St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-16
RALDWIN,S HOPES.
Quite "a Commercial Center--Induce-
ments for Ca pitai.

special 10 the GlOOe.
BALDWIN, Wis, Dec. livery little
can be said about the growth OF Baldwin
during the past year. 1t seems to have
reached the apex Of its greatness prior to
that time. When Baldwin village was
founded, those who were instrumental in
terested in the upgrowth and advancement
of its interests, had high hopes of its ulti-
mate importance in the county. Situated
very near the geographical center of the
county its Importance as point for locat-
ing the county buildings became at once
| apparent and there were those who were
even sanguine enough to believe that at no
distant day Baldwin would be the county
capital. 1t proved matter of expectation
only. While popular opinion indicated that
the village was to become important as the
county seat. it also indicated it's Importance
as commercial center, and this last point
has been more than fully verified; and it is
to Baldwin as commercial center that /
would direct your attention. Indeed, the
only growth that could be noticed during
the past year is the growth of trade, and in
this too, may be found her
PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIES.
The decline i'll manufacturing industries
during the past two years has been noted
with considerable anxiety by residents of
the town. They feared when the large
Touring mill closed its doors-to open them
again when thought advisable-that the
death knell of Baldwin was sounded. Such,
however. was not the case. The fact that
better goods for less money could be pur-
chased in Baldwin than at any other point
in the county was too firmlylestablished to
be broken and shaken by the shutting down
of one mill. Then there was the Empire
in full operation. There also was the stave
mill of Messrs. Judd & Allyn, they first
furnishing a place for farmers to do their
milling. and the second affOrding a market
for all kinds of hard wood, but most partic-
ularly for oak--the most plentiful of all ma
tive woods.
When in the early part of the past year
the question of another line of railroad
through the town became vital one, and
assurances were given that were encourag-
ing, those who believed in Baldwin, who
had nailed their faith high up in expecta-
ton, grew big in hope. They knew that
another line of railroad in Baldwin meant a
revival of their industries, so long idle.
They felt that there was some chance for
realization of hope so long cherished-that
Baldwin should become the
CENTER OF THE COUNTY
in name, as well as in geographical loca-
ton and when the question came, ''bond
or not" those who were in favor of such a
move got fresh grip and held on like grim
death. The town was bonded but the rail-
road don't materialiZe worth a cent. 1t
seems pity that splendid Touring mill,
with capacity of 200 barrels of -four
every twenty-four hours, surrounded by a
country that produced more than 600, 600
bushels of wheat in 1884, should lay idle
simply because there is no one with push
and vim enough in them to take hold of the
property and make it paying concern, as
its former owner did. TO the young or
middle-aged man with a small capital Bald
win has extra inducements to offer, for here
can be found a milling property second to
none in the Northwest that l venture to
say can be purchased for less money than a
property like it within radius of a hum
dred miles.
Whoever makes Baldwin home will
find far better class of people, citizens of
the town, than ordinary villages of like
number of inhabitants afford. Their
kindly interest in ones welfare and substan
tial aid in adversely marks them as people
of noble and generous impulses. May they
realize their fondest hopes and become at
last the center indeed of the county.