1, 1955. Further and to lead a Sunday evaluation period. information may be obtained by writing Plans are to limit the 1955 enrollment to the University of Kentucky Press, Lex­ twenty-five students. ington, Kentucky.

89 IMAGES OF HISTORY "

"We belong to a generation that has no The following prizes were awarded: time to read its Gibbon but will linger Documentary: Michael D. Durante, fascinated over a thousand images of West Aflis, "Blue Print for Power," first history," writes Francis Henry Taylor prize, $25; Oflie Reese, Wisconsin Dells, in the foreword to Marshall B. David­ "Ghee, a Real One," second prize, $20; son's Life in America.^ "The age of Arthur Barsamian, South Milwaukee, specialization has crowded from the "Armenian Priest," third prize, $15; ordinary curriculum the humanistic spec­ Gordon L. Peckham, Prairie du Chien, ulations which were so customary to the "The Gentle Touch," honorable mention, cultivated man even less than a century $10; Howard A. Hartman, Milwaukee, ago. Yet it has not succeeded in stifling "Genesee Depot," honorable mention, his curiosity about past events and per­ $10; John Ahlhauser, Milwaukee, "4^H sonalities and places far away. . . . The Fair," honorable mention, $10; A. J. thirst for knowledge, vivid and detailed, Muefler, Appleton, "Fox Cities Indus­ has thus brought about a new type of try," honorable mention, $10. scholarship which gives authority to pic­ Pictorial: Mrs. Liflian Ettinger, Chi­ torial representation as a substitute for cago, "Guest Register," first prize, $25; masses of words." Fran Achen, Whitewater, "Fond du Lac "Wisconsin Today," the annual photo­ Lighthouse," second prize, $20; Wflliam graphic competition sponsored by the A. Timpany, Janesville, "Seining at Sun­ State Historical Society, was launched set," third prize, $15; Don Mereen, in 1950 to record contemporary "images Milwaukee, "A Young Citizen," hon­ of history" that could be educational and orable mention, $10; Edwin L. Raby, entertaining to present-day viewers and Manitowoc, "The Cloud and I," honor­ would serve as source and illustration material for researchers of tomorrow. able mention, $10; Ollie Reese, Wiscon­ Each year since 1950, the quality of the sin Dells, "The Fringe Area," honorable pictorial material submitted has im­ mention, $10. proved markedly. Color Transparencies: John Kysilko, "Wisconsin Today—1954," the Fifth Cadott, "Winter Banquet," first prize, Annual Photographic Competition, of­ $25; Robert W. Luebke, Green Bay, fered what was clearly the finest exhi­ "Beef Cattle," second prize, $20; Oflie bition of views of the Badger scene since Reese, Wisconsin Dells, "The Happy the inauguration of the competition. Tourists," third prize, $15. The Society received 508 entries this In addition, a number of other prints year, of which 161 were selected for ex­ submitted in the competition were pur­ hibition in the fourth floor galleries of chased for the Society's pictorial collec­ the Museum, November 4-December 6, tion. Many of the black and white pho­ 1954. The 94 black and white photo­ tographic entries will be included in the graphs accepted were displayed on pan­ 1956 Wisconsin Calendar published by els: 67 color slides were shown in two the Society and available for distribu­ automatic projectors with recorded iden­ tion early next summer. The Calendar tifications of the slides. serves also as a catalog of the exhibition. The competition was judged by Hen­ During the past four years more than ry LeFebvre, commercial photographer 200 pictorial items have been added to at Green Bay; Harry E. Lichter, cura­ the photographic collection of the So­ tor of the collections in the Society's ciety as a result of the "Wisconsin To­ Museum; and Paul Vanderbilt, recently day" competitions. We feel that the appointed curator of the Society's photo­ project has done a great deal to record graphic collection. contemporary activities and scenes for the historian of the twenty-first century. ^Published in two volumes by Houghton Mifflin (Boston, 1951). A.K.

90 bi^ Don McNeil

We need members for the AAPNMB! taining to the life of Charles Minton Baker, This is a vigorous organization founded early-day Lake Geneva resident, the remi­ and chartered by my tall and sloping side­ niscences of Harry Baker of St. Croix Fafls kick, Frank Efliott. Conceived during a frus­ which include accounts of the career of trated moment outside Antigo not long ago, his famous brother, Ray Stannard Baker; a the American Association for Preservation of trunkful of letters relating to the life of Wil­ Names on Mail Boxes is dedicated to the idea liam Walker of Milton who served as a mis­ of encouraging all Americans who live on sionary to Africa from 1850-80; a set of Gov­ rural routes either to place or replace their ernor Hoard papers; and the papers of Mont­ names on their mailboxes. The names should gomery Morrison Cothern, one of the founding be in at least four-inch-high letters and have fathers of our Society. The Cothern papers a phosphorous coating for night drivers. The came directly out of our search for founding firm, bold paint strokes on the mailboxes fathers a year ago. should be for all to see—especially field men In addition we have realized the gap in from the Historical Society. agricultural records and have attempted to Membership in the AAPNMB is limited trace the papers of past leaders of the Grange, to those who have an exciting yarn about as well as the records of leaders in other farm driving at least three miles out of the way organizations. We have obtained excellent co­ just because the person he was seeking didn't operation from local REA co-ops in our at­ have his name on the mailbox. A theme song, tempt to preserve certain records and reports either original or parody, is in order. We of locals throughout the State. The Medical suggest something relating to the "Blues." Society through its Medical History Section is Annual awards are being considered. First renewing the search for medical records. We prize will go to the person who knocks down have contacted trade unionists who attended the most nameless mailboxes. Second prize the University School for Workers to renew will be awarded to the person who paints our request for preservation of their records. names on the most mailboxes, with or without As local societies build their programs, the owners' permission. (Nobody from Bur­ they, too, will begin active collecting pro­ lington, Wisconsin, allowed to participate.) grams. We hope the regional depositories wifl solve the storage and care problem and help Our search for manuscripts goes on. keep the manuscripts of local significance in We've been traveling extensively doing our the area of origin. best to exhaust some of the hundreds of leads to manuscripts we have in our central lead While Wiscon.sin slam-banged its way to file. We have come up with such outstanding victory over Northwestern one Saturday this coflections as two suitcases of letters per­ fall Frank spent the afternoon with a smafl

91 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 group from the Portage County Historical Society, talks to various civic organizations Society in Stevens Point shaping up ideas on on history in the county (for example, in their Dictionary of Portage County Biography. January he talked to the Whitewater Business Frank was pleased with the initial sketches and Professional Women's Clubs on "The and reports the biographical information will Mormons in Walworth County"). The Society aid greatly in seeking out manuscripts of these has an active group of officers and has pioneer leaders. Moreover, there is a keen adopted a broad and varied program which interest on the part of those engineering the will yield more members and greater interest Dictionary project (modeled after our own in the years to come. Dictionary of Wisconsin Biography) to dig The Fond du Lac County Society, with deeper into their subjects to find the "why" some young vigorous leaders at the helm, as well as the "what" of it all. The Dictionary has now come into some property which will of Portage County Biography wifl prove a be its home and museum. The old Galloway handy reference tool as well as a project home was given to the Society, and plans are around which the research-minded people in now underway to transform the late Victorian the historical society can rally their forces. mansion on the eastern edge of town into the local historical shrine. The recently organized Washburn County With all these activities on the county level Historical Society has what sounds like an popping, we have a word for the local ideal arrangement. Ward Winton, a lawyer Society which we cite around the State and in Shell Lake who has spent many hundreds Nation as one of the best: of hours interviewing old-timers in the area "Sawyer County, look to your laurels!" to get their history firsthand, sparkplugged the society. Taking as a model their illustrious The 1954 History Caravan was just as sister society directly to the East, Sawyer exhausting, yet just as rewarding and satisfy­ County, Ward and his compatriots in Wash­ ing, as the ones in years past. Somehow we burn County in one respect have done Tony always seem to find ourselves on a tight Wise and his group one better. They have schedule. This year Frank joined us for the created a joint membership with the State two solid weeks of Caravanning (including Historical Society. Dues for the Washburn Saturdays and Sundays). We toured fourteen of the larger cities in Wisconsin with the County Society are $2.00—$1.00 of which Historymobile and its exhibit on the Signers automatically makes them members of the of the Declaration of Independence. During State Society. In other words, at the organiza­ the days we took turns guiding people through tional meeting the sixty-eight members of the the Historymobile, worked on manuscript, local society became, at the same time, mem­ book, and museum collections through our bers of the State Society. Members will get lead cards, attended luncheons for potential Then and Now, as well as the local society sustaining members, visited newspaper edi­ publications. Thus local and state interests tors, allowed ourselves to be interviewed over are joined—marching forward together with local radio stations, and at night held regional the common objective of learning, under­ meetings with our friends in the local societies. standing, and promoting an interest in local Quantitatively, as well as quality-wise, we history of the county and of the State. What had good results. About 700 members turned could be finer? out for various dinner meetings with local societies. Between the three of us we called Elsewhere around the State, we note that on another 300 people, and a total of 17,539 the Walworth County Society is in high gear people viewed the "Signers" exhibit in the these days, too. They now have a News Letter Historymobile. Of this total, 7,188 were adults which keeps their members informed. They and 10,351 were children. A special note on are working diligently on the big project of the children. Most of them came in school obtaining a home for the Society—and there groups and had some discussion on the sub­ is a good chance of this becoming a reality ject of the Revolution immediately prior to soon. Henry Kenyon. vice president of the their visit. Thus the tour through the History-

92 CIRCUIT RIDER

Autumn Caravaneers Lord and McNeil Are Chatting with Friends before the Society's Historymobile. With Them Are (1. to r.) Walter Ireland, Jr., Kohler; Ernst I. Kaufmann, Sheboygan; and Charles E. Broughton, Sheboygan. mobile was one of special educational value. of our overall program of taking history to the Our two-week Caravan sojourn with Cu­ people. rators Jack and Mary Edith Winn and their On the last day of this year's Caravan we beloved Historymobile gave us a firsthand were chatting on our way back to Madison experience of the impact which the forty-three- about the different types of people we meet foot trailer is having on the State and helped in the course of one day's adventure in the us appreciate the good job the Winns did all field. Frank told how he had started off last summer and fall. From April 22 until the morning with the mayor of the town; then the end of the Caravan on October 15, the had coffee with the public relations director Winns played host to 122,655 people in sixty- of a large industrial concern and the propri­ one of our seventy-one counties. They traveled etor of a restaurant (who furnished the coffee 7,276 miles and criss-crossed the State several free). Taking to his horse, Frank cafled on times. They actually set up the Historymobile a federal judge, a resident of a Home for the (parked it, hooked up to electricity, assembled Aged, three housewives, the director of an the steps, put out the signs—all of which insurance corporation and the head of a man­ takes about an hour) on 186 sites. Sometimes ufacturing concern (all of whom were leads they moved two and three times a day in to possible manuscript collections). He finished order to visit as many small towns as possible. off the day by calling on a Congressman to The only breakdowns (and these were mo­ stress the long range value of preserving the mentary) came from a broken axle on the Representative's papers in the Society's manu­ trailer and a flat trailer tire. They experienced no vandalism, though a hydraulic jack and script coflection for future historians and re­ one display calendar were stolen some place searchers. In between these calls, Frank spent along the way. They parked the fifty-nine-foot a couple of hours at the Historymobile an­ unit on main streets and school grounds during swering questions, signing up new $1.00 mem­ the week and in parks, zoos, or wherever there bers, and just generally being pleasant to the was a crowd on weekends. They set up shop throngs of visitors to the Historymobile. We at county fairs, attended several festivals and all finished off the day with a brief session conventions throughout the State, and were with an old friend, Norm Van Brocklin, quar­ especially pleased with the Historymobile's terback of the Los Angeles Rams, who stopped performances at centennial celebrations. by to see "this big red trailer." The Historymobile more than lived up to One certainly meets the most interesting expectations. It becomes a significant part people while riding the circuit. END

93 instrument may acquire cracks or disfigura­ tions. A musician should always be consulted Pandora's on the tuning of instruments. The final and perhaps the most important Box^ step in the preservation of stringed or wooden instruments is the packing for storage. Each instrument should be wrapped in a soft tightly woven cloth and placed in a proper case, if available. This will keep the instruments away from undue moisture, dryness or changes of temperature, and when wanted for playing or exhibition they will be in excellent condition. Musical instruments generafly referred to as brass instruments include all made of metal. These are of two types, valve and pad instru­ ments. The valve type includes the cornet, Musical Instruments baritone, trombone, and so on while the pad in the Museum instruments include metal clarinets, saxo­ phones, and padded flutes. Some metal instru­ If you are wondering what to do with those ments are lacquered, others are all brass or old musical instruments in your museum, the silver or nickel plated or combinations of two procedure outlined below may be of some help or more metals. For this reason it is best to to you in caring for them. treat all metal instruments with great caution. The stringed instruments such as violins, Strong cleaners can ruin the surface of lac­ violas, cellos, basses, guitars, mandolins, zith­ quered instruments in a few moments. Also, ers, and some of the woodwind instruments certain chemical elements contained in clean­ such as wooden clarinets, flutes, fifes, and ers will affect many of the other metal sur­ oboes, require somewhat the same treatment. faces. For this reason, unless you have been First wipe them off with a clean soft cloth advised by an instrument repairman, do not to remove any dust; next take a clean small experiment with any cleaner solutions. cloth and apply sparingly a quantity of a fine In cleaning the valve instruments, carefully grade of oil of lemon. This may be purchased remove the valves and place them on a table at a drugstore and will act somewhat as a pre­ in order. Then run lukewarm water through servative as well as beauty aid. Do not allow the horn and wipe out the parts. Wipe off the the oil to work into any pads on the wood­ valves and dry the entire instrument. Blow winds or on the hair area of the bows of the excess water out through the horn and let it string quartet family. stand until you are sure the inside is dry. Never lacquer or varnish any musical in­ Next put a small amount of instrument valve strument that has any performance or histori­ oil on the valves and return them to their cal value. Varnish on a wooden or stringed proper places. instrument has a great deal to do with the The instruments with padded keys require tone quality and, as special varnishes were a bit different procedure as it is necessary to used for this purpose, it is unwise for an keep the felt pads dry. Wipe out the inside amateur to experiment. The varnish or lac­ with a dry cloth and wipe the outside with a quer you might use could cause a destructive moist cloth. Check to see if any of the pads reaction such as bubbling or cracking. are missing, and have a competent repair­ The next important step for preservation of man replace them if the instrument is to be stringed instruments is to have the strings played or inspected carefully. Store both valve properly tuned before storing or displaying. and pad instruments using the same procedure All stringed instruments are constructed to as for the wooden instruments. withstand stresses from the strings tightened These fundamentals of care will give your to a certain degree. If the strings are not museum instruments usability as well as tuned correctly, the wood may warp and the beauty for display purposes. M. O'B.

94 ''^fe.

Part I of this article dealt with the financ­ ing and construction of the Mineral Point and Northern Railway in south­ western Wisconsin. Though the railroad was chugging its busiest, the present in­ stallment relates that it was constantly in debt. In contrast the zinc industry was prospering for some years; when the late 1920's arrived, zinc mining came to an end, and the eventual abandonment of the railroad followed.

Mineral Point's High Street Taken in 1892 or Thereafter

The History of the Mineral Point and Northern Railway Company (Part II) bii Paul S. Nadler

To all external appearances, the Mineral Point The financial condition of the line did not and Northern Railway was the success that its echo the external success of the venture, for promoters had hoped it would be: cattle ship­ the expenses had exceeded revenues and the ments, mining supplies, ore, and general mer­ line was constantly in debt to the Mineral chandise were all handled more easily and Point Zinc Company for cash advances.^^ In rapidly with the new line in operation. More its first year of operation the railroad earned important was the rapid increase in the num­ a gross revenue of $28,978.04 while its ex­ ber of large-scale mines that were started penses were $33,286.13. Since the railroad along the Mineral Point and Northern right also owed the bondholders $14,285.34 in inter­ of way. Harker station became the loading est, its deficit for the first year of operation point for the B.M. & B., the Peacock, the was over $19,000.^^ Profits of the line, how­ Slack, the Gronow, and the Lucky Six mines. ever, were not the most important considera­ Near Linden the Ross, the Darkhorse, the Gil- tion to the owners of the stock, the Mineral man, the Rajah, the Weigle, and the Hinkle Point Zinc Company. The Zinc Company en­ mines were operating, in addition to the three joyed the convenience of direct transportation mines of the Optimo Company. Highland pro­ for ore coming to the plants, and the profits vided railroad facilities for the Highland Min­ of the zinc operations could easily absorb this ing Company, the Franklin, the Waflace, and deficit. Mcllhon, Amberg, and Morrifl, how­ the Clarke mines. In addition, many small ever, must have reflected with a note of sad­ mines were located along the Mineral Point ness when they saw their railroad in such a and Northern, and a substantial volume of ore financial state only one year after its in­ was brought from the North Western Road at augural. Whitson Junction into Mineral Point.^^ Although finances did not improve, normal operations continued without incident until '"•LCC. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ tion of the Mineral Point and Northern Railway Com­ "Ibid., 39. pany in section 1 (18) of the Interstate Commerce ^^Mineral Point and Northern Railway Company, xAct for certificate of public convenience and necessity "Annual Report" for 1906 in Archives of the State permitting the abandonment of its line in Iowa and of Wisconsin. Although the Zinc Company was the LaFayette Counties, Wisconsin," Hearing of Novem­ only bond holder of the railroad, the two concerns ber 14, 1929 (Unpublished), 28. were financially separate.

