New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-15
THE PINERIES or OCONTO COUNTY,
WISCONSIN.
Correspondence Of The N Y. Tribune.

PEsHTIGo, 0conto Co., Dec. l9, 1858.
As al account of the pneries and the business con-
reo;ed with them, may not be uninterestiDg to your
readers venture to give it. Oconto County Is sit
uated in the extreme north Of Wisconsin. 1t embraces
an arena Of 60OO square miles. 1t was organized for
judicial purposes about four years SINCE Previous TO
that time it was part of Brown County (Oreen Bayl
The first settlements Of any consequence were MADE
twenty years ago 10y persons engaged IL the lumoerng
business There were erected two or three small
vater-mills and their small make OF lumber was
shipped to Chicago About eight years since the atten
ton Of capitalists attracted 10 the vast pine forests
with which the county abounds, and the faelhiy OF
manufacturing them into lumber. Soon new lite and
energy was 10 DE observed all over the face OF the
county. Capital poured IN from the great cities OF
the East mills were erected on all the large streams
and employment was given to a vast number of men,
TowIs were founded In the dense wilderness anu
buildings spraug up as If bymsgic.
There are five large streams in the county; all Of
them are used ss logging streams. They penetrate
the country in every direction, afording excellent
f,oihtes for shoit hauling in Winter and driving IN
Spring The usual price of logs per ooo IS from
A. SO TO So delivered The lumber is shipped TO Nil
waukee and Chicago. The latter city receives the
greater portion. There are % uls IN the county; on
the MemOIonee there mills team and =
aAter They will saw next season 2OOOo, 900 feet.
PeshtiQo has water mills lately erected belongs
To Wm. B. Ogden Il Co. of Chicago, which Is one OF
tie most perfect pieces of mechanism ever put to-
cstbeT in The West 1t contains all the improvements
in uill-buid,ng, and erected by one OF Name $
hest mechanics, Mr.. John Emery. IL will turn out
50 coo per day. This Company own lSI, pO acres of
land on which il is estimated there are 5OOOOO,0 0oO
,eet of lumber. They getting out lO,OOOUOO feet
for next season and viii ship it by propeller to C1ca.
co. On the Oconto River there are 10 mills, 4
steam and water. They will cut 4OOOO,OO0 next
season. On This stream is the county seat which con-
tains sbout 0C inhabitants, and Is rapidly ncre
ing There are now in course OF erection ooe mill on
this riv,r and other improvements are also being
made. On Pensaukie River there are Mills
water and l steam. These will probably cut next
season 1900, ,000 feet. Little Suamico has | mill
steam.
Our business ceDters in numbering st present, bat
other branches Of industry sprnging up. There
will be erected during the next Spring and Summer
several large manufacturing establishments on this
river in connection with the Compapy's saw-mills.
One great hndrance TO the prosperity Of the region is
the necessity Of purchasing all the Winters supplies
outside Of il. The attention oi the people mas, uut
within short tne been attracted t. the mills. Tbey
have relied upon them for their supplies. The con
quence has beer, ther, has been scarcely any farming
core. And yet If the very best OF markets lays
st the dooHs II tb. settlers. All kinds Of prodGse
eagerly purchased Ii settlers do not ike the piue
snis, there is variety 10 select from. Hare Se
/ have as fire hardwood lands ever were Tue
sugar maple covers thousands Of acres; beech,
birch, ard numerous varieties There has been raised
! durng the last wear, from improved lands, %
bushels Of corn, planted among stumps and roots
trom l50to 200 bushels of potatoes is common yield.
Cats do well; wheat also. Roots ct ow Ia an aston
lshls tiZe have Peeaniaxy interest IN tue pros
s4d vt think tbsse excellent opportunities of gttog
! home shou'd rot be neglected. Ny occupation Is
ths! OF "teachipg the young idea how 10 shost-'
Yours trUly, FEC