Barron County, Wisconsin - Chapter 12: Transportation and Communication, 1922

The first routes of travel in Barron county were its lakes and rivers, over which glided the canoes of the Aborigines. Situated as it is in the region south of Lake Superior, and giving access from that body of water to the St. Croix and Mississippi region, the county was early traversed with Indian trails, used by the Indians and traders alike.

With the coming of civilization, government, territorial and state high¬ ways were ordered laid out in this region, but they consisted mainly of tenta¬ tive routes, rather than of improvements. Then came the "tote" roads of the lumber companies, leading to the various lumber camps.

The principal state road in this county in the sixties, entered the county in section 33, township 32, range 13 (Prairie Farm), and followed a northerly direction to "Station 19", in section 18, township 35, range 12 (Stanfold), through the present towns of Prairie Farm, Arland and Clinton, and possibly corners of Barron and Cumberland, thence into Stanfold.

The first official road action taken within the county was on April 5, 1864, when the town of Dallas, then embracing the whole county, laid a highway tax of six mills on the dollar. Jan. 28, 1865, the town voted Knapp, Stout & Co. $364 for work done on highways.

April 2, 1867, John C. Johnson was elected path master of the town. April 7, 1868, the town was divided into three road districts. W. N. Chapman was appointed path master for the first district, embracing the townships in ranges 10 and 11; John Garrett for the second district, embracing the townships in range 12; and Levi Miller for the third district, embracing the townships in ranges 13 and 14.

The first road petitions presented to the town board were on April 21, 1869, and were signed by Rassman Kellogg, August Roemhild, John Conrad Rassbach, John Casper Rassbach, Gottlieb Spielman, Abram Kellogg and Vanderman Kellogg. One asked for a road commencing on the county line at the southeast corner of section 35, township 32, range 13 (Prairie Farm), running north to the northeast corner of the section, thence west to intersect with the designed Pine Creek-Prairie Farm road. Another asked for a Pine Creek- Prairie Farm road. This road was to extend westward through sections 28, 29 and 30, township 32, range 12 (west Dallas), thence southwest through sec¬ tions 25, 26, and 27, township 32, range 13 (Prairie Farm), and thence west along the line between sections 28 and 33, to the state road, in the Hay River valley. These petitions indicated that at that time there was already an old road leading in that vicinity from the Pine creek to the Hay river, and one leading from the Washburn Farms in Dunn county, past Francis Finley's place in Dallas township, to the county seat near Barron. Still another road was asked by the same petitioners along the county line, connecting the Menomonie-Hay river state road with the Washburn Farms-Barron road.

April 28, 1869, the town was asked to lay out a road leaving the state road in section 9, township 32, range 13 (Prairie Farm), and extending in a northeast direction to a point in section 30, township 32, range 12 (west Maple Grove), west of the present village of Hillsdale. It was to pass just south of the famous S. K. Young cabin in section 10, Prairie Farm. The signers were Samuel K. Young, Frank, Levi, William, Andrew and Alex Miller, Isaac Sprague and three others whose names cannot now be read.

May 24, 1869, the board voted a public road along a route already traveled, extending from near the present Hillsdale to Prairie Farm village, and thence south along the state road route to the county line at John Myers. From Prairie Farm northeast the road led past the Young place to a point about a mile and a half west from Hillsdale. It was thence extended toward Barron, entering that place from the southwest, past the present brick yard, and along the south side of Quaderer creek to the Quaderer camp, a well traveled route.

Aug. 6, 1873, the county board took over one state highway and two town roads. The state highway was the one already mentioned, extending from the county line northward to Prairie Farm, and thence northward up the Hay River valley and thence northeast to section 18, Stanfold township. One of the town roads (the Washburn Farm-Finley-Barron route) entered the county in section 32, township 32, range 12 (west Dallas), and led by way of the Francis Finley place on that section northward past the present site of Hills¬ dale, and entered Barron from the east past the present F. J. Krahenbuhl farm. The other road entered the county in section 31, township 32, range 10 (Dovre), and led by way of Chetek to Rice Lake, passing east of the cran¬ berry marsh at Cameron.

These, with the road from Prairie Farm to Barron and three routes from Barron, two of which led to Rice Lake, and one of which skirted the Cameron cranberry marsh toward Chetek, constituted the principal routes of travel for some years. Another much traveled route from the south entered the county near Cartwright, skirted to the eastward of the Chetek system of lakes, and passed near old Sumner to Rice Lake. From Rice Lake, a route was early established to the French settlement to the northward. Routes also led here and there and everywhere in the wilderness, and the outposts of civilization were pushed further and further.

