meeting was called to order, it was at first proposed to raise $361; motion put, and lost. It was then moved that the above sum be raised by a tax on the next assessment roll. This motion, being agreeable to the voters, was approved. On the 1st day of December, 1863, pursuant to a call of twelve electors of the town, a special meeting was held for the purpose of raising more money to pay volunteers. At this meeting it was decided by vote to raise and pay $200 each to six men, required to fill out a town quota of men demanded for the service. Again, on the 27th of February, 1864, a special meeting was held, and a vote taken to pay $200 each to every volunteer from this town. On the 16th of August of the above year, another meeting was held pursuant to a special call, and a vote was taken to levy a tax to raise $2,400 bounty for twelve volunteers. At this meeting, seventy-two votes were polled, fifty being for the tax, and twentytwo against it. Pursuant to call, another meeting was convened soon after the above, namely, in January, 1865, when $2,400 more was appropriated to pay more men for going to the war. July 29, 1865, another special meeting was called to raise money to pay for destroying a different foe, the enemies in this case being wildcats and wolves, which had become exceedingly troublesome. The bounty voted was $10 for every wolf-skin, and $5 for every wildcat or lynxskin. This was eventually reduced to $5 and $3.

Amount of money used for education in town in 1865, was $311. At the town meeting, on the 2d of April, 1878, the voters denounced the action of former Town Board, and declared they had been acting fraudulently and deceptively in collecting a larger amount of money than had been voted at the annual meeting. (For number of voters now in the town, consult census reports.)

The Franklin Mutual Farmers' Insurance Company was organized in the town of Franklin, January 6, 1877, and at first included only the towns of Franklin, Spring Green and Bear Creek. James Bandel was elected President at the time of organizing, and holds the position still; Richard H. Douglas, Secretary. The Directors were George G. Morgan, Richard H. Douglas, James Bandel, Edward Lester and James Ochsner. In 1879, the company embraced the towns of Ithaca, Buena Vista, Sylvan, Richland, Willow and Rockbridge, in Richland County.

The amount of property now insured by them is $158,886; their losses thus far have amounted to only $62, and no assessments have been made. The rate of survey and policy for each individual is $1.50; the funds obtained in this way have thus far been enough to pay all running expenses, and leave a surplus on hand sufficient to pay any small losses. Nearly all the leading farmers in the towns enumerated above are members. The officers are now the same as mentioned at first. The Assessors are George Morgan, Edward Lester and James Ochsner The community are indebted principally to the efforts of James Ochsner, James Bandel and Richard H. Douglass for getting the company established.

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CHAPTER XIII.

SPRING GREEN VILLAGE.

INTRODUCTORY SKETCH-GOVERNMENT-THE GENERAL DEVELOPEMENT-VILLAGE HALL-TEMPERANCE ISSUES, PAST AND PRESENT-DOWNY-EDUCATIONAL-POST OFFICE-EXPRESS COMPANY-SECULAR SOCIETY AND CHURCHES.

INTRODUCTORY SKETCH.

The above title, in any case, will prove to the visitor to this thriving town, a happy introduction to what follows in the pleasant surrounding scenery,

"Of inviting fields and meadows green,

With charming woodlands interspersed between,
That greet the eye on every hand,

And supply man's wants and adorn the land."

The village is located about one and a half miles north from the Wisconsin River, on the line of the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Railroad, to the coming of which it is really as much indebted for its existence and present prosperity, as to the condition of the surrounding country, from which it derives its chief support. When the railroad passed through here in 1856, the land where the village now stands was in a completely natural condition, being covered with trees, brush, weeds and grass, and could not even boast a squatter's cabin, with the accompaniments of children, pigs and chickens, to enliven the scene. The first cabins were those of the railroad workmen, two of which were afterward occupied by Thomas D. Jones and Mr. Holmes, the very first comers that settled in the village. For some time previous to the building of the railroad bridge over the Wisconsin, parties of settlers bound for this part of the country or further west, were brought by rail to the other side of the river, from which point they were privileged to continue on as best pleased them. The last party of emigrants to disembark at the then terminus of the route arrived on Sunday, August 3, 1856. The next day the bridge was tried, and an engine for the first time passed over it and through the future village of Spring Green. Since that time, how great the change here! One of the most attractive villages in the county has sprung into existence, and almost all of the land in the immediate vicinity, except needed woodland, is under a fine state of cultivation, where but a few short years ago it was lying useless, wild, and unfruitful of ought save nature's most common products.

