The Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1885, to April 13, 1885, in regular session.[1]
Senators representing even-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1884. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 7, 1882.[1]
Major events
- January 27, 1885: John Coit Spooner elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.
- February 16, 1885: Charles Dow published the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
- March 4, 1885: Inauguration of Grover Cleveland as the 22nd President of the United States.
- March 12, 1885: Wisconsin state legislator William Freeman Vilas was confirmed as United States Postmaster General.
- March 26, 1885: Prussia began deporting Poles and Jews from their territory.
- June 17, 1885: The Statue of Liberty arrived at New York Harbor.
- May 1, 1886: A general strike began in the United States.
- May 4, 1886: Wisconsin National Guard soldiers fired at a group of striking workers in Bay View, Milwaukee, killing seven, in an incident known as the Bay View massacre.
- May 17, 1886: The United States Supreme Court, in the case Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Co., held that corporations had the same rights as living persons.
- September 4, 1886: Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. Army forces at Skeleton Canyon, Arizona.
- September 9, 1886: The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works was signed in Bern, Switzerland.
- November 2, 1886: Jeremiah McLain Rusk re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
- March 9, 1885: An Act relating to fire escapes, and amendatory of section 4575a, of the revised statutes, 1885 Act 50. Required easy-to-access metallic or fire-proof fire escape ladders for buildings taller than three floors.
- March 23, 1885: An Act to regulate the practice of dentistry, and to establish a state board of dental examiners, 1885 Act 129.
- Joint Resolution to amend section 1, article 10, of the constitution, relating to education, 1885 Joint Resolution 34. Proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin to clarify the wording of the section defining the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin and other education-supervision officers. The proposed amendment would also remove the maximum compensation limit for the Superintendent, which had been set at $1200 per year.
Party summary
Senate summary
Democratic: 13 seats
Republican: 20 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Lab. | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 15 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 32 | 1 |
| 1st Session | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
| From Mar. 8, 1886 | 12 | 32 | 1 | |||
| Final voting share | 39.39% | 60.61% | ||||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 6 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary
Democratic: 39 seats
Republican: 61 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Gbk. | Lab. | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 53 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 100 | 0 |
| Start of 1st Session | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 100 | 0 |
| From Mar. 9, 1885[note 1] | 38 | 99 | 1 | ||||
| From Mar. 25, 1885[note 2] | 39 | 100 | 0 | ||||
| Final voting share | 39% | 61% | |||||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 34 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 57 | 100 | 0 |
Sessions
- 1st Regular session: January 14, 1885 – April 13, 1885
Leaders
Senate leadership
- President of the Senate: Sam S. Fifield (R)
- President pro tempore: Edward S. Minor (R)
Assembly leadership
Members
Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 10 seats
Republican: 23 seats
Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 39 seats
Republican: 61 seats
Committees
Senate committees
- Senate Committee on Agriculture
- Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes
- Senate Committee on Education
- Senate Committee on Enrolled Bills
- Senate Committee on Engrossed Bills
- Senate Committee on Federal Relations
- Senate Committee on Finance, Banks, and Insurance
- Senate Committee on Incorporations
- Senate Committee on the Judiciary
- Senate Committee on Legislative Expenditures
- Senate Committee on Manufactures and Commerce
- Senate Committee on Military Affairs
- Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
- Senate Committee on Public Lands
- Senate Committee on Railroads
- Senate Committee on Roads and Bridges
- Senate Committee on State Affairs
- Senate Committee on Town and County Organizations
Assembly committees
- Assembly Committee on Agriculture – Chester Hazen, chair
- Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes – C. E. Estabrook, chair
- Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third Reading – John K. Parish, chair
- Assembly Committee on Cities – J. E. Friend, chair
- Assembly Committee on Education – C. E. Buell, chair
- Assembly Committee on Engrossed Bills – Samuel B. Stanchfield, chair
- Assembly Committee on Enrolled Bills – R. W. Pierce, chair
- Assembly Committee on Federal Relations – A. W. Sanborn, chair
- Assembly Committee on Incorporations – Marion Wescott, chair
- Assembly Committee on Insurance, Banks, and Banking – W. H. Blyton, chair
- Assembly Committee on the Judiciary – Pliny Norcross, chair
- Assembly Committee on Legislative Expenditures – S. D. Hubbard, chair
- Assembly Committee on Lumber and Manufactures – Thomas B. Mills, chair
- Assembly Committee on Medical Societies – J. C. Reynolds, chair
- Assembly Committee on Militia – F. W. Byers, chair
- Assembly Committee on Privileges and Elections – Charles G. Thomas, chair
- Assembly Committee on Public Improvements – M. C. Hobart, chair
- Assembly Committee on Railroads – H. J. Goddard, chair
- Assembly Committee on Roads and Bridges – George G. Cox, chair
- Assembly Committee on State Lands – S. R. Clark, chair
- Assembly Committee on State Affairs – L. J. Brayton, chair
- Assembly Committee on Town and County Organization – William H. Young, chair
- Assembly Committee on Ways and Means – Thomas Porter, chair
Joint committees
- Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal Institutions
- Joint Committee on Claims
- Joint Committee on Printing
Employees
Senate employees
- Chief Clerk: Charles E. Bross[2]
- Assistant Clerk: Fred W. Coon
- Bookkeeper: J. H. Whitney
- Engrossing Clerk: J. M. Hayden
- Enrolling Clerk: E. S. Hotchkiss
- Transcribing Clerk: F. J. Turner
- Proofreader: Adelbert D. Thorp
- Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: Willard W. D. Turner
- Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: John O. Newgard
- Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: John O. Newgard
- Clerk for the Committee on Claims: John O. Newgard
- Document Clerk: J. J. Marshall
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Hubert Wolcott
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: T. J. George
- Postmaster: J. F. McKenzie
- Assistant Postmaster: George A. Ludington
- Gallery Attendant: Michael Bransfield
- Document Room Attendant: Frank Partridge
- Doorkeepers:
- John C. Frisvold
- Frederick H. Johnson
- Alvah Eaton
- William Crank
- Porter: O. J. Wiley
- Night Watch: H. Worthington
- Janitor: Daniel Corbett
- Messengers:
- W. M. Smith
- Ben Smith
- Lemuel Parry
- Elliot B. Davis
- Ferdinand Werner
- Adolph Glenz
- Willis Melville
- Werner Pressentine
- Guy Paine
Assembly employees
- Chief Clerk: Edwin Coe[2]
- 1st Assistant Clerk: John W. DeGroff
- 2nd Assistant Clerk: Theodore W. Goldin
- Bookkeeper: J. T. Huntington
- Engrossing Clerk: Egbert Wyman
- Enrolling Clerk: L. J. Burlingame
- Transcribing Clerk: Ellis C. Oliver
- Proofreader: D. P. Beach
- Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: Frank D. Jackson
- Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Robert W. Pierce Jr.
- Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: Warren Meiklejohn
- Document Clerk: H. G. Brown
- 1st Assistant Clerk: John W. DeGroff
- Sergeant-at-Arms: John M. Ewing
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: William A. Adamson
- Postmaster: J. H. Young
- Assistant Postmaster: Frank M. Durkee
- Doorkeepers:
- W. A. Mayhew
- G. W. Dart
- A. A. Curtis
- Fred Dewey
- Fireman: W. J. Bendixon
- Gallery Attendants:
- Goetlieb Schuebbert
- W. Muntz
- Committee Room Attendant: L. B. Kinney
- Document Room Attendant: John H. Pulcifer
- Porter: James Nolan
- Policeman: Ed. Dempey
- Flagman: F. O. Janzen
- Night Watch: Michael J. Wallrich
- Wash Room Attendant: Bertie Oftelie
- Messengers:
- James Howley
- Willie Gillett
- Willie Baker
- Herman Schulze
- Eugene Wescott
- Charles McGee
- Eddie Sherman
- Willie Robson
- Clifford Best
- Willie Smith
- Lewis Adams
Notes
- ^ Democrat William Freeman Vilas (Dane County 1st district) resigned March 9, 1885, to accept appointment as United States Postmaster General.
- ^ Democrat Michael J. Cantwell (Dane County 1st district) replaced William Freeman Vilas.
References
- ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2011). "Statistics: History" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2011–2012 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 709, 714, 717, 719. ISBN 978-0-9752820-1-4. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Heg, James E., ed. (1885). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 416–453. Retrieved March 9, 2022.