Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-07-16
Power at Otter Rapids
To Be Developed
At Once.
Town To Own Electric Light
And water Plant.

After a struggle extending over {
period of more than twelve years
The Town of Eagle River has at las
acquired tie franchises, money anC
properties necessary and incident tt
the building of dam at Otter Rap
ids on the Wisconsin River about one
mile below the junction of the Eagle
and Wisconsin Rivers and about
miles below the Village of Eagle Riv
eT. Mart Hirzel, chairman, just re
corded little deeds from Brown Bros
Lumber Co. and Alexander Stewart
Lumber Co. to the Town of Eagle
River, conveying to the Town the
tittle to the ground at Otter Rapids
where the last legislature authorized
the Town of Eagle River by the pro-
visions of Chapter 483 to build and
construct dam for the purpose OIL
developing hydraulic power fol
pumping water for public and pri-
vate use and lighting the streets Of
the Village of Eagle River and fur
nishing lights to private consumers
and authorizing the town to sell
any surplus power or lease the same
for a period not exceeding twenty
years to persons or corporations des-
ir1ng TO engage in manufacturing en-
terprses in the Village of Eagle River
electrically.
At Special Town Meetieg held
last May the electors by unanimous
vote authorizing the Town board to
purchase, from the Eagle River Light
& Water Co., all of its property and
for a surrender of its II year fran
chises and contracts for the pump
ing of water and lighting the streets
and bridges of the Village of Eagle
River, the consideration therefor to
be paid by furnishing to the Eagle
River Light & Water Company cleo
trio current sufficient to pump water
and furnish electric light for the
period of Seven Years. At the same
time the electors voted to issue and
negotiate the bonds of the town for the
sum of Thirty Thousand Dollars to
provide money'for build ing the dam
and purchasing the machinery for
developing and transmitting the
power, which bonds were negotiated
by the Town Board, consisting OF
Mart Hirzel, chairman, and John
Zimpelmann and w. H. Adams, sup
ervi,or who sold the bonds at face
value and the money is nov i'll the
Town treasury, excepting the amount
paid cfor the site for the dam,
Sc. 100000.
The plans and specifications have
been ordered from Jacobsen & De
CUR, Engineers of Grand Rapids,
Wisconsin and Mr.. Hirzel is expect
ing to receive them this week.
The contract for building the dam
an installing the machinery will be
let as soon as the proper notice by
advertisements can be given. The
work should be completed by De-
cember 1st.
The estimates show that the town
will have from seven to ten hundred
horse power to offer to manufacturers
in addition to the amount necessary
for municipal purposes.
The following proceedings of a
meeting held at Wausau recently
shows that Eagle River is now re-
eart!ed bv the Wisconsin River cities
as Water Power City and not a
reservoir.
Last Friday a meeting of promi-
nent business men of Wausau, Men
ASIA, Grand Rapids, Eagle River,
Rhinelander and Trmahawk was
held at the Alexander Stewart Lum-
Der company's Office in Wausau, tc
see what could be done and accom-
plished In the way of utilizing the
great and unused water power OF The
Wisconsin river between Eagle Xiv
er and Kilbourn City for industrial
purposes.
The following official record of the
meeting, is copied from Saturdays