davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
What of Clark County, Wis.,?
One of Northern Wiscorsins Banner Counties What 1t
~ IT.. Offers to the Homeseeker-Sp Splendid Article
by C.. o. Baker.

from here and only says that Clark
county is good enough for him. Say,
stranger, won't name you a price on
my farm because do not want to sell,
but you can still buy wild land here,
and it Is good land, too. Just as good
as this farm of mine. Cost you ten to
twenty dollars an acre, soil clay loan,
easy worked and very productive, best
dairy land in the world.
"Hard work, you say, to get it under
cultlvatlon9 | wonder what you would
have said if you had been with
me fifty, years ago. It's childd's play
if you expect to make $40 grow to $50
in five years without work, don It come
to Clark county, but 90 somewhere else
and find sale for gold bricks.
LAS you drove in you noticed that
little frame house two miles west, near
the school house on the corner?'
"About forty acres in crops9' eyes;
the owner Of that field came here
five years ago, had only about 5000,
bought eighty acres Of land there for
$3.50, paid 500 down, bought a team
has cleared that forty acres since, built
his house and barn and paid in full the
purchase price of his land.
NHe has quite a bunch of stock,
milks twenty cows, all paid for, and
his holding today is worth over $4,000.
Made it all there on a capital of $500.
You can do as we'll, stranger, if you
settle in Clark county and do man g
work. Good-day, stranger-got to see
that load of hay properly slowed away,
the last Of 200 tons.'
This is the story Of hundreds of farm
ers in Clark county. 49,
There is still room for more farmers
here.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Wausau, Wis, Aug. 2e.-The pros
pective settler in northern Wisconsin
will make mistake if he overlooks the
grand old county of Marathon. Old the
county is, compared with some Of it's
northern neighbors, and there are many
wealthy farmers to be found whose set
Element dates back to wartime days,
but in the 1850 square miles of land
are to be found many undeveloped
tracts with just as much promise as
waiting for the men with industry and
:. 'get-up" to take hold Of them to make
fertile fields and happy homes. This
is especially true Of the territory lying
east of the Wisconsin river, which
almost bisects the county.
. It doesn It need any fulsome general
tiles or stretching of the facts to set
forth Marathon S claims on the home
seekers attention. The business men
of this county are not trying to work a
boom.' They are opposed to over
praise and misrepresentation for the
purpose Of bringing settlers. They are
satisfied if the intending homeseeker
comes and makes an impartial investi-
cation, and when he comes they will
tell him the truth. The truth will not
hurt Marathon county, either.
The fact is generally admitted by ex-
perts, that the rich clay and sand loan
which makes up the soil here is unex-
celled for general purposes, and is prac-
tically inexhaustible. It is also a fact
that there is larger proportion of till
able land in Marathon county than in
any. other county of Wisconsin. In its
entire area there are only 10000 acres
Of cedar and tamarack swamp, and 1O5,.
900 acres Of sandy soil, of character
that will pay better for forestry pur-
poses than for cultivation. There are
close to 100000 acres, however, of clay
and sand mixture, which makes an
ideal loan. 1t. is easily cultivated,
takes and retains the moisture, and
never suffers from drouth. Much of
this land once sustained heavy
growth Of that magnificent white pine
Timber for which the Wisconsin, valley
has been noted. It is we'll known that
white pine land is .1chcr than that
which grows Norway, jack pine or hem
lock, for it takes frst-class soil to
produce frst-class timber. "Pine bar
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

