The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-06-22

log as compared with the river water,
on the outside, and found to my great
delight that the water inside the pipe
was trifle higher than the river wa
ter, thus proving without shadow of
doubt that l had well at trifling
cost About this time Robert Howell
returned from the oil fields of Penn
sylvania, and instructed me how to
insert the pipe into the bore, and make
it tight joint by means of seed bag.
II followed his instructions and in
few hours had a flow of good water
about three feet above the lower floor,
and it is highly probable that this is
the only well ever constructed in the
bed Of a river.
The smoking room became the re-
sort OF my chums, and the leading
men OF the town, more especially so
for such of the railroad men who were
not given to frequenting saloons, but
wished to meet each other outside of
their homes. Many pleasant hours
were spent in that room by j. O. Pat
tee, A. J. Earling, w. P. Brown, H. A.
Ranous, H. c. Atkins, Robert Lewis,
Jim Nellins, Amos Baum, George
Lewis, Charles Wood, s. M Eaton.
often S. S. Merrill and seldom day
both Chappell and Dennis. Of course
these men bought cigars, fruit, pea
nuts, lemonade, soda water, etc., and
in this manner got well paid for the
accommodation furnished them, it be-
ing also the principal locality in the
city for the reception and discussion
OF war news. That the younger readers
may get an idea of what war meant. I
would state that Bill Brown and I
bought 200 bushels of wheat and
stored it in the wood house under the
sidewalk, SO that our families would
have bread when United States money
should no longer be a purchasing
power. After awhile we saw the alb
surdity of the scheme and sold out at
fine profit and the place formerly
occupied by the grain was filled with
stove wood, which broke the joists of
the floor and precipitated the wood in
to the river, and this would probably
have been the fate of the wheat if il
had been allowed to remain there
much longer.
Silver change being largely taken
in in our trade, it was the custom of
other business men to get their paper
money changed as was found neces-
sary, when w. P. Brown came in one
DAY and said to me: Don't do that
any more but keep whatever silver is
taken in" | followed his advice. and
by the time silver had gone entirely
out or circulation, large cigar box
full had accumulated containing
$3.50, and which l sold for Just double
of its face value.
money still flowing in owing to flush
times, caused by the war. I soon
bought the lot adjoinong the Bank of
WATERFOWL and erected the building
which became known as the Red Front
grocery, George Hawkins becoming
my partner. We conducted the shanty
on the bridge as heretofore, in addi-
ZION to carrying large stock of gro
ceres, crockery, glassware, etc.. in
the Red Front. Unfortunately for me
| O.
greet or my business, and, other SIM
iiar establishments springingup, Pet
lers shanty lost its popularity. A dis
solution Of partnership followed the
shanty was bought by George Haw-
Klns and occupied by w. N. Hawkins
VINO becoming alarmed about the safe
W OF the shanty,s moved into the
building next to Johnson's drug store
ana soon after the shanty that had
started In 1851 as barber shop was
again used for the same purpose, and
ended a few days ago as it had begun
h1ty-three years ago. Thus we can
draw the moral that citizens of fiftv
years ago have nearly all passed away
and that even the shanty in the river
was not exempt from the rayages Of
| 'hne F. P. Brook,
Green Bay, April 10, 1904.