Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-23

and have operated the business since
that time, which has grown into one
of the large business concerns OF our
city. In 1905, under the firm name
of the Ear Claire Box and Lumber
company, they purchased box fac
tory in Eau Claire, which they OPP
Grated with a force of 100 men until
it was destroyed by fire on the 14th
of February, 1907.
National President
Mr.. Turner was president of the Ma
|tional association of Box Manufactur-
ers of the United States and Canada
in 1906, an honor that comes to few
men, as the association numbers
among its members, most of the lead
ing box manufacturers of these two
countries. From the time of the new
organization of the Nausau Box and
Lumber Co., he had been it's president.
He was director of the First Nation
al Bank from 1907 until the time of
his death; he was vice-president of
Columbia Land company, which has
large holdings within the city limits
on the west side of the wisconsin
river. He had been member of the
Wausau Free Pubic Library from the
time of its starting and has been its
president for the past 10 years; he was
a member of the committee which had
charge of erection of the building.
He was for many years, a very effici-
ent member of the city water commits
sion and his diligent study and inyes-
tigation proved potent factor in the
solution of Wausau's troublesome wa.
ter question. He was president of the
Civic Improvement League, which or
ganization, did so much in starting to.
make Wausau more beautiful 1t will
be remembered that he was instru-
mental in obtaining illustrated lee
lures at the Grand Opera house, show
ing what could be done by a little
intelligent work to make more beauti-4
ful the river banks and the waste
places of Wausau. He called many
meetings of the League, gave each
member some work to carry out and
by his efforts he worked a trans
formation in our city. He ordered, on
his own responsibility car load of
shrubbery and sold what he could and
that which was left he had properly
planted on vacant lot on east
Franklin street. He had Landscape
gardeners come and our people for
the first time, as a whole, became
enthused over the work of beautifying
their lawns. 1t was the beginning, of
the movement to beautify our city.
which has grown with each passing
year. He was possessed with the idea
that Wausau with all this should have
system of parks; that owing to its
location on the banks of the Wisconsin
river, its many beautiful islands, its
tributaries and its many naturally
beauty spots, a park system could be
laid out at a small expense each year
Tor 70 years and Wausau would be
beautiful beyond the dreams of its
most artistic citizen. His health would
not permit his following up this plan.
but 1t would have meant much to the
future of WaGsau had he been able to
have given his old-time energy to II.
he would have set the ball in motion
which would have given Wausau the
system 1t so much needs to make it a
real city of beauty.
Ornamental Street Lighting
1t was Chas. Turner who was in
strumental in Wausau's having an or
namental lighting system. He told
friend that while travelling he stopped
III little town down in Indiana and in
the evening was surprised at its splen-
did system of ornamental street light
ing. He said to himself, something
important must be going on in this city
tonight" but upon investigation he
found ii an every night occurrence.
The great significance and beauty of il
impressed him so that when he reach
ed home. he Immediately commenced
work on system for Wausau. He
had up hill work of it for several
months, but he finally worked out the
plan which gave Wausaa its present
ornamental street lighting system and
put the city far in advance in this
respect of any in northern wisconsin.
WORK for Wausau
The slogan. Work for wausau."
which adorns our city hall and by
night can be read all over the CITY
on account of its large electrically
lighted letters. originated with Mr..
Turner There were hundreds of slo-
gans proposed in the contest but he
won out in the end with the sone
which has attracted much attention
throughout tie state
He never sought political prefer
ment but always faithfully performed
his duties of citizenship, takins a
commendahle interest in everything
pertaining to the welfare OF the com
munity of the state and OF the nation.
| Among the organizations .of. which he
was member was the First NJ s.