Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-23
improvements All Around.


dence and public-in general appear
ance and substantial improvements is
brought a little nearer to perfection
every year, showing steady growth
and marked advance each season that
points most forcibly to the fact that
Grand Rapids and Centralia are pro-
gressive places inhabited by progressive
people. Local interest in changes that
turn to profitable account the business
street, the business house, the country
road and the home property has never
been stronger than it is today. Citizens
everywhere seem to be touched by a
wave of new inspiration and encour-
agement to beautify and make better in
value and usefulness the things that
nature has crudely provided for their
use. Building, moving, street work,
lawn making, verandas,
painting-unusual activity in these lines
is apparent on all corners just now.
The finished picture is one that can be
looked upon with pride and gratifca-
ton by all oldcomers and can be shown
to all newcomers with a sense of deep
Thus do the twin cities
in certain upward course; thus
do our settlements on the old Wis
conse," gradually become more hand
some adornments to the mighty water
power that turns our great mill wheels;
thus do two good towns keep getting
better. Your reporter, in his bicycle
jaunts this week, has noted that work
is plentiful and all laboring hands are
busy.
~
The weather-w face of st. Peter
and st. Pauls Catholic church in Grand
Rapids is hid from view now by a
liberal spread of becoming paint. The
interior has likewise been treated. The
tower and cross haye been made to look
like new and the old steps in front of
the church have been replaced by
better ones arranged according to latest
style. The big roof of the
mammoth edifce is being newly
shingled and other extensive improve
ments have been made. The sisters
house has also been painted and trans
formed into modern quarters. The
bright and neat appearance of all the
church buildings attracts the attention
of all who pass that way. The priests
home will undoubtedly be next in line
for attention of the carpenters. 1T
certainly needs some Frightening
touches to put it on an equal with the
balance Of this property. The Catholic
congregation can we'll feel pleased with
its house of worship.
~
Numerous changes are being made
around the yard and on the residence
of F. l.. Rourke in Centrala. His barn
has been moved back into the north
west corner of the residence lots. The
house has been moved ten feet nearer
the center of the property and raised
about two feet to be supported by new
stone foundation. The north wing will
have a second story added thereon and
one room will be devoted to a modern
arranged toilet and bath room. An
addition 16x30 will be erected on the
west side of this wing, and the new
part will be divided into two apart
ments-kitchen and dining room. Steps
from the kitchen will lead down into a
commodious cellar now being dug. A
veranda around three sides of the house
will give a cooling appearance to the
whole. Mr.. and Mrs. Rourke will have
a very convenient home when all con-
templated Improvements are finished.
w
At the T. J. Cooper residence in Gen.
tralia the old woodshed was torn down
and n new one built in It's place and
gabled right up to the kitchen. The
kitchen is being reshingled. A new
bedroom addition, size 0xl2, has been
erected on west side of the house. The
partition was taken out of two front
bedrooms and one large sleeping apart
ment left instead. Three closets have
been added in the house, where here
tofo1e Mr.. and Mrs. Cooper did without
these conveniences. The Cooper home
is very cosy since being remodeled.
Nv
One of the neatest and most attractive
tenement houses in Centralia has just
been erected by Mr.. John Schnabel on
his property in the vicinity of the High
school building. Painter John S.
Biringer was administering the finish
ing decorative touches to the exterior
on Wednesday. The new house has
been rented to gentleman from Tomah
who expects TO move therein soon. Its
a dandy corner. Mr.. Schnabel has
another tenement house next to this
corner ynd an addition has also been
erected on the west side of this resi-
denCe.
~
A. W. Getchall, the plumber, is
building good size addition to his
Centralia home. in the form of an up
right wing on the south side. A new
road has been opened and graded in
front of the Getchall home by street
commissioner Geo. Germanson. A
decided Improvement in general
appearance is noticeable about this
property.
~
W. II. Carey's new eight room resi-
dence in Centralia is assuming pro-