The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-08-11

who perhaps sings in the church choir
! in some dear, old town. and will quote
for him Mrs. Browning's Absence"
unless you can muse in crowd all
day
On the absent face that fixed you;
Unless you can die when the dream is
passed
Oh, never call it loving"
/ Family does not count at Oconomo-
moe. Learning cuts no figure. Off
cial position or rank among men is
nothing. Senator Hoar of Massachu
setts or Jane Adams, or Mary Will
kins would wear out the seats of their
verandah chairs in solitude.
Citizens Fond of Visitors.
But, mind you, the citizens Of Ocon
! omowoc are fond of these wealthy
summer visitors. Millionaires are
| much like other people. Their hearts
| are warm. On the way to the train
! they stop to chat with the store-keep-
ers. The great estates give employ
ment to hundreds of the men and
women. There are kind words for
! them, and when, perhaps, the garden
! er's wife is sick, there are dainties
from the table carried by the ladies,
or flowers from roots that were import
ed for the coffin of the baby in the
humble home of the coachman. The
assessors lay a generous share of the
burden of government on the summer
people but they never complain. The
tradesmen have become opulent, es-
| pecially those dealing in the choice
articles demanded by the visitors.
One of the most useful activities
! that engages the summer people is
good roads," These they need for
! enjoyment with their many fine rigs.
Each Of tie families has it's stables,
made up of the most aristocratic nags,
and dozen tally-ho parties, with
! Coachman in front and a brace of
brilliantly-dressed footmen in the
! rear, add to the gaiety Of the country
as their horns make the welkin ring,
Rewarded for Pretty Barn Yard.
There is an association of residents
which offers prizes, last year an ag-
| gregate of 5000, next year to be in
creased for Cd the best continuous
stretch of road; (2) the second best;
| (3) the most attractive yard, without
regard to the cost of the farmhouse.
Wealthy mems sons often fall short
| of useful energy, but w. B. E. Shu-
| feldt, son of the man who has done so
much to develop this region, and at
whose bidding the citizens would swim
Lac La Belle with their clothes on, is
an exception. This stalwart young
man has made study of good roads
at home and abroad He has studied
engineering and he circulates plans of
roadmaking and pictures of roads as
they should be and as they are The
road prizes go to the path-masters, of
whom there are, perhaps, ten or
dozen in each of the two townships
in which the city is located In
awarding the last prizes Mr.. Shufeldt's
committee rode over 200 miles inspect
! ing results.
! A Canal to Connect Lakes
A useful scheme for which the whole
! state will be under obligations to the
people of leisure is the proposed canal
! to connect the two lakes at Oconomo-
woo with the larger lake of that name
! near by, and perhaps others. A
| course-way is needed by which sailing
craft, launches etc., may get from one
body of water to another. On seven
lakes in a chain are, perhaps, sixty
miles of shore property and the effect
must be to raise the value of it all.
! Some years ago some $4,000 was ex-
pended, but now $4,000 more is sub
| scribed and work will be begun at
once. Favorable legislation was Sc
cured last winter, Editor Pettibone and
| Lynn S. Pease, the Milwaukee attor-
ney, rendering good service. A dam
| explains a difference of level of seven
! feet between the two lakes in the city,
and at this point a marine railway"
will lift the craft. Locks will be sta
toned where needed. The dredging
and embankment work will be expen-
sive, and the maintenance will be no
small bill. But these pleasure seek
ers have their hearts set on communi-
cation of one home with another, and
no doubt at least some of the seven
lakes will in due time be Joined. The
canal will be twenty-five or thirty feet
wide, six feet deep, with right of
way of 100 feet and a boulevard to
drive upon.
The Milwaukee electric line has been
put through to Waukesha beach, and
in time it will reach Oconomowoc
The effect of these improvements
!
ly increased numbers and bring pros
perity 10 all that section of the state.
1t must be remembered that probably
5000 people from away take their va
cations in this county, and Marshall
Fields clerk can find good board and
all the comforts of home with some
farmer at SIS week. Not all the g.
900 are millionaires.
But the presence of wealth is shown
by the fact that though Dodge county
has twenty-five townships as against
sixteen in Waukesha, the valuation OF
the latter is equalized at 100000
higher.
Luxury i'll Summer Homes.
A drive along the beautiful roadways
that wind in and out among these pal
atial homes reveals what money can
do to beautify even nature herself, and
add to human enjoyments. One real
ICES the full meaning Of the word
cottage" for even the simpler lake