website watertownhistory.org
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
c.1900 click to enlarge
Cross Reference:
11 12 1863: Doering & Heins. Fire.
The flouring mill in this city belonging to Doering & Heins was completely destroyed by fire about two o’clock
last Saturday morning. The origin of the
fire is not known. The loss is near
$4,000, on which there was an insurance of $2,200 in the Aetna of
Hartford. The foundry of Messrs. J. A.
& O. Hall was nearby and had a narrow escape. The efforts of citizens, however, saved it,
though materially injured. Engine Co.
No. 1 was on hand and did all in their power to save the exposed property. WD
1900
KOENIG MILL
click to enlarge
12 07 FILL OUT PORTION OF MILL RACE
Last
week an argument was entered into between the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railway company on the one side, and R. P. Koenig &Co. and the E. Kunert Manufacturing company on the other side, whereby the
privilege is extended to the former and the latter parties to fill out that
portion of the east side mill race extending from Milwaukee street bridge north
to the old Bennett machine shops plant.
This privilege, we are informed by the railway company’s attorney,
Harlow Pease, will not cost the company one cent, the local institutions
controlling the water rights in the race agreeing to the conditions specified
without any consideration, except that the railway company shall furnish the
material for filling up and perform the work. WG
12 14 FILL OUT PORTION OF MILL RACE
The Watertown Republican appears to be
greatly grieved because the mayor and common council of this city acted wisely
in settling the "mill race matter," and, as it says, "this is an
old affair and there is not much-needed discussing it further," as it has
been fully discussed in the city papers – still it might be well for us to
inform the Republican that the Gazette editor has taken a private poll
of our citizens on the question and knows whereof he speaks. "The exact figures," as called for
by the Republican of the poll taken
by us, are: Two opposed to the
settlement of the mill race matter, and the rest of our citizens in favor of
it. WG
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
c.1903
-- -- DISTANT
VIEW OF
The Koenig Mill across Rock river. Later the location of the Jaeger Mill and then
of the Watertown Senior and Community Center.
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
c.1910
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
2001
08 31 Construction on the
$1.3 million expansion at the Watertown Senior and
Community Center is temporarily delayed.
After a few days into construction, workers began uncovering old
foundations, thought to be a remainder of the Jaeger Mill Co. or the R.P. Koening and Co., a flour mill that used to occupy the
site. A black substance, indefinable,
also surfaced. WDT
Cross References:
Koenig Mill became Jaeger Mill
Globe Mill, chapter on
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin