Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-12-02

only what every sane man knows to D
true. Now let US get out of the oil
ruts and build up our two cities by
forsaking of old ways-by turning t
our advantage that which will prove
powerful lever, if We will but have i
so, lifting US into prosperity and com
mercial Importance, if we wiN bat pul
together. Now We propose to sugges
a scheme which will be considered b,
many chimerical, but which we ar
just foolish enough to believe will op
crate to our Unreasonable advantage
if so it a be consummated. 1t Ii
this. Let a stock company be formed
who shall buy and control all the wa
ter power in CeDtralia and Grand Rap.
ids, now ~unoccupied. Of course this
can be done only with the consent and
cooperation Of the present owners Of
this power. Let all who chose become
stockholders, and then let it be known
that water powers are to be given array
to manufacturing capitalists who will
bind themselves to erect manufactures,
reserving such privileges az may be
deemed expedient for future sale. Such
reserved privileges we think will sell
in a few years for enough to more than
pay the principal and interest of the
original investment. These privileges
will enhance in value as the powers
shall become utilized, and until such
utilization, which can be brought
about by the united efforts Of our peo-
pie, each and all looking for mutual
benefits and advantages, we shall have
only the old order of things at once
Improbable and humiliating. Let this
matter be canvassed thoroughly, and
let opinions be exchanged and let US
see if a new life cannot be instilled in
to the body which is threatening de-
cay, though a mighty artery with it's
mighty pulsations is waiting, waiting
to transfuse a healthier life into its be-
ing.
An exchange gives the following ex-
ample Of what factories will do for a
place, and incidentally lays down the
rule that to get such things the peo-
pie of a place must put their shoulders
to the wheels of such enterprises:
Manufactures are magical in their
working. On the border of the Con-
necticut Valley lies a territory rocky
and wild, whose people twenty years
ago, were like their fathers Of happy
memory, poor and blessed with maLy
children. The hugry raven passed it
hastily by, and eve the wild fox re-
fused to make its hole in the hillsides
Through this valley flowed a tiny
brook, which bore away to the Con-
necticut river the surplus rain and i'll
spread soil, the loss of the latter caus-
ing the rock surface to spread out wi
der and wider each year. A Maine
fellow CHANGED that way, and after fire.
quent libations-not from the brook,
but from the grocery-told the gaping
farmers the brook was their fortunes.
Some giggled at this, others shook
their heads-all agreed that he was
either mad or a fool. Incensed at
their verdict. he mounted a whiskey
barrel and gave them a most sensible
talk about cooperative unions, utiliz-
ing water power, etc. When he end
ed his speech, they hadn't laughed,
They went to work. The brook was
widened; they damned it above the
village. The tanners pulled down
their old blue stockings and put all
their hard money into the enterprise
some fifty, some a bundled, and some
a thousand dollars. They built their
factories and elected officers. A year
ago we passed that place, and twenty
one factories dot that brook. Five
thousand people dwell in or about that
village, which formerly contained bat
one hundred souls, and that communi-
ty is one of the wealthiest and most
intelligent to be found it the Nutmeg
State.