An American town: A self-portrait: Wausau [2]

An American town a self portrayed. The Wausau story. The second in a series of programs explores the development of Wausau Wisconsin as an industrial center. These programs are synthesized from interviews with people who live and work in that vicinity. I have a friend of mine a man who was a graduate University of Wisconsin. In his early years and was in the lumbering business for himself and Mr. Haldeman was director or State Historical Society and he became very upset with the State Historical Society because he felt too much effort

and time was being spent. This state of Wisconsin matter one of the things that he was very interested in and did was interviewing older people who felt that a tremendous amount of history of the state of Wisconsin was being lost because these people were not being interviewed tried very hard to get the State Historical Society to do this. But I'm able to do so and became so upset over the matter that he resigned the story today with the cooperation of the State Historical Society and the Marathon County Historical Society. We continue the Wausau story when lumbering was at its peak in the late eighteen hundreds. When I was a kid they called First Street where the library is Main Street and that was a main street along there. Then the shingle straight which is was

first street on the river just west of Main Street or first what's now first street then there were only 80 to prominence. KERRY Well back in the 1860 to 65 I would say yes. I think that you think that you are I suppose it could have been from 500 to a thousand. I would say yes there were quite a few English Scotch. People who had money in England and Scotland and so on came over here and started sawmills Alexander's Alexander Stuart was an old time lumbermen who became a senator from Wisconsin and then the Corsair were Jewish people who came here the kind of once you know been one of them the sawmill lumber operations the head of the mill my grandfather Nathan highwayman was born and fell Germany and might 4th 1849 they came to

America in 1867 and located in Wausau and 1869 he and Benjamin hired him in front of the head of a brother's Kuttner general merchandise at Rosseau which was sold in 1893 to. That as Ben's interest in 1993 was sold to his brother Nathan my grandfather. Grandfather organized the ASA telephone company which he was president for 29 years. He also had the first electric lights in the city Ross and the first telephone and he installed what was then known as a dynamo today a generator in the mechanical and feed mill on First Street and run the wires up the first street up until his store location on third and for the use of the water parliament. He and the kickers lit up their mill with electricity. These were the first electric lights used in cities. This work was completed in

January to eighty six in the first lights were turned on in the store on January 21st. Building the building in which my grandfather and his brother first started in business in this village in those days. General merchandise store also had to have a department and the reason for this is that many of the farmers the people in the country would not have cash for the items of the churches buy buy or vegetables and other things that could be sold. Now my grandfather and my high in the mountains started our cemetery. The Jewish cemetery that is here here today in each small town. Way back when there was always one Jewish

family. Usually a merchant. In like Edgar. Marathon city. Most uneasy. They all couldn't support. A rabbi. Or a temple. So for the holidays they would all come in to Wausau and we would have a rabbi come in from one of the big cities just for our holidays. In the beginning and we had it in the hall my grandmother and she used to bake what they called the hollow. Have you ever seen those the braided bread. And use them Friday night. It's very important because the first part of the meal there's a prayer said over the brand which means friendship. I remember.

When my grandmother first came here. They had to. Pay to get the kosher meat. It had to come from Minneapolis or Milwaukee or Chicago. Well there's no such thing as dry ice. There were no anything like that. It cut in the hot weather become full of maps and everything. And my grandmother saw that she said that that's what they call a kosher Excuse me but now out of that we buy our meat. At the butcher shop. We lived right down town at that time. My grand The building is still standing My grandfather built the home on the corner of Second and Washington Street. Where did you play that you as children are going to play outside. Yes yes. We played until the curfew when there was a big light on the corner and we were right on a corner and we played in street. Really. Because there are cars that there was a street car. It was a brick street. Where we lived. It was a big street. And we played hopscotch and

I go see that car there always was a big. Dang. That gathered because there was a light. My grandfather was peddled in those days all Jewish men who came from the old country studded with a pack on their back and started peddling. My father was a jewelry salesman really and he went out to the lumber camps and he. Robbed all of their watches that had become broken and a kind of jewelry that he had that had become broken and could bring it into a jeweler here in Warsaw. And then on the next trip when he went out. He would return it to them. They used to call Him Honest Joe. But there were many Indians in these camps too and I remember he bringing. Many.

