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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Reminiscences of Ernest M. Wood
1921
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Nov 13, 2013, 3:05 PM |
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“Hier werden zaehne ausgezogen; geschroepft, und zuer
Oder gelassen.”
(Here will teeth be pulled; cupping, and blood letting)
Such was the sign over the entrance of Werner’s barber shop which stood in the middle of Rock River on the north side of Main Street bridge in 1860.
In addition to his skill in the practice of medical science Mr. Werner was a skilled barber, a manufacturer of wigs, and most beautifully wrought woven hair work; and he operated the only public bath apparatus in the whole city.
I call it an apparatus because it consisted of a cage about 12-foot square which could be lowered into Rock river to any depth which the bather desired and really was a practical device for the benefit of the great body of migrating citizens who seldom took advantage of the bath room. And yet it is perhaps amazing to think that in the whole city there were no bath tubs until many years later. One of the citizens still living who was a pupil of this institution is Frank Trzscinski [Trzcinski] who continues the making of wigs and weaving of hair, on the corner of Main and Third Street at the present time [1921].
It seems strange that at this period of time it was necessary or even desirable to put buildings along BOTH sides of the bridge. The north side buildings housed the store where the late William Sproesser learned the jewelry trade under the tutorship of his father, Gambel’s saloon, Werner’s barbershop, a candy store, and a milliner’s shop; on the east was Kniesel’s butcher shop; south side of the bridge in the edge of the water, next to Tim Moore’s candy store, was Mrs. Heep’s milliner shop; in the middle of the river F.P. Brook’s confectionary, and at the east edge of the river Jos. Salick’s jewelry store.
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When Richmond was taken in 1865 the late Mrs. Martha
Weisert (nee Lester) was an apprentice in Mrs. Heep’s store and made rosettes
out of red, white and blue ribbon for the boys to wear for the celebration of
the event;--the writer still has remnants of the rosette which he wore at that
time.
The little back room of Peter Brook’s confectionary
store grew into a sort of open forum for the informal discussion of current
events, ancient and modern history, politics, and some gossip. Many
of the bright lights of the little city;--business and professional men and
regular hangers on congregated here on winter evenings and while they sat
around the warm cheerful fire, consuming quantities of apples, peanuts, or
sweet cider, they would enter into discussions or arguments which many times
proved very interesting. One evening a certain subject was under discussion
until its merits and demerits had become exhausted and no one was satisfied
with their conclusions, so in order to settle the controversy the assembled
company agreed to refer the subject to Horace Greeley, editor of the New York
Tribune, for his decision.
Accordingly, Mr. Brook wrote to Mr. Greeley explaining
the situation and asking the favor of a reply. In due course of time a reply
came from Mr. Greeley, presumably explaining his views on the subject in
question, but no one who ever looked at that letter could make head or tail out
of it. It was undoubtedly in Mr. Greeley’s handwriting and likely a very
courteous reply, but his decision was undecipherable. Mr. Brook had the letter
framed and kept it on exhibition as long as he remained in business.
Derived from "Reminiscences of Ernest Wood" published in 1921
Mr. J.B. Van Alstine kept a
hotel on the northeast corner of Main and First streets called the “Exchange.”
In this modest appearing building was rendered the very best service that a
practical caterer could supply.
At meal
time it was the custom of the proprietor to pace back and forth in front of the
hotel ringing a large dinner bell to call the people in. He invariably wore a
tall silk hat and usually walked with a cane. The sidewalk was paved with brick
and the constant travel over it, in time, wore the bricks down to a third of
their original thickness.
Mr. Van
Alstine’s exacting disposition and strict honesty made every detail of his
caravansary a joy and comfort to the traveling public. This same disposition
would brook no deceit or dishonest practices on the part of others.
The bread
for his table was made from the best winter wheat flour and was purchased in
five or ten barrel lots. On one occasion he ordered a supply from the miller
who made, but just at this time no winter wheat was on hand, so the miller sent
in its place a first class flour made of Spring wheat, and “Van” used it up
without knowing the difference until the bill came in for payment, when the
lower price of the Spring wheat flour called his attention to the fact that he
had not been supplied with the kind of flour he had ordered; it made him so angry
that he nearly threw the miller out of the house and ceased to patronize him
thereafter.
On another
occasion a man sold him a load of firewood and was piling it up in the yard to
be paid for by the cord—128 cubic feet. Mr. Van Alstine was watching him
through a window. The man laid the sticks of cordwood in such a manner that
there were many holes in the pile which made the quantity appear much larger
than it really was. When the job was finished Mr. Van Alstine went out and
furiously asked the man “How many of those holes in that woodpile it would take
to cook a man’s breakfast,” and further added, “I’ll give you just 15 minutes
to get that load on your wagon and out of this yard, or you’ll have some
assistance in getting out.” The man went out in the allotted time.
William
Chappel, a constant boarder at the “Exchange,” was something of an epicure,
also a Yankee and fond of baked beans. This, however, was a dish which was not
served at the “Exchange” tables, but “Bill”, as he was familiarly called, got
into the good graces of Mrs. Van Alstine and she told him if he would get
someone to cook the beans that she would have them served, as she never had
cooked beans and wouldn’t try at her time of life. So “Bill” went out and
bought a peck of beans, had them picked over by the dining room girls, and sent
them to a bakery to be put to soak, then the pork and seasoning to be added and
put into the old fashioned brick oven the last thing at night to be baked.
“Bill” was
there in the morning to get the beans; they had swollen to over a bushel in
bulk so he got a boy with a wheelbarrow to take them to the hotel kitchen. Mrs.
Van Alstine held up her hands in horror and says “What will we ever do with all
these beans, Mr. Chappel?”
Of course
Chappel knew he could not eat all that mass of beans, but being a lawyer and
quick witted he answered “O, put them on the tables, the rest of the guests
will like them.”
Mrs. Van
Alstine did so, and was not only relieved but amazed at the rapacity of her
guests for those beans. In two days time they were all gone, and in a few more
days the guests were inquiring for more beans, but neither Mr. Chappel or Mrs.
Van Alstine attempted it again.
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Wood, Ernest M |
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Wood, Ernest M |
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Wood, Ernest M |
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Wood, Ernest M |
History of Watertown, Wisconsin