Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-11-16
A SKETCH OF WISCONSIN HISTORY.

Along in the evening some of til
members of the assem- bly, and two o.
three senators came into the office o
the hotel where | was, and one O
them spoke to me OF their having jus
come from the governors Office, wher
they had been in consultation witt
the governor to devise some means t,
prevent the ad journmentin the morn
ing; but that they had despaired o
being able to- hold the members al
the capitol in sufficient numbers tt
accomplish anything, as the train
would start for Milwaukee at s o'clocl
the very hour to which the two
houses had adjourned, and at which
under the terms of the joint resolution
they would adjourn sine die, and that
the governor had gone to his board
ing house quite beat out. | ther
went to Judge Hoods house wher,
the governor roomed and was inform
ed by some member of the family
that he had retired, but | was admit
ted to his room and found him great.
~ discouraged and distressed by the
situation. He thought that nothing
could be done to prevent the final adj
iournment but declared that he would
Immediately call special session, YET
greatly regretted the loss of valuable
time thereby. Upon my suggestion
that something yet might be done tc
prevent the adjournment he verbally
appointed me his aide-de camp, and
gave me his carte-blanche to do any
thing in his official name that
thought necessary and proper to pre-
vent the adjournment and said that
it was military necessity and |
thus heard for the first time phrase
which soon came into quite common
use.
Upon leaving the governor return
ed to the Villas House and sent my
card up to Hon. Hans Croker who
was, as | thought and still think, a
director and vice president of the
Milwaukee & Mississippi Tor Prairie
du CHEM railroad. He had retired
but requested me to come up and adj
mitted me. | told him that my bust
ness was to request him to order the
railroad people not to send out the
Milwaukee train in the morning on
scheduled time, but give us time to
rescind the resolution of adjourn
ment. He seemed to appreciate the
situation fully but said that he had no
more power to stop or delay the rum
ming of the train ON regulation time
sthan had, and think he said that
if he could he would to oblige myself
and the governor, whom represent
ed, do as | requested. | sent, dis
patch to Alexander Mitchell Cat Mil
waukee, requesting him to telegraph
such order back to Madison. He
laughed, and said that he would
suggest an amendment; that he tele-
graph to just stop the sun from rising
over Lake Michigan, that that would
accomplish the same thing and would
be just as reasonable as the other. |
then went down stairs. There / met
one of the assistant clerks of the
house, John S. Dean, | think told
him what / was trying to do and how
He said, "Have you seen Gill OAR
win?n had not, but said that il
he would 90 with me would. So we
went through the capitol square and
to Mr.. Darwin's house, which was
pretty near the university. 1t was
then considerably after midnight
Mr.. Darwin was the local railroad
agent. We rang the bell Mr.. Oar
win came to the door in his night
clothes. | arologized for disturbing
him at that time of the night, and
told him that wanted him to delay
the Milwaukee train until or 1C
o'clock, and for what purpose. He
expressed great sympathy with my
request, and said he would willingly
comply with it, but that neither the
conductor nor the engineer, or even
fireman of the train ever took theil
orders from him. After thanking
him, | bid him good night; he shut
and locked the door;but before we got
off the porch he again unlocked anC
opened the door and called to me
Upon my returning he said that hi
mad thought of something which h,
wished to tell me, and continued
George G. Prescott is the conductor
whose turn it is to 60 out IN the morn
ing; he knows you and you had bette
see him; he boards at the Villas House
and it is about his time to get up.
asked him how he knew that Mr.
Prescott knew me, and why | had bet
ter see him. He replied: ''He is
young and enthusiastic Mason, AM
was present at the grand lodge las
summer one day when you preside,
as deputy grand master. He thinks
good deal Of you.n We, Mr., Dea
and /, Immediately started back an
! walked pretty fast-for me. Just a
we entered the front door of the Villa
House man was coming down stair
carrying a lantern. As he reache
the foot of the stairs | knew by th
style Of the lantern that he was th
conductor and spoke to him, either a
Mr.. Prescott or Mr.. Conductor, an
he returned the salutation calling m
"Mr. Speaker In as few words q
possible | requested him not to ru
out his train that morning, at leas
not on schedule time. and why. II
said, Should not have some writin
to show for this?" Ireplied that h
should and asked him to step in tn
office with me which he did. Hayin
served for time as adjutant's cler
in the Mexican war | had some know
edge of the forms of military order:
So getting n part of sheet of pape
somewhere about the Office | wrote a
order forbidding the railroad compan
(by its proper title) and its condu,
tors, servants, ETC., to run its morr
ing Milwaukee train from the city (
Madison on April 10. 1861. Signed
by order Of the governor, commar
der-in-chief, with my own name q
aide-de-camp (this to the best OF m