Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-02-19
OUR ADVANTAGES.
We zOant tile World to kNozv them.

In our last issue we spoke of receiving
call from Mr.. Louis jackson, industrial
commissioner, and Mr.. John NJ. Davis,
division freight agent of the c., VI. ST.
Paul railroad. The object of their visit
was to look over our resources and re-
ceive whatever information we had to
spread before the world, as they had
feasible means Of spreading it in
the new department represented by
Mr.. Jackson. Mr.. L. NJ. Nash took the
time to show them about both cities, and
this office was the recipient of call
from the gentlemen. They We're free
to express their surprise in our immense
water. power and advantages we had for
the manufacture of all kinds of goods in
which wood is the principal ingredient.
The Enterprise contained in their
last issue some of our inducements which
we reproduce as follows:
"When Mr.. Jackson goes east, with
his portfolio of information under his
arm, we want him to saw to those fel-
lows that during his organizations, he
found two cities, Grand Rapids and
Centlalia, on opposite banks of the
Wisconsin river, with a population of
100 and 1900 people respectively, which
are waiting with open arms to welcome
to their midst any kind of manufacture
ing enterprise that will give employ
ment to labor. Say also, Mr.. Jackson,
that they are connected by new
combination wood and iron bridge, Just
erected at cost of Sl7 800, and that
they have a common interest in each
others prosperits and perpetuity.
Remind them, too that upon the east,
or Grand Rapids side, there is a char
acter of soil as distinctive from that of
the west or Centralia side as can possibly
he imagined, insuring, inside a small
radius, the successful raising of almost
every crop known to the vegetable
| kingdom.
Then we would like to have our water
power briefly alluded to. We cannot
expect full justice done us on this sub
ject without a personal inspection, and
practical demonstration of what we
possess in that line. Tell them, Mr..
jackson, that you made a personal ex-
animation of only one of the powers,
and that YOU saw this institution work
whole river and both banks thereof at
their command, using or about to use
fifteen hundred horse power continually
and that was less Sii,>'. half the power at
their command. Say also that there is
plenty of building room at this very
dam, and that all there is necessary to
do, III order to get power, is to put in
the wheels, put on the belts and let
| 'er go.
Then let them down easy by saving
that there is another dam two miles be-
low this with all eighteen foot head and
four miles still further south is a dam
site with a twenty-three foot head
These are, Of course, little matters, but
it does beat all now much machinery
can be run when these powers have
been developed to their fullest capacity.
This is a southward-not a northern
view. Now let us turn our eyes up
stream. You saw, no doubt, that vast
volume of water bounding over the
rocks, as You crossed the bridge between
the two cities. What YOU saw, and its
northerly continuation, is what has
been known from time out of mind as
the famous grand rapids.'' Every
barrel Of water thus escaping under it's
present velocity, is a standing exempli-
tication of power gone to waste" A
stone dam across the river at this point
would be able to raise a TWENTY-FIVE
foot head, and would run all the ma
chinery in any town in Wisconsin ex-
cept Milwaukee. There are other
powers here, both improved and un-
improved, but this will be enough to
demonstrate that we are long on that
commodity"