Wood County Reporter

Association Enjoys its Annual Outing.
A Continual Round of Pleasure from Beginning to the End.

Ye editor and wife embarked last Monday evening into the C. M. & St. Paul passenger train going south bound for a pleasure trip of a few days duration in company with brother editors and their wives. The central point of meeting was Milwaukee, where one day would be given for sight-seeing and pleasure. We arrived safely in the Cream City Tuesday morning and put up at the Kirby House where it was our good fortune to fall in company with an old time friend C. S. Taylor and wife, of the Barron County Shield. Being the only two representatives from the Northern part of the State we mutually agreed to stand by each other in the pleasures or misfortunes of the trip. The forenoon of Tuesday was passed in visiting different mercantile establishments such as James Morgan's, Chapman's, etc. We also called on the Ellis sisters who were visitors in this city last Summer. After dinner we found our way to the Academy of Music—the appointed place of meeting—where we found about 200 editors and their wives and sweethearts with faces gleaming bright in anticipation of the week's enjoyment. President Hicks, of Oshkosh, called the assembly to order and introduced Mayor Brown, of Milwaukee, who bade the visitors welcome in the name of the city. He was followed by Mr. D. E. Coe, of the Whitewater Register, in behalf of the Press Association. Other short speeches were delivered by members of the Association and President Hicks delivered his annual address which was marked with its many fine qualities. It was an excellent address and heartily received. This closed the business of the afternoon session.

At four o'clock p. m. the whole party were taken by street cars to that mammoth establishment known as—Best's Empire Brewery—one of the largest manufacturing establishments of its kind in the world. On our arrival we divided up into companies of fifteen or twenty and placed in charge of guides who took great pains in showing us through the entire structure. Our company were fortunate in being placed under Mr. Fred Broeg, who has been in the employ of the Philip Best Brewing Co., for the past fourteen years. It's useless for us to attempt to give you an elaborate account of this establishment for would require more space than a weekly newspaper has at its disposal. But, let us say that the buildings occupy over three blocks and most of them are eight stories in height say nothing of the immense under ground cellars for the storage of beer while fermenting. They employ from 500 to 800 hundred men none of who get less than $40 per month. They use and own over 100 large draft horses. The capacity of the brewery is 600,000 barrels a year. The gross sales for 1887 were 460,200 barrels. To manufacture this amount of beer it requires 770,000 pounds—or over 385 tons of hops, and 1,115,168 bushels of malt. Eighteen thousand tons of coal per year are used, and the brewery requires 300,000 kegs, barrels and half barrels. The machinery is immense in its proportions and requires great power to propel it. Everything in this establishment is done by machinery except the drinking of the beer which is done in the natural way. We noticed in every department from the cellar to the drying rooms that the help had beer on tap for their use. They make five distinct varieties known as 'Export,' 'Bohemian,' 'Select,' 'Bavarian' and 'Standard,' these are shipped all over the civilized world. We were greatly surprised at the immensity of this establishment.

In the evening we attended a literary treat at the Academy of Music which would be hard to surpass in cities of larger size than Milwaukee. Charles A. Dana, of the New York Sun, delivered an address on the 'Newspaper of To-day.' If we had space we would like to give his address in full. We append the first paragraph which will give an idea of the modern newspaper as he views it: 'The intellectual outfit of a modern newspaper presents just as great a contrast to that which was known forty or fifty years ago, as the mechanical outfit does. You go into the office of such a paper, for instance, as the New York Tribune and you find there a small army of intellectual laborers, each appointed to his particular task, each pursuing his peculiar duty, and all combining to produce every morning that wonderful result which we may well call the modern newspaper. Former times knew nothing of it. It is a thing entirely beyond the conception of the people of forty or fifty years ago. There is in such an establishment, in the first place, a trained staff of reporters, accomplished men, men familiar with every branch of study that intellectual young men ordinarily devote themselves to, men who have prepared themselves either by college studies or by practical life in their departments for the peculiar duty that they have undertaken, and they are men of extraordinary talent, knowing the world well, able to see through a deception and sometimes able to set one up. [Laughter.] Then there is the staff of correspondents in other places and in other countries. Why, it will happen to the editor of a New York paper, for instance, to go down to his office in the morning and to send a man from London to St. Petersburg in order to report something that is going to happen four or five days later. The modern newspaper literally has its fingers reaching out toward every quarter of the globe and every finger is sensitive and every nerve brings back the treasures of intellectual wealth that are stored up there and a photograph of the occurrences of life that are there taking place.'

James Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier dialect poet, rendered three of his choice selections. They were received with great applause and enthusiasm. Miss Lucy Jackson, of Oshkosh, gave two vocal selections of high merit and the Milwaukee Parlor Quartette also. Two instrumental selections were rendered by Miss Gether, of Milwaukee, which were heartily encored. This constituted the evening's program.