95 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954^55

February 5, 1909. On that day one of the Point and Northern now took off one of its Mineral Point and Northern's two mixed trains in each direction.^^ Only one crew was trains had arrived at Whitson Junction and now needed, and it would also do the switch­ was waiting for a North Western passenger ing of cars at Mineral Point.^^ Committees at train from Madison, as the schedule called Highland and Linden complained that they for a connection. Since there was time to wait were getting inadequate service. The Wis­ before the North Western train was due, the consin Railway Commission, after a hearing, little engine began to switch two cars from decided that the railroad was providing ade­ the siding that were to be added to the train quate transportation facilities.^^ Evidently the it was pulling. This operation involved run­ amount of "black jack" ore in the Highland ning westward for a short distance along the and Linden areas did not fulfifl expectations North Western tracks, and the Mineral Point and, as a result, the line had lost $125,000 in and Northern engine started out. A thirty-five- seven years.^^ At this time the Post Office De­ car special freight was preceding the passenger partment asked for sealed bids for the return train from Madison, and it came into Whitson of stage mail routes from the North Western Junction at thirty miles per hour with two station at Cobb into Highland. On September engines pulling. The resulting crash killed 2, 1912, the mail contract was withdrawn from the engineer on the first North Western loco­ the Mineral Point and Northern, and two stage motive, and badly damaged all three engines trips daily were instituted instead. Highland and many cars. The members of the Mineral had returned to the stagecoach period from Point and Northern engine crew, who had evi­ which it had so happfly departed eight years dently disobeyed signals, escaped injury be­ earlier.^^ cause the two freight cars of their train During the hearing held on the complaints cushioned the shock.^^ The North Western of the Highland and Linden citizens, the Min­ line may have wished that it had built the eral Point and Northern emphasized the close railroad in the beginning. connection between the railroad and its own­ On February 16, 1911, another major ers and the inability of the railroad to avoid wreck on the Mineral Point and Northern even larger annual deficits without the favors took place one-half mile west of Highland that the Zinc Company provided. Junction on one of the bridges over the East A shipper has the right to specify the rout­ Pecatonica River. Ice and water from the ing that his product will follow wherever there heavy rain of the previous night had been are alternative railroad lines available to the flowing under the bridge, and Conductor Dun- destination. When a consignment has been widdie and Brakeman Wright were riding in routed over two or more lines, the railroads the engine with Engineer Riddle and Fireman divide the revenues on a percentage system. Wald, watching for washouts.^^ The engine The distance each line has carried the product had already cleared the bridge, and the tender often is not the main determinant. The Min­ was crossing it when the structure collapsed eral Point and Northern had arranged a rate under the weight of the tender. This pulled division with each of its connecting lines which the locomotive back, down, and six or eight entitled the Mineral Point and Northern to a feet below into the river. All of the crew es­ full third of the revenue from any shipment caped except Fireman Wald who was caught which originated or terminated on this line. between the jack-knifed locomotive and tender. These arrangements were qualified only to He died that evening. The occupants of the 'T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ passenger car, on the rear end of the train, naire ... Northern Railway Company," 4. were not hurt.^^ ''Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-1101, ''A. G. Roethe v. Mineral Point and Northern Rail­ These two wrecks aggravated the poor finan­ way," Hearing of July 30, 1912 (Unpublished), p. cial condition of the railroad, and the Mineral J-35. "A. G. Roethe v. Mineral Point and Northern Rail­ ^^Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, Feb. 11, way, 11 W.R.C.R. 643 (1912). 1909. '^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-1101, ^T.C.C. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ "Roethe v. Mineral Point,'' p. J-24. tion . . . ," 6. *'"A. G. Roethe to Commissioner John H. Roemer, ''Mineral Point Tribune, Feb. 16, 1911. Sept. 2, 1912, in ibid.

96 RAILROADS OF THE ZING REGION OF WISGONSIN SCALE MILES 0 2

RAILROADS MINERAL POINT 8 NORTHERN i I I I | I CHICAGO a NORTH WESTERN "H-f^ CHICAGO.MILWAUKEE a ST. PAUL^^H THE MINERAL POINT a NORTHERN RAILROAD OPERATED FROM 1904 THROUGH EARLY 1930. ELMO ©Jl TO ^CHICAGO, JANESVILLE, AND MILWAUKEE

TO CUBA©^ GALENA DRAWN BY WM.DAVIS WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

the extent that the Mineral Point and Northern tion.^^ The people of Iowa County had their would not share in any portion of the revenue railroad, but its maintenance required con­ that was earned in transporting shipments siderable ingenuity. west of the Missouri River or St. Paul, Min­ The Mineral Point and Northern may have nesota, for otherwise the division would have been on treacherous ground financiafly, but been too grossly unjust. the Mineral Point Zinc Company prospered Thus, the North Western could bring a car in the years immediately preceding World from St. Paul to Whitson Junction, a distance War I. It built a new power plant and a new of 339 miles and receive only twice as much oxide plant, and it imported ore from the revenue as the Mineral Point line would get upper Mississippi River valley, the Rockies, for taking it the last 8.4 miles into Highland.^^ and as far away as Mexico.^^ During this This arrangement was also used on shipments period the Zinc Company repaired the Mineral routed from the St. Paul Road to the Mineral Point and Northern by replacing many ties on Point and Northern at Highland Junction, but the right of way, reinforcing some bridges with one major difference: most of the ship­ with concrete, and purchasing two new ten- ments routed through Highland Junction were wheel Baldwin locomotives. These new en­ those of the Mineral Point Zinc Company, and gines, costing $25,000 each, replaced the old it routed the products via the St. Paul into eight-wheelers.^^ In 1914 the line purchased Highland Junction and then via the Mineral an open platform passenger car, secondhand, Point and Northern into Mineral Point. To and a brand new steel underframe caboose. carry these goods into Mineral Point, the With this equipment the line was ready to Mineral Point and Northern had to use the face the years of the First World War and tracks of the St. Paul Road, for it only had its period of greatest activity.^^ trackage rights. Thus on shipments to Mineral From 1914 to late 1920 the Mineral Point Point that originated at any place east of the Zinc Company reaped enormous profits. In Missouri River or St. Paul, the Mineral Point 1918 it paid $40,000 in taxes to Mineral and Northern would receive one-third of the Point alone.^^ The effects on the railroad were total revenue for carrying the shipment 4.2 beneficial, with total tonnage increasing from miles on the St. Paul's own tracks. To take 14,560 in 1905 to 248,615 tons in 1916. This advantage of this situation, the Zinc Company volume decreased to 201,188 tons in 1920, routed all of its consignments to or from after the peak of zinc prices had passed.^^ Mineral Point via the Mineral Point and Ore prices were high and every mine was in Northern to Whitson Junction or Highland Junction, depending on the product's destina- operation. The Mineral Point and Northern added a passenger train to its schedules in ^^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-781, June, 1914, to supplement the service pro­ "Hearing May, 1911 .. . Mineral Point Zinc Co.," 63. vided by the two mixed trains.*^^ In 1917 it ^"Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-1101, was necessary to purchase a used eight- "Roethe v. Mineral Point," p. J-29. wheeler from the Chicago Great Western to facflitate the handflng of traffic. Up to 1918 the Mineral Point Power Company also routed Horse Propelled Fog Washer Preparing all of its shipments of coal via the Mineral Zinc Ore for Market. Highland Mines Point and Northern, an additional source of revenue to the line. But the drop in zinc prices, beginning in 1917, was an indication that this prosperity

^^Writers' Program, "Mineral Point," 261. "T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ naire . . . Northern Railroad Company," 4. 'Hbid. '"'Writers' Program, "Mineral Point," 262. "T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Brief for Protes­ tants," 3. 'T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 4. NADLER : MINERAL POINT AND NORTHERN RAILWAY

would not last, and in 1918 the Power Com­ would accept Mineral Point and Northern pany made other arrangements for its fuel cattle cars for Chicago.^^ supply. On January 15, 1919, the passenger An unusual complaint was received by the train was removed from the schedule of the Railroad Commission from the Humane So­ Mineral Point and Northern. The road was ciety of Wisconsin. The fact was that the never again to consider itself in that special Mineral Point and Northern would pick up class of short-line railroads that provide pas­ cattle at Highland in the morning and reach senger trains. From 1919 to the end of its Mineral Point at 2:30 P.M., about an hour days, passengers rode in the coach behind after the last St. Paul train for the day had the ore and cattle cars.^^ left for Chicago. Hence the cattle would not Late in 1920 a severe depression hit the be moved until the following morning and zinc industry. The price of zinc dropped from they would not reach the Chicago yards un­ its peak of $135 per ton to less than $30 per til the early morning of the next day. For ton. Mining almost came to a stop.^^ The almost forty-eight hours after they had been Mineral Point and Northern had been run­ loaded such stock received no food or water ning only one mixed train daily except and spent the twenty-hour wait at Mineral Sunday since June, 1919, but in 1922 the Point audibly cafling for attention. The Hu­ Wisconsin Railroad Commission received a mane Society suggested that the cattle cars complaint that this train, No. 601, which was be turned over to the afternoon train of the due to leave Linden at 12:30 P.M. often left North Western at Whitson Junction, by which the station a full hour earlier, greatly incon­ route they could get to Chicago twenty-four veniencing the public. The railway answered hours sooner. The Mineral Point and North­ that the timetable was based upon the normal ern refused to follow that suggestion, for the freight and passenger business along the line, North Western would not supply cattle cars and that in the past two years their business in quantity. The St. Paul Road brought these had been so bad that the trains consumed less cars into Highland Junction from Chicago time than scheduled for switching and load­ without gaining any revenue for the trip and, ing cars. The railway contended, further, that if the loaded cars had been turned over to most people in the area knew the schedule the North Western, the St. Paul would refuse that was actually followed and therefore no to supply more equipment and the Mineral inconvenience was caused, but it promised to Point and Northern would be unable to han­ revise its timetable.^^ dle the cattle at afl.'^^ Soon, however, mining revived and dairy While operation continued in normal fash­ prices improved with the result that more ion during the 1920's, far more serious finan­ complaints of the inadequate service reached cial trouble faced the railway. The bonds of the commission. Farmers who asked for a the Mineral Point and Northern, issued to pay certain number of cars to ship cattle to market "Ibid. "Ibid. found that on the day specified there were no cars or a smaller number than requested.^^ The Mineral Point and Northern accepted cat­ tle shipments only at the end of the week when Horse Propelled Ore Crushers Used at Wisconsin Zinc Mines in 1890 prices at Chicago were lowest. To both of these allegations the Mineral Point and North­ ern replied that it had been the fault of the connecting lines: they had refused to supply the number of cattle cars desired and they had decided on which days of the week they

"Ibid. '"Writers' Program, "Mineral Point," 259. '^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket 32,214 (No title. Unpublished), Dec. 1922. '^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket 35,514 (No title. Unpublished), 1919-22. WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954r-55 for construction of the line, came due in 1926. of the popularization of the automobile. Pas­ In addition to the principal, the railway owed senger revenues fell from $1,290.46 in 1924 a great deal of back interest. By this date, to $205.24 in 1928, with the trend continuing however, the Mineral Point Zinc Company after that year. The number of passengers had purchased the complete $450,000 bond carried decreased from 1,816 in 1924 to 334 issue of the railroad and it also had acquired in 1928, and by late 1929 the train was not 4,976 of the road's 5,326 outstanding shares averaging one passenger a day between any of stock. The remaining 350 shares were two points on its whole trip to and from owned by Mrs. Kate C. Mcllhon and in March, Highland.^^ During the three winter months 1926, the Zinc Company purchased her hold­ in 1929 and 1930, when the railroad normally ings to gain a 100 percent interest in the had its heaviest passenger traffic, the line equity of the Mineral Point and Northern. The carried only twenty-eight passengers.^^ Zinc Company then canceled the bonded in­ Far more serious to the Mineral Point and debtedness and forgave the interest payments Northern, however, were the changes taking in order to avoid the costly procedure of place in the zinc industry of southwest Wis­ bankruptcy. In this way the Mineral Point consin, changes that were leading to the and Northern was able to remain solvent to abandonment of the Wisconsin operations of the end of its days.'^^ the New Jersey Zinc Company. Just as the Changes took place in southwest Wisconsin first period of Mineral Point's prosperity had in the years following the War, and these ended in 1848 as the last good lead ore had were to have their effects upon the Mineral been extracted from the ground, so in the Point and Northern. The mines which had late 1920's, zinc mining came to an end. formerly produced their own power with The zinc ore remaining in the hifls of south­ coal brought in over the Mineral Point and west Wisconsin was of too low concentration Northern now began to use the electricity gen­ and too far underground to merit its ex­ erated at Prairie du Sac on the Wisconsin traction.^^ River.^^ The ore deposits were disappointing, On January 1, 1928, the New Jersey Zinc and by 1919 the last of the major mines in Company closed all of its mines that had the Highland fields had been closed.'^ The not previously been abandoned. These were New Jersey Zinc Company had worked out mainly in the Galena district of the North all of its sulphite mines adjacent to the. rail­ Western's territory, but they had provided road by 1924, and thus the bulk of the zinc ore for the acid plant and separator at Min­ ore carried by the Mineral Point and Northern eral Point. For two months the acid plant was that mined along the North Western right and separator continued in operation at Min­ of way and shipped to Mineral Point for eral Point, until the stockpile of ore had been processing."^ exhausted. By spring both had been dis­ With the reduction of mining operations, mantled and shipped to Depue, Iflinois.^^ the populations of each of the three com­ Only the oxide plant remained active, and munities decreased from their high points it operated less than two years longer.^^ before and during the War.^^ Passenger reve­ nues fell substantially as a result of decreased The effects of this abandonment on the Min­ population, but far more important as a result eral Point and Northern were cataclysmic. The Mineral Point Zinc Company reduced its ''I.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ tonnage over the line from 101,980 tons in naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 7. '^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-3668, ^"Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-3668, "Request to Make Linden a Non-Agency Station .. . ," "Request to make Linden a Non-Agency Station ... ," 4. 39. 'T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ ^^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket 3798, "In naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 11. the Matter of the Application of the Mineral Point 'T.C.C. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ and Northern Railway for authority to cancel rates tion . . . ," 92. named in tariffs," Hearing of March 19, 1930 (Un­ 1900 1910 1920 published), 12. Mineral Point 2,991 2,925 2,569 ^-Writers' Project, "Mineral Point," 264. Linden 543 580 490 "Ibid., 265. Highland 913 1,096 1,024 "Ibid.