Of the village proper, it can be truly said, it is one of the best laid-out places in the county, and when one impartially observes its straight, level and well-shaded streets, with the neat dwellings and tidy lawns and gardens on either side, besides the freedom from noise and disturbance which is particularly noticeable, he can but acknowledge that in general excellence of appearance and condition, Spring Green now has few superiors in the country at large.

The amount of business done here in past years, especially during the flush hop times and during the war, was something remarkable; tens of thousands of dollars came in through this channel to the farmers of the surrounding country, and were expended here again in large part, affording a trade, considered comparatively, of enormous proportions. The very flush times have taken wings unto themselves and departed, or like the Arabs, have "silently stole away," yet the town is prosperous; the business men, mechanics and laborers are kept constantly busy, and enough is made to live well and to spare, as is evidenced by the large school building erected here four years ago, and by the best town hall in the county, none excepted, that was built last year. An air of life and thrift pervades everything, and nearly every year new additions are made to the place in some direction, whether in the increase of building and business, or inhabitants, does

not signify, as one is but the concomitant of the other. Of the future it is safe to predict, accidents and casualties aside, that the place can but maintain its present prestige. The inhabitants at present are chiefly Americans, although there is a fair sprinkling of other nationalities.

VILLAGE GOVERNMENT.

Spring Green was incorporated by act of Legislature, published March 29, 1869, per Chapter 365, P. and L. laws:

"All that district of country described as follows: The southwest quarter and the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 7, and the northwest quarter of northeast quarter, and the north half of the northwest quarter of Section 18, Township 8 north, of Range 4 east; also, the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 12, and the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 13, Township 8 north, of Range 3 east-all being in the town of Spring Green, Sauk Co., Wis."

The above act provides that the fiscal, prudential and municipal concerns of the place shall be vested in a President, ex officio Trustee, and four Trustees, and such other officers as might be afterward ordained, as one Clerk, one Treasurer, and one Constable, who was ex officio Marshal. Electoral methods and provisions, similar to those usually provided, were secured by this charter. The money received for license was to be used for village purposes, providing the amount be not less than that fixed by law. The Village Board were authorized to make and provide penalties, and to change or add to ordinances, as they might deem expedient; also provisions for a fire department and for preventing fires generally, were made. Provisions for levying taxes to pay for grading streets and sidewalks were also made, to be paid in labor, money or materials. The President, Trustees and Police Justices were to be elected, the others appointed. Election to be held the first Monday in May. The village was re-incorporated in 1878, under the general law. According to this chapter, there is a President, six Trustees, a Clerk, a Treasurer, a Supervisor for County Board, a Police Justice, a Justice of the Peace, a Marshal and a Constable, elected by the people, the Street Commissioner being appointed. The various specifications of this charter may be seen by reference to Chapter 40 of the General Laws for 1878.

OFFICIAL ROSTER.

1869-Whole number of votes cast, 85. C. B. Pearson, President; M. F. Hurley, Henry Kifer, P. W. Runyon, C. W. Farrington, Trustees; C. E. Brainerd, Police Justice; Louis Goedecke, Clerk; C. W. Finn, Treasurer; George B. Van Orman, Constable.

1870-J. C. Brainard, President; O. Roth, H. Kifer, E. W. Evans, E. P. Newell, Trustees; B. N. Strong, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; W. A. Wyse, Clerk; C. W. Finn, Treasurer; J. R. Lewis, Constable and Street Commissioner.

1871-J. G. Pelton, President; M. F. Hurley, James Dickson, C. L. Harlocher, G. W. Thompson, Trustees; B. U. Strong, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; W. A. Wyse, Clerk J. N. Finn, Treasurer; E. F. Maher, Constable; J. A. Taylor, Street Commissioner.

1872-E. P. Newell, President; M. F. Hurley, James Dickson, O. Roth, H. Kifer, Trustees; B. U. Strong, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; W. A. Wyse, Clerk; J. N. Finn, Treasurer; E. F. Maher, Constable; E. George, Street Commissioner.

