Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-03-29
Ripon.
DEAR CHRONICLE !.

DEAR CHRONICLE
Having seen letters from different parts
| of the country, published in your columns
l thought letter from this place might
| not be uninteresting to your readers.
Ripon is one of the most beautiful little
cities in the state, situated in the north
west corner of Fon du Lac CO., in very
fine farming district, with excellent rail
road advantages, it seems probable that
at sometime in the future, not far distant
it will be one of the leading cities in north
ern Wisconsin. 1t is at present quite a
rail road center, being connected directly
with Milwaukee by the Milwaukee and
st. Paul R. R. which goes through to
Oshkosh, another branch of the same road
goes to Berlin and other places in that
direction. Besides these roads there is
the Fond du Lac and She5oygan road
which has just been completed. A road is
being built west as fast as possible. 1t
will probably reach Princeton early in the
summer. When all the proposed rail
roads are completed we shall have rail
road facilities unsurpassed by any city in
the state.
The business men of Ripon are with
few exceptions wide awake men, fully alive
to the advantages which the city possesses
and fully determined to promote its inter
estsby prompt and earnest action. There
are here many fine stores which are, gene
rally, doing a fine business. From pre-
sent indications seems probable that more
business housewife be built during the
summer. We have published here, two
able newspapers The Commonwealth,
which was established several years ago.
is ably edited by A. T'.Glaze The Free
Press, which was established but two or
three years ago, has also g good circulation
tits edited by Messrs. West & Merrill.
These papers are both Republican in SEN
timent.
In manufactures Ripon has not advanced
very far; but progress is being made in
this direction. There is foundry and
machine shop which does large amount
of light work. 1t is limited by lack Of
capital If it belonged to company in
stead of two men it would not be limited
as it now is. Messrs. Dodge & Granville
carry on wagon making. Much of their
work is shipped into remote parts Of Wis
consin, Minnesota and Iowa.
The pride of Ripon, however, is her
educational advantages. There are two
good schools. These afford the advant-
ages for obtaining good English cduca-
ton to the young. Ripon College is
young and growing institution. Though,
in the past it has had hard struggle it
is now firmly established, and is doing
noble work, and is quite popular. The
corps CT instructors is complete ard con
sists of eight professors. The members
Of the Faculty are all men of ability, vel
qualified for their positions. They are Ia
boring earnestly for the improvement Of
the students, and are being rewarded by
success. Between three and four humid
red students attend each year. They
come from all parts Of our OWN state, and
many from other stat s. and even from
the Eastern aud Southern States. The al
vantages for obtaining an education here
are eaua. to those of older institutions.
and the expenses are light in comparison
with many other institutions which offer
no more advantages. The college is I'M
der the control CT the Congregational
Church.
There are quite number Of churches,
and there has been during the winter a
great religious interest. Much good has
been done. There have been powerful re-
vivals in the Methodist, Baptist and Con-
gregaticnal churches. Nearly two hund
red have been awakened and many Of them
have professed conversion.
RIPoN, March Goth, 1872.