The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-08-03
IN THE WISCONSIN VALLEY.
Some Information Gathered from Visit
to Wausau, Merrill, Tomahawk and
Rhinelander


Rhinelander
The residents of the Wisconsin Valley
have great faith of the possibilities and
resources of this valley you hear so
much about these days. They assert
that the Wisconsin river affords nat
ural water power, capable of turning as
many wheels of commerce as are now
found in the famous Fox river valley. A
great deal of the former is at present
undeveloped while under guise of
waterway Improvements, like the old
Fox and Wisconsin river canal, the gov
eminent built dams and created water
power that have since been occupied by
manufacturing Industries.
The time is now at hand they think,
when the Wisconsin valley is to come in
to prominence. Ten or fifteen years ago
the efforts of these people were turned
towards reducing the pine forests into
lumber and shipping out the product in
it's rough state. Now the plain saw
mills are giving way to factories for turn
ing out the finished product as far as
possible, and when the forests have been
cut away they hope to have these mills
replaced by other manufacturing indus
tries where water will furnish the motive
power.
10 resume an account of the trip of
the Wisconsin editors along this valley,
which began last week, we come to men
ton the next stopping place which was
at Wausau. The run from Stevens
Point consumed possibly couple of
hours including halt of few moments
to visit the falls at Mosinee. The visit
ors were met at the station and given
carriage ride about the city ending at
the Fair grounds where a bounteous
picnic dinner was served. During the
afternoon many embraced an invitation
for drive out through the farming sec
tions that surround the city or to the
county hospital, six miles away. The
asylum and poor house is one of the
modern institutions in the state and
conducted on the best lines. A great
change has come over this section in the
last decade. Where were only pine
slashings and soil that was thought to
be worthless, we find fine improved
farms where owners are progressive and
prosperous. The entire county is we'll
settled mostly with a industrious Ger
man population that are getting on as
we'll as those of any of the southern
Wisconsin counties. Wausau too, is,
rapidly improving and is counted the
best town in the central valley. It's
score of industries is rapidly adding to
it's wealth, while it's schools and public
buildings compare favorably with any in
the state. A new high school building
just completed is model in every way
none better is to be found anywhere.
A high class entertainment was given
the visiting editors at the opera house.
in the evening followed by ball in two
of the most commodious halls later. The
writer was entertained here at the de-
lightful home of Ed. r. McEchron, an
old Albion student as was also his wife.
Their old friends in this locality will
certainly be pleased to learn that Mr..
McEchron is now operating a flourish
ing mill having a capacity Of 300 barrels
per day and controls 30 buying stations
along the Northwestern line. The out
let in the numbering camps gives an OPP
poFtunity for a prosperous business that
aggregate upwards of $4,000 a month.
We found Ed. an enthusiastic LaFollette
shouter and greatly elated over the
prospect of his candidate winning the
nomination.
The same hearty reception was &C
corded the visiting editors the next day
at Merrill, though the pleasures were
married some by drizzling rain that
prevailed during portion of the day.
The party was met on arrival of train
and shown over the city and given six
mile drive out through splendid farm
ing country where the crops promised
an abundant harvest. The lumber in
dustry still comprise the principal man
ufacturing of the city, and half score
large concerns are operating here with a
daily cut of we'll towards a million feet.
A new hotel just completed here served
the guests bountiful dinner and later
in the evening the train moved on for a
so mile run to TomahaWk. Nobody
ever speaks of Tomahawk without men
tioning VIM. Ell. Bradley, the founder of
the town and the leading spirit of every
enterprise. But the whole population
united to make the stay of the newspa
per people pleasant one. The big and
finely conducted hotel which Mr.. Brad
ley built here as monument to himself
and the wonder of all the travelling pub
lie, quartered most the party. The next
day an entertaining program was fur
nished consisting of ride on the Brad
ley boat train consisting of series of
small crafts fastened together and pro
PEELED like train of cars up to the big
dam where the logs from the upper
river are boomnd and sorted. An i'm
mense water power has been developed
here, portion of which is consumed by
a paper mill and lighting plant for the
city of Tomahawk. The novel experience
of cutting a spruce log in the woods
bringing it to the mill and converting it
into paper and then having an edition
printed on it the same evening was what
a committee of the editors was charged
with and carried out to the letter. The
day spent at Tomahawk was full of in
terest and enjoyment. We found W. q.
Collins, late of the Milwaukee road, here
strong in the belief of the great posi-
bilities of the town and the valley. He
is just getting acquainted with his new
duties as a sort of general manager of
the Bradley properties including rail
road enterprise scarcely yet developed.
But Mr.. Collins did his share to give the
boys good time. Towards evening the
train cDnd on itC wav to HnaffOrd juno