HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



    In 1880 Louis Rivers built a two-story frame hotel on the west side of
Central
Avenue and on the north side of North Depot Street, and which burned down
on
Jan. 23, 1883, catching fire from a defective chimney. While it was in existence
its
second story was used as a hall for social gatherings, including dances,
the music
being furnished by the Campbell Settlement (now Rozellville )Band.
   About 1880, or 1881, E. S. Renne, Marshfield's first druggist and second
post-
master, built a hotel where the Blodgett Hotel is now located. He later sold
it
to John Gill, and it was burned in 1887, while he was the proprietor. Mr.
Gill
rebuilt it and later sold out to Foster Bros.
   A serious accident occurred on May 20, 1880. About 9:15 in the morning
there was a tremendous boom, then a trembling of buildings. Crowds rushed
into
the streets and with pale faces made their way toward the stave factory.
It was
found that the boiler had blown up, the cause for which was unknown. J. Renne,
a fireman, was blown across the engine-room through the window. He was fatally
scalded and died at midnight. Three other men were badly hurt. For some
length of time until repairs could be made 60 men were out of work.
   Within 15 years of the settlement here of the Rivers brothers and eight
years
from the laying out of the plat, the village had grown so in size, population
and
material wealth that its citizens felt the time had come for it to assume
municipal
rights and privileges. The necessary steps were accordingly taken, and by
Chapter
280 of the Laws of 1883 the legislature of Wisconsin organized and created
the city
of Marshfield, comprising the present territory with what now constitutes
the town
of Cameron added. The first city election was held the third Thursday in
April,
L. A. Arnold being elected mayor, J. R. Reily clerk, A. Thomas treasurer,
and C.
A. Coon police justice. The first meeting of the common council was held
at
John Girk's residence in the Third Ward. The members were: Mayor Arnold,
president; aldermen Ingalls, W. H. Upham, Fornance, Bein, Couture, Cliver,
Steinmetz, Girk and Strong.
   On Nov. 18, 1903, Cameron was detached and established as a separate town-
ship, leaving Marshfield with its present boundaries (see Marshfield in chapter
on
County and Town Organization).
   To give an idea of the business life of the place at this time, the following
list
is presented as containing mention of the principal business places established
here before the close of the year 1882. Dorschel & Co., dealers in dry
goods and
groceries, came in 1880 and their business was managed by Fred Vollmar. Shaurer
& Law were conducting a general store and tailor's shop, having come
to the
village in its infancy. Jos. Rumenoff, a dealer in hardware, located corner
of
Second Street and Central Avenue, where E. M. Deming's brick building is
now
had come in 1877, and P. Held, who was in the same business, in 1880. John
Gill was conducting the hotel he had bought from E. S. Renne; the Central
Hotel
was conducted by H. J. Pankow, the Travelers House by Mike Steinmetz, and
the
Eagle Hotel by John Luis. There were 15 saloons, two meat markets, two furni-
ture stores and a drug store with a line of books kept by Dr. F. L. Hinman
(from
Rhinelander) and A. E. Miner. The building occupied by this drug store was
owned by W. G. Hinman and T. E. Vannedon and is the present location of the
Laemle clothing store and Sexton's drug store.



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