Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-11-06

here also served in the wars, gained glory,
and some of them, titles, all Of them, pay
and bounty land.
] The same year the lands were surveyed,
and in 1884 came into market Prior to
| 1885 there were only about dozen cabins.
That year Rountree had I9 lots laid out
for a village. The first lots were sold, and
the first frame building put up. In 1885
three or four houses were built, and the
next year, twice as many, with tavern
The O'Hara lead was struck, which yield
ed some $4,000. This year, the old
Methodist church, frame building, with
a stone basement, was put up. Here was
lau't one of the earliest schools in the state
II. Robbins was the first teacher, and kept
the school year. He was succeeded by
A. NJ. Dixon, graduate of Illinois Col
lege who made successful teacher At
I the close of his second term he gave a pub
lie exhibition which went off with great
eclat The room in which it was held was
crowded, and addresses were made by
Judge Jackson, Mills, Burnett Campbell,
and others A meeting of the friends OF
education was held, and resolutions aaop-
ted, requesting the Legislature to pass a
school law, which was done at the next
session. The school here acquired quite a
reputation and attracted emigi alton. In
l84l, the old Academy, two story frame
building, large and well built, very credi-
table for the times, was put mp. The AcaI-
envy was taught successfully by Doane,
! (now in the Micronesian Islands,) Carrier,
Magooa aud Pickard
BY this time both the legal and medical
professions were cell represented, there
was tavern or two, few stores, &c The
first saw mill in the vicinity was about 5
miles distan: and was set running in 1885
A grist-mll was built at the same place in
81. In the same year a saw-mil, and the
next grist-sniI were erected but short
distance from the village. In Al, through
The efforts of Rountree and Others, press
and type were purchased by stock com
pany, and the publication Of the North
'oestern Badger commenced by Mr.. 7.
Eastman, who e,lited it about two years
Alonzo Platt then took it and changed the
name 10 the Wisconsin, Wing. He, did
some $500 dollars worth of State print
ing. i. G. Mckinney was for time as
ISOLATED with him. The paper finally died
ont and was succeeded in 1916 bv the In
Idepeadent american, published by j. L..
Marsh till 40, hen he removed 20 Lam
aster, and the paper was published by
Bevans Il Bailey awhile, till they left for
California. The paper was suspended for
some time, but revived in the fall of 1851
by Mr.. Marsh, who continued its pub,ica-
ton for three years, and Was bought ont
I by H. NJ. Page, who edited it for three
wears, till he was forced to discontinue it.
Il was resnscitated in few weeks by D.
IT, Lindlev, as the Examiner, but he fail
70 mike it pay, d in about six months
4 the people suffered the office to be remov-
ed. They are now without a paper.
In 1910 there were hardly 200 acres
uuder cultivation in this township, but
frou that time more attention was paid to
farming, so that now few sections of the
State are more fully occupied with excel
lent farms, having good houses outbuild
ing~, orchards, DC. Yet there is room, es-
pecialy in The timber, and many acres are
newly brought under the plow every year.
The soil is of the best and most sble
kind, and farmers in this part of the State
have always the choice OF the eastern and
southern markets. Land is held at very
+ reasonable prices.
Platlevle has had steady, continuous
growth from the first, never going it with
rush." but gradually il creasing its popu-
: laton, till the village now numbers about
+, 1000. lis prosperity bias at different times
been intcrfered with b. unfavorable events
: In - the small poX was very severe, there
being nearly 900 cases, and about 90
deaths. The California fever made great
draft on the population and resources OF
: the place, for two or three years from l00
to 200 emierating annually, business al
most stagnant, houses vacant and property
worth little. Since then nothing has oc-
scurred to retard tire growth of the place,
it being almost an mpossbility to find a
house vacant even for few days. Some
Is or 20 buildings were erected last year,
and more than half as MANY, most of them
d large and substantial, are now under way
:, despite s. hard times" The new buildings
are chiefly brick, which can be made here
of good quality abundantly. There are a
good many small old buildings which dom
Improve the looks of the place. Some OF
them are passing away, but a disca7neSaa
: tina fire would be benefit.
II Several large leads and numerous small
er ones have been worked here-there i;
!, yet some profitable digging done, and two
!, furnaces, each with two blasts, are KEEP
q Running most of the time, but the mines
!, have long since ceased to be relied on an
q important part of the resources of the place
Encouragement was early given to me
s chanics and manufacturers to locate here
/ and, as the result, there is more doing il
that line, proportionaly, than in any othe
5 place in this region. Aside from goo'
9 9 supply of shoemakers, blacksmlths, harness
makers, carpenters, masons, coopefs, ane