The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-03-04

er follows. having reference to the use
of railroad passes by LaFOllette Office
holders. and recently copy Of a tele-
gram was printed in which Governor
LaFollette asked the Burlington road
to appoint Mr.. Cheynoweth as its at
torney for Wisconsin, This was early
in his term as governor. Witllal the
campaign may be said to be warming
up and there will be things doing be-
fore the meeting of the state e0nyen-
ton. The stalwarts have for years en-
deayored to get the railway companies
to give them for campaign uses. any
anti-I La Toilette material they had. but
only recently have they consented.
Cold Weather Birds.
These long cold weeks are hard Oh
animal life. Anyone who thinks life
is one sweet song to the birds OF the
air and the beasts of the fell does
not know nature. 1t is a struggle, q
constant tragedy This was also true
of the Indian in his native days. rs
anyone can see by reading the reports
of the missionaries. 200 and 800 years
ago But speaking of birds. the ducks
of Milwaukee are having it easier,
thanks to kind hearts. MIS-. lngar Oh
son. wife of Captain Olson. who is in
charge of the life saving station, has
found a way to circumvent the greedy
guls that have been driving the ducks
away from their food in the harbor at
Jones island The ducks are almost
exhausted from lack of food, caused
by the freezing Of the lakes When
grain was thrown upon the ice the
and the ducks had little chance at
the feast Then Mrs Olson threw
some of the grain in patch of open
water, where it sank to the bottom.
This baffied the gull;s. but the ducks
dived for it. Boys and men have
killed many Of them with stones and
clubs.
Traction Companies of the State.
The street railway companies of the
state make a report to the state treas
urer every year The Madison COM
pany has about nine miles Of track and
its receipts were S92,975 with dis
bursements of SS6,6S2. of which SS,2S3
was for construction. Thus the nickels
coming in every day aggregate in the
neighborhood of $500 per day, and s.,
200 people take a ride-a large part
of the population. Surely many a
nickel made nickel. Sheboygan is a
city of nearly as much population, yet
the income of the company, including
light and power. was not nearly as
much 1t is no easy task to finance
these lighting and traction companies
in the early years in the smaller cities.
The reports show that disbursements
in number of cases exceed the re-
ceipts, showing that stockholders are
putting up their good money in the
hopes that some day the plant will
prove a revenue producer 1t is fact
that many of these so-called quasi-pub-
lie enterprises are begun with courage,
self-sacrifice and risk: they usually
lose a great deal of money in the early
years and these things would not be
forgotten in the days of their prospect
ty. I believe in municipal ownership,
and do not forget that there is usual
ly Il good deal of water pumped into
these companies when it is time to
begin to earn and to let the public
lin: nor is to be forgotten that the
laws pretty well protect these monOp-
olies. even if the public get angry and
wish to reduce the rates or start a
rival plant or buy them out. BY the
way, the Illinois Central Railway COM
pany did not earn as much in WiscOn-
sin last year as it did the preceding
year Ii has Obj miles of road in
Wisconsin,. The earnings last year
were $106.90TS6 against S107, 496. Is
the year before AS it's earnings do
not amount to $500 a mile, it's state
tax is only 81 a mile Or S456.55 alto
gether
Wood to Burn. but Alas.
Why would it not be feasible to
bring the fucl which is worth nothing
in northern Wisconsin to the southern
cities of the state where it is costly?
1t can be had for the cutting, for in
StIiItc III NOOu guilty, vi dl SCly
low price How is this for working
plan? Put up a dozen power engines
near the railroad track in some Sec
ton, rich in fuel timber, and let them
chew the stuff up. The trees should
not only be cut down and cut in
lengths. but it should be cut into small
sizes. Take it. as it comes, hard wood,
old ard fresh. Then load on special
trains of thirty ears each. Get the
lowest freight rates possible An
nounce in the city or town on what
day and what hour the train will ar
rive and let customers be on hand
with their own carts. which could be
measured with fair accuracy; and sold
not less than in car lots. Citizens
n 4ocs 11rrry