100 NADLER : MINERAL POINT AND NORTHERN RAILWAY

1927 to 36,061 in 1928,^^ and the operating that road [the Chicago and North Western] revenue of the line dropped from $102,775 come down here."^^ This was an unusual situa­ in 1927 to $64,649 in 1928.^^ It was impossi­ tion in the history of farmer-railroad relation­ ble to reduce operating expenses substantiafly, ships. Here were the townspeople of Linden for the one train crew would leave if it were wishing for service from a railroad controlled not paid a fufl week's wages. The only sav­ in Chicago and New York, rather than from ing possible from reduced service would be a local independent line, with offices at Min­ in fuel expenses and the Mineral Point and eral Point. Perhaps these farmers, present Northern was situated too close to other rail­ at a hearing held by the Wisconsin Railroad roads for it to expect to keep competitive Commission, forgot that in 1904, when there business with only three trains a week.^^ The was no railroad commission,^^ citizens had remaining source of revenue that the Zinc distrusted the large railroads and placed their Company could provide came from the trans­ faith in the independent lines. portation of ore to the oxide plant at Mineral At that hearing N. T. Martin, the assistant Point. This ore was mined along the upper general manager, testified that the passenger Mississippi, in the Southwest, and in other revenues from Linden averaged only $3.50 non-Wisconsin zinc fields. Since the New per month. Hilton Tredinnick then asked Jersey Zinc Company had excess capacity at Martin "if he would care to ride the passenger other plants, it was evident that this source train to Whitson Junction, Highland and Min­ of revenue to the Mineral Point and Northern eral Point in his best clothes?" Martin replied might end soon.^^ that he did this once a week, but the laughter In June, 1929, the railroad attempted its from the audience sustained Tredinnick's first significant change in operations. It re­ point.^^ The railroad obviated the necessity quested the Wisconsin Railroad Commission for a commission decision by arranging to to allow it to close its agency station at Linden supply a part-time agent,^^ but other evidence and substitute non-agency service. The Min­ of the effect of the reduction in zinc produc­ eral Point and Northern stated that trucks tion was readily available. had taken away the short-haul traffic of gro­ ceries, fruit, and bread into the village, and In the late 1920's the Mineral Point and the dairy products shipped out of the area. Northern sold the open platform coach and The railroad claimed that Linden no longer one locomotive for scrap, and the railroad was needed a full time agent, for the train crew now left with only the two ten-wheelers for could handle all the business with ease.^^ motive power. The Interstate Commerce Com­ A hearing was held at which the people of mission condemned one of these engines in Linden were represented by a bank cashier, August, 1929, and refused to let it operate a farmer, and a storekeeper. The townsmen until approximately $500 worth of repairs thought back to the days when they had sub­ had been effected. The railroad lacked the scribed to the bonds of the railroad, and also funds to repair the engine, and it feared that to the offer of the North Western to build if anything happened to its remaining loco­ into Linden and Highland after they had sub­ motive, it would have to rent a replacement. scribed to the bonds of the local company. If one was not available, the line would be They believed that the Mineral Point and forced to suspend service.^* Northern had "tied them hands and feet," "Ibid., 25. and that they "would not be here today had ^Tn 1904 the railroad commissioner had some of the authority of the Railroad Commission, but not ^'I.C.C. Finance Docket 248, Brief for Applicant such important powers as the ability to evaluate a (Published privately, 1929), 32. railroad's property for fair rate-making. This power *%Iineral Point and Northern Railway Company, was granted to the Railroad Commission when it was "Annual Reports" for 1927 and 1928. organized in 1905. ^T.C.C. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ ^^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-3668, tion . . . ," 57. "Request to Make Linden a Non-Agency Station...," ^^I.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ 45. naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 15. ^^Letter from Mineral Point and Northern Railway ^'^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-3668, to the Railroad Commission, July 30, 1929, in ibid. "Request to Make Linden a Non-Agency Station ...," ^T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ 2-5. naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 15.

101 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER. 1954-55

The motive power was not the only problem Rumors of abandonment had been present facing the line. The railroad had often carried since 1922, and N. T. Martin had formafly mine refuse as ballast, and the sulphur had denied them after residents of Highland had eroded the rails. The railway had been con­ requested the truth from the Wisconsin Rail­ structed without tie plates and with soft wood road Commission.^°^ In December, 1927, J. H. ties. Half of the ties had never been replaced, Lewis, the field correspondent in southwest most of them were more than ten years old, Wisconsin for the Milwaukee Journal, the and frequent washouts occurred along the Milwaukee Sentinel, and the Wisconsin State tracks that parafleled the East Pecatonica Journal, wrote to the commission stating that River.^^ As a result of these poor conditions, he had heard that the Mineral Point and and to save expense, the maximum permissi­ Northern had been sold to the North Western ble speed had been reduced to twenty miles line and would be operated as part of that per hour, with ten miles per hour as the limit system. The commission informed Mr. Lewis on certain curves and other portions of the that no authorization for such a sale had been Hne.^^ issued by the Wisconsin Railroad Commission Financially, the Mineral Point and Northern or the Interstate Commerce Commission.^°^ was also in bad shape. The total deficit of the Lewis continued to check the story, and on Company had passed $500,000 and it had June 16, 1929, the Wisconsin State Journal claims against it for $61,000 with no funds printed a brief story under a fuU page head­ available for meeting the claims. Although line, "Mineral Point and Northern Railway the line did not have enough cash to meet May Be Abandoned." The story repeated the current obligations, it was able to operate rumor of the North Western purchase of the through a unique system. The bulk of the line, but it emphasized the fact that abandon­ business involved interline shipments with ment was probable.^^^ While officials of the the St. Paul and North Western lines. Pay­ Mineral Point and Northern denied the story ment to these lines of their shares of the reve­ and declared it unfounded in fact,^*^^ the truth nue was due at the end of the month following was otherwise, for efforts to dispose of the the month of shipment. The Mineral Point and line had begun in 1928.10^ Northern, however, picked up the cars from Early in 1928, the officers of the Mineral the shippers and sent the bills immediately. Point and Northern had offered to sell the Hence the line was able to operate with the road to both the North Western and St. Paul cash due to the connecting lines in the next roads at a sacrifice price.^'^^ Both lines turned month.^" This financial arrangement could down the offer, but the president of the North only last until the operating deficit of the Western promised to reconsider the matter company became large enough to wipe out if a definite price was established. In June, the small margin of delayed payments. After 1928, the price was set at $100,000, the cur­ this the Mineral Point and Northern would rent scrap value, but the president of the have to default on its interline debts and it North Western felt that the line could not would henceforth have to pay in advance for return much from such an investment and shipments turned over to connections.^* It refused the offer. After the North Western was under these conditions that the Mineral had sent a traffic man up to Iowa County to Point and Northern owners appealed to the survey the line, the railroad stated that it Interstate Commerce Commission for permis­ would not buy the Mineral Point and Northern sion to abandon transportation of goods in­ at any price. volved in interstate commerce.^^ ^""Samuel Rryan to Mineral Point and Northern, ''T.C.C. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ Jan. 17, 1922; N. T. Martin to Bryan, Jan. 18, 1922, tion . . . ," 6. in Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket 16,570 'T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ (No title. Unpublished), 1922-27. naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 13. ^"^Lewis to Wisconsin Railroad Commission, Dec. 1, ^'Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket 3798, 1927, in ibid. "Application ... to cancel rates . . . ," 8. ^"^Madison Wisconsin State Journal, June 16, 1929. "•T.C.C. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ ^"'Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, June 20, tion . . . ," 11. 1929. '•^^The Transportation Act of 1920 required the ap­ '"T.C.C. Docket 248, "In the matter of the applica­ proval of the I.C.C. See note 122. tion . . . ," 248. ""^Ibid.

102 .•^Sfiss^-'i^"

i^h. !S;c"*nsi'V5i0i^~-sj8*ft'S?' ^' A General View of the Extensive Zinc Works Taken since 1910, Mineral Point

The St. Paul Road also refused to accept the centrating mifl on the northern end of its line, believing that the deficits would increase property, closer to Edmund station than to its rather than be eliminated. This was the case, former shipping point at Linden. Thus only as the St. Paul employees received a higher 1214 percent of the Mineral Point and North­ wage than the Mineral Point and Northern ern's business was more accessible to its tracks was paying, and the St. Paul standard of than to those of other railroads.^"^ maintenance would require larger operating The petitioners argued that the Mineral expenses. Both railroads realized that all Point and Northern Railway had been con­ shipments would merely come to their termi­ structed long after Mineral Point and the sur­ nals at Mineral Point, Cobb, and Edmund any­ rounding territory had been settled, and that way, and therefore there was no advantage it had only brought the area additional serv­ in the purchase of the Mineral Point and ice. The abandonment, therefore, would be no Northern.^"^ By early 1929 the owners of the real hardship in the era of motor trucking.^^* Mineral Point and Northern realized that The protestants against the abandonment there was no chance of selling to either con­ of the Mineral Point and Northern were afl necting road or to any other buyer, and on local residents of Highland and Linden. A September 7, 1929, an application for aban­ retailer of general merchandise complained donment was filed. that the abandonment of the line would in­ At the hearings, held at the Mineral Point crease his costs of transportation by about city hall on November 14, 1929, the railroad $200 a year, and that in the spring the high­ described its position of constant deficits way became impassable to trucks. When he and little chance for improvement. The road was asked how he had reached the hearing, showed statistics to prove that even after the he replied that he had come by car, naturally, closing of the mines and processing plants, 75 for if he had had to wait for the Mineral percent of the railroad's traffic was to and from Point and Northern, he would have never ar­ Mineral Point, and this service would still be rived.^°^ A dealer in livestock complained that provided by the St. Paul line. Of the remain­ the abandonment would put him out of busi­ ing 25 percent, one-fourth of it was equally ness, for the added costs of bringing his cattle accessible to one of the other two railroads in to the North Western station would give his the area, and another fourth was traffic that competitors too great an advantage.^^^ the line would soon lose anyway. This second A cheese merchant in Highland testified quarter was the business of the one remaining that there were sixteen cheese factories in that large mine in the area, the Badger Zinc Com­ area, each supplied by about twenty farms. He pany. The Badger firm had been mining told of a gradual increase in the volume of northward, and it had just built a new con- '''Ibid., 17. "Ibid., 104. '''Ibid., 75. "'Ibid., 86. "Ibid., 106.

103 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954--55 dairy products produced in and shipped from Zinc Company had offered to sell the prop­ the vicinity of Highland since 1918. He felt erty, free and clear of any obligation, for its that this increase would not have been possible current scrap value, $45,000. To the certificate without the Mineral Point and Northern. He authorizing the abandonment of interstate added, that as the farmers learned to utilize commerce operations, then, the commission their acreage more efficiently, there would be attached a condition whereby the railroad an even larger volume of production, necessi­ would keep open this proposal for thirty tating larger shipments of feed into Highland, days.^^^ and that the abandonment of the Mineral J. R. Cox, president and general manager Point and Northern would seriously handicap of the small Rutland, Toluca, and Northern the dairy industry of Iowa County. He ad­ Railroad Company of Granville, Illinois, was mitted, however, that his own shipments were interested in the Mineral Point and Northern. drayed to the North Western station at Cobb, He had offered $15,000 for the northern half where he got a better rate for the transporta­ of the line, and he suggested the same price tion of his cheese to Plymouth in Sheboygan for the southern half.^^^ The Zinc Company County.-^^^ The last witness was a scavenger decided to investigate bids from junk dealers miner who protested that the closing of the and then make a decision.^^^ Three days after Mineral Point and Northern would increase the commission's decision allowing abandon­ by over five miles the distance between his ment the company informed Cox that it had operations and the nearest railroad.^^^ received a junk bid of $22,000 for the north­ These were the complaints of the interven­ ern haff and $18,000 for the southern half,^!^ ers. Aside from the testimony on the develop­ and that in addition, the stations, water sta­ ment of the dairy industry, each witness was tions, stockyards and fences had been valued interested in his own personal business and at $5,000.^^^ Cox had hoped to operate the line its relations to the Mineral Point and North­ with the financial aid of the local merchants,^^° ern. Certainly the maintenance of the profits but the Zinc Company explained that there of a few men was no justification for requir­ was no reason why it "should be willing to ing this line to continue an operation which sell for anything less than the junk bids."^"^ had cost its owners more than $680,000 and No further offers from Cox or other parties which had little hope for profitable opera- were forthcoming during the thirty-day pe­ tion.ii^ riod, and the owners were free to abandon The Interstate Commerce Commission ren­ shipments involving interstate commerce. Now dered its decision on January 11, 1930. After they appealed to the Wisconsin Railroad Com­ a review of the company's history and pros­ mission for permission to abandon intrastate pects, the commission held that there was no operations as wefl, and to cease all traffic on obligation on the owning company to furnish the Mineral Point and Northern.^^^ funds from a commercial business to maintain '"Ibid. a public transportation facility. Stressing the "']. R. Cox to J. H. Janeway, Dec. 10 and 23, 1929, fact that only 121/^ percent of the company's in correspondence on file at Wisconsin Railroad Commission. business was more accessible to its tracks than "'Janeway to Cox, Dec. 23, 1929, in ibid. to those of another railroad, the commission "^Janeway to Cox, Jan. 14, 1930, in ibid. The north­ ern bid included the rolling stock of the line. decided that no serious hardship would be '"Ibid. suffered to the "convenience and necessity" '""Cox to Janeway, Jan. 22, 1930, in ibid. of the communities involved if the Mineral '"'Janeway to Cox, Jan. 14, 1930, in ibid. '"The U.S. Supreme Court had decided in State of Point and Northern was allowed to abandon Texas v. Eastern Texas RR. Company et al, 258 U.S. operations in interstate commerce.^^^ 204 (1922), that the Interstate Commerce Commis­ sion had full jurisdiction over the granting of permis­ The Mineral Point and Northern had one sion for a railroad to abandon its operations only last chance for survival. The Mineral Point when the railroad operated in more than one state. If the line was located in a single state and chartered "'Ibid.. 110-16. under the laws of that state, the Interstate Commerce "''Ibid., 120. Commission could only permit the abandonment of ^'T.C.C. Financial Docket 248, "Brief for Appli­ the railroad's interstate operations. See C. R. Chering- cant," 60. ton. The Regulation of Railroad Abandonments "n58 LC.C. 591. (Cambridge, 1948), 47-48.

104 NADLER : MINERAL POINT AND NORTHERN RAILWAY

At a second hearing on abandonment testi­ 1930, on the courthouse steps at Dodgeville. mony was presented to show that only 26.6 There were no buyers of the whole property, percent of the railroad's revenue came from but when it was divided into parcels, the roll­ intrastate shipments, with the result that the ing stock, rails, ties, tools, and bridges were yearly operating deficit would be around sold as a unit for $27,000 to L. B. Foster and $25,000 if the line were forced to continue Company of Chicago, who intended to junk for this traffic alone.^^^ P. H. Potter, the law the equipment. The stations and land were examiner for the Railroad Commission, re­ sold separately, and afl the purchasers were marked at the hearing that there was little given until January 1, 1931, to remove their reason for the whole proceedings before the property.^^^ commission. He tendered the opinion that In September, 1930, the zinc oxide plant if the Railroad Commission forced intrastate was closed, and Mineral Point became com­ operations alone, the railroad would lose so pletely dependent upon agriculture as the basis much money that the courts of the State would for its economy. Wild flowers and long grasses not uphold the decision, as they would con­ slowly covered the mining slopes,^^^ and the sider it confiscation of property.^^^ Evidently right of way of the Mineral Point and North­ the railroad's owners reasoned similarly, for ern became a twenty-six-mile strip of neg­ eighteen days before the hearings were held lected land, a sorry tribute to days gone by. at Madison, the Mineral Point and Northern During the twenty-five years of the Mineral had run its last train.^^^ Point and Northern operation, the zinc inter­ The Milwaukee Journal wrote a little arti­ ests had not been concerned about the welfare cle about the scene at Mineral Point when of the farmers. The status of the farmer was the last train arrived. Under a heading, a matter of indifference to the zinc operator, "Engine Chugs Home. Abandon Little Road," and the farmer probably felt little interest in the article reported the statements of several the affairs of the mining segment of the econ­ members of the crew. The engineer remarked omy. But when the zinc mines closed, the that the trip took six hours, the usual pace, farmer began to realize the importance of and the master mechanic commented: "After the local industry to his life. It had been the a thing has been around 26 years, a person industry that had sustained such services as becomes attached to it. The people around the Mineral Point and Northern. The farmer here are sentimental about the MP&N, and protested at commission hearings, but he was I don't blame them. I feel kind of bad myself." to lose his case, for the economy had developed to a point at which the agrarian could no The people may have been sentimental, but longer support such a convenience as a rail­ no one was present for the last chance to ride road without the substantial aid of industry. the Mineral Point and Northern. The trip The local residents protested, but the Mineral was made without passengers or freight. Only Point and Northern was abandoned, just as Assistant General Manager Martin and Traffic countless other short line railroads were aban­ Manager R. E. Smart were on board with the doned in the same era. crew for the last ride on the little railroad.^^^ All that is left is the right of way, serving The property of the Mineral Point and as a symbol of a venture that had converted Northern was sold at auction on June 14, a region's dreams into temporary reality. '^^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-3798, END "Application ... to cancel rates . . . ," 7. ''Hbid., 13. '^'Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, June 19, '''Ibid. 1930; Dodgevifle Sun-Republic, June 19, 1930. "'Milwaukee Journal, March 2, 1930. "^Writers' Project, "Mineral Point," 267.

