Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-06

discovered him taking notes.
Trip to Grand Rapids.-Last
Wednesday a week ago, we took our
first trip on the regular passenger train,
on the Green Bay & Lake Pepin r. r.
to Grand Rapids. We left the Plover
depot at 1855 and arrived at Grand
Rapids in 40 minutes from the time
we left Plover. 1t used to take the
old way, four long mortal hours to
make the same distance in stage
coach. The cars were we'll filed with
passengers, going to Grand Rapids and
beyond, and one that did not know.
would be surprised at the amount Of
travel there is already upon this new
road When we arrived at Grand
Rapids we made a straight wake for
the Rablin House, where we found
Mr.. Freeman the proprietor, and Mr..
c. p. Ward, his chief clerk, busy as
bees, attending to the wants of their
numerous customers We registered
our names, together with our ''Prin-
ter's Devil" who we took along to
keep us straight, and established our
headquarters at this House. We of
course paid the Reporter office visit,
and the very first man that greeted us,
as we entered the Office, was our old
friend Jack Brundage-yes the verita-
BILE Jack. he who established the first
newspaper in Wood County, some Is
years ago, and may justly claim to be
the pioneer printer Of that county.
Jack went to Missouri, with his family,
some seven or eight years ago, and
tried his hand at farming don t know
how he succeeded-neyer asked him.
lie is back to Grand Rapids again, and
says he has cited up" there for the
present. He is always full of business
matters pertaining to the printing bust
nes is social, warm hearted, and ge
piaI, and we'll bet is the best "single-
handed talker" in Grand Rapids.
We also met here Messrs. Philleo
4 lngraham, the present proprle-
tors of the Reporter, who were busy
attending to business matters about
the office, especially Mr.. Philleo who
was just writing his last item for that
week, preparatory to going to press.
They have a well appointed Office, which
they have lately stocked with new type
and have put in new Gordon improy
cd Press, and enlarged their paper
from II to 2S colums, and is now the
largest paper in the Northwest. They
Get up a good paper. The new paper,
the Independent, we found closed, and
our friend Brundage carried the key,
tie Sheriff having closed it up, on q
mortgage. We hope soon to see the
matter amicably adjusted, and the pa
per make its appearance as usual.
Seventeen years has elapsed since we
visited this place; everything has
changed except the Wisconsin River,
which still keeps on its steady and UNI
ceasing course, as it did then. Grand
Rapids contained at that time, only
about dozen dilapidated buildings
and it was at this time that our Old
friend Lem. Hawley kept a one horse
Grocery Store here, and tlourished like
a Green Bay tree, But since, then, a
change has taken place, and it now
contains population Of more than
three thousand, with many fine build
ings, especially the Rablin House,
which is one Of the largest Hotels in
the Northwest, and located in the cen
ter Of that furnishing city. 1t is the
best arranged house inside we ever
saw, for the convenience Of It's custo
mers, and is furnished from top to
bottom with first class furniture. The
is kept by MIR. Il. B. Freeman, assist
ed by G. 2. Ward, who acts as chief
clerk Of the establishment, and is the
most jovial, sociable, and good-natured
fellow, as we have met with for many
a day, Gas also is Mr.. Freeman), and
your wants are Immediately attended
to, be they small or great, and you
can feel here perfectly at home. Their
tables are well supplied with every
thing the market affords, and no need
of man going hungry here. We adj
wise our patrons to stop at this House.
Paid friend Cole a visit found him
well situated in a new building in the
principal part of the city. He deals
exclusively in Groceries, of which he
has good stock in trade. He has the
neatest and most tasty store in Grand
Rapids, and gets his full share in trade.
Dropped in to friend Philleo's Drug
Store !; found him in, waiting on his
numerous customers. He has good
assortment in his line of trade.
Run across our friend Oscar Taylor,
mechanic Of the G. B. & L. ?. r. r.
and had sociable time in the evening.
He is good fellow.
Thursday morning, at half past 10
o clock, went to the depot found
Geo. Hebard and family, waitin" At
the depot, who had came from st.
Paul the night before, 20 take the
train for Plover, Arrived home at
1l:lo-Ptorer Times