Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-07-22

supplies Of pulp wood
near to the splendid water of the
lower Fox Valley. Here the river
drops 1875 feet in the short distance
between Winnebago-a splendid
storage reservoir and Green Bay.
This situation made possible the
great pulp and paper mills Of this
valley which occupy every available
power site.
The success of the paper industry
here led to the development of large
mills on the Wisconsin River at
Wisconsin Rapids, Con all the maps
as Grand Rapids, the city recently
changed its name to- avoid confu-
sion with the numerous Grand
Rapids" in other states Stevens
Point, Wausau, and at smaller
cities along this river. The Chip
pewa River water powers were also
first developed largely to make
pulp and paper, at Eau Claire and
other cities farther up the stream.
Industries Supply Farmers.
The manufacturing industries Of
the southern part of the state are
based on the more varied demands
Of the large city and farm popu-
lation. The Observation-Disclosures
lott region produces large quanti-
ties of farm implements, tractors,
plows,. gas engines, pumps, wind
mills, wagons, and other tools the
farmer needs. In Racine, on the
Lake Michigan shore south of Mil
waukee-is one Of the largest
threshing machins factories in the
worlC. It's product helps the farm
ers of Argentine and South Africa
and Siberia as well as those in our
own western lands to separate their
wheat from the straw.
Grain binders-which, by the way
were invented by an Is year old
Wisconsin farmer boy in 185S-arc
made in Milwaukee. Small farm
machinery factories are found in
many cities and villages over the
state, those mentioned are only
few of the largest.
Best HarbOr on the Lakes.
The metropolis of the state is
Milwaukee--one of the four great.
cities on the Great Lakes. 1t has a
better harbor than any of the other
three. This is naturally the great
est manufacturing city in the state.
Ask any loyal Milwaukeean if the
well advertised product which sup
posedly made Milwaukee famous"
Gin the rare old, fair old golden
days to quote the old song) was
not the principal product of his
city, and he will Indignantly deny
it, quoting you reams of figures tc
prove that the brewing of malt
liquors was only a small part of
the industrial product of his city.
You noticed the was. The 18th
amendment ended--but why digress
into such a dry subject.
The manufacturing industries of
Milwaukee have grown along lines
in the early days. In
1918 the first city directory noted
t h e extensive manufactures"
They include a wooden factory,
two iron foundries, an edge tool
factory, sash factory, a planning
mill, tub and pail factory, two
grist mills, a saw mill, a tannery,
and several turning shops. Besides
these establishments situated on
the water power there were; two
iron foundries, a soap and candle
factory, and starch factory"
Output Worth Millions.
In 1871 the Chamber of Com
merce gave list of the advantages
Of the city for manufacturing pur-
poses, closing its enumeration with
the following: "A large proportion
of the population of Milwaukee is
composed of thrifty, frugal, indus
trious Germans, each of whom
owns little land about his house,
and sports a pig or two, and sends
mis- troop of children to school and
lays up money on nine dollars
week."
In 1920 the output of the Mil
metal trades industries was
valued at $930,OO00O0O0, of the
leather industry the value was $685.
OOO,OOO.O0. Food and allied products
totalled S166,OOO,OOO.OO, textiles
Wood products am
ounted to S5S,0O0,00O.O0, chemicals,
drugs and allied industries produc-
ed goods valued at $56,0OO,OOO.OO,
and other industries brought the