Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-20

4
pied by A. B. Sampson and family,
and the other by Tim Hurley and
family, but Mr.. Hurley left and the
house was re-occupied by Joseph Gill,
who married fullblooded American
lady of the forest of the Chippewa
tribe. These buildings were located
on the east side Of a small creek,
where, or near where the First Ma
tional bank now stands, and were
owned and built by A. B. Sampson.
Opposite these houses across the road
or street, which at present is called
Water street, stood Mr.. Sampson s
| barn.
Next came another frame house one
and one-half stories high and built
| lengthwise of the street, it being E.
S. Minors family residence and located
on the vacant lots at present owned
by the John Arpin estate, on the east
side Of the Arpin building lately occu-
pied by Mr.. Norton as a second hand
store.
After came twO-stOry frame build
ing with the gable end to the street,
and next to the river, and attached to
this structure on the east side was
a bowling alley also built by Messrs.
Sampson & Strong during the summer
of 1916 This property rented to
Messrs. Jerome Breisclaire and F.
Biron for two years. The identical
location of this bowling alley is where
Mr.. de NeyerS' store now stands.
Next came one-story building built
and occupied by F. Biron as supply
store. This was built crosswise be-
tween or at the fork of now Water
street and Courthouse street, about
100 feet west from the present city
hall.
Now we come to the slough which
headed about 100 feet above or towards
the river from Mr.. Biron'S store, the
same slough l have started on which
separates the territory l have just
described from the mainland which
forms an island of the principal bust
ness part of our city.
Above description is all of what was
in existence on the island at that
period-eight houses and three barns.
Now, you have to come up on the
hill as it was then called. BY the way,
on little plateau about five rods west
of the now Congregational church
could be seen the remains of an old
log shanty which had been built in
1885 by fur trader named Louis Les
Lond, who died two years later.
Having ascended the hill, and about
fifty feet west of the Arpin residence,
stood another two-story building,
built and occupied by MesSrs. Maxine
LaBlechC and Homer Drake as a GRO
Gerry; they also kept boarders. There
was also bowling alley attached to
the main building.
Now, as l have mentioned the name
grocery" many perhaps don't compre-
hend its real meaning. A grocery"
at that time was place of liquor
traffic, the name ''Saloon'' for such
places was not then in vogue. 1t was
either tavern, grocery or blue refresh
ment. 1t was place where Goodhue's
best, or ID, or rotout whisky was
sold. Now the id, in this case,
did not mean doctor of divinity, don't
mistake. This Goodhue's id or
best was obtained from Mr.. Goodhue's
distillery on Rock river, and with
which he supplied the pinery men: at
that time there were very few men
that did not carry little 'brown
Jug" so Mr.. Goodhue had very profit
able business.
Next, going up from the last place
described, on the corner of now Drake
and Water streets where Dennis Nc
Carthy's residence now stands, was
another frame house occupied by two
families, viz, Frank Degarette and E.
Anthony and family.
Further, came two large log houses
located where Jacob Lutz' residence
now standS-one of those houses was
for the families that boarded the mill
men and lOdgerS, and the other for
the working men in general. Those
log buildings stood right opposite the
Clinton sawmill, which was a double
or two up-and-down saws; there were
no gauge, rotary or band saws in those
days, this mill having been built in
1888 by J. J. and George. Cruickshank
and Robert Bloomer of Galena, ILL.,,
and in 1910, sold to II. Clinton and
Ben Single. Shortly after, Mr.. Single
sold his share to Mr.. Clinton, who was
running it in 1916. This mill stood
about hve rods above the present
Pioneer pulp mill.
Next came Martin Herron's shingle
Shanty, which stood on the Identical
spot where NJ. J. McRaith's residence
now stands.
Now we came to long log house,
| built and occupied by Messrs. Geo.
NeeveS and VIM. Roe, who were
logging for the Clinton mill. This
building stood on an elevation next to
the bank of the millpond right oppo-
site the now Pariseau residence. This
was the last of the upper end of the
village.