Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-12-24

tiles in Wisconsin decreased in 1922
and 1923, there was considerable
growth of business as indicated by
investments, revenues, and the num-
Der Of customers served, according to
the biennial report of the state rail-
road commission, just prepared for
submission to the governor. During
the last two years, the report said,
tie total number of utilities in the
state has decreased from 1,647 as of
Dec. 81, 1921, to 1861 as of Dec. 81,
1928. This decrease, it was explained,
is primarily in the electric utilities,
where the number decreased from $40
in 1921 to 319 in 1928, due to con-
solidations The water and telephone
utilities show a slight increase over
1921, it was pointed out, the former in
creasing from 252 to 25S and the lat
ter from 979 to 9S3. The number Of
other utilities remained about the
same.
Menomonee Falls-Al1ert H: Eek
nardt, president of the Farmers and
Merchants bank, died at his home
in Menomonee Falls. His death was
due to pneumonia. Mr.. Eckhardt was
born in Sheboygan Apr. 7, 1862 He
entered the employ of the former
German bank of that city. For nine
years previous to his residing in Me-
nomonee Falls he lived in Milwaukee
and was employed as state agent of
the Connecticut Mutual Life Insur-
ance Co. In 1908 he became one of
the organizers of the Farmers and
Merchants bank at Menomonee Falls.
Stevens Point--Bound volumes of
newspapers published in Stevens
Point SIS years ago have been given to
the library of the state normal school
by Justin NJ Manchester One vol.
ulAe contains issues of The Wiscon-
sin Pinery from Apr s, 1859, to Nov.
80, 1860, and the other issues of The
Wisconsin Lumberman from Septem-
Der, 1868, to February. 1866 The is
sue of The Lumberman of Apr 81,
1865, gives a vivid account of the as
sassination of President Abraham
Lincoln
Ladysmith- Edmund Hong, SO, died
at a hospital in Ledysmith as the re-
suit of injuries suffered when heavy
electrical charge passed through his
body. Mr.. Hong had been employed
as construction foreman of the l.. E.
Meyers Co. Big Falls dam He was
on the roof of the station house ad-
justing wires when he came in contact
with high tension wire, $4,000 volts
passed through his body and he fell
40 feet to the ground.
Birchwood-A. G. McDougald, 90,
died at his home at Reeve, near Birch
wood, where he had lived for many
years. He was one of the pioneer
settlers of this region, settling here
shortly after the close of the Civil
war to engage in logging operations.
He was one of the few surviving men
who logged the large pine forests
which covered the spot where Birch
wood now stands. In late years Mr..
McDougaId has been blind.
Rhinelander - That interest in
school savings is on the increase in
Rhinelander is indicated in the num-
Der and amount of bank deposits
Report for the last school bank day
shows that Sc per cent of the total
enrolment in all schools of the city
were depositors. Four schools had
100 per cent depositors, The amount
now credited to Rhinelander school
children is $10,806.51.
Madison - Average production Of
potatoes in Wisconsin this year was
129 bushels per acre. Last year the
average for the state was SO bushels.
Chippewa county lead in the average
per acre with 172 bushels. Taylor
county was first last year with an
average of 149. Brown county pressed
Chippewa county close with 166
bushels.
acknowledgements to L. H. Ar
dern, field man for a picking COM
pany, more Washburn county farmers
plan to grow cucumbers in 1925 to be
used for picking purposes than ever
before. The greatest cucumber acre
ages for 1925 are anticipated for
Washburn county and for other near
by counties, it was stated.
Birchwood-After being closed down
for about two months, the Algoma
Ranel Co., Brentwood, one of the larg-
est manufacturers of veneer in the
middle west, resumed operations this
week, giving employment to many idle
men. Closing of the plant was due
partly to the lack of certain choice
veneer logs.
Stevens Point - Chicken thieves
who visited the farm of Henry Tess,
mile north of Almond Village, left
fire and destruction when they fed.
The chicken house and 100 Plymouth
Rock chickens burned at a loss of
couaroI bundro6 dn1Ioro