River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-05-29
From the Hudson Star-Times.
A Territorial Phone err.

A Territorial Pioneer.
May 8, 184O,W. II. Crosby, with
about fifty others from St. Louis,
reached this part of Lake St. Croix.
They were on their way to St. Croix
Falls where they were to be employ
ed by the St. Croix Lumber COM
pany. After leaving Prescott they
saw no one until they reached Lake
land, which place was inhabited by
few Frenchmen and ha1f-breeds.
They met no one after leaving Lake
land until they arrived at the Falls.
Lake ST. Croix was full of ice at
that date and it took three days to
make the trip from Saltwater to
St. Croix Falls. On the same trip
were Elias Mexican and John Nc
Kusick both of whom afterwards
were residents of Minnesota.
In July, 1910, he joined forces
with George Clark, who had claim
where Lakeland is now. Mr.. Clark
was drowned shortly after and Mr.
Crosby succeeded to the claim. In
those days a person could pick a
claim anywhere SO long as he re-
spected the rights of his neighbors.
The land was not surveyed at that
time and the land Office was I'M
known i'll those days. In 1841 Mr..
Crosby took up another claim on
Boles Greek, but did not move there
until 1845. It was there his son Hen
ry was born in 1916, probably the
first white child born in this section
of the country.
During the year 1871 Mr.. Crosby
had the contract to carry the mail
from Prescott to St. Croix Falls.
He made two trips a month for which
he received Sc a trip. The mail was
brought by canoe from Prairie du
Chen to Fort Smelling, and dropped
off at Prescott for points up this way.
The postage on an ordinary letter
was Is cents, collected by the post
master, and went towards paying
the expenses of the carrier.
Although nearing his eighty-fourth
birthday, Mr.. Crosby thinks it no
trick to take watch apart, clean it,
and put it together again. He is a
very active man for his age and can
be seen down town any day making
the usual rounds and meeting his
old time neighbors. He has been a
continuous resident of Hudson since
1866.
Mr.. Crosby, in talking of BICYCLES,
told of his experience in that line.
AT the time Hudson was the terminus
of West Wisconsin railway company
Abe Baldwin, then vice president,
returned from the East and brought
one of the new high wheeled bicycles
to introduce to the natives. Mr..
Baldwin paid $3.50 for his purchase
and Mr.. Crosby said he could make
one for $50. John Comstock offered
to head a list of twelve people if Mr..
Crosby would make dozen wheels
at $40 each, which proposition was
accepted and Mr.. Crosby went to
work. Every part of the wheel was
made of wood; wheels, pedals, and
all. The twelve wheels were made
in month, delivered and paid for.
Mr.. Comstock did not use his wheel
and Mr.. Crosby sold it for him.
These dozen wheels called for a
riding academy and one was opened
up stairs over where Eg1off's tobacco
factory is now established. AS
James A. Andrews was one of the
enthusiasts he can probably tell
something of the trials of riding a
wooden wheel. 1t is reported on
good authority that many of the
beginners always carried a supply
of arnica and court plaster to soothe
their ruh1ed feelings. Those who
were backward in showing their
dexterity on the wheel locked the
academy doors, thus barring outsid
ers from witnessing their gyrations
over the smooth floor. This was
undoubtedly the forerunner of bicy-
Gle manufacture in the great centra
| west
Beware of Ointments for Catarrh tina
Contain Mercury,