Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-10-30

| many family has watched one build
| ing after another, and finally the old
homestead burn up, the very nature
| of the material used in their construc-
| ton, causing the flames to spread
I much less resist them.
Fire insurance, as it was then inter
preted, provided temporary relief, but
| it was indeed costly precaution, Civ
] ing the farmer only mere pittancer
| of what he once possessed. Tempor~
| airy" relief however, as In all things
it seemed, was the most he could
strive for, or expect. Little did he
then know that something permanent
was in sight, and for which no pre-
| miums were demanded, with unfailing-
| regularity.
| However, such experiences were
fraught with some good The farmer
has demonstrated on more than one
| occasion, that he is ready and quick
| to learn, and such severe lessons were
| not forgotten. They taught him to-
realize his foolhardiness in exposing
! to utter destruction, that, which had
! perhaps taken years of effort, and
/ thousands of dollars to build up.
! The boys, the younger generation of
farmers, were made equally conscious
| Of the change necessary to. improve
| living, conditions on the farm, toin~
sure the safety of life and property
and to eliminate much of the drudgery
of farm work. Already many Of them
were bent upon q college education
and then to seek their fortunes in the
big cities, the farm offering but poor
| inducement ia comparison, and such
of them by reason OF this early dis
satisfaction with and ultimate depar-
| ture from the farm, have been largely
| instrumental for the advance Of scien-
| tific farming and scientific farm man
agement, which has taken place in the
past decade
Their vision was broadened; they
saw at a glance the effort that was be-
ing made toward real economy in every
line of business. Big projects were
being undertaken everywhere. with
the idea of permanency uppermost in
the minds of the owners, whether an
individual, corporation or the govern
ment The use of combustible mater
ial in building construction was no
hceable by it's absence-nothing that
would invite disaster figured in the
city mans specifications.
How to apply these principles on the
farm back home was the next thought
the solution of which was readily
found. during one of the periodical
visits to the farm, at times when their
assistance was needed. 'eWhy don't you
make that permanent" was the advice
| offered the elders, engaged perhaps In
making one of the little repairs, more
or less always required about the farm
and this suggestion has many a time
gained for concrete its first introduce
ton to the farmer,
II thrived on his acquaintance from
the start. Once used 1t became popu-
lar. then recommended and finally, to-
day, It is regarded as necessity It's
llee has successfully overcome the diff
nculties which previously harassed the
farmer: it has made comfort possible
on the farm; it has increased the value
az farm property; it has replaced filth
and disease by cleanliness and good
health among the stock; 1t has reduced
operating expense and increased pro-
duction and perhaps most important OF
ALL. It's use has lifted the farmer be-
yond the era of fence repairing and ais
content to that of cultivation, produc-
ton and contentment.
In such brief period, the number
and variety of uses for which concrete
has actually served on the farm, makes
the success, which has always attended
its use the more remarkable. Among
its earlier uses are foundations, walls
walks and floors. Well-eovers, steps,
drsin-tile fence-posts, and septic-tanks
next received the attention OF the farm
err. and later still the building OF con-
crete cellars for preserving roots
fruits. and vegetables; troughs and
tanks, culverts, manure pits, c1sterns
and silos was accomplished.
Thus far, it is true, the number OF
large all-concrete buildings on the farm
s,1ch as the home and the barn, are
comparatively few, not through lack OF
desire on the part of the farmer for
a home and barn of this type, but sim
NV because the life of his present
buildings is not yet ended. He has In
vested in them and wants the maxi
mum return on the investment.
There is no mistaking the spirit OF
the times, however, and just as soon
as the farmer is satisfied that tbs
change may be pre1tably made, or
IN other words, until his present bu1lA~