Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-07-20

nave lost rare treat. George b.
Irving of Chicago, addressed about
one hundred and fifty ladies and gen
tlemen at the Amusement Hall Mon
day evening and they will never for
get him. He almost paraliZed his
audience with his frank, plain state
| ment of facts in reference to what
was now being done in many progress
sive cities of the country He made
| it perfectly plain what could be done
in Grand Rapids by a getting togeth-
er of all interests and center the owrk
through the recently organized Com
mercial Club. He urged home trade
Invest your surplus at home where
you made it, by the encouragement
OF local manufacturing and various en-
trprisees. Beautify your home city.
Don't knock, but boost all the time
Help your neighbors by getting to-
gether and sharing in the trials and
tribulations of life. He recommended
the work being done by the ladies
of the Federation and others He
recommended the excellent start we
| had made in securing Mr. Manning
of Boston, to furnish us city plan
OF parks, roadways etc. He deplor
ed many ugly looking frame build
river in our city, and highly commend
| ed such places as the Consolidated
office and island He went into rap
lures over the Wisconsin river, and
her many heauti ul islands within our
city limits and vicinity. Our shore
drives up and down the river could be
made wondrous beauty spots if given
little care and attention. He sug-
gested that Big Island be purchased
from the Consolidated Water Power
and Paper Co. and converted into
park and amusement purposes. He
urged us to make more of our water
power and to control it as far up and
down the river as possible. He call
ed his hearers attention to many ugly
looking places in our business district
which should be corrected at once
one of the greater of these being our
main streets from depots to depots.
He said the three railroad systems
the c. M. & ST. P, the G & N. w.
and 500 Rys,, should unite in u
Mon station. He said too that our
depots were the poorest he had seen
in any community in a long while.
They were simply disgraceful with
possibly one exception. He urged
waking up of our people to our
possibilities and a more general get
ting together for mutual good.
Mr. Irving is a large, fine appear
ing man full of energy and strength,
a master of his subject and makes
no pretenses at oratory, but is a pow
erful talker He is in dead earnest
and has had a wide experience in the
essentials necessary for the boost
Rapids, we sincerely believe will be
the foundation for future growth and
prosperity.
These are the assets and require
ments, suggested by Mr.. Irving at
his lecture Monday evening:
Scheduled Assets.
Remarkable fine paper interests.
Four railroads.
Beautiful river. In my opinion the
GROWING glory of your city.
Several factories.
Fine bank buildings.
Very few good stores.
Excellent churches and schools.
County seat,
Exceptional geographical location,
Public utilities.
Womens clubs and Improvement as
sociation which have secured the
services of Mr. Manning, landscape
artist
Newspapers which should be sup
ported better than they are,
Lumber yards and flour mills.
Great electric power available.
Witter Manual Training School.
Congratulates us on having in our
midst such leaders as Congregational
minister, Mr. Witter, Mr.. Wood, Mr.
Williams, etc.
Requirements.
You should have Commercial Club
of not less than two hundred limited
to that number with waiting list,
to adjucate local difficulties.
A divisional department composed
of merchants with own chairman, sec
rotary and by laws This department
to collect bad accounts and fake ad |
vertising.
Also division of manufacturers and |
johbers.
Commercial club rooms to be com
and industrial center of !
city, with social and recreation fea
lures.
| suggest the Bank of Grand Rapid
promote, four story building opposite
Dixon Hotel.
l suggest that you conserve all pow
er of river, both north and south for
miles and keep river power in hands
of Grand Rapids people This is a
wonderful asset.
And, advertise your power to all
tho world