Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-05-25
fNr.t.ntn,.e VI D laconsl,i.

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interesting editorial on the future n
Wisconsin, from which we clip the
subjoined extract. All the Seatisel
said is true, but much more, may be
said, and Their not the half be told :
1t is obvious to person travelling
over our State that in point Of natur.
al resources, especially as regards our
natural advantages for manufacturing,
/ Wisconsin occupies front rank. No
State in the UPTON gan compete with
us in water powers, and while we
roncede to other localities very super.
Tor advantages in this direction, we
rust claim for Grand Rapids decided
preemnenee. The Sentinel says: -
Nc state in the Union IL better sit.
mated than Wisconsin,. Vast indus.
tres Of this kind are already spring.
ING into life. The raw ,naterial'af
manufacture is produced in ABUNDANCE
or is near At hand. Wool is grow1
within our borders and all around.
Cotton is nearer to us than to Massa.
cha-etts. Our forests are secmindfy
ekhapstless. Excellent iron ore is not
wslung. We afavc no coal for itsu
in manufacturing, and we do ,,,t
need it. We, tive the best water,
power on the continent. The Fox
River, between Lake Wiunebago and
Green Bay, affords power TO turn
more mills than now exist between
the two oceans. In two score miles.
there is steady fal! of one hundred
aud seventy ieet. The warar can be
used over and over. A lake thirty
miles long and ten miles wide affords
natural reservoir that hundreds al:
millions could snnt build. =, 1t collects
copidns streams from the center OF
the state and sends them down the
hong slope below, without the posi-.
hilty Of food or.ironght. The Fox
River from Necnah to Green Bay is
worth n hnndred'Merrimacs. :; There
are those now living who will see the
whole distance of rorty ra,,as almost
a continuous manufacturing city.
We will not undertake 10 say how.
many millions Of feet Of lumber are
cmt every year in Wisconsin. This
state is destined to take the lead in
manufacturing household furniture
1t wills soon compete with Ohio IN
agricultural implements. The cloths
OF its different WOODEN mills are already
esteemed in the market. Ladies re-
gard the shawls Of Racine aud Wau-
kesha as equal to those of the Bay
State. The iron works OF Milwaukee
are among the most Important IN the
Northwest. Just as good locomotives
are made here as at Paterson, in
New Jersey. The future OF Wiseon
sin is clear|y'that of manufacture, and
her position will be one .ofProud
prominence.
The water power of the Fox River,
between the points mentioned is all
it is represented The average FAN
Of the water for the distance men.
mloncd forty miles,, is Jom' and one
fourth feet, Shich is good enough,
but the power furnished by the Wis,
consn river in, a distance Of eleyen
miles is 80 much superior to that Of
the Fox, tina, tho preference is mater
tally in favor of our locality. In one
mile we have fall Of t,eenty seoea
feet, being on that portion of the
river krown as the "Grand Rap,ds."
From the foot Of Grand Rapids to
Ponte Bausso, a distance OF ten
miles, we have n fall of .torty.sir feet,
making in all an aggregate of screen
ty three feet. A still further advan
tage we possess, is, that nature has
created natural slnices on either side
the river where mills and manuiactur
ing establishments may be erected
with trit'lng outlay of capital These
sloughs extend the whole distance
mentioned, ai intervals of a few rods,
making the grandest water.power on
the continent 1t will be seen that
the average fall is sic feet and seren
inches to the mile
What is claimed by the Sentinel
regarding the forty miles on the Fox,
we claim with positive assurance
for the eleven mites of :the Wiscop.
sin, and that 700 within thtnext twea'
ty years. To hdd to our river advan.
tages, Wood county has the best
farming lands in the State the hea,'
les, hard wood timber and rich mines
Of ore that only await development to
bring 10 us the capitals, and the ar,
tisan.
These are flcts, fast becoming APP
tparent to capitalists, and when we
ahall have railroad communio alton
with the outer world, we shall have
begun to reap where nature has SO
/ copions'y strewn. ~