# 37th Wisconsin Legislature

The Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1885, to April 13, 1885, in regular session.
Senators representing even-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1884. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 7, 1882.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Jeremiah M. Rusk, of Vernon County, serving his second two-year term, having won re-election in the 1884 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 27, 1885: John Coit Spooner elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.
* February 16, 1885: Charles Dow published the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
* March 4, 1885: Inauguration of Grover Cleveland as the 22nd President of the United States.
* March 12, 1885: Wisconsin state legislator William Freeman Vilas was confirmed as United States Postmaster General.
* March 26, 1885: Prussia began deporting Poles and Jews from their territory.
* June 17, 1885: The Statue of Liberty arrived at New York Harbor.
* May 1, 1886: A general strike began in the United States.
* May 4, 1886: Wisconsin National Guard soldiers fired at a group of striking workers in Bay View, Milwaukee, killing seven, in an incident known as the Bay View massacre.
* May 17, 1886: The United States Supreme Court, in the case Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Co., held that corporations had the same rights as living persons.
* September 4, 1886: Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. Army forces at Skeleton Canyon, Arizona.
* September 9, 1886: The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works was signed in Bern, Switzerland.
* November 2, 1886: Jeremiah McLain Rusk re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.

## Major legislation

* March 9, 1885: An Act relating to fire escapes, and amendatory of section 4575a, of the revised statutes, 1885 Act 50. Required easy-to-access metallic or fire-proof fire escape ladders for buildings taller than three floors.
* March 23, 1885: An Act to regulate the practice of dentistry, and to establish a state board of dental examiners, 1885 Act 129.
* Joint Resolution to amend section 1, article 10, of the constitution, relating to education, 1885 Joint Resolution 34. Proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin to clarify the wording of the section defining the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin and other education-supervision officers. The proposed amendment would also remove the maximum compensation limit for the Superintendent, which had been set at $1200 per year.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Lab. | Ind. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 15 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 32 | 1 |
| 1st Session | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
| From Mar. 8, 1886 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 32 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 39.39% | 39.39% | 39.39% | 60.61% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 6 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Gbk. | Lab. | Ind. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 53 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 100 | 0 |
| Start of 1st Session | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 100 | 0 |
| From Mar. 9, 1885 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 99 | 1 |
| From Mar. 25, 1885 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 39% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 61% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 34 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 57 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 14, 1885 – April 13, 1885

