Conflict at Cameron Dam
Like any businessman, Irvine had to handle conflicts in order to successfully manage his
company. One such conflict was between the Chippewa Lumber & Boom Co. and a farmer named John F
Dietz.
From 1904-1910, a stubborn farmer, John F Dietz, waged a feud against the Chippewa
Lumber & Boom Co. that became a nation-wide sensation. Some saw Dietz as a symbol of the little man,
bravely defending his own against the forces of greed and immense wealth. Others saw him as a wild-eyed
anarchist, fanatically attacking law and order.
Dietz had bought 160 acres along the Thornapple River, adjoining the dam, and moved his wife
and six children there in 1904. The dam had been owned by the Chippewa Lumber & Boom Co. since
1901, but the Dietz’s farm deed erroneously failed to mention the dam and flowage rights which former
owners of the land had sold to the lumber company. This led Dietz to feel that the company had wronged
him in partially flooding his farm land to float down logs in the spring drive.
He claimed a toll of 10% per 1,000 feet of logs passed through the dam. The company rejected his
claim. When the log driving crew reached the dam in the spring, Dietz was there threatening them with his
gun.
A six year siege began in which Dietz and his two oldest boys kept guard over the dam and the
little log house, while court injunctions were repeatedly issued, a succession of sheriffs tried vainly to serve
summonses and bigger and bigger posses of sheriff’s deputies, U. S. marshals, militia men and hired thugs
went to the farm attempting to capture the “outlaw of Thornapple River.” There were several clashes, and
people on both sides were shot.
On July 20, 1904, William Irvine, manager of the Chippewa Lumber &: Boom Company and first
citizen of Chippewa Falls, came to the Thornapple clearing and appealed to Deitz to permit the dispute to
be arbitrated. Irvine was ten years older than Deitz, alert, genial, and strikingly handsome. He was utterly
dedicated to his work, but he was known as a fair, approachable lumberman.
Irvine now approached Deitz, not simply man-to-man, but as a fellow Freemason. Irvine said:
"Most of the important men in my company are Masons. We should not be quarreling and fighting."
Deitz agreed, but he asked Irvine why he had not considered this earlier, and whether Thomas J.
Connor, the company's attorney, had not given money and arms to the sheriff. Irvine replied that he had
known nothing about the trouble until he read about it in the papers; nor, he said, was Connor the company
attorney: "He is attorney for the Mississippi River Logging Company. Our attorney is John J. Jenkins, who
is now in Washington."
Strictly speaking, this was true, but Deitz was skeptical.
Irvine proposed that the matter of logs, dam rights, tolls, and back wages be laid before the grand
master of Wisconsin Masonry, who would be asked to appoint several past grand masters to sit as a board
of arbitration. The company would promise, in writing, to abide by the decision of the arbitrators, and to
pay Deitz any expenses he incurred in presenting his case.
This was a generous offer, and true to Irvine's reputation; but Deitz refused. He knew that all the
wealth and power resided with Frederick Weyerhaeuser, and he was hoping to get more. If Deitz bound
himself to arbitration, or, worse yet, allowed himself to be drawn into court, he stood little chance of
collecting much money, so Deitz decided to wait.
Later, Deitz referred to William Irvine as "Slick William," and the Chippewa Falls Weekly Herald
as "Slick William's toilet paper." Let it be noted that Deitz created names for many adversaries far worse
than this. In fact, this is the only negative mention of William Irvine found.
In 1910 Dietz allegedly shot and wounded Bert Horel after a quarrel broke out. A warrant was
issued for his arrest. A decisive battle took place on Oct. 6. A posse of 73 men surrounded the cabin. The
attorney general and the secretary of the Governor stepped forward to give Dietz the terms of
surrender. Dietz refused and went back to his cabin.
The next morning the two sides faced off and over 1,000 shots were fired. The Deputy Sheriff
Oscar Harp was killed by Dietz. People on both sides were shot. Eventually, Mrs. Dietz convinced her
husband to surrender. He was arrested, tried, and convicted for the murder of Oscar Harp. He was
sentenced to life imprisonment. Many people sympathized with Dietz and raised money for his trial. His
term was later reduced to 20 years, and after serving 11 years, he was pardoned by Governor John J.
Blaine.