Kewaunee County Ice Storms: 1922 & 2022

If the ice storm on February 21-22 held off for only two more days, it would have been exactly one hundred years since newspaper headlines screamed what residents knew by just glancing out the window. It was written in 1922 that Wisconsin experienced its biggest ice storm ever. But what was “ever?” “Ever” in Kewaunee County would date to May 1852 when the county was  split off from Door. Since the Enterprise started publishing in 1859, “ever” might have started them.

The 1922 storm started out much as the 2022 storm did. Both dawned with a day before that was mild, but windy. It was 50 degrees on Sunday in 2022. The next day started off normally in both 1922 and 2022, but then the rain started. There was sleet, more rain, snow, thunder and lightning in no particular order, but the kinds of weather kept changing. The difference was that in 1922, the storm went on for four days.

TV channels began running closures during the late afternoon of February 21, 2022, while in 1922, folks looked outdoors to make decisions. Most still had horses, and who’d subject a horse to such weather when it wasn’t necessary?

One-hundred years apart, folks looked out the window on the morning of February 22^nd, or 24^th, to see snow and ice sticking to the trees, fences and whatever else was in the yard. Both years saw more snow and ice throughout the day. The biggest difference in the one hundred years was that in 1922 the heavy ice broke tree branches which landed on the ice coated wires and poles, ensuring that wires kept snapping until the storm was over. There was devastation in Kewaunee and fallen wires were scattered all over the city. About thirty light poles snapped, and who knows how many telephone poles came down?

Wisconsin property loss was in the millions with power, telephone, telegraph, and transportation companies bearing the brunt. It was felt repairing Wisconsin telephone lines would cost at least two million. Those who had electric service through the Kewaunee Electric Light Plant were told it would be at least 30 days before power could be restored. A little more than two weeks after the storm, the Peninsular Service Co. completed work on their lines near Kewaunee. That company’s damage estimate was about $11,000 as that loss was the heaviest on the Kewaunee line. Kewaunee’s mercantiles selling lamps, flashlights, candles, lanterns, and lamp chimneys provided a bright spot in the local economy. Those who were just beginning to experience what electricity had to offer were back to the “old days.”

Wisconsin Public Service had eighty men repairing damage about three miles north of Kewaunee near Fred Leudtke’s in Pierce where twenty-two poles were down. Frozen ground made digging holes to sink the new poles difficult. Without the equipment of 100 years later, it took two men an entire day to dig one hole. The damage near Luedtke’s was due to a lack of buffer from the strong Lake Michigan winds.

Kewaunee’s telephone company thought it was looking at the same schedule as the electric companies, however rural telephones were said to be crippled. Both the Ryan and Horseshoe Telephone Companies’ lines and poles were almost completely down. Ryan said it would be spring before any attempt would be made to restore service. Kodan's telephone company saw heavy losses as most poles were damaged. As it was, so many repairmen - including some from Michigan - came to the area that hotels were booming. On March 17, Algoma Record Herald announced the city's telephone service was restored. It would take weeks more in rural areas. What made things more difficult for the city, and the rural areas, was that there was no fund set aside for emergencies.

The loss in area shade trees and orchard trees was unimaginable. Mr. Shestock said his orchard near Algoma was probably damaged for the year, however the J.A. Dworak orchard near Casco escaped with minor problems. The Enterprise said Sturgeon Bay orchards were destroyed, however Algoma Record said a week later that Sturgeon Bay orchards came through the storm unscathed. The State said ice sheets covering fields of winter wheat, rye, clover, and alfalfa were smothering the fields. Without power, if an industry functioned, it was by their own manpower.

The 1922 ice storm interrupted mail service. With telephone and telegraph wires down, communities were isolated, however most adults had spent much of their lives living that way. One-hundred years later, the loss of TV, computers, and cell phone access is enough to melt their grandchildren. Five days after the 1922 storm, the first train left Kewaunee. It was carrying ninety-two sacks of out-going mail. Since February 22, 1922 was George Washington's birthday, mail service was cancelled, however the net day the storm had started and mail service was again curtailed.