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Sam S. Fifield (R)
* President pro tempore: Edward S. Minor (R)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Hiram O. Fairchild (R)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, & Oconto | Edward S. Minor | Sturgeon Bay | Rep. |
| 02 | Brown | Thomas R. Hudd | Green Bay | Dem. |
| 03 | Racine | Charles Jonas | Racine | Dem. |
| 04 | Crawford & Vernon | Joseph W. Hoyt | Chaseburg | Rep. |
| 05 | Milwaukee (Northern Part) | Jedd P. C. Cottrill | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 06 | Milwaukee (Southern Part) | Julius Wechselberg | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 07 | Milwaukee (Central Part) | William S. Stanley | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 08 | Kenosha & Walworth | Walter Maxwell | Somers | Rep. |
| 09 | Green Lake, Portage, & Waushara | James F. Wiley | Hancock | Rep. |
| 10 | Waukesha | John Lins | Eagle | Rep. |
| 11 | Ashland, Clark, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, & Wood | Merritt C. Ring | Neillsville | Rep. |
| 12 | Green & Lafayette | James Waddington | Argyle | Rep. |
| 13 | Dodge | Benjamin F. Sherman | Beaver Dam | Dem. |
| 14 | Juneau & Sauk | David B. Hulburt | Loganville | Rep. |
| 15 | Manitowoc | John Carey | Meeme | Dem. |
| 16 | Grant | Edward I. Kidd | Millville | Rep. |
| 17 | Rock | Simon Lord | Edgerton | Rep. |
| 18 | Fond du Lac (Western Part) | James F. Ware | Fond du Lac | Rep. |
| 19 | Winnebago | Thomas Wall | Oshkosh | Dem. |
| 20 | Sheboygan & Eastern Fond du Lac | Ignatius Klotz | Eden | Dem. |
| 21 | Marathon, Shawano, & Waupaca | John Ringle | Wausau | Dem. |
| 22 | Calumet & Outagamie | William Kennedy | Appleton | Dem. |
| 23 | Jefferson | William W. Reed | Jefferson | Dem. |
| 24 | Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, St. Croix, & Washburn | Joel F. Nason | St. Croix Falls | Rep. |
| 25 | Eau Claire, Pepin, & Pierce | Hans Warner | Ellsworth | Rep. |
| 26 | Dane | James Conklin | Madison | Dem. |
| 27 | Adams, Columbia & Marquette | William T. Parry | Portage | Rep. |
| 28 | Iowa & Richland | Norman L. James | Richland Center | Rep. |
| 29 | Buffalo & Trempealeau | Noah D. Comstock | Arcadia | Rep. |
| 30 | Chippewa & Dunn | George C. Ginty | Chippewa Falls | Rep. |
| 31 | La Crosse | Donald A. McDonald | La Crosse | Dem. |
| 32 | Jackson & Monroe | Charles K. Erwin | Tomah | Rep. |
| 33 | Ozaukee & Washington | Edward R. Blake | Port Washington | Dem. |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | County | Dist. | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 27 | Adams & Marquette | Adams & Marquette | James W. Perkins | Rep. | New Chester |
| 11 | Ashland, Lincoln, Price, & Taylor | Ashland, Lincoln, Price, & Taylor | John K. Parish | Rep. | Medford |
| 24 | Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, & Douglas | Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, & Douglas | Charles S. Taylor | Rep. | Barron |
| 02 | Brown | 1 | Enos W. Persons | Dem. | De Pere |
| 02 | Brown | 2 | Albert L. Gray | Dem. | Fort Howard |
| 29 | Buffalo | Buffalo | Samuel D. Hubbard | Rep. | Mondovi |
| 22 | Calumet & Outagamie | 1 | Leopold Hammel | Dem. | Appleton |
| 22 | Calumet & Outagamie | 2 | William F. Cirkel | Dem. | Seymour |
| 22 | Calumet & Outagamie | 3 | William LaMure | Dem. | Kaukauna |
| 22 | Calumet & Outagamie | 4 | Leopold Strasser | Dem. | Stockbridge |
| 30 | Chippewa | Chippewa | Henry J. Goddard | Rep. | Chippewa Falls |
| 11 | Clark | Clark | James O'Neill | Rep. | Neillsville |
| 27 | Columbia | 1 | Ferdinand Schulze | Rep. | Portage |
| 27 | Columbia | 2 | Martin C. Hobart | Rep. | Fall River |
| 04 | Crawford | Crawford | Thomas Curley | Dem. | Bell Center |
| 26 | Dane | 1 | William F. Vilas (until March 9, 1885) | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 1 | Michael J. Cantwell (from March 25, 1885) | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 2 | Charles E. Buell | Rep. | Sun Prairie |
| 26 | Dane | 3 | Henry C. Adams | Rep. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 4 | Christopher J. Rollis | Rep. | Oregon |
| 26 | Dane | 5 | Edward E. Fitzgibbon | Dem. | Westport |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | Felix Lynch | Dem. | Elba |
| 13 | Dodge | 2 | John Leslie | Dem. | Juneau |
| 13 | Dodge | 3 | Andrew Bachhuber | Dem. | Lomira |
| 13 | Dodge | 4 | August Schoenwetter | Dem. | Lowell |
| 01 | Door | Door | John Fetzer | Dem. | Forestville |
| 30 | Dunn | Dunn | John M. Oddie | Rep. | Tiffany |
| 25 | Eau Claire | Eau Claire | Thomas E. Williams | Rep. | Eau Claire |