105 Many who sought the California Eldo­ rado returned bankrupt while some of the Wisconsin miners succeeded in their Western ventures. Cyrus Woodman went out to look over the possibilities for making a fortune but returned, con- 'i/^-M- eluding: ^^There is such a thing as buy- *^~ gold at too dear a price/'

Fording the Laramie Fn Route to the (^alijornln Miup Fields Was Only One of the Hazardous Experiences of Wisconsinites in Their Quest for "the Crock of Gold^

Gold Fever in Wisconsin by larr^ Gara^

A hundred years ago Wisconsin was recover­ the gold mania hit hard in the lead region. ing from the epidemic of gold fever which had The miners of Wisconsin's lead region were so seriously affected the State for several used to migrating to rich mineral land. Many preceding years. The disease was especially of them were Cornish miners from the south rampant in the southwestern lead region of England who had come to Wisconsin during where stories of fabulous riches for easy tak­ the lead rush of the eighteen-twenties. News ing in California began appearing in the news­ of the gold rush came at an opportune time, papers in the fall of 1848. Some newspaper for in 1848 many of the Wisconsin lead mines editors attempted to expose the "humbug," had already yielded what appeared to be their but President James K. Polk gave new cre­ maximum output of lead. Those transplanted dence to the tales of easy wealth in his mes­ Cornishmen, skilled in all phases of mining, sage of December 5, 1848. The recent Cali­ saw new opportunities in the California Eldo­ fornia gold discoveries, he remarked, "render rado. They reasoned well. Their familiarity it probable that these mines are more exten­ with mining processes gave the Wisconsinites sive and valuable than was anticipated." With a distinct advantage over their competitors. such official encouragement new recruits joined While many who went to California to find the throng, but not everybody was convinced. riches returned bankrupt and disiflusioned, Whig Editor James M. Goodhue of Lancaster a high proportion of those who went from told his readers it was plain "that afl the stuff the lead region succeeded in their gold mining about the mines of California is a mere ventures. The Wisconsin miners were "hardy, attempt to throw gold dust in the people's eyes industrious, enterprising men," said Cyrus and bhnd them to the enormities of the Woodman, a land agent of Mineral Point. His [Mexican] war, and reconcile them to its partner, Cadwallader C. Washburn, who later expense." Stifl, gold dust, even in the eyes, was served Wisconsin as a member of Congress more convincing than partisan dialectics, and and still later as one of her governors, said the lead region folks were "a class who will * Larry Gara received his Ph.D. degree at the Uni­ versity of Wisconsin in 1953. Among the magazines find gold, if it is found by anybody. They that have printed his contributions are the Journal of are generally the bone and sinews who have Southern History. Mid-America. Negro History, and been engaged as miners in the lead mines." the Journal of Illinois History. Dr. Gara has taught American History in Mexico City College, and is now Soon letters from California confirmed these on the staff of Eureka College, Eureka, Illinois. predictions for some of the miners ac-

106 GARA : GOLD FEVER IN WISCONSIN quired as much as $15,000 in a few weeks. But at the same time that residents of While Wisconsin sent thousands of experi­ Wisconsin left in droves for the new frontier, enced miners to California, there were many other immigrants poured into the State in others as well who left the Badger State in ever-increasing numbers. For after all, Wis­ search of quick money. As usual the new consin was a fairly new region, too, and there frontier attracted a great variety of people were many parts still to be settled and devel­ looking for some kind of economic or social oped. Despite the drop in land values and the betterment. More than one person, hopelessly quick sale of many Wisconsin farms, land in debt in Wisconsin, left for the Far West agents sold some land during the gold rush to escape his creditors. In 1850 a lead region years and the United States land offices re­ newspaper announced: ported heavy activity. Business, too, after the The recollections of last year induces us first shock, went on much as usual. Some mer­ to say to those persons preparing to leave chants saw in the gold rush new opportunities for the Gold Country, who know themselves for making profits. Newspapers carried ad­ to be in our debt, that we are in hopes that vertisements for portable stoves and other they will not so far forget themselves as to "California" equipment. In 1851 the Mineral leave without first settling with the printer. Point Tribune published business statistics to We have already quite as large an interest convince its readers that, despite the California in California as we wish to have in this way, migration, the village's businesses prospered. but we fear that that interest is likely to be The survey revealed that the town's four in no way diminished the present season. grocery stores averaged aggregate sales of at All sorts of dreamers and schemers followed least $3,500 monthly, two druggists handled in the wake of the gold rush, hoping to relieve from three to four thousand dollars worth of the successful miners of some of their newly business each month, and the newly established found wealth. Somewhat more respectable Mineral Point telegraph office took in $100 a were those enterprising businessmen who month. Despite the exodus of miners from caught the California fever, but their interest the "Point," the remaining workers mined and in getting at the gold of the miners was no smelted 14,000 pigs of lead a month, averag­ less intense. ing seventy pounds to a pig. The California fever affected Wisconsin in Some land agents even profited by the drop numerous ways. It made the lot of the busi­ in real estate. A Mineral Point editor urged nessman who remained in the State more diffi­ residents and Fasteners to invest in real cult. Collecting money was especially irksome estate while the prices were down. In 1850 for often, when an agent for a creditor visited he told his readers: "Never, perhaps, since the the cabin of a debtor, he found a mocking first settlement of the mining region, have note on the door: "Gone to Californey." Other there been as great bargains offered in real businessmen who hired workers found a estate." The following year Cyrus Woodman scarcity of available help during those trying commented: "Property is at its lowest notch years. When C. C. Washburn needed men to now in this county, but is bound to double in work at his shot tower in Helena he spent an value within three years." His prediction entire day looking for laborers before finding proved sound, and he later capitalized on the any who were willing to work at the estab­ investments made during the gold rush days. lishment. Real estate values, too, were hard The same Cyrus Woodman had himself gone hit. Men who left in a hurry often sold their to California the year before to look over property for a trifle, and in some places real the possibilities for making a fortune there. estate values fell as much as 50 percent when He planned to carry on a land and collection the gold fever was raging rampant throughout agency just as he and his partner had done the State. In 1851 a lead region land seller in Wisconsin's lead region. How^ever, a six- wrote: "Our mining population is California month stay led Woodman to decide that he mad and our mines are in a measure deserted. should return to his former home. Like some Real estate for the first two years has gone others who went to the West, he was home­ down, down, down, till now it can hardly sick. A devastating cholera epidemic, caused be given away." in part by crowded living conditions, further

107 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954^55 convinced Woodman he should return to Wis­ had worked so hard to develop, and some consin. He reasoned that, whik California through a loyalty to their native or adopted presented more opportunities for making region. Those few who predicted dire perma­ money than Wisconsin, the additional work nent consequences to Wisconsin were wrong. would probably decrease his years. "There For the gold fever, like other epidemics, flour­ is," he concluded, "such a thing as buying ished strongly for a time and then died down. gold at too dear a price." After 1851 each year saw fewer men leave Woodman was not the only one to reason their homes for the uncertainties of quick along this line. While many succumbed to the riches in the West, and by 1854 the gold rush lure for gold, countless others remained in was something to be discussed by old resi­ Wisconsin. Many miners continued working dents much as they discussed changes of the the State's lead region, others carried on busi­ weather or of fads in clothing. They would ness activities, editors served the remaining have agreed with Cyrus Woodman when he people as always, and farmers helped to said, in mentioning the Wisconsinites who had develop the State's rich agricultural areas. gone to California: "They will have to travel Some remained because they could not afford a good ways before they will find—take it the thousand dollars which the trip cost, some all in all—a better country than Wisconsin." because they refused to give up the land they END

Meetinghouse at Sturbridge Village Graves of First Unknown Is Rededicated Soldiers Marked A small substantial meetinghouse built The unmarked graves of twenty-one sol­ by the Quakers in Bolton, Mass., in 1796, diers of Washington's army were dedi­ has been moved thirty miles to Old Stur­ cated last month by representatives of bridge Village where it was rededicated the thirteen original states as the coun­ last month in a service attended by try's first unknown soldiers. . . . Quakers from New England and other Marked only by smafl, worn bits of parts of the United States. It was then stone, the graves lie on the crest of a opened to the public as one of the au­ hill overlooking the Delaware River four thentic early buildings brought from all miles from where Washington crossed to over New England to form an 18th- march on the Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey. . . . century farming community where visi­ tors may see how their ancestors lived, At the base of a flagstaff near the graves is a circle of triangular stones worked, played, and worshiped. gathered from each of the thirteen states The 158-year-old meetinghouse is the by the Washington Crossing Park Com­ gift of Bolton Friends Meetinghouse mission which has worked on this proj­ and New England Friends, who also ect for a number of years. contributed $4,000 towards the cost of A part of the work of the Commission disassembling the structure, moving it has been the restoration of the Thomp- from its original site, and reassembling son-Neely House, dating from the early it near the Green in Old Sturbridge Vil­ part of the eighteenth century, in which lage. It was given not only as a means the soldiers are said to have died. . . . of preserving it, but also as a suitable The area for several square miles west memorial to the faith, fortitude, and and south of the grave site was used for devotion of those who built and main­ Washington's encampment during De­ tained it. cember, 1776. . . . —History News, Nov. 1954. —History News, March, 1954.

108 I have been asked to give a program on this charming mansion and its beautiful furnish­ ings. Des Moines, Iowa MRS. J. EDWIN GRAY

Simpson Church Established In the early day a number of Methodist families living on farms within a radius of four or five miles of the village of Dodgeville desired a rural church where church services and a Sunday School could be held. In those days the transportation problem made it im­ possible for the country people to attend the village and later the city church only on rare occasions. The Simpson Church, four miles east on highway 18, was established in 1861. They Enjoy Our Sites The building itself was formerly a German I visited the Nelson Dewey State Park and Methodist Church located in the village. It Farm and Crafts Museum at Cassville on was purchased by the rural society and hauled Labor Day. I was very much interested in to its present site by teams of oxen. the work the Society is doing there to pre­ My two grandfathers, the Rev. Wm. Johns, serve the memory of life in Wisconsin as it and Henry Carter, were among those responsi­ was lived a century and more ago. ble for the project. Grandfather Johns was a Having visited the Ford Museum and Vil­ local preacher in those days, helping out the lage at Dearborn, Michigan, earlier in the regular Circuit preacher by conducting service year, I had a somewhat similar museum for in the rural churches when needed. comparison. I believe the development of the Through the years this church has been Nelson Dewey Farm and Crafts Museum will known as the Simpson church. It was named fill a growing need for generations of mid- after a much beloved pioneer, Methodist western children to see and experience a way Bishop Simpson, who in August 1861, on his of life they will be reading about in their way to Platteville, stopped off in Dodgeville history books. and delivered an eloquent sermon. . . . I hope the Society will find the means to Simpson church has been in operation con­ extend the museum, perhaps restoring the tinuously since its dedication until recently sheep barns and other buildings. . . . when transportation made it possible for the members to attend service in the city church. Beloit Public Schools JAMES BROWNELL Now the church is closed. Dodgeville LINA M. JOHNS The visit to the Wade House was quite a wonderful experience. I would like to make ^^Oh, from Wisconsin!" this suggestion. The circle (the "council ring" where tours assemble) was so empty. Roses Last winter when I was at home in .Rich­ and forget-me-nots would look very pretty. mond, Virginia, I visited the Valentine Thank you. Museum, renewing some of my childhood experiences. Milwaukee MRS. MARY HARMANN When I was introduced to the secretary, she said, "Oh, from Wisconsin. You have the This summer I visited the Villa Louis at finest State Society in Wisconsin of any state. Prairie du Chien and enjoyed it very much. Of course you belong to it." I hung my head As a member of the antique group of the in shame and feebly uttered: "No, I don't but American Association of University Women, I have friends who do."

109 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

So I am enclosing my check for one ($1.00) Cheers for Wisconsin dollar as per statement in Capital Times some Then and Now days ago. I wish to correct my error and save Thanks a lot for your letter of the 3rd en­ future embarrassment. closing a copy of Wisconsin Then and Now, Madison GAY W. BRAXTON . . . containing an account of the annual meeting of the Association. Circus World Museum Incidentally, what is the purpose of your Having been born in Baraboo July 8, 1880 bulletin, Wisconsin Then and Now? It looks and traveled a part of one season from Bara­ like a dandy little publication. I am wonder­ boo to Harrisburg, Pa. and working for the ing how you distinguish it from Whafs Going C. & N. W. Ry. as a brakeman on many of On. JAMES C. OLSON the show trains in and out of Baraboo, I am Nebraska State Historical Society entitled to hold membership in the Circus World Museum, also my son and grandson. Wisconsin Then and Now, in more perma­ Inclosed is Three Dollars for H. C. Sturde- nent format, has replaced What's Going On. vant, my son Lewis T. Sturdevant, and my It contains short historical sketches and news grandson Gale (Skipper) Sturdevant, all now of the Society; its contents covers history living in Rock Springs [Wisconsin]. I think ''then^ and "m the making.'^—EDITORS. it's a privilege for any one to become a charter Thanks very much for sending me . . . member at this time. Wisconsin Then and Now. It is a very at­ Wishing you the very best of success in tractive publication and you should be con­ your movement to restore the things we en­ gratulated on its lively style. joyed in our younger days. ALBERT B. COREY Rock Springs HARRY C. STURDEVANT New York State Historian

YALTA CONFERENCE Reparations Committee to meet in Moscow (Continued from page 72) and that no mention of the money value or The Allied Governments agreed in express­ of reparations be made in the report of this ing a hope that France be associated with them Yalta Conference. in this problem. This recommendation of President Roose­ This is one instance of where agreements velt was approved by the conference. made at Yalta appear to have been forgotten February 11—A meeting of the President, or disregarded by everybody. Churchill, and Stalin, with their political President Roosevelt here recommended that assistants, was held at 12:15 P.M., to discuss France should have membership in the Con­ a summary of the conclusions reached at trol Commission in Berlin. I do not know this conference, and a communique to be is­ what caused him to change his previous atti­ sued to the public over the signature of the tude in this matter. three. Marshal Stalin requested the conference to Mr. Churchifl proposed numerous textual agree that Germany must repay in kind the changes in a proposed draft communique pre­ losses suffered from German war action and pared by the Secretary of State. that a Reparations Commission should be Marshal Stalin wished to make some minor given the task of reporting the amounts to be changes in the text and recommended that paid, the Soviet estimate of the total repara­ the names of the officials who participated in tions to remain at 20 billion dollars. the conference to be announced in the com­ Prime Minister Churchill here refused to munique. accept any such valuation of reparations as Afl of the Prime Minister's proposed 20 billions. changes were to meet his ideas of correct President Roosevelt then recommended that English. He, of course, preferred British the amount of reparations be left to an Allied English.

110 LEAHY : NOTES ON THE YALTA CONFERENCE

Mr. Molotov proposed that the conference for their war crimes, but the prospect of their agreement to invite two Soviet states to be reaction in desperation at some time in the members of the Assembly of the United Na­ more or less distant future was frightening. tions Organization be made public, but upon One result of enforcing the peace terms objection by the Prime Minister he withdrew accepted at this conference, if it should be his proposal. accomplished, would be to make Russia the Agreement in regard to both the summary dominant power in Europe, which in itself of conclusions and the communique was carried a certainty of future international dis­ reached by the representatives of the three agreements, and prospects of another war. nations. Insofar as the United States was concerned, Lunched with the President at a luncheon the terms of peace required approval by the of fourteen including Marshal Stalin, Mr. United States Senate, which might cause them Churchill, the three Foreign Secretaries, Stet­ to be modified or mitigated. It did not seem tinius, Molotov, and Eden, the Ambassadors possible that their severity could be increased. present at the conference, and the interpreters. I at one time entertained a great hope that During and following the luncheon a final a projected United Nations Association to Pre­ report of the conference and a communique serve Peace would be effective for a long time for issue to the public were signed by the in maintaining agreement between the power­ three principals. ful United Nations to prevent international At the conclusion of this momentous con­ war, which they were fully capable of doing; ference of the three nations that expected to but an existing agreed fiction that France was administer in the near future a total defeat a great nation, and its inclusion in the coun­ to Germany, I was deeply impressed by the cil of the Association with a full veto power unanimous and amicable agreement of the on any proposed action would, in my opinion, President, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, not be helpful in the prevention of interna­ and Marshal Stalin of Russia on the action tional war. that should be taken to destroy Germany as It was difficult to see how this veto power, a military power. which it appeared was granted to France in These three men, who together controlled the interest of Great Britain, could have any the most powerful military force ever assem­ other effect than to cause discord in a large bled, sitting about a round table in the Crimea collection of small weak nations, stir up dis­ with their military and political staffs, agreed agreement among the three powerful nations, to completely destroy the present German gov­ and adversely effect prospects of the Associa­ ernment, to disarm and dismember Germany, tion to Preserve Peace. to destroy its industry that is capable of manu­ The American Delegation, February 11, facturing war material, to transfer territory 1945, at about four o'clock, departed from from Germany to Poland that will necessitate Livadia Palace bringing to an end the Yalta the deportation of the survivors of between Conference, and arrived at 6 P.M. on board seven and ten million inhabitants thereof, and the U.S.S. "Catoctin," moored alongside a sea to exact reparations in kind and in forced wall in the harbor of Sevastopol. labor that will practically reduce the present The thoroughly screened open car in which highly industrialized Germany to the status I made the journey, accompanied by my Aide, of two or more agricultural states. Commander Clark, and Dr. H. G. Bruenn, had While the German nation in this barbar­ a gas leak that at once filled the rear seat of ous war of conquest deserves all the punish­ the car with a dangerous concentration of ment that can be administered, the proposed gasoline fumes that we finally cleared by tear­ peace seemed to me a frightening "sowing of ing out the curtains. Thereafter the space was dragon's teeth" that carries germs of an ap­ liveable but uncomfortable. palling war of revenge at some time in the The mountain road between Yalta and distant future. Sevastopol would provide wonderful scenic I did not know of any other way to punish beauties under better traveling conditions. It this nation of highly intelligent, highly repro­ would perhaps be the most beautiful moun­ ductive, and basically military minded people tain road that I have traveled.

