J. Mark Powell: Insurance blunder cost Wisconsin $7 million ($250 million in today's dollars) Feb 26, 2024 Feb 26, 2024 Updated Feb 26, 2024 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save J. Mark Powell kAmu:=6 E9:D :? E92E 3F=8:?8 42E68@CJ[ “xE D66>65 =:<6 2 8@@5 :562 2E E96 E:>6]”k^AmkAmtI24E=J `a_ J62CD 28@ E9:D >@?E9[ 2 =:89E3F=3 H6?E @77 :? D@>6@?6’D 9625 :? |25:D@?] *@F 42? 2=>@DE A:4EFC6 9:> 6I4:E65=J D9@FE:?8[ “w6J 8FJD[ :E ;FDE 9:E >6] x <?@H 9@H H6 42? D2G6 2 3@2E=@25 @7 >@?6JP”k^AmkAmp?5 E96J H@F=5 92G6[ E@@[ :7 D@>6E9:?8 925?’E 8@?6 E6CC:3=J HC@?8]k^AmkAmx?DE625 @7 D2G:?8 E2IA2J6C >@?6J[ E92E :562 4@DE E96 DE2E6 2 7@CEF?6] w6C6’D 9@H :E 92AA6?65ik^Am kAmq24< :? E96 62C=J `h__D[ p>6C:42?D H6C6 7:==65 H:E9 @AE:>:D>] %96J 925 >256 :E E9C@F89 E96 42E24=JD>:4 r:G:= (2C 2?5 DFCG:G65 2 DEC:?8 @7 A2:?7F= 64@?@>:4 5@H?EFC?D] %96 ?6H 46?EFCJ 3C@F89E 2 3FCDE @7 52C:?8 E@ 5C62> 3:8]k^Am People are also reading… Geneva Joint No. 4 School District referendum question fails by a single vote Local church to conduct annual Christmas Rummage Sale Mitchell Berman defeats Bryan Steil in Wisconsin's 1st District Badger High School theater students to present 'Radium Girls' Badger High School football players selected for All Conference honors Democrat David Crowley elected Wisconsin governor Lake Geneva looks to revise child safety zone ordinance Williams Bay proposes changes to Lion’s Field House rental agreement Geneva Lake Museum director retires after 13 years of service Williams Bay High School football players selected for All-Conference honors Jedlicka leads Big Foot High School football All-Conference honorees Bob Uecker's former wife finds comfort in radio booth during Brewers' World Series run Geneva Inn welcomes new general manager 3 things that stood out from No. 1 Wisconsin's tie, shootout win vs. Minnesota Work has begun on electrical substation, penthouse in downtown Lake Geneva Bascom Hall fire stirs strong sentiment -- State Journal editorial from 1916 This State Journal editorial ran on Oct. 11, 1916, the day after Bascom Hall, which was then called Main Hall, lost its ornate dome to fire: kAmx? (:D4@?D:?[ D@>6 7@=<D H@?56C65 :7 E92E >:89E >62? 