News: Medford (27 Jun 1874)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bigger, Honeywell, King, McDonald, Mill, Roberts, Semple, Sherman

----Source: The Stevens Point Journal (Stevens Point, WI) 06/27/1874

“Up The Line”

A few brief sketches from our reporter’s note book.

Medford – Medford is the next station. It is 67 miles from Stevens Point, and one of the finest locations on the line.

It is built on an elevation of ground, which makes it dry and clean, and has a fine pond for the mill boomage.

Semple and McDonald of Oshkosh, have just completed one of the largest mills in the pinery and manufacture lumber and shingles. It has a capacity of sawing 50.000 of lumber and 120.000 shingle per 11 hours, size of the saw mill 36X120, size of shingle mill 40X40, engine room 26X76, one engine 18X18, 3 fire boilers 46 inches in diameter. Mr. Semple expects to employ about 175 men in and about the mill.

Sherman & Roberts, of Oshkosh, are getting out the frame for a Sash & Door factory, which is to be 50X80 feet with engine room 26X40, about 40 men will be employed in this mill.

Three months ago there was one shanty at Medford. There is now a fine Depot, several good dwelling houses, Mill & Cos., Provision Store, J. A. King has flour, feed and groceries, and J. A. Bigger has just completed a two story building 36X46, the lower part to be used as a Grocery store.

We can heartily recommend anyone going that way to stop at the Medford House, where a traveler can be entertained in first class style. It is kept by Mr. Enoch Honeywell who seems by his portly person and jolly countenance to be the right man in the right place. He is an enterprising man and who ever heard of an enterprising man who didn’t make a good land-lord. He has built a large house and is constantly crowded for there is a great deal of travel at and from this place. The basement is to be a Shoe Shop and Barber Shop. The Medford House also sports a soda fountain.

The Black River House is also crowded with guest day and night.

Medford also has an express office, but no post office yet.

We are now in the midst of the mammoth pines and logs for the mill can be obtained in the immediate vicinity of the mill. The citizens of this place anticipate a great future for Medford. As the soil is rich around and settlers are daily moving in.

36 miles west of Wausau, and 16 miles east of Medford is a large and old German settlement. They have sent an agent to Medford to make arrangements for putting a wagon road through to them, which gives them a market 20 miles near home, and will help the citizens of Medford. Mr. Semple has agreed to cut the road to the end of the town line. This will in time make a large town. It has advantageous without number, and nature seems to have lavished all that man could ask in the way of good pine, good soil and a good climate.