Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-15
Wat + Powers of Central Wis.
C0lsln

The number and extent of watet-
powers suitable tor manufacturing pur-
posses, IL Central and Northern Wis
fwlll some day place that region fore
most in the ranks of the misunderstanding
districts Of the continent.
Commencing with the Fox River.
we find that in its course from Lake
Nlnnebago to Green Bay, a distance
OF 30 miles there is fall Of 10 feet,
forming d never failing aud one of the
most valuable water-powers in the
West, which is already mad use Of at
the manufacturing towns Of Menasha,
Neenah, Appleton and Depere
ASIDE from its value and Importance
a. motive power, it may be nentiond
incidentally that the Fox is 225 miles
i'll length, has been improved by the
construction OF locks and dams between
Lake " innebago and Green Bay, and
Is al lso connected by a canal with the
Wisconsin River at Portage City, thus
etecting an uninterrupted water COM
munication from Lake Michigan
through to the Mississippi.
Going westward from Menasha the
first river OF Importance reached is the
WOLF, the principal tributary Of the
Fox, and navigable for many miles,
steamers making daily trips as far
north as New London. The Wolf is
the ortlet to a valuable pinery whose
products are concentrated at Oshkosh
and Fond du Lac, adding materially
to the wealth Of those prosperous cities.
Proceeding still westward we touch
Weyauwegn, Waupaca and Amherst,
thriving towns on the Waupaca River,
tributary of the Wolf, and furnish
ing the necessary manufacturing in
terests whlch sustain the towns emu
merated. Sixteen miles west of the
Waupaca and we reach the Wisconsin,
the great river of the State. which
rising in Lake Vieux Desert in the
northern portion Of Wisconsin, traver-
ses the State in a southwesterly dl-
rcction for a distance of nearly 400
miles, having an average descent of
two thirds Of foot per mile Eleven
thousand square miles of country are
drained by his river. on whose head
waters and those of its tributaries are
found the richest and most extensive
plnerles OF the west.
vi the water-r overs of the Wis
consIn River no adequate idea may
be conceived without actual observa-
tlon; and a full description thereof
Is not compatible with the extent of
this article. Brief mention may be
made, however, Of them, colnmenc-
ing with the Whitney and Grand
Rapids Of the Wisconsin. These
rapids extend from the fourshing
city of Grand Rapids and the op-
posl.e town, Centralia, ,(now the juno
ton of the Green Ba & Minnesota
and tn Wisconsin Valley railroads.
to Point Bass, in IN almost unbroken
cha n, a distance of zen miles, and
having a fall of not less than 90 feet;
furnishing unlimited power Of sites
tor amy variety or extent of manufac-
tories Ascending the river Is miles
(passing several lesser powers) we
reach the Conant and the Shaurette
rapids at Stevens Point. Here the
v lsconsin Central railroad crosses the
river midway between the, foot of
Shaprette and the head of the Conants.
The length Of this chain of rapids is
three miles with des.eht of at least
40 feet. and forming one of the grand
est and most accessible water-powers
IN the west. If not Of the entire count
Try. The formation Of the rapids con-