HI WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

When, after our arrival, the President asked Yalta much publicity was given by the press me what I thought of the scenery, I told him and by political opposition to charges that I had seen just about as much of the scenery special advantages were conceded at Yalta and had been almost as comfortable as one to the Soviet and British Government without would be if confined in a recently emptied adequate return to the American cause. gasoline drum. This was not apparent to any members of Our arrival in Sevastopol was after dark, the American Conference. but the completely wrecked habitations along British recommendations in regard to dis­ the road gave evidence of the truth of a state­ position of Allied Armed Forces were disap­ ment we had heard that only five houses in the proved by the President. city were habitable when it was retaken from President Roosevelt's persistent efforts to the Germans. obtain what he believed to be political ad­ On February 12 we left the U.S.S. "Ca­ vantages for Poland were not approved by toctin" at 7 A.M. and drove in a motor caval­ the Soviet Delegation. cade through fertile, highly cultivated grain Many requests made by President Roose­ and fruit valleys to the Russian airfield at velt to Marshal Stalin for action that appeared Saki where we arrived at 10:30 A.M. and from to be in the future of definite advantage to where we departed at 11 in the President's the United States and to Allies of the United plane for Egypt. States were usually formally approved by After a very agreeable journey of 1,000 Marshal Stalin and by the Conference. miles by air across the Black Sea and Turkey, At that time we fully accepted Stalin's we landed on an airfield near Ismalia at 4:15 formal Conference approval. Crimea time, 3:15 Egyptian time, and went The Soviet Government at that time seemed at once on board the U.S.S. "Quincy," an­ friendly and desirous of assisting in the ac­ chored in Bitter Lake not far from the land­ complishment of most of the stated desires of ing field. All of the mountains and much of Roosevelt and Churchill. the valley land in Turkey were covered with Soviet action in subsequently violating snow. The weather in Egypt was warm, sunny, agreements that were formally approved could and pleasing, after our stay in the near-winter not have been anticipated at Yalta by any­ temperature of the Crimea. body. And here ended our Yalta Conference. It occurred to none of us there that any­ Subsequent to the President's return from body was "being sold down the river." END

Babcock House Has Vanished

Historic Babcock House, once gay in a professor of agricultural chemistry at setting of hollyhocks, was converted into the University, who won world-wide a low-cost housing cooperative used by renown for inventing the first practical Coflege of Agriculture students for more butterfat testing method. Dr. Babcock than two decades. Recently it was razed, willed his estate to the University of and a cooperative student venture wifl Wisconsin and, appropriately enough, his be carried on somewhat closer to the home became the residence of agricul­ University's agricultural campus. tural students. Because of its too costly This Madison residence was once the maintenance, the site has become a part home of Dr. Stephen Moulton Babcock, of an extensive parking area. —Wisconsin Alumnus, Dec. 15, 1954.

112 teaders' choice

GENERAL HISTORY Among the episodes portrayed are "The Living Declaration," the circumstances under The Jeffersonian Heritage. Edited, with an which that great document was written in the Introduction by DUMAS MALONE. Writ­ house of Jacob Graff in Philadelphia; "Divi­ ten by MORTON WISHENGRAD, MILTON GEIGER, JOSEPH MINDEL, [and] GEORGE ded We Stand" on the issue of religious free­ PROBST. (The Beacon Press, Boston, dom which Jefferson fought for in and outside 1953. Illustrations. $3.50.) the Virginia legislature; "Freeing the Land" Every world-wide crusade, whether it be from primogeniture and entail, witnessed by political, economic, or religious, soon finds him in their worst manifestations of poverty it advantageous to exalt its mission and bolster and oppression in France; "The Return of the its arguments by exploiting History. No move­ Patriot" from France to his beloved "Monti- ment better illustrates this practice than the cello" in 1789, only to find that public duty communism of Soviet Russia geared to im­ required him to sacrifice private life for the perialism, which with utter abondon has used responsibilities of the office of secretary of and abused historical records to further its state; "The Danger of Freedom" and "The purpose. In fighting communism some Ameri­ Experiment of a Free Press" in opposing the cans have not only stooped to the same device Alien and Sedition Laws and maintaining that but advocated arbitrary procedure jeopardiz­ "Error of opinion may be tolerated where ing the very rights which are basic to our reason is left free to combat it." Jefferson is freedom. This book is a strong antidote to the one of our most quotable statesmen and Dr. poison of perverted patriotism, for it is Malone's familiarity with his writings has directed not so much against the shallow made it possible to incorporate many direct though insidious arguments of communism quotations into the dialogue. This is accom­ as toward the positive principles of the Amer­ ican heritage which are essentially embodied plished gracefully, without artificiality, for in the creed of Jefferson. the dialogues are crisp and entertaining, en­ gaging in their repartee and free of pedantry. The text of the book composed a series of They read well even without benefit of the radio programs first presented in the fall of 1952 as part of the Adult Education Project actors. of the National Association of Educational This is a timely series of historical dramas. Broadcasters under a Ford Foundation grant. "A priceless part of the heritage from the Dumas Malone was asked to be consultant past, these ideas have direct bearing on the for the presentation of an ideological theme problems of the present age." In fact. Dr. personified by Thomas Jefferson as the symbol Malone declares, "we were always thinking of certain ideas, not merely American but of the present, as well as the past. . . . Thomas universal, which are vital to the free world Jefferson is to be thought of as timeless—still in its struggle against totalitarianism. Each living, as is so often said." Malone's intro­ chapter consists of a dramatized episode in duction, "What the Jeffersonian Heritage Jefferson's career in which artistic imagina­ Means Today," which originally concluded the tion is given play without falsifying the his­ series, is well worth reading, both first and torical spirit and background, even though last. The book as a whole could inspire mis­ the factual detail is not always completely guided patriots to ponder the meaning of authentic. Dr. Malone's assertion in the pref­ Jefferson's oath of "eternal hostility to every ace that "Jefferson himself is always in character" is substantiated throughout the form of tyranny over the mind of man." text; and he pays tribute to the "rare degree LESTER J. CAPPON of understanding" which Claude Rains Institute of Early American History brought to the role in the radio performance. and Culture

113 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55

Who Lived Here? A Baker s Dozen of His­ Trees to News. By CARL WIEGMAN. (McClel­ toric New England Houses and Their land and Stewart Limited, Toronto, 1953. Occupants. By M. A. DEWOLFE HOWE Pp. xii, 364. Notes General Index. $4.50.) and SAMUEL CHAMBERLAIN. (Little, Trees to News by Carl Wiegman is a story Brown & Company, Boston, 1952. Pp. of the origin and development of the Ontario 139. Illustrations. $6.00.) Paper Company set up by Colonel Robert R. Mark A. DeWolfe Howe and Samuel Cham­ McCormick of the Chicago Tribune. This berlain have collaborated to produce another well-iflustrated, wefl-written volume joins the handsome study of architecture in New Eng­ ever-growing ranks of historical studies of land. The felicitous style of the former's prose business enterprises which are interesting and and the rich, almost baroque, texture of the entertaining for the general reader as wefl latter's photographs combine in a partly senti­ as for those who have a specific and direct mental, partly sophisticated, guide to thirteen interest. New England houses. Statistical tables at the end of the volume And a very revealing guide it is. Beneath illustrate the general increase in the total its polished surface lies the question of the scale of business of the Ontario Paper Com­ public preservation of architectural monu­ pany and the important role this company ments. Few lost causes are immortalized in has played in this vital sector of the Canadian Mr. Howe's list. No discredited publicans or economy. Forestry products in general con­ profligate spendthrifts walked the halls of his stitute Canada's largest export commodity and choice. Their owners, the Browns of Provi­ the United States is the principal market, dence, the Lowells of Cambridge, the Reveres absorbing virtually afl the pulp exports and of Boston, the Adams' of Quincy and the more than 80 percent of the paper shipments intellectual Amazons, Maria Mitchell, Emily abroad from Canada. The extent of the Amer­ Dickinson, Sarah Orne Jewett, and Louisa ican interest in Canadian forestry products is May Alcott all enjoy status in that hierarchy illustrated by the fact that more than half the of sentiment and patriotism that passes for paper consumed in the United States has its American local history. Although Christopher source in one form or another in Canadian Gore and Bishop Berkeley fail to appear in forests. This increasing American reliance on the Dictionary of American Biography, their Canadian raw materials is a fact of great sig­ houses are no less visually satisfying for that nificance in the present and will become of failure. The chaste ellipses of Gore place even greater consequence in the future, a indeed rival the rich detail of John Brown's process made inevitable by the ever-increasing great house, while Whitehafl's strong reserve demand of the American economy and ex­ stands out among its less confident peers of haustion of American domestic sources of raw Rhode Island. materials. It is to the credit of Colonel Not only is our standard for preservation McCormick and the proprietors of the Chicago of "the historic houses" hopelessly narrowed Tribune that they appreciated so early this by the prejudices of our time and circum­ close liaison between Canadian raw materials stance but the basic research in the fabric of and American business, and created a sub­ the houses selected largely remains undone. sidiary company as an enduring source of the It is incredible that almost seventy-five years raw material of their industry. after Edwin Whitefield first demonstrated the The story of the establishment of this architectural value of the colonial clapboard company and its industrial as well as its house that these joint authors should feel logging enterprises in the Canadian wilderness impelled to leave "to the illustrator all cov­ is recounted with skill and understanding. Mr. erage of the houses" and "to the author all Wiegman displays a keen appreciation of the peopling of his unpeopled houses." Vicious complex human problems involved, although consequences follow from a philosophy which the writer presents a picture of life in the separates social history from the history of rigors of a Canadian winter which seems to architecture. In the present work it leaves have been softened by retrospect. the houses as empty of significance as Plym­ Canada and the United States have been outh Rock. The reader knows the walls shel­ singularly fortunate in the relation existing tered "historic" men; that their architectural between large scale American business enter­ tastes should spring from the same assump­ prises and their subsidiary units in Canadian tions as their decisions is not suggested. territory, and the tendency so marked in other ANTHONY N. B. GARVAN parts of the world for the junior partner in University of Pennsylvania such associations to effect an "Abadan" has

114 READERS CHOICE

rarely arisen—a tribute both to the good purposes of significant interpretation, how­ sense of American business and the political ever, it is in those areas which the author maturity of Canadians. neglects that our conception of the Revolu­ "The World's Greatest Newspaper" has tionary era has most expanded. come nearer, however, to such an "Abadan" Much thought has gone into an elucidation than any other American business because of of the clash of economic and social interest the editorial policy and news coverage which that sharpened during the resistance to Britain that paper chooses to present. In times of and invested all public events of the era. An peace this is not a matter of moment to awareness of this conflict leads conceptually Canadians, but in the stress of desperate war, back into colonial history at the same time it was only natural that Canadians should that it connects the Revolution with the deeply resent the attitude adopted by certain country's later development. Similarly, there American papers and especially of the Chicago are studies relating to politics, public admin­ Tribune. It was equally natural that criticism istration and finance, social relations, busi­ of the political stand of the Chicago Tribune ness, private finance, property distribution, should lead to demands within Canada for social thought, and so on, all of which help in retaliation, by depriving it of its Canadian different ways to weld the Revolutionary era sources of supplies. Mr. Wiegman treats this into the general structure of American history. controversy with sympathetic understanding Traces of this sort of material can be found and fairness. In happier vein, Mr. Wiegman in the book. There are two chapters allotted has drawn the picture of that close and pleas­ to state constitutions and the Articles of Con­ ant association which this great American federation, plus a single chapter on the "home company has held with its Canadian em­ front." The writing is skillful and informed. ployees in the '^mise en valeur^^ of Canadian These chapters are acceptable as far as they resources. Mr. Wiegman's book is a valuable go. Clearly, however, they do not go far contribution to the literature in this field, and enough. The treatment is uneven and, in terms has the added virtue of being "good reading." of a well-rounded account, certainly not com­ J. R. W. GwYNNE-TlMOTHY plete. The trouble is that the picture of Am­ University of Western Ontario erican society is, and is meant to be, no more than a backdrop to military history. Nothing The American Revolution, 1775-1783. By else is worked through the period. One is left JOHN R. ALDEN. (Harper and Brothers, with no vital conception of movement or New York, 1954. Pp. 294. $5.00.) development except in things military. This spirited account of the military cam­ At the beginning of the book, the author paigns of the Revolution is a good book, con­ declares his intention to give primacy to sidered in itself. The broad picture of the war battles and campaigns on the ground that it stands above the details. Gifted with fine style is the war itself which is most important to and thoroughly versed in his subject, the know about. The editors submit a note to the author writes in a way that wifl please the effect that the story will be filled in by later literate reader. As a matter of fact, it is volumes in the series. It seems questionable, probably his ability along this line that has however, whether phases of the Revolution led to an unfortunate result. can be treated successfully in works devoted This volume is one of the new American to other chronological periods. One may Nation series which, when completed, will wonder, therefore, whether this book fulfills cover the whole span of American history. the purpose of the series. Like its predecessors, it is intended to be a E. JAMES FERGUSON general statement of American history as now University of Maryland conceived on the basis of fresh research and changing points of view. The series will no Hvor La Vinland? (Where Lay Vinland?) By doubt stand on all library shelves and become ALMAR NAESS. (Dreyers Forlag, Oslo, something of a standard work. Norway, 1954. Iflustrations. Pp. 246. It is therefore unfortunate that the book is $2.66.) SO thoroughly devoted to military affairs. The This is a most important book in the study narrative of battles and campaigns is inter­ of pre-Columbian American history. rupted only by an occasional chapter on civil When Leif Erikson in 1004 returned to affairs and foreign relations, the latter given Greenland after his discovery of America the somewhat more detailed treatment. The story year before, he no doubt had much to tefl is largely one of war and diplomacy. For about the new land. Most of that was soon

115 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 forgotten, but two impressive facts have sur­ Dr. Naess is wrong in his geographical con­ vived to the present time. Both of these con­ ception. There is no lack of areas along the cern the location of this new land. One was east coast of America where an observer on that he had found a country where grapes the shore could see the sun set in the open grew in abundance. For this reason he called sea in the latter part of December. The south the land Wineland (Vinland). The other was shore of New England from the elbow of Cape the approximate location of this land. It lay Cod to the west end of Connecticut is about so far south that the days and nights were 200 miles long, and it runs so nearly east-^vest of more equal length than in Greenland. In that the sun setting in late December would be order to explain how far south it was, Leif well below (south of) this line of vision. said that the sun was visible on the shortest Furthermore, we know from the original day of the year at dagmalastad and eyktarstad. narrative that Leif's landfall was on just such In the absence of clocks, the Norsemen marked an east-west coast facing south upon a shallow time by the bearing of the sun on certain sound. When he returned to Greenland, he landmarks in the distance. Dagmalastad was was criticized by his brother Thorwald for the name of a spot on the horizon marking the not having explored the new country. Leif time when breakfast was eaten; and eyktarstad therefore offered him his ship, and Thorwald was likewise a point with the sun overhead set forth, probably accompanied by many of marking the time for the afternoon meal. In the men who had sailed with Leif. He arrived other words, Leif tells us at what time of day safely, and the next summer he explored the coast to the westward, traveling in the after- the sun set on the shortest day of the year. If boat because the sound was shallow. He was we can determine what hour of the day was not greatly pleased with what he saw, and the indicated by eyktarstad (or dagmalastad) it following year he took his ship and sailed will be possible to determine the latitude of eastward and northward around a cape and Leif's landfall. then eastward again. This does not fit Chesa­ This is the famous eyktarstad problem peake Bay or any shore south of Nova Scotia which has troubled commentators for several except one. Only along the south shore of hundred years. There are many angles to it, New England was such a long voyage west­ and some historians in their imperfect knowl­ ward and then a short voyage eastward pos­ edge of this question have located Vinland sible. hundreds of miles beyond the northernmost There is another objection to Dr. Naess's grape-growing areas, while others have passed identification. Leif Erikson reported that the it by as hopeless of solution. But this is a waters near his camp abounded in salmon. mathematical and astronomical and not a The southern limit of salmon is the waters historical question, and Dr. Almar Naess is along the south shore of New England. Chesa­ Professor of Mathematics in the University of peake Bay is 200 miles too far south to fit Oslo in Norway. He devotes his entire book this description. to this subject and proves conclusively that While Dr. Naess's identification of Vinland Leif's Vinland lay far south on the Atlantic is unacceptable, his book is nevertheless a very Coast. He concludes that it could not have valuable contribution to the study of Ameri­ been north of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, ca's discovery for which we are thankful. but thinks it may have been even farther Ephraim HJALMAR HOLAND south, depending on the height of the sun when observed by Leif Erikson on the shortest Westward the Briton. By ROBERT G. ATHEARN. day of the year. (Charles Scribner's Sons, New \ork, But while Dr. Naess's computations are very 1953. Pp. 208. Bibliography, Index. complete and convincing, they have one seri­ $4.50.) ous fault which causes him to locate Vinland This, the author explains in the preface, is too far south. He assumes that it is impossible a composite word picture of what the British anywhere on the east coast of America to get traveler saw and the impressions he received an observation of the true time of sunset over in journeying through the Mountain or Inter- the open sea because the coast has a general mountain United States frontier of the period eastern exposure. He repeats this statement 1865-1900. His thesis is that since these four times. He therefore thinks that Leif saw travelers were not prejudiced, since they had the sun set beyond a hilly region. Naess there­ standards of comparison for what they ob­ fore "corrects" the time of this false sunset served and, since most of them were of more and thus reaches a lower latitude. than average intelligence, their observations

