Lincoln High School - Ahdawagam Yearbook (Wisconsin Rapids, WI)

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8 T HE AHDAHWAGA M when opened, it was allowed to pass off into the other ditches and from there into the main canals. There were also dams between these sections. The large dams were on each side of the main canals, and the small dams were between the small or side ditches. In times of frost, the marsh was flooded by allowing the supply of water in the reservoir to flow down the main canals, and from there into the side ditches. By doing this the .surface of the marsh was covered with water. Fires were often built along the dams on frosty nights in dry seasons when there was not much rain fall. The lorries were rij e enough to l e picked alnmt the first week of Septemlier. The picking was done by hand, generally by Indians. The length of the picking season deluded upon the size of the crop. The lx rries were picktsl over on tables which was very tiresome. The owner of the marsh disposed of his crop by peddling the l»erries around the country in alsjut the same way that some farmers ) eddle their potatoes and other products today. Today the eranl rry is extensively cultivated in several northern states, esjjocially in the Cape Cod region, which includes Massachusetts and New Jer- sey. and in Central Wisconsin. A cranljerry marsh of today somewhat resembles one of the earlier cultivated marshes, except that many improvemente have l een made. For instance there are pumping plants, cranberry rakes, fanning mills, and picking over machines. If one desires to start an up-to-date marsh today, it is necessary to have, as a foundation, a soil of muck or peat that can Ire drained for al out twelve or eighteen inches below the surface. A large sup- ply of water Is needed so that the marsh may l»e flooded at will. The marsh is fiist laid out in sec- tions, each section containing al out one or two acres and sometimes only half an acre. Between these sections, the main canals and side ditches are dug. Then there are bulkheads that connect the different sections, which when closed will allow the water to pass off into the other ditches and from there into the main canals. There are also da ms between these sections. The large dams are on each side of the main canals, and the small dams are between the side ditches. There are two reservoirs: one to hold the supply of water that has l een drawn off from the marsh by a pump, and the other to hold the water that is to lie used to flood the marsh. A cranberry marsh is not planted from seeds, but by transplanting the vines. These newly planted vines yield a few lierries in a I x ut two years, but do not liear a full crop for five or six years. The best vines can Ik distinguished by the wiry texture of the wood, and the greenish brown color of the leaves. The j oorer plants are greener, bright er, more vigorous, and have a bushier foliage. Many jieople think that there is not much work in keeping up a cranberry marsh, but they are mis taken. The canals and ditches have to lie cleaned twice a year. One would Is surprised to see the large water lily plants that have to Is» taken out. The roots are very long and are often us large as a man's fist. The grass on the dams has to lie mowed, and new sod put upon them, and one has to keep a continual lookout for the holes dug through the dams by muskrats. Great damage would l e done if these leaks were not discovered in time. Con siderable weeding has to In? done, for wild sage brush, cut grass, feather flue, pitcher plants ami other grasses tend to outgrow the cranl erry vine if not taken away. The owner of the marsh has also to contend with the danger of frosts, which occur in spring, occasion- ally in the summer and in the fall. When there is danger of a frost, the bulkheads are all opened. The water then flows down the main canals into the ditches. In this way the surface of the marsh is covered with water, and the vines are protected froyi the frost. On up-to-date marshes there are pnm] s to force more water onto the marshes if it is needed. It is very interesting to watch one of these pumps in motion. The vines l egin to blossom alxmt the last of June and are in full blossom about the eighth of July. The flowers are of a delicate pink color, and look something like the flower of the blueberry. About the first week of September the 1 jerries are ready to be gathered. They are not fully ripe then but they ripen later. Berries gathered early keep better. The crop is gathered by men. women and children, who make a practice of gathering the lierries every fall. It is very interesting to watch a crowd of these people when they arrive. On the marsh that I have reference to. some of these people (young people) come from the neighltoring towns where they are employed as domestics or clerks. When they come, they bring and wear their very best clothes. They make a dash for the buildings, which have lieen pro- vided for them, toselect their rooms. Their baggage is brought on a 1k x -ar. which is switched off on a side track. These pickers work together in sections, and are watched by an overseer. A good picker can pick from two and a half to four bushels a day. Oc- casionally one can pick five bushels a day. These ]HM ] le are paid fifty cents a bushel. The men are engaged as rakers to rake the lorries in those sections of the marsh wheie there is much cut grass. It is almost impossible for hand pickers to work in such sections.

