Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-09-09
OLD SETTLERS MEETING.

The third annual gathering of the old
settlers of Marathon county, was held
at the fair grounds on Friday, Sept. 9th,
the last day of the fair The day opened
bright and warm and it had the effect
of bringing in quite a number from the
country. The program was to have
basket picnic on the grounds at12 O'Clock
to be followed by general remarks from
all who felt so disposed AID a business
meeting, but about II o'clock dark
clouds gathered in the west and looked
so threatening that they frightened
away many of the old settlers from and
near the city and in consequence many
old and familiar faces were absent
There were about seventy-tive present,
who brought their baskets and sat down
to meal spread on the tables meath
the beautiful spreading pines When the
last one had eaten and president j. c.
Clarke was about TO deliver his annual
it came down in such torrents that the
meeting quickly dispersed and all
sought shelter. The rain continued to
fall very heavily all the afternoon and
it was impossible to again re-assemble
to transact the necessary business. 1t
was the sentiment of all present that the
next annual picnic be held earlier in the
season, about July 4th when the condi-
tions are likely to be more favorable
and it will be sure to be warm enough
for all to come out. The PLoT takes
great pleasure in publishing the re-
marks which were prepared for the oc-
casion by president j. C. Clarke, viz
Friends, neighbors and fellou citizens,
We have, as the old settlers of Mara
thon county, met again on this, our third
anniversary of the organization, to greet
and meet in fellowship and in remem-
brance of our early struggles in clear.
ing up the dense forests, opening up
roads, bridging the streams, so as 10
make ourselves homes, and in later
years our tights and struggles in gel ,ng
railroads in the country where other To-
calities tried to divert the lines into d.
rections from our county so as to keep
us, in measure, tributary to them.
Many of us well remember the great
effort made by us when we voted to bond
the county for $3.50, 600 to have the Wis.
Central build the lines from Portage TO
Wausau Then after we had voted the
money, they never offered or attempted
to build the road 1t was then our
struggle and work commenced aud the
faithful work of Senator Silverthorn in
the Legislature that got our obligations
set aside, then by the united efforts of
every business interest in the county,
farmers, store keepers, bankers and the
lumbermen, we succeeded in getting
the Wisconsin Valley K. r. built here
at a cost of nearly $50, 900; the money
was paid out of our own pockets, be-
sides, the county donated about 200, 600
acres of land and tax certificates to the
railroad company. These .sere only
some of our trials on opening the coun
try, and in making the county what il
is today, one af the best and richest in
this great state. :.
When first came here, in iS45, there
was only foot-path or trail from Ste
vens Point here Everything that we
ate and wore was brought here by canoe,
and on the ice in the winter many
horses were drowned and many loads
Of supplies was lost in the icy waters of
the Wisc0nse. In the spring Of 1877, a
road was opened near about where the
road now Is, that answered as sleigh
road in winter season and a first class
mnd hole IN the summer season. In
1s53lan act was passed by the Legisla-
ture to. a corporation known as the
Wzusau South Line Plank railroad com
pany. who surveyed the road where il
now is. and done quite q lot Of work on
it. The stock holders found the JOB too
heavy for their purses and sold the road
TO the company. The county bonded
itself for some 81, 90 and the road was
bulls, bat viii say thzt every man that
took a contract on il went broke