The last train reaching Algoma was the night prior to the 1922 storm. Snow and ice buried the tracks to such an extent that the railroad track clearing equipment was powerless. It was a herculean effort by every available man who worked with picks and shovels from Thursday into Monday to clear the tracks.

Several Slovan people were surprised on the Sunday following the storm when they walked to the track to see how the crew was doing cutting up the ice. Rather than watching, they were given shovels and picks to help dig. In all, 24 Slovan men, and two teams, helped and got to Casco Junction the next day, Monday. Reports were that all had sore backs. Green Bay was without railroad service for three days. Salesmen marooned in Algoma traveled to Luxemburg via sleighs, hoping to get on a train there. Algoma residents trying to return to the city were caught in Luxemburg where they remained for a few days.

Heavy snow and ice caused the warehouse behind Algoma Foundry and Machine Company to collapse. Although the loss was small because the contents were saved, the entire warehouse was torn down and rebuilt. Following the storm, Street Commissioner Kinnard spent days sanding the treacherous sidewalks. Walking was not safe.

A heavy load of snow and ice caused the cave-in at hardware and farm machinery merchant, Joseph Drossart & Sons’, machine shed. Numerous hay loaders, mows, and side delivery rakes were in the shed, but were not damaged. It took several men to accomplish the cleanup and repair the roof. The cave-in amounted to hundreds which was not covered by insurance.

The day following the worst of the storm, Thursday, February 25, 1922, the sun rose “bright and beautiful,” a scene hard to describe. Icy though things were, Kewaunee residents were out enjoying a fairyland. The Enterprise felt that those who did not see the beauty amid the destruction would probably not see anything like that for 50 years.

By St. Patrick’s Day 1922, the ice was breaking up and blockading along the Kewaunee River. Clyde Bridge was in danger of being swept away. A week later, ice in the Ahnapee River began breaking up when a huge ice jam formed against the 4^th Street Bridge, which was in danger of being lost. Dynamite was used to break the jam while men worked for an entire day to clear a passage in the river.

Newspaper reports in 1922 say the storm was the worst in the Fox Valley, Oshkosh, Appleton and Chilton, and those places suffered losses of over a million dollars. The City of Kewaunee was the hardest hit area in Kewaunee County. When the Enterprise said residents wouldn’t see a storm like that for 50 years, it was wrong. It took just two days short of one hundred years. When one hundred years marks a special occasion, cake and coffee are generally part of marking the anniversary. Not this time: it was cuss words.

Accessed on February 22, 2022, https://www.weather.gov says the storm of 1922 still stands out as Wisconsin’s worst ice storm. And, as Little Orphan Annie sings, "The sun'll come out tomorrow..."

Sources: Algoma Record Herald, Kewaunee Enterprise, https://www.weather.gov

From Newman to Bearcat: Ahnapee/Algoma and 4th & Navarino

 

Bearcat's No More- February 2022

When Andy LaFond left Algoma a dozen or so years ago, a long history of commercial fishing went with him. The fire at Bearcat’s during the summer of 2021, and the subsequent decision to close the store, was the demise of another long history. The fire at Bearcat’s was not the location’s first. In 1883, there was another conflagration, one that affected local business.

The fish in the river and in the lake were a food source for the first three settling families who arrived in the wildness – today’s  Algoma - in the week ending on July 4, 1851, just as the fish were for the Potawatomi people along the lakeshore for eons. Almost 170 years later, those who were not fisherfolk themselves knew where to get fresh fish. And that was in town.

Bearcat’s was a destination, and its closing affects the local economy. Its location is historic. Dating nearly to first settlement, the location had an economic prominence, which waxed and waned in all that time, but economic nonetheless.

A potash ash maker by trade, Jonathon Newman opened his potashery on the site that became Bearcat’s, the northwest corner of 4^th and Navarino in the Fiebrantz Plat, which appears to be Algoma’s smallest plat extending, from 4^th Street to the east side of 6^th Street, from the north side of Navarino to the river.

Newman’s potashery business and Hall’s lumber mills were the first industrial ventures in Wolf River, Algoma’s first name. Newman opened his potash factory in the late 1850s, however business was not very successful. By 1865, Michael Luckenbach had purchased the property, converting it to a tannery, although the potashery kettles remained for years and figured into the play of area kids. 