116 READERS CHOICE

should produce a true picture of the West— This is footnoted and the sources consist of more true than that to which we are accus­ two accounts of travels made at almost the tomed. The procedure followed is to choose same time, 1873-74. certain topics most often discussed in con­ Finally, though the study set out to achieve nection with the frontier West, then to build a more sound and realistic picture of the West, in mosaic fashion by choosing an apt comment what is the net result? Certainly it is no from this one and a telling phrase from different from the West we have always known, another and to bind the whole together with at least outside the "Westerns" and "Comics." a few generalizations. The principal such The final and summarizing chapter is replete chapter headings are: "Western Travel Fa­ with such statements as the following, synthe­ cilities," "Hopeful Queen Cities," "Westerners sized from the British writings: "To the aver­ at Home," "The Egalitarian West," "Land of age Britisher western America represented the 'Cow Servant,' " "The Case of Blackstone something fresh and crisp, a place to rebuild vs. Colt." shattered hopes, a land of opportunity for This general plan or conception is indeed all. . . ." "Wherever it was, the West was a intriguing for there are sufficient of the needed promised land, . . . ." "Most of all, the British ingredients easily at hand to produce a most liked the general feeling of optimism, of hope, entertaining if not uproarious volume. The and of confidence that pervaded the air." This rather naive ideas and comments of the is doubtless true, but is it new? The evident British visitor have long been standard equip­ conclusion is that we Americans were right ment for adding a laugh either in one's in the first place for the witness of all these memoirs of the West or on the lecture plat­ Britons confirms our own oft expressed opin­ form. Even the bitter comments of a Robert ions and observations. Louis Stevenson or Rudyard Kipling titillate In conclusion, a couple of remarks on tech­ us, while the sage and more approving opin­ nical aspects of the book. Though the author ions of James Bryce and Sir Wifliam H. professes to have searched out over 300 Russell supply the needed soporific to soothe accounts, only 130 find a place in the bibli­ in turn our wounded dignity. To assemble the best of all these remarks into a single volume ography, and of these only some 90 are listed would seem to be a "natural" for both pub­ in the index as having been used in the body lisher and author. But to be really successful, of the study. The index itself is slightly such an effort should throw off the impedi­ weird. Primarily it is an index of names of ments of pedantic scholarship and become men and places, and for these it seems quite purely a venture in journalism. This distinctly complete. The strangeness is in the choice of is not the latter. topics for subject indexing. For instance, On the other hand, though it carries all the though the entire volume is a study of British stigmata of a work of scholarship, and has travel accounts there is a subject entry read­ received loud praise in scholarly circles, the ing: "Travelers, British, general comments study suffers from certain very definite by." Similarly, there is an entry for "West, shortcomings. Since the avowed purpose is to Trans-Mississippi" though that is the locale achieve a more perfect picture of what the of the whole. On the other hand there are West was like, should there not have been a many subjects of some importance treated of, weighing of the objectivity, credibility, and such as "Woman Suffrage," for which there other qualifications of the British travelers are no index entries; while other entries such and commentators? The very brief biblio­ as "Hospitality as a Western Characteristic" graphical notes fail entirely to do this, and do not contain index references to all the the use of materials in the text does not places in the text in which they are discussed. suggest any sifting and winnowing of evi­ BENTON H. WILCOX dence. Again, in a study which has as its State Historical Society of Wisconsin end objective a composite picture but eschews the statistical approach and asks us to accept The Nebraska Question, 1852-1854. By JAMES the author's summation of opinion on given C. MALIN. (The author, Lawrence, Kan­ topics, the reader may be forgiven a feeling sas, [1953]. Pp. ix, 455. Lithoprinted of disquiet when he finds such generalizations from typescript, paper cover. $4.00. Order as this on page 25: "Evanston, Wyoming, from author, 1541 University Drive, Law­ apparently had one of the better restaurants, rence, Kansas.) for favorable comments about this stop appear This study is a logical continuation of James from time to time in the travelers' accounts." C. Malin's first project as a graduate student

117 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954^55

at the University of Kansas in 1915. His ad­ The Complete Madison: His Basic Writings. viser, Frank Heywood Hodder, asked him to Edited by SAUL K. PADOVER. (Harper study the political career of Senator David R. and Brothers, New York, 1953. Pp. 361. Atchison of Missouri, an assignment related $4.00.) to Hodder's own long-continued and reward­ Can democracy survive? Americans com­ ing interest in the life of Stephen A. Douglas. mitted to the affirmative reply have need to Malin's Centennial volume attempts to restore study the men who upheld democratic prin­ something of the original perspective upon the ciples during America's formative years. To decade closing with the years 1852-1854. facilitate such study, S. K. Padover here In spite of numerous side excursions, presents the basic writings of one of Ameri­ Malin's over-all thesis emphasizes what he calls ca's political philosophers—James Madison. the "mechanically-powered communications By judicious selection and the use of a topical revolution" which "exercised its most startling organization, Padover has made Madison's and significant influence upon communica­ thoughts on many important subjects easily tions over large land areas not served by the available. traditional water communications." Hence, its Madison's writing is rich fare. A child of great importance for the Kansas-Nebraska the Age of Reason, he wrote clearly and log­ territory, which, in Malin's opinion, Douglas ically; a child of the Enlightenment, he wrote sensed. Thus, even though one of Douglas' about many topics. His most significant writ­ senatorial speeches in 1850 "was not a fully ings deal with our political institutions and rounded theoretical statement of the land-mass processes. Madison's understanding of our interpretation of history as formulated by government was profound. For example, he Halford J. Mackinder in 1904, ... it was stated explicitly that the United States gov­ a practical approximation of the major con­ ernment was designed to combine the best tention spoken more than a half century elements of both federalism and nationalism. earlier." Elsewhere in the volume Malin speaks Had his view been genuinely understood, much of having established enough positions in mid- tragedy in American history might have been nineteenth century American history to neces­ averted. sitate the reopening of the history of that While Madison's writings are rewarding, whole period. Still other points are listed as S. K. Padover's handling of them is question­ "provocative questions." Nevertheless, his book able. The topical organization obscures the stresses the influence of the mechanical revo­ changes Madison's basic ideas underwent lution and decries overemphasis on slavery during the course of his long life. The de- interpretations. Douglas is his hero, if he emphasis of chronology makes it difficult to has one. view Madison's statements in historical con­ The general reader probably will find the text. Lastly, Madison's views on social prob­ book hard going. A constantly shifting focus, lems are organized with reference to twentieth ranging from detailed, factual exposition to century concerns rather than to those of broad philosophical generalizations, prevents Madison's day. At no place are Madison's an easy-flowing narrative. Long quotations and views on the planter society of which he was side excursions add to the difficulty. Typo­ a part given, but there are sections on tem­ graphical errors and variations in form should perance and on the religious status of Jews. have been eliminated by a thorough editing. The Complete Madison is a useful book and An index would have greatly facilitated the will be widely read. Its shortcomings are in work of others using the book. part made up for by the exceflent interpreta­ Scholars cannot afford to overlook Malin's tive essay on Madison that prefaces the stimulating evaluations of political leaders in volume. the 1840's and 1850's, and his criticisms of ROBERT POLK THOMSON later historical treatises concerning them. It Martin College wifl be interesting to see if the Atchison manu­ Pulaski, Tennessee scripts recently acquired by the Western His­ torical Manuscripts Collection of the University A National Program for the Publication of of Missouri will place Atchison in a more fav­ Historical Documents: A Report to the orable light. Malin's book also contains many President by the National Historical Pub­ documents hitherto available only in the files lications Commission. (The National Ar­ of contemporary newspapers. chives, Washington, 1954. Pp. 106.) LEWIS E. ATHERTON In 1778, in the midst of the war for the University of Missouri independence of the United States, the Con-

118 READERS CHOICE tinental Congress made a small grant towards development of Catholic higher education." the publication of a collection of American The material he presents, however, makes it state papers. Since that time the government more properly a well-documented case study has furthered the publication of historical of the financial and organizational problems documents by subsidy, subscription, long-con­ faced by an urban university largely depend­ tinuing appropriations, and the direct publica­ ent upon tuition for support. An increasing tion of its own official records. identification with the city, by 1920, furthered A survey of these varying types of support the University's growth; but civic aid was and the even more widely varying products of always to some extent hindered by the an­ the one and three-quarters century of efforts tithesis between the Jesuit character of the evinces the need for a comprehensive program college and the anticlerical attitudes implicit of publication. Such a program is outlined in in one facet, at least, of the Milwaukee tra­ this very interesting little booklet. On the basis dition. of replies to questionnaires, recommendations As Father Hamilton himself appears to of sub-committees, and studies in its own recognize, he has not found a really satisfac­ executive office, the commission has evolved tory method of interpreting the multifold recommendations and plans for the publica­ activities which come under the heading of tion of the papers of individual American "student life." There is nevertheless much leaders and of selected series of papers dealing useful information in these sections of the with important developments. Wisconsin read­ book with respect to the impact of wars and ers will be interested to know that the papers depression upon the student body and its of Robert M. La Foflette, Sr., the early Uni­ behavior. Less rewarding is the author's han­ versity president Henry Barnard, and Cyrus dling of the University's intellectual growth. He implies that a primary goal has been the H. McCormick (whose papers form the core desire to make Marquette "a center of light of the McCormick Coflection) are on the top and enterprise and zeal for the good of man priority list. and the glory of God." However, he does ALICE E. SMITH not show, as fully as one would wish, how State Historical Society of Wisconsin curriculum and classroom practice imple­ mented this ideal. Also, a more intensive WISCONSIN HISTORY study of the nature of the student body The Story of Marquette University. By through the years would have produced a RAPHAEL N. HAMILTON, S.J. (Marquette clearer picture, than now exists, of the per­ University Press, Milwaukee, 1953. Pp. sonality of the institution. For example, al­ xii, 434. Illustrations, Appendices, Bibli­ though there are eight full pages of statistics ography, Index. $6.00.) on athletic captains and football scores, there Marquette University will celebrate its sev­ is no adequate chart showing the over-all enty-fifth anniversary during the school year student enrollment and the areas from which of 1955-56. Father Hamilton's biography of it was drawn. the institution spans more than a century— Father Hamilton has set the story of Mar­ from the late 1840's when Martin J. Henni, quette in the context of Milwaukee's history, bishop of Milwaukee, interested a Belgian in general to the advantage of the work. philanthropist in the idea of a Jesuit college However, those who remember the recession for the frontier Wisconsin city, to the mid- which prevailed from August 1937 to Sep­ twentieth century, when astute administration, tember 1938 in the Wisconsin city may chal­ the bequests of benevolent friends, and the lenge the statement that "to all intents and demand for college education foflowing World purposes hard times, as far as Milwaukee was War II brought relative financial security to concerned, were over in 1936." a University of nearly 9,000 students. New York University BAYRD STILL Father Hamilton has been close to Mar­ quette, as teacher and administrator, for A Half Century of Alfalfa in Wisconsin, By nearly twenty-five years. Perhaps this ac­ L. F. GRABER. (University of Wisconsin, counts for the fact that the physical and Extension Service Bulletin 502. Madison, administrative evolution of the institution and 1953. Pp. 128.) its complicated financial problems command Not only is the history of the use of alfalfa the lion's share of his chronicle and constitute outlined by the man most intimately associ­ the best part of the narrative. He has sub­ ated with the campaign for its adoption, but titled his volume "an object lesson in the the sum of the wisdom gained in more than

119 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-^55

sixty years of its cultivation is laid before the way, a mountain community where he had reader of this thick bulletin. It is therefore found it difficult to make a living. On the more than a story; it is an incitement. For advice of the well-known agent of emigration those unable to profit by the incitement it may Johan Reiersen, it had been his intention to be a case study in Wisconsin's agricultural settle in Texas, but Nicolai Arnesen changed progress. his mind when he got to New Orleans and That progress sprang from the decisions of headed straight for Wisconsin. After some the farmers who took up the means of more years at Koshkonong he preempted land in efficient production, the making of alfalfa hay the newly founded Norwegian settlement in among them. They did this partly because western Dane and eastern Iowa counties. He the University provided exact technical in­ became a charter member of Perry Congrega­ formation on the new methods profusely and tion in 1854, and was buried in its church­ persuasively. A Half Century of Alfalfa is an yard in 1868, at the age of eighty. excellent illustration, for Dr. Graber is one of These are the bare outer data of a life which the College of Agriculture's most distinguished is fifled in with vivid details by the little figures, a rare blend of research scientist, group of letters presented in the brochure. teacher, and extension worker. The letters are printed exactly as written and From the standpoint of the historian the therefore constitute excellent documentation bufletin does not have a sufficient proportion both of the language skills and the outlook of of straight history. There is only a brief out­ the writers. They tell the usual story of a line of alfalfa's development from a precarious long and laborious journey, in this case three experiment in the pall of Wisconsin's deadly months, to the promised land. They show the winters to the dominant forage plant grown difficulties of pioneering and the gradual ac­ on over 2,000,000 acres. The chief actors, cumulation of substance, the eventual loss of including W. D. Hoard and R. A. Moore, are contact with the old home. The most interest­ only mentioned, and the author's predominant ing part of the contents is the reiterated role is modestly subordinated in an account attempt to persuade the members of the family of the Alfalfa Order of the Wisconsin Agri­ who stayed behind to follow the example of cultural Experiment Association, which ac- the emigrants. Ragnil writes to her brother tuafly was Dr. Graber's personal triumph. Tellef in Norway: "We would consider you The historian will have to be consoled by lucky if you were here without a penny, for recalling that impersonal teamwork in the Col­ in a year you could earn yourself a farm lege of Agriculture is a further characteristic much better than the one you have in Nor­ of the story of farm progress in Wisconsin. way." "Because I love you above all my W. H. GLOVER brothers and sisters I pity you that you are Buffalo Historical Society going to struggle through your youth in the toilsome country of Norway." She scoffs at Agder og Amerika. With Introductions by the idea that the climate is unhealthy: "Here ToLV AAMLAND and INGRID SEMMINGSEN. at Blue Mounds is not only the healthiest Nordmanns-Forbundet, Oslo, 1953. Pp. place in America, but we can say that it 84. 50 cents.) equals anything in Norway. The air is pure, This little pamphlet is the second in a series the water is clear, there are rivers and brooks." on Norwegian emigration to America pub­ "The soil here is as fertile as anywhere in lished for popular consumption by the Nord­ America, and our daily food is sifted rye manns-Forbundet in Oslo. The first was a and wheat, pork, butter, eggs, sirup, sugar, survey of the subject by Dr. Ingrid Semming­ coffee, and beer." But she warns against going sen, author of a distinguished two-volume work to Texas, as some of the family had done: "My on Norwegian emigration {Veien mot Vest, mother asked him (Reiersen) how it was in Oslo, 1941, 1950.) The present publication is Texas; when he answered that if you put of special interest to the history of Wisconsin, pork in a frying pan on the street, it would since the letters which constitute the bulk be roasted, we were terrified at such heat and of it were written in Wisconsin and tell of dared not go there." conditions among early Norwegian emigrants Nicolai writes to the same son that "people near Blue Mounds. The letters were written live much more properly here than in Norway, by Nicolai Arnesen and members of his both with regard to drunkenness, backbiting, family to relatives in Norway between 1848 and quarreling which were so common in and 1892. Nicolai Arnesen emigrated in 1845 Norway." He reports that a coflection has from the parish of Gjevedal in southern Nor­ been taken up among the emigrants for the

