HUMBIRD, WISCONSIN
Humbird is a small village, situated in the southwest portion of Clark county, on the line of the West Wisconsin railroad, and took its name from Jacob Humbird, the famous railroad builder. It was started in the year 1869, and was a thriving little place, until the fall and winter of 1873, when that fearful malady, the small-pox, nearly annihilated all business, and retarded its growth for a season. Subsequently, however, it became as active and thriving as before the appearance of the scourge, and it is now growing steadily. To show how rapidly Western villages spring into existence, we have only to state that the place, known as Humbird, and now occupied by graded streets, bordered by fine buildings, was, in 1869, covered with heavy timber, where deer and other wild animals had a dwelling place. There are stumps to be found to this day about Humbird, which show the observer what magnificent pines lately grew upon the soil. Still the village has the appearance of being much older than it really is. An Eastern person noticing its mills, hotels, stores, shops, storehouses, and forwarding and commission houses, all commodious and neatly painted buildings, would imagine it to be at least, twenty year old. Humbird cannot help being a permanent and thriving town, situated as it is, with one of the largest pineries in the state on one side, and on the other, a rich farming country, leading even into Minnesota, from which large amounts of produce are hauled by farmers to this place, and exchanged for lumber, that is manufactured near the village. In addition to the lumber trade already mentioned, there are, north and east, some extensive groves of pine timber, where saw mills and shingle mills are in operation, and all material manufactured there, is either shipped at this point, or passes through the place to the farmers south and west, much of it sent to Minnesota.
The large advantage in the price of grain to the Minnesota farmers, and the saving in the price of the lumber bought, give a handsome profit to those engaged in the trade, ensuring a prominent business to the live men of Humbird. South and west are some very fertile valleys (a portion of which has been located for many years) extending even through to the Mississippi River, and at certain seasons of the year they cause quite an extensive grain and produce trade, giving Humbird its full share, compared with other towns on the line of the road. This village, like many other new thriving ones to the west, has some real “go-ahead” men who know nothing but success, and their courage, ambition, and strict attention to their several branches of business, are a sufficient guarantee of the future prosperity of the place. Among those who never tire, and who naturally take the lead in any honorable enterprise, are George W, King, L. D. Halstead, S. Z. Smith (the renowned “Zene”), Ben Webster, E. D. Carter, F. W. Whitcomb and numerous others, whose names will appear in a directory to follow this article.
I am unable to give the dimensions of the school-house, or the number or religious societies, in the village, but can state that there is a lively interest taken by the patrons and tax-payers, in the line of education, and in the moral welfare of the people.
Justice would not be done to this place, in a sketch of this kind, without taking notice of the new merchant flouring mill, and the large brewery, now in operation. William Schmidt, the proprietor of the mill, has necessarily been to a large expense in getting the power improved, so as to insure success. The extraordinary length of the dam has, on such sandy foundation, required the very best engineering and material, together with more courage than most men have; and the citizens should (as no doubt they do) feel under obligation to Mr. Schmidt for contributing so largely to the prosperity of the town.
One would be surprised to go through the business houses of this place, and observe the many modern improvements. Among some of the heavy merchants are E. D. Carter, dry goods and general merchandise, and Herbert Holbrook & Brother, drugs, medicines and groceries; comparing well with cities numbering thousands to hundreds of the population of Humbird, and still these establishments are not too large for the present demand---HARRIS SEARL
HUMBIRD BUSINESS DIRECTORY
PROFESSIONAL MEN
O. G. . Tripp, Attorney at Law A. E. Holbrook, Physician Russell Alderman, Physician |
J. Q. A. Ball, Physician Ira W. Wait, physician Prof. Wm. Van Waters, Teacher |
Rev. wm. L. Stanton, Pastor M. E. Church |
MERCHANTS
E. D. Carter, Dry Goods and Groceries S. Z. Smith, Dealer in Grain, Hides, etc. H. C. Holbrook & Co. Drugs and Groceries L. P. Holcomb, Dealer in Horses and Cattle James McElhors, Groceries and Provisions Gilbert A. Tracy, Dealer in Furniture R. D. Shaw, Hardware Merchant Sidney, Houghton & Wilder, dry Goods and Groceries Miss Mary A. Bone, Millinery Store |
MANUFACTURERS
Wm Schmidt, Flouring Mill Henry Howes, Lumber Manufact’r Joseph Taft, Wagon Maker Wm. Doty, Harness Maker Mathias Haner, Brick Maker |
Ernest Eilert,
Brewery G. W. King, Lumber Manuf’r Peter Zimmer, Boots & Shoes J. Molshn, Boots and Shoes Maurice Austin, Boots & Shoes |
MECHANICS
Horace Stiles, Surveyor Samuel Wise, Carpenter Peter Wilson, Blacksmith |
Albert Alderman, Carpenter Simon P,. Andrews, Mason Henry Hartman, Blacksmith |
MISCELLANEOUS
David B. Travis, Postmaster Long & Wicker, Meat Market |
Robert McElhors, Photographer Sylvester Macomber, Livery |
F. W. Whitcomb, Railroad and Express Agent James Monell, Village Express L. D. Halstead, Proprietor of the Halstead House Albert Enason, Proprietor Humbird House |
LIQUOR DEALERS
A. D. Soper |
Francis & Danery |
Peter Zimmer | |
Bowman & Hord | George M. Andrews |
Source: The American Sketch Book by Bella French.
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