Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-31
A Request for Assistance.

| CRANBERRY CENTER, WIS, Dec. IS, '94.
Parts of Juneau, Monroe, Jackson
and Wood counties, this state, are
devoted to the culture of cranberries
exclusively. The year 1893 produced
good crops to some and very poor ones
to others, but none realized hardly any
profit since the fruit was destroyed by
| frost from one-half to two-thirds, and
the balance fetched hardly enough to
pay harvest expenses. The year 1894
proved to be the most disastrous ever
experienced by the growers. The great
deficiency in rain and the excessive
heat and frosts during spring and
summer resulted III a total failure
Station Cranberry Center shipped the
past season only about one hundred and
fifteen barrels of "anberries, while last
year ten thousand barrels were shipped.
Besides this total failure most of the
marshes have been destroyed by fires,
and the owners, who, few years ago,
were well to do people, have not the
means to provide for their families
especially will it be hard for them to
raise tax-money. Those whose marshes
are not burnt too deep, will have to buy
vines for replantlng if they can obtain
| the means.
The undersigned would be grateful if
some aid could be sent to this part Of
the country, and would be willing to
dispose of same to his best ability.
G. H. KRUSCHKE.
The undersigned do hereby cheer
fully corroborate the above statement
as being true in every respect, and
would say of G. II. Kruschke, whom
the community has known for Is years,
TO be a respected and honorable gentle
man, well worthy of the trust that
might be bestowed upon him by SYM
pathic donors.
j. M. Burch, Chairman Town of
| Necedah.
w. L. Fuller,
Jos. Stowasser, Postmaster Necedah
| f. Antics Garfield, M. ID.
| }. ID. Butler, Clerk Circuit Court.
Fred Schnell, County Treasurer.
Chris. johnson, Treasurer-elect.
| l.. P. Lawrence.
| John Morris. District Attorney.
I. +. Scanlon, Register of Deeds.
M. S. Parker, County Clerk
| Demp. barrow, Surveyor.
Charles H. Grote, County Judge.
+. E. Hurd, Member of Assembly.
ii. Q. krnsche, Pres. w. S. Gran.
Grow Assn.
J. NJ. Barlow, Ch'rm County Board
j. j. Hughes, Pres. +. & NJ. Bank,
New Lisbon.
P. S=Since l wrote the above l had
an opportunity to make further inquiry
as 10 the damage which the fire done to
the best Cranberry district III Wisconsin.
The territory burnt extends from
Valley Junction to Grand Rapids, a
distance of about 40 miles, being from d
few to several miles IN width, which
before the fires represented value of
more than 100000 dollars, of which at
least 80 per cent is totally DESTROYED.
Land that was worth more than 500 per
acre is now offered at 81. Those
unfortunates, who lost their cranberry
| marshes, had no insurance on their
lands and, of course, cannot collect
single dollar and are really in a worse
condition than those dcplorable vii
layers who have been burnt out north
of us, who generally carried an
insurance which enabled them to
rebuild. The want of snow deprived
even them of work who might other
wise have found employment in the
woods. Contributions will be acknow-
lodged through the leading journals of
the state.
G. H. kRUSCHkE.