ing can it be made gradually available. In the central part of the county the soil is a loamy clay of an excellent quality generally free from stones supporting a heavy growth of hardwood. This soil is especially adapted to generally farming and is destined to support an important dairy stock-raising industry. In the southern part of this area there is considerable swamp and wet lands, covered by a growth of tamarack and cedar. In the southern part of the county the soil is a clayey loam with a more or less rolling surface so common in northern Wisconsin. This soil is well adapted to pasturage and sheep-raising. The staple products of the county are oats and hay, the acreage devoted to each being 2,000 and 9,574 acres respectfully. There are three cheese factories and two creameries in the county. For unimproved tillable land the price ranges from $7.50 to $15 per acre; and for improved land, from $20 to $35 per acre, the price depending upon the nature of the soil and its proximity to railroads and markets. A large part of the northern half of the county is occupied by the La Pointe Indian Reservation. Ashland is the principal city and county seat. The population.

of the local political units for 1905 was as follows:

ASHLAND.

County seat of Ashland county. Incorporated city; population, 14,519; Railroads, Northern Pacific; Wisconsin Central; Chicago & Northwestern; Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha. Boat line to Washburn, Duluth, Bayfield and Chicago. Adams and National Express; telegraph and telephone; excellent freight and passenger facilities; six iniles of street railway.

This city has six miles of paved streets. Twenty-five and onehalf miles of water mains. Sewerage system. Lighted by electricity and gas. One academy, 30 pupils. 13 public schoo's, 2,000 pupils. 10 churches, Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist, tholic, Episcopal, Hebrew, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian. 4 weekly and 2 daily papers. Public library, 4,000 volumes. 5 public halls, seating capacity 3,000. 6 factories-stave, cigar, sash, door, and novelty works; 300 employes. 7 saw mills, 1,400 employes. 9 lumber yards, 3 implement dealers, 4 livery barns, 12 meat markets, 25 groceries, 6 blacksmiths, 10 jewelers, 25 lawyers, 7 drug stores, 3 banks, 3 coal yards, 8 hotels, 4 general stores, 3 bakeries, 10 dry goods stores, 5 flour and feed stores, 5 real estate dealers, 15 doctors, blast furnace, iron works, foundry, ore shipping docks. Surrounding country timber land. Prevailing nationality, Americans. Assessed valuation personal property, $2,562,744. Assessed valuation real estate, $5,101.743. Total tax levy for municipal purposes, 12 mills. All kinds of wood, iron ore and stone tributary. Opening for almost any manufacturing business using wood or iron.

BUTTERNUT.

Butternut, Ashland Co.. Population. 707. An incorporated village located in the southern part of the county on the W. C. Ry., 43 miles from Ashland, the county seat; 124 miles from Superior, 199 miles from St. Paul and 295 miles from Milwaukee. National Express; telegraph and telephone connections. Good shipping facilities and passenger service.

The village has good streets, nice shade trees, a public park, a bank, drug store and five general stores, three hotels, three boarding houses, graded public school employing six teachers, two physicians, village hall, saw mills, a stave and heading mill, shingle mill, veneer factory, wagon and carriage shops and a creamery. A weekly newspaper is published.

Steam power is used. Wood is used for fuel obtained from the surrounding country. The village can be supplied with plenty of clay, sand, stone and timber from the adjacent country. Only a limited amount of help can be secured here as a great many are already employed. Good location for woodenware factory.

The surrounding country is suitable for agricultural purposes and about one-eighth of the land is improved farms. There is not much rough land but about 75 per cent is stony and 5 per cent swampy. The soil is fertile and responds quickly under cultivation.

GLIDDEN.

Glidden, Ashland Co. Population, 900. An unincorporated village located on the W. C. Ry., in the southern part of the county, 43 miles from Ashland, the county seat; 120 miles from Superior; 209 miles from St. Paul, and 300 miles from Milwaukee. Express National; has telegraph and telephone connections. Good shipping facilities and passenger service.

The village is a summer resort of some importance, has a fine public park, village hall, a bank, a drug store, six general merchandise and two hardware stores, one hotel, graded public school employing seven teachers, Catholic and Lutheran churches, two physicians, one lawyer, saw mill, veneer mill and a shingle mill. Two weeky newspapers are published.

Help can be secured in the village and adjacent country. Wood is used for fuel obtained from surrounding country. Coal can be had at the docks at Ashland or Superior. There is also an undeveloped water power estimated at 1,500-horse power, not utilized for manufacturing purposes. Such raw material as fruit and vegetables could be supplied for a canning factory. The natural products are clay, sand, peat, timber and stone. The village is in need of a first-class hotel and wood-working plant.

The country surrounding the village is suitable for farming purposes about 2.000 acres of land suitable for crop-raising is improved. The soil is a clayey loam, about one-half of the land is level and free from stone and the remainder rolling, stony and some sand.

HIGH BRIDGE.

High Bridge, Ashland Co. Population about 200. An unincorporated village located on the W. C. Ry., 18 miles from Ashland, the county seat and nearest banking point; 8 miles from Superior, and 328 miles from Milwaukee. National Express; telegraph and telephone connections. Good shipping facilities and passenger service.

The village is suplied with one general merchandise store, and a boarding house.

The village is in need of a creamery and saw mill and any number of men could be secured to work the entire year. Wood is used for fuel obtained from the adjacent country, and coal