The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1916-02-10
Let's Gel Together
Editor Times:


thoughts that came to me after read
ing the article in last weeks Times
headed "the get-together spirit.
We all know that Washburn, at
the present time, is enjoying degree
of prosperity. We also know that
this prosperity came largely thru
the activities of the dynamite plant.
We know that in a few weeks last
summer the consuming power of
Washburn was about doubled by the
importation of an army of working
men. We know that thru the push
and energy of a few young men of
Washburn that large boarding camps
and lodging houses were provided
to accommodate these workingmen.
An immense quantity of provis-
ions were needed at these boarding
houses. Beef to the amount of
three or four carcasses per week
was used by one concern alone.
Now did the proprietors of these
concerns say to the farmers around
Washburn, bring in your beef and
we will buy it? / should say not.
Not only did they send outside
for their beef but they refused to
buy beef produced at home when
offered to them at the same price
that they were paying for beef
shipped in. Where was the COM
munity spirit shown here? | appealed
personally, not only to these men,
but to merchants, bankers and the
President of the Commercial Club in
an effort to change a condition that
would have meant thousands of dol
lars to the farmers of Washburn but
in vain. Rule No l of your article
says, "The town and the farming
community cannot succeed without
cooperation and mutual assistance.
Let us get together.
When the dynamite plant first
began operations here, farmers could
buy dynamite direct from the plant
and at very reasonable prices. Now
merchants in Washburn control the
sale of dynamite and the farmers
around Washburn pay the same price
for dynamite that is paid for it where
it is shipped hundreds of miles.
Every one in the community is inter-
ested in having the farmers here get
cheap dynamite, because the cheaper
the dynamite the quicker the stumps
will be removed and the country inn
proved. And when the farmer gets
his land cleared not only will he
have more produce to sell but he will
need more machinery to cultivate
his additional acres and have more
money to spend with the merchants
and eventually he might have a
dollar for the banker to handle. Let
us get together.
1t is hard for all members of a
community to see thing from the
same angle. The merchant does not
have the same view point as the far
mer has. And it is hard for the far
mer to look thru the eyes of the mer-
chant. The hardware merchant will
unhesitatingly send away for his
house furnishings, the tailor sends
away for his cloth, the dry goods
merchant sends TO Sears and Saw
buck for groceries and the grocer
sends to The Man from Michigan for
his clothing and none of them think
for minute that he is hurting his
town or would be willing to admit
that the dollar he sent out of town
was not we'll spent. Yet if the far
mer sends for any of these things,
the hardware merchant, the house
furnisher. the taller, the dry goods
merchant, the grocer and even the
editor can unite in seeing the foolish
ness in sending his money away and
helping to kill the town. Let us
get together.
And now just few words to the
grocers and the city purchasers OF
groceries, in regard to delivering
groceries as is now done in Washburn.
The city purchaser of groceries now
steps to the telephone at all hours of
the day and orders groceries after in
sisting that they be delivered at
once. 1t is only a few days since l
was in a grocery store in Washburn