The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1895-01-03
Continual from PAGE TROY


large crowd had collected. Wheat
was being carried in box hand cars
to a vessel lying at the end of the
bridge pier forty rods distant from
shore. The mayor saw he could not
do better than once more appeal to the
reason of the men to desist for time
the removal Of wheat, until it could be
| determined what could be done in a.
more lawful way The wheat which
was being removed to the vessel was
the claimed property OF large wheat
buyer in Cleveland, who held ware
house receipts for it. A platform fifteen
| feet high on the lake side of the ware
| house was used as q lookout for YES
sells; it was before the time of the har-
Dor. The mayor assembled this plat
form and invited the attention
Of the workers in the wheat removal.
He pursued very much the same
line of persuasion as he had previously
| done in the warehouse. He used only
kind words, counseling delay, with the
hope that some legal remedy for OBJ
tanning just rights would be found.
The men engaged consented to stop
work. This they did the more willing
| ly as it became known that q. S. Judge
Miller at Milwaukee had ordered two
companies of infantry proceed to Ke-
nosha on Monday to protect property
and enforce order.
COL Frank WAS Il member of the
Territorial Council, in 1913, 1874, 1915.
1916, and of the State Assembly in 1861.
The most important measures he sought
to advance in the Territorial legisa-
ton were steps looking forward to the
formation Of state government, and the
interest of schools which are noticed
elsewhere. The first movement in Wis
consin officially in favor Of the adoption
of state government was made by Col.
Frank in the Territorial legislature in
1916.
Col Frank has written history that
will live and much that will perish.
Newspaper history is generally perish
able. The history he has furnished
which will be lasting is the early set
Element of Kenosha, carefully obtained
from the most reliable sources. This
history is found in the third volume Of
the State Historical Society collections.
The books and collections of this So
ciety are in a fre-proof building, and
no calamity short of an earthquake or
vandal war can destroy them.
FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Col. Frank being the conceded au-
thor of the present free school system
in Wisconsin, as much space will be
given to his connection with it as the
limits of this historic sketch will allow.
He began the agitation of free schools
through the Telegraph newspaper as
early as 1910, and continued it during
subsequent years. Meetings were held
for the discussion of the free school
question. He introduced the first bill
in the legislature in 1913, having in
view the establishment Of free schools
in Wisconsin. 1t met with no favorable
response, and by most Of the members
was declared impracticable. In 1915 he
secured thepassage Of alaW authorizing
the establishment of free schools in the
corporate limits of the village Of South
port (Kenosha.) This law was passed
with the proviso, that it be submitted
and accepted by majority Of legal vo
ters of the town before taking effect.
At the first meeting for voting OH the
acceptance Of the law the excitement
prevented voting and the meeting broke
up in confusion. The injustice of tax
ING those who had no children to edu-
cate, to pay for the education Of their
Ineighbors' children, was SO strongly
pressed, that poor men unable to pay
for the schooling of their own children
thought such a law unreasonable. At
a second meeting the law was approved
and accepted. Steps were Immediate
ly taken to secure vacant rooms I'M
which to open the school. This syS-
tenn, which was at first much opposed,
soon became popular when the people
came to understand that education was
public property and essential tC good
government. The free school estab-
lished here continued until it was
merged into the free school system
under the state constitution.
1t is not necessary to add testimony
to a historical fact that has not been
contradicted for more than half a cen
tury-that Col Frank formulated our
present Free Public School system.
He was appointed to the office of
postmaster at Kenosha by President
Lincoln in 1861, and after holding the
office five and a half years was re-
moved by President Johnson for re-
fusing to subscribe to his political pol
icy.
Among the public offices held by
Col Frank which have not been MOTTO
ed is that of Regent of the State Uni
versity, to which he was elected by the
Io1Jinm fouI, I-oopc oO1