Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-09-09
SAY IT WAS A FARCE.
Appleton Mill Men Are Not
Pleased with the Water
Conference.
PLAN TO BOOM GREEN BAY.
That is the Claim Set Up by the Pa
per Manufacturers-State
Specials

Appleton, Wis, Sept. 4.-lSpeclai.l-
The water power conference at Green
Bay yesterday is regarded with consider
able amusement by water-power owners
and manufacturers here and at other val
Iey points. OF the scant attendance nine
or ten were water-pOWer men or manu-
facturers and the others possessed no per-
$sonal but only general interest IN the
situation The meeting is looked upon
here by every one as being an advertls-
ing scheme on the part of the Green Bay
boomers. 1t is believed here that the
matter will rest where it is and no report
is ever expected from that committee on
resolutions consisting of two members
from each valley city to be appointed by
the president of the Green Bay Business
Mems association. That this committee
should report to the Green Bay Business
Mems association and the report be laid
by such association before Congress is
regarded by Fox River manufacturers
as the most humorous feature OF the
whole proceedings. A prominent Apple
ton manufacturer said: why not trans
init the report through the w. Q. Il. U:
of Baraboo or the knights OF Labor OF
Marshtield who have quite as much
knowledge and direct interest IN FOX
River water-power affairs as has the
Green Bay Business Mems association.
Green Bay, Wis, Sept. 4.-[Special.l-
Of the gentlemen who participated IN the
meeting held here yesterday to debate
the water problem in the Fox river val
aey that the meeting will be productive
Of much good. While there are a great
many people who cannot possibly under
stand how such a conference can remedy
the difficulty under which the milling in
Gerests are laboring, the hope was freely
expressed by all in attendance that the
most sanguine expectations may be real
ized.
Beside Gov Upham and Congressman
Minor of the Eighth district and Stewart
of the Sixth district, there were present
the following representative manufa2-
furers: d. G. Brothers, A. w. Priest, N.
III. Brokaw, II. 3. Tanner, II. A. Fran
bach, p Tilman Kaukauna; State Sen
ator T. B. Mills, West Superior; j. II.
Wharton, r. B. Reid, L. w. Orbison, j.
g, Armstrong, John McNaughton, Apple
ton; John Strange. Menasha; j. 7. Dous-
man, j. S. Gissen, Depere; Joseph }.
Writ Shawano; j. f. Wiley, NJ. Wad-
leigh, j. III. Brennan, Stevens Point.
Vigorous addresses were made by sew
aral of these gentlemen. The warmest
discussions being between Mr.. Strange
on one hand and Messrs. Reid and KIM
ber1y on the other. Mr.. Strange main
tanned that the discussion of the ques-
dion at the present time was the height
of folly, for the reason that nothing
could be done in the matter by the gov
ernment until the old suit instituted by
the government against the cities of
Neenah and Menasha, nearly decade
ago. to prevent them using more than
their share of water was passed upon
Coy the proper tribunal. He also con-
tended manfulIy for the manufacturers
of Oshkosh, denying the imputatlOns OF
previous speakers that they were not
fair-minded or were unwilling to deal
Justly with the other manufacturers IN
ghe valley. Messrs Kimberly and Reid
10th took Mr.. Strange severely to task,
asserting that the manufacturers of Osh-
asosh are selfish. After the discussion
aad proceeded for some time with grow
ing vehemence Mayor Gilmore threw oil
Oh fhe troubled waters and aided the
gentiemen by smooth words to regain
kheir mental eQuipoise.
The tenor of remarks made by the
ssEheg speakers that while the interests
Of the manufacturers were by far the
more important, the navigation of Lake
Winnebago should not be impaired
remark dropped now and then, however,
indicated plainly that that condition
could only be satisfactory in the event
of their being able to use the water
Nower uninterruptedly. Col. Reid said
the boats that tratficed up and down the
FOX made no effort to secure freight. ii.
a Frambach said the loss to the mill
men in one day was sufficient to buy all
the vessel property on the river. Still
the speakers seemed to understand that
the government was in duty bound to
maintain naYigation; and in view Of this
q motion was finally made by Mr.. Franz
bach that 4 committee Of two be appoint
ed from each city, including Oshkosh, to
prepare az appeal or a petition to the
United States government praying that
relief may be afforded to the manu-
-t,g nf no hn
chiefly done, it is believed, by establish
dng Il high and low water grade in Lake
WinnebagO and perhaps also by rigid
supervision which will see that the wa
Ser is not unnecessarily wasted.
The meeting can hardly be regarded as
q success. 1t is not believed that any
one will be found in Oshkosh who will
Zoe willing to serve upon the committee
to be appointed, and the probability is
that all concerned will try to forget as
speedily as possible the water meeting
aleId I'D Green Bay in September of 1895.
Neenah, Wis, Sept. 4.-LSpecial. lin
The opinion of many Waterpower men
and others equally interested of this
city in summing UP the water situation,
the best and only satisfactory way to
dispose of the difficulty would be to call
together the congressman of the state,
who, with the governor, should consti-
5ute committee, VINO SHOULD begin its
observations at Portage and there con-
slider the feasibility of turning the wa
ters of the Wisconsin into the Wolf
rscer TO make its way later into the
FOX. This committee could then go by
steamer down the river to Oshkosh and
continue on in the same way to Green
BAY By this means, men Interested
equally in the general prosperity of this
part of the state and unbiased as re-
cards locality, navigation or manufacture
ing interests, would get a perfect under
aSFG of
to use their influence intelligently for
the best means of remedy. The plan to
turn the waters of the Wisconsin this
way would not be a difficult one and
with proper influence and push it is
2hought could be accomplished.