Two years later, in 1867, the Luckenbach-Melchoir Co. was running ads in the Enterprise although ownership records indicate the property was owned by Luckenbach, Melchoir, and Peter Anhauser. John Van Meverden, who had been employed by Luckenbach, bought half interest in the tannery, which was refitted it with new machinery. Van Meverdan and Luckenbach were co-owners until August 1873 when they dissolved their partnership. Van Meverdan became the tannery's sole owner.

The Record informed readership that Van Meverdan was turning out fine leather goods in addition to selling plastering hair, but then Van Meverdan's business caught fire in July 1883. Luckily, the firemen were able to extinguish the fire before the business was a total loss. Although the fire's origins were not clear, it was felt that coal and ashes falling into the liquid mixing vat was the cause. Insurance covered damages estimated to fall between $200 and $300, which translates to 7,000 to 8,000 dollars in 2022.

Meverden continued tannery operations until he closed and sold the property in April 1889. During the same year, city voters passed a bond issue in favor of relocating the Kelsey Fly Net Co.to the site. Prior to its relocation, George Kelsey, Sr. briefly operated on the second floor of the panel factory and in Marr’s Lace factory. Once again, the tannery was outfitted with new machinery, but this time for making flynets, which were made by fastening cords on a loom and tying the cords to make a net. The nets had dangling strings and when put on a horse, the nets shake and drive flies away.

Flynets

Kelsey wasn’t in business there for long and left the 4^th and Navarino site by 1895. After standing in disuse from then on, the building - the oldest of the city’s pioneer manufactories - was torn down by Frank Novak in February 1915. February 2022 saw Bearcat’s lot completely bare.

It was in 1939 that Cities Service distributor Henry G. Muench announced the construction of a gas station on the corner. It was operated by Leon Kashik. A year later, George Brey took over. Brey had the business until about 1965 when Ralph Scherer rented and operated the station until 1974. In 1987 Chuck and Cindy Bohman opened Toot’s Fish and Galley, which offered retail sales of fish, fish plates, sandwiches, and deli items. Norman and Rita Paul bought the property in 1990 when Mrs. Paul had an H & R Block office. Since Linda and Jerry Berkovitz purchased the property in 1996, Bearcat’s Fish Shop has been a fixture on the corner until the fire. Bill and Nicole Smith bought the shop in 2012 and owned it at the time of the fire.

For the first time in almost 170 years, one can no longer purchase fresh fish in Algoma. But one can no longer purchase potash, have leather tanned in town, or purchase Cities Service gas either. However, in the event you are building and want to do your own plastering, John Van Meverdan left his 1888 recipe for enough plaster to cover 100 sq. yards of wall: 8 bushels of lime, 16 bushels of sand, and 1 bushel of horsehair, but it might be hard to find that much horsehair!

Note: The surname Van Meverdan eventually became Meverden.

Sources: Ahnapee Record, Algoma Record Herald, An-An-api-sebe: Where is the River?, CommercialHistory of Algoma, Wisconsin, Vol. 1, Kewaunee Enterprise. The flynets are a portion of an oil painting and used with permission.

Ahnapee Baptist Church: Trouble Right Here in River City

 

Today’s Algoma is a faith-filled community, many identifying with one of the area church congregations. The community was Kewaunee County’s first permanently settled place during the week that ended on July 4, 1851. Early settlers’ religious needs were met by itinerant clergy known as circuit riders, and congregations organized quickly. In 1858 a Lutheran church was built on the north side of the river. Catholics organized the following year and built a church in 1863. A German Methodist Episcopal congregation was formed on the county line in 1861 while  Methodist church was built at 4^th and Fremont in 1863. In 1873, the Baptists had organized and were meeting on 3rd and Clark, By late 1874, it seemed - with the exception of the Episcopal church which had yet to be organized - they were all building.

Althought it was Abraham Hall who instigated the Baptist congregation, it was the blind preacher, Rev. George P. Guild, who did the organizing. The small congregation was made up with many of those credited with much of the community’s early history. The small congregation that disbanded in 1894 brought “trouble right here in river city.”

