Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-08
SUPPORTED BY REASON
CONSISTENT TRUTHS PLAINLY PUT.

Lively fVtei OH0u'N So'o oiuilJ nCdu olil
Dispassionately Consider Important Facts
Herewith Advanced For Consolidation
of CentraIia and Grand Rapids.
The question of consolidating Grand
Rapids and Centra1ia will be voted on
March IS, 1900. 1t is the duty, and
undoubtedly the desire, of each voter
in the two cities to cast his ballot in.
te11igent1v upon this question and tc
support the side which in his iudg.
ment will be for the greatest good OF
the great mass of the population OF
both cities and which will best pro-
mote their future welfare
The committee of twenty-five mem.
bers, eleven from each side of the
river, appointed a subcommittee OF
six, three from each side of the river,
to reduce to writing for publication
the general and leading reasons why
consolidation ought to carry, and such
subcommittee submit the following
It is firmly believed that the follow,
ing reasons esta b1ish the proposition
that consolidation ought to carry.
l. The population of the two cities
is now at least 4,5OO. This population
is, massed together, about one-halt
thereof being on each side of the river
the two cities have the appearance OF
one city and in a great measure they
are, in a business and social sense,
one city. These facts are understood
and appreciated only by those who
have been upon the ground. To the
outsider the cities are considered inde-
pendently of each other, as though
widely separated and without interests
in Common. AS one city, with united
| business and commercial interests and
with a population of 4,500 to 5000,
their standing in the business and
commercial world would be much i'm
proved.
We have the greatest waterpower on
the Wisconsin river, and our natural
resources and general surroundings
are such that we ought to be the lead
ing city in the valley; yet our stand
ing in the business world is far in
ferior to that of number of other
cities whose natural advantages are
much less.
Stevens Point has a population of
$500; Wausau, $4,000; Merrill, 5000;
Rhine1ander, 5000, and Tomahawk,
$500. None of these places possess
natural advantages equal to those of
Grand Rapids and Centralia; yet at
least three of them have far out
stripped us in the race for business
prominence and wealth. The river
| divides Wausau, it also divides others
of these cities, but this fact has
not prevented either of them from
being and continuing to be one cor
| poration.
Fetty strife and jealousy have not
prevented much united effort for the
common good of these cities. There
is scarcely a business enterprise on
either side of the river which is not
supported by ca pital from both sides
of the river. Most of the business
men on both sides of the river are
united into one organization, the Busi-
ness Mems Association, the purpose
of which is to promote the welfare of
the interests of the two cities as one
place.
Our excellent local telephone ex-
change, our fine and efficient system
of electric lights were possible only
by the united efforts of the people on
both sides of the river.
We are looking forward to a time
when we may have free delivery of
mail. To accomplish this a city must
either have a population of 10000 or a
business for its postoffice of $4,000
for one year. AS two separate corpor-
ations the time is far distant when
that can be accomplished. United
into one corporation, although much
short of the required population, yet
the combined business of the two
postoffices is now SO great that we
lack less than 81, 900 of the amount
necessary for free delivery; and it is
confidently expected that within a
very brief time, two or three years at
most, the consolidated city would have
free delivery
People Interested in the progress
and growth of these cities realize the
Importance that statistics furnished
by each United States census have in
determining the Judgment of persons
looking for a good locality for manu-
featuring and other purposes. The
next United States census will be
taken next spring, and will be the
basis for all general statistics for the
United States for ten years thereafter.
AS one city we will take great and
advanced rank under the new census
and will occupy an important place
among tie leading cities of the state
and country.
,. Each city is now under a separ-
ate scheme of government, the gov,
ernment of Grand Rapids being ad
ministered under the general charter
law of the state;+ the government OF
Centra1ia being primarily under a
special charter, so old and antiquated
that efforts have been made at differ.
ent times to graft upon 1t certain pro.
visions of the general charter, with
much confusion as result. so much
so that no man can now tell what the
charter of Centralia really is. The
general charter law was drafted by
men skilled in municipal government
and it has been amply tested and its
irnperfections have been remedied by
the legislature during the last ten OF
twelve years; so that few people nov
: doubt the wisdom of having a city
government administered under the
general charter law.,t >'
It is confidently asserted that under
one government, administered by one
set of officers the expenses of tn,
government of the consolidated city
would not be increased and ought t
be decreased.
5. The cost of public Improvements
such as the improvement of street:
and sidewalks, digging and building
of drains, sewers, and the like, wOul(
be considerably less under one govern
1nent Ali the appliances and tool
for these purposes are expensive, ant
one stone crusher and other neCessar-