Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-08-08
RE.OPENING OF M. E. CHURCH.
A Fine Audience Present Last Sunday to Wit
ness Opening Services.

The present NJ. E. church was built
in the fall of 1890 and spring of 1891
and was dedicated July II. 1S91-Rev.
James Churm, pastor, J. D. Cole. P. E..
The sermon was preached by Rev.
10. W. Gallagher, d. D., president of
Lawrence university. Appleton, Wis.
The late Ann E. Scott, widow of the
late Hon. T. B. Scott of Merrill gave
$4,000 to the society here to repair and
enlarge the old church or build new
one as the society should elect and it
was thought best to build new
structure. The society elected DR..
o. T. Hougen, t. ]. Cooper ard T. c..
st. Amour a building committee. The
contract for the building Of the
church was let to W. A. Keyes who
completed the building at cost to
the society of about 81, 565. 90. The
present commOdiouS basement was
only about one third its present size
at the time of dedication and only
had room for small furnace and was
heated by hot air.
In early spring of 1901 the society
concluded to raise the church two feet
and eXcavate and finish the entire
basement. and T. J. Cooper. f. E..
Taylor and T. A. Lipke were ap-
pointed building committeeman
the Job of raising was let to f. E..
Taylor, and cost 5000. The contract
for eXcavating, laying wall, enlarging
auditorium and finishing complete
was let to w. M. Martin and cost
s967.13. We purchased our boiler of
the Kewanee Boiler Co. of Kewanee,
tIrn,,rl, thnir
Wheeler of Milwaukee, contract price
S410.S2. Gitchel & Lubbock had the
contract to set up the boiler which
with freight and material cost 1922. So.
The inside painting and papering was
done by nj. E. Duncan and Dan Ellis
and cost S95.S3. The outside painting
was done by Edward and cost S115 Sc.
The new carpet aud plush was fur
niShed and paid for by the Ladies Aid
societies and cost SlS2.15. There has
also been a new wood shed built at a
cost of S24.90. We also purchased 124
dozen folding chairs at cost Of $6S. 75
Other sundry bills in and about said
improvements including electric light
ing $40. 55) amount to $l6227. Making
a total cost in improvements of
81, 244.75. Of this sum $1,524.65 had
been paid and cash On hand S412
leaving balance unprovided for of
S67SS9.
1t was decided to add to this sum
enough to paint the parsonage and
seat the new addition to the auditor
ium and make the sum 100000 And
a reonening was had on the 4th day of
August, 1901, and DR.. j. E. Farmer,
P. E. of Appleton had charge of the
exercises.
The church was very neatly
decorated for the occasion, and one of
the pleasing features at the beginning
of the service was the baptism of
little "Kenneth Lee," son of Mrs and
w. A. Peterson, the pastor and wife.
The choir seemed to be in it's best
mood and rendered some fine music,
among which were solos by Mrs. r. III.
Fitch and Marjorie Kirk.
After the sermon ION faith" DR..
Farmer stated to the audience that
he wished to raise 5000 and then
called on T. j. Cooper to make a
statement to the audience of the cost
OF improvements and balance of in
debtedneSS, after which he proceeded
to take voluntary subscriptionS.--T.J j.
Cooper was asked to act as clerk and the
sum of $615.00 was raised in a very
short time, and at the evening service
a statement was made of the amount
already pledged and the balance
needed and in very short time the
amount was raised as asked for and a
little SurpluSage with it.