To a native Of Wisconsin, born in
tf'the pineryj" over fifty years ago, the
transition period from the wilderness as
it was then, lnsubdued, primal and al
most boundless, to the fields Of moving
grains today, seemed slow. The wood
man 8 ak, swung by hardy pioneers,
stroke by stroke cut to the heart the
giant monarchs Of the forest and the
sturdy oak, Eastwood and pine fell to
the earth with groan.
Here and there a man who sought a
home and an independent life. with
prophetic insight in the possibilities Of
mold built a log Cabin in the little clear
ing made BY ths{ woodsman s ak, burned
the tree tops, Brush and logs left on the
ground-the first step in the transition
period. as@s. -sr .~
The woodsman has passed on to other
timber fields, giving his Drawn and mus
Gle for bare pittance to augment the
wealth of the timber owner. The
farmer has worked for himself. Year
have extended outward. The yoke Of
oxen and one COW ne brought into the
forest have increased more than an
hundred fold. "A fine brick house has
replaced the early log cabin. Capa-
cious barns, OVERLOOKING with the prod
uct of his fields, stand where stood the
early stack Of hay. The early days
ware hard ones, full Of labor, cares and
acknowledgements, but he has come into
his reward. Ask him today to name a
price that he would sell his farm for
and he will reply that he does not care
to sell.
"Why should I sellq'' he will ask
"I am too old to take up anything
else but farming. My farm yields am
pie support for me and my family and
a little money goes into the bank tc
my credit every year after harvest
Clark county farm land is the best in
the world; turnpike roads have beer
built to my door and extended on te
valley, stranger. See that passenger
train just rushing into the depot9 Fine
sight, ism It it, Fifty years ago, whe1
l came to Clark county, I left the rail
way cars one hundred miles away. SET
that brick schoolhouse down near thu
church? My youngest daughter, wht
graduated from the state normal schoo
at Stevens Point two years ago is prin
|.cipal of that school. l wanted her tx
stay at home with her mother and me
but she is like her dad, she wanted t.
do omething-work for herself ard b.
independent. My son John owns tina
creamery on the corner and is making
money. That my son Harry driving
up. He went west five years ago, bu
came back last fall. He doesn' It sa,
much for he had been restless to ge
away, but when he came back b
| bought 100 acres of land three mile
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

Rates to homeseekers, or low rates on
household goods to new settlers. The
members Of the association, after this
proposition had been brought up, waited
in a body on the newly appointed rail
road rate commission, and asked it for
an interpretation of the law, especially
as to whether it would allow the rail
for homeseekers. The commission did
not give an. immediate answer, but
after due deliberation announced it's de-
cision, which was that the law will not
prevent special open rates being made
for such purposes. This decision means
great deal, not only to the land men,
but to northern Wisconsin. It means
that the annual homeseekers excursion
will be run up into this territory as
usual, and that thousands Of intending
settlers will come every year to view
the land for themselves. The cessa-
tion Of homeseekers excursions in this
direction would have diverted this
travel to other states.
Big Interests Back Association.
The Madison meeting was the first,
and resulted in the organization of the
association, with about sixty enthusiast
tic members on the ground for charter
members. Additions are being made
rapidly to the membership list, which is
expected to reach 1000. An adjourned
meeting will be held Sept. IA in Mil
waukee. The association is bound to
do a great deal for the development Of
northern Wisconsin. Its stability and
success are assured by the backing of
such people as John S. Owens of Eau
Claire, the Weyerhaeuser interests,
James L. Gates Of Milwaukee, Mr.. Bar
Der of the Northwestern Lumber COM
pany, Eau Claire. G.. D. Jones of Wau-
sau, and other influential interests.
The formation Of this association un-
der such auspices simply means that
the resources and opportunities Of
northern Wisconsin will be given the
advertising and the appreciation that
they deserve, and that the present in,
fux of settlers to the fertile lands Of
this section will increase in magnitude
as the great body of homeseekers is
brought to understand what awaits
them here. Industry and enterprise
are bound to have their reward in
northern Wisconsin.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
Settlers Advertising 1t
Farmers Combine Boom Northern Wisconsin Bie
Rush of Honeseekers Expected-Great Oppor-
tunities for Small CAPITAL.
Special Correspondence,

