Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-11-23

COunty'-Hs Sol, Crops, Timber
and People.
Four officers at Fort Smelling en-
ployed Philanier Prescott to " claim
tie town site Of Prescott in the fall o
1888. Captain Martin Scott, the greaI
rife shot, made claim adjoining in
1889. Geo. ShaEer and old Joe No
zier came the same year. A Mr. Den.
ton did the first preaching here in 40
d. Her;zelI, the great trader, tried to
ODeu shop" here in 1912, but was
driven of to Point Douglas. George
Shazer and Hilton Doe began the first
farming in Pierce County in 1874. I'm.
Lockwood opened q trading shanty
here in ls45. P. D. Aldrich started
the McMurphy farm in 1916. George
Risseau started the Bailey farm in l847.
Louis Harnssberger claimed" the COpp
farm in ls4S. Joseph Ferry claimed
the Silas Wright farm in 1850. DR..
Maxson came here in 1851 and bought
out Prescott. ". J. Copp came here
in 1854. There were then two stores,
two hotels and blacksmith and wagon
shop in town.
LOCATION OF PRESCOTT.
Nature has been cheated or defeated
in one of her grandest intentions. The
layout and location Of PreEco.t plainly
indicated one Of the great "points" on
the Mississippi. The state of Min
nesota should have included ;he St.
Croix Valley. and Prescott should have
been the capital. From her position,
she stood out fair aud commanding,
with ono hand pointing TO the great
pineriss above the lake, the other to
the free navigation below. Prescott
should have been the Queen City Of the
North.
The surroundings of Prescott, up by
the lake, or out in the prairie openings
for a circuit Of many miles, are beauti-
fuI exceedingly, The prairie region is Il
sort of valley aud prairie combined,
now broken with low ridges, now
stretching away in magnificent distan-
ces. Three miles out we come to the
Bailey farm, and Just beyond the Smith
farm. One here can hardly believe
their own eyes. Natural parks. shaded
lawns, shrubbery, fruit aud flower gar
dens, all set off in most romantic splen-
dor. Hudrods of other farms up in
valleys, less snowy, sre perfect pictures
of rural beauty. Ten miles out we
strike the great bolt of hard woods, the
finest, perhaps, in all North America.
These hard-woods occupy three-fifths
of Pierce County. They abound in
springs and streams. The lay Of the
land in the timber IS similar to the
prairie.
MANUFACTURES.
There are twenty four saw mills in
Pierce County aud fourteen -four mills.
Tweutv-three of the saw mills arc cut
ting away in the hard woods. This is
good showing for the county, but not
half that should be employed. Pres.
colt has q saw and four mill combined,
planning mill and sash and door manu-
factory-all told. This is a small ex
hibit Of manufactures, not fourth
part what its position fairly warrants.
The mouth of the St. Croix Lake
furnishes safe harbor for one Or fifty
million logo. With only the expense Of
tieing together. The lake shore for q
milo up is admirably adapted to mill
sites. The Mississippi, right at hand,
delights in bearing away all the great
products of industry free. Half a
dozen great chimney stacks, ''pointing
heayenward" rising amid great mill
structures, along the Prescott lake
shore, would make a sight glorious to
behold. Then a foun Try, machine
shop, card and wooden mill, paper mill
cabinet, tub, hub, wagon, and all The
various manufactures for little farming
fxings, would sort il well with thC
great lumber mills. Il should be tho
ambition Of Prescott to do jdst these
things. They have great natural ad
vantages Of material, shipment and Do
sition. But if natural advantages are
not sufficient to accomplish this work
town proprietors and property owner:
should club together aud give lots t.
every new manufactury, both fol
residence and mill sites. If that dom
draw manufactures, the city propert,
should tax itself sufficient to briar
them. Manufactures make towns
Trade will come of itself.
RAILROADS.
Should the land graut road be bull
TO Prescott by way Of Durand anC
Black River Falls, Prescott viii vet be
come the marked town of Northern
Wisconsin. Should the Hudson anC
Superior road be completed to thi
point also, Prescott twill probably ris,
% position 10 the state second only
20 Milwaukee" It is not certain thai
both roads viii be built for the mex
five years. The ST. Paul road is likely
10 DO completed to Hastings next year.
L viii probably cross tie Mississippl