Indian things like moccasins and chains and belts for our wee children. He purchased them from them every time they went out. I think maybe some things were given to them because they liked him so well. When my husband worked for a store in rice late. When he was a boy and that this man furnished supplies to the lumber camps My father did too come to think of it. And. Then every month. His boss. Would load up. The slave with supplies of our kinds at the thought the lumber camps would you. And my husband had to take them out and sell whatever it was. Whatever was sent out to them. He was a no snuff the lumberjack used to take a supply I used to call those scandal and dynamite take take a supply of

plug tobacco with them in the wards so he could he wouldn't have to smoke it was a very dangerous thing the smoke you knowit near there from neighbors. And you were in the Army in my day when I would be here. Then about 8. A.m.. Here. Yeah. That's our number and how you know. My dad. You know he got killed in the sawmill Davis 52 year old. Tree brother to brother here. So. We had to keep. The. Family of course. But. I had a fisher. Yeah. Where we didn't get to learn a thing you know we're going to work right away 13 years old to go to work. And you get a check once a month for about eight years you know. I would be right there Stevie

Wonder you know she would give me a dime and say here that. Too till next payday. And. When I got to be a 16 year old man for their Alexander Stewart remember company when I started in the sawmill I worked there I got a dollar and sixty cents a day. I started on the front where the logs come out of the from the river that river used to travel through here. Around. The city hall right back at the City Hall and then right around. And then. Right. Around that way. When. It crossed into the rock it went south and then it crossed the track of Milwaukee tracks and Northwestern Northwestern. Sheesh. Yeah that area the more of you they got two more from Bumstead and you open up the gates you see in one of the high bridge and let them argue through.

To have you aboard when they come and I want to wish really. Good Surely you are aware that. I not only were they used to have no place to park and even to Cabo and that used to get flooded during SUNO one of them began to take him to the ground. Because of the proximity to the forests Wausau attracted industries that manufactured would buy products. Among them were the Underwoods in their company and Curtis in jail. Underwood when there's a move to Wausau in 1895 and Fonda came up here with America's chief engine steam engine near.

Mr. Underwood was was a wonderful gentleman. He is home was at my worst when my going to street back in those days he drove the horse and buggy to work and he was he was very good to his men. You know if you didn't want to work this day you said nothing to anybody you just say all men and you never argue or never said anything somebody would take a piece but I didn't come back the next. For circus was in town you want to go in circles or go circus. He was stately looking man with a chin beard. And there he really very well liked in it down to factory. I know when your mother and dad lived and went to Appleton when Im posh I can't cost too much to Underwood says when you go if I find your house. Pay your first month's rent and moving you up there won't cost you anything. Father said Well that's a that's a very good offer but he shouldn't want anything what he says What do you want NOW

and dad said the wages what he what would you expect on a job they don't process for 10 hours work he says I thought I should get two dollars and a half for 10 hours work. Now Mr. Underwood said that's no problem he said You tell your wife get ready answers and we will but you're coming up with me now engine's gotta go. He had charted all of steam boilers. All those engines for those boilers had to be cleaned when it between every week and to go inside and clean it in the course they had to fire one of us supposed to know but he knew in a way that even a poncho he could get in trouble. My dad liked him so well he kept him on in power when indicating that the borders if he ever really pivotal where the inspectors would get into your home because you would be charged for that. And he learned his trade and manage to walk. When he started when you're 13 years old and he learned right in the shop and not on the books. So and he made he did own blacksmithing and I remember him saying that in many engines I have known gold

accompanied making not making any money. And how are we going to get paid in money to send in breakfast dinner and supper down to forty eight hours he never come home. And in another time the watchman came up and we were live two blocks in the middle and said they can't get any water in the water while you don't put cold water in a load more live in your heart when you got there why are there poor fire ready and steam was coming out of the big doors and the men were hidden for the lawn yard because the figure she was going to blow up. But father entered in the column not to go in but he went in and he was in there one whole hour and esteem her away when he caught the fire and she didn't grow up. They didn't do too much heating in the winter time. There was a lot a lot of steam in there and they didn't have any in the system in there to be taken out at all. And of course with your big vats you never you had a steam your logs that steam would get out to the factory sometimes you couldn't even you can see your finger from your eyes you know it was that thick.