As the years passed, the road system grew. Gradually the tote roads and the private cart paths gave way to established highways. But progress was slow, and even at the dawn of the present century, some of the roads that are now important routes between the larger settlements were but little more than trails along the old tote roads through the woods and slashings, and many of the farms were far away from traveled highways, connected by such trails as the farmers themselves made across their fields and lots, through the woods and stumps.

With the increase of population and wealth, as the dairy farm more and more took the place of the lumber camp the need for better highways became imperative, and increasing attention was given to roads and bridges.

The first ten years of this century witnessed considerable town road im¬ provement. Each town was divided into road districts, usually about six, and the roads of each district were in charge of the path master. Many of the property owners worked out their road taxes by laboring on the highways under the supervision of these path masters.

In these ten years many of the main roads were worked into condition which during favorable weather may be described as fair for those days when the principal traffic was by horse and vehicles. But during the wet seasons the roads were miry and almost impassable, and in the winter time were often blocked for the whole season.

Gradually, however, the automobile was coming into use, and the need for highway building and maintenance along scientific lines was imperative.

In 1911, the State having rapidly increased in wealth and population, a State Aid Highway Law was passed. This provided for an annual appropria¬ tion of $350,000 of the state funds for the benefit of the highways of the com¬ monwealth.

Under this act, the county boards were to lay out a comprehensive and in¬ telligent method of highway improvement by establishing a system of highway routes covering the principal lines of highway traffic in their respective counties.

Action looking toward improvements along these routes was to be initiated by the towns. Any township desiring to improve any portion of the county highway system lying within its boundaries, could initiate action by making an appropriation of not less than $400. A similar sum was then to be appro¬ priated by the county, and an equal amount by the state. Thus for every dollar appropriated, a township received another dollar from the county, and another from the state, up to the amount of the county's allotment of state money based upon the county's ratio of tax valuation, as compared to the tax valuation of the entire state.

At first not all of the townships in the state were enthusiastic about the twenty-foot wide roads provided for in this act, and consequently there was enough state money to meet the full appropriation of all the towns which took action. Later, as the work became more popular, the state appropriation was not sufficient to meet the town and county appropriations in full, but was dis¬ tributed on a ratio system.

The county board of Barron county laid out its county system of trunk highways on Nov. 18, 1911. This system, published in the supervisor's pro¬ ceedings of that year, was most admirably suited to the traffic needs of the county, and has been still further improved by changes made from time to time since.

At this 1911 session, only three towns, Chetek, Sumner and Crystal Lake, made application for county and state aid. At the 1912 session every town in the county applied for aid under this law.

The Codnty Board did not elect a highway commissioner at their 1911 session to take charge of the work during the season of 1912 so the Wisconsin Highway Commission appointed Robert Reese, who acted as highway commis¬ sioner for that year. At the 1912 session the board elected Simen S. Berg, who served until September 1, 1917, when he resigned on account of ill health. Edward Gleason was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Berg's resig¬ nation, and has held the office continuously until the present time.

Under the 1911 act, considerable road improvement was done in Barron county, before 1917. But while it was all done along the designated routes of the county system, it was done in patchwork fashion, here and there. Human nature being what it is, it is natural that most of the improving was done in places where it would do the most good to the men most influential in town affairs.

But however haphazard the fashion in which these patches of improved roads were located, they were an education to better road building. No one could pass over such an improved stretch without wishing for further continua¬ tion of such a stretch, especially where it would be of more distinctive advan¬ tage to himself. Therefore, the impetus toward better road building continued.

It has been said often that Barron county received more value for high¬ way money expended than any county in the state. This result has been due not only to the intelligent and painstaking work of the county highways com¬ missioner, especially the present one, but also to the hearty co-operation, loyal support and enthusiasm of the Road and Bridge Committee.

The 1915 Legislature passed a law creating what is known as the County, State, Road and Bridge Committee. This committee is elected by the county board and may consist of three or five members, who may be chosen from members of the county board or otherwise. This county has never gone out¬ side of the board for members of this committee. From 1915 to 1917 the com¬ mittee had three members. From 1918 to 1921, inclusive, there were five mem¬ bers, and the 1921 county board cut the membership to three.