2 ?6H DE2E6 r2A:E@= 3F:=5:?8] %96J H6C6 2== E96 C286 2C@F?5 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D ;FDE E96?] $6G6C2= DE2E6D EC2565 :? E96:C 5@H5J @=5 DE2E69@FD6D 2?5 FA8C2565 E@ ?6H6C G6CD:@?D] “v6E H:E9 E96 E:>6D[” AC@8C6DD:G6D D2:5] “%9:D :D E96 a_E9 46?EFCJ[ 27E6C 2==]”k^Am kAmp 42D6 4@F=5 46CE2:?=J 36 >256 7@C 2 ?6H r2A:E@=] %96 362FE:7F= DECF4EFC6 3F:=E :? `geb[ H9:49 =@@<65 =:<6 2 D42=65\5@H? G6CD:@? @7 E96 &]$] r2A:E@=[ H2D ?:46 6?@F89] qFE c_ J62CD =2E6C[ :E H2D ;FDE E@@ D>2==]k^Am kAm$E2E6 8@G6C?>6?E 925 6IA=@565[ 2?5 :E 4@F=5?’E 92?5=6 2== E96 =68:D=2E@CD 2?5 3FC62F4C2ED[ >@F?E2:?D @7 DE2E6 5@4F>6?ED[ C64@C5D 7C@> E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 (:D4@?D:?’D r:G:= (2C 2?5 $A2?:D9\p>6C:42? H2C G6E6C2?D[ =2?5 8C2?ED 2?5 >@C6] xE 6G6? 9@FD65 2 A@AF=2C DE2E6 >FD6F> H9@D6 C6=:4D :?4=F565 E96 AC6D6CG65 C6>2:?D @7 ~=5 p36 E96 (2C t28=6[ H9@ 925 7=@H? E@ ?2E:@?2= 72>6 5FC:?8 E96 (2C q6EH66? E96 $E2E6D]k^Am kAmqJ `h_b[ =68:D=2E@CD H6C6 6IA=@C:?8 ?6H 5:8D E@ 42== 9@>6] pD E96J A@?56C65 E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ[ E96 =:89E3F=3 >6?E:@?65 62C=:6C 7=2D965 :? D@>6@?6’D 9625] x?DE625 @7 A2J:?8 Sg__ 2??F2==J 7@C E96 r2A:E@=’D Se__[___ :?DFC2?46 A@=:4J[ H9J ?@E D6=7\:?DFC6n p7E6C 2==[ Sg__ H2D 2 =@E @7 >@?6J 2E E96 E:>6 — C@F89=J E96 2??F2= D2=2CJ 7@C 2 DE2E6 8@G6C?>6?E 6>A=@J66] q6EE6C E@ AFE E92E >@?6J :?E@ E96 $E2E6 x?DFC2?46 uF?5 2?5 H2E49 :E 8C@H E92? 92?5 :E @G6C E@ 2 AC:G2E6 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?J]k^Am kAm$@ E92E’D ;FDE H92E DE2E6 @77:4:2=D 5:5] %96 A@=:4J H2D 2==@H65 E@ =2AD6 :? y2?F2CJ `h_c] %96?[ E96 F?:>28:?23=6 92AA6?65 7:G6 H66<D =2E6C]k^Am kAmw:89=J A@=:D965 H@@5H@C< H2D :? G@8F6 5FC:?8 E96 t5H2C5:2? 6C2] %96 (:D4@?D:? r2A:E@= 925 2 3F?49 @7 :E[ 2?5 :E 925 366? 7C6D9=J G2C?:D965]k^Am kAm$@>6E:>6 =2E6 @? E96 ?:89E @7 u63] ae[ 2 82D =:89E 7:IEFC6’D 7=2>6 :8?:E65 E96 @:=\32D65 DF3DE2?46] %96 r2A:E@= 925 2 C6>2C<23=J 25G2?465 DAC:?<=6C 2?5 7:C67:89E:?8 DJDE6> 7@C E96 E:>6] qFE 8@@5 2D :E H2D[ :E H2D ?@ FD6] p== E92E A@=:D965 H@@5 D6?E 7=2>6D DAC625:?8 :? 6G6CJ 5:C64E:@?]k^Am kAm%96 3F:=5:?8 H2D 6?8F=765 :? >:?FE6D] |25:D@?’D 7:C6 56A2CE>6?E 2CC:G65] qFE H96? :ED 9@D6D H6C6 A@:?E65 2E E96 3=2K6[ ?@E9:?8 92AA6?65] r:EJ H2E6C E2?<D 925 366? 5C2:?65 62C=:6C :? E96 52J D@ 2 3@:=6C 4@F=5 36 4=62?65] %96C6 H2D ?