37th Wisconsin Legislature

The Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session.

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.

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

Assembly summary

Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 14, 1885April 13, 1885

Leaders

Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Sam S. Fifield ( R)
* President pro tempore: Edward S. Minor ( R)

Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Hiram O. Fairchild ( R)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:

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 AgricultureChester Hazen, chair
* Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of TaxesC. E. Estabrook, chair
* Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third ReadingJohn K. Parish, chair
* Assembly Committee on CitiesJ. E. Friend, chair
* Assembly Committee on EducationC. E. Buell, chair
* Assembly Committee on Engrossed BillsSamuel B. Stanchfield, chair
* Assembly Committee on Enrolled BillsR. W. Pierce, chair
* Assembly Committee on Federal RelationsA. W. Sanborn, chair
* Assembly Committee on IncorporationsMarion Wescott, chair
* Assembly Committee on Insurance, Banks, and BankingW. H. Blyton, chair
* Assembly Committee on the JudiciaryPliny Norcross, chair
* Assembly Committee on Legislative ExpendituresS. D. Hubbard, chair
* Assembly Committee on Lumber and ManufacturesThomas B. Mills, chair
* Assembly Committee on Medical SocietiesJ. C. Reynolds, chair
* Assembly Committee on MilitiaF. W. Byers, chair
* Assembly Committee on Privileges and ElectionsCharles G. Thomas, chair
* Assembly Committee on Public ImprovementsM. C. Hobart, chair
* Assembly Committee on RailroadsH. J. Goddard, chair
* Assembly Committee on Roads and BridgesGeorge G. Cox, chair
* Assembly Committee on State LandsS. R. Clark, chair
* Assembly Committee on State AffairsL. J. Brayton, chair
* Assembly Committee on Town and County OrganizationWilliam H. Young, chair
* Assembly Committee on Ways and MeansThomas 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
** 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
** 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
* 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

References

External links

1885: Related Documents
from Wisconsin Legislature

{{Wisconsin legislatures

1885 in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin legislative sessions