1873-M. F. Hurley, President; N. Schoenmann, H. Kifer, J. G. Pelton, John Reely, Trustees; B. U. Strong, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; S. P. George, Clerk; J. N. Finn, Treasurer; C. Goodwin, Constable and Street Commissioner.

1874-C. D. Pearson, President; John Reely, J. Witzel, O. Roth, James Dickson, Trustees E. W. Evans, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; S. P. George, Clerk; J. N. Finn, Treasurer; H. M. Hungerford, Constable; C. Goodwin, Street Commissioner.

1875-C. B. Pearson, President; John Reely, D. D. Davies, O. Roth, J. Witzel, Trustees; E. W. Evans, Supervisor; J. R. Louis, Police Justice; A. Gill, Clerk; J. N. Finn, Treasurer; D. L. Talbot, Constable; William Reely, Street Commissioner.

1876-M. F. Hurley, President; J. Witzel, J. J. Nickey, G. M. Whiteis, William Tunstall, Trustees; E. W. Evans, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; A. Gill, Clerk; D. D. Davies, Treasurer; E. F. Maher, Constable; W. M. Austin, Street Commissioner.

1877-C. B. Pearson, President; H. Kifer, G. A. Sweet, A. M. Hungerford, J. E. McKenna, Trustees; E. W. Evans, Supervisor; E. C. Brainerd, Police Justice; A. Gill, Clerk; D. D. Davies, Treasurer; William Reely, Constable; J. J. Nickey, Street Commissioner.

1878-J. E. McKenna, President; A. M. Dye, G. W. Whiteis, S. F. Nickey, H. B. Dewey, Trustees; E. W. Evans, Supervisor; J. R. Lewis, Police Justice; J. N. Finn, Clerk ; D. D. Davies, Treasurer; H. J. Jones, Constable; G. A. Sweet, Street Commissioner.

1879-H. B. Dewey, President; A. M. Dye, C. Zilg, L. D. Ellsworth, A. M. Hungerford, A. C. Scheble, J. G. Pelton, Trustees; E. W. Evans, Supervisor; J. N. Finn, Police Justice; M. F. Hurley, Justice of the Peace; J. N. Finn, Clerk; D. D. Davies, Treasurer; E. P. Noyes, Marshal; D. L. Talbot, Constable; G. A. Sweet, Street Commissioner.

1880-M. F. Hurley, President; J. Bettinger, J. J. Nickey, M. Hutter, William_Tunstall, C. Scholl, J. N. Schoenmann, Trustees; E. W. Evans, Supervisor; J. N. Finn, Police Justice and Clerk; D. D. Davies, Treasurer; M. Hutter, Marshal and Constable; H. Kifer, Street Commissioner.

THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT.

The south half of the southwest quarter of Section 7, Town 8, Range 4, upon which Spring Green village is located, was entered from the Government by William Barnard, from whom it passed into the hands of E. B. Evans, who paid $600 for it. In 1856, it was purchased by A. C. Daley, who, in order to secure assistance in building up a town, and to render the property more valuable, sold an undivided quarter to B. F. Edgerton and one-third to A. G. Darwin, reserving the remainder for himself. These were the original owners of the town property. In the spring of 1857, the village was platted by Mr. Putnam, Surveyor, the entire eighty being laid out in streets and blocks in a square, all of the streets being sixty-six feet wide, excepting Jefferson street, which is eighty feet wide, and the blocks being uniformly three hundred feet square.

The first persons to come here and settle, after the village was started, were a Mr. Holmes and Thomas D. Jones, who lived for a short time near the railroad, and B. U. Strong, who came in April, 1857. The latter purchased half of Block 10, facing south on Jefferson and west on Lexington street, where his hotel is now located. Immediately after purchasing, he erected a small frame on the corner, this being the first hotel and one of the first houses in the village. He soon after moved his family in, and also put up a small building near the railroad track, and brought in a stock of goods and opened a store-the first in the village and one of the first in this section of the county. This building was afterward converted into a warehouse and eventually destroyed.

