Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-07-19
AN ILLINOIS LETTER
ELGIN. ILL. July IL 100

To the initiated it is curious and
remarkable FACT that Elgin. "a little
town in Illinois," virtually controls
the price of butter for the world.
Why this action of the Elgin Board of
Trade should have so much influence
on the worlds market will be under
stood when it is stated that the Elgin
district produces over 40, 600, 900 pounds
of butter annually. Elgin butter and
Elgin condensed milk are, like Elgin
watches, known in every cline and
every country on the globe. After
viewing the districts ideal dairy
farms, observing the hundreds of
thousands of cattle which dot every
hillside, it is easy to understand why
this section is able to produce the
finest milk in the world and con-
Sequently make the butter which has
become world renowned for its high
standard of excellency.
In travelling from Chicago to Joliet
along the Drainage Canal, | was i'm
pressed not only with the greatness
of the oyer-grown city as it spread
out for thirty miles marring the
landscape Of the western prairie but,
with the artificial. unnatural channel
that, after doing its work, and doing
it we'll, is harnessed to great dynamos
at Lock-pOrt, forty miles west of
Chicago, and sends hundreds of
electric horse power back TO the city.
But after all, it's tie greed of gain,
that has developed this great country.
1t is at this point that the Govern
ment regulate the amount of water
allowed Chicago for sewerage pur-
poses.
Not all the people of Joliet are
jolly or happy. or even centented. 1t
| brings a tinge of sadness to visit the
1900 convictS working for the State at
the prison.
From Joliet 1 travelled north over
| an electric line to Aurora, Elgin and
Rockford, and it was along this line
that l found the dairy interest at its
best. The sanitary conditions which
prevail in the Elgin district, have at
tracted the attention of dairy experts
from coast to coast. Through this
great dairy country not buShel Of
grain nor pound of hay is shipped
out by the farmers, but there is very
much shipped in.
| Twenty-Five carloads of condensed
milk, bottled milk and cream. in fac
nearly ali the milk from this point j.
shipped in bottles. 1t is not uncom
mon for one company here to ship al
entire train lead of condensed milk tt
Japan.
A stroll through the Elgin Nationa
Watch Factory, where three Thousand
men and women are employed, turn
ing out 1900 watches per day, is full O.
interest. The help we found abou1
evenly divided between the male ant
female. They work nine hours Pc
day. The ladies averaging from eighr
TO ten dollars per week and the mer
average from $3.50 to $500 per day
Two hundred and fifty men all skilled
wOrkmen are employed, putting TIT
watches together and adjusting them
Everything is made by machinery
One machine will manufacture sixt,
wheels at time. 1t is operated by ;
lady who turns out 1000 wheels pc
day. One OF the machines for tn,
manufacture of the most delicat'
screws in q watch will turn out 500
per day and there are five of thes
) machines. The balance wheel paSse
through twenty different hands be
fore it is completed. Fifty men ar
employed trimming hair springs an,
balance wheels. while twenty-five
skilled ladies are employed simply T.
. balance or poiSe the balance wheels
1t requires $50 hands to manufacture
the dial alone, sever different size
, are made, one of which is a twenty
four hour dial. More than twenty
five people are employed just working
on the hands to watch. The factor
is modern in every respect and one O
the best of any kind in the west. TIL
help employed is above the averag
in intelligence.
| AS we watched the 500 men an
: women coming out of the immens
factory, at the noon hour. and film
fifteen street cars, they looked NOR
like clerks coming out of store, tina
like people employed in work shop
1t is the shops as well as the dair
T industry that has made this countr
! what it is. From Joliet to Rockfor
there are more than 5000 manufactul
ing plants, employing over 1000
people.
1t is with much interest that
have watched the method employee
8 by these thrifty cities in securin
S manufacturing plants.
, Elgin is noted as being a city G
j homes. There are many fine res
? dences, artistically built and SUI
rounded with beautiful, attractiY