Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-05-26
C0ryeSb0ndence.
wRirrEs ron THE vERMosr PHOENIX
LETTBR ERO.u TIsE WEST.
NEENAH AND MENAsnA.


Neenah and Menasha are at the outlet of
Lake Winnebago, 200 miles north, little
west from Chicago, and 3j miles southwest
from the head of Green Bay. Lake Win
heDago has an area of some 300 square
miles, Its waters are clear and beautiful,
supplied chiefly from the Fox and Wolf
rivers. In passing out of the Winnebapo
the waters of the Lower Fox are divided
INTO TWO channels by an island, i'm dimen-
SONS about mile long and half mile
wide. Neenah village is on one side of the
river, Menasha on the other, the centre Of
the island being the dividing line betwe
the two towns.
Nature has here beon prodigal of water
power. The lake furnishes a constant and
unlimited supply of water The fall iscon-
Siderable and there are four eligible banks
for manufacturing purposes, instead of two,
as ordinarily occurs. only 1.-THE of the
available water power of this place is now
used. Probably more machinery might be
driven here than all that in Lowell and
Lawrence combined.
IL requires no prophetic gift 90 foresee
that here is to be the future manufacturing
empire. The first condition of this is at
hand-driving power. Already the means
OF transportation are ample. A railroad
connects this place with Chicago and Green
Bay. Another railroad is projected and in
process of construction, passing through
these villages, having its eastern termina-
ton at Manitowoc on Lake Michigan, and
its northwestern in the copper and iron re-
gion of western Lake Superior. For years
there has been water communication
through Menasha, between Lake MICHIGAN
and the Mississippi river via the upper Fox
and Wisconsin rivers, these streams being
connected near the source of the upper Fox
by a canal. This line of intercommunica-
ton hitherto has been under private man
agement, but there is now movement tn
place it under the control of the general
government. All the franchises and liza
bilities of the private corporation are to be
assumed by the United States, who will
complete and perfect the work. so that in
the future the upper Fox and Wisconsin
rivers shall be navigable for large craft at
all seasons of the year. When this scheme
shall he realized, cotton may be shipped by
water from Memphis to the factory at Me-
naSha, and the products of this place sent
back in return.
The Wisconsin farmers are already turn
ing their attention to sheep raising. Many
parts of the State are well adapted to this.
And the day may not be far distant when
woollen mills here shall rival those of
Massachusetts and Rhode Island Already
one mill in Menasha is doing considerable
business in making woolleu goods of the
heavier and coarser grade. Between this
place and Green Bay, IS miles, the lower
Fox falls l75 feet, Nothing on the Connec-
ticut or Merrimac equals this, and il indi-
Gates manufacturing supremacy some day.
Neenah and Menasha together have be-
tween 5000 and 1000 inhabitants. The ISL
and is the geographical centre of the two
towns, and doubtless it is destined TO be the
centre of population. 1t is wholly above
high water mark, level, and every foot of il
is eligible for building purposes. Its upper
end is still covered with the original forest,
which gives it a very picturesque appear
ance.
Nothing stands in the way of the growth
of these villages except it be a cropping out
of that spirit of rivalry and hate, which Of
ten "makes lands intercepted by a narrow
firth abhor each other"