Milk... Medicine for Hard Times PIPERS
Centennial Edition
The Wisconsin State Journal
Pag* Seven
Milk... Medicine for Hard Times By RALPH E. AMMON Director, State Dept. ol Agriculture
F
ARMING in the area new known as Dane county had its beginning at a mining camp. It was started, in a small way, by Ebenezer Brigham, who became the first permanent settler in Dane county when, in 1828, he emigrated to a site northeast of Blue Mounds to mine lead. All of what is now Wisconsin was then Michigan territory. Agriculture was incidental to Brig-
ham's plans and his fields covered but a small area near his house. Although the first permanent settler was attracted by the promise of riches in lead, Dane county's development has been on an agricultural basis virtually from the beginning. V/heat raising, accomplished with little capital other than a yoke of oxen and a breaking plow, caught the fancy of the stale's first farmers. It gained tremendous impetus even with market prices that were very low, one outstanding reason being that it furnished flour for the home.
OR a time wheat prices shot up from a low of 31"cents to $1.70 a bushel and more Dane county lands were broken up for wheat. This was during the Crimean war period. A lapse in prices ensued at the close of the war and the profit dropped out of wheat raising. Then came the Civil war, with its stimulus to prices, and again wheat farming gained momentum. While our northern armies were penetrating deep into the south, determined to end the war, a new type of enemy originating in the south was assiduously at work, in 1864, changing the course of Wisconsin agriculture by destroying the stale's grain and corn. Chinch-bugs—billions of them — overran agricultural Wisconsin, ruining wheat and corn crops.
F
I I |HE chinch-bug scourge awakened Wisconsin farmers to the fact that a more.diversified type riculture would have to be tried irony profit was to remain in farming. In southern Dane county, for example, hop culture was attempted for a period following the Civil war. The production of tobacco increased greatly and in 1870 Dane county raised 229,568 pounds. By 1875, says a re-
1,
Ebenezer Brigham
PIPER HOTEL CO.
"Conspicuous on Dane county landscapes today . . ." port of the secretary of state, 3,296 acres were planted to tobacco in Wisconsin, of which Dane county had 1,454 acres and Rock, 1,676. Evei with lessened demand and lower prices wool raising, started because of the absence of cotton, continued for a long time after the Civil war. These were not the chief interests of
Wisconsin farmers, however. While Wisconsin for many years remained a grain growing stale, through force of habit even after wheat raising had failed to prove remunerative, farmers were discovering that they could succeed by raising stock.
Tied to a cow', Dane county rides to riches
AIRYING began to be the remedy for hard times. True, by 1870 swine raising also became important, and, with the raising of corn has since been a good source of income to Dane county farmers. But dairying
PIPERS
1892
D
(Continued on Page 9)
PIPER BROTHERS CO.
1939
APPROACHING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO GREATER MADISON
THE BELMONT • . . . one of Madison's newest and finest hotels. Conveniently located on Capitol Square, with 200 rooms, all with toilet, lavatory and connecting bath, the Belmont offers complete service to the traveling public. The Old English Dining Room and the Green Room are two of Madison's mosl popular nir conditioned eating places.