Special Correspondence.
Iron River, Wis, Aug. 26.-The heavy
immigration movement into northern
Wisconsin has been one of the sensa-
tions of the past year or two in land
and railway circles. Farmers with
small capital from the older-s settled
states of the west have been moving in
by hundreds and thousands, buying cut
over timber lands and making for them
selves farms.
1t only takes short trip of inspec-
ton to this new and fast. filling terri
tory to find an explanation for the
movement. A little inquiry soon de-
velops the fact that the cut-over pine
and hardwood lands Of northern Wis,
consin are. gloriously productive, and
offer the finest returns to intelligent,
Industrious men. The low prices at
which these lands are held bring them
within reach of many thousands whose
small resources condemn them to rent
all their lives, SO long as they stay
where farms are held at $50 to 5000 an
acre. The man who is Industrious and
ambitious to be lord Of his own acres
finds here his golden opportunity. Jul
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

where one will be isolated from the
world, but near thriving communities
and splendid railroad facilities, with
some of the best markets in America in
easy reach: The farm products of this
for sn IL t ana lake cez pr1 B
luth, Superior and Ashland, or on the
great and populous iron ranges Of north
ern Michigan and Minnesota, which de-
pend for their food supply on outside
sources, The copper towns Of the upper
p sllnsula are also adjacent to this ter
ritory. ..E
Soil Is Productive.
Old settlers have proved to their own
satisfaction, and to that Of anyone else
who takes the trouble to investigate,
that the rich clay loan of northern Wis
eonsin will raise anything; 1t is well
known that land which will grow white
pine trees, those monarchs of the north
ern forests, will grow good crops Of any
kind, and ground cleared of hardwood
timber is undeniably fertile. Great
fortunes have been made and decades
have been spent in taking white pine
and hardwood logs from this territory,
which has still some fine tracts of tim
Der, and is now about the only remain
ing supply Of northern hardwood. How
ever, the larger part of the ground has
been cleaned, and is ready for the farm
er's hand. It will raise small grain,
root crops and pre- eminently grasses.
One Of the best things about this
north Wisconsin land is that the new
settler can make a good living on it
from the time he arrives. It is great
feeding ground for stock, even in the
wild state. Glover, blue grass and tim
othy have sprung up among the. stumps,
and white clover is even killing out the
Catf1o will Pot ho
grass, and on the nutritious pods of the
wild pea, which grows everywhere in
abundance. The ground can be seeded
to grass without breaking or clearing it
Of stumps, and will yield hay to keep
the stock thru the winter. Meanwhile
the settler is making new clearings for
other crops, and subduing the land to
every purpose.
Dairying Takes Lead.
tie occupation. Cattle can be kept sc
easily and so cheaply that the dairy
farmer finds this land paradise, with
it's abundance of lakes and streams
furnishing abundant water, and its
fallow fields full of luscious, milk-p
ducing food. For $500 settler can buy
dairy farm, and with small herd Of
stock for beginning, he can in two
or three years: be making comfortable
living. Dairying is so much the preva
lent industry that there is always {
convenient market for the milk ane
cream. The fine grass crops make the
land first-class for raising beef cattle
but dairying brings better returns
on account Of the closeness of th'
market and the high reputation enjoyed
the country over by Wisconsin dairy
products. Southern Wisconsin, for man,
years largely given over to the dairy in
dustry, is now being rivaled both i,
quality and quantity of output by SOM
Of the new territory in the north. Shee1
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Milwaukee, Wis, Aug. 1s.-There
seems to be a very strong drift of SEN
timent towards the great cut-over and
fertile lands of northern Wisconsin,, and
many farmers and homeseekers in Hi
nois, Iowa, Indiana and other sections
who have been studying different To-
calities for new home, are buying
farms in this section this year. 1t has
been proven that these lands are among
the most fertile on earth and offer
great Inducements for dairying and
stock raising, and the man with two
or three or four cows can go upon one
Of these eighty.acre tracts and. become
an income producer while he is clear
ing his land.
We had q very interesting talk with
James L. Gates Of Milwaukee today.
Mr.. Gates is one Of the largest land
owners in northern Wisconsin and
"speaks by the card.'' He has made
this section long study and has seen
these lands increase from almost moth
Ing until they have become very val
us little talk today, and he said: ,
Northern Wisconsin, which was a
dense wilderness, nature was good
enough to this area Of territory to pro-
duce a dense growth Of valuable tim
Der, Of many, many kinds. AS. soon
as The timber is removed the soil and
climate responds wonderfully to the
most remarkable growth of grass, tim
othy, clover and bluegrass Of any dis
trict in the United States. It Is al
most universal in the whole north half
of Wisconsin, as soon as the timber is
cut away, even without disposing Of
the stumps, from two to four tons of
timothy and clover an acre is pro-
duced. It Is not necessary to pillow the
land to produce these grasses; they
seed themselves. In the old logging
roads used by the old lumbermen, tim
othy and clover have first started, and
now it is spreading all over and white
clover, even kills out the weeds and
brush wherever the shade trees are re-
moved.
We can and are producing more
milk, cream, butter and cheese per
acre on all Of the lands in northern
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

