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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

Koenig and Co.

514 S First

Koenig Mill, center; destroyed by fire c 1922

C M & St P Railroad Bridge, Original, c1898, south of Milwaukee St, looking north WHS_005_104

Portion of image# KR031 of the society’s Kreitzman collection:

Taken from the west bank of the river looking east, former Koenig Mill,

later Jaeger; today the Watertown Senior and Community Center. Image dates to 1903.

1902

01 31 A burglar entered the Koenig mill office in First Street last Wednesday night, bored a hole in the safe, then blew it open with powder, and secured for his trouble $3.04. He also entered the steam laundry office in the same street, the safe which was open, but the money drawer therein was broken open and $1 in small change taken. At about 9 o'clock the same evening the Jahnke Creamery office was also visited evidently by the same party. Mr. Jahnke goes to the creamery every evening about 9 o'clock to look the plant over, and on the above evening on entering his office at that hour found a well dressed stranger therein, who wheeled on him and flashed a revolver in his face, telling him to open the safe. Mr. Jahnke flew out the door, began calling for help, and the fellow escaped without trying to molest Mr. Jahnke or seeking further to carry on his work. Had he not been discovered at that time, he no doubt would have visited other places in the city during the night. A good description has been given to the police of the fellow, and hopes are entertained about arresting him. WG

1905

10 18 Quite extensive improvements are in progress at the flouring mill of the R. P. Koenig & Co., on S. First Street. A concrete flume, 140 feet in length, is being constructed to replace the old flume which is going to decay. A box flume is being constructed to convey water to the A. R. Wien's Brush factory. The improvements indicate that the Koenig Co. and the Brush factory are prospering.

1909

04 02 Koenig & Co. Win Case. In the county court at Jefferson last Friday R. P. Koenig & Co. won their case against the A. R. Wiens Co. and were awarded damages of $98.16. Repairs were made in the mill race on the east side and Koenig & Co. claimed the defendants should pay a certain percentage of the costs. Otto C. Hahn appeared for the plaintiffs and Kading & Kading for defendants. WG

1911

09 21 R. P. Koenig and Co. Ask Injunction

Rudolph Koenig and George Koenig, owners of a water power right at Watertown, on Rock River, filed in the supreme court at Madison last week an injunction suit, attacking the Husting-Krumery law for state control of water powers, passed by the last legislature, asking the supreme court to declare it unconstitutional and granting restraining orders against state officials who are preparing to enforce it.

The suit is based on the terms of the ordinance of 1748, by which the state of Virginia ceded the North West Territory to the United States, on condition that it be divided into “sovereign states.” The theory of riparian control of water power is upheld, it being asserted that the “state of Wisconsin never had any proprietary interest in any of said lands.”

The plaintiffs acquired the right to the use of water power through a grant made by the legislature in 1839, under the provisions of which a dam was erected. The power thus generated is used to operate a flour mill . . . It is on this theory – the doctrine that all riparian rights go with possession of the land – that the suit is based, and the water power interest will make a hard fight to have this doctrine established as part of the law of the state, as against the theory that the title of all water power resources vests in the people, the theory announced in the Husting-Krumery bill. WG

Cross Reference:

Koenig Mill became Jaeger Mill

Globe Mill, chapter on