Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-02-22


Ed. PEEsCoTr Journal Permit me
through the medium of your paper TO sus-
gest few thoughts to my brother farmers,
and also to the mechanics and merchants, in
reference TO what, IN my view. is our duty in
order to best develop the natural resources of
this section Of country. And when speaking
Of this section, l mean the old St. Croix
County, before il was divided and mutilated
for the benefit of corner lot owners and
Office sharks, at the expense of the farmers
and the people generally.
In my opinion, and in that of large num-
Der of farmers and tax payers, the present is
a favorable time 70 remedy the great evil
done TO this section of country at an early
day. and before its natural resources were
known Ito but faw) and by men who cared
not what the cons. quences of their action
would be, 50 that they Teaped their private
benefit.
These men were well aware that if they
did not do this act at an early day. but wait
ed until the country filed up and the people
found out their peculiar natural advantages,
and begun to comprehend the necessity Of
acting together to develop their resources,
and thus add TO the prosperity Of all iii, l
say, they had waited until such time, they
well knew they could never have done the
wroug,-aud | have vet TO find The first
farmer who viii not say it was a wrong, and
many ask, cannot we repair the wrong yet?
Why, you may even talk with the plumber
ing, ofice-seekiug sharks those sandy. foxy
looking chaps who have burrowed under our
present County Sect, and they will say that
the division was wrong, but we had better let
IL be.
/ say, Mr.. Editor, tins is a good lime TO
talk this matter up, and as e,eh Of the Sec
tons most affected BY tie proposed CONSOLE
d.tion Of Pierce and st. Croix Counties
have Press through which to express their
views, except River Fails. am sure you viii
open your columns to US Of that town, and as
have been here as long as any one, let me
have my say first. A presentation of our
different views. and Low consolidation will
affect different interests, viii. il nothing
more, make rs better acquainted with our
advantages and disadvantages. and serve as
something Of a guide TO strangers coming
here 70 settle.
Let Us look, Mr.. Editor, at Prescott. What
ere her natural advantages? First, her posi-
tiOn. at the juncture Of the Mississippi and
ST. Croix. the great natural water commune
cations Of this upper country. Nature seems
10 have intended this point for the location Of
the great warehouses and the wholesale bust
ness to supply and accommodate, 10 a great
extent, tins section Of country. This, with
fine farming lanris ia her immediate vicinity,
constitutes her natural advantages. How
shall she make them most available? The
change in business Which Is rapidly going on.
that is exporting flour instead OF wheat, thus
saving the offal to the farmer. creating a
demand for more labor and market for a
portion Of our timber in the shape Of slaves
and heading, this change. ] say, will hurt
Prescott, rs she must lose much of the ship
ping and handling of wheat. and she has no
cheap power to manufacture It. She can only
retain her position by identifying herself
with the manufacturing interest, and taxing
various manufactured articles The disad-
vantages of Prescott are a want of natural
manufacturing power, and in being cursed at
eally day with controlling men who fol-
lowed very narrow minded policy.
Let US next look at the advantages and
disadvanta ges Of Hudson. First. her loca-
ton on the st Croix, giving her water COM
munication next her fine water power at
the mouth of Willow River, which is already
improved, aud in the right way, by Mr.
Baldwin, who is doing more for the farmer
than all thu balance of the town; next
Green's Mil on Willow River next " illow
River Falls These powers belong TO Hud-
son, and with the fine farming country in
her vicinity, constitute her natural adyan-
tagcs
How can these advantages be made the
most advantageous? 1t is evident that all
the water power Hudson has is no more than
sufficient to manufacture into -four the wheat
which win be raised on land naturally tribu-
tary to her. She has no surplus power to
help the mechanic, and it would be an injury
to the farmer to divert any portion of this
power from the manufacture of -four. as he
needs all of the bran and shorts to help him
work up his straw and coarse feed and put ii
back on his farm. Already has the suicidal
course Of shipping wheat and burning the
straw. been pursued so long
that on many old lands the average ol
wheat per acre has fallen from 80 to II or )
bushels, and instead of having bran and
shorts and keeping cows and making cheese
and butter TO supply the country, we are
bringing these articles from below and i'm
poverIshing our land.
These, Mr.. Editor, are, in nv view, the
advantages Of Hudson. and the uses they
should be put TO. What are her disadsan
tages2 A lack Of timber in her vicinity fol
farming and manufacturing purposes, and q
lack of stock water for dairy purposes, ne
cessitating the keeping of sheep instead o
cows to use up The bran, shorts and straw and
keep up the farm. Then she has the curse
as well as other localities of men who want
to locate in town and build it up at tn,
expense of the country. and not only build
up their town, but steal sufficient to live on
and loaf the balance of their lives. They ar.
very anxious to build fine county building,
and are willing to devote their time to hand.
ling the money of the farmer for that pur
pose just look at the capital in Hudson