THE WAUPACA POST

February 12, 1891

 

WAUPACA

 

SOMETHING ABOUT THE CITY IN WHICH WE LIVE

The Industries Here and Those Needed

 

            Situated in the center of the potato belt of Wisconsin, midway between Chicago & St. Paul on the Wisconsin Central Railroad, Waupaca is the most enterprising and thrifty city of three thousand inhabitants there is in the Northwest. The natural resources of the country for miles around, all of which is tributary to this city, make it one of the best markets for all kinds of farm products in the state.  The great potato belt of Wisconsin consists of Waupaca, Portage and Waushara counties, and of these Waupaca county raises more than do the other two.  It is estimated that he crop of potatoes in Waupaca county in 1889 was 1,800,000 bushels.  Of this great amount more than two-thirds are drawn to and shipped from this city, making it the greatest potato market in the world.  Thus far this season there has been paid to farmers in the vicinity of Waupaca the enormous sum of $550,000, for potatoes alone.  The quality of the stock is unsurpassed in the United States, and Waupaca county potatoes bring higher prices in the city markets than do any other kind.  Is it any wonder, therefore, that this city is prosperous and enterprising.

            Waupaca has the largest warehouse starch factory in the west, erected at a cost of $7,000, which uses 4,000 bushels of potatoes a day when in operation.  It has a woolen mill, employing about thirty hands.  It has three planning mills, a pork packing house, one saw mill, a brick yard, two grist mills, two cooper shops, a brewery, a steam laundry, two newspapers, nursery, seven churches, a machine shop and foundry, a pop bottling works, an electric light plant, the Dana Novelty works, two National Banks, and a new creamery, cold storage warehouse and a cheese factory, with a capacity of 1,000 pounds of butter a day, which will be in operation about April 1.  The city is lighted with electricity at public expense.

            Four miles north of the city is one of the finest granite quarries in the world, awaiting further development.

            Three miles south west of the city are the Chain o’ Lakes, one of Wisconsin’s far famed beauty spots, there being thirteen lakes joined together.  The waters are full of fish and no more beautiful scenery can be found than surrounds them.  On their banks is situated the Wisconsin Veterans home, a village of itself, with about 300 inhabitants.

WHAT WAUPACA NEEDS

            It needs manufacturers of all kinds.  The water power here is as fine as can be found anywhere in the state, there being a fall of 85 feet in four miles, the river running through the city.  It can afford power to more than twice the number of mills that it now does.  There is a splendid opening for the starting of a

                        Pickle factory

                        Beet sugar factory

                        Soap factory

                        Furniture factory

                        Cigar factory

                        Hay pressing works

                        Bee apiary.

            Any manufactory that will give employment to men, and bring in outside money for its products will be welcomed here, but the country will make the above named industries particularly profitable.  People having money to invest will do well to investigate what Waupaca offers before locating elsewhere.

            The climate of Waupaca is about the same as in southern Wisconsin, not too warm in summer, with dry atmosphere and good water.  Waupaca is fast coming to the front as a summer resort, among the attractions outside of the Chain o’ lakes, being the finest trout fishing in the state, as hundreds of Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Chicago sportsmen will testify.  All in all this city is one of which its residents should be proud, and every effort should be made this spring to add to the enterprise and push already extant.

BY THE WAY

            Shipping 30,000 bushels of potatoes a day is an ordinary occurrence.

            When the St. Paul road is built from Wausau to Berlin, Waupaca’s future is assured. 

            The POST is the largest paper in Northern Wisconsin, and has the largest circulation of any county weekly in the state.

            The rooms of the Waupaca Club are always open to non-residents.

            Any inquiries regarding this city addressed to the POST or any of its advertisers, will meet with prompt attention.

            The price of potatoes has varied from 40 to 80 cents a bushel this season, the latter figure having been the prevailing price for the past six weeks.  Fully one-third of the crop is yet to be brought into market.

            With two National banks, with a capital of $50,000 each, the commercial interests of the city are well protected.