120 READERS CHOICE poor people in their homeland. But it is his pany, launched in 1895 and made by adver­ opinion that it would be more useful if the tising, netted in 1902 a profit of about money were used to transport them to Amer­ $1,100,000. Post had through the years kept ica, if they were honest and diligent workers, contact with West Texas, and in 1906-7 he "for then we know that the poor would bene­ purchased over 200,000 acres of ranch lands fit from our help, not just a month or a year, in the lower Texas Panhandle centering in but their whole lifetime." Garza County. The present book is the story In spite of the enthusiasm of the emigrants, of how Post built a town and planted a farm the family remained divided. Of Nicolai and colony upon these lands. Anne's ten living children, four accompanied Professors Eaves and Hutchinson interpret them to America, three foflowed later, while Post City as a venture in philanthropy not three resisted all blandishments and stayed in intended to make money for Post. "He wanted Norway. In our country, too, they did not all to build a city upon what were then the un- remain in one place, though the majority tilled plains of West Texas, and around his of their descendants are still living in the city he planned to create a prosperous farming Perry area. Three letters written from Anne community. Farming and industries in the to her brother Teflef in the 1880's and 1890's town would support an intelligent, hard­ are not provided with dates or places of working citizenry who owned their own writing. The editors believe that they are farms and homes. . . . The planning of the written in Iowa, but have overlooked the city, the laying out of its streets, the character evidence of the text which confirms it: she of its buildings, and the character of its writes of her son Ole that he is mostly in government were all the result of the care "foresiti," which the editors have misinter­ and purpose of a single man." preted to be the English word "forest." Ac­ Post's Double U Company began construc­ tually, it is practically certain to be a tion in early summer, 1907, and by mid­ misspelling of Forest City (Iowa), which summer, 19()9, had erected 104 houses (75 makes better sense in this context. sold, 29 rented) and ample business and The two editorial introductions give a use­ service buildings; the showpiece was a 30-room ful background to the letters, Aamland's in hotel of native sandstone. A spur-line railroad reference to the locality and the family, Mrs. arrived the next year, and 1913 saw com­ Semmingsen's in reference to the course of pletion of a $650,000 cotton mill that employed Norwegian emigration. There is some over­ upwards of 250 persons. lapping and superfluous material, particularly Farms were at first rented or company in the first. All in all, however, it is a operated, and the emphasis was upon experi­ praiseworthy effort to make the problems and mentation. The authors believe that the im­ personalities of the emigrants vivid to a petus Post gave to correct practices in dry generation of Norwegians who have all but farming was an important contribution to the forgotten their American kinsmen. development of the plains. In April, 1914, EiNAR HAUGEN shortly before Post's death, there began a University of Wisconsin campaign employing "missionaries" and ex­ tensive advertising to sell "Post Home Farms" OTHER HISTORY in improved tracts of 160 to 320 acres. By Post City, Texas; C. W. Posfs Colonizing Ac­ early 1917 some 612 farms had been sold. tivities in West Texas. By CHARLES A substantial chapter narrates Post's stub­ DUDLEY EAVES and C. A. HUTCHINSON. born efforts to make rain by shooting off (Texas State Historical Association, Aus­ dynamite in imitation of a cannonade. Under tin, 1952. Pp. xiii, 171. $5.00.) his orders some twenty-three battles were The founder of what is now Post, Texas, waged in 1911-13 at a cost of more than was born in 1854 in Springfield, Illinois. His $50,000. business from 1872 to 1886 was farm machin­ Post set up after the first year a board of ery. After two nervous breakdowns, a short company managers to meet semi-weekly in residence in Fort Worth, Texas, and a third Post City and submit full minutes of their failure of health, he moved in 1891 to Battle proceedings to Battle Creek. By this means he Creek, Michigan. Energetic, ingenious, self- or his right-hand man in Michigan could, and confident, a skilled manager and a shrewd habitually did, control closely what went on salesman. Post was already well-to-do when in Post City. He knew how everything should he concocted from wheat, bran, and molasses be, and nothing was too small for his atten­ his "Postum Food Coffee." The Postum Com­ tion. Thus, when the hotel fell into difficulties,

121 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 he wrote a critique of its menu embodying from literary historians, geographers, and this majestic diagnosis: "You have three kinds bibliographers. of pie. One is enough." The Indiana Historical Society has per­ Absentee control, whatever its faults, has formed a distinct service by re-publishing for the historian the advantage that it generally Scott's Gazetteer and his map. While useful involves the keeping of numerous and intel­ to settlers then and historians now, it may be ligible records. This has proved true of two queried, in the spirit of a just evaluation, famous Panhandle ranching enterprises, the whether his book is representative of the high­ XIT and the Matador, and it is measurably est quality of productions belonging to this true of the Post properties. The authors have form. Probably it is not; in the reviewer's drawn upon the records of the Double U opinion, it must be taken to be an example Company and the papers of Post for informa­ of a gazetteer constructed as a simple com­ tion, quotation, and anecdote that give the pilation rather than as an organicafly designed book a sustained interest. systematic work. The "General Description of Whether Post City ought to be regarded as the State of Indiana" occupies about 16 pages, a contribution to self-reliance and free enter­ and touches on such topics as boundaries, prise on the western plains—the view of it situation and extent, population, character and taken by Jesse H. Jones, who contributes a manners, face of the country, climate, antiq­ foreword, by the authors, and by Post himself uities, as well as the forms of the State's —or whether it was a paternalistic intrusion government, central and local. All these head­ into an area where self-reliance and free enter­ ings contain welcome information, though the prise already flourished, is a question that author's pen favored generalities as a rule might be long and even hotly debated. rather than sharply edged particulars, in writ­ The Texas State Historical Association is ing up his topics. to be complimented upon the admirable man­ The main body of the work is the Gazetteer ner in which the book has been printed, proper, which runs to 107 pages in the 1826 illustrated, and mapped. edition. Scott adopted the alphabetical prin­ BARNES F. LATHROP ciple in massing his materials. This kind of University of Texas scheme of arrangement probably recommend­ ed itself to him because of the various limiting The Indiana Gazetteer or Topographical Dic­ circumstances under which he labored. The tionary. By JOHN SCOTT. Reprinted from alphabetical principle of organizing his data, the original edition, 1826. Indiana His­ however, in practice served to separate related torical Society Publications, vol. 18, No. facts and information rather than to integrate 1 (Indianapolis, 1954. Pp. 129. Map. them. In one grand series he listed towns and $1.00.) With introduction: "John Scott viflages, counties, rivers and creeks, "United and The Indiana Gazetteer,"" by Gayle States' Lands" and "Unsettled Lands." To Thornbrough, editor. cite an example of the results of his scheme, John Scott, printer from Pennsylvania, re­ the entry which opens the book is "Abington," moved to Indiana in 1816. He established described as being located in Wayne County several newspapers in his new home but none (p. 30), but the entry for "Wayne County" did well. He also tried his luck at printing a itself is found on pp. 133-34. The length of book by Joel Barlow, compiling "an improved the matter relating to the several entries de­ map of Indiana," and fathering the first Indi­ pends upon the amount of information pos­ ana Gazetteer. The map appeared in 1825, the sessed by the compiler, and his own judgment Gazetteer in the year following. These and as to the importance of the stream or site other facts one gleans from the brief but help­ under discussion. ful introduction supplied by Gayle Thorn­ For the incoming settlers this little hand­ brough, the editor. book could have been most acceptable and Scott's map and his Topographical Diction­ convenient. Equipped with a copy of the map ary or Gazetteer were prepared for emigrants, and a copy of the Gazetteer, they would have actual or prospective, to the West. The Gazet­ been able quickly to reach a first decision as teer belongs to a long series of such works. to where to locate their families and buy land. The history of this literary form, fully ex­ In retrospect, the Gazetteer conveys to us, at emplified by a rich bibliographical array of the least, a more than elementary notion con­ titles extending at least from the opening years cerning the characteristics of "Indiana space" of the nineteenth to the opening decade of the as this was in the year 1826. twentieth centurv, awaits svstematic attention The Iowa Historical and the Indiana His-

122 READERS CHOICE torical Societies have now conferred benefits sire for comforts including the best of living upon scholars by reprinting in acceptable quarters and good food and drinks while his form the Gazetteers pertaining to their two followers were facing hardships and uncer­ states. Thus they have given a lead to other tainties caused a growing resentment as days historical societies, east and west, which one passed in St. Louis before an attempt was may hope these sister institutions will soon made to establish a colony. choose to follow. Meanwhile the Stephanites encountered University of Texas FULMER MOOD much unfavorable publicity from their own countrymen in America who regarded them Zion on the Mississippi, the Settlement of the as religious fanatics and Stephan as a fraud. Saxon Lutherans in Missouri, 1839—1841. The treasury of the emigration association was By WALTER 0. FORSTER. (Concordia being depleted and plans for the purchase of Publishing House, St. Louis, 1953. Pp. land had to be speeded. For the sum of $9,- xiv, 606. $4.00.) 234.25 nearly 5,000 acres of medium quality Walter 0. Forster in Zion on the Mississippi land was purchased in Perry County, a little tells an interesting story of the establishment more than 100 miles south of St. Louis. The of a colony of Saxon Lutheran immigrants in investment did not prove to be a wise one, and Missouri under the leadership of Martin the blame for the fiasco was heaped upon Stephan. Forster believes that the story he re­ Stephan. As the misfortunes of the immigrants lates is more significant a chapter in German increased, opposition to Stephan grew until immigration to America than that of "the he was completely discredited. The same Latin Farmers" or the Forty-Fighters as the people who earlier in Germany had refused to fundamentalism of the Saxon Lutherans bore accept stories of Stephan's immoral relation­ fruit in America. ships with women, now accepted these and Forster has made an important contribu­ others as true, demanding the deposal of tion to the history of German immigration to Stephan as bishop. America. He presents his narrative of the The expulsion of Stephan was followed by migration of 665 persons from Bremen, in a bitter struggle for power as the laymen November of 1838 for St. Louis, Missouri, in among the Saxons sought to end the hierarchy a broader German setting in which he skill­ which Stephan and the clergymen had estab­ fully interweaves the personality and influ­ lished among the immigrants. The controversy ence of Stephan. Stephan had identified him­ assumed both a secular and religious flavor. self with the forces which opposed rationalism, There was much suffering among the immi­ and his foflowers included among others a grants and many regrets. One after another number of young clergymen and theological repented of his or her sins in having been students who were irreconcilably opposed to duped by Stephan. These pious orthodox unionism among the Reformed and Lutherans people wondered if any of their actions since in Germany. following Stephan to America were Christian. Stephan, indeed a strange character, be­ Some wished to return to Germany and chaos came the symbol of orthodoxy, and conserva­ followed. In this "dark hour" Carl Ferdinand tism as Stephanism grew into separatism. Wilhelm Walther assumed the leadership of Stephan's disregard for laws against conven­ the Saxons. His ideas reunited and stabilized ticles and his personal behavior, which led to the colonies in Perry County and St. Louis. charges of immorality, contributed to the or­ To be sure many troublesome characters ganization of an association for emigration. had left the scene and the Saxons looked for­ But these were not the only factors. Stephan ward to rendering spiritual service to their was a man who could demand and secure loy­ fellow immigrants. They had had enough of alty and admiration from his followers. His Stephan and "the episcopacy." Forster writes: desire for power might well have contributed "More than that they had been purged of as much as his orthodoxy to his decision to their fantastic notions of exclusiveness and emigrate from Germany to establish a Zion semi-autonomy, and while they were not ready on the Mississippi. On the journey to Ameri­ to conform to their environment, they were ca, Stephan had himself elevated to bishop. prepared to integrate themselves with it." He also gained control of the funds of the im­ The reviewer leaves the reader of Zion on migrants. On the journey and upon the arri­ the Mississippi to decide for himself whether val of the Saxons in St. Louis, Stephan's or not Forster is correct in this conclusion. arbitrary rule became increasingly objection­ The Saxons formed the nucleus in the Evan­ able. His officiousness, vanity, pomp, and de­ gelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio,

123 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954^55

and other states founded on April 26, 1847. Company assets amount to more than $21,- The Missouri Synod is greatly indebted to 000,000; its branch offices in the State num­ Forster for a scholarly account of a preface ber thirty-six. In addition to its establishment, to its history, and the historians are grateful its dormant years, early growth, expansion to him for a chapter exceptionally well done (1938-to date), and trends, there are several in the history of immigration to America. pages devoted to its financial condition as of Augustana College 0. FRITIOF ANDER May, 1954. Francis J. Conway, president, was one of the organizers of the corporation in Attractively planned and executed, 100 1924. Years of Leathermaking (104 pp.) is the progress report of the Fred Rueping Leather The founder of Kiel was Henry F. Belitz, Company, Fond du Lac (1854-1954), writ­ who bought a great deal of land surrounding ten by Rollie Jensen. William Rueping, the the site of Kiel. The little community was founder, expended $5,000 "up until the time named for Kiel, Germany, and attracted many the first leather was sold" . . . wages were settlers of German origin. Much of Kiel's $1.00 per day for common labor, good crafts­ progress through the century is contained in men were paid $1.50. In contrast one reads its centennial volume, KieTs Heritage, a His­ that "sales for 1951 approached the $17,000,- tory of Kiel, 1854-1954 (100 pp.). Not only 000 mark, based on production of approxi­ does one read of its schools and churches, but mately 26,000.000 sq. ft. of leather." The also of its industries and mercantile estab­ history of the company contains its prosper­ lishments; religious, civic, and patriotic or­ ous and less prosperous days and, as would be ganizations are also included. Many pictures expected, much of the development of Fond add to the interest of KieTs Heritage. du Lac itself is interpolated. Since 1943 C. F. Van Pelt has been the company's president; The Society has acquired additional studies the chairman of the board is F. J. Rueping. in the County Agricultural Statistics Series for the following counties: Jefferson, Marathon, Father Ambrose Oschwald, M.P., brought a Shawano, Trempealeau, and Walworth. These group of Catholic emigrants from Germany in have been prepared by the State Department 1854 and founded St. Nazianz, named in of Agriculture with the assistance of William honor of the patron saint of the association, Kirsch. A historical sketch of the agricultural St. Gregory of Nazianz. This Manitowoc development in each county was prepared in County Catholic community which Father cooperation with the State Historical Society. Oschwald counseled and guided until early 1873 and the trials and achievements of his Because of space limitation the briefer his­ successors, as found in St. Nazianz, 1854-1954 tories of places, published in 1954, are listed (98 pp.), are an excellent addition to Catholic together: Alton, Centennial, 1854-1954; Foot- annals. ville. Centennial, 1854-1954; the Sturgeon Bay, Fond du Lac, and Waupun histories were The Wisconsin State Genealogical Society compiled by the League of Women Voters as has recently issued a neat five-page mimeo­ handbooks of information. graphed Newsletter containing its list of mem­ bers with addresses, its officers, and a short The following church publications, marking history of the Society's incorporation. A re­ the anniversary dates of the founding of the quest is made of state librarians to report their churches, have come to the attention of the genealogical or family collections to the editor, Society: Mrs. Evelyn F. Knudson, 2642 South Shore Daleyvifle. Perry Ev. Lutheran Church, 100th Drive, Milwaukee, 7. Siirh materials available Anniversary, 1854-1954 (50 pp.). in the State Historical Society Library are East Troy, The Story of St. Peter's Church enumerated. It is expected that the Newsletter [Catholic], 1854-1954 (48 pp.). will appear three times a year. Pine Bluff, Centennial Jubilee, St. Mary Con­ gregation [Catholic] 1854-1954 (56 pp.). The History of the Thorp Finance Corpora­ Poynette, Eighty-Fifth Anniversary, Dekorra tion is unique (41 pp.). With a population Lutheran Church, 1869-1954 (10 pp.). of approximately 1,000, Thorp is situated Prairie du Sac Township, Zion Evangelical &: about 150 miles east of Minneapolis, and is Reformed Church, Centennial Anniver­ the home of the Thorp Finance Corporation. sary, 1854-1954 (12 pp.).

