Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-02-20
A WONDERFUL CHANGE
Old-Timer Tells of Changes
in Big Woods Since Radio
Has Come Into Homes.

If the old-time residents of Nor
thern Wisconsin and Michigan
could have had a radio say forty
years ago, what a difference it
would have made in their present
day lives. Not that they regret
having lived the two score years
primitively, for even with what
they have gone through there was
a certain fascination in being
snowed-in for months at a time
and never seeing a face other
than those of the family or an
occasional trapper or cruiser. They
were the pioneers and if they can
now enjoy "a Sunday sermon from
some renowned orator thousands
of miles away, or listen IN to
some wonderful concert carried
on at the moment in a city in the
east or west, it is coming to
them.
Some forty odd years L. L..
Thomas has lived on the shores
of Lac Vieux Desert north of
Phelps. His family were the pic
neers in that section and for
months p time were Isolate
from other than their famil.
This was during the early days
when the Military road was I'M
known, and only a trail for mail
from either Wausau to Ontonagon
or from Green Bay through to
hat city on Lake Superior, gave
he Thomas an outlet to the
world at large. Then they depend
ed upon the lone traveller to give
them notification of what the
world was doing and it would be
months at a time when they heard
nothing from outside"
Now it is all changed. Talking
with Louie Thomas one day last
week, he laughed when asked
what he and his wife had been
doing "up in the woods" so far
this winter, and how had they pas
,sed the lonesome days. There
are no lonesome days and nights
any more stated Mr.. Thomas.
I'VE have our radio set and after
the days work is done we tune
in and visit all the big cities in
the country. When we first came to
Lac Vieux Desert some fifty years
ago. it was a case of being isolat
ed all winter, and they were
mighty long winters at that.
Trap during the daytime, prepare
our furs by the light of a candle
or from the big open fireplace,
eat our supper and go to bed.
Same thing over and over all win
ter long, and the only break we
had in the monotony was an oc-
casional hunter or trapper who
would Stop over night and give us
what little news he know. Of
course after the mail route from
Green Bay to Ontonagon on Lake
Superior was put in operation,
then we thought we were living
right next door to civilization.
Years after when the tourist
came, things were improved;
thought that was about as far as
one could get. Then came the
railroads, followed later by the
automobile and daily mail and
plenty of visitors from all points
of the compass who gave us the
happenings within a few hours.
But now; why should we spend
our winters in the city, or down
south or out west? With our ra-
dio we have the latest things at
a moments notice, and no city
guy has it over us. He pays
money to come north in the win
ter time. We stay home in the
north and bring the best there is
in the world right in our home
on the instant. Go to the city?
Why should we? Not for perfect
enjoyment. We will possibly make
short visit to Chicago before
spring, but you can bet we will
miss the real life in the woods of
Northern Wisconsin"
That he is right, leaves no
chance for argument. Times have
changed and no sympathy need
be given the resident of this sec
ton during any month of the
year. We are way ahead of the
city folks and have not a hard
ship except when taxpaying time
comes along; but at that that is
only once a year.