Wheatland: Past and Future
By Dr. J. S. Dean
July 29 1908
(Concluded from last week)
J. Lohmann has added much to the size of his buildings, and added a feed mill to his property. A. Lohmann has constructed a large warehouse. Riedesel & Ott have remodeled their second story into commodious office rooms. Saloon formerly operated by Joe Steiner was remodeled and new fixtures added. Saloon operated by Geo Thoeming has also been equipped with new fixtures. The ??? has received a new floor and roof, Even gasoline lighting plants have been established, and one acetyline gas plant. Mr. John Thompson had added a new engine and trip hammer and a modern grinding and general apparatus. Mr. Floyd Kamrar is conducting a well equipped horse shoeing shop.
Before closing this part of our subject as to improvements by Wheatland and her citizens I want to leave this question for your consideration: What are we going to do with our excess revenue in the future? My friends, I want you all to go home and think seriously of what we can do for our young people. There is not finer town in this section in better financial condition, nor with more public facilities, library and school equipment we are far behind. I want you all to think seriously about it. A good library can be easily maintained in a town of this size and be of great value to old and young. We have built macadam roads, water works, improved sidewalks, bought fire apparatus and built good homes. Don’t you think it is about time to provide for the education of our young people in a more satisfactory manner? The price we pay to go to a dance—and I want to say I like to go to dances---paid by each citizen once each year or five years will furnish a good library of one thousand volumes and ----the expense of running it with that a properly organized library association will in earn in addition. It is a small amount, my friends, for what we as a community can receive in return. I hope a meeting may be --- in the near future to consider this subject fully.
No better illustration of what a fully developed community interest with the total and individually can be ------than the history of the Farmer’s Co Operative Creamery Company presently to be discussed, and the current Home Coming and Fourth of July celebration.
We only thought of having a good little time, but we unfortunately put that printer Buxton on the printing committee—I want to stop right here, here long enough to say that two weeks intimate association with him in actual work just raised my opinion of his ability far enough that he knows more about successful advertising than any of us. The bill was $30 for printing and mailing. Let us look at the result. At a conservative estimate, 6000 people were in Wheatland on the 3rd and 4th. We may figure that $2 at least was spent by each individual, making a total of $12,000 left in the town in the two days. I have never seen half that number in the town in any two days since I have been in Wheatland. To be sure, we had attractions, but what good does it do to have good if you don’t let the people know you have them, and keep showing them, as I see three of our merchants are doing in this week’s issue of THE GAZETTE? Prices count.
I hear some one whisper, “how about concessions?” Sure, boys, “Alfie,” Otto and George were Johnny-on-the-spot, and don’t you forget it. Mr. Edw. Guenther and Mrs. Lohmann, our committee on speakers, certainly could not have made better selection. The Creamery boys mad the parade look right, along with the business men’s floats. The boys who looked after the decorations and building of platforms did splendid work. I was particularly pleased with the way Messrs. Ed. Siegmund, Will Ferren and Ernest Hazen carried through the program. The program was so large I feared they could not get it through on time, but they did, and large as the crowd was, as many could see as was reasonable to expect with the best management. Besides, Marshals Schadt and Frank Witte did not have to make an arrest. It certainly was a dandy crowd in every way. There was nothing wrong anywhere except the weather.
I wish to note here as to value of improvements from a business stand point. What would we have done six years ago with a crowd of 2,000 people on a day like July 3rd? Nothing! Instead of staying all day, as they did, and going home speaking good words for us, they would have gone home early in the day and not come back the 4th, because of the lack of accommodation; but they did come back, with 2000 more. As many said, they came to Wheatland because we had the accommodation. I did not hear of any one going away hungry because they could not get food. As to finance, the total of $12000, at least, was nearly equal amount to the entire cost of street improvements and water system.
The actual cost of advertisings as I have said, was $30, and less than $400 went out of town without first paying the business men a profit. I was a bit sorry to see the editor put the little squib in the paper about your humble servant. I appreciate his good opinion and kind words, but while I did work, as we all did, the success was not due to any one man but to the entire community, and best of all, it was unanimous, and there was no friction before, during or after the celebration
I hope I am not tiring you, because I have yet to speak of what is my opinion is one of our greatest improvements. In the year 1903 the Farners’ Co-Operative Creamery Co. was organized, Mr. Albert Dieckmann and Hon. Charles Mordhorst being the prime movers in the enterprise, I am informed. This enterprise was completed at a cost of $5000, the cost being secured by notes given by citizens of Wheatland and vicinity but, ownership belongs only to those who sell milk and cream to the creamery. A sinking fund was provided for payment of cost, and I understand from Mr. E. Banta, who has so ably carried on the work of manufacturing, that the entire plant will be paid for in full this year. During the five years 500,000 pounds of butter have been manufactured and sold at an average of 22 cents per pound.for butter fat. This creamery has been paid for in record time.
Mr. Banta has averaged 96 points on all exhibits at state fairs. This year a good amount of cream has been coming from across the river with attending benefit to our merchants. So much for this.
There is an old saying that “He who lies down goes to sleep.” Let us see. Water works paid for streets, paid for fire apparatus, paid for creamery paid for. Are we going to lie down too, as other towns have done and go to sleep? There is not standing still—we either go forward or backward. The farmers surrounding [end of article]The first part of this article was somewhat cut off on the left-hand side, so it may not be an exact transcript.