Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-05-17
ORGANIZE WATCHWORD
OF THE 10Th CENTURY

Two years have witnessed many
changes in Grand Rapids. Strangers
may ask how these things can be-
why yesterday is not today, and the
answer from the progressive wide
awake people will be that the sleeper
OF night must awake with early
morn and astir. to keep pace with
progressive people.
The average community is deficient
in the cooperative spirit. CONNER
cially our city is looked upon as place
to live and make living. Probably
Grand Rapids has come nearer to find
ing itself than any city in the
Wisconsin valley. It is becoming
It is acquiring capacity
for improvement and expansion. It
is learning to think as municipality.
It has come into possession Of belief
in itself wholly aside from the spirit
which delights in large figures and
splendid tonnage. It is fast develop
ing power to work as a unit. 1t is
a manufacturing city par excellence.
Every city which would be sue
cessful in building up new enterprises
to insure a healthy growth, must
above all things, be progressive and
be able to rely upon its own citizens
to assist in making it such. For, il
those who have interests at stake
should fail to cooperate in bringing
about this desirable result, how could
others be expected to do SO? Much
good work in bringing new life and
added prosperity to many cities has
been accomplished by the untiring
effort of it's citizens showing the out
side world the various advantages to
be found at these places for the in
Yestment of foreign capital.
It is not to be inferred from this
that Grand Rapids has solved the
problem of municipal administration.
But it is striving little city seeking
by conscious action to correct one evil
after another and to enlarge the
sphere of human life by Offering
greater opportunities for comfort and
happiness. It is filled with an alert
and industrial sense, is aided by an
independent press, and gives promise
of being one of the principal trade
centres of the Wisconsin valley.
No one can appreciate Grand
Rapids until he has noted the timber
country development north of us.
The struggling little lumber towns
scattered here and there along the
Great Trunk line represent this city
forty years ago. They are ragged,
uncared for and unadorned; an abiding
place just beyond the hOmesteader's
tent in permanency. The church and
saloon have both come in, and the
vigilance committee has vanished,
but the rough and ready life is there.
OF tradition there is none, of restraint
little. OF independence, vigor and
self-confidence there is a surplus.
Government is public opinion in pro-
cess of formation. improvements are
emerging, but the pine forest is just
around the corner. Grand Rapids is
a frontier town increased a thousand
fold. This is the impression of the
visitor. 1t is ultimately the belief of
the resident. He may treat it as his
home and love it as his city, but at
heart he is but one of the six thousand
people whom necessity, choice Or
chance has cast into this community
which the four quarters of the globe
and the best portions of America
have builded into city.
Grand Rapids has bright future.
Historically, it happened: as a matter
of fact it is still happening. It has
many organizations, very many;
social, fraternal and religious. But
from business stand point it is not
we'll organized. Sometime it will
have such life. Then it will be one
OF the greatest. perhaps the greatest
industrial point in the Wisconsin