MENU100 Years Ago
Life in Viroqua from the Vernon County Censor:
AUG. 25, 1920
C.M. Froiland has purchased from Schroeder Brothers the Stoddard store which they recently purchased from Vig and Tuhus. Mr. Froiland’s Montana land went in on the deal.
Chris Sather wishes us to announce that his meat shop just south of the Censor office will be open for business Saturday morning of this week. He extends a cordial invitation to all to come in and get acquainted.
Ladies silk top union suits, special at $2 at Rogers.
Two cars came together and stood on end on the Coon Valley hill Sunday. No one was injured.
If the weather permits – and it has been unwilling of late – a band concert will be held at the park Friday evening.
Jerry Bann, the pop corn man, has departed with his high toned jitney to dispense pop corn and peanuts at the fairs.
The residences of F.P. McIntosh, Wm. Crook and T.L. Buchanan are being adorned with new coats of paint.
Miss Latta has installed in her restaurant a Armour fountain and is now ready to cater to your wants in the soda line.
The carpenter fraternity seems to be fated at the busy season of the year, John Weber, is not yet able to work, and now J.M. White sustains a broken arm Thursday while working on Boyle’s new coal unloader.
This week will see the beginning of harvesting of Vernon’s 1920 tobacco crop... some of the early crops are ready for axe and spear. It is estimated that not over five per cent of the weed will be in the shed by the end of the week.
AUG. 18, 1920
On Monday, children playing with matches set fire to one of the buildings on Gabe Severson’s place on Seas Branch, and when the fiery element had exhausted itself, every building but the residence house was laid in smoking ruins.
The big trench digger waltzed along up the Main Street hill in gay fashion until it ran into a shelf of solid rock which in places ran within two feet of the surface. Since then it has been a slow blasting proposition and another week may elapse before the caterpillar [sic] crawls up Decker Street.
Complaint has been rendered that drivers are exceeding the speed limit. All persons HEREAFTER who drive at a speed greater the 15 miles an hour, STATE SPEED LIMIT, in the city of Viroqua will be prosecuted to the limits of the law.
After sitting idly by all during the growing season without buying... tobacco buyers broke loose last Friday and made a mad scramble to buy up every acre of the crop that is in passable condition. So rapid has been the movement and so numerous the agents... that the campaign is practically over, and nearly every crop contracted for at prices ranging from 35 to 43 cents per pound.
About thirty years ago, before Viroqua had a water works system, three big cisterns were constructed by Venerable Wm. Lake at the intersection of Main and Decker, Court and Jefferson streets. These and the old hand fire engine comprised Viroqua’s fire protection at the time. Last week, Herb Rabbitt and his crew filled up the last of these structures in order that the sewer might be laid through them.
AUG. 11, 1920
Don’t Molest City Park
All tables and seats at the city park are properly placed and it is the wish of the management that they remain where they are. Please do not move them. Also any one who disturbs a squirrel or gird [sic] at the park will be prosecuted. By Order of the Park Board.
The McIntosh tobacco warehouse closed Thursday after one of the longest sessions of weed slapping in many years, about the same as last years run.
Herb Rabbitt and his cement crew have just taken up the last board walk in the city of Viroqua and replaced it with cement – the two blocks east of Main street past the John Dawson and Grant De Witt places. The first cement walk in Viroqua was constructed not over a quarter of a century ago. The world do move.
The grading on the big job north of Viroqua is nearly completed, all hills having been cut to seven per cent grade, and macadamizing will begin this week.
Commissioner Ristow was at Readstown Monday inspecting the new concrete span just completed. Five of these spans and the new bridge across the Kickapoo river comprise the new entrance into Readstown village.
A new era in the delivery of mail was inaugurated on Tuesday when the big the big plane sailed over Viroqua at 9:40 on its way from Chicago to Minneapolis... The mail plane left Chicago at six o’clock and arrived at Minneapolis at 11:00 – about a third of the time required by train.
The fronts of S.A. Farr’s building and the Herrick block are receiving a coat of paint.
AUG. 4, 1920
After several weeks of arid weather, an all-day soaking rain has descended upon Vernon county as the Censor goes to press. It will be worth half a million dollars to Vernon county farmers.
Late tobacco will reap tremendous value from it, but the early weed has advanced to far... and will be very light... Early potatoes are past help, and between drought and hoppers the crop is nothing to brag of... Pastures were beginning to brown up considerably and the copious rain will be a God send to them.
The fire department was called out Saturday morning to quench a blaze in a pile of rags and egg cases in one of Sam Gross’ warehouses. Damage was not serious. The fire resulted from spontaneous combustion.
Vig & Tuhus have sold to Schroeder Bros. the general store in Stoddard, taking in the deal the former Lindemann brick block in Viola. Consideration about $30,000.
Contractor Mulholland and crew of twenty-five men are commencing to make things hum on the sewer job... The ditch from the sewage disposal station below the Southeastern round house is now being dug, to connect with the Main street sewer near Broadway. The link on the North Main street hill will then be put in and if possible to secure the materials for the sewage disposal stations, it is possible that the Main street and northern city district can be in operation this winter.
Decker and South Main Streets will be next in order, because they are in line for paving and must have time to settle.
Ladies white silk gloves, 60¢ quality, sale price 39¢ per pair. Our 75¢ quality, sale price 49¢ per pair. Rogers.