During the early part of the summer, the railroad company built a depot, and trains began to make regular stops. When the depot was completed, P. West came on and took charge of it as agent, he being the next man to locate here. Soon after this, Dr. Hubbard, the first physician in this section, came in with his pills and potions, prepared to grow up with the country, if the people should get sick; if not, to leave.

In the fall of 1857, an acquisition was made to the business element by the coming of G. F. Pound and Thomas Worthington, who purchased a lot on Block 10, and, soon after, had a building under headway. When it was completed, a stock of goods was put in, and the second store in the town was thrown open for purchasers. This building long since passed into other hands, and is now known as the Blue Store, and is owned by Mr. Warren, of Baraboo.

Benjamin Bailey, a disciple of Vulcan, also struck the town this fall and put up a shop, and, very soon after, the ringing music of the anvil and hammer woke the morning echoes and ushered in the quiet of evening.

About this time, the little place and surroundings were caught, with the rest of the county, in the toils of the panic of 1857, which effectually checked its growth at the time, for but very few came in during the remainder of the year, and not much of anything was done until the autumn of 1858 had partially restored the country to its pristine vigor.

The Wigginton brothers came this fall (1858), and built on Block 19, facing north on Jefferson street, and opened a general store. They soon after sold out to W. G. Spencer and removed.

G. F. Pound and T. B. Worthington dissolved partnership this year, and Mr. Pound built the store now standing, facing east on Block 18, corner of Jefferson and Lexington streets, and opened a general store. Subsequently, about 1859, C. L. Daley, brother of the original owner of the town plat, went into partnership with him. They built a warehouse this year. This firm continued until some time after the war, doing a good business.

In 1857 or 1858, Garwood Green bought Egerton's share of the town plat, and a division of the property was made, one party taking three lots, one four lots, and the other five lots, in each block of twelve lots that remained unsold.

In the fall of 1858, Joshua Simpson came here from Richland City, and also moved up a hotel from that place, settling on the southeast corner of Block 11, where E. D. Davies' saloon now stands.

Very little else than the above mentioned occurred this fall in the way of building up or improving the place.

In 1857 or 1858, the first death-that of a child of F. Gill-occurred here.

In 1860, J. T. Barnum and Leman Bartlett bought out Mr. Spencer and opened a wellfilled store. They remained here about six years, doing a very extensive business, selling goods and buying and shipping produce of all kinds.

About 1860, S. H. Vedder put in an appearance here and bought out Mr. Worthington, then Worthington went to Madison, where his son Worthington afterward distinguished himself as the finest penman in the United States. Within a year or two, Mr. Vedder moved his goods and set up in a small building just west of the Simpson Hotel, where he remained until he sold and left.

About this time, Mr. Spencer, who sold to Barnum & Bartlett, opened a cabinet-shop-the first in town. This business he continued a few years, then sold and departed like the rest. James Simpson, son of the proprietor of the Simpson building, brought in a few goods at one time, probably about 1862, but did not continue long in trade, either because goods or buyers were wanting.

In 1865, W. H. Hamilton bought out Mr. Vedder, before mentioned, and enlarged the former business by taking A. Wilcox in partnership with him. They conducted the business together until November of the above year, then dissolved, Mr. Wilcox coming out (so to speak) at the small end of the horn, for, in return for, the $1,800 which he invested, he had to take decayed obligations against worthless parties, and such materials as he could squeeze out of the failing institution. His experience but illustrates the efforts and failures of scores of men who think they have but to invest money to get a return. That they always do get returns is certain, but, alas, how seldom do they meet their expectations.

In December of the above year (1865), D. D. Davies, who began his business career here as a clerk, and who had worked for both Vedder and Hamilton, bought out the latter, taking a brother into partnership, and launched his first mercantile craft as commander and salesman. They opened in the old Simpson House (before mentioned), where they carried on the business, receiving a good patronage, until the night of the 11th and 12th of March, 1867, when they were burned out, at a considerable loss, and had their worst experience of the uncertainty of preserving combustible material from the rapacity of the fire fiend. The goods that were saved were moved temporarily into a shoe-store, but recently built by Mr. Hurly, where they did business until the present store was erected. This was commenced immediately after the fire, and was pushed rapidly to completion, being finished ready for occupancy by July of 1867. During that