website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Watertown Advancement Assn
1899
03 153 A business men's association is a
positive necessity to the welfare of any community, as it is to the business
men of a city. People naturally turn for
the necessary encouragement towards the establishment of manufacturing
industries or public improvements.
Without a business men's organization, therefore, there is no nucleus
from which to organize action, and the very unsatisfactory method of seeking
personal interviews is the only channel by which it is possible to even make an
effort. Business men are the life of
every community, and they are the first ones called upon when there is any
effort to be made of a public or charitable character. WR
1900
01 23 Steps toward what is honestly hoped
may be a new era of business activity for Watertown were taken at a mass
meeting of citizens held at the city hall last Wednesday evening, in the
preliminary organization of the Watertown Advancement Association . There was a
large attendance and much interest was shown in the movement.
01 30 The adjourned meeting of the
Advancement Association was held last Wednesday evening with a large
attendance, nearly 100 representative citizens being present. The committee on
organization made its report, in which was submitted the constitution and
by-laws, the same being unanimously adopted after the formality of securing a
list of members had been gone through with. Thereupon the officers chosen at
the initial meeting were re-elected in order to comply with the by-laws. A
regular meeting was appointed to be held on the last Monday evening of each
month. WR
03 06 Articles of incorporation of the
Watertown Advancement Association have been taken out with the register of
deeds and will soon also be filed with the secretary of state. The organization is without capital
stock. This action was taken in order to
give the association a legal status, so that the plan of work mapped out by the
board of directors might be proceeded with.
As is quite generally known, the association is to make an effort to
secure the location in this city of a well-known manufacturing
establishment. To succeed in this
effort, about $10,000 in cash will be needed.
WR
09 14 There is little room to doubt that Watertown
has taken a stride far in advance of what was anticipated a year ago and there
is every reason to hope that an increase in population and material property
will have a far different addition in another decade. The I. L. Henry company paper-box factory is
an accomplished fact, and when completed will be the finest and best equipped
of the kind in the northwest. C. F. Hunzicker is here from Michigan and is seeking a location
for the establishing of a baby carriage factory. We now understand there is a project on foot
to erect within the next twelve months a first-class hotel building with all
the modern improvements, which will be commodious enough to accommodate, with
the present facilities, the large number of strangers coming here to attend conventions
and other attractions. As one enterprise
begets another, our Advancement Association will undoubtedly have its hands
full, and should be given all the aid possible in the good work. WG
1903 Founding of
[?]
1904
1905
07 26 Now that the bond question has
been settled and the financial cloud lifted that the sun of prosperity may
shine upon the city, it is time that the Advancement Association of Watertown
should get busy and begin systematic and active work for the industrial
advancement of the city. There are many
manufacturing industries looking for advantageous localities in which to locate
their factories. But few cities in the
country have more inducements to offer than Watertown. It possesses railroad facilities that make it
a desirable point, there is a splendid water power and a volume of water sufficient
to furnish the motive power for many mills and factories; there is an abundance
of labor and the taxes are low, the people being conservative in their
municipal expenditures. Now is the time
to reach out for industries and it can be drawn to the best advantage by the
association which should move in the matter at the earliest possible moment.
1906
1906, Village Blacksmith solicited
1908
1908, Role in interurban to Watertown
1908, Role in relocating Wells Shoe Co
1909
01 08 Banquet at which matters of general
interest to the city will be discussed and means taken to still further advance
city WG
01 15 Banquet honoring John I. Beggs,
president of the Milwaukee Heat, Light and Traction Co. WG
01 29 Since founding, about $32,000 contributed
by business men toward establishing and encouraging factories to locate WG
09 03 Herman Werthheimer,
recognition of WG
1910
09 02 Milwaukee Merchants in City
About 100 hundred members of the
Milwaukee Merchant's Association were in the city and while here took dinner at
the New Commercial Hotel. They were met at the depot by Mayor Grube and members of the Watertown Advancement
Association. They are on their annual excursion
through Wisconsin. They left to attend
the firemen's annual picnic at Waterloo.
WG
1911 A Large Booster Meeting
03 09 Last Monday
evening the city hall was packed with people at the "Booster meeting"
and many were unable to gain admittance.
Among the audience were many ladies.
Herman Wertheimer, president of
the Watertown Advancement Association presided.
Mayor Herman Grube was the first speaker. He said that every citizen should unite to
advance the interests of the city, and paid special stress on calling on the
younger element to take more of an interest in city affairs and not leave all
the work of "boosting" the city to the older citizens. Hon Wm. F. Voss, F. A. Hoffmann, J. A.
McAdams, C. A. Kading, Edw. F. Wieman,
N. Thauer, Rev. M. L. Eversz,
W. D. Sproesser, John G. Conway, O. C. Hahn, Gustav Buchheit and Wm. H. Woodard also delivered brief addresses,
and all were unanimous in advocating the "boosting" of every move
that might tend to advance the business interests of the city.
A motion that a vote of
confidence be recorded in the present officers of the Watertown Advancement Association and that they be re-elected was
carried amid much enthusiasm. The
present officers are:
President—Herman Wertheimer
Vice president—J. W. Moore
Secretary—W. H. Woodard
Treasurer—Edward L. Schempf
Directors—S. Molzahn,
Ferd. A. Schmutzler, Henry Mulberger, Max Kusel, Fred Keck,
Eugene Meyer, F. A. Hoffmann, H. G. Grube.
A committee of five was appointed
to report at a future meeting, committees to look after the various interests
of the city and a board of directors, the committees being made up of Rev. M.
L. Eversz, Mayor H. G. Grube,
Hon. Wm. F. Voss, F. A. Hoffmann and C. D. Wiggenhorn.
One of the most important things
brought out at the meeting was the calling attention of those present by Mr.
Conway to the fact that there was a state law that the southern end of the
county was profiting by — that country roads leading into the cities could be
improved partly at county and state expense — whilst the people of this city
failed to take advantage of it.
Mr. Conway also advocated that a
public playground be provided in every ward in the city for children — a place
where they could go and play and not be obliged to play on the public streets,
as is now the case.
This is a matter that should be
taken up at once by our city, and deserves the encouragement of every
citizen. WG
11 02 New Factory for Watertown
The Watertown Advancement
Association has about closed the deal for the locating of a new factory here
that will employ on the start about 50 skilled mechanics. It will take about $10,000 to purchase the
site and put up a suitable building, the subscriptions towards which will be
all paid back in five years. The factory
will manufacture machine specialties, etc.
The site on which the factory will be located is the Schlueter
property just south of the St. Paul depot.
WG
Cross References:
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin