Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-03-13
THE WISCONSIN VALLEY.
G. S. Pierce, General Land Agent of the
Q. q N. w. Ry., Tells of its Won
derful Resources.
THE HOME SEEKERS IDEAL

hapS Two OF three DuShelS OF letters. 1t
Is a fact that about so per cent. of these
inquiries are for locations in North
| Wisconsin, and "A majority of the 80 per
cent. are directed 10 the Upper Wiscon-
sin Valley. Through the efforts of the
railroads, covering number of years.
and more recently the large amount of
advertising the valley has received on
account of the Advancement Associa-
ton, the attention of homeseekers and
parties interested in locating new in
dustries has been attracted to this sec
ton. And from the general character
of the inquiries am satisfied the result
will be an unusual influx of settlers.
The section in question possesses I'M
doubted advantages in the way of re-
sources and conditions enabling men of
small means to become independent
Owners of farms and I think there is a
genera disposition on the part of home
seekers to get into good timbered Sec
tions rather than the treeless prairie
| countries, as was the case u few years
ago. And | believe, also, this is the
result of experience and "a realization
OF the fact that building home in the
timber is in the leng run the safest and
surest of the two. The man who starts
i'll on the prairie is much more apt to
meet with discouraging conditions; and
while the work of cutting off the timber
and pulling the stumps does not have to
be done there, conditions have materi-
ally changed in the last few years in
favor of the settler on timbered lands
This is especially true of the settler in
North Wisconsin. Pretty nearly every
stick OF timber on any given tract of
land now has cash market value He
can build a comfortable house and nee
cessary outbuildings and barns for the
care of his stock from the material ma
ture has grown on his land, and with
very little outlay of money he and his
family and stock are comfortable shelf
cred, Fences and fuel, two extremely
important items, cost him only the out
lay of labor.
"Again in the timbered sections, not
only every tree he fells for his clearing
has its value in use or money, but the
working into lumber of the trees fur
nishes employment for the settler at
remunerative wages practically the year
around. The prairie settler has none
of these advantages, and the cost of
buildings, fuel and fencing, much higher
now than ever before, are great draw
backs. Given the same fertility of soil,
the prairie farmer is less sure of his
crop, because of the tendency to droughts
well-known to exist in practically all
large prairie sections.
1.-THE conditions of soil, climate, mark
cts, transportation facilities, schools,
roads, churches and all that goes to
make section desirable in which to
build up home, are extremely favor
able in North Wisconsin. The immense
lumber interests have called for the
building of railroads and towns away
ahead of the agricultural settlement of
the country. The soil of the Wisconsin
Valley, especially, is rich and produc-
tive. All the grains, grasses and root
crops grow well here. Dairying and
stock-raising are certain to become ex-
tensive and profitable industries, there
being in many ways specially strong
natural conditions, tending towards
their rapid development.
From the great sheep-raising sec
tions of the country there are received
daily hundreds of inquiries from parties
who are investigating this section with
a view of coming here and many have
already decided upon starting ranches.
1t has been, demonstrated that this eli
mate is peculiarly adapted to sheep
breeding. The animals raised here
possess more vigor and vitality than
those grown in places further south,
and these are important factors in prof
liable breeding. Another fact, which
] believe is not generally known, is that
already the dealers in several of the
large cities send special buyers into
Northern Wisconsin before the holidays
to pick up lots of northern grown NUT
ton for THE Christmas aud New Year
trade. The meat is finer and frmer
and commands higher price than that
from any other section. Such mutton
brings the grower from one TO two cents
pound over the market price and is
destined to become a feature in the
sheep business of this section.
''With regard to dairying it is now
well esta blished at scattered points and
is no longer an experiment. In many
respects, while the business is still COM
paratiyely in its infancy, the dairy
products of North Wisconsin are SUI
periof. 1t is only question OF time and
development when this section will lead
the southern part of the state in point
of extensive dairying interests, because
the natural conditions are really better
here. When improved dairy breeds, |
machinery and appliances come, and |
they will come rapidly, the industry |
will make extraordinary progress.
''The recent reports Of Mr. Phillips |
of the State horticultural Society on
the success of the trial orchard at Waa-
sau, plainly indicate that fruit growing
will be numbered among the profitable
industries here. The Thayer small
fruit farms near Phillips have demon
strated that small fruits are among the
most profitable crops that can be grown
here. 1t is well known fact that the
potatoes grown in North Wisconsin