Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-06-22
FROM THE PEN OF
COL. j. A. WATR0US.

as the "Queen of the Wisconsin Val
ley."
1t properly could be termed the
"Queen City of Northern Wisconsin"
! Wausau has been on the map nearly
| seventy years. 1t has been lumber
| center, at first on small scale, but
| during most of the time, to greater
| extent than has characterized any
| other city in Wisconsin, not except
| ing Menomonie, Marinette, Chippewa
| Falls, La Crosse, Eau Claire and Osh-
kosh.
The value of material out from
pine and other trees in Wausau runs
long way into the hundreds of mil
lions of dollars-indeed, has left be-
hind the billion dollar mark
1t has made millionaireS of so large
number of gentlemen-real ones,
not paper ones-that l cannot lumber
up space in enumeIa5ing them.
Wausau is notable and notably for
tunate in these two respects: Her
lumbermen, from the inception of the
place, were so much in love with the
location and such firm believers in
its future, that the pioneers lived
and died here, and their successors
are still here as lovers of their city,
proud of its present condition and in
tense in their confidence that vastly
greater growth in all desirable direc-
lions awaits record in the future.
That is one of the respects referred
to. The other is discoverable in the
emblaZoned fact that those who have
died and the living have not invested
their accumulatiOnS in sailed mines
and in other cities, but instead have
made use of them in helping to make
WauSau q notable city, not in one,
but in many respects.
1t should not be inferred from what
| have said that Wausau is alone in
debted to ripped pieces pine trees
and other mOnarchs of the forest for
its exceptionally high rank as lead
ing Wisconsin city, though it owes
much to that.
Many other substantial manufac-
turing industries have contributed
and the number is being added to
yearly. Besides, Wausau is the center
of an agricultural district second to
no other in the Northwest.
There has grown up in that rich
district, dairy interests that are ad-
ding millions of dollars to the bust
ness of the city.
Marathon county farmers have done
what Wausau's population has done,
stuck, and the sticking has done for
it what it has done for the city, made
both to blossom very much out of
the ordinary. City and country have
stood together and worked together.
That fact reveals the secret of a large
share of their good fortune.
In an evening stroll | met mem
Der of the "Dinner Pail Brigade and
asked him to tell me what had done
most to make WauSau an up-to-date,
thrifty and handsome city. "The
people of Wausau," he said, "alWays
have bren as one in their faith in and
loyalty to their city. AS you see, it
is city of homes, running from the
little cottages | have builded to the
palace that cost quarter ora million.
Every citizen has personal pride in
the city and all of its helpful inter-
estS. We have no Knockers" and
wouldn't tolerate that class. We are |
like one great big family, respecting
each other, ready to help each other,
and as one man we boost WauSau,
from the day labOrer like myself to |
the multimilliOnaire. That's what |
has had the largest part in building |
up Wausau."
The man with the tin pail and the |
man with the pencil have explained |
why Wausau is city of $4,000 in |
we'll paved, shaded as few if any |
streets anywhere are shaded; why all |
denominations have church homes; |
why there are more fine residences of |
stone, brick, cement and wood than |
Of TO- Gin in cta fn
more, [ am sure, than other city of |
the lawns will compare we'll in size |
and their keeping, with the best in |
Milwaukee or any other large city; |
why its business houses, of all classes, |
are so much like those of metropo- |
lis that one may be excused, while |
surveying them, for imagining one |
self in a city several times as large; |
why it has cluster of banks, whose |
deposits climb beyond the millions; |
why it has highly creditable park |
and street Car system; Y. M. G. A. |
building and other public and semi |
public structures that city of 100000 |
would point to with satisfaction; an |
opera house builded for the future, a
hotel that travelling men rally to |
whenever there is the slightest sign |
of an excuse for rallying. 1t has long
had an enterprising and very help |
full press, one that has constantly |
seconded-even led-the citizens in
lining up for stout pull for Wausau.
Ask any of the 5000 people COM
posed of the Grand Army of the Re-
public and kindred societies who met
here for their annual meetings this
week. if Wausau's population is pat
riotic, if you want to see them strug-
gle for the highest terms for use in
praising. The orders were never CIV
en- a more wholehearted welcome;
have never been better cared for,
they have never seen a more beautiful
decorated city; have never had better
evidence that the people still hold in
high esteem the men who risked life
to give them the best country the
world ever knew for home.
Match Wausau's $4,000 inhabitants
against any other like number for
genuine love of country-fOr the best
type of patriotism.