100 Years Ago

Life in Viroqua from the Vernon County Censor:

FEB. 25, 1925

In the joint debate with Tomah and Sparta last Friday evening, both of the Viroqua High School teams were defeated... The basket ball game between the Viroqua high school and the second team of LaCrosse, which preceded the debate here, resulted in a decisive victory for the Viroqua team.

The Klu Klux Clan celebrated Washington’s Birthday by burning a flaming cross in the city hitching ground Monday evening.

Delightfully mild weather continued to favor us – indeed we have experienced little else since the first of the year. Typical March weather has prevailed throughout January and February.

If you don’t like the looks of the old car give it a coat of black enamel. E.O. Davis’ Drug Store.

The V.H.S. produces a great many kinds of people and it is now training some of the students to be salesmen. The Senior Commercial classes have a few days been giving sales talks and actually selling some certain product to a person assigned.

Readstown, February 23 – An agent with an electric fire siren was in this village last Friday giving demonstration, and Ben Johnson’s horse became frightened, ran away, smashing the buggy up in bad shape. The fire company is making an effort to purchase a new siren and gave a benefit show, dance and supper last Saturday night, when they cleared nearly $70.

CITY COUNCIL DOINGS

Bills and accounts: American supply Company, brackets for light posts, $137.86; Julius Andera & Son potheads for light posts, $31.66; Viroqua Coal Co., coal, library, pump station city hall, $91.53; Blane Morrison, fire inspection 1, 2, and 3rd wards, $15; Dr. H. C. Erickson, quarantine, two residences for contagious diseases, $10; Nenning Olson, for household goods destroyed by reason of contagious disease by order of the Board of Health, $30.

FEB. 18, 1925

Barbers Lawrence and Branson Potts are entitled to the commendation of this community over the splendid additions and improvements they have just made in their tonsorial parlor. It is surely a blaze and glitter of marble and glass, with the latest sanitary and convenience features. Better drop in and look it over.

Miss Maude Dickson slipped and fell on the ice in front of Brown’s music store last Saturday evening, and dislocated and broke her right arm at the wrist. The accident, besides being painful, is an expensive one for her, as it keeps her from her work of sewing and makes it necessary for her to have extra help and expense.

DeSoto, February 16 – A number of people around West Prairie are nursing bad colds and the grippe... A number of young people skated to Lansing and back Sunday.

West Prairie, February 16 – In spite of rough roads quite a large crowd attended church here Sunday.

Readstown February 16 – The recent warm weather and rain last Sunday raised the Kickapoo River to flood stage Monday... A show, oyster supper and dance will be given at the Opera House...for the benefit of the Readstown Fire Company.

COUNTY NORMAL NOTES

Hot lunches have been and are very much in order here. A committee of four is appointed each week to provide the lunches. The committee plans the menu, purchases the materials, prepares, and serve the lunches... The demonstration school in Springville is making a record for itself... Many teachers and supervisors from other counties are visiting the school.

FEB. 11, 1925

Those living near the electric light plant had the privilege of witnessing quite a sight Saturday night when some little trouble resulted in a wonderful electrical display on the poles back of the plant. They lasted about a minute and was of dazzling intensity, accompanied by a loud humming sound. The breaker switch at Sparta kicked out and no damage was done but superstitious folks who have been reading lately about the world coming to an end might well have believed that it was at hand.

The clearance sale put on by Ellefson & Johnson, Viroqua’s Largest and Greatest Clothiers, has surely been going over big. In spite of the very inclement weather on opening day, the store was packed to the doors.

PUBLIC TAKE NOTICE

You are warned to [sic] to loiter in and around back alleys at night. This is a precautionary measure, and if you do loiter in those places you do it at your own risk, and take the consequences. J.W. ROBINSON, Police.

Readstown, February 3 – The Readstown High School was closed last Thursday afternoon to allow the pupils and teachers to attend the ski tournament at Westby. Oscar Anderson and Grant Smith took up two car loads and quite a number went up in Henthorn’s truck.

HARMONY – South Creek, February 3 – Everybody is enjoying the fine weather we are now having... Dr. Bradley of Lansing called on his patients in this community Thursday... The home of Freeman Sidie was destroyed by fire Friday morning.

Viola – February 5 – Fred Lepley has disposed of his pool hall business to Deward Lepley.

FEB. 4, 1925

Sheriff T. C. Knudson Under Sheriff Martin Larson and Deputy Joslyn Running of Westby descended on Goose Island in the Mississippi in the darkness of Monday night and captured a real moonshine outfit consisting of a fifty-gallon four-coil still, 750 gallons of mash, 80 gallons of moon – and they got the moonshiner’s Ford truck but the gentleman himself slipped through their fingers and escaped in the swamp.

They tipped over the mash, destroyed the shack that sheltered the plant, and brought the still and moon to Viroqua with the aid of Dray Driver Geo. Reed. The value of the confiscated property will exceed $2000 and the officers are to be congratulated upon their fine haul.

The Temple Theatre seats about eight hundred. We expect to have every seat filled Sunday afternoon at the Band Concert.

Do you have good bread on your table? If you don’t, it’s your fault. Use Better Bread flour and you will be satisfied, and get it at the Farmers Store. Sureson & Thompson.

Early this week over thirty Viroqua business men gathered at an informal meeting at the Mason’s Club rooms and decided that Viroqua should hold an old fashioned Fourth of July celebration this year.

Now is the time to think about raising your chickens for this year. The Klondike incubator will assure you of an early and large spring hatch. We have them in both 240 and 500 egg sizes. Sauer Hardware Co.

The twentieth annual meeting of the Chase burg Co-operative Creamery Company was held... It was brought out at the meeting that the creamery manufactured in the neighborhood of 76,000 pounds more butter this year than last... [The] total pounds butter manufactured 598.996.

January, 1925