@ AC6DDFC6]k^Am The Assembly conducts state business in 1899 in the state Capitol in Madison that was largely destroyed by fire in 1904. WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY kAm%96 ?62C3J &?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:? C6D6CG@:C 2=D@ H2D 6>AEJ] p? $~$ H2D D6?E E@ |:=H2F<66’D 2?5 y24<D@?G:==6’D 7:C6 56A2CE>6?ED[ H9@D6 F?:ED 9@AA65 23@2C5 EC2:?D 2?5 DA65 E@ E96 D46?6] qFE H96? E96J 2CC:G65[ E96 3:EE6C 4@=5 E6>A6C2EFC6 925 7C@K6? E96 H2E6C :? E96:C AF>AD]k^Am kAmv@G] #@36CE {2 u@==6EE6 A6CD@?2==J 5:C64E65 C6D4F6 677@CED] s6DA:E6 9:D DE277’D 2EE6>AED E@ 9@=5 9:> 324<[ 96 52D965 :?E@ E96 3FC?:?8 DECF4EFC6 H:E9 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:? DEF56?ED[ C64@G6C:?8 A2:?E:?8D[ A2A6CD[ 7FC?:EFC6 2?5 2?JE9:?8 E96J 4@F=5 42CCJ @FE] %96J D2=G2865 2 92?57F= @7 :>A@CE2?E :E6>D[ DF49 2D 2 4@==64E:@? @7 D:=< r:G:= (2C 32EE=6 7=28D[ 3FE ?@E >F49 6=D6]k^Am kAm%9C66 9@FCD =2E6C[ {2 u@==6EE6 H2D D@2<65 E@ E96 3@?6] w:D 5@4E@C @C56C65 9:> E@ 8@ 9@>6 2?5 492?86 :?E@ 5CJ 4=@E96D]k^AmkAm%96 7:C6 3FC?65 7@C `g 9@FCD] (96? E96 7:?2= 7=2>6D H6C6 D?F7765 @FE[ ?@E >F49 H2D =67E] %96 3F:=5:?8’D t2DE 2?5 (6DE H:?8D H6C6 8@?6] {:EE=6 @7 E96 $@FE9 (:?8 2?5 #@EF?52 C6>2:?65] ~?=J E96 }@CE9 (:?8 DFCG:G65[ 2?5 (:D4@?D:?’D 8@G6C?>6?E 4C@H565 :?E@ :E]k^Am kAmp ?6H[ 3:886C[ 8C2?56C r2A:E@= H2D 7:?:D965 :? `h`f] u@C 2? 255:E:@?2= Sg__ 2??F2= AC6>:F>[ E96 @=5 3F:=5:?8 H@F=5 92G6 366? 7F==J :?DFC65 2E E96 E:>6 @7 E96 7:C6] x?DE625[ (:D4@?D:? 4:E:K6?D H6C6 DEF4< H:E9 2 Sf]ad >:==:@? 3:== WC@F89=J Sad_ >:==:@? E@52JX 7@C E96 C6A=246>6?E]k^Am kAm!6C92AD E96 >@DE 8C:6G65 :E6> =@DE :? E96 3=2K6 H2D ~=5 p36’D E2I:56C>:4 C6>2:?D] xE 42FD65 8C62E D@CC@H 2>@?8 28:?8 r:G:= (2C G6E6C2?D]k^AmkAmp C6A=:42 @7 E96 72>@FD H2C3:C5 H2D A=2465 @? 2 A6C49 :?D:56 E96 DE2E6 pDD6>3=J 492>36C] xE C6>2:?D E96C6 E@52J[ 2 A@H6C7F= DJ>3@= @7 (:D4@?D:?’D :==FDEC:@FD A2DE — 2?5 2 G:DF2= C6>:?56C E@ =2H>2<6CD E@ 2G@:5 36:?8 A6??J\H:D6 2?5 A@F?5\7@@=:D9]k^Am Powell is a novelist, former TV journalist and history buff: HolyCow@insidesources.com. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Center Stage with Milfred and Hands The case for more condos, especially in Madison
Bascom Hall fire stirs strong sentiment -- State Journal editorial from 1916 This State Journal editorial ran on Oct. 11, 1916, the day after Bascom Hall, which was then called Main Hall, lost its ornate dome to fire: