The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-08-23


not merely a getting, of franchises to
be locked up for future use, or a brill
liant stroke of financing, but laying Of
tracks and a running of cars. The
plans Of Philadelphia capitalists to
build a line to Elkhorn, through the
DelaVan and Lake Geneva summer re-
sort district, have been exploited.
Cleveland capital is interested in other
projects, and Cleveland fnanciers
have reason to know what they are
about, for they have $40 miles in and
about that city on good dividend
| basis.
We of Madison are especially inter-
ested in the link from Madison south
| ward for it is to get it's motive power
from Kilbourne. The water powers are
few in this section. I think of no 9th
er in southern Wisconsin, and Mr..
SpoOner and his associates are fortu-
nate in having secured it. TRANSMITS
sion of power is a simple affair in
these days of wireWonders and it is
likely that we shall be surprised at the
cilities generated by the Wisconsin
| river in its tumble at Kilburne and de-
! livered at remote pOints-nOt only at
i the abundance, but at the cheapness.
When these lines are built, connections
will be in order. We shall ride south
ward to Chicago and there is talk of a
line soon to be built from Merrill to
Grand Rapids, by way of Wausau and
| Stevens Point. Finally, applications
for franchises to cities along the Fox
river, and Green Bay, forecast the
building of an electric road from Chi
cago to Marinette.
These things may seem chlmerical
! to Wisconsin people, but if they could
visit New England, where electric line
travel is part of the life Of the people,
where lines parallel to the steam lines,
! and seemingly useless, are crowded and
| successful, our people would brace
their minds for most any sort of de-
velopments.
Curious View so Take of 1t.
1t takes all kinds Of people to make
! a world. The Delavan paper prints in
! terviews with citizens as to the pro-
| posed electric road. connecting that
! place with GAINESVILLE and Beloit One
| citizen ''believes it would be a blow
to Delavan's interests, taking trade to
| the larger centers. 1t would destroy
our best drives which attract our sum-
has in the east, it would result in the
concentration of trade in the larger
towns, which we now hold"
Laugh and the World Ditto.
One of the state papers says (of a
recent magazine article) one incident
that Ella Wheeler WilcoX-in her lit
erary career-does not mention, which
caused her much annoyance, namely,
the attempt of a Kentucky ''colOneP' to
claim as his one of her popular little
poems, Laugh and the World Laughs
with YOu,' etc.
"Jud' Stone, our veteran Madison
/ journalist, had as fellow passenger on
Atlantic steamer John Hay,
now secretary of state. The poem has
been attributed to him also. JUDI
once told us that he mentioned the
dispute, but Mr. Hay merely smiled;
ho tnn
big a fellow" "Jud" said-but the sill
ence and smile convinced the Madison
man that he had traced the poem to
it's right source.
However, [ do not wish to revive
this discussion. Let this poem, with
beautiful Snow" and the identity of
the man who struck Billy" Patterson
remain for the historians. According
to the canons Of history making, few
! hundred years clarity the atmosphere.
Butterflies as Park Attractions.
There are many people in Madison
interested in butterflies and who know
considerable about the various varie-
sor is a national authority. Boys may
often be seen with nets capturing the
beautiful things, which have a life Of
but a few weeks.
An experiment was tried recently in
Battersea park, London. Some 5000
caterpillars were placed in a small
building, fourteen feet by ten feet, like
a greenhouse They We're reared on
fresh-cut nettles. and recently the
wing insects have been turned loose
at the rate of 400 a day. The rascal
~ English sparrow was quick to take
advantage of this source of food sup
ply. At first the windows of the
Matching shed we're left open so that
the butterflies would get out as soon
as they were able to fly. The spar
rows soon learned this and waited for
them just outside the window. But,
even in spite Of these bird nuisances,