This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website

 

Rough and Ready Dam

and

Power House

 

1840s

   Watertown Daily Times, 06 12 1976

 

In the 1840's an earthen and timber dam was constructed directly above Tivoli (formerly Concordia) Island by Joseph and Calvin Boughton. The power was used to run a saw mill on the east side of the river and a grain mill on the west side.  A wall was built from the dam to the island to create a mill race around the island. In decades following construction of the dam, city maps show the island enlarged and developed a peninsula extending to the dam. These changes were caused by silt from the river building up along the wall and along the island's shorelines.

 

1858

   Watertown Democrat, 07 15 1858

 

07 15       The Dam on Rock River just above the Rough and Ready mill has been rebuilt, and the will itself is being repaired and will soon be in running order.  As this is one of the best flouring establishments in the State, we are glad to learn that its enterprising proprietors, L. A. Cole & Co., are determined to keep it in operation.  They have a fine water power and it is not often that the floods interrupt its use.   WD

08 12       Milwaukee Wisconsin newspaper article   WD

 

 

1905

   Watertown Daily Times, 05 31 1905

 

Last Saturday the senate at Madison passed favorably upon the bill allowing the raising of the so called Rough & Ready Dam in the city of Watertown.  Much opposition was offered to the original bill by those residing in the vicinity of the dam.

 

The bill as passed and amended carried with it the provisions that the approaches to Oconomowoc Avenue bridge must be kept passable and that the sum of $500 shall be paid to the city by the Watertown Gas Electric Company to assist in building the new bridge at this point at any time. It is also claimed that under provisions of the bill the Gas Company will have power to condemn the land, as it is a corporation furnishing light to the city.

 

The height of the present dam is 8 1/2 feet and it is proposed to raise it three feet.  Sluiceways will be provided so that the water in the river will not be allowed to go higher than it has been this year.

1905

Watertown Daily Times, 06 18 1905

 

The bill allowing the raising of the Rough & Ready Dam, owned by the Watertown Gas and Electric Company, which passed the senate recently, was refused concurrence by the assembly. The bill was successfully fought by adjacent owners of property whose lands might be flooded. They were represented by attorney John G. Conway. Both sides had a hearing before the senate and judiciary committee of the legislature. The amended bill was acceptable to the city council, but not to the owners of land near the dam. Another measure for the construction by the company at the Boomer site was withdrawn because of the strong opposition.

1905

Watertown Daily Times, 06 27 1905

 

All members of the city council were present at the adjourned meeting of that body Wednesday evening.  The following communication was read and placed on file:

 

Gentlemen: It has come to our knowledge that statements have been made at a meeting of your body indicating and insinuating that the influence of the common council of the city of Watertown has been sold out in favor of certain proposed legislation in regard to the Rough & Ready water power in this city. Said charges reflecting upon the honor and integrity of the members of the council and upon the standing of our company and the members thereof, we respectfully request that a full investigation of such charges be ordered to determine the facts and place the responsibility for the circulation of such reports.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Watertown Gas and Electric Co.,

W. C. Stone. President

1905

Watertown Daily Times, 06 28 1905

 

All members of the city council were present at the adjourned meeting of that body Wednesday evening.

 

Ald. Lehmann introduced the following resolution, which passed unanimously:

 

WHEREAS, Charges have been made that the mayor and the common council of the city of Watertown has sold out to the Watertown Gas and Electric company in the matter of the raising of the Rough & Ready Dam and

 

WHEREAS, The mayor and common council are also accused of appearing before the legislature at Madison for the purpose of forcing the passage of the bill for raising said dam: be it

 

RESOLVED, That the mayor appoint a committee of three aldermen to investigate the matter and try to trace the origin of said charges and report its findings to this council as soon as possible for further action.

 

The mayor appointed Ald, Kessler, Lehmann and Ryan as such committee.

 

1905

Watertown Daily Times, 08 01 1905

 

At a special meeting of the common council held at the city hall Thursday evening, a resolution was adopted demanding that Dr. A. Hartwig should retract in writing the statements it is claimed he made last winter assailing the integrity and honesty of the members of the common council, and was given thirty days in which to file such retraction with the city clerk, and should he fail to file such retraction within the time specified in the resolution, charges would be preferred against him as a member of the council.