| 01 | Florence & Marinette | Florence & Marinette | Hiram O. Fairchild | Rep. | Marinette |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Chester Hazen | Rep. | Springvale |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Samuel B. Stanchfield | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 3 | Andrew Schmidlkofer | Dem. | Marshfield |
| 16 | Grant | 1 | James V. Hollman | Rep. | Platteville |
| 16 | Grant | 2 | William J. McCoy | Dem. | Lancaster |
| 16 | Grant | 3 | Rufus M. Day | Rep. | Mount Hope |
| 12 | Green | 1 | Daniel H. Morgan | Rep. | Albany |
| 12 | Green | 2 | Frederick W. Byers | Rep. | Monroe |
| 09 | Green Lake | Green Lake | Lorentus J. Brayton | Rep. | Marquette |
| 28 | Iowa | 1 | George G. Cox | Rep. | Mineral Point |
| 28 | Iowa | 2 | Jesse B. Huse | Rep. | Mifflin |
| 32 | Jackson | Jackson | Thomas B. Mills | Rep. | Millston |
| 23 | Jefferson | 1 | Carl R. Feld | Dem. | Watertown |
| 23 | Jefferson | 2 | Samuel A. Craig | Dem. | Fort Atkinson |
| 14 | Juneau | Juneau | Edmund Hart | Rep. | Elroy |
| 08 | Kenosha | Kenosha | Andrew Patterson | Rep. | Salem |
| 01 | Kewaunee | Kewaunee | Joseph E. Darbellay | Dem. | Kewaunee |
| 31 | La Crosse | La Crosse | Charles Linse | Rep. | Shelby |
| 12 | Lafayette | 1 | John Mason | Rep. | Wiota |
| 12 | Lafayette | 2 | Charles Priestley | Dem. | Shullsburg |
| 01 | Langlade & Oconto | Langlade & Oconto | William H. Young | Rep. | Oconto |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 1 | Joseph Miller | Dem. | Maple Grove |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 2 | John Robinson | Dem. | Kossuth |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 3 | Charles E. Estabrook | Rep. | Manitowoc |
| 21 | Marathon | Marathon | Sebastian Kronenwetter | Dem. | Mosinee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 1 | Hugh Ryan | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 2 | George Poppert | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 3 | Michael P. Walsh | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 4 | Robert W. Pierce | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 5 | Daniel Hooker | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 6 | John Lagrand | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 7 | Jacob E. Friend | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 8 | Frank Haderer | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 9 | Gottfried Inden | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 10 | Charles Elkert | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 11 | Frederick G. Isenring | Rep. | Whitefish Bay |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 12 | James Lemont | Rep. | Bay View |
| 32 | Monroe | 1 | William H. Blyton | Rep. | Sparta |
| 32 | Monroe | 2 | Levi Wallace | Rep. | Sheldon |
| 33 | Ozaukee | Ozaukee | John J. Race | Dem. | Fredonia |
| 25 | Pepin | Pepin | Vivus W. Dorwin | Rep. | Durand |
| 25 | Pierce | Pierce | Jesse B. Thayer | Rep. | River Falls |
| 24 | Polk | Polk | Frank Nye | Rep. | Clear Lake |
| 09 | Portage | Portage | Albert W. Sanborn | Rep. | Stevens Point |
| 03 | Racine | 1 | Louis C. Klein | Rep. | Racine |
| 03 | Racine | 2 | Adam Apple | Dem. | Norway |
| 28 | Richland | Richland | Charles G. Thomas | Rep. | Buena Vista |
| 17 | Rock | 1 | John Smiley | Rep. | Plymouth |
| 17 | Rock | 2 | Pliny Norcross | Rep. | Janesville |
| 17 | Rock | 3 | James C. Bartholf | Rep. | Milton |
| 14 | Sauk | 1 | Evan W. Evans | Dem. | Spring Green |
| 14 | Sauk | 2 | Alfred F. Lawton | Rep. | Winfield |
| 21 | Shawano | Shawano | Marion Wescott | Rep. | Shawano |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 1 | Tarrett C. Sharp | Dem. | Elkhart Lake |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 2 | John E. Dennis Jr. | Dem. | Greenbush |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 3 | Henry Walvoord | Rep. | Holland |
| 24 | St. Croix | St. Croix | Thomas Porter | Rep. | New Richmond |
| 29 | Trempealeau | Trempealeau | Andrew H. Lewis | Rep. | Hale |
| 04 | Vernon | 1 | Philip Bouffleur | Rep. | Jefferson |
| 04 | Vernon | 2 | Samuel Sloggy | Rep. | Whitestown |
| 08 | Walworth | 1 | John B. Johnson | Rep. | Darien |
| 08 | Walworth | 2 | James C. Reynolds | Rep. | Lake Geneva |
| 33 | Washington | 1 | James Kenealy | Dem. | Erin |
| 33 | Washington | 2 | Frederick C. Schuler | Dem. | Farmington |
| 10 | Waukesha | Waukesha | John Stephens | Rep. | Waukesha |
| 21 | Waupaca | 1 | Andrew G. Nelson | Rep. | Waupaca |
| 21 | Waupaca | 2 | Ambrose S. McDonald | Rep. | Marion |
| 09 | Waushara | Waushara | Samuel R. Clark | Rep. | Bloomfield |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | Andrew Haben | Dem. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Charles B. Clark | Rep. | Neenah |
| 19 | Winnebago | 3 | Frank Challoner | Rep. | Omro |
| 11 | Wood | Wood | Thomas E. Nash | Dem. | Centralia |

