The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1901-12-19
0he S1eat Horzh.

evidence of what can be done than
is 20 be found in the two adjoining
counties of Burnett and Washburn.
The former county has laid con-
siderable pretention to agriculture
for some wears, but ten years ago
ANYTHING worthy the name of
farm" was scarcely to b found in
Wasnburn county Here and there
were small clearings, but these were
look d upon by most people as being
simply the result of the vagaries OF
the men who had opened the land.
Shell Lake was a small mill town in
those davs, and Spooner, in the same
county, prospered as the division
Doint of the Omaha railroad cCm-
panv. Way off across the country,
with a dim wagon road connecting,
fifty niles from WaShburn county S
seat OF government, was Grantsburg,
and the way from one place to the
other was almost impossible to find.
1t was long, dreary stretch OF
country, and the man with fortitude
enough 10 go into it for the purpose
of making a home in the wilderness
had to have his courage with him.
But wen four or five years ago the
land around Shell Lake and Spooner
was nut little sought after. Then
pope ,egan TO wake up, and last
week when the writer who has been
familiar with the country for many
wears had occasion to drive thirty
miles back into the country from
ShelI Lake what he found was a sur
prising revelation. The people of
-Spooner felt, few years ago, when
the division headquarters of the
Omaha were moved away, that they
had but little to depend upon to sup
port the place, but today as farm
sng town" it is one of the most pros
porous burgs TO be found. Shell Lake
900 is about to part with it milling
interests, and the result IS not
dreaded in the least, for there is a
rich country rapidly developing back
of both the places that insures the
business Interests and property hold
ers that they have nothing to fear
for the future In the great stretch
of country between these two towns
IN Washburn county and Grantsburg
settlers have made a great many
elearings aud the advancement to-
wards rich farming country has
well progressed. A few mornings
ago a newspaper man standing on
the principal corner in Shell Lake
asked county officer what was the
occasion for three three-seated rigs
: started out from In front of ar office,
aud was informed that the dozen or
All 5re people who were in the rigs had
arrived in the town the previous even
ing, and were farmers, coming from
Nebraska. Minnesota and southern
Wisconsin, and were going out IN
search of land upon which to open up
homes. Further inquiry elected the
inform iton that every day this same
thing is taking place at Shell Lake,
and during the summer and fall hun
dreds have taken this means OF inves
tigating the productiveness and the
resources of the.land of Washburn and
Burnett counties.
Grantsburg mas been sort OF a
EARNING community for number OF
years, but like its neighbors "cross
country has made no great preten
tions in that direction until recently.
Thousands of acres of land have been
sold during the past summer and fall,
and the real estate men are waxing
rich on their vestments. Once up
on time James L. Gates purchased a
big bunch of Washburn county tax
certificates for ten cents an acre.
lie la sold a large portion of this
same land for from one hundred to
1--WE hundred dollars forty. From
Shell Lake or Spooner to Grantsburg
she country is settled-not very
thickly in some places, to be sure,
but everywhere there are people
who are carving their homes out of
the naked land which they found.
in the winter they log little, or get
out wood for the market, devoting
some of their time towards clearing
off the land The land is easily
cleared, and midway between the
two places forty acre clearings can