When a company becomes larger like underwear they're going from like 25 to fire in 20 25 years. Somebody that fathers labor problems means He-Man neighbor problems at all. As far as I know to my command we're satisfied there and so then he was very good to him because I remember that one year coming did very well and he stopped everything at 5 o'clock. Call them all in the fray give a talk and he said the company didn't do very well financially and there he was going to pay them a percentage on the number of years that he worked there. My dad got a check for $500. He'd been in so many years and just on that night in that one year I know they had that there. But I mean he was he was fair very fair with with it man. I know the last day Faliraki was on a birthday on August 21st and he was 86

years old and my wife and I went down by the punch climbs to the veneer piles and he stood there looking is a card. Couple times look the car can find me. He put the card in Punch and we stepped out and took him by each arm and you can see what you doing down here. We're just here so you don't punch bag him and he did. He got quite a kick out of it you know. Was. My father worked for many years at Cruises it worked at the bandsaw and was a skilled workmen and these people that came from that section of Germany they hadn't grown up on farms in Saxony there were three main cities Dresden was a capital and the cultural center. Oh like I say he was the commercial center and Kim it's was the

industrial center and many of them these people had worked in candidates and were skilled workers but when they came here to see us Curtis and his family came to Washington prior to 1893 because I believe availability of. Wood Products and. Water were growing and they felt abandoned her. Coming here using the employment that was a reliable. They had skilled workers here today. Absolutely. What did they meet. Manufacturing you know sash. Door. And moldings. And cabinets Aurukun all kinds stares. Furniture of all kinds. I finished high school and Mame started Curtis first of October high when I went in the same M.S. as Curtis was president of the company looking for a job in the office. Now and. Finally decided to put me on I got a job an office boy. The cases are.

Getting in the mail at 6:30 in the morning and I have it on the manager's desk by. 7:00 o'clock because they start to work and so on. We had the reputation after. 1920 being. Pretty good pay we had. An industrial dividend set up but. The man participated in. We had. The best cooperation possible under the situation. We never in the length of time I worked there for 19. 12 to 19 57. Never had the likelihood of a strike of any kind. Is this plant closed tightly. Larry you still have family in fact originally planned. When do you feel that the decline is starting. And I. Think that people. Can be really trying to

reorganizing. Our business here and I think that the whole thing was mismanagement to many many of the Kurdish good job any Kurdish people. And Julie never you wanted to make sure that one did run the business. Then of course. Didn't keep up with modern slaves but had they gone out and explored I think that they would be in business today because a huge a tremendous plant we had about six acres there. I'm more complex than the really over two per Stanton are better because they're a state north from there about two blocks north. And we had a lumber pile don't remember shreds factor proper. We had as many as 600 workers on the plant and in the office they did set up a plan early. That 50 sharing plan my brother came back he had two brothers

here and his sister and my uncle were to criticize because there was an opening. I understand that they have to take it here. Plan there did he say no he didn't because along came the depression and one of my uncles lost whatever he had in it during the Depression it all went to the board. They didn't have a 65 retirement age that he worked until he was almost 72. Going back to your father coming over you said that he and her mother were married here met and married here and that this formality my mother tell told about how the first time my father asked to take her home from some occasional darky air to happen to need his phone and a house or too big like me I have the honor of discouraging the lady to whom. I did give this story of the deal you the organization which was organized by people that came from that area.