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THE AHDAHWAGAM 7 u ben the brawniest man draws the largest wages are past: it is the man with an educated mind that counts today. A Sleigh Ride Party. It was the afternoon of the twenty-second of January. The ground was covered with a thick layer of snow, and sleigh tolls tinkled merrily while happy sleigh ride parties drove up and down the streets. In the parlor of their luxurious home were seated Thomas Brown and his sister. Marjorie. Both seemed busy, and for a long while neither spoke. At length Thomas arose and putting aside the l»ook he had l een reading remarked. “I have finished one volume of the set of lxx)ks and I think it is tine. 1 hope the rest will prove as interesting. Marjorie, who had not paid much attention to this remark walked toward the window. There goes John Smith across the street, she exclaimed. Do you think that he will lx? one of our party to- night?” Thomas did not reply but rushed out and stopped his friend. Alter several minutes he returned with u jubilant face, Yes, Dick and his sister will enjoy the sleigh ride with us tonight: we are all to meet at Mr. Gray’s at seven o'clock and each of as is to bring lunch. We shall leave as soon as everything is ready. We shall certainly have a pleasant evening, replied Marjorie. It is half past five and we must l e getting ready. When Thomas and Marjorie arrived at the meet- ing place, all of the rest of the party excepting Anna Brooks, the daughter of the village parson, were al- ready there. The clock struck seven, still she did not come. The young people grew anxious and worried. Half an hour passed and yet she had not arrived. The driver l eing disgusted at having to wait, told him that he would wait no longer. The young jieople decided to go. and were very happy with the exception of two or three who were worried atout their friend, wondering why she had not come. At lenght they were off. The roads were in fine condition and the horses barely seemed to notice that they drew a load. The stars were shining brightly and a full moon was illuminating the earth far and wide. The driver who was well acquainted with the roadways made the horses run along swiftly. An exciting incident followed. At an abrupt turn in the rood, the sled tip] ed and the lunch which had l een placed in a secure corner of the sled, fell out. What was to to done? One of crowd suggested that they g » to a large house on the hill. All agreed and the whole party climbed bock into the sled and drove on. Here we are, ” shouted the driver. The young people did not hesitate but jumped from the sled and walked to the front of the large white house. The same lx y who had suggested that they stop at the house, knocked. The door opened. A cry of joy followed. Oh dear Anna, how does it happen that you are here, Why didn't you come with us? Marjorie exclaimed. The rest of the party were invited to enter and were soon enjoying themselves with puzzles, games, etc., which they spied on the table in the rear of the room. Anna indeed was surprised at their coming. I suppose you would all like to know how it happens that I am here. Well, I will tell you. This is the home of my grand-parents and it was their wish that I stay with them this evening, so I could not refuse. At that moment Anna's grandmother entered the room. She was greeted by merry voices. She ex- pressed her pleasure at their coming and ho|)ed they would enjoy the evening. Marjorie told Anna the reason for their coming there. The maid was ordered to prej are an elatorate meal for the jiarty, which was greatly appreciated. At eleven o’clock they departed for their homes and it was reported that this was one of the most joyous of sleigh ride parties that they had ever had. Olga Buerger T4. The Culture of Cranberries. Fern Searls '14. C ran lorries were first found .growing in North and South America just as we find blueberries grow ing today, except that crantorries grew in swamps. In those days the jieople picked the berries for their own use just as we pick bluetorries for our own use t xlay. There were two varieties: the crantorry bush and the cranl erry vine, the latter toing the kind that is cultivated today. After a time people l egan to cultivate the cran- berry vine by irrigating the marshes upon which the vines were found growing. By doing this the torries l ecame much larger and of a better flavor. In the irrigation of one of these marshes, it was found necessary to have a reservoir to hold the sup ply of water. From this reservoir several main canals were dug through which the water might flow. Then side ditches that branched off from these canals were dug. through which the water might be more evenly distributed. These side ditches cut the marsh into sections, so that each section was sur- rounded by these ditches. Then there were the bulkheads, that connected the reservoir and the main canals and the different sections. When these were dosed, water was kept on the sections, and

