New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-28
TOUR OF THE UPPER WISCONSIN,
HISTORY AND PERKS OF RAFTING.
respondence Of The v. Y. Tribune


citemebt among tie moldering ruins and dusp1a-ed
castles of the feudal world, excessive fondness :or
| roam ing among the more wild and unds:ubed works
OF the Creator has led to this tour OF observation in
the depths Of own giant forests In doing tae,
we have been favored With cooling draught from the
yertable source of the river whch we here describe,
| in connection with some Of its business relations.
Early Iecollections OF the Lower Wisconsin and its
come ction with the Father ot Waters" at Pfsire
du Chen call up the nost pleasant "reminiscences OF
b,-gone days. This noble river is $50 mles long, and
gives to the State, it being s largest water
course and bavI its source and terminus within lie
bounds. The first note made in this tour where our
rive crosses the southern lie OF the great Msnomonee
Inoap Purchase made in lSi8 ana il also the southern
in il Of The Upper Wisconsin, 80 miles from s mouth,
nnd co north VI the State capital. The wilderness
here giving way 10 the rapid strides OF civilized I'M
| povtmeLt A beautiful Town has just come INTO De,
Ig; il one ycar old $500 600 have been expended
| III iuproN.neLts; veryrhibg Is promising Here,
too be of tie great arteries of commuuica-
eiween the East aDo the Upper Mississippi A.
tady hULdIeds OF haidy lab)res aid mechanics are
bury cont ruc,iIg tire RAILROAD and bridge the Ia eT
| c,.ilpg $40 GO This place ia at the fjot of the
"Drs" 80 callsd fem stlpepdous chssm having
beeh formed through rocky bish,s. IT, pass 10 ms
go,gt the river is mpr ssed into width II from "
to 100 feet. The io9rng waters make fighuIl RI d
heir descelt, dosbpg and'oani'g among the rocks
ne widest fuzzy for Elk or eight miles Viewed a;
apG foam, it is difficult for the Imagination 70 faccy
NJ ythi iiighiul than these heavDg and boiling
ca Or, Us Tie wall of rock is perpendicular for most
Ut the distance, bnd iu many places 3Oo feet nlge.
BeiIc Ibis vast creyice was worn through tie snld
gei ite il is though. that al ilpmerse lake 10y pc
teh Tho Des and the fuJt OF ire neXt * "a. rapid
al &C Of 90 niles: but instead Of ths, there is az
rreseut Only robe, gently f,w0g river, and beau
inu ialmiig country, which will soon vie With !ar
| olotr s.u,ments ID agricultural wealth More tbae
thousand farms have been opened here since the lc-
| dan title was extip guished
| AZ the Grand Rapids and the Grea. Conant Falls,
another chain of roaring br aker and Wild currents
con mepce, broken only by short relieves OF CAIN asd
Quiet water for the distance Of ID niles falls with
fieouentIy make fearful havoc with rats and rasmeI.
We have Low arrived at Stevens Point a. The head Of
there falls 1t is ourishing town, and the largest il
Upper WiscoIs in, but IN tact, - the geographcal
c.nier The S, .te. This is general Stopping place
ti much Of the lumber from The upper country Here
the RATS refed and prepared for the we're oEia
| III The ex'ensye rapids below. II place OF e4;en,
s;ve business tor its age; already the general LAID
Office here has sold 400 600 Of land. There
are between 400 and 500 buildings, beside 100 now 10
c,urre of erection. The Horizon Railroad Is under
col tract this point 10 be completed IN 1898 TIE ron
horse teng Only 30 miles distant, which VII s2or
make New York n.ighborDg city. The yest, pndis-
tuibed, rich and fertile county wet ara rofth, 'hs
very Iect ut home and glory the Menomonee tribes
is toon to be penetrated by this giant cvihzer Of
modern times, steam power.
From this busy, busting town we took passage Y
| the little sturdy, rustic steamboat Northe!ner aud
af er breasting the current for 50 miles, and witness
| ipg the most wild and enchanting scenery We found
ourselves at Moisina the next serious barrier 10 as
cen oipg navigation Again the troubled waters rush
fuiiOusy by but az this distance from ls NOUN
ard after receiving numerous AID large trlou,afIet
theie but little percepuble difference II the SIZE oil
our noble liver
Wausau the seat of Justice for Marathon County, IS
a fine town; We pass it proceed onward 70 as
cover tie source OF our cherished Wisconsin, which is
und ut lei 9Th after days Of wearisonle travel ia
| beautiiu lake called Lac veux Desert: n sheet OF
the pure water 80 miles diameter, forming par.
