Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-04-18
WOODMAN.
Corns and Characterization Business Bntsr-
prise-Growth- Stores aud shops
SURROUNDINGS Etc Btc

ward bound express train. Ii was
miserable night-thunder, light
ming, moaning wind and cold rain.
Our starting place had been a town
on the Mississippi known as "the
Prairie" our destination a city on
the Michigan Lake shore The pass
engers shivered yawned, scratched
their scalps and looked uncomforta-
BILE. One fellow removed his boots
and began deliberately to make
surgical excavation somewhere on
the surface of his toe nail, muttering
as he did so something darkly incom
prehensible about the ''little cuss"
that made those boots, and express
ing q vicious determination not fool to
away any more money on such a
cobbler. He did some tolerable
English swearing, which seemed to
afford him considerable bodily relief.
While he was thus employed, the
brakemen were at work, the train
slackened its speed, and the conduc-
tor cried "Woodman. Looking out
into the gloomy night, we saw two
or three lights, few ghostly houses,
and what appeared to be the very
faint outlines o. some pretty high
bills. In a moment the train was
again rushing onward through the
storm, and then began among the
passengers an instructive CONVERSE
tion about the pleasant village that
forms the subject of the present let
ter
Many random things were said
concerning the place, but not one of
all the midnight travellers knew, or
seemed to know, that Woodman is in
Grant County, only about half a mile
from the Wisconsin river. We'll, it
is. Smith and Woodman laid off the
village in the Fall of 90, and ia the
following Spring the first houses
were erected. 1t has a beautiful 10
cation on fine level tract of land 10
the Wisconsin river valley, and con-
tains at present between 40 and so
buildings. Among these are two
grain warehouses, the largest Of
which is owned by Nathan, Schreiner
e. Co. of Lancaster. The other be-
longs TO West d Fowler, commission
merchants of Milwaukee, and is now
occupied by Adkins Brothers, who
every year buy and ship large guam
titles of agricultural produce, besides
carrying on brisk trade in their re-
tail variety store. and being some
what extensively engaged in the r
Il tie and wood business. In APP
preaching the village from the south
west, you pass over two miles of dug
way bordering on the river. The
first house is cabinet shop by Lew
is Dietrich, whose work we are in
formed is just as good as any other
mans. The saddlery and harness
mandatory of Charley French is
near ut hand. 1t is place for first
class leather work, and most excel
lent music, Charley being a violin
scraper of the very first water.
Next we find the extensive smithy
of Messrs Lance and Anderson, who
are now setting up a lathe for the
purpose of turning iron. At the
foot Of the bluff opposite Jervis
street is the blacksmith shop of the
"gude Scotchman," John Murray,
who can, as we have been cOnfiden
TALLY informed, iron q wagon, set a
shoe, and spin q yarn with the best
Of success. Cyrus Ransom the hon.
est, prompt-paying shoemaker, works
here, and can at all hours Of the day
be found on his busy bench. Clark
q Walton have large wagon shop.
and have skill to make anything in
their line, be it wheelbarrow, or be
it omnibus. Other public characters
here are, Dr. Richmond, the drug
gist, and DR.. Ballou, "chemist, law
yer, statesman" and shoemaker -
Jas. A. Faris keeps very good no.
tel. l.. M. Culver is the Il r. agent
and has charge Of the station build
ing. The well-stocked lumber yard
is owned by Weston, Miner & Co.,
Mr. f. E. Fitch being their efficient
salesman here.
The large store of Messrs Ritter d
Hubbell is just opposite to the depot
building. These gentlemen are full
of enterprise and business, carry on
a fiourishing trade, and are known
to be perfectly trustworthy and up
right in all their dealings. Their
store contains general assortment
of everything that complete coun-
try store ought to contain, and their
terms will stand comparison with
those Of many firm in places of
greater pretensions than WOodman.
The senior partner was formerly pro-
prietor of the stone mills near Lam
caster, while the junior, Mr. H., has
been a resident of the village ever
since the place first began to sprout.
he litter, to use and adapt the
words OF Hamlet, is ''e'en as Just q
man as ere our conversation COPIED
withal." And, moreover. he is also a
prodigious wag, who thinks a news
paper altogether too much of a luxu-
ry for parties who will not pay their
store bills This is truly a strange
belief, but like many other orthodox
notions, it has something in it" that
will bear philosophical analy zation
In Woodman we also find the large
business building of Mr.. Jno. l..
Parker, whose connections. well or
dered salesroom is always filled with
first class goods. in Overwhelming
quantities. This gentleman deals in
drugs, notions, groceries, etc., holds
the office of Z. NJ. and has a great
many good customers
Woodman borders the base Of a
lofty bluff whose shadow falls on
some of the houses throughout the
entire year, and whose summit is at
least 500 feet above the level of the
village. A road winds up this rocky
elevation, and it is something of a
task to climb it, evenin frosty wealth
er. But the fine view afforded from
the top of the bill amply repays the