Trouble in Ahnapee’s fledgling Baptist church turned to scandal in May 1881 when the remaining congregation wanted financial reports following the departure of the minister. Where was all the money raised for the Union Church that was never built? Membership was unable to get satisfaction regarding finances before the first minister left. Distrust followed his successor, and depending on which story is to be believed, the congregation was on-again-off again for years until it finally disbanded in 1894. Animosity affected townsfolk whether they were members or not, and it remains unclear if the financial matters were ever sorted out.

Ahnapee’s Baptist congregation was organized in 1873 by Rev. George P. Guild who immediately led the efforts to build a church that stood at 3^rd and Clark Streets. Church women’s groups worked tirelessly over the years to raise funds through oyster suppers, maple syrup events, Christmas bazaars 4^th of July festivals and more.

Rev. J. Banta was serving the Methodists of Ahnapee and Carlton when Guild came to begin his Ahnapee ministry. In March 1974, Banta ran a logging bee on itinerant minister Hela Carpenter’s land to cut timber for the new Ahnapee Methodist church at 4^th and Fremont. The April 16, 1874 Record quoted the Milwaukee Christian Statesman’s interview of Rev. J. Banta who told about those in Ahnapee and Carlton crying for the love of God and forgiveness, desiring salvation. He told about the numbers baptized at both places, some who had been in habits of drunkenness and tippling. Banta said the Baptist brethren at Ahnapee were having good success under the leadership of Bro. George P. Guild, a blind pastor who was aided by his wife, laboring in the Lord to save the place. It sounded as if Ahnapee was a den of iniquity. The Catholics and Lutherans of the place were not mentioned, however those congregations were organized nearly 15 years earlier. Interesting as it is, the Methodist Rev. Carpenter filled in for Baptist pastors.  The adjacent picture post card from the blogger's collection predates the 1937 fire that destroyed the building, the once Baptit Church at the southwest corner of 4th and Fremont.

After a ministry of about five years, a May 1878 the Record noted Rev. Guild was in town visiting before leaving for his new home in Portage. Having resided in Ahnapee for about 5 years, the paper noted his accomplishments in building up the church to the point where it could sustain a pastor, an attraction for drawing a new pastor. Guild was wished well as he went on to serve as a general missionary in Wisconsin.

A year and a half later, October 1879, former Ahnapee pastor Rev. Guild led the Wisconsin State Baptist Anniversary at Fox Lake. Untiring efforts in Ahnapee were mentioned. The Standard, a religious paper, mentioned Rev. John Churchill of Ahnapee, who followed Guild, while saying there was no Baptist preacher between Ahnapee and Milwaukee. That paper said the poor people in the “new country” were without preaching for years. The paper told about Churchill’s trip in the northern part of the peninsula where he walked nine miles to and back for an appointment, the mention of which “touched the hearts” of the ”good sisters” who began raising funds for a horse for Churchill. At the close of the convention sermon, “Brother Churchill” was called forward and presented a cup filled with money for the purchase of a horse. Brother Churchill said he felt “his cup had runover.” By October 1879, the Baptists were meeting in a new building at the southwest corner of 4^th and Fremont, now the site of Algoma Public Library.

When Guild arrived in 1873, he found 9 Baptists from Ahnapee and one from Kewaunee. He baptized 27,  and 16 more joined by letter. Eighteen of them either left the church or died by the time Guild was leaving town. The first serious trouble came when remaining congregants wanted a financial report. But Guild left and members never got one.

Controversaries within the Baptist congregation exploded during 1881, when the Record published a letter, signed by one who called himself/herself “Justice,” taking issue at goings-on at the Baptist Church. The letter pointed to the blind preacher, and to accuse a blind preacher of corruption within the church was something few would do. The facts – at least as they were known to be by author of a letter to the editor - were carefully laid out in a series of missives. The paper called the affair a “confidence game.”