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9 TH E AHDAHWAGA M Them rakes are altogether different from the rakes we use in our yards and gardens. They are box-like contrivances. On the Uottom of the rake is a row of long steel teeth aUmt ten inches long, a quarter of an inch apart. There is no side perpendi- cular to these teeth, and only half a side on the top. There are two handles to this rake: one comes over the top, similar to the handle on a loasket, and the other is a stout stick that extends out from the back of the rake. These rakes are heavy and it takes a strong person to handle one. A good raker gathers from ten to twenty bushels a day. and is paid by the day. A dance hall is provided on the marsh for the en- tertainment of these people. The musicians, who are furnished, play every night from seven until half past ten, but on Saturday nights the pickers are allowed to dance until twelve o'clock. These dances are necessary, as some form of amusement has to 1 furnished in order to break the monotony of the picking so that the pickers will stay until the work is finished The length of the season depends upon the size of the crop. After the lorries are picked, they are put into crates, and allowed to dry in a drying house. They are not picked o er for two or three weeks after the nicking season. Then they are looked over by girls. The e are two long table-like structures, on each of which is an endless strip of carpet. These strips are kept in motion by an electric motor. Aliove this room is tin c anberry mill, which is run by the inofo and a hopper. The hopper is a loox-like con- trivance into which the berries are emptied. From here they are itassed over a grader, which assorts them int » three different grades. The assorted beiries then fall down onto a series of steps, called jumpers, that empty them onto the moving strips of caT)et. The girls sitting at the table, pick out the poor l enies as they pass along. There are little pockets on either side, into which they put the i oor Dairies. The good lorries drop into a barrel, which is at the end ot the table. As soon as the loarrel is full, th • top is clamped on by a luirrel header, and the label is paste.l on. With one of these modem mills. a'M nt two hundred luirrels can loe picked over in a day. .lust as s x n as the lorries are bar- reled. they ;ie put into refrigerator cars and shipped. Sane peo tie think that the expense of keeping up a can I terry marsh is not very great, but they would lie surprised to know how many improvements have to be miulc each year in order to keep the marsh in good condition. It costs from one hundred and twenty five to one hundred and seventy five dollars to plant just one section. Then there are other things needed. It is necessary to have at least two cranberry houses, a drying house, a tool house, at least three or four buildings for the pickers and rakers, a cook house, store house, dance hall, and the two pumping plants. A house. Itarn. and other huiidings are also furnished for the man and his family who stay the year around on the marsh. The pickers are paid fifty cents a bushel for the lierries they pick, and the rakers are paid from ♦ 1.7ft to $2.2ft a day and their board. It costs altout ♦ .00 a barrel to get the lierries ready for market. The 1 terries are sold for $0.50 to $8.50 a barrel, some times they are sold for more than that. The yield of the Wisconsin crop was this year fifty thou saml barrels. History of Grand Rapids. Jeannette Daly. Grand Rapids is located on the Wisconsin River in the central part of the State of Wisconsin. The city was called Grand Rapids because of the rapids which were tamed through out the Northwest Territory. Wisconsin became a state in 1848 Grand Rapids was founded in 1843. Before the white people settled here, it was an Indian village My great grandfather. Joseph Wood, one of the first settlers, came to Grand Rapids in 1843. The county of Wood was formed between 1843 and 1845 It was named for my great grandfather, who was the first county judge and the first assemblyman to the State Legislature S we of the early settlers were the Neeves, Lyons, Rahlins and Garrisons, who were in the lumber business Mr Seth Reeyes was the first Mayor of Grand Rspids Mr I L Mosher was the first county treasurer Thr, first two lawyers were Mr. J D Witter, who gave $50,000 for our Manual Training school, and Judge Webb The first store keejter was Mr Thomas B Scott who had a store where ihe Wood County National Bank stands at the present time His store was a small shanty The counter consisted of rough hoards laid across Itarrels Mr. Scott gave the T B Scott Free Public Library to the city The first white child ltorn in Grand Rapids was Mr. H A Sampson, now living near the Court House His father was a pioneer saw mill man. The Neeves owned a saw mill locat- ed just altove the present Northwestern Railroad bridge The group of small islands is all that mark the site now The first school house stood on the vacant lot across from the Mathis home on the coroner of 8th and Baker Streets The second school house stood on the grounds of the present Howe School When the Howe School was erected, this building was moved over to the Lincoln grounds and used for many veirsas a county fair building. It burned later The Howe School was built in 1878 It was called the Howe School hecause Ly- man Howe gave the city funds, which enabled them to build it It was the High School until the Lin coin was built in 1902 The Lowell School on the West Side was built about 28 years ago I he principal industry of Grand Rapids was lumbering The old Centralia Pulp and Water Power mill was built in 1888 There was a saw mill near where the brewery now stands As the lumlter was cut out. it was floated down the river in huge rafts. The first railroad, the St Paul, came in 1873. The Green Bay and Western railroad came in 1870 The North Western was built into Grand Rapids in 190 • Our industries have developed un- til we have four railroads, a street railway, a Hour mill, two furniture factories, a foundry, the Badger Box ami Lumber Company mill, the E W. Ellis mill, th» Consolidated mill and an electric light and water works system The first disastrous fire occurred in 1872. It wiped out all the huiidings along the river bank from the Library to the Witter House The great est floods that ever occurred in Grand Rapitis came in 18 7. 1 Sti4. 1880. 1881. 1900. 1905 and 1911 The