St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1857-10-08
Letter from Wisconsin.
Editor ial Correspondence Of the IntelIigencer
EDGERroN, Rock COUNTY, WIsCosIN,
September q, 1851.

EDGERToN, Rock COUNTY, WIscosIN, l
September q, 1857.
Edgerton is one of the towns which, like
many others in the great West has sprung W
us il by enchantment. 1t appears to be an es
tablishcd fact that most western towns TAX
their character, in a greater or less degree
from that of their founders or first settlers
and there are few instances, perhaps wher
this truth is more strikingly illustrated thai
in the rise and progress of Edgcrton. TIT
town is named in honor of b. H. Edgerton
Esq, the chief engineer of the Milwaukee ant
Mississippi Railroad.
have here met an old and esteemed friend
H. S. Swift, Esq, formerly from Vermont
though more recently of New York city. He
IL a gentleman Of great energy and persevcr
ancc, and possessed of unusual business tai
ents. With some other eastern gentlemen
Mr. Swift commenced the settlement of Thu
town about three years ago, and its growtl
has been SO rapid that am constrained to Civ,
the readers of the Intelligencer brief sketch
in regard to it.
The population of Edgerton already mum
bers nearly one thousand The number Of
buildings Is about one hundred and fifty, and
some fifty more houses are in progress OF com
pletion. Among the latter may mention the
"Swift Block, now nearly finished, which il
four stories high, built of brick, and is to con.
tain four stores and large public hall, besides
Masonic hall, bank, and various offices.
The block is erected at an expense of about
$4,000 and is an ornament to the town. Next
to this block stands the American Hotel, where
l am now writing. This hotel is kept by l..
Dearborn, ESD, lately from Boston, who is an
enterprising and wide-awake landlord. Be-
sides the American, there arc two other no
tells in the place, both, believe, doing good
business.
The business of Edgcrton may be summed
up rs follows: D stores now doing business,
and 8 more in progress OF building lumber
yards Z railroad warehouses for the accommo-
dation OF merchandise, storage Of grain &c.
2 brickyards 3 carriage shops; cabinet
shop harness shop; blacksmith shops
! stove and tin-ware shop; lawyer ] physi-
clan; shoemakers, 5 painters II masons
and plastcrers 2planinS mills, one driven by
steam and the other by water power, where is
carried on the manufacture of sash, doors.
blinds &C.; some % carpenters and jonerS
Touring mill and saw MILL both driven by
water power; large and elegant two story
brick school house in which two schools are
kept, and which is now used ON Sundays and
other occasions for religious worship; there
are religious denominations, Episcopal and
Primitive Methodist, Seventh Day and Calvin.
list Baptist.
More brickmakers are wanted, and there is
excellent white clay here for pottery. A
printing press is much needed, and the inhabi-
tants would be very liberal in encouraging an
enterprising and worthy printer who would
set up press in the place.
The town is located in the Rock River val
lev, in the heart OF one of the finest grain
growing districts in Wisconsin, and directly
upon the line of the Milwaukee and Mississip-
pi Railroad, 70 miles from Milwaukee, IA from
GAINESVILLE, and q from Madison The amount
of grain, bricks and other products shipped at
this depot is very large, and the merchandise
passing through the warehouses here amounts
to many hundred tons annually
All this business is comparatively the growth
of {. day, aud shows what railroad will dc
towards developing the resources Of q country.
and yet the town is in its infancy Imagina-
ton can scarcely realize what it may amount
to In five or ten years from this time Socie-
ty here is good. The people, as may be read
lily inferred, are intelligent and industri.
Gus. All classes and professions thrive and
prosper, and the call Is still for more. East.
ern people, seeking home in the West, and
not liking to go beyond the Mississippi, will
find Edgcrton desirable place in which ia
locate and engage in business. The principal
prorrietors of town property here are H. S,