Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-05-07
Minneapolis Daily Paper Throws
Bouquet Across the State
Border Line
RUSK COUNTY SETS
PACE FOR THE STATE
Colonization Companies Are Doing Q
Big Work in Rapid Settlement
of Lands


lens in industrial and agricultural |
development are very similar to Wis
cmsins, because of location and SIM
ilarity in soils, timber and classes and
races Of peoples. But in some respects
Wisconsin is leading her sister states
and they both cheerfully acknowledge
this.
In particular, we mention the mat
ter of the development of the cut-Over
lands of which the three states each
has large areas, and the lands are OF
good soil and the areas are close to good
markets Through the cooperation
of the University of Wisconsin, the
real estate men, business and profess
si0nal men, the railroads and the man
ufauturers of explosives and, OF course,
the settlers themselves. who have the
progressive spirit and the determine
ton and the Drawn to back up the
spirit a mighty stimulus has been
Given the project to reclaim for agri-
culture the many valuable acres now
lying useless.
In the forefront of all the counties
Of Upper Wisconsin. Rusk county
stands out conspcuously in the great
battle now being Waged against the
stumps-the enemy of the farmers
pillow and of production. She is this year
setting the pace for the other counties
of the state, not only i'll the matter OF
Kidding her lands Of stumps but i'll
colonizing her valuable and fertile
acres. The Minneapolis Tribune prob
ably had Rusk county in mind when
it threw the following bouquet over
the state line:
Minnesota has done & lot of talking
about the Development of her cut-Over
land but has really accomplished com
paratively little as yet. We say com
Daratively little because we have iii
mind comparison of results in this state
with those in Wisconsin, There, the
problem of the settlement OF cut-0ver
lands has been attacked in manner
that is already producing very hand
some results.
Tile secret of this better progress i'll
our neighbor state is intelligent coop
GRAFTON on the part of the state univer-
sity. state officials and the railroad
companies. supplemented in an impOr-
tant degree by the attitude and efforts
of numerous business men in the towns
and villages around which this work
of land clearing settlement has been
carried on.
This organized effort to promote land
clearing began in Wisconsin before the
war. 1t suffered some interruption
during the war, but has been revived
and is producing results, which should
stimulate imitation on this side of the
line. Special land-clearing trains have
been operated by both the 800 and
the Northwestern railroad companies.
carrying land-clearing equipment ana
experts capable of instructlng the
farmers in how to use explosives ana
machinery to the best advantage. The
effort met with little hospitality in the
beginning, because OF the characters
tic disposition of the farmers to resent
the assumption that they ever needed
any instruction in anything that they
have 10 do: but that has been entirely
overcome. the demonstration trains
have come to be welcomed heartily,
and both the farmers and the towns
people gladly avail themselves OF the
assistance rendered.
And not only is Wisconsin solving
the stump problem; it has organized
highly efficient immigration service
which is bringing settlement by men
supplied with funds and equipped with |
implements and live stock, ready TO
convert the vacant land into profitable |
farms Another agency efficient IN
This connection are colonization COM
panies which put considerable bodies |
of land on the market, providing for
the clearing and blowing, for the build |
ing of houses and fencing, for the sup |
plying of live stock. and in effect set
ting up the prospective settler in bus
mess. requiring from him as purchaser |
a very moderate first payment anu |
easy terms thereafter.
The people of the towns and villages, |
too. have learned the value of the COM |
munity spirit, and every new settler is
made to feel that he has come among |
friends, with the result that he is ready |
to bring old neighbOrs into the same |
surroundings.