Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-17
laundering in Wisconsin

WISCONSIN - ne UTeeH Duy uHU
Lake Pepin and the Wisconsin Val
leg Rai1acays Being Pushed For.
card- Other Railways to tha Wts-
consia River Contempiated-Lumder
Transportation by Rail.
Especial Correspondence to the Inter ocean,
GRAND RAPIDS, WIS.
EXTENSIVE WATER POWERS.
The Wisconsin River at this point,
running over rapids of considerable
steepness for the distance of several
miles, affords water power Of magni-
tude unequaled probably in the coun-
try the 1ow of water is certain the
wear round, and there are also easy IA
cilities for booming logs and placing
mills. Consequently this has become
the central point of manufacturing
lumber on this river. The several
mills here turn out about 5O,O0O,0OO
feet annually, besides small lumber and
shingles There is also Touring mill
New mills and manufactures are among
the intended improvements. Grand
Rapids is city, and, including Contra
liza, on the opposite side of the river,
has population of about 5000.
Port Edwards is four miles below
| IMPENDING REVOLUTION IN LUMBER
TRANSPORTATION
The time is approaching when manu-
featured lumber will be taken to mar
ket by rail instead of by water. 1t MAIN
ly goes west from the valley of the Wis
consin. The Green Bay and Lake Pc
pin Railway passes this point, connec-
ting with the West Wisconsin at Mer-
illan, and it is now under contract for
extention to Winona, which latter will
afford an outlet for the supply Of lum-
Der in Minnesota. In addition to this
road another is building from Tomah,
with the iron laid within ten or twelve
miles Of this place, and will be pushed
on Immediately to Wausau. This is
the Wisconsin Valley Road, chartered
by citizens Of this place and vicinity,
who invested largely in it; but it is
now in The interest of James +. Joy,
who has time contract with the St.
Paul Company to run over the track
from Tomah to LaCrescent, where he
can connect with bis Chicago, Dubuque
and Minnesota Railway, and the South
ern Minnesota as we'll
1t is calculated that the transporta-
ton of lumber alone will give this road
a paying business from the start on
the 1st day of May there were l12, 600,
900 feet on hand on the line of the
road as projected to the line of the
Wisconsin Central, that would have
shipped over it had it been completed
to that point of its route Besides,
the road can bring logs to the mill
during the winter season, enabling
them to run the year round. Such is
being done now on the Wisconsin Cen
trail 1t is conceded by all lumbermen
that it is more profitable to transport
lumber by rail than it is by water it
can be piled, or as the down East
lumbermen express it, stuck" there
BY saving in freight as well as in en-
HANGED price for the upper grades in
its seasoned condition; it reaches its
destination in better condition; there is
no loss in breaking up of RATS, and it
can be shipped or held at the pleasure
Of the owner. At present large guam
titles are necessarily held over during
the winter, and is kept in the water in
RATS, which, on account of the rotting
Of the ''@rubs," are run down in the
spring at more or less peril Of their
breaking up in the rapids. This
road will also afford facilities for bar
gains IN wheat, coarse grains, and other
farm products from further West to
supply those engaged in numbering,
this valley not being self-sustaining in
agricultural products.
OTHER RAILWAYS CONTEMPT ATED.
Mr.. JOY, it appears, is also desirous
Of extending the Sheboygan and Fond
du Lac Road from Princeton to CON
meet with the Tomah Road at this
place. For this purpose aid has been
asked of Grand Rapids. This will
hardly be granted, for the citizens just
ly pride themselves upon the fact that
the city is totally free from railway OBJ
legations. anb, in fact, Of any kind of
debt The county has been voting
railway bonds heretofore. In additi on
to the prospects Of this extension, the
Portage people are bent on building a
road from that city to strike this place.
Some work has been done, aud Mr..
Campbell, who is at the head of the
enterprise, is now in Europe for the
purpose Of obtaining aid He reports
! sanguine expectations Of final success.
These facilities completed-and they
are far from being among the uncer-
talnties-the inexhaustible water power
at this point, taken in connection with
the vast tracts of lumber on the upper
Wisconsin, cannot fail to attract capt.
tai and business.
OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES AT THE
RAPIDS.
A bed Or pure kaolin has been dis
covered on the west side of the river,
and, likewise, quarries of granite, of a
quality that is handsome both in it's
rough and finished state, and which
hardens on exposure, and stands fire.
The latter have been opened and work