"With a tremendous noise, resembling the explosion of a dozen heavy cannons, almost a half acre of ground on Stewart avenue, in West Dubuque, suddenly disappeared, Monday. No building was on the ground, the site is that of the old Cockler ale brewery that flourished there many years ago. Near the old brewery is an abandoned mineral shaft over one hundred feet deep that terminated in a cave. This cave was walled up when the brewery was in operation, and was used as a room in which barrels of ale were stored. After the ground had disappeared an investigation showed that a large portion of the walls of the cave had fallen in, carrying with it the surrounding soil, making a huge cavity fully half an acre in extent opening into what is believed to be a subterranean lake. A bowlder (sic) dropped into the cavity was heard about ten seconds later to splash into the water hundreds of feet below the surface. It has been the theory of miners for years that a vast subterranean lake existed under this portion of the city, and this is only another evidence of the fact."
I really enjoy reading 19th century newspapers. Among other things it makes me feel better about my own excessive use of commas!
So what's the story here?
Dubuque is an unusual town in many respects. It was settled very early, and despite the overall agricultural economy of the area it began as a mining boom town when lead was discovered in abundance in the area. Hence the reference to an "abandoned mineral shaft". There are a lot of these. What is fascinating is that one was converted to a brewery cave. Did they winch the kegs of beer up and down a 100 foot vertical drop? Seems rather excessive.
The original article was in error in some respects. The name of the brewery was Fockler, not Cockler, and by Dubuque standards it was not even very old. It was in business from 1865 - 1871. In April of 1871 it befell that fate common to so many breweries, a devastating fire that started in the malting kiln and destroyed everything. It was not rebuilt.
The location of the brewery poses some difficulties. There is no specific community called West Dubuque, and the names of the streets have mostly changed. The best reference I could find put it at "Julien and 8th Streets", with Julien being renamed Primrose in 1894...two years after the half acre cave in.*
I'd expect a half acre cave in to be something you could still see....maybe something like this?
It makes sense to turn a gigantic sink hole into a city park. I mean, what else are you going to do with it? Below is a Google Earth view from street level. Back behind the ball diamond there is a suspicious looking depression. I think I'd be careful with any holes in the ground back there.....
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* I'm not 100% sure on this location. It seems pretty far out of the early town. If anyone down that way could enlighten me I'd be obliged. There is a marvelous Encyclopedia Dubuque that has helped me in earlier research but that sadly shows no clarity on this little enigma.
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