The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-10-31

cent years. The dairy industry in
Wadena count would have grown and
the farmers could have shared in the
prosperity that certainly must have
come out of that growth.
In later years creameries have been
going institutions in Wadena county.
Also there are two cheese factories
in this county. In the year of 1922
the total output of butter in the coun-
ty amounted to 2,051, 500 pounds
valued at $768, 480.36.) This is a
remarkable record when one considers
that Wadena is the smallest county
in Minnesota, having only fifteen
townships and considerable waste
land. Adding the output of the cheese
factories, the dairy industry brings a
total of over 100000 year into the
county. With the development of
the dairy industry can be shown a
steady increase in bank deposits, which
sum up to over $2,0O0,OO0 in a county
having population of only 10,699.
Another institution that is of great
benefit to the farmers in Wadena
county is the canning factory, which
this year packed 100000 cans of
corn. More than $4,000 was paid
to the farmers who marketed their
sweet corn at Wadena. This should
be an eye-opener to Mankato business
men, who are trying to better trade
relations with the farmers. The
establishment of a canning factory
and like institutions in Mankato would
give the farmers an opportunity to
engage further in diversified farming
and get away from wheat raising.
One farmer in the Wadena zone
made this statement to The Wadena
Pioneer j Journal Last year / rent
ed an eighty acre tract for cash and
was unable to pay it all. This year
/ rented the same eighty on shares
and the owner will get better than
$40 per acre for the seventeen acres
on which / have grown sweet corn,
and altogether he will realize about
$500 on his land" This farmer
is going to plant twenty-five acres
to sweet corn next year. Aside from
his cash returns the farmer has some
excellent fodder for his cattle during
the winter months.
/ knew Wadena when it was
a struggling, struggling village with
no modern improvements, with streets
unkempt and buildings that looked as
if a breeze from the north would
topple them over. The farmers prin-
cipal crop was railroad ties which
they exchanged for due bills at the
village stores. Cordwood was a me-
dunn of exchange, and a dollar bill
at that time looked to the possessor
as large as lawyers diploma. To-
day l was visitor in a New Wadena.
After an absence of quarter of
a century and more, / saw a
modern up-to-date, live, enterpris-
ing community. The streets are
paved and well kept. The business
houses are of the latest architecture,
handsome dwelling houses and lawns
of natures weaving, adorn the tho
roughfares. The boulevards are stud
ded with beautiful shade trees, the
leaves glistening like diamonds under
the rays of a Minnesota sun. What
a transformation from the past that
was ungainly, awkward and unattrac-
tive to the present. scene of rare
beauty amid a metropolitan atmo-
sphere. Parked along the curbs were
the latest designs in autos, taking the
place of OK teams that were the
pioneers means of transportation
On every hand was the evidence Of a
lasting prosperity. Here was thriv-
ing city, substantially built by the
aid of the cow. Wadena takes pride
in its pretty park and so do /, because
in those unforgotten days. l had
something to do with its creation. A
spot changed from an eyesore to a
thing of joy.-Mankato Press.