In June, 1892, Samuel A. Piper graduated from tlie University of Wisconsin and launched upon a successful business career. Living at the time on the home farm, now known as Oak Park Heights, one-half mile west of what is presently the thriving Nakoma suburb, with the financial aid of his father David Piper, he purchased a grocery in Madison by first purchasing the old Vickor & Suiter -where the Washington building now stands. Six months later, a brother, Charles E. Piper, who had been teaching school, joined in the partnership and thus the firm of Piper Brothers was bom. The business thrived from the beginning and the store was doubled in size within three or four years time. Seeking to increase its volume, the firm formed the first chain grocery in Madison by first purchasing the old Vickor & Sutler store located where Manchester's now is. Later, the fancy grocery of McConnel & Son which was situated on the present Simpson Garment block was bought. Then a store in the 500 block on Slate Street was added. A further extension was made by the acquisition of the old Rindcr store at North Hamilton and East Johnson streets. In 1 9 1 0 ihe Fair Store block located at llic corner of M i f f l i n and Pinckney streets was purchased and at (hat location Pipers established themselves as a high class grocery business. This is the site where the Bclmont Hotel now stands. With the expanding business, Howard D. Piper and Alfred E. Piper joined the organization. In 1924 a new store was constructed at the North Hamilton Street and East Mifflin Street site. At this time the Piper Brothers Company, of which Howard Piper is president, was organized and it moved the grocery business into this new spacious modern home to make way for a new venture. The Piper Hotel Company, of which Samuel A. Piper is president, was created and construction of ihe new eleven story two hundred room Belmont Hotel was undertaken and completed. At about the same time the Piper Brothers Company acquired the oid German Methodist Church—which is today the unique attractive "Piper's Garden Cafeteria." . ^J-.J0'10 P' Frvc, ihe secretary of the two companies, participalcd in the expansion of this business, having been with the organizations now for ihe last Iwenly-five years. (ooP 1C T P ^ Cr Brolllcrs Company retired from the grocery field in 1929. It is now engaged in operating the new Madison hotel. ""P"8 Garden Cafeteria, a number of apartments, and the Old Home Farm" where a herd of forty purebred Brown Swiss cattle arc maintained which together wilh the Bclmnnl hotel offers n complete service lo the public.
PIPER'S GARDEN CAFETERIA . . . housed in the old 'German Methodist church —attractively landscaped, The Garden Cafeteria, with a quiet, restful atmosphere where patrons may relax as well as enjoy the very finest wholesome food generously served.
OAK PARK HEIGHTS Here's an interesting view of the Old Piper Farm out near Nakoma, on the Verona road. Here David Piper settled and cleared the land back in 1845. Today this well-kept farm produces pasteurized Brown Swiss dairy products (under supervision of the City Honllh dept.) also fresh eggs, fruits and vegetables for the Belmont restaurants and Garden Cafeteria. • With the westward movement of Madison, home sites are being sold. This farm is classified ns Class A residential in the County Zoning Ordinace, which bidr, fair for the future development of n fine subdivision in this nrcn, with the growth of Madison.
The Wisconsin State Journal
Pag* Seven
Milk... Medicine for Hard Times By RALPH E. AMMON Director, State Dept. ol Agriculture
F
ARMING in the area new known as Dane county had its beginning at a mining camp. It was started, in a small way, by Ebenezer Brigham, who became the first permanent settler in Dane county when, in 1828, he emigrated to a site northeast of Blue Mounds to mine lead. All of what is now Wisconsin was then Michigan territory. Agriculture was incidental to Brig-
ham's plans and his fields covered but a small area near his house. Although the first permanent settler was attracted by the promise of riches in lead, Dane county's development has been on an agricultural basis virtually from the beginning. V/heat raising, accomplished with little capital other than a yoke of oxen and a breaking plow, caught the fancy of the stale's first farmers. It gained tremendous impetus even with market prices that were very low, one outstanding reason being that it furnished flour for the home.
OR a time wheat prices shot up from a low of 31"cents to $1.70 a bushel and more Dane county lands were broken up for wheat. This was during the Crimean war period. A lapse in prices ensued at the close of the war and the profit dropped out of wheat raising. Then came the Civil war, with its stimulus to prices, and again wheat farming gained momentum. While our northern armies were penetrating deep into the south, determined to end the war, a new type of enemy originating in the south was assiduously at work, in 1864, changing the course of Wisconsin agriculture by destroying the stale's grain and corn. Chinch-bugs—billions of them — overran agricultural Wisconsin, ruining wheat and corn crops.
F
I I |HE chinch-bug scourge awakened Wisconsin farmers to the fact that a more.diversified type riculture would have to be tried irony profit was to remain in farming. In southern Dane county, for example, hop culture was attempted for a period following the Civil war. The production of tobacco increased greatly and in 1870 Dane county raised 229,568 pounds. By 1875, says a re-
1,
Ebenezer Brigham
PIPER HOTEL CO.
