Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-21
Villas COUNTY.

The following article was taken from
write-up of Northern Wisconsin, by
A. L. Ankeny, and published in re-
cent issue of the Minneapolis Journal:
Lying Immediately above Oneida
is Villas county. OF this region too
much cannot be said, for it is full of
interest everywhere. 1t has an area
about fifty miles east and west and
half rs much north and south. Its
territory, with some other, was once
designated by the Legislature as the
state park, the object being to preserve
from timber cutting and settlement
the headquarters of the Wisconsin
river and its tributaries. In 1897,
however, this was determined to be
rather visionary and the lands were
appraised and opened to settlement.
That period marks its beginning and
altho still somewhat in its infancy, the
country presents the spectacle of a
most vigorous growth. The county is
richly interSpersed with fine lakes and
these make it attractive to tourists
and sportsmen and many excellent
summer resorts are opened. 1t is
doubtful if any county in the state is
more highly favored with railroads.
The Northwestern runs main line
from Chicago along its eastern border
branching at Watersmeet in Michigan,
above east to Marquette into and west
to Ashland The Milwaukee also runs
well into the center at Star Lake. evil
IDENTIFY heading its second line TO the
rich iron and copper mines of the up
per peninsula. Eagle River, the coun-
ty seat, is charming town of 1000,
and in an early day was great lum-
bering point. The country around is
fairly well settled and some farms are
in high cultivation and well worth $50
an acre. Farther out good unim-
proved lands are in market at from
So to SIS
All this region, as an old surveyor
there said to me, lis simply prairie
with pine stumps on il" Here at
last the despised pine stump has q
value. A stick of dynamite deity
placed readily separates. and loosens
| it, and it is then converted into the
best of fuel. The waterworks and
electric light plants at Eagle River
have a standing offer TO take ut fair
prices all that comes. Under this
stimulous, together with the demand
from the pulpmill, the settler may
readily pay for his land from the
stumps and young timber alone. With
therefore most admirable railway fa-
cilities and consequently the best OF
markets, soil that responds in lux
uriAnt growth, an abundant water
supply and well tempered climate,
the country over may be searched to
find a more desirable home for the
dairy or stock man. Villas county,
situated as it is between the rich iron
and copper regions of Michigan above
and the oncoming tremendous devel-
opment of Wisconsin below. must
surely attain position emitting it to
rank among the most important coun-
ties of the state.
NEW ENTERPRISES.
Among other new enterprises the
Wisconsin Lumber & Bark Company
with a million of capital, has pur-
chased large tracts of hardwoOds with
its mills at Hackley at the head OF
Twin Lakes, to which a branch now
runs from COnover on the main line.
The town was named after wealthy
gentleman of Michigan who donated
$4,000 for the compliment-and pub
lie buildings. An electric line south
to Rhinelander and thence to Merrill
is now being talked of, passing also
thru Eagle River"