Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-10


COO, 900 per annum, it would take 80
years to consume it. This estimate
does not include hemlock, of which
there is more than there is pine, nor
the hard wood, of which
there is at least half as much. We
count nothing for the growth of tim
Der, which we expect to be offset by
forest fires. We know in making this
statement that many Of our friends
wall say that we are wild in our cal
culations.
In estimating timber land we put
100, 900 feet Of pine to 40 acres Of
land, counting pine trees to average
LOCO feet to the tree. 1t takes five
trees to each two acres of land on an
average. In the summer time, when
the timber is all leaved out, you would
not find one-fourth of the pines. In
fact 30-acre lot that has 100, 600 feet
of good pine on it, you goald be apt
to call almost worthless. Besides many
sections of pine land will average from
one-hdlf million feet of pine to the
forty acres
We notice the speech made by
Mr.. White, shrewed lumberman of
Williamsport, Pa, before the West
Branch Lumber Exchange, in which
| he urged his brother lumbermen to
curtail lumber operations, and among
other arguments urged that the
woodlands axe and the forest fires
are fast depicting the Michigan
forests, and that the time would come
when they would ship lumber to
Michigan. This statement causes i.
smile to ripple across the faces Of
Michigan, Wisconsin or Minnesota
lumb9rmen, as he has long looked
upon Pennsylvania as about played
out as lum Der district. Yet there
IS food for reflection by the thought
ful lunberman. In the vast store
houses provided by nature there l.
yet untold billions Of pine tree
wealth, that will vet add to the IN
fort and happiness Of our children
children.
Grand Rapids possesses a magni
iecent water power. Within llo
lance OF one mile the water las 81
feet fall-a succession of rapius
While the powe" Is almost unlimited.
The privileges re very fine, especial
ly those OF john HablIn and of the
Garrison estate. There is perfectly
secure boomage for l0t, 100000 fee
of logs, and an immense sur, ,lus o.
water power here. The estate viii
be wound up shortly and the proper
" be for sale cheap. Connected with
the property is one circular and ii
y ankoe" gang mill.
There have recently been discover
ed apparently inexhaustiule beds OF
pare kaolin on the land. they have
Just commenced to develop them.
Mr.. I. w. Feithousen, OF Milwaukee,
is now putting up extensive works
, and kiln on the lands of l., Z. Pow
ers for tie Pu p. Sc # burning fire
brick. The Jr cG Turned so lar b. S
proved superior to any other brick
made in the United States. Sample
lots Of kaoIin have been sent abroad
and have come back manufactured
in. the shape of elegant china sets OF
dishes. There IS no doubt that the
kaolin deposit OF Grand Rapids il
destined to play an important part
in the business wealth of the city.
We notice an addition to the two
extensive mills of Mr.. John Rablin,
that he is running planning mil,
foundry and machine shop, and a
tub and pail factory. In his machine
shop they are making something new
in the line of a gang edger, OF which
we may have something to say here
after. III the tub and pail factory
they finish fifty dozen pals and TWEEN
| ty dozen tubs daily.
Among the different valuable mill
properties on the Wisconsin river,
we did not meet any that pleased US
more than the mills of the Hon. Tom.
Scott and J. Edwards, at Port Ed
wards, four miles bt low Grand Rap
ids. With the completion of the
mill by putting in the gang and
planning mills as contemplated, and
sash, door and blind works they will
have complete works running by
water power. They run very cheap
and have the advantage of shipping
their lumber either by water or rail.
J. J. FITz.