to their own stock than in selling it.
They have stocked up their farms and
now market cattle and sheep in large
numbers, but dairying is the favorite
occupation. No finer opportunities. can
be found for dairy farming than here,
where there is pure water in abund-
ance, splendid grass crops and pastures
that have never been known to dry up
from drought. Some Of the choicest
butter product Of Wisconsin, famous
the nation over for the high grade but
ter, is produced here. AS the butter
brings top market prices, .the farmers
get the benefit by high prices for their
cream, bringing steady income win
ter and summer.
Hay, oats and barley are leading
crops, but corn is raised in considerable
quantity. The flint varieties will ripen
raised and gathered into cribs lbs but sHi It Is
also raised largely for fodder by dairy
farmers. Small fruits grow and pro.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
Marathon Co. inducements
Some Proved Facts About Prosperity and On
portunities in the Great North
Central County,

duce well, and the early theory that
apple trees would not thrive has been
ards.
Timber Pays for Land.
While most Of the big timber has
been taken out nearly all the unim-
proved land still carries a heavy growth
Of these trees which are marketable.
Many farmers have bought their places
within the last few years, and paid for
them out OF the proceeds of timber
cut and hauled to market, leaving the
land clear for breaking and cultivation.
The timber consists Of hemlock, bass
wood, maple and other hardwoods, and
there. is good market close at hand.
The factories of Wausau and the other
towns depend on timber supplies fol-
their raw material. Eastwood bolts are
wanted for manufacturing excelsior,
and hemlock of all sizes is marketable,
the larger logs for lumber and the
smaller for pulpwood There is a big
cordwood trade, and dealers pay well
for maple and birch wood. Settlers
will find that their predecessors have
not only paid for the laid by getting
also paid for the labor involved, while
the wild grass has given good pasture
for their cattle right from the start.
1t ism It often that new country of
fers such good business opportunities to-
men Of small means.
Marathon county has other things to
recommend it beside the soil, the cli-
mate and the markets. The county gov-
eminent is supplied with full complies
ment Of substantial buildings, courts
house, jail, asylum for insane, which,
by.the-way, is self-supporting, with q
700-acre farm attached, a poorhouse
and farm, and county agricultural
school, offering the finest educational
advantages for the children Of farms
ers. AS these things are well estab.
ished there is no heavy burden Of
county taxes to be paid, and not only
that but the townships are all organ
lied. Settlers who come in now profit
by the work and expenditure of the
older ones, who have built roads and
public buildings. The streams are.
spanned by strong, permanent iron
bridges. The agricultural school, which,
with the one at Menominee, is famous
among educators, charges no tuition to
children of Marathon county residents,
| who may learn besides the common
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
Ideal Country
For Sheep Raising

Special Correspondence.
Ladysmith, Wis, Aug. 27-Gates
county, Wis. certainly seems to be the
ideal location for sheep raising.
Six weeks ago Tubbs & Foy shipped
10000 sheep from Oregon to Gates
county, Wisconsin, and placed them on
their ranch six miles south of Lady
smith. After herding these sheep on
these wild unimproved lands six weeks,
they shipped five carloads of them to
Chicago, which netted profit of $1.Sl
each, besides helping to brush and inn
prove the lands.
They expect the same profit, and bet.
ter for the balance of their herd.
This proves clearly the value and
cheapness of grass growing in northern
Wisconsin, which is going to waste as q
rule, except where somebody utilities it
in this way, either with cattle or sheep.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

