The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-09-23
EDUCATIONAL.
HISTORY or MANITOWOC COUNTY
BY JOHN NAGLE.

an early date the Importance of trans
portation facilities. and persistent efforts
were made to secure railway communi-
cation with other points. As early as
1910, there were cheering prospects that
the Chicago Milwaukee and Green Bay
r. Il. would soon be extended to Mani
towoc. This road was graded some
distance north of Milwaukee and then
discontinued. Hon. George Reed had
brilliant plans for making Maintowoc
railroad center of lines converging
from the west, connecting with a line
Of steamers to Pere Marquette. For a
time it seemed rs if these plans would
be realized but the opposition Of Milwau-
kee and the want Of unanlmity at Man
itowoc prevented. A charter for rail.
road known as ine Manitowoc and Miss
issippi r. r. was secured. The village
of Manitowoc and number of promi-
nent men subscribed for bonds, and the
work of grading between Manitowoc
and Menasha was begun in 1850, There
was the greatest enthusiasm about this
time over railroad matters The inhab-
itants felt assured that the natural ad-
vantages of the town aided by the com.
pletion of this road and the improvement
of the harbor, would result in making it
the metropolis OF the state and the great
commercial emporium of the northwest.
Nor We're they alone in this opinion.
Many persons, during this period Of
prospective prosperity were attracted to
Manitowoc by the splendid possibilities
which seemed to be within its reach.
But work was discontinued on the road
in 1857, and the splendid visions which
were conjured by the activity and en-
terprise of these years were, for the time
dispeled
About this time project for a plank
road from Manitowoc to Menasha was
agitated, Work was begun Mt both ter
mini the towns through which the road
was 80 run signifed their Willingness to
aid the enterprise. The road was com
| pleted to the -Four Corners and then
discontinued. The people fully realized
the Importance of these Indispensable
adluncts, but lacked the means of ac
complishment. They had the sagaclty
which forsees the results which come
from extended commercial facilities but
they were hampered by circumstances
beyond their power to remedy.
| The advantages which would accrue
to the town from the improvement of
the river We're perceived, and steps were
taken az early rs 1870, to secure an ap-
preparation from the government for
this purpose. The legislature in that
year memoralized congress for an appro.
priation fol the improvement of the
harbor. An appropriation Of $4,000 was
soon after made and expended. In 1853,
the legislature authorized the village to
borrow SO, 600 for improvement of the
barbor, but this was not done. Congress
neglected to extend any further aid for
some time, ard in 1866, the town of
Manitowoc was authorized to raise
$50 600. A board of harbor commission
ers was appointed. Twenty thousand
dollars were raised by the town Of Man.
| itowoc, including the village. and SO, 600
of the amount expended in the construc-
ton of u dredge and dump scows. The
| dredge and scows were afterward sold
to the city and the proceeds together
with the surplus, $500 expended in
dredging the river. The government
afterward made liberal appropriations,
aid by local taxation. The piers of the
narbor extend 1900 feet into the lake.
There is an average depth of II feet in
the river up to Peter Larson's ship
yard. The river is navigable to within
quarter of a mile of the Rapids bridge,
| FOR vessels drawing & feet of water.
| The East and West Twin Rivers afford
a rare opportunity for an excellent har
| Dor, and the government within the last
provement Those rivers are navigable
number of miles above their mouths.
In 1850 and 81, the villages of Mani.
towoc and Two Rivers suffered from the
Asiatic cholera. During the prevalence
of the cholera in the former place in the
first named year, twenty-five deaths
occurred, In proportion to the popula.
ton, Two Rivers suffered more than
any other place in the United States.
1t was the most serious check it received
during its existence, This was the only
epidemic with which the county has
been afflicted.
At different times there were eight
newspapers published in the county
The Herald was established in 1850, un
der the management of &. w. Fitch
and was Democratic in politics The
first few numbers were printed in She
boygan. 1t was purchased by Captain
Smith then proprietor of the Manitowot
Tribune, in 1861. The Wisconsin Dem
okrat, n German, Free Soil paper wai
established N 1852, by Charles Roesser
After some years it passed into tn,
hands Of A. Wallich and the name wa
changed to the Union Deinokrat.
was suspended by him in the year 1866
la 1868 the Zsitung was started by OFT,