Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

February 22, 2003 - Issue 81

Barron County History (Part 4)

The following articles are from the same edition of the County Shield

Quarderer's Camp

For twenty years Quarderer's camp has been a landmark to the men 'who go into the piney woods.' A short article, with this model camp for our theme, will be of interest, especially to him who remembers the wealth of pine that once stood on section 8, town 33, range 8. It has now nearly all gone into that great maw - the lumber market - which has consumed or is devouring that wondrous growth - Northern Wisconsin's chief glory - the pine forest. Years ago, on a January day, after miles of travel through the then uninhabited timber lands of the country; your writer reached the open hospitality of this camp. Then lofty trees stood in the immediate vicinity of the log buildings, and the protection they formed made the great fires that roared and crackled, within appeared unnecessary; but the snapping of trees without gave faithful warning of the intensity of the cold. Then the never-ending lullaby of the giant pines closed wearied eyes in that first night in a lumber camp. A recent visit discloses a change; the small shanties have given way to commodious cook house 30x24 feet; a sleeping house 30x36, which will accommodate 50 men; a stable 42x48, containing 19 powerful horses, 16 large oxen, 4 cows and a winter's forage for the whole; blacksmith shop 24x28 and other necessary building. The improvement of the most convenience, shortening the hauling by miles and giving largely increased profits, was the successful erection of the dam across 4 Mile Creek, raising the water 14 feet for flow or driving purposes. This was an unexpected success and has returned large profits to the fortunate contractor. From Mr. William Burns, the scaler, one of the oldest and most reliable on the river, we learn that this camp has averaged a little less than 5,000,000 yearly for a number of seasons; and that the product of the past winter was greatly reduced, it being less than 2,500,000 feet. But little more work will be done here, and that hospitality shared, at one time or another, by every lumberman in the country, will not be forgotten. And the boys, when grown old and gray, will forget the work, the storm and cold, and remember only the fun, the wit and the stories of their jolly camp.

Village of Barron

No newspaper has ever honored our county seat, the village of Barron, with a public notice. The causes that led to the removal of the county seat and its location here are fresh in the memories of the readers. And the determination of the people to get loose from all corrupting and controlling influences, which they supposed to exist at the time, resulted in the selection of the geographical center, now the village of Barron, for a future county seat. At that time there was but one house here. It was used for court, hotel, official and all other purposes. The roads were bad; settlers on adjacent lands poor; the place had no wealthy friends and its growth has been slow. The completion of a respectable courthouse last fall gave encouragement to our people, and we now have a store, barber shop, blacksmith shop, saloon, billiard hall, hotel, newspaper, a road opened to the present terminus of the North Wisconsin Railroad, eleven families in all, with a firm faith in the town.

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