Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-10-10

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valuable mines were opened. The
company owns the fee to the mines
known as the Germania, East and
West Cary, Windsor, Pence, Superior,
and several other mines, which are all
ore producers.
In August, 1884, Mr.. Silverthorn,
accompanied by Messrs. Plumer, Hdr-
ley and Gile and a surveying outfit,
visited the range and laid out the
present city of Hurley, which was
named in honor of Mr.. Silverthorns S
partner. At that time there was
scarcely a habitation within forty
miles of the place excepting on the
Indian reservation and a few rude
cabins of explorers and prospecters.
| While in the woods far from civiIiza-
ton, Mr.. Silverthorn was nominated
| by the state democratic convention for
the Office of attorney general. When
| the newspaper giving an account of
The nomination was brought to him by
i prOspector, he learned that his name
had been proposed for nomination by
his friend, Frank NJ. Hoyt, of Mil
Eaukec, and he was thus put down
upOn the ticket without previous con-
sultation. A day or two later, while
coming out of the woods and reach
ing the end of the Milwaukee Lake
Shore & Western railroad,-which was
then being constructed, at a point
near the present Gogebic station in
Michigan, they found a number of
men engaged upon the railroad con-
structiOn. They were welcomed and
offered a bed on blankets in a car
load of loose oats, and passed a jolly
night, roughing it. Upon arising, the
boys called for a speech, and, for
getting that he was in Michigan, Mr.
Silverthorn aroused them. all to the
Importance of voting early and late
IN every precinct of the state, and as
sured them that the state was certain
to be carried by the democracy 1t
was some time thereafter before he
discovered that his first campaign
speech in the interest of the democ-
racy of Wisconsin was made in the
state of Michigan.
For many years he was a power
in the democratic party of this state
and of this county and was often
called in council in matters of nation
al Importance.
Although in no sense a politician,
Mr.. Silverthorn had been honored by
his fellow citizens with positions of a
political nature, and, in addition to the
nomination above described, he could
had he expressed his desire, have OBJ
tanned high honors from the hands
of his party. In 1868 he was elected
member of the assembly, and was
again elected in 1874. In 1855 he
represented his district in the Senate,
in which body he served upon the
Judiciary committee. In 1854, the
year of his arrival in Wausau, he was
elected to the office Of district attor-
ney of Marathon county, which posi-
ton he held for six terms. In 1880
he was nominated for congress in this
congressional district which was over
whelmingly republican. He was NOM
mated for Governor of Wisconsin in
1896, and that memorable campaign
is matter of state history, he having
run 10000 ahead of his ticket. A
vacancy was created on the circuit
bench by the Appointment of Judge c.
" Bardeen to the Supreme Court in
1898, and MIR. Silverthorn was called
to fill the same by Gov. Schofield, his
former opponent in the campaign of
1896, which position he held until he
resigned in 1908. He was selected on
several occasions to represent this
district in national democratic con-
ventionS.
One of the many things which Mr..
Silverthorn did for the good of the
people of Marathon county, and one
for which they should be forever
thankful, was saving the county from
the payment of $25O,00O, and giving
vast amount of land to the Wis. Cen
R. r. Co. In 1871 the county voted
aid in the sum of $250,O00 in corpor-
ate bonds, payable in twenty years, at
10 per cent, to the Wisconsin Central
Railroad company to come to Wausau.
The road had a land grant of 100000
acres of land which consisted of every
other section for six miles along the
proposed line. Mr.. Silverthorn was
district attorney at the time and op-
posed the proposition. He secured
an injunction in behalf, of the people
of the county. on the issuing of any
bonds to the railroad company, be-
cause of the failure to build the road
as promised. He argued that the peo
pie were entitled to re-submission
Of the aid proposition and on this he
eventually became a candidate and
was elected to the legislature. Dur
ing the session of 1875 he had a bill
passed giving to counties, cities and
municipalities the right of re-submis
sion after a railroad company had
failed to comply with its promises.
On the 18th day of February, 1875,
the railroad company realizing it
could not collect anything, released
the county from all liability. This is
matter of record in our county.
| The following tribute to the ability
and character of Mr.. Silverthorn, is
from the pen of one who had been in