## Committees
### Senate committees

* Senate Committee on Agriculture
* Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes
* Senate Committee on Education
* Senate Committee on Enrolled Bills
* Senate Committee on Engrossed Bills
* Senate Committee on Federal Relations
* Senate Committee on Finance, Banks, and Insurance
* Senate Committee on Incorporations
* Senate Committee on the Judiciary
* Senate Committee on Legislative Expenditures
* Senate Committee on Manufactures and Commerce
* Senate Committee on Military Affairs
* Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
* Senate Committee on Public Lands
* Senate Committee on Railroads
* Senate Committee on Roads and Bridges
* Senate Committee on State Affairs
* Senate Committee on Town and County Organizations

### Assembly committees

* Assembly Committee on Agriculture – Chester Hazen, chair
* Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes – C. E. Estabrook, chair
* Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third Reading – John K. Parish, chair
* Assembly Committee on Cities – J. E. Friend, chair
* Assembly Committee on Education – C. E. Buell, chair
* Assembly Committee on Engrossed Bills – Samuel B. Stanchfield, chair
* Assembly Committee on Enrolled Bills – R. W. Pierce, chair
* Assembly Committee on Federal Relations – A. W. Sanborn, chair
* Assembly Committee on Incorporations – Marion Wescott, chair
* Assembly Committee on Insurance, Banks, and Banking – W. H. Blyton, chair
* Assembly Committee on the Judiciary – Pliny Norcross, chair
* Assembly Committee on Legislative Expenditures – S. D. Hubbard, chair
* Assembly Committee on Lumber and Manufactures – Thomas B. Mills, chair
* Assembly Committee on Medical Societies – J. C. Reynolds, chair
* Assembly Committee on Militia – F. W. Byers, chair
* Assembly Committee on Privileges and Elections – Charles G. Thomas, chair
* Assembly Committee on Public Improvements – M. C. Hobart, chair
* Assembly Committee on Railroads – H. J. Goddard, chair
* Assembly Committee on Roads and Bridges – George G. Cox, chair
* Assembly Committee on State Lands – S. R. Clark, chair
* Assembly Committee on State Affairs – L. J. Brayton, chair
* Assembly Committee on Town and County Organization – William H. Young, chair
* Assembly Committee on Ways and Means – Thomas Porter, chair

### Joint committees

* Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal Institutions
* Joint Committee on Claims
* Joint Committee on Printing

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Charles E. Bross
** Assistant Clerk: Fred W. Coon
** Bookkeeper: J. H. Whitney
** Engrossing Clerk: J. M. Hayden
** Enrolling Clerk: E. S. Hotchkiss
** Transcribing Clerk: F. J. Turner
** Proofreader: Adelbert D. Thorp
** Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: Willard W. D. Turner
** Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: John O. Newgard
** Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: John O. Newgard
** Clerk for the Committee on Claims: John O. Newgard
** Document Clerk: J. J. Marshall
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Hubert Wolcott
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: T. J. George
* Postmaster: J. F. McKenzie
** Assistant Postmaster: George A. Ludington
* Gallery Attendant: Michael Bransfield
* Document Room Attendant: Frank Partridge
* Doorkeepers:
** John C. Frisvold
** Frederick H. Johnson
** Alvah Eaton
** William Crank
* Porter: O. J. Wiley
* Night Watch: H. Worthington
* Janitor: Daniel Corbett
* Messengers:
** W. M. Smith
** Ben Smith
** Lemuel Parry
** Elliot B. Davis
** Ferdinand Werner
** Adolph Glenz
** Willis Melville
** Werner Pressentine
** Guy Paine

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Edwin Coe
** 1st Assistant Clerk: John W. DeGroff
*** 2nd Assistant Clerk: Theodore W. Goldin
** Bookkeeper: J. T. Huntington
** Engrossing Clerk: Egbert Wyman
** Enrolling Clerk: L. J. Burlingame
** Transcribing Clerk: Ellis C. Oliver
** Proofreader: D. P. Beach
** Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: Frank D. Jackson
** Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Robert W. Pierce Jr.
** Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: Warren Meiklejohn
** Document Clerk: H. G. Brown
* Sergeant-at-Arms: John M. Ewing
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: William A. Adamson
* Postmaster: J. H. Young
** Assistant Postmaster: Frank M. Durkee
* Doorkeepers:
** W. A. Mayhew
** G. W. Dart
** A. A. Curtis
** Fred Dewey
* Fireman: W. J. Bendixon
* Gallery Attendants:
** Goetlieb Schuebbert
** W. Muntz
* Committee Room Attendant: L. B. Kinney
* Document Room Attendant: John H. Pulcifer
* Porter: James Nolan
* Policeman: Ed. Dempey
* Flagman: F. O. Janzen
* Night Watch: Michael J. Wallrich
* Wash Room Attendant: Bertie Oftelie
* Messengers:
** James Howley
** Willie Gillett
** Willie Baker
** Herman Schulze
** Eugene Wescott
** Charles McGee
** Eddie Sherman
** Willie Robson
** Clifford Best
** Willie Smith
** Lewis Adams