Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-01-12

on the day fixed by law, to com
mence picking, comes to my mind
and the appearance of the Indian:
at about the same time, forty OF
more of them with their wigwams
fastened on their backs, coming VI
the street, is a "Reminiscences that is
wildly recalled to my mind. When
1 think of those early days, anc
the hideous war dances and other
social pastimes they INDUCED in
especially when under the influence
OF fire water, was new experience
to me, and one that caused many
sleepless nights, and anxious days
as they camped near our home.
l was, happily, away on visit
at the time of the Sioux uprising,
when the people of Centralia took
refuge in Mr.. Weller's grist mill,
and barricaded it, but the amusing
part of it was, that the Indians had
been more frightened than the
white people,
The church services were held
in halls, and school houses, and
the first stick Of timber used in
building the old NJ. E. Church,
was brought to the site, by the
Rev. Tompkins and Mr.. Ostrander.
can not close these reminis-
cences without referring to the uni
versal sympathy and kindness ex-
tended to myself and husband, in
our great affliction while among
you. The remembrance of that
kindness and sympathy has always
tended to soften our grief. We
have a very tender place in our
hearts for the people Of Centralia
and Grand Rapids, and shall
always hold them in kindly re-
membrance.
Wishing you pleasant reunion,
and many happy returns of the
same, | am
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. E. r. OSTRANDER
The hit of the evening was Mrs. j. NJ.
Pomeroy's witty retrospective letter,
which we give in full Mrs. Brown
proved herself good reader by her
rendition OF the same.
M1NNEAPoLIs, Jan. 18th, 1898.
ToMe Old Settlers Of Wood Conn
~, U1S..-Your secretary Mrs.
Denis, says: you are to respond
to the toast The Men, God Bless
them" A funny thing to require
of a lone, lorn woman like myself
May be she thinks | can better
their worth than those
that are supplied with a natural
protector. The particular men on
whom my benediction is to fall, are
those knew in the heyday of life,
and perhaps | can have no better
beginning to my paper than by
paying tribute to the good old
man who has just passed away
J. K. everybody called him, and
he is my earliest recollection OF
any of the old settlers. My
Father and family came to Grand
Rapids in the spring of IS. We
lived in the Butterfeld house, and
Mr.. Scarf was the only person, at
that time, who owned a rig of any
kind that could be hired at any
price, and I remember him as
always driving giging team up
and down, early and late, rain or
shine, seven days in the week,
from the Eddy to Point Basse and
back, down with the empty wagon
and back with it loaded with
"River Pilots" whose time was far
too precious to walk. And always
behind was his eldest son, Lon,
with a steady old team hitched to
an old top buggy. The little
fellow was no bigger than Hop 0
my Thumb" and after the first two
or three trips he was usually asleep
with the lines tied around the dash
board, but the old horses knew the
way and I often wondered why the
boy was there at all.
Many years the Searls lived in
the old log house on the hill,
always the same in adversely or
prosperity, good, kind neighbors
and friends. Those early days
were full of excitement and pleas
ure too.
What great excitement there
was when the water was high, in
watching the RATS come over the
Rapids through the Grand Chute,
on over "Neeves' and Clint's" dam.
1t took brave men and good pilots
to bring a raft of lumber over all
those dangerous places, and with
all their care, many times they
missed and the broken bands and
shingles would go tearing along in
the wild waters. They were usual
ly caught by river pirates and
small fortunes were made by them,
for all they got were theirs.
1t seems wonderful that so few
lives were lost, compared to the