Most men, like Ortogrul, when he saw in a vision, the avenues of wealth floating towards him, one a foaming mountain stream, the other a rippling rill, if told to choose between them, would say as he did, 'let the golden stream be quick and violent;' But not all the men would be so wise as he when looking again he beheld the former dry and dusty, while the latter increased in volume, and, with returning consciousness, 'determined to grow rich by silent profit and persevering industry.' Whether the members of the firm of Knapp, Stout and Company, had read and profited by Adison's ideal type of true method of accumulating wealth, is not essential to our purpose; but we see in the slow, cautious onward steps of this now opulent Company, a remarkable instance and exemplification of the 'Spectators' rules for becoming rich. In one essential particular, this company inaugurated a new and better system. Hitherto every mill Company on this river, had sold whiskey to their men, and at the expiration of the term of service, almost everyone found themselves in debt. Their employers justified themselves n the plea, that these men would have liquor, and if they did not keep it for them, a 'saloon would have started at their very door,' and they might as well or better do it, that for some worthless crape grace of a gambler to get the profits of the traffic. And every invoice of good ordered by one of these establishments included as the first item, from one to fifty barrels of whisky, 'Goodhues' best, and a curious record was, the account against one of these old soldiers at the end of the year, running about thus: 1st 3 drinks, 25; 1 plug tobacco, 75; $1.00. 2nd 1 pint whisky, 50cts.; 6 drinks, 50; $1.00. And so on month after month. Not after this fashion did J.H. Knapp and Company, commence their operation in this valley, and although repeatedly told, that the business would not pay without the profits of whisky, they paid not the slightest attention to the warning, but neither dealt in strong drinks, themselves, nor allowed others to bring it on their premises, if they could prevent it, and it is due to this stringent policy in opposing intemperance, that so few crimes have been committed in that locality, it being a notable fact, that the Circuit Calendar exhibits no instance of a capital offence being charged against any person in Dunn County since its organization in 1857. The only murder that is known to have been committed on the Red Cedar, since the death of McCann, was the killing of William Wickham in 1850, by an Indian known as the brother of the 'Big Scoundrel.' For five years the company kept the one little old mill running by day and night, carefully husbanding its earnings, paying off old claims against the property, and accumulating means to build a new and larger establishment on the main stream, and in August, 1851, had the satisfaction of cutting lumber in this great mill, then the largest and best appointed of any on the Chippewa waters; the millwright was the well-known Mr. Downs, who introduced the Stearns water wheel, and all the modern improvements of that time. In 1848, another mill was erected on the Red Cedar, about halfway between this mill and the mouth, by Hurd and Bullard and Company, and with good financial management would have done a good business. It is now owned by the Menomonie Company. The partners in this company residing in Menomonie are in some respects less fashionable than most men of affluence, being blessed with large families, and to provide for their education together with the children of other families, and to secure religious instruction as well, a school house was erected in 1854, and the services of the Reverend Joshua Pittman were engaged to fill the position of both teacher and preacher, an arrangement, which continued some four or five years, and was probably the first school opened in this valley. It was succeeded in 1856, by the regularly organized district school. The first meeting held in the place, or in the county for divine service, was in the summer of 1852, by the Reverend Mr. Mayne, before mentioned. During the summer of 1855, most of the pinelands on the Red Cedar had been brought into the market and considerable quantities sold to nonresident parties, one of whom was the Honorable C.C Washburn, who also took 12,000 acres on other branches of the Chippewa River at the same time. These latter entries were sold the following year to first Morrison and Woodman, and by them to Mr. D. Shaw & Clark, father of Dewitt C. Clark, of Eau Claire. In order to make the former available, Mr. Washburn erected a steam sawmill at the foot of Nine Mile Slough, on the Chippewa River, and about the same distance from the confluence of the Chippewa and Red Cedar. This was in 1857, and about the same time Mr. Downs erected a dam across the Red Cedar, and built a mill at Downsville. These last name establishments were rather sickly. Starting into being just at the inopportune moment of the terrible year of crushed hopes and broken promised, of fruitless endeavors and financial ruin, neither ever recovered from the staggering blow, and a few years later these mills and the pine timber land belonging to them were sold to the more stable company at Menomonie. In the spring of 1849, Perry Curtis and his brother opened what was afterward a large farm, near the Eau Galle mill, in company with Carson and Eaton who furnished the means, and were to share the property equally. This was the first farm commenced in the county, but the next year Mr. Franklin Ames, from Massachusetts, selected lands near by on which himself and sons opened out farms in the following year, 1850, and the first district school in the county was organized here in 1856. In March, of this year, 1856, the act was passed to organize the county of Dunn with Dunnville for the county seat. The election for county officers was not held until some months later, and the fist term of Circuit Court was held in September 1857. S.C. & E.B. Bundy were the first lawyers settled in the county, one of whom was elected district attorney. Like many other new counties, the question soon arose for the removal of the county seat. A few parties had invested in Dunnville property, supposing it would continue the permanent shire town, but it made feeble resistance. And in 1859, under legal provisions for a vote of the people, a majority were in favor of Menomonie, which had that year been laid out, and immediately began to assume a high position in the sisterhood of villages. The test of executive ability, either in public or private affairs, is exhibited in making appointments to subordinate positions, and few business firms have discovered wiser discrimination, or been more fortunate in the choices of agents than Knapp, Stout and Company. In their early struggles a young smooth faced, long nosed, keen eyed man, a native of Prairie du Chien, was selected as foreman to take charge of the boating and running of lumber in summer, and in the organizing logging camps in winter, driving in spring, etc., energy, decision, untiring industry and unswerving fidelity, soon won the confidence of his employers, who in 1860, offered him a fourth interest in the fast accumulating property, on favorable terms, and Andrew Tainter became a millionaire. And now his palatial residence out vies all others in the village in its interior appointments, its lawns, fountains, deer park, costly statuary, and in the taste and elegance of all its surrounding, evincing a degree of culture and refinement, which seems to anyone acquainted with his rough and tumble early life, utterly incompatible with his, to say the least, not elevating associations. But as success is the criterion, and touchstone by which all human estimates and conditions are determined, Andrew has won the highest consideration.

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