MENU100 Years Ago
Life in Viroqua from the Vernon County Censor:
OCT. 29, 1924
Main street and Decker street through their entire length, from city limits to city limits, have been designated as arterials and forty-six signs have been ordered and will be placed in position as soon as they arrive. No attempt will be made to enforce the ordinance until the stop signs are in position.
All vehicles must come to a full stop before entering these streets at any intersection. This to some may seem unnecessary but it will result in preventing many accidents...as soon as you see the stop signs in position, bring your car or team to a full stop before turning onto or crossing either street. And remember that the intersection of Main and Decker will be an arterial upon an arterial and traffic from all four directions must stop.
Folsom, October 24 – Everyone is enjoying the fine weather and have appreciated it for threshing and silo filling... Our teacher, Mary Hooverson attended Teachers Convention at LaCrosse last week. She is driving a nice new coupe equipped with baloon [sic] tires.
Monday night of next week is pay night for Co. A 107th Engineers. No chucks [sic] will be issued except on Monday nights and to men in uniform. IVAN WOOD, Captain.
A fine new stock of madeira linens, lunch cloths napkins, centers in all sizes. Vanity sets, buffet sets, etc. Suttle & Tate.
People in the neighborhood of Bann & Fehlberg’s store were very much startled Sunday morning to hear the heavy crash of breaking plate glass. The collecting crowd found the back end of John Stewart’s car planted in the west window of the store...apparently the emergency brake slipped and the car backed into the street around into the alley and crashed into the window.
OCT. 22, 1924
Prohibition Officers V.K. Schneffer, E.T, Smith and Sheriff T.C. Knudson came in this evening with the biggest find of the year – two 50-gallon 3-coil stills, over 800 gallons of mash and part of a five-gallon jug of moon. It was sure some find, and the officers are to be congratulated. The outfit was discovered on Goose Island in the Mississippi.
...the rebuilding of our white way system is progressing nicely and there is every prospect that fifteen days will see the juice turned on again... There is satisfaction in knowing that both the material and workmanship in the new system is guaranteed and that when the light flashes on it will be an enlarged and improved system. Four posts have been added to South Main, four to West Court and two to East Court. The new cables are being laid today.
The village of DeSoto entertained the largest crowd in its history last Friday evening the occasion being a meeting of the Klan at that place. Quite a number of robed Klansmen were there, four crosses were burned on the hillsides surrounding the village, areal [sic] bombs and rockets sent up and an address delivered by one of the national Klan lecturers. On the following evening, a public Klan meeting was held in front of the city hall. Several hundred people assembled to listen to the lecture.
Workmen are engaged in making the improvements at the Court House grounds authorized by the last County Board. Seven white way posts similar to the ones on our Main street have been installed in appropriate positions about the grounds, and the lighting effect will be artistic and pleasing.
OCT. 15, 1924
In spite of the fact that last Wednesday was not a very favorable day the Retreat Community Club had a very good attendance at their fair held on that day... Exhibits were good in all departments and occupied the attention of the crowd in the morning. In the afternoon the Married Men and Single Men crossed bats in a good game... This was followed by sports and races... The bowery dance in the evening attracted a large crowd and was much enjoyed.
A party of 17 Civil War widows and wives of veterans were delightfully entertained at the home of Mrs. L. R. Gott of this city last Friday afternoon... All the company were widows except two.
Photographer Ben Dickson has moved his photograph gallery from the Odd Fellow building into the nice quarters prepared for him over the Brown Music Co. store. A thorough renovation of the rooms and an abundance of north light makes it an ideal location for his business.
The grounds around the new Viroqua Senior High school building are being graded and improved and already present a fine appearance... Grass seed which was sown some time ago has grown and the front lawns are now green... This high school building is a modern structure of brick and concrete, with three stories and a full basement. It has all the latest improvements and it is absolutely fire proof. The cost was more than $180,000. There are sixteen class rooms and two study rooms. A spacious auditorium, with seats for about 800 persons...and it has a large stage at the south end and an outside entrance stairs and alcomy [sic] at the north end... There are 256 large lockers and some smaller ones... The gymnasium in the basement is very fine...226 pupils [are] enrolled in the Viroqua Senior High School.
OCT. 8, 1924
THE COUNTY NURSE DEPT
A splendid public measure was started in the Westby schools the past week. Drs. Schee and Bernhardt of Westby examined the 460 school children to determine the number of enlarged thyroid glands or simple goiters. It proved quite evident that treatment was needed for the examination of the second grade showed 75% of the children had some enlargement of the thyroid and in the high school 60%... The treatment is one grain of sodium iodide given in the form of a chocolate covered wafer twice daily for wo weeks each spring and fall... The iodide will be given at school to boys and girls whose parents wish them to receive this treatment... The sodium iodide wafers are...one thousand for $3.25.
The serving of a milk lunch to the children in the grades of our city schools and in the model school of the County Normal was started last Monday. Miss Laura Chase, the city school nurse, is in charge.
Fall is build and repair time on the farm after the crops are taken care of. Let us help with your plans and estimate the costs. The low price may surprise you. Nuzum Lumber Yard.
Viola, October 6 – The “coal drive” social given at the Congregational church last Monday evening was a decided success in every way. An informal program of music and reading was given after which lunch was served. About $75 was realized on this drive.
Highest cash prices paid for eggs at H.E. Anderson & Sons.
OCT. 1, 1924
After several close shaves during the past three weeks, Vernon county was finally visited with a killing frost Monday night. Indeed it was a freeze – ice forming a quarter of an inch thick in some places... Vernon farmers have been having goose flesh and chills over the seed corn situation, but thanks be to the weather man in holding off long enough so that there is no need to worry over seed for next year... Frost two weeks ago would have been a calamity, so we have much to be thankful for.
Retreat community is in for a big time on next Wednesday October 8th, the occasion being the fifth annual Retreat Community Fair.
Readstown, September 29 – The post office building is being repaired by new siding eing [sic] put on and a new wall built... Postmaster M.V. Frazier has been notified by the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General that a portion of route 2 from this office has been discontinued on account of failure to keep this road in passable condition... C.V. Fitch has purchased a five-tube Inter-State radio... Frosts visited the ridges in this vicinity last Sunday night but the fog in the valley prevented any damage there.
The Beginners’ Band has started with a good membership and there will be three rehearsals this week. All boys wishing to join must enroll at once. See Otto Brown for particulars.
Friday, Saturday and Monday we are selling three pounds of cocoa for 25¢ while it lasts. Oh yes, we deliver. J.P. Vigdahl.
Westby, September 29 – The concrete work on the new high school building is finished and several cars of brick have arrived, together with a big force of brick layers from LaCrosse, who will be busy on the job.