Wednesday morning we left the cream city at six o'clock nicely located in five of Wagner's parlor sleepers over the M. L. S. & Western railroad. The party numbered one-hundred and fifty. On our way we passed through many nice cities such as Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Appleton arriving in Antigo 235 miles distant at one o'clock for dinner. Here we were met at the depot by the reception committee and the fire company in uniform who escorted the editorial party through the main business thoroughfare to the Opera House where tables were laden with everything delicious that the markets could supply. The flower decorations were elegant. Each person found a beautiful button-hole bouquet at his plate. After the repast was over Mayor Lynch of that city delivered a very hearty address of welcome which was responded to on behalf of the association by W. D. Hoard. Antigo has grown very rapidly. It now enjoys a population of 4000 inhabitants. The city is only seven years old and promises to become a thriving metropolis of considerable size. What was a few years ago a great wilderness, is now a growing and active city. Our time being limited we were escorted back to the cars and were soon on our way to Rhinelander which we reached at 5 o'clock p. m. Here we visited the large saw mills. The brass band met us at the depot and escorted us to the Opera Hall where the kind ladies of this promising city had spread tables with every delicacy known to tempt the appetite of man. After partaking of a hearty supper an address of welcome was delivered by J. W. Miller which was appropriately responded to by Mr. W. D. Hoard and others. A social and genial time was had. This city has shown remarkable growth in the past few years and is walking to the front rapidly. Its inhabitants are an energetic and hardworking people which always assures success.

At this place our train was transferred on the Soo railroad and we soon found ourselves traveling towards Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. We left Rhinelander at seven o'clock p. m., and reached the 'Soo' at 9 o'clock Thursday morning. Here the good people of that city met us with busses, carriages &c., and transferred us to the Hotels where we had breakfast. This being over we were shown the government locks through which all government vessels and other boats pass through from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Two steamers were chartered and a large number of the citizens accompanied the editorial party to a trip on St. Marys river and to the place called St. Mary on the Canada side. Then we proceeded up the river to one of natures beauty spots called 'Point aux Pines.' Here the crowd landed and enjoyed the varied pleasure of a picnic dinner. On this point we found an old Indian 70 years of age who was born at the old Hudson Bay fort. He has lived on this point for the last 50 years in the same log hut. We entered his cabin and it was a curiosity that one seldom is privileged to see. An old stove almost burned up, a low old fashioned bunk, a few articles of bedding and a tin cup, plate and coffee pot was the extent of his household effects. An old army musket hung on the wall. The hut was almost literally decayed from age. The occupant assured us that he enjoyed life in his humble way. At this point a very pleasant afternoon was spent which will long be remembered by those who partook of the pleasure. On our return to the city we had supper, after which we attended a reception and dance at the Opera Hall. At the close we were taken back to the train in carriages and left for Marquette at 11 o'clock. Sault Ste. Marie is a city of 10,000 inhabitants and is located at the great rapids on St. Mary's river between Lakes Superior and Huron on a plateau of considerable height. It is inhabited by an industrious and enterprising people who consider nothing too good for their growing city. They are free hearted and liberal in everything that goes towards building up their already large city and the entertainment of their guests. Nothing was left undone that would add to the pleasure of our party's entertainment. The government locks here are a grand sight through which all vessels that ply the lakes must pass. The government has lately appropriated $1,500,000 to be expended in building a canal which will make one of the largest water powers in the world being about fifteen miles in length. Its hotels and business blocks are put up of brick and stone. Water works, electric light, sewerage and all modern conveniences belonging to a metropolitan city, they enjoy. It is a beautiful city which will become a great business center. It already has three railroads and more coming.

Friday morning found us transplanted in Marquette another beautiful city located on the banks of Lake Superior. Carriages were in waiting in which we were shown the sights in this remarkable city. All points of interest were visited when the whole party were driven to 'Presque Isle' where a picnic dinner was spread and partaken of in the midst of exhilarating music furnished by the brass band. From this Isle we were treated to a boat ride on Lake Superior and witnessed a large vessel that had been wrecked by a late storm. It was drifted at the mercy of the lake and struck a rocky shore and was greatly damaged. All the crew were saved. Marquette is a grand city of eight thousand inhabitants situated on a high elevation on the banks of the lake. It is noted as a shipping point and has immense ore docks. A large proportion of the iron ore of northern Michigan finds its way to this port. For a place of its size we never saw so many fine residences. A stranger is impressed with the idea that only rich people live here. The soil about this city is barren, sand being its main feature.

Friday afternoon at 2:30 we went west, over the Duluth South Shore and Atlantic railroad to Champion, where we were transferred onto the Milwaukee Northern reaching Iron Mountain at six o'clock p. m., and here we visited one of the largest mines in the world having five distinct shafts. One thing strange about this mine is that it receives its power from condensed air brought through pipes from the Menominee river, three and one-half miles distant. In this manner all the immense machinery of this mine receives its power. Only a short stop was made here when we proceeded to Eland Junction where we had supper, the compliments of the railroad company. It was an elegant supper served at 10 o'clock in the evening and we can assure you that the party enjoyed it highly. It lacked nothing in any of its appointments. At one o'clock Saturday morning the writer and wife were safely landed at Green Bay, and from thence home highly grateful for the weeks pleasure and enjoyment which could not be improved in any of its phases.

The association as a whole certainly feel grateful to the railroad officials of the M. L. S. and Western, Soo, Duluth S. S. & Atlantic and Milwaukee Northern railroads for courtesies extended during the entire trip. Geo. L. Marsh, of Lake Shore, and Taylor of the Soo with other officials partook of the pleasures of the entire journey. Refreshments were served in their private car which all hands had access to. This outing will long be remembered by the writer as a bright spot in his life's history.

W. COCHRAN.