Arbeiter understood terms for trying actually means German workers assistance society was founded on Jan. 11 1883 by a group of German immigrants. Twenty seven fellows in fact started. The first president was a hero. If Friedman who at that time was 15 years old I guess the idea of the society at that time was to or organize to aid and assist all sick and distressed members to assist them a spiritual intellectual welfare to provide entertainment and supposedly to foster perpetuate the German language. When a man died his widow received a hundred and fifty dollars if a wife died the man received $75 and they had sick benefit support dollars a week and remembers that they should be mentally and physically healthy. And of good moral character to join his this organization.

Don't turn our back to to understand Tim's friends but in 1942 the name of the society was changed to the ASA benevolent society and while the records don't show that conversation has it that there was an effort on their part to get away from some of the discussion about America being involved in a war it seems that they were trying to reject the genitive occasion. There Well I would say reject that's not quite place so much emphasis on it. I had an uncle who was a one of us a charter member here as you refer to the Dutch all as the busiest place in town and the Saturday night dancing and beer all very good reckon that charges 50 cents. One of his favorite expressions was and he was quite a dancer he said that when he was ready to leave he would take the last text because he thought it would be is. I won't take ception with that but I knew nothing of them because those were card playing and will be here for refreshments. But now do you say you know I have beer they have soft drinks.

But my father didn't play cards so he didn't go to those parties. Well and the New Year's Eve party that was we that was a big deal. It was a family affair and a great big tree. And cookies on the tree. The animal cookies in time lost their legs because you know it was easy enough to crawl back there in the big tree was dragged out. Then there was dancing and they didn't mind having his children between you know when he shaved off the the wax from the far right wax in the floor. The children had a grand time just sliding back and forth between dances. It was taken for granted it was a family affair. I knew nothing of Santa Claus. Yes there was the finance man the Christmas man

literally translated and in our family it was the Christ child who brought gets it was Christine Christmas morning. We lined up we got ready in the living room we know my brother would went and lit the candles on the tree. Then the porters were open and we were in. The youngest one first. Stood around the tree and sang German Christmas carols. Before we looked at our gifts. Still enough. It was one of them. That crisp on Mr. Sharon's to bomb. My father had a very fine voice. Well mother had nice boys too but my father's voice was outstanding. Beautiful tenor. I had a very happy childhood. There were six in all. I was the oldest. But there is great discipline in your family. You know I think we were expected to do things. For sure.

My brother was. Oh he did all kinds of crazy things. He was punished for it. A spanking. And a place nature provided because mother wouldn't ever tolerate having anybody slap the child across the ears for instance. In Wisconsin. We were very lucky in that. I went to kindergarten way back then. But then we had Mrs. Carr asserts you know Wisconsin where she was a student for example in Germany who was the founder of the kindergarten movement in the 19 or the 18 40s there were a lot of intellectuals came from Germany. And they were among them. And Kara's shirt was in President Lincoln's cabinet. You're an immigrant but you see they have the background and the children now are exposed much more to current events. I recall one of the first times I ever knew anything about anything of that kind

was McKinley's assassination. I was six years old. And then one thousand eighteen. And there was a false alarm that the armistice had been assigned a false alarm on the 8th of November and there was a lot of to do. Oh not a problem. Bells ringing all over the place. See the news the radio the news with the when it came over Western Union they would have an immediate hook up with criticize factory the criticism factory had the most penetrating whistle and everybody knew criticism whistle. So the arrangement was made that when the official news came it would be criticize whistle is to listen for that was on the 11th that. I am I am.

The the. The Wausau story is the second in a series on the history of Wausau Wisconsin. With the advent of railroads the river men disappeared and the role of the lumber baron grew in importance. The next program explores the lives of these influential business men who are commonly referred to as the Wausau group. This program was produced a WHV a service of University of Wisconsin Extension with the cooperation of the Marathon County Historical Society and funded in part by the educational communications board and the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission. Producer Jay Meredith hits technical operator Phil Carvalho. Your announcer cliff Roberts.