the farmers who have settled here are
doing their part. The North Wisconsin
Farmers association, which has its
membership covering not only Bayfield,
county,, but the counties of Douglas,
Ashland, Washburn and Sawyer, is do
ing a splendid work. There are about
$500 members of the association, max
ing it the largest organization of it's
kind, probably, in the world, and they
sin. In their enthusiasm and pride
over the land they have chosen, the
members of the association are not only
active thru their Headquarters here. in
promoting immigration, but are doing
Individual work, writing to friends
west and east, telling them of the op-
portunities in sight, and urging, them
to come. This campaign is already
developing some excellent results.
The same sort OF work is being done
in all the newer districts Of the state,
where vast areas of fertile land lie open
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

rens' are not found where white pine
has grown.
stock-Raising and Dairying.
In it's earlier years the lumber camps
of northern Wisconsin were the chief
market for the products Of Marathon
county farmers. The camps were all
about them, and they require immense
quantities of oats and hay for the
teams every winter. The farms here
always raised splendid crops of oats,
and hay. grows luxuriantly. In later
years this demand has fallen off some
what, but the agriculture Of the county
has progressed without reference to it..
The farmers have learned that there
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26
Northern Wisconsin Attracting Thousands
OF Honaeseekes and Young MenGeat Northern
sin Lands This FaH-Lands O.uners and Sellers Get
ting Ready for Busy Season.

GUS increased production of gold thru
out the world and the probable still
further increase of production of
precious metal, the wealth-measuring
standard, it is as plain as the hand.
writing on the wall that these north
ern Wisconsin lands will continually en-
nance in value until they are rated
equal in value to choice farming lands
Of the civilized world.
The average price Of good farm lands
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

dicious boosting by the enterprising
land men of northern Wisconsin has
brought thousands such men here, and
once settled, they have become mis-
sionaries to bring others. Many in
stances are told where a single settler,
coming in from an older state, has writ
ten home telling of the surprising fer.
tility Of his land and the multitudes Of
vacant acres lying around him, and has
in time formed regular colony Of old
neighbors, transplanted from their
former homes to a new land and new
life Of prosperity.
Farmers Help Boost.
This extreme northern section of the
state, which was so long neglected, is
coming into recognition rapidly, and
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-26

to the settler, not in wilderness,
in the settled communities Of the Uni
ted States ranges from 800 to 5000 an
acre. And all these lands in northern
Wisconsin will be worth, in the next
fifteen or twenty-five years, from $75 to
800 and $3.50 an acre. g.
Here is the place to make invest
ments where nothing can prevent a loss
or depreciation.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-03-16
MANTuA.

Last week we reported the serious illness
of our dear friend and neighbor, Mrs. Sallie
E. Reeve, and hoped she might be spared,
but He who doeth all things well' has
seen fit to remove her from our midst and
we are left to mourn her loss. Mrs. Reeve
was loved by all who know her, for her
cheerfulness and benevolence, always lend
ing assistance and sympathy to those in
need of attention. Mr.. Reeve and her fam
lily have the sincere sympathy of the whole
community in their sad bereavement.
Mrs Daniel Packer, who was injured
some weeks ago by falling on the ice, is re-
ported to be doing nicely now.
Suckers are coming up the creek in large
numbers.
The congregation of the Methodist Church
were very much surprised to have Pastor
Purcell removed from here, as he has done
some able work while among US. but we
wish him success and congenial surround
ing in his new home
Mrs. Elizabeth Romans. who has re-
sided here for many years, was buried at
Mullica Hill last Friday.
Mrs Carlton Hendrickson is spending a
week in Atlantic City.
Mrs. sPurcell spent several days IN ATTAIN
tic City at the general Conference.
The Ground Hogs six weeks sleep is
ended, and we hope he is sufficiently rested
now, to come forth and give us the benefit
Of good weather.
Mrs. Charles Dilkes had a very pleasant
surprise recently from her Sunday school
class, who called o her to spend the even
ing and congratulate her on her recovery
from her recent illness.
Miss Helena, daughter of Mrs. Josephine
Hewlings, who has been in California for
the past two years, is to be married there
the last of this month; her sister, Miss
Josephine, expects 10 arrive there in time
for the event