Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-07-27

that many of the people residing here
hoped on and hoped ever that these
latent natural forces would some day
attract capital and energy which would
here build in permanence the super
structure of a glorious prosperity as
lasting and permanent as the rushing
waters over the rapids Of admantine
rock, is not strange, and when, ere the
season of 1882 had scarce opened
hope merged into rumor, and rumor
crystalized into solid fact, and we knew
that soon the busy hum of industry
would soon be heard along the shores
of our grandly rushing stream, we
rejoiced, as onlv those communities can
which have been similarly held be-
meath the clouds and rigorous storms
of adversely ; and it is no more than
just that we remark right in this
connection that to Welcome Hyde &
Co., we mainly owe our deliverance.
They saw and appreciated the grand
possibilities lying idle here and soon
concluded the purchase Of the whole of
what was once known as the Rablin
water power, and beneath the practical
touches of Major Cole as manager this
vast property is undergoing a complete
oVerhauling in which practical utility,
neatness and beauty in structure and
surroundings are combined.
But the design of this article being
to briefly, and in as connected form
as we may call attention to the superior
attractions to capital and enterprise
here offered it will be we'll to take
the various subjects up in connected
form, treating firstly of the prominent
features within the cities of Grand
Rapids and CentraIia and then of the
surrounding country which is tributary
to these cities.
Within township twenty-five north
Of range six east and mainly on Sec
tions seven, eight, seventeen and
eighteen are these two cities, naturally
separated by the Wisconsin river flow
ing in a southwesterly direction at
this point and including a population
Of upwards of 5000, Grand Rapids
being on the easterly bank and Contra
liza directly opposite, the two places
being connected by wooden bridge of
magnificent proportions, the same hav-
ing been built in 1876 at a cost of
upwards of $4,000, and being 587
feet in length.
The main portion Of the water pow
er lies within sections seven and eight
where within less than mile the
waters of the Wisconsin are divided
and subdivided by innumerable islands
of rock formation and descending with
the velocity caused by a gradual fall
of about "a feet furnish a power diff
cult of computation yet sufficient to
propel the wheels of city for greater
in manufacturing power and wealth
than any New England city, and from
this fall Of "A feet there is within the
next II mile fall of 7 feet making a
total descent Of about 81 feet within
less than mile furnishing a total Of
about 1900 horse power. 1t may be
stated IN this connection that this
power represents the amount available
at all seasons of the year as the
estimates based upon the minimum
flowage of water and represents
only the extreme at the lowest stage
of water. Taking the other extreme
and our figures would be vastly great
or, and yet owing to the wide extent
OF the country drained by the Wiscon-
sin river as well as its generally level
surface crossed by no mountainous
ranges, we have no sudden and dan
gerous floods nor on the other hand
have we or are we liable to experience
lack of water within the limit men
toned above. Neither the cold of
winter nor the heat and drouth Of
summer affect the downward rushin g
waters.
These we take it are items of no
inconsiderable Importance couple
these with the fact that nature has so
generously contributed to make these
waters available by forming numerous
channels between rock bound islands
and one may safely challenge the at
tenticn of capital and enterprise to
the grandly numerous facilities here
offered for profitable and bounteous
investment. Then take into consider
alton the fact that the hand of man
has as yet done but little in the con-
struction of dams, not exceeding
$4,000, and We have here to-day from