Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-05-26
OLD FOLKS REUNION.
Their Gathering reblete ao1tA a0orzly
and interesting addresses, 7oasts.
and other Late1u1,y exercises.

The following is a reproduction of one
OF the literary gems rendered on the
occasion of the Old Folks Re-Union,
Thursday evening, May 18th, which we
necessarily omitted in our last issue for
want of space:
The "Address of Welcome" by Judge
Webb we were unable to get
RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT OF WOOD
COUNTY.
'"There is too much of this to be
fully, or perhaps properly handled by
me, in response to a toast, or after
dinner speech.
Comprised of twenty-three congress
sional townships,-529, ,920 acres of land
containing greater variety of rock,
minerals, timber, and adapted to the
production of greater variety of vege-
tation and fruits than any other terri
one of the best, if not the best states in
the union; central between two great
lakes, and half dozen great cities, all
within easy reach; supplied with the
purest of pure soft water in great abun-
dance, and to be had in full supply on
every garden spot; with an atmosphere
SO pure and health-giving that but few
doctors can flourish in it, and SO stimu-
lating and invigorating that lazy people
are comparatively unknown, and old
people feel young; crossed from north
to south by three great streams of water
and coursed i'll every direction by small
er ones, watering and properly draining
every spot, and furnishing water power
without limit to drive machinery to
manufacture supplies for nations; pos
sessed of all these, the resources of
Wood county cannot be estimated by
any common rule. Rough and uncouth
in its appearance in its wild condition
forbidding in almost every aspect to the
common observer and common thinker,
it has been Stunned, laughed about and
ridiculed; while its poorer neighbors
have outstripped it in settlement and
improvements, while draining a large
part of their sustenance from the object
of their derision.
The northern and particularly the
northwestern portion is covered with
timber so thick and dense as to be al
most impenetrable-the southwest, a
low-lying fiat sporting ground for the
beaver and muskrat; the southeast a
sandy pine opening, through which
courses the mighty Wisconsin river,
roaring down a long succession of rock
bound rapids-none but the most ro-
mantle, the lover of the odd and the
sublime; the searcher after hidden
truths and hidden wealth. the lone, sol
itary, Independent thinker, saw within
her borders any permanent attraction,
or any inducement to attempt a perma-
nent stay, permanent home or per-
manent improvements. Yet within her
borders are natural resources enough,
TO, when properly developed, furnish
employment for, and in comfort to
maintain more than 100000 of in
habitants.
Nearly an hundred years ago, John
Jacob Astor gathered here a large por-
ton of the wealth that has enabled his
cffeminate posterity to live at ease, and
lord it over their betters. His hirelings
then informed the world that it was a
land fit only for the fur bearing animals
to breed and flourish in-these, he
nearly eXterminated.
Later came the frontiersmen of Hi
nois, Iowa, Missouri and southern Wis
consin, and gathered here the where
with to build their habitations and
make comfortable homes; and then
went their way, and when gone, shout
ed aloud that this was county fit only
to be inhabited by wolves, wildcats and
wild Indians
Then came also from all the south
country-the footman, the OK team, the
horse and mule team, the covered wag.
on, and whole families, year after year
and gathered here in the fall of the
seasons, the fruit of the fields made
productive by the industrious beavers
which had been slain and robbed OF
their coats by the Astor crowd, and car.
ried it away by the pack load, the pony
load, the wagon load; and when they
had got away sold their gatherings, the
beautiful, health-giving cranberry, and
felt comfortable and secure against want
for the coming winter. They amused
themselves and all who would listen by
telling what worthless, God-forsaken
wire-grass, fly bitten, mosquito dark
ened county this was.
Nearly all who came, came to ge
something, and go away-the count,
was SO rich they generally got it. Th,
good things of the land was not spokel
of, because those who saw them desired
in time, to become their owners, ant
did not care to direct attention to them
lest someone more ready than they ,stel
in and take possession.
Thus while all other places, north
west and south, good, bad and indiffer
ent, had their boomers out in ever,
direction singing the praises of thei
special localities, Wood County wa
borne down with an innumerable set Q
bears who would not admit that she wa
worth testing, or looking upon.
Is it any wonder that, under thes
circumstances, the great mass of settler
seeking homes have gone by t