Of the northern boundary OF the State, az the pce
OF l?0 miles tom the last mentioned town RI III ~
| very source We find our river Iavgable Tor oOaInS
| al numbering PURPOSES. Floats mag pas, roc ms
lake to any point below although ~ yet ttere are 20
mills for saving within 100 miles; bu alocs al :he
water. IN this vast region usre dTe ne WEE.
| pine forests in the world.
one writer holds this language 10 reeieh-7 90 l1-s
| same wilderness: IL,
seoI mares %i' and eytsn1e .aSss sfv@ l. IT, Old
Haunt has been or Of the i9dAn'-eHpha esAy
| OF the amount of laundering already cirrl9- n
within the limits dcsolibe in this Our some Gs may
be foImeo when from! DATA II is a=cer "a n9d 'h@ ~
s on this river and It's uioutarles produce aoIuaiy
over C0 eco 600 feet cf lumber beside ncense qlsn-
titles Of aih AID shingles 1bis lumber a. me mil;
valued at from $40 10 sl4 per 600 feet, G-d yCen
marketed below The sissippi Ig e this ar Jcn.,
making sum Of Lear!s s3,OOoCCC. Ii his business
| there are about eco coruraly eclc,.yei. aci
cepital involved If nesIl, $1,000 coo.
As the warner OF pu,,ing ibis lumber tog9ihst. o.
WI Inc liver may be irt-rest1g 20 the rn'cinaed,
will Cd, Sc The nara i've with chapter On railing.
H. foIpus Iait. the process Is by ave Sec
tiCus cJbs according 10 Inc c' Ia OK ~" cp3l-s,
| FAY fom !. 10 10 feet. Thee cnbs usually coh'EH
tu Il to ~ tiers Of i ch lumber, beside 'lree ST @n5
| Ilabs FOR the bottom, called grud plank: rs
ihIee luuks placed in the formation o: re trlo
i've 10 six feet apart on the de - s E'eT aug
parallel 10 it, scb plank having three large -ols. oee1
through il, one in The &C inter- aud o0e a eacI eli'
with pm or what rai,smsn would call grub iu-
seI,td in cash. about four let long his pla IS snaI
| ship caIptDicr would call uu-aei " t2t-a-' II
| j. mede Of a sspitg taken up by the 70 81 la'se
eiUuu tc the mole IN the blank. the root nr CRUZ
| frul the head: three boards bored = Ike mGE-
| r,r ahG placed cIY~sNsc Hiti the grr9 in:Sr,ed,
Win forms the foam aJn frameD Jrk )f ,eo 'rc
| lhe hsn,e il now filed, crossing al:s-Gs.ely ea9a
aver vi boards ul'il the who's i closely packed.
| binding plank with n le, - cores JonG Ph ta0sa
below useo 10 receive the uppes end ~. the Dl--
| which pressed down and with ICE 81 . cha'c
aid ever the upper cLl lower plarks b'o1ga' %
| esther clo.ely practicable, wtcn 'be upF-- en-
| ci The pin or grub j. welged, mek!nz /. ~ last Ca
tits Iytr il j usual . F4>ten ON Il ,e - -,- = h55-
CRIBS t'eeitcr by plank esrplings, - il.n wha- =
,sled R'pid pl=ce Or u pi-cs a. large - car
| be Iualasd ON tho RAPIDS. Pieces II ;-1gsr re
| fastened 81 each ED Il Ills Rapid pc ~ - c
| q ,unttd with huge Gar Tor s;e-iing made by ill.,
setting ;wrlveiou, board u The h-sgy end u pole
between iliriy I'D fTty feet 90 burg " giys;
| 6x-d in tie hesd.block-. To c,a,pl.e ID. w 1is
plec, ulGer The -.rner- Of h: bead >. * = ih-
t,w.,d ,Lo Of he P'ere; ulcrum .he7 $ 49,
hat by prt ssirg own AID fastening III .-e levers
INV ,s,. the non. CID Of the at .ing i. he
ri. 10 prevent IL. cs', hug ro"ks sheo ':n;ily
,n fosn,ue p ia - u passes over ses md fl4 n
H. n, adLn, rush whsYe, in some -stsnces n. sh l'
raj, with tie ren d-a9pe,-s il The ragn ra:-rs. 7
n,eyent .he lss.flis whsh -o-ne.'me- ,c' - -