124 ACCESSIONS

Manuscripts 1845-57, of Wifliam B. Scholfield [sic], pre­ sented by Mrs. H. H. Schofield [sic], Wausau; The Society has recently added to the Manu­ script Collections the papers of Algie M. minutes for July 21, 1910, meeting of the Dane Simons and his wife May Wood Simons, County Pioneer Association and a list of mem­ prominent members of the Socialist Party. bers, presented by the Catherine Corscot Es­ Activities of the Socialist Party dominated the tate, Madison; papers, 1806-81, of Israel Mun- lives of the Simons. A. M. Simons was born son, presented by Mr. and Mrs. Wallace in North Freedom, Wisconsin; he graduated Martindale, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania; from the University of Wisconsin in 1895. He papers, 1867-1938, added to the Wifliam H. organized the Wisconsin Defense League, was Wheeler letters, 1854-64, addressed to Stephen a writer for the Wisconsin Loyalty Legion, and and Martha Lathrop, presented by Mrs. George for Socialist publications of Milwaukee and W. Bunge, La Crosse; letters, 1867-1902, of Chicago; he was a noted lecturer on Socialism Charles W. Moore, one-time sheriff of Dunn and authored several books, including Social County, and member of the Wisconsin As­ Forces in American History, and Class Strug­ sembly, 1898-1901, presented by J. M. Thomp­ gles in America. Appointed chairman of a la­ son, St. Croix Falls; photostat letters, Novem­ bor commission in 1917, he was sent by the ber 8, 1883, and September 15, 1884, of Sir United States to Europe to study the labor Moses Montefiore, added to the Draper cor­ movements of the allied nations; in later life respondence, presented hy Jacob R. Marcus, he became the Assistant Director of the Bureau Director of the American Jewish Archives, of Medical Economics of the American Medi­ Cincinnati, Ohio; a receipt for a lumber trans­ cal Association. His wife. May Wood Simons, action between the Church Brothers and the born in Baraboo, taught in Milwaukee, and steamer "LaFayette Lamb," August 1, 1898, later at Northwestern University. She took an presented by Mrs. Nellie Church, Trempealeau; active interest in the Socialist movement, wom­ letter. May 3, 1845, written by John Dunn to en's rights groups, and the League of Women his father Charles Dunn, presented by Charles Voters. The correspondence includes a few let­ B. Dunn, Los Altos, California; portion of an ters from John R. Commons, Richard Ely, address of James R. Doolittle to the graduation George D. Herron, Henry Mayers Hyndman, class of Union College of Law at Chicago, Ramsay MacDonald, and other contemporary June 6, 1879, added to the Doolittle papers, Socialists; also included are numerous ad­ gift of Vivian Mowry, Milwaukee; letter, Feb­ dresses, articles and news clippings. The papers ruary 18, 1881, of John Bascom, presented were a gift from the daughter, Mrs. Miriam by Frances L. Swain, La Crosse; a diagram Simons Leuck of New Martinsville, West Vir­ of a Protestant Mission of 1835, prepared ginia. and given by H. N. Ross, Batavia, Iflinois; two Other accessions include: seven daily jour­ letters, 1930 and 1931, written by Emmet J. nals, 1857-1908, kept by Edward W. Robbins Conley, Executive Secretary of the Wisconsin of Wauwatosa, presented by Robert E. Rob- Division of the Association against the Pro­ bins, Milwaukee; papers, 1840-65 of Amasa hibition Amendment, presented by the Leslie B. Cobb, consisting of letters and a diary, pre­ E. Glover Estate, New Richmond; an appoint­ sented by Mrs. T. M. Priestley, Madison; ment of Robert W. Lansing to the position of papers, 1853-66, and minute book, 1860, of Receiver of Public Monies for the district Wifliam A. Herron of Springville, Wisconsin, lands subject to sale at Mineral Point, Wiscon­ also two diaries, 1874-78, and an account sin, dated February 20, 1844, and signed by book, 1872-83, believed to have been kept President John Tyler, gift of Louise Schoen­ by George E. Morse, presented by Elizabeth leber, Milwaukee; two documents: one a tax Mary Morse, Viroqua; records, 1900-1907, deed, December 19, 1853, the other a Notary pertaining to child welfare work in Milwaukee, Public appointment, 1857, signed by Coles and the Milwaukee Children's Betterment Bashford, Wisconsin governor, presented by League, kept and presented by Marion Ogden Dr. J. S. Charlier, Los Angeles, California. of Milwaukee; additional papers, 1840-57, of Ebenezer Brigham, first white settler in Dane Among the recent accessions from the Civil County, presented by Mrs. Charles I. Brig­ War era are papers, 1861-84, of Samuel Glyde ham, Blue Mounds; business papers, mainly Swain, soldier and officer during the Civil lumber contracts and miscellaneous papers. War from New Port, Wisconsin. Swain, a

125 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER, 1954-55 corporal with Co. E, of the Twelfth Wisconsin presented by Mrs. Louisa W. Ruegger, Mon­ Infantry, resigned to accept a commission with roe; letters, 1861-64, written by Charles the Sixth Regiment of the Mississippi Colored Palmetier, Lieut. Co. K, Eighth Regiment Troops. The collection includes personal diaries Wisconsin Volunteers; a microfilm copy of and correspondence, and official papers kept records of the McGavock's Confederate Ceme­ while he w^as a Sub-Commissioner of the Bu­ tery at Franklin, Tennessee presented by Nor­ reau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned man W. Fitzgerald of Milwaukee; letters, Lands for Warren County, Mississippi, and 1861-64, of Bela Hyde Fluskey, describing was presented by Frances Swain of La Crosse. the battles his company engaged in in Ten­ A history of the early anti-slavery excitement nessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Kentucky, in Wisconsin, from 1842 to 1860, relating the presented by Mary H. Fluskey, Kenosha; let­ history of two fugitive slaves in Wisconsin: ter, June 24, 1864, from Henry W. Ross of Caroline Watkins and Joshua Glover, written Philadelphia to Lieutenant Charles W. Steele by C. C. Olin, has been added to our micro­ of Co. A, of the Fourth Wisconsin Cavalry, film collection; papers of Captain Edward presented by Mrs. Katherine M. Steele, Wau­ Gee Mifler, of the Twentieth Wisconsin Vol­ pun; an appointment of John R. Casson as unteer Infantry, including both his personal First Lieutenant of Co. A, of the Twenty-fifth and official correspondence, have been pre­ Wisconsin Volunteers by James T. Lewis, sented by Mrs. Mary F. Hammer, Cedar Falls, governor of Wisconsin, January 20, 1864, Iowa; also given by Mrs. Hammer was an presented by Robert K. Campbell and his army record of Major Otis Remick, of the children Judith, Joey Lou, and Robert W., of First Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Letters, Frederick, South Dakota; a fragment of a 1859-66, of Hans Hansen of the Fifteenth letter, March 16, 1862, written by James Lusk, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, describing bat­ Second Lieutenant of Co. B, Wisconsin Twelfth tle engagements and troop movements were Regiment, presented by Mrs. Gladys N. sent to us by Harold Baldwin, Swift Current, Chambers, Kenosha. Saskatchewan, Canada. Other accessions were a small pocket diary for 1864. kept by Charles The Society's Labor Collection has been H. Lindsley of the Third Wisconsin Regiment, enhanced by a small collection of Robert presented by Clara Lindsley, Waupun; recol­ Schifling papers, 1852-1922. Schifling, a Wis­ lections of Merritt B. Atwater, Captain of Co. consin Socialist and labor leader, was an active G, Fifty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, re­ organizer for the Knights of Labor; he also lating General Thomas' campaigns against was the editor and publisher of the National General Hood in Georgia, Alabama, and Ten­ Reformer, a German language paper, and the nessee, presented by Mrs. Louis Pradt of Daily Advance, an American language paper. Wausau; papers, 1861-63, of Samuel J. The collection, including correspondence, Nasmith. Lieutenant Colonel of the Twenty- speeches, articles, and account books, was fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry describing presented by Mrs. Theodore Packard, Wau­ the activities of his Regiment, also letters watosa. written by his son J. S. Nasmith of Marrion. Several unions have contributed their rec­ New York, presented by Mrs. Marcia Grindell, ords to the Labor Collection: the International Platteville; a typewritten copy of a letter. May Union of Operating Engineers, Local 311, 2, 1864, and brief diary entries, 1863-65, Milwaukee, papers, 1906-50; the International describing the army life of Alonzo Miller, a Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stable­ private in Co. A, of the Twelfth Wisconsin men, and Helpers, Local 446, Wausau, papers, Infantry presented by Mrs. Fay T. Stolt of 1937-40; the American Federation of Mu­ Prescott; while a microfilm copy of letters sicians, A.F.L., Local 59, Kenosha, papers, and diary, 1863-65, of Private Miller describ­ 1897-1940; the Milwaukee Typography al ing his participation in the Atlanta, Savan­ Union, Local 23, records on microfilm; the nah, and Carolinas Campaigns, was also Boot and Shoe Worker's Union, Local 651, acquired; letters, 1860-80, of Lloyd Nansca- Beaver Dam, papers, 1937-50; and the Madi­ wen. Second Lieutenant of Co. B, Forty-third son Typographical Union, Local 313, papers, Volunteer Infantry, presented by Mrs. Mable 1892-99. Mrs. Caroline Stiglbauer, of Hart- Nanscawen, Long Beach, California; an ac­ land, presented an undated manuscript article count of the Camden Expedition of March and "Women Folk—The Shock Troops" concerning April 1864, translated from a journal written the power of women in the labor movement, in German, kept by Edward Ruegger. Captain written by Maud M'Creery, and a biographical of Co. E. Ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, note about Maud M'Creery.

126 ACCESSIONS

One of the First Wood-Burning, Brass-Trimmed Baldwin Locomotives on the Wisconsin Central Railroad, at Colby, Wisconsin, 1882. As Was the Custom of the Time, the Sta­ tion Agent and His Family Made Their Home on the Upper Floor of the Depot.

Photographic Collection of it can be used. A substantial article on this An excellent collection of railroad photo­ coflection wifl appear later, and we shall re­ graphs, mainly of Wisconsin interest, has been serve detailed description for that time. donated by Roy L. Martin of Rock Island. The 600 or more items consist of collectors' Other lots, added to the picture collections photographs of locomotives, numerous railroad by generous donors, are photographic portraits wrecks, stations, construction operations, and of former mayors of Madison, presented by a variety of personalia. Especially valuable is A. W. Bareis, city clerk of Madison; 70 the detailed caption information which Mr. photographs of Harry W. Bolens, members of Martin, as a careful historian, has supplied his family and associates and their social and with virtually every picture. He is the author political activities, presented by Mrs. Harry of a History of the Wisconsin Central, later W. Bolens; memorabilia of the families of the Soo Line, published in 1941 as Bulletin William D. Hoard and Halbert L. Hoard, with 54 of the Railway and Locomotive Historical a large collection of postcards received over the Society. The book has 63 pages of pictures, years by Mrs. Wifliam H. Wenham of Fort however, whereas the collection recently pre­ Atkinson, Wisconsin; 43 photographs and or­ sented to the Society is the author's working iginal cartoons relating to the life and times collection, much of it presumably unpub­ of Senator Robert M. La Follette, Jr., pre­ lished. Accompanying the photographs is a sented by Mrs. Robert M. La Foflette, Jr., of rich documentation in the form of corres­ Washington, D.C; 61 photographs of Algie pondence with railroad men who furnished M. Simons, May Wood Simons, and American firsthand information, and various lists and and European Socialist leaders, presented by ephemera. Mr. Martin himself was formerly Mrs. Miriam Simons Leuck, of New Martins­ a locomotive engineer on the Wisconsin Cen­ ville, West Virginia; recent photographs of tral, as his father was before him, so he was Madison used by the Wisconsin State Journal, raised in the atmosphere and lore of the paired with earlier photographs of the same road. He has also offered further assistance views, in its current "Then and Now" series, in the elaboration of detailed information presented by John Newhouse; a very fine concerning the pictures. album of salted paper proofs of portrait photo­ graphs of individual members of the Wisconsin The extensive and important circus collec­ Assembly of 1861, presented by Mrs. T. M. tion recently presented by Don Howland of Priestley of Madison, a granddaughter of Columbus, Ohio, has already been briefly Amasa Cobb, speaker of the 1861 Assembly; noted. Already very well arranged by the 4 photographs of the first hydroelectric central collector, it has now been unpacked and most station in the world, built at Appleton, Wis-

127 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WINTER. 1954-55 consin. presented by W. E. Schubert, vice- McNeil, Mrs. F. C. McNicol, F. C. Middleton, president and general manager of the Wis­ the Milwaukee Journal, the Milwaukee Senti­ consin-Michigan Power Company of Appleton; nel, Gene Murray, Mrs. Theodore Packard, 254 portraits of Wisconsin people, especially Chap Paulson, Harry W. Pier, the Provident of the Madison area and including all members Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadel­ of the Wisconsin Assembly of 1909, presented phia, the Board of Managers of Quincy, Massa­ by Frances Swain of La Crosse; and 40 photo­ chusetts, Edwin L. Raby, George Richard, edi­ graphs of Wisconsin Central Railroad loco­ tor of the Wisconsin Alumni Magazine, Uni­ motives and of Henry F. Whitcomb and other versity of Wisconsin, the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation, Father J. Schulist of men associated with the railroad, presented the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Polonia, by his daughter, Margaret Whitcomb, Mil­ Wisconsin, George Smith, Mrs. J. B. Spaulding, waukee. J. M. Thompson, M. W. Torkelson, Director of Regional Planning of the State of Wis­ Further pictures were contributed during consin, The Town Hall, Incorporated, New the last few months by the American Associa­ York, Mary Edith and Jack Winn, and Allen tion for State and Local History, E. P. Arpin D. Young. (through D. C. Everest), George Banta, Mrs. Frederick W. Best, Mrs. Robert B. Bird, Mrs. Library-Microfilm Zenas R. Bliss, J. Marshall Buehler, Franklin Bump, Mrs. George W. Bunge, Josephine The Library of the State Historical Society Caldwell, Mildred A. Casde, Mrs. Gladys of Wisconsin has during the last few months Chambers, Colonial Williamsburg, Inc., Con­ acquired positive microfilm copies of the tinental Distilling Corporation, Mrs. Irene following 1850 federal census schedules: Con­ Cooper, the Easton, Pennsylvania chapter of necticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, the First National Bank of Oshkosh, Glamor­ Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New gan Pipe and Foundry Company, Colonel York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Howard Greene, Mrs. Frank Hammer, Kirk Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ver­ L. Hatch, Gerald E. Holzman, Roland L. mont, Virginia. Hustis, Virgil G. Jackson, the Jefferson Me­ In keeping with the policy of the Society morial Foundation, John C. Jenkins, Pauline regarding non-indexed materials, these films King of the New^ England Historic Genealog­ are available to research workers coming to ical Society, Boston, Mrs. Antoinette Lammers, the Library, but wifl not be searched by staff Mrs. Bridgit Larsen, W. J. Maeck, Mrs. Julia members in answer to requests for information. H. Mailer, Earl C. May, Scott McCormick, Don END

''The following petition numerously signed, was handed us for publication. We have no doubt the prayers will be granted, if presented at the proper place. 'Third Assistant Post Master General 'Washington, D.C. 'Dear Sir: We the undersigned, citizens of counties of Chippewa and Eau Claire, would respectfully represent That the business of this section of coun­ try, its increasing greatness, its want of railroad communication, require the continuance of a daily mail from Sparta to the village of Eau Claire, and respectfully ask you to continue it, and to issue orders to that effect, and also to cause all stage drivers and mail agents to be prompt in the delivery of the mails, and to cause all the post-masters on the route to be discharged and im­ prisoned, the stage drivers driven to Texas, James Buchanan strung up and quartered and all the Republicans gutted and dried, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.^ " —Eau Claire Free Press, June 30, 1859.

128 books on Wisconsin Hisfory

MATTHEW HALE CARPENTER

Webster of the West By E. Bruce Thompson

Biographer Thompson terms his bool< a "resurrection" of Matthew Hale Carpenter, United States senator from Wisconsin and one of the most brilliant advocates America has produced. Carpenter knew fame and intense popular affection as he strode vigorously across the political scene of the Reconstruction era, but he disappeared into obscurity after his death in 1881. If his memory has been obliterated, doubtless it makes his reappearance the more exciting. Thompson has accomplished an able resurrection of a remarkable man. Illustrated $4.50

FRONTIERSMAN OF FORTUNE:

Moses M. Strong of Mineral Point • By Kenneth W. Duckett

Moses McCure Strong, who came to Wisconsin in 1836, exemplified Young America out to make a name and fame. Lumber mill and lead mine owner, lawyer, land speculator, politician, and railroad president, for nearly sixty years he played a varied and unusual role on Wisconsin's economic and political stage. This biography is a graphic por­ trayal of one of the most beguiling men who sought wealth, power and prestige on the Northwest Frontier. It is a rare, little-known story. Illustrated $4.00

Order from STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY of WISCONSIN 816 State Street • Madison 6, Wisconsin THE PURPOSE OF THIS SOCIETY SHALL BE

To promote a wider appreciation of the Amer­ ican heritage with particular emphasis on the collection, advancement, and dissemination of knowledge, of the history of Wisconsin and of the Middle West.