Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1916 — COUNTY IS MADE RICH BY PRODUCTS OF THE COW [ARTICLE]

COUNTY IS MADE RICH BY PRODUCTS OF THE COW

Misfortunes of Early Settlers in Wisconsin Lead to Dairying and Wealth. Monroe, Wis., May 25.—A wheat market that made it unprofitabe for the early settlers to haul their grain by team to the Milwaukee market, followed by a plague of chinch bugs, has made Green county, Wisconsin, the richest county in the United States, according o population. The total wealth of the county, according to ihe latest tax figures and the statements of condition by the banks, is $58,219,962.78, or a per capita of $2,425.83. Practically every dollar of this wealth has cbme from the cow’and the dairying industry. I It was in the latter part of August, 1845, tfiat a little band of bwiss emigrants, after many months of travel, six weeks on a" sailing boat crossing the Atlantic, weary weeks in traveling overland and by water from Baltimore, Md., knowing only that somewhere in the interior of the country three men who had been sent ahead, like the -pies into the promised land, had found a section which compared in natural advantages and appearances with the canton of Glarus in Switzerland. In remembrance of the section from which they had come they called the place New Glarus. It was too late when they reach ed their new home to plant crops for that season. In fact, they had scarcely time to do more than erect a couple of community houses, in which the colonists * lived the first winter, amidst great hardships. But for the fact that additional money was sent them from Switzerland it is probable they would have been compelled to abandon their colony. Unacquainted with farming methods in the new world, and too poor to buy farming machinery, the colonists tilled what land they could by nand, following as closely as they could the efforts of their American neighbors. After, several years of this condition there came to the colonists what seemed to be their greatest misfortune, but which ifi reality has proved a blessing in disguise, not only to the colonists, but to Green county and the entire state of Wisconsin as well. - During the year in question there was a drop in the price of wheat. The nearest market was Milwaukee, more than 100 miles away. With the price ranging about 15 cents a bushel, it would not pay the cost of hauling the product to market by team. Then came a plague of chinch bugs.

Nearly disheartened and at their wits’ end were the colonists when they heard that a drover from the east had brought into a neighboring section a number of cows for sale. Several head were purchased at §l2 each, some of the members of the colony pointing out that, having been used ,to dairying in their native land they would be more successful in their new location if they would turn their attention to this industry. Within a. short time a cow was purchased for each family, and from this small beginning has sprung the dairying industry of Green county, which has produced a totaj wealth of $58,219,962.78, according to bank reports and tax figures. At the present time there are 38,992 cows in the county, the product of which is keeping 153 cheese factories, three creameries and three condenseries in' operation. Last year there was produced’ 195,685,452 pounds of milk, which was utilized in the maufacture of 6,188,821 pounds of Swiss cheese, 3,041,465 pounds of limburger. 1,586.747 pounds of brick cheese and 511,959 pounds of American cheese in addition to 417,456 pounds of butter. Added to this there was manufactured on the farms 414,400 pqunds of cheese. The total value of the manufactured product for the year was $3,785,064.81. The latest national and state bank reports, made during March, the sea son when the farmers are changing property most rapidly, there was lying in the banks of Green county §7,961,793.79. The tax figures give the value of the real estate in the county at §42,474,873 and the personal property is placed at $7?773,296, a total of $50,248,169. Adding to this the bank deposits, the county has a total of $58,219,962.78, practically every cent of which has come from the introduction of cattle among the Swiss colonists in New Glarus township, and from which Wisconsin has grown"to be the leading dairying state in the union.