"Conspicuous on Dane county landscapes today . . ." port of the secretary of state, 3,296 acres were planted to tobacco in Wisconsin, of which Dane county had 1,454 acres and Rock, 1,676. Evei with lessened demand and lower prices wool raising, started because of the absence of cotton, continued for a long time after the Civil war. These were not the chief interests of
Wisconsin farmers, however. While Wisconsin for many years remained a grain growing stale, through force of habit even after wheat raising had failed to prove remunerative, farmers were discovering that they could succeed by raising stock.
Tied to a cow', Dane county rides to riches
AIRYING began to be the remedy for hard times. True, by 1870 swine raising also became important, and, with the raising of corn has since been a good source of income to Dane county farmers. But dairying
PIPERS
1892
D
(Continued on Page 9)
PIPER BROTHERS CO.
1939
APPROACHING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO GREATER MADISON
THE BELMONT • . . . one of Madison's newest and finest hotels. Conveniently located on Capitol Square, with 200 rooms, all with toilet, lavatory and connecting bath, the Belmont offers complete service to the traveling public. The Old English Dining Room and the Green Room are two of Madison's mosl popular nir conditioned eating places.
In June, 1892, Samuel A. Piper graduated from tlie University of Wisconsin and launched upon a successful business career. Living at the time on the home farm, now known as Oak Park Heights, one-half mile west of what is presently the thriving Nakoma suburb, with the financial aid of his father David Piper, he purchased a grocery in Madison by first purchasing the old Vickor & Suiter -where the Washington building now stands. Six months later, a brother, Charles E. Piper, who had been teaching school, joined in the partnership and thus the firm of Piper Brothers was bom. The business thrived from the beginning and the store was doubled in size within three or four years time. Seeking to increase its volume, the firm formed the first chain grocery in Madison by first purchasing the old Vickor & Sutler store located where Manchester's now is. Later, the fancy grocery of McConnel & Son which was situated on the present Simpson Garment block was bought. Then a store in the 500 block on Slate Street was added. A further extension was made by the acquisition of the old Rindcr store at North Hamilton and East Johnson streets. In 1 9 1 0 ihe Fair Store block located at llic corner of M i f f l i n and Pinckney streets was purchased and at (hat location Pipers established themselves as a high class grocery business. This is the site where the Bclmont Hotel now stands. With the expanding business, Howard D. Piper and Alfred E. Piper joined the organization. In 1924 a new store was constructed at the North Hamilton Street and East Mifflin Street site. At this time the Piper Brothers Company, of which Howard Piper is president, was organized and it moved the grocery business into this new spacious modern home to make way for a new venture. The Piper Hotel Company, of which Samuel A. Piper is president, was created and construction of ihe new eleven story two hundred room Belmont Hotel was undertaken and completed. At about the same time the Piper Brothers Company acquired the oid German Methodist Church—which is today the unique attractive "Piper's Garden Cafeteria." . ^J-.J0'10 P' Frvc, ihe secretary of the two companies, participalcd in the expansion of this business, having been with the organizations now for ihe last Iwenly-five years. (ooP 1C T P ^ Cr Brolllcrs Company retired from the grocery field in 1929. It is now engaged in operating the new Madison hotel. ""P"8 Garden Cafeteria, a number of apartments, and the Old Home Farm" where a herd of forty purebred Brown Swiss cattle arc maintained which together wilh the Bclmnnl hotel offers n complete service lo the public.
PIPER'S GARDEN CAFETERIA . . . housed in the old 'German Methodist church —attractively landscaped, The Garden Cafeteria, with a quiet, restful atmosphere where patrons may relax as well as enjoy the very finest wholesome food generously served.
OAK PARK HEIGHTS Here's an interesting view of the Old Piper Farm out near Nakoma, on the Verona road. Here David Piper settled and cleared the land back in 1845. Today this well-kept farm produces pasteurized Brown Swiss dairy products (under supervision of the City Honllh dept.) also fresh eggs, fruits and vegetables for the Belmont restaurants and Garden Cafeteria. • With the westward movement of Madison, home sites are being sold. This farm is classified ns Class A residential in the County Zoning Ordinace, which bidr, fair for the future development of n fine subdivision in this nrcn, with the growth of Madison.
