THE REPUBLICAN

September 20, 1895

 

A Pleasant Trip.

 

            Ye scribe took a trip over the Badger Telephone line the first of the week placing several new Standard Telephones on the line.  Sam Ashman at Rural was contemplating a telephone exchange between the store and his residence which will be a great convenience in many ways.  Assemblyman Ham has his pretty modern cottage all completed and is now enjoying life therein.  He will have an extension bell run from the store, connecting with the Badger phone to his residence so as to get the calls on the line nights and Sundays, or whenever the store is locked.

            The Springwater ‘phone at Miner Wilson’s was changed and arranged so as to more satisfactorily get the “hello’s” over the line. While there we were treated to samples (good big ones, too) of fine water and musk melons, showing conclusively that Mr. Wilson has the soil for melons as well as potatoes.

            At Saxeville we found Doc Van Airsdale happy as ever and ever ready to make everybody else feel happy.  We made the genial Doctor happy by putting a new telephone in his store, and if his friends don’t believe he has a dandy, just drop fifteen cents in cash or coupons in the slot and hear his gentle voice.  Doc (and his wife) have a mighty fin little hello girl at their house too.  We found Ben Barr at Pine River nicely located with post office and telephone station I the barbershop building since the store has been closed for administrator’s sale.  Ben is a first class man and we would like to see him head of the store again.

            The Badger folks (Asa Becker, Supt. of Cedars) have been setting some new poles between Pine River and Poysippi.  The country around Pine River is improved rapidly in the past few years.

            The branch line to Terrill via Bur Oak Valley goes through a fine section, potatoes is the main staple although quite a good deal of dairying and stock raising is carried on, especially is that so around Poysippi, Tustin, Brushville and Bloomfield.

            Poysippi has evidence of a healthy growth this season. They have a large two-story school building, plenty of new houses have been built the past season, a brickyard for manufacturing brick opened for business, a large brick store is going up to give encouragement and faith in the enterprise.  Dr. Mofatt has charge of the Waushara telephone station and line at this point and Dr. McWain is the head pusher and president of the Badger.  McWain has a pleasant home, a good office, store and post office all near together and conveniently arranged. The Doctor has a large practice in this section, the telephone line being a great convenience.  It was noticed the Waushara and the Badger lines seemed to be chasing one another quite materially around the different towns, but as yet there has been no war.  Each maintain a quiet 15 cent rate to all stations. Messages are transferred where necessary but as yet they allow no electrical union between the rival wires.

            We were favorably impressed with the looks of the country around Poysippi, Tustin, Brushville and Bloomfield. The fine houses and barns, the good crops and stock shows conclusively a rich soil and thrifty people.

            David and Sid Chesley, Waupaca boys, have a neat hardware store and tin shop here and are nicely located.  At Tustin Lake business is rather quiet although there are evidences that time was when things were rushing.

            John Boysen has the larges share of business here, dealing in general merchandise, etc., and ships a pile of wood and produce to different points by boat.

            The view of Winneconne, Poygan and Willow Creek across Lake Poygan, although not very distinct, makes a subject for an artist.

            The marshes and swamps of this section are rapidly being converted into meadows and farming lands, the best in the state, a monument to a lot of thrift farmers, mostly German.  Our ride for home was via Lind Center.  Lind is a good town and although the season has been very dry the crops have turned out better than was expected.  An effort will be made by the farmers around portions of Lind to have the Badger Company put in a line to the Center from Waupaca.