Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-03-05
Our Forty-Third Volume.

With this issue of the paper the forty
third annual volume of the Grant
County HERALD is begun. SO many
years have elapsed since the first num-
Der of the first volume was issued, that
comparatively few are now living who
can recall the feeling of curiosity with
which they scanned the columns of the
new paper. Although the volume is
commenced to-day, the birthday Of the
paper cannot be celebrated until the
18th of this month. On the 18th Of
March, 1843, the HERALD made its
first appearance as five column folio,
edited by Lenhart 0. Shrader. Look
ing over the time-yellowed pages OF
the old>file, one is impressed with a
sense of loss and change. There are
few names familiar to younger eyes
and most of the familiar names bring
only memory A shadow from the
long gone days falls over these passing
hours, and we wonder if another gen.
Grafton glancing over the file for the
year1SS5 will find IS many evidences of
the changes time has brought. We
notice in one Of the first papers long
article portraying in very glowing
terms the attractions of Wisconsin Ter
ritory, and urging the emigrant to
"turn his wearied steps to home more
desirable than has fell to the lot of
mortals since man was first excluded
from Eden's rosy bowers, and next we
see plea for keeping Wisconsin a ter
ritory. We notice also an item saying
"our exchange papers from New York,
Philadelphia and Boston sometimes
reach us in nine days" A spirited
woman living near the village has an
encounter with some Indians who come
to steal her pigs. She orders them to
leave and finding persuasion useless,
she procures double barrelled shot
gun and enforces her commands with
the desired effect. The Indians take TO
their heels. l.. Leclerc advertises that
"being on the point Of closing his busI-
ness TO engage in the Indian trade he
would respectfully call the attention of
Che public to his stock of dry goods,
&e.' The ministers of Potosi, Platte
vile, Galena and Prairie du Chen are
respectfully invited by Francis A.
Chenaweth to attend Camp Meeting
in "What is called Hurricane Neighbour
hood. " ''Valnable lands to be claimed
by settlers are advertised, and the
establishment OF a tri-weekly stage line
between Potosi and Lancaster wa
Platteville. enc thing which attracts
our attention especially, is the fact
that the HERALD seems above all things
to be an advertising medium to- pro-
claim the greatness of Potosi. Lancas.
ter has but two advertisements. Mr.
Thode Barber modestly announces a
''genteel assortment of new and fash
ionable goods, comprising every article
called for in these diggings,' and j. M.
Otis "Just from New York" advertises
large line of Dry Goods, "superIine
broad cloth and Kentucky Jeans,
linsey and variety of stuffs for summer
pants, bonnets and hats, with an ele-
giant supply Of artificial sprigs and
saeratus 10 pounds for 00"-But
these two stores comprise the business
of Lancaster. While the advertise
ments of the "Potosi Emporium the
Central Potosi Store" the New firm
OF S. L. Lewis & Co.''-"D. A. Mack
enzie' 5 fine establishment, ""Old Snake
Bakery" MADAME Enz's Millinery
Store Stones Saddle and Harness
mandatory" tell tale of prosperity
tinequalled by any of the surrounding
towns. Supplies are brought TO Potos
by steamers touching there as regularly
ms ut Galena, and the town promises
rs some one writes, ITO grow at pace
which is never to stop short of higt
commercial Importance. Since thai
suspicious day times have changed anC
places and things have changed will
them. Lancaster settlement in thu
woods has become thriving town
Log houses have given place to sub
stantal blocks and homes, the wood,
have Withdrawn and the prairies hay,
been cultivated. The promise of Pc
tosi's greatness rs commercial anC
mining town has not been fulfilled
though with the new railroad the pro
pheey of 1913 may yet find realization