Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-11-28
ALL IN TEN YEARS.
Isn't This Wonderful Showing OF Growth in
a Decade,
recial CORRESPONDENCE to Sentinel.

Isn't This Wonderful Showing Of Growth in
Decade.
Special Correspondence to Sentinel.
GRAND RAPIDS, Wis, Nov. 23-The
real advantages and resources of the
Wisconsin valley are rapidly becoming
known throughout the state, but it is
hard to realize what great advance
ment has been made within the last
ten years.
Ten years ago the summer just past,
the writer travelled down the Wis
consin river from Stevens Point to
Kilbourn, most Of the distance in a
skiff. At that time, after leaving
Stevens Point, one encounted a
succession of rapids for a distance Of
ten miles. until the Biron sawmill,
about three miles above Grand Rapids,
was reached. Few houses were then
in sight on either side of the river.
At Biron was an old sawmill and dam,
and two or three dwelling houses.
From Biron to Grand Rapids was
practically a succession of rapids, and
at Grand Rapids an immense power,
only partially developed. At Hurley
town, distance below Grand Rapids,
was another undeveloped water-power.
At Port Edwards, few miles below
was an old dam and Sawmill. with
wreck of an old barn and the remains
of a few houses, and at Nekoosa was
only the two old 'imprOvementd DAMS"
that had been abandoned for more
than decade.
At the present day the trip from
Stevens Point to Nekoosa along the
Wisconsin river bank shows the
tremendous improvement that has
taken place since 1891. Stevens
Point now has about l., 900 inhabitants;
it then had 1900. Next to Stevens
Point in our course and almost joining
with it is McDill, village of 200
inhabitants. Next comes Whiting,
where the immense paper mills Of the
Whiting Paper company are located.
This company employs between 600
and 700 men, many of whom live in
Stevens Point and McDill. Next
comes Plover. a village of between 500
and 600 inhabitants. Thence follow
ing down the east bank of the Wis
conSin river are located farms along
the entire course, where ten years ago
was nothing but wild land. At Biron
is now village Of 300 inhabitants.
The Grand Rapids pulp and paper
mills, an immense plant, employs
several hundred men, many of whom
live at Grand Rapids or on the farms
up and down the river. From Biron
to Grand Rapids is now series of fine
small farms.
HAS ADVANCED MUCH.
AT Upper Grand Rapids there has
been less advancement in the line of
water-pOwer improvement than else
where along the route. Fires have
taken several mills and litigation has
prevented more being built. But all
of the water-poWer there is now owned
by one concern, and dam that will
utilize the entire water-power of the
Wisconsin river at this point under an
eighteen-foot head will probably be
built here within the next year.
Crossing the river at Grand Rapids
and going down en- tt vest side is
now found at HurleytOwn, now South
Centralia, fine new dam and large
paper mill. Below this power, at
Port Edwards, is a large pulp and
paper mill and village of $50
inhabitants, and at Nekoosa. seven
miles below Grand Rapids, is one of
the largest paper miles in the United
States, and a village of 1000 Or more
inhabitants. Within the ten years
just past there have been built on
this stretch of river, less than thirty
miles long, five paper mills of
tremendous capacity. And the inhab-
itantS of the farms, villages and cities
Immediately along the river within
this strip have increased from l2,OC0 to
fully 1000.
WHERE MANY WORK.
One fact struck the writer with
great force. Large numbers Of men,
boys and women working in the pulp
mills at Whiting, Biron and South
Centralia, live in Stevens Point. and
the northern part OF Grand Rapids,
and daily drive, wheel or walk to and
from their work. Surely the time
will soon come that this large number
of work men will want better accom-
modationS in going to and from their
work than they now have. One work
man familiar with these mills
estimates that 700 wOrkmen travel at
least six miles per day from their city
homes to their work in these mills
each day.
The banks of the Wisconsin river,
from Stevens Point fully thirty miles
uOWl1, dEc I1OSU vi UuC way tllSu dlu
healthful, and very beautiful home
sites, or sites for summer residences
line either side. Many of those sites
ten years ago were uncleared. Now
residences, or club houses are to be
seen at every turn. Considering the
beauty of the scenery, few places are
now available that are so desirable for
summer residences as this stretch of
rivers The immense ponds made by
the dams across the river, with their
still deep water and bluff banks.
furnish ideal boating and fine bass
fishing Wholesome and abundant
spring water flows from these high
banks into the river. Trout streams
flow into the river on either side.
Such has been the progress Of the
middle Wisconsin valley in the last
ten years. At present not one of the
immense water-powerS mentioned is
used to it's full capacity. Not one
third of the beautiful home sites on
the river banks are occupied. We
believe that ten years hence waste
water.power in the Wisconsin valley
will be unknown, and that from
Stevens Point to Grand Rapids,
TWENTY-FIVE miles, if not to NekOosa.
will be practically one solid city.
0on, IInham