 

President: It is alleged, that statements were made during the last session of the legislature when a certain dam bill, (with which the people here are familiar) was under consideration and was to the effect that the council sold out to the Electric Light and Gas Company for the sum of $500.00.

 

The writer knows nothing of the controversy, but has learned that the company offered to give the city the sum of $500.00 in case the bill passed and the dam was built to repair a certain bridge which would be damaged to some extent by raising the water in the river ... If the doctor made the statements as alleged and they were untrue, he should make the amend honorable. If he did not make such statements as alleged, he should stand pat and demand that the common council adopt a resolution exonerating him from the charge as set forth in the resolution adopted Thursday night.

1905

Watertown Daily Times, 12 06 1905

 

The common council of this city sitting as a committee of the whole on Friday last on the case of alderman A. H. Hartwig, charged with saying that he had heard members of the last legislature say that the council of this city had sold out by exacting the sum of $550 to be paid to the city of Watertown Electric Co. in the event that the bill for raising the Rough and Ready dam passed the legislature, found him guilty, and suspended Alderman Hartwig for 60 days.

 

1905

Watertown Daily Times,12 23 1905

 

At the regular meeting of the common council held Tuesday evening at the council chamber, the following demand which had been filed with City Clerk Frank S. Weber was presented, read and referred to the grievance committee consisting of Alderman L. A. Knick, John P. Humphrey, and M. J. Burke:

 

The undersigned, Adolph Hartwig, the newly elected alderman of the Second ward in the city of Watertown hereby demands that said common council at its meeting to be held on this 19th day of December A.D. 1905 rescind its actions whereby it attempted to suspend the undersigned from office as such alderman and repeal the resolution passed by it to that effect and demand that the mayor and said common council recognized him, as such alderman and that the city clerk place the name of the undersigned upon the role of said common council and call such name at the meetings of said council.

 

ADOLPH HARTWIG, Alderman second ward, City of Watertown, Wis.

 

1907

 

1907

 

In 1907 a new concrete electrical dam was constructed just down stream from the old earthen and timber dam. The older still remains but is submerged in the pond of the new dam. The "Rough and Ready Dam," as the structure came to be called, produced power for the electric railway that ran from Watertown to Milwaukee.

 

1907

   Watertown Daily Times, 03 23 1907

 

The question of the proposed raising of the Rough and Ready dam was broached [at the council meeting Monday night] in the introduction of a resolution by Alderman Lutovsky which was to the effect that the bill to raise the dam from 8 1/2 to 11 1/2 feet would be a detriment to the city and would involve an additional expense in the construction of the proposed new bridge and approaches, and would also flood certain streets. It was also embodied in the resolution that in view of the fact that there is to be a hearing at Madison in the near future that a copy of the resolution be sent to the committee at Madison. It voiced the opposition of the council to the bill, setting forth that the Gas and Electric Company had not considered the interests of the city in the matter; also providing that the city attorney appear in opposition to the bill.

 

The resolution was unanimously adopted. It seems that it is a move to show that the city “stands its hand” and intends to stay in the game. It is understood that the hearing which was to have been had at Madison tomorrow (Thursday) has been postponed till some time next month.

 

1996

   Watertown Daily Times, 07 22 1996

 

A sheriff's sale for the Watertown Upper Dam has been canceled, according to an attorney representing the mortgage holder, Bank One of Beaver Dam. Eric L. Becker of the law firm Quincey, Becker & Schuessler of Beaver Dam said the owner of the dam, R&R Hydro Inc. and Elaine R. Hitchcock, received a stay of proceedings from the United States Bankruptcy Court, Western District, in Madison. The firm has filed for Chapter 11 reorganization with the bankruptcy court. As a result, the sheriff's sale for the upper dam scheduled for July 31 has been canceled.

 

 

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      1904 1912 1918 1930s

 

 

 

 

Cross-References:

No 1:  Julius Benkendorf, interest in Rough and Ready Flouring Mill

No 2:  J. H. (Heber) Smith, connected with Rough and Ready dam and milling operations

No 3:  Nicholas Bickner employee (mill)