Auto Firsts in Manitowoc County
Image from 1907 of a car built by blacksmith Robert Feile of Reedsville. MCHS 88.5.32
Vehicles have been in Manitowoc County for well over a hundred years. There are now speed limits, protocols for accidents, street signs, and other regulated rules of the road. Back when the automobile was not so common, in the early 1900s for example, these basic principles of driving simply did not exist. Knowing how these aspects of driving are today, it is quite interesting to hear the stories of early automobiles in Manitowoc County.
The date was September 14th, 1903. The date of the first train and automobile accident in Manitowoc County. A North Western Railroad freight switch train was traveling west on the tracks on Quay street. The car was moving south on South 8th street, when the two collided. Only 5 individuals were seriously injured that day, and there was little damage to the train or car. However, the sight of the crash and news of the injuries sparked fear in many. An investigation soon followed the crash, and said that the car was running at a moderate speed. This crash initiated the conversation on having a speed limit in the city.
Not even a year later, on May 5th, 1904 an advertisement in the Manitowoc Daily Herald sparked nearly everyone’s attention. In that ad, Schumacher Cycle Works advertised the demonstration of the new Rambler car. It was claimed to be the finest horseless carriage of the day, and only cost between $650-$1300. When the shop, which originally only sold bicycles, received the new car, large crowds gathered to see it. At the time, license plates were not even a thought, so the Rambler had no place to attach one. Although popular to look at, only one was sold. Even with that sale, the wife of the buyer was skeptical of the unusual machine that moved without not even one horse.
In the summer of 1904, the speed limit in the City of Manitowoc was 8 mph. On June 19, 1904, a car with 3 men in it was going 12 mph. Witnesses said they were going so fast, the buildings and pedestrians were getting covered in dust. An officer by the name of C. Dueno initially tried to stop them on 8th street, but that attempt failed. A second try that involved the officer aiming his revolver at their tires, got the speeders to stop. Arrests were made, and Manitowoc’s first traffic case in court was started. Even the passengers in the car were facing charges, as they knew the speed the car was going. The case ended with 2 of the 3 men fleeing Wisconsin.
The first reported accident involving two cars in Manitowoc County occurred on August 22nd, 1905. It happened on North 8th Street, and no injuries were reported. The man at fault, F. A. Wilde of Neenah, was to pay a fine of $12.70 after he was arrested for ignoring the speed limit. The Police Chief at the time, Jermoe Pierce, issued a stern warning after this collision that although the state speed limit was 12 mph, Manitowoc had a speed limit of 8 mph.
It is interesting to note, that by 1918 the Manitowoc speed limit had been raised to 25 mph. In that year, special policemen were hired who would ride around town on motorcycles and crack down on speeders. The city declared that anyone found to be exceeding that speed limit would be brought to court.
The next time you take a drive in Manitowoc, imagine how driving must have been back in the early 1900s. Oh how Manitowoc has changed over the years.