The first committee appointed in 1915 consisted of Robert Reese, Edward Gleason and F. W. Swant. Edward Gleason resigned on Sept. 1, 1917, to be¬ come county highway commissioner. The committee appointed in 1917 con¬ sisted of F. W. Swant, Ole E. Lien, C. D. Cochran, C. D. Nelson and George L. Anderson. The last named went out of town office, and consequently retired from the board in the spring of 1918. The committee appointed in the fall of 1918 consisted of F. W. Swant, Ole O. Lien, C. D. Nelson, James Hanson and 1. H. Baland. The committee appointed in 1921 consists of F. W. Swant, C. D. Cochran and W. F. Barber.

As originally passed, the 1911 law made no provision for road improve¬ ments in cities and villages. In 1913 an amendment was passed by which the highways in cities and villages of less than 5,000 were placed on the same status as the rural highways, and the gaps which had been left in the county trunk system through such cities and villages were filled up.

At the same 1913 session, the Legislature raised the annual state aid appropriation from $350,000 to $1,200,000. This was in force for two years until the 1915 Legislature reduced the amount to $785,000 annually. This fea¬ ture of the law is still in force.

The duties of this committee are numerous; in reality they are a board of directors to assist the highway commissioner in planning and directing all road and bridge work in which the county is financially interested.

In 1917 the State Trunk Highway Law was passed in accordance with a Federal Aid Highway Law previously passed by Congress. Under this act, the Government, the State and the Counties, each appropriate an equal amount of money for the building of certain designated routes.

These state trunk line routes must connect every county seat and every city of more than 5,000 people. These routes, as originally designated, em¬ braced 5,000 miles. In 1919 the mileage was increased to 7,500.

Barron County received $111,587.37 of these federal aid funds, to which was added an equal amount from the state and the county, making a total of $334,762.11 which was made available for federal aid construction.

A move has been started in Barron county by which the county board seeks the co-operation of the county boards of the state in bringing influence to bear upon the state officials and law-makers to the end that all the expense of the building of the State Trunk Highways be borne from the federal and state funds, and the counties be left free to devote its moneys to other lines of highway improvement and maintenance. This is the plan followed in other states, but in Wisconsin, the law-makers, enthusiastic at having the state money doubled by the Government, decided also to have it doubled by the counties.

In addition to the money appropriated in equal thirds by the Government, state and county, for the construction of state trunk highways, the annual state appropriation, inaugurated by the state aid law of 1911, is still made, as already noted.

The first fifty per cent of this state aid money, must, like the state and federal trunk line money, be spent on the state t^unk lines. In using this first fifty, as it is called, the state pays forty per cent of the total cost, and sixty per cent must be raised in the county, of which the county itself must pay 36 per cent. Twenty-four per cent may be assessed against the unit benefited. In other words, the state pays 40 per cent, and the county 36 per cent, and the unit benefited may be assessed 24 per cent.

The remaining or "second" fifty per cent was used in road improvements in municipalities not benefited by the state trunk highways, these in Barron county being Dallas, Prairie Farm, Haugen village, and eight townships. In 1917-1919 this "second fifty per cent" in Barron county was equally divided between these eleven municipalities. But the sum for each was so small that in 1919 when the law was changed, a provision was made by which the county board has authority to put as much of the amount as seems desirable in any one of the municipalities not benefited by the State trunk highways, prefer¬ ably in sums not less than $3,000, and thus each of the eleven will take its turn. In using this "second fifty" of the state's money, municipality, county and state appropriate an equal amount. Under an amendment of 1921, how¬ ever, the county and municipality may, if desired, appropriate respectively, more than the amount which the state duplicates.

Any town desiring to still further improve any portion of the prospective state highway system within its borders in addition to the work being done under the state aid plan, may appropriate a sum of not less than $500 and up to the limit of the amount which can be raised by a tax of one mill on all taxable property. The county then duplicates the sum appropriated by the town, and the work is then done under county supervision. There is one exception to the rule requiring a minimum of $500 as there was to the previous rule requiring a minimum of $400. Where a little gap is to be filled, and the town's share of the required cost is less than the minimum, the rule regarding the minimum is waived.

Roads not on the state or county trunks are still improved and maintained under an exclusive town system. Each town has a road superintendent, and some most excellent work is being done, so that the town roads of the county are for the most part well graded and well maintained. Oak Grove, especially, has done good work, having probably done more town road improving than any other town in the county. It owns its own tractor. Stanfold also owns a tractor and has done some good work. That town is fortunate in that its two principal highways are county trunk highways, thus leaving the town with a large opportunity to develop its town roads. Cumberland, too, has been a leader in town road work, and has done considerable graveling. There are also other towns which own considerable equipment, and are doing high class work.

