Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-08
nARSHFIELD TO BE PITIED.
Her Condition Compared with the
Twin Cities of less Population.

Adam Paulus, editor and proprietor
of the Marshtield News. has ever since
his advent in Marshield and this
county assumed position of enmity
towards the twin cities of Grand
Rapids and Centralia. He never loses
an opportunity to belittle our progress
and always slurs our position upon any
question which comes up for public
disposal in which the county or twin
cities have an interest in common with
Marshfeld. We believe his reasons
are wholly selfish prompted by jealousy.
To what extent his position is endorsed
by the people of Marshfeld we do not
know. We accord any publisher the
right to laud the advantages of home
city against those of his neighbors, but
We don't believe he has any right to
pull his ne1ghbors down in his ambition
to raise his home city. His ambition to
have Marshfeld the county seat Of a
new county is creditable and any
honorable effort to accomplish that
purpose is not objected to, but the
recent conduct of the News on this and
other matters connected with it have
not been honorable towards the Twin
Cities. The readers of the REPORTER
here care but little what the News has
to say, for whenever the question of
county seat" comes up, Marshfeld is
"neve1 in it'' in the final outcome. We
took occasion to call him down on a
few points in our recent issues. In his
issue of the 1st of August he has the
following:
Like the yeriest cad the Reporter
editor now faunts in our face the state
ment that they are richer than we. We
are glad to know where the Reporter
stands. The people are not III it. 1t
guages rights by riches. But we have
the question now where we want it..
Yes the banks of the twin cities reflect
more wealth than do ours, making fully
six times our showing. If tax-dodging
was stopped by the wealthy institutions
and citizens of the twins the difference
would be more than $S0,0O0.00 in valua-
ton. The farcical assessment system
in Wood county has run long enough in
its present channel and it is high time
that this matter is stirred up. Will the
Reporter join with the News to bring
this about? Your valuation is now not
quite third larger than ours and We
feel certain that with your wealth
properly assessed, water powers and
all, your showing will be twice as large.
Come now, since we have this started
let us 60 clear to the bottom and have
justice done to all in the county. You
will find that you are richer by far than
you now really think. Then when this
is established you can sit and gloat to
your hearts content.
And III your acceptance OF our
proposition will you please state why it
is that Grand Rapids, Centralia and
Pittsville should have ten representa-
tives on the county board, while
Marshfeid, with almost equal popula-
ton only has six members.
In reply to the above we have only
this to say; That the records at the
Court House will show that Grand
Rapids and Centralia have always borne
more than their share of the taxes
assessed in the County. We are only
too glad to compare valuations with our
sister city. 1t is generally known that
Marshfeld is burdened to death with
taxation, her business men are burden
ed with heavy debts and times are
hard. If the Duke (the pretended
friend of labor paid his laboring men
in cash instead of script their condition
would be somewhat better. Marshfield
is windy city. They bank upon gas
and that is constantly escaping. We
append the following figures taken
from the abstract of assessment rolls.
In the first place the merchants and
manufacturers stock for the past eight
years in the Twin Cities are assessed
again as much as those of Marshfeld.
In 1894, Centralia had $3l ,195. 90; Grand
Rapids 36, ,440.00; Marshfeld with more
population than both the above only
$36, ,260. This ratio has existed for the
past eight years.
Now read the comparisons between
these same cities on total personal
property and real estate valuations:
1890
Total Valuation of Total Value Sum
personal property Real Estate Total.
Centralia l31,s25.OO 1SO,4S1.O 1.O0-162, 90
Grand Rapids }s6,3o5,oO 169,394. .OO-255, $1,000
AIS, ,OO5 90
Marshfeld 6l,SS0.00 29S, 800. .00-360, 100 90
1891
GfnTia GFnnd Eapids yi$s So
443, ,292 90
Marshfeld 62,195.O0 SIS, 1854. .00--3SO, 90
1892
Centralia | 51,1S3.O0 Isl ,544 00-2O2, ,727 90
Grand Rapids 113,377.00 l95, 150.00-30S, 90
5l1,254oO
MarShfield 14,401O0 9S5, ,65i .00-410, ,155 90
1898
Centralia 56,290.00 161, ssh OO-21S, ,121 90
Grand Rapids 1O6.629.OO 211 0.OO-317, ,999 90
90
MarShfield II 603.00 357 ,051. .00-42S, ,654 90
1891
Centralia ! 56,74S.OO 16O,S70.O0-217,61S 90
Grand Rapids 1000So.O0 S40.00-5lS,37000
$50, ,9ss. 90
Marshfeld 72,454.OO SGT, ,41O. .O0-43S, ,S64 90
How do these figures suit you? The
farther back you 60 the proportion is
more favorable to the Twins. These
show on an average of over 100000
more valuation than Marshfeld with a
population of 1862. There is nothing
more for us to say.