Encyclopedia Dubuque
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RHOMBERG, Alphons L.
Family History: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=ftm109&id=I11499
RHOMBERG, Alphon L. (Dubuque, IA, Nov. 2, 1857--Dubuque, IA, Aug. 3, 1936). The eldest son of Joseph A. RHOMBERG, Alphonse was educated in Dubuque and Europe. For one year he was in charge of a Park County, Colorado, silver mine before returning to Dubuque. He entered the wine business and produced an artificial champagne from 1879 to 1881. In 1879 he also announced the discovery of a cave large enough to turn a team of horses around outside of Dunleith lined with LEAD. (1) He announced that he had turned down $5,000 for an interest in the claim. This would be equivalent to $119,072.62 in 2016.
In 1884 Rhomberg left Dubuque for Texas where he served as general superintendent of the Austin and Northwestern Railroad which was partially owned by his father. Rhomberg remained in Texas until 1895 buying and selling land. He platted the county seats of Stonewall and Kent counties.
Rhomberg returned to Dubuque and joined his father in operating the DUBUQUE STREET RAILWAY COMPANY until it was sold. He became one of the organizers of the DUBUQUE-WISCONSIN BRIDGE company in 1900. Rhomberg later served as secretary treasurer and was until 1907 the president of the company. In March 1910, Rhomberg became president of the DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY.
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Source:
1. "A Cave Full of Lead," Dubuque Herald, March 5, 1879, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18790305&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1911, p. 534