Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-09-09
HEARS HUM OF new
INDUSTRIES
X. S. MARKSTRUM WRITES
PILOT AFTER VISIT TO
OLD HOME IN WAUSAU

The following letter, summing up
and referring to the partisanship of
the past, was received by the Pilot last
week from K s. Markstrum, Bessemer,
Mich, who recently visited friends and
relatives in this city, his old home:
Bessemer, Mich,
Sept 1919.
Editor Pilot:
AS an off-and-on newspaper "fiend"
and among the so-called Wausau
"Old-Timers" lin the days when many
of us were more partisans than patri-
ots) a few notes from my recent visit
III the old town and Marathon county
may interest, If not instruct, your
readers.
COrdurOys
1t is just thirty-seven years since
the writer drove through from Wau-
sau to Colby, at that time on a politi-
cal errand, and still remembers the
1olts and bumps over the then miles of
corduroy between Marathon City
and Colby. Last week the trip was re-
peated this time in a comfortable au-
tomobile, and the roads, farms and
general Improvements everywhere
1ere indeed a revelation. And 1t par
ticularly impressed one with the out
of-place style with so many of today
TRADING against the German, or
"Hun," as we now hear it. Where
would Marathon county be to this day
without the sturdy German pioneers
in its forming development?
Dat IL ttoI
few and far between. "Hod" Blanch-
ard, whose emphatic United States was
so often heard an the county board
and in convention proceedings, was the
| only one the writer found with whom
to visit and like the veteran of sc
many wars, he still stands pat with
| the G. o. P. of old.
Of course it seems in form by some
and Wausau seems to have it's share
to re-echo that old "know-nothing'
propaganda against foreigners" anC
what impresses one the most is when
children of good foreign stock be-
come imbued with this as well. Ye
We'll hope, as the bird that fouled hi:
own nest, found out, it brings neither
comfort nor prestige in the end. As
Carl Schurz well put it-"he that hon.
ors the old mother is equally worthy
the bride of his choice"
| And incidentally of course that so
called League of Nations" pops vi
as the much discussed topic though
the writer must confess to no enthus
iasm whatever in it's favor. Will
Johnny Bull holding six votes to oul
one, and our colored friends from Lii
IBERIA and Haiti, and his royal Nibs o
Hedjaz (wherever that may be- eacl
one equal vote with our Uncle Sam
it would seem as though the "for
eigner" rather put II over on the Yanl
this trip.
Twelve Miles Then
While the old and ever liberal hos
pitality and cheer with Wausau, he
people, and her farmers as well, i
ever the same, yet one misses so man
of the early leaders in business an
public affairs and to whom the write
is indebted for much Of his life's sue
cess. They were men from whom tn
younger generation may well patter
; in persistent application as the mai
promoter of success. When the writ
er determined to leave Wausau TO
newer fields, now 80 years back, il
twelve sawmills, including Kelly an
; Schofield were all running full bias
Today most of the sites, black an
abandoned, are all that remain. Ye
the hum of industry in other lines
louder and stronger than ever, thank
to local perseverance. And the me-
ropolitan appearance of old big Bull
: logged up in that massive concret
bridge, beats anything its early day
ever dreamed Of
> But these lines are already longe
than intended and with regards to ol
friends and new ones as well, we wi
endeaYor to meet again.
K S. MARKSTRUM."