Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-09-06
Grand Rapids.

MIR. EDITOR Although an entire
stranger to the Reporter and all con.
cerned in its publication, and compar-
atively SO to Grand Rapids, yet if it
will not infringe on your columns, will
you grant me small space, to speak a
word for the place?
Towns are like individuals: they have
character-good or bad, according to
their action. Yet person should not
be despised until his real character is
known. Neither should torn. Pres
ent hearsay or rumors of the past should
not be relied on. There should be a
knowledge Of present character, before
the decision, for or against, is given.
Grand Rapids is known abroad as a
"hard place" The farther from it you
get, the less is h1aoao,a Of it, and the
worse the reputation it bears. What
1t Aas been in the past, / cannot say.
but that 1t IS at present NOT the horri-
bly, immoral and detestable place that
most people at distance suppose it to
be, | Amoac. Yet we have wrong and
vice i'll the place-tar too much of it, I
readily admit. | have no desire to
misrepresent the place by giving it
name for intelligence and virtue, of
which 1t is not worthy. There is moth
ing to induce me to deceive, in the
matter.
Reports of evil committed here seem
to have pretty extensive circulation.
The doings of drunken mobs and the
particulars of street fghts-for, I am
sorry to say it, we sometimes have such
things-are noised abroad :sfar and
near," and, Of course, give character
to the place, unless there are counter
acting influences. 1t is by such rec
ords as these that the place has become
known abroad as "a den Of vice. and
It's inhabitants stigmatized as "a rough,
drunken rabble." I doubt not that
many a worthy citizen who would have
located here, has been turned aside to
settle elsewhere, by the too general
idea that "a decent man cannot live at
Grand Rapids" I have been FREQUENT
ly met, by people at distance, with
such language as this: cit is the low
est place in the whole State. There is
nothing there but drunkenness and
vice" Il would not take my family
there, to live, on any account" And
| have recently heard of lady. who.
while Oh her way 70 this place from
distant point, heard so much SAID
against 1t that she was actually asham-
ed to have it known that she was com
ing here.
Now, | do not believe that the peo-
pie Of this village care sinners above
all those III the land" by any means.-
''speak that | do Anoac,' when | say
that there are good influences, good so-
clety, worthy citizens here. Yet peo-
pie at distance do not generally know
It,. Very few know that they could af.
ford their families the ADVANTAGES ofI
even medium school here. T have
met some who were surprised to hear
that we had any school at all! But,
SIT. permit me to say to all, we have
good educational facilities here. Ihaye
beer connected with the schools of our
State for the past twelve years, and I
am happy to be able to say that there
are few towns in Wisconsin, Of the size
OF this, that can show a better school
house or school, than we have here.
There are also religions opportuni-
ties-three regular religious meetings
held IN different parts of the town eve
ry Sabbath. Also Sabbath schools that
Will compare we'll with those of other
places.
As to the genera business aspect of
the place, 1t Is good. A competent
business man, of almost any kind, can
do we'll here.
Why, then, | ask, should the place
dtac0ys be cursed with an evil name .
Why debar good, worthy citizens from
Settlement here, by hiding from them
what of good there is in the place, and
scattering ''to the four winds" all its
evil. 1t is sometimes said, 'sThe devil
should have his due.n So also should