100 Years Ago

Life in Viroqua from the Vernon County Censor:

MARCH 10, 1926

The new lighting contract offered the city of Viroqua by Northern States Power Co. Gives the city better lighting service with a slight reduction in cost. The contract has been accepted. It provides that all of the lights at the corners on both Main and Decker streets be increased in candle power from 100 to 250.

The Three Chimney Ski Club held their first ski tourney Sunday, February 21, 1926. About one hundred spectators lined the hill to watch the fifteen promising young riders.

Specials at Seiler’s Electric Shop: Regular 45-volt B batteries at $1.89, 110 and 32 volt electric irons at $1.98.

Fire starting from an unknown cause in the forward part of F.M. Towner’s store at an early hour Thursday morning completely destroyed the Towner block and all its contents, seriously damaged the Bolyle building just north, and almost totally destroyed the equipment of the Noon Tide Café... The truck and department were on hand promptly, but could do nothing but hold down the fire a little and protect surrounding property. The heat was so intense that practically all the plate glass windows in the Dahl building and the Masonic Temple were cracked and wookwork [sic] scorched... In the upper story were office rooms of Attorney C.J. Smith, Attorney J.A. Moen, and Dr. Wm. Trowbridge. The contents of their offices were totally destroyed... This fire was one of the major conflagrations from which Viroqua has suffered, and the loss will run close to $75,000.

Just arrived – beautiful new creations in spring millinery. B.M. Ballsrud, Westby, in the Hagen Block, south side entrance.

MARCH 3, 1926

The annual meeting of the Viroqua Chrystal Ice Co. was held at the city hall Monday evening... In order to place the concern on a going basis, a new modern storage house, 30x56 and 20 feet high, has been constructed near the McIntosh warehouse, and two carloads of pine sawdust purchased. The cost of these improvements was about $1,500. The new ice house is now filled with slightly more than 600 tons of high quality ice, and it looks as if next year will commence to see the retirement of the debt on the plant.

Chas. S. Slack has leased the Paulson building in this city and will open an implement store, installing a complete line of agricultural implements.

This section has been accorded most all kinds of weather during the past week. Last Wednesday and Thursday eight inches of “the beautiful” fell, the heaviest snowfall of the winter... The heavy wind piled it up in spite of the weight of the snow, and very effectively blocked the ridge roads for automobile travel... The county snow plow started out Friday to clear the road from here to Westby. They made good progress until near the old Goodell farm, when the transmission on the heavy truck was broken... Sunday was a glorious spring day, with Old Sol raising cain with the snow, and the mercury around forty above... A strong northwest wind brought the mercury down to a degree or two below zero on Tuesday morning.

The Viroqua County Milling Company, who lost about $1,500 worth of clover seed nearly a year ago by having it stolen from their warehouse, have at last found where the seed went. The gang of thieves working out of Baraboo, five or whom were recently caught and are now held in jail at Baraboo and Portage...

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