Justice’s information came from a trustee and one who served on the building committee of the “Union Church.” The church was called a failure although the trustee disputed “failure.” In the year 1862-63 Presbyterian Elder Donaldson periodically preached in the schoolhouse. Ten years later the Baptist edifice was built. Area population was small, times were hard, money was scarce, and because there were a few Presbyterians, a few Methodists and a few Baptists, the proposition was made to build a Union church. Within a half hour, enough money was raised to build a church estimated to cost from $800 to $1000.

In mid-May 1881, Baptist Church treasurer William Hilton wrote a letter to Mr. Barnes, editor of the Record, disputing what he called a malicious letter from “Justice.” However, Hilton did write about the "hypocrite preacher who prays and takes opportunities to pick pockets." He called the preacher a sneak thief and said the Sunday school was better before.

Hilton pointed out the scarceness of money and the decision to build a Union Church for Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, but said the Methodists cancelled their representation in the Union Church and wanted to abandon the idea when W. B. Selleck said he would donate a site to the Methodists and personally pay what could not be raised to build. The Union Church organizing ended and subscription papers were burned.

Hilton said the monies raised had gone into the minister’s pocket and there was no accountability. Hilton said he did not care how the pastor spent his own money, although charged him with immorality and dishonesty which was an “open secret” in Ahnapee. The preacher left when there were only 8 active members left, going on to cause more trouble, and Hilton felt there was “honor among thieves” as a “Christian virtue.”

Hilton also claimed Guild failed to keep records. He said Guild never built a church and that folks were dissatisfied because he had no energy. Guild was said to build a house with some of the money, and when Hilton accused him of stealing church money, there was no denial. Hilton questioned money he was owed by Guild who said Hilton’s money got credited to A. Hall & Co.

Guild left and was replaced by Rev. Churchill. In April 1881, it became known that Rev. Churchill was resigning as pastor of the Baptist church although some wanted to retain him as an evangelist. The Guild accounting spilled over to Churchill and there were questions in the congregation, such as who would control the church and whether divine services would continue in the building. Churchill was engaged for another 6 months and at the first evening service following the re-engagement, he gave his reasons for staying while he had fully intended to leave. He said he remained not to cause discord, but because he had agreed to stay for a specified sum and felt it was wrong not to accept the call.

By mid-1881, Abraham Hall's brother Simon Hall got into the act, casting slurs on the character of “Public Sentiment,” another of the writers to the paper. Editor Barnes took issue with Mr. Hall waging war on a private individual who wrote on behalf of an outraged community. Barnes said the paper wanted to be “counted out” in the private warfare among citizens and continued saying that every communication in support of the preacher “simply adds another nail to his coffin.” The paper went on saying, “Truth is mighty and will prevail, therefore if he is innocent the fact will be established in due time and his friends need not tear their hair on that account." Barnes said the paper was not prejudiced in the matter but did have the welfare of the community at heart thus would always labor for protection of the right and suppression of the wrong.

Hall said the former pastor elevated the moral and religious standing in the community. Hall questioned the credibility of Public Sentiment while hoping Editor Barnes would not throw his letter in the waste basket. Hall said he was not a member of the church and had no religious ties with it.

Public Sentiment said $8,000 was raised for a new church although Hall declared he got copies of the subscriptions and a total of 34 people donated $1,238.75, but not all in cash. The balance was paid in material and labor, but what is the value of that, he asked? Hall understood the Ladies’ Christian Association contributed a large amount, making the total about $1500. He felt it was the untiring work of the ladies and the perseverance of the blind preacher that built the church. According to Hall, the church was built under disadvantages when contributions of labor and material could not be obtained when wanted. There was no competent master mechanic to direct the labor, therefore parts of the interior were torn down and rebuilt. A lack of funds, labor and materials called for the necessity of building paper, also called tar paper. Hall said the church was built piecemeal and went on to list expenses and sources of payment. The Methodist, Episcopal and Lutheran churches were built with the same kind of contributions, many in contributions of material or labor. Costs were excessive for the Baptist church, but it was the swindling. When Guild left, the congregation gave him a recommendation. Nobody questioned anything until he left town.

