each, will be equalled if not surpassed. The growth of the 

 business is shown by railroad reports of last year, one train 

 out of Chicago carrying thirteen sleepers for the. forest re- 

 serve area on a single Saturday night. Chicago people leave 

 that city at 6 o'clock at night, and by daylight are in the 

 heart of the woods, 400 miles north of their homes, ready to 

 eat breakfast with a guide on some bass-populated lake. 



There are already ninety-one resorts in the reserve area, 

 and last year they cared for over 13,000 visitors, with a le- 

 tum financially of $350,000. So, this third part of the pro- 

 gram is not negligible as a financial investment for the state. 



Annual Value of Six Millions. 



Roughly tabulated, therefore, Wisconsin's forest reserve 

 can be estimated at the following annual value, in ten years 

 from now, presuming that present plans are not blocked by 

 the petty private interests which would rob the state of an 

 income of tens of millions, that they might themselves reap 

 a few thousands: 



Sale of timber, leases, etc $1,000,000 



Resort receipts 5,000,000 



Total $6,000,000 



Six million dollars a year, not including the water-power 

 value, is a considerable sum for a state to derive from its policy 

 of conservation, yet this possibilitp is imperiled chiefly at pres- 

 ent by the interests of a few land companies which wish to 

 colonize this forest reserve area, and reap profit by selling 

 to colonists at $15 an acre land which the state is buying for 

 less than $4 and also by the grasping for a few thousand dol- 

 lars, by officials of the Northern counties, which have thrived 

 by heavy taxation on lands owned by lumber companies. 



The fight against the forest reservation has been a steadily 

 declining battle; two years ago the lumbermen being its chief 

 opponents. Four years ago the water-power interests were 

 active, and again active work was staved off. Now, a third 

 effort is being made by the land companies and the officials 

 of the Northern counties. 



Xo\v has come the hardest fight of all, the battle with the 



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