Edward Gleason, as noted, took office as county highway commissioner Sept. 1, 1917. Previous to this a request for $3,000 from the county board by a highway commissioner for maintenance and machinery had been considered a bold one. Mr. Gleason is a man of vision, he saw the real needs of the grow¬ ing county. He therefore asked for $30,000 for maintenance and machinery, and was granted $15,000. In 1918 he was granted $10,000 for machinery and maintenance. In 1919, in addition to the money appropriated for construction, he asked for $50,000 for gravel and $50,000 for maintenance and machinery. The time was propitious. The roads for a few weeks previous to the board meeting had been covered with deep mire. The members of the board experi¬ enced difficulty in getting to the meeting. At the annual banquet given to the board by the business men of Barron, one of the evenings during the session, he outlined his ideas. Consequently, when he asked for the $100,000 its need was apparent to every member, and he was granted all he asked. In 1920 he asked for and received $40,000 for gravel and $50,000 for maintenance and machinery. In 1921 he asked for and received $25,000 for gravel and $60,000 for maintenance and machinery.

No. 11 - Entering the county at New Auburn, passing north through Chetek, Cameron and Rice Lake, and northward through Oak Grove township to the county line.

No. 14 - Entering the county near Lehigh, and extending westward through Cameron (where it crosses No. 11), Barron, Poskin, Almena and Turtle Lake to the county line.

When the law was amended in 1919 to increase the trunk mileage in the state from 5,000 to 7,500 miles, another route was located in the county as follows :

No. 14 is graveled from Barron to the west county line, and from Canton to the east county line. Plans are made this season for the graveling of the strip between Barron and Cameron. This leaves a six-mile strip between Cameron and Canton, which will probably be graveled this season, also. South

No. 11 will be all graveled before the end of the present season. Con¬ struction work has been done from New Auburn to Chetek and the graveling will be done at once. Construction work is being pushed from Chetek to Cameron, and will be graveled this summer. From Cameron to Rice Lake the road is being graveled, and north of Rice Lake will soon be graveled to connect with the seven-mile strip already graveled north of the county line.

No. 51 has been constructed and graveled from Cumberland to Barronett. On the strip from Cumberland to Almena, the south five miles has been lightly graveled. All the route in this county will be completed and graveled this season.

Considerable graveling has also been done on the county trunks. No. N from Rice Lake to Cumberland is all graveled. From Barron the road is grav¬ eled north to meet the Rice Lake-Cumberland road. From a point half a mile north and a mile east of where the Barron road joins the Rice Lake-Cumberland road, five miles has been graveled northward, four miles in Stanfold and one mile in Bear Lake.

No. C has been graveled six miles north and south in Cedar Lake, exactly dividing that township, and extending another mile into Doyle township, mak¬ ing seven miles in all.

From Cumberland to Comstock the road is partly graveled, and there are stretches of gravel between Prairie Farm and Poskin and between Prairie Farm and Clear Lake.

The patrol system of trunk highways was inaugurated in 1918 and has been in operation for four seasons. In the fall of 1919, thirteen miles on No. 25 were added to the patrol territory of the state trunk system, and 100 miles to the patrol territory of the county system. In the fall of 1920, 45 miles more were added to the patrol territory of the county system, and in the fall of 1921, twenty miles more. In 1921 there were 13 patrolmen on the state trunks and 17 patrolmen on the county trunks.

The county trunks are maintained, in part, by a sum received from the state, amounting to 25 per cent of the money received by the state for automo¬ bile licenses in the county. In 1921 this sum in Barron county amounted to $12,814.16. This amount is supplemented by the annual appropriation for main¬ tenance placed at the disposal of the county highway commissioner by the county board.

The state trunks are maintained from state funds, apportioned to the counties in a ratio provided by law. Under this plan the minimum paid each county per mile of state trunks is $135 and the maximum $275. Barron county is so happily situated in regard to population, mileage and wealth, that it re¬ ceived the maximum of $275 a mile which, in 1920, amounted to $28,930. The state maintenance funds are derived from automobile licenses.

