The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1909-12-30


brought out. Abe WoUv., --
one to obtain right to the land,
which is the city approach to the new
concrete Lyons bridge. Wood obtain
ed title about 1910. 1t has been SOLD
a number of times and at the present
time Mr.. Hatch holds quit claim
deed to the property given by Valoo
Moore.
At one time the land was owned by M.
j. Drown who was connected with the
Baraboo Manufacturing company and
later the Island Woolen mill. The
former company made chairs and other
products from wood when timber was
more plentiful in this country.
The First Bridge
The first bridge was sIthrown across
the Baraboo river at the disputed
point in the winter of 1864 Sand 1866.
It was wooden affair and M. j.
Drown was instrumental in its con-
struction. The bridge went sout IN
1866 or 1867, the exact datej could NOT
be found.
There was no other bridge there un-
til 1871 when esChicagoi. q. North
western builta railroad bridge few
feet away. The people crossed on the
railroad bridge until 1892 when foot
bridge was built. This was blown
over on the evening before Thanksgiv-
ing in 1908.
The Claims of Mr.. Hatch
Mr.. Hatch claims the land at the
approach of the bridge on tb nund
that the order laying out til
defective because the superN
town never signed the ordel or
awarded damages; that the Lown Aad
no jurisdiction in the city of Baraboo;
that the disputed strip was never
opened, worked or Travelled as a high
way; and also that If legally laid out,
which was not admitted by Mr.. Hatch,
the road was abandoned by the public.
Mr.. Hatch claims that it is his
property and that it should not be
taken without just compensation.
The town of Baraboo built the bridge,
the city paying share but having
nothing to do with the contract with
the bridge company. The town claims
that the records show that the land is
lawfully highway and that it was
within the right of the town to con-
struct bridge. There was bridge
there long ago and there was mo-
dispute about it.
Among the witnesses were w. A.
Aldrich; Franklin Johnson, town
clerk; I'll. HI. Hubert, formerly
street commissioner; j. S. w orthman,
city clerk of Baraboo; w. II.
Hatch, who claims the laud; Charles
Brewser, street commissioner; Charles
Bender, formerly street commission
er; e. M. Smith, formerly street
commissioners Nv. .Berkley;Valoo Moore
who sold the land to Mr.. Hatch; w.
H, McFetridge. one of the owners of
the Island Woolen mill; j. M. Terry,
chairman of the town of Baraboo;J ohm
Paddock, one of the early ones to cross
the first bridge; George Holah
who attended an early town
meeting; David Sansum, who used
the first bridge; Mrs. A. G.Ryan,
an early resident in that neighborhood;
August Platt, the ice dealer; A. FL.
Hunt; Fred Farwell; Levi Cahoon;
Newton Morehead; Henry Erswell;
and N. g. Crawley. All knew more or
less about the matter.
A Merry Laugh
During the trial Mr.. Sansum was
asked if he used the bridge years ago
to haul early vegetables to market and
he said he did. He was asked if he did
not cross on the ice and he said he did
but not with early vegetables, TO which
there was a merry laugh at the humor
of the Americanized Englishman.
The case will be submitted in brief.
Attorney Daniel Ruggles appeared for
Mr.. Hatch and Grotophorst Evans &
Thomas for the town.