Hall called attention to more than blindness, saying Mr. Guild had an invalid family to support while his health was in decline. He thought the preacher had more friends after the “tide of calumny” than before, however if there were charges, they needed to be brought forth and dealt with. They were wounding an already inflicted man.

Early in May 1881. Rev. John Churchill had served the Baptist church for three years when he said he was giving his last sermon. The large crowd paid close attention, rather than the usual whispering of the young, which said the Record, was ill-breeding and bad manners. Churchill’s text concerning every man’s work was taken from 1st Corinthians.

Churchill discussed responsibilities of a minister and his flock, pointing out that every minister’s work would stand the test of time set forth in scripture. He acknowledged his resignation because of the differences in opinion on the transactions connected to building the church. It was impossible for a divided church to be successful. Christian churches owe fairness to their sister churches and when he became pastor, he was given to understand there were 45 members with a church that cost $4000, but he couldn’t see where the money was spent. That the church was misrepresented was unfair to him. The congregation felt it could not raise money to keep the pastor on, but they hoped he could serve other denominations.

When a May 26, 1881 letter to the editor was written, its author questioned the information from the preacher saying only 34 of the 800 English speakers in Ahnapee and the area contributed toward the building. The church itself had 53 members when the pastor left, prompting the possibility of over one-third of the members not contributing anything. It kept going. Churchilll lacked information.

The letter’s author claimed to have a list of over 200 who donated, some several times, though he knew his list was incomplete. The author said the preacher (Guild) failed to keep records while doing the collecting and spending himself. While Guild – referred to as Simple Simon – said he collected $193 in cash, the author had concrete evidence that at least $1300 was donated, however it was felt the total was more like $1800-2000. It was shown that the church was $500 in debt while pointing out that vouchers, treasurer’s reports, and so on had disappeared. Contention was that the fraud bilked other churches out of money because those of other faiths charitably offered monetary assistance for the Union church.

The letter writer identified himself as “Public Sentiment,” reflecting the outraged and swindled public who had the “right to ventilate the rascalities of a dishonest, lecherous old fraud” who pretended to fulfill the gospel. Furthermore, “Under the guise of his sacred calling, he has swindled men out of their money under the pretenses of building a church, and entered the homes of our people and insulted unsuspecting women.”

Public Sentiment said the public press was right to expose the duplicity of the minister – a public man – who set himself up as a teacher of morality and religion, and thus thought he was excused from accountability or criticism. The minister countered with his integrity being questioned until he left Ahnapee.

It was said there were substantiated charges in Milwaukee as well, however they were suppressed because of politics. Public Sentiment felt the Guild left Ahnapee because he couldn’t steal anymore and that it was getting “too hot” for him.

While money was raised in every conceivable way, Public Sentiment felt the exact cost of the Baptist Church would probably never be told. When “Simple Simon” left, the church was not finished and the “discordant and unharmonious” membership was left with a $500 mortgage and a floating debt of $200.

The Guild animosity kept on going and nearly spilled into the Enterprise which made it known in June 1881 that it received a letter about the “Baptist muddle” in Ahnapee but would not publish it.

Rev. Churchill seemed caught in the middle and, no doubt, had it when he gave his second farewell address in mid-July 1881. Churchhill again based his remarks on Corinthians - this time 2nd - the 14^th verse of Chapter 13. The paper said though the remarks were brief, they were well chosen and commanded strict attention. It went on to say he was leaving in a spirit of good-will and would probably permanently settle in Iowa after a stint in Sheboygan. Those sorry to see him leave Ahnapee felt at least he would no longer be venomously attacked as the target of unscrupulous acts.

By 1894, the congregation had disbanded and its building sold to Hanford Hall who turned it into a hotel known as the Dormer House. For a time, it was used as a furniture store before becoming Door-Kewaunee Normal School. The building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt. In 1972, the building was sold to the City of Algoma and is currently used as Algoma Public Library and city offices including the police department.

1950s postcard of Door Kewaunee County College; now Algoma's municipal offices' center

Sources: Ahnapee Record, An-An-api-sebe: Where is the River?, Commercial History of Algoma, WI, Vol. 1, Kewaunee Enterprise. Postcards are in the blogger's collection.