Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-07-22

the august panorama nature has fur
nished here, and which art has i'm
proved rather than otherwise in the
erection of dams. Many more such
and no doubt in time will become al
most priceless.
No rock formation either lies i'm
mediately beneath the soil upon
which Grand Rapids stands which
would render excavating for sewers
or Easements expensive because of
the necessity for blasting, but to a
sufficient depth far below that neces-
sary for all such purposes the soil
is a light loan easily dug, the sur
face Of which is rich and fertile for
gardening purposes and the making
of lawns. The land, too. which
stretches in all directions from the
city is not barren as some seem to
have been given to understand who
have never been here, but is rich
and fertile, admirably adapted to the
raising of products of various kinds
To the agriculturist who understands
soils and their adaptation to the
raising of different kinds Of tubers,
grains and grasses any part of the
soil adjacent to Grand Rapids holds
out inducements and the promise Of
ho will hut thnn1
/ in harmony with natures laws.
An historical statement may be ad-
visable before entering further upon
| the inducements Grand Rapids holds
out either to the home-seeker or to
those who desire to locate manu-
featuring industry or commercial en-
terprise of any character in one of
the most advantageous locations pos
sible. In 1888 Grand Rapids received
its charter as a village, and became
incorporated as a city in 1876. By
that time the population had grown
to 1900. 1t was then a typical lum-
| Der town. Large saw mills were
built upon the banks of the river at
this place. The surrounding country
was heavily timbered, much of it
mills devoured this a supply was
found farther north, the logs being
f1oated down on the bosom of the
Wisconsin in large booms. The time
came, though, when even this supply
failed, other cities like Wausau and
Merrill sprang up farther north at
points nearer the forests, and those
who were engaged in the lumber in
dustry in Grand Rapids were COM
PEELED either to abandon their enter
prise or move to a location closer to
the source of supply. Many of them
adopted the latter course, and their
departure from this city and the clos
ing or removal Of the mills produced
depression upon business interests
from which few at that time thought
the city would ever recover.
1t may be said here that the west
side of the river was called Cen
tralia at that time and the east side
Grand Rapids. This continued until
quite recently, but now the name
Grand Rapids is applied to the
whole section, east and west, and
the people on both sides of the Wis
consin are united in every particular
and working strenuously together to
produce a city numerically, CONNER
cially and financially strong. In this
noble endeavor, too, they are ad
mirably succeeding, as the strides
made along all these lines in recent
years testify.
The name of the Honorable T. B.
Scott must be mentioned here, for
he contributed largely in an early
day to the building up of the city.
Possessed of considerable wealth,
which he principally accumulated in
the lumber and timber industry, he
was always while here active in help
ing to advance public interests. The
time came, though, when he found
it advisable to move up stream, and
consequently located at MerriI. Mr..
Scott, though, never forgot the city
where his fortune had been princi-
paIly made, and continued to help
Grand Rapids in various ways. The
magnificent library, a comprehensive
statement Of which appears in an
other column, and which is homed
in the city hall, bears his name, as
it was one of his principal gifts to
the city prior to his decease.
J. D. Witter: who became a million
aire on Grand Rapids soil and never
moved from the city until called by
the great Ruler Of events to pass
over to be with the E'great majority"
also during his lifetime materially
helped to build up Grand Rapids
|