MENU100 Years Ago
Life in Viroqua from the Vernon County Censor:
NOV. 30, 1921
The front of the Masonic Temple has been enclosed so that workers may carry on their labors in spite of the weather. The steel man was here last week and all of the heavy steel beams and trusses are now in position. The roof foundation is about ready and the rafters are being placed in position.
An express shipment of seventeen live black and silver foxes arrived Monday, consigned to Geo. Hornby. They are handsome animals, and we understand command a good price, the shipment being worth several thousand dollars.
COON VALLEY JOURNALS – The front interior of the Colonial restaurant is being very tastily remodeled.
Vernon county can boast of a couple of plucky school teachers – Miss Susie Thompson and Miss Ethel Latta of the Sugar Grove school. They walked in from their school to Westby, Friday evening, arriving too late to catch the train, so they walked to Viroqua – a 16-mile hike. They returned Sunday by train to Westby and walked out to the school.
Oluf Haltorp, blacksmith at Newton, has secured the services of Matt Larson in his shop. Mr. Larson is rated as one of the best blacksmiths in the county. They will do all kinds of blacksmithing...
Electrician Seiler and his crew are working hard at restoring Viroqua’s Main Street lighting system this week, and “Cy” hope to have same in working order by Saturday night. The porcelain globes for the tops have not arrived, and it will be several weeks before the extra post will be here.
All kinds of ice cream and soft drinks at our restaurant at all times. Assortment of brick ice cream always on hand. Your trade is appreciated. George Pennell, Viroqua, Wis.
NOV. 23, 1921
The deer hunters are commencing to straggle back, some with but most of them without the coveted venison. They all report the hunters as being thicker than the deer.
Last Thursday, November 17, Miss Martha Henderickson brought to the Censor office a handful of big luscious ripe strawberries which she dug out from under the snow. We think this is positively the last “late season” report this year.
Last week brought the season’s first touch of case weather to Vernon county And practically every grower of the weed was able to get part of his crop down from the poles... Probably about 25 per cent of the crop came down. As we go to press there is every indication of a good spell of case providing the mercury climbs up a few degrees.
The Manning cheese factory was destroyed by fire last Monday.
The Wisconsin-Minnesota high line crews are making good progress. The wire has been strung to Cashton, and the poles now set to our north city limits. The three huge transformers weighing 4500 pounds each have arrived to be installed in the plant to step the voltage down from 56,000 to 2300. A crew will come next week to make alterations at the plant in Viroqua.
JEFFERSON – Bud, November 21 – A certain party lost considerable fruit from their cellar recently, which is not very pleasant. Let everyone take warning and keep their cellar door locked.
Here’s a real rabbit story. Sunday afternoon Dennis Newton, Fred Lawson, Clifford and Kennard Dyer went out for a little jaunt around Rush Creek returning with thirty rabbits.
NOV. 16, 1921
It appears as if winter is with us. The first snowfall was a corker. No less than a foot of the beautiful coming out of the northeast from Monday night until Tuesday night, followed by snappy freezing temperatures. Seems rather early for winter to clamp down on us, but John Krogan swears that twenty years ago snow came on the 2nd of November and part of it stayed on until the next April. Maybe this will do the same.
Otto B. Griffin has retired from the Viroqua Transfer Line and will devote his entire time to the express business Jerry M. Brown is now in charge of the same.
Groceryman J.E. Sidie has added a new line to his store, opening up a meat market in the new addition built on the rear of his building. John will conduct a clean, sanitary market and aim to serve the public well.
WESTBY TIMESES – We understand that the city council is takin preliminary steps for launching a sewerage system for Westby, work to be begun next year. According to the information at hand, it will be put in for the business section to begin with, and extend to other parts later from time to time.
Chris Welch and Tom Moseng were busy Monday circulating a petition in the city and town to present to the county board asking that Pleasant Ridge road from the John Willison’s place to the bottom of the Peavine hill be declared a county patrol road... The Pleasant Ridge road is a wonderfully good road with the exception of the Peavine hill on one end and the stretch of sand on the other.
Bud, November 8 – Snow is falling and we soon will have sleighing.
NOV. 9, 1921
On Monday morning a new proprietor took charge of the Sweger & Fleming grocery, those two affable gentlemen disposing of their interest in the same to J.P. Vigdahl.
Elvin O. Anderson proprietor of the Optimo, has disposed of his interest in the popular refreshment place to Marcellus Nelson and Elmer Parr.
Vernon County Board of Supervisors convene at the Court House in Viroqua next Tuesday morning... The Censor hopes that this session of the board will thoroughly investigate the proposition of oiled roads, and make provision for general oiling of our highways. In no other way can Vernon county hope to have any considerable mileage of good roads at a cost within reason.
Ten dollars reward will be paid for any information leading to the arrest of the parties who broke into the Catholic church on Hallowe’en night. John Devlin.
We will grind buckwheat Nov. 21st to 26th inclusive. Only one run this year. ATWOOD & HAGGERTY, Gays Mills.
LAFARGE ENTERPRISE – The new cement bridge at the corner of Penn. St. is completed. It is a fine pleasing structure to our citizens in the East part of the city.
Last week we installed our electric heater in our linotype and we now have as near an electrically equipped shop as any in the land.
COON VALLEY JOURNALS – A new glass front at the Colonial restaurant recently put in makes the place look a great deal better and more cosmopolitan.
WESTBY TIMESES – We are told that a bootlegger came into Westby the other day with fourteen gallons of moonshine and very rtadily [sic] disposed of it at the rate of $35 per gallon. Who says money was tight in Westby?
NOV. 2, 1921
The ladies of Viroqua will give a pavement dance, Friday evening, November 4th, beginning at 7 o’clock, weather permitting.
The purpose of the dance is to install a new cluster lighting system for Main street. Hot coffee, doughnuts and ice cream will be served at the booths. Tickets to the dance will be $1.00.
The center of attraction this week in Viroqua has been the moving and placing in position of the three great I-beams in the Masonic Temple building. Moving the big 13-ton 60 foot beam which goes above the stage in the theatre was the heaviest load ever wheeled through this city, said Tom Snell, who superintended the job. It took all day, and this big iron stick is now in position ready to be hoisted. Bringing over the two six-ton beams and hoisting them into position over the lodge room was easy after working with the big elephant. The raising of the huge piece of steel will be watched with interest.
The paving crew finished the last lap of the big job Saturday morning, and since that time have been busy storing their machinery at the fair grounds and picking up the odds and ends about town. They will leave for other points in a few days.
WESTBY TIMES – Martin Oium started the foundation for his new garage building. He will erect a building in the rear of the old one this fall, which is to be 40x80, and in the spring will raise the old on and build the gull length. It will be one of the largest garages in the county when completed.