The county has just (winter of 1921-22) completed at Barron, a county machine repair shop, blacksmith shop and sheds. The plant is well equipped for looking after the county road equipment. The county owns seven gravel trucks, three large grading tractors, two tractor patrols, two big screening plants, camp equipment, graders and tools, and other machinery, all of which will be housed here.

A feature of the highway improvement work is the Road School which is held every April. The first was held in 1920. All persons in charge of any road work in the county, officials, and interested citizens, attend the meet-

The first postoffice in Barron county was established at Prairie Farm in 1866. The number increased in the next few years to accommodate the lum¬ ber camps and settlements. In the early seventies there were offices at Prairie Farm, Rice Lake, Barron, Chetek, Sioska (old Sumner) and Stanfold (the French settlement north of Rice Lake).

On Feb. 10, 1876, the county board asked the Legislature to memorialize Congress, asking that mail routes be established in the county as follows: 1 - From Vancville in Chippewa county, via Sioska (old Sumner) to Stanfold, returning via Rice Lake and Chetek, semi-weekly. 2 - From terminus of North Wisconsin railroad, via Barron to Rice Lake, daily. 3 - From Rice Lake to Stanfold, semi-weekly. Prairie Farm, on a route out of Menomonie, across Dunn county, was already provided for and is not mentioned in the memorial.

The postal service was gradually increased until 1903 when, in addition to the present offices in the county, located at Rice Lake, Barron, Cumberland, Chetek, Barronett, Haugen, Brill, Campia, Comstock, Canton, Cameron, Poskin, Almena, Turtle Lake, Hillsdale, Prairie Farm, Dallas, Mikana and Lehigh, there were offices at Tuscobia (section 19, Oak Grove township), Eng (section 19, east, Dovre), Chapman (section 25, Lakeland), Horsman, Mireau (section 3, Rice Lake), Perley (section 8, Almena), Arland (sections 18 and 19, Arland), Reeve, Howe (section 17, west, Dallas), Sioski (Old Sumner, section 31, Sum¬ ner). Cartwright, the present new Auburn postoffice, was then this side of the county line in Barron county. Clayton and Ridgeland, then as now, were just over the line. The only postoffice established in the county since 1903 is Angus.

The rural routes in Barron county are as follows: Chetek, 6; Rice Lake, 6; Barron, 4; Cumberland, 4; Dallas, 3; Prairie Farm, Turtle Lake and Cameron, each 2; Almena and Barronett, each 1. Routes from Clayton also extend into this county. The city of Rice Lake has the only free city delivery in the county.

Railroad transportation in the county has already been mentioned. The Omaha line in the western part of the county, north and south, was put in operation in 1877-79; the Omaha line in the eastern part of the county, north and south, in 1882-83; the branch from Tuscobia, northeast, in 1902. The Soo line was put through the central part of the county, east and west, in 1884; the Blueberrjubranch of the Soo, north and northeastwardly, in 1894, 1900 and 1901. With the railroads came the telegraph service.

Telephone lines now network the county, and service through the various companies is available to practically every farm house in Barron county. Not until 1896 was there local telephone service in the county, and not until 1900 was there telephone service with the outside world.

The Barron County Telephone Co. was incorporated Feb. 6, 1896, by De- Witt Post, N. M. Rockman, W. H. Brandt, C. J. Borum, T. W. Borum and C. C. Coe.

The Prairie Farm, Ridgeland & Dallas Co-operative Telephone Co. was incorporated Sept. 16, 1906, by C. S. Johnson, J. M. Rassbach, Sever O. Moen, A. L. Best, Arndt O. Lien, Fred Kahl and C. H. Roemhild.

The Almena Farmers Telephone Co. was incorporated March 20, 1909, by G. R. Wolter, Aug. D. Miller, Amund Moen, S. W. Sparlin, Jos. Ross, John Lueck and Math. Zitzelberger.

The Turtle Lake Telephone Co. was incorporated June 19, 1918, by L. H. Rivard, B. A. Pieser, R. E. Dusel and W. S. Davison. An earlier company, the City Telephone Co., was incorporated at Turtle Lake, Jan. 20, 1914.

The Cameron Farmers Telephone Co. was organized in 1907 as a co-opera¬ tive concern. It purchased the exchange and lines at Cameron from the Chip¬ pewa Yalley Telephone Co. which, in turn, had purchased it from the Barron County Telephone Co.

The Brill-Long Lake Telephone Co. was incorporated April 22, 1908, by Iver O. Hugdahl, O. H. Kjorstad and George N. Keesey. Later the line was sold and the company dissolved.