Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-08-26
OUR MADISON LETTER
Governor laFoIette's Strength
wiz the Agricultural
Classes.
SEVEN PER CENT ELECTRIC ROAD
Mad:son's Four New Public Build
ings-CathOlic Cures" at
Holy Hill,

Valley Electric railway is being
financed by public subscriptions. The
papers of that section offer the stock
through the leading banks of Chippe-
wa Falls. The stock is promised to
pay per cent. and be cumula tive; that
is, if it fails to pay one year, there
will be twice the dividend due next
year, and 81 per cent. following the
third year if dividend IL skipped, and
SO on. Tie earnings are shown for
sample weeks during five years. Thus
f." +'rn weeks cited in the summer of
1899, the earnings were about $3.50,
and for one week Gncluding July Il
SI,174.2O. Coming down the years
there has been an increase, although
to be mercurial-thuso for the week
ending July "a: In 1899 the earnings
were $S13.95; in 1900, $127O.2S; in
1901, $1,25921; in 1902, $1,11O.31; in
1908, $1,92S.4S. Holidays greatly in
crease the revenues for a given week,
the other, wet day shrinks the tray
ell, if it keeps people in the house. The
prospectus sets forth: "This will pay
you per cent. clear; it is non-assess-
able, non-taXable and carries no stock
holders liability. Any amount from
500 to $4,000" Nothing is said
about net earnings, for the above are
gross earnings; and nothing is said of
the amount Of stock issued. But no
doubt all details are set forth to the
investor when he calls at the Office.
People who Don't Pay Debts.
There is a GAINESVILLE society which
is setting up a branch in Madison, the
plan being to apply the Dun and
Bradstreet method to citizens who buy
goods at local stores. The idea came
from Green Bay, where, for nearly a
year, the merchants have been banded
together. In Madison a central office
will always be open with clerk in
charge The merchants pay S. admis-
sion to the society and 81 a month or
S12 year This last makes a main
tenance fund for the central office.
The merchants make out lists of their
customers and the people ON their
books; and from these ratings are tab
ulated. Thus. when stranger comes
into shoe store and wants credit, in
curry ut the central office will reveal
his financial record-whether he is
prompt or slow, good or a dead
beat" It is said that in every city
there is a class of people who make
the rounds of the groceries and other
lines, and pay to none. Without some
system of comparison of accounts,
these ''deadbeats" cannot be ascer-
tanned. Where individuals pass round
word Of the shortcomings and poor
liability of a citizen. he Is in peril Of
the court for libel; but an incOrpora-
ton may furnish such information.
The society will also collect bad debts
for the members, and for this service
a charge is made. A record Of names,
residence, occupation and credit stand
ing of every person in the community
will be kept at the office and members
of the association may obtain Informal
ton regarding any party's credit by
calling in person at the office or by
telephone. In some cities collections
are made through a system of persecu-
tion-that is, collectors dressed in yell
low. etc, conspicuously call repeatedly
on the debtor But nothing of this sort
is proposed by the Madison ass ocia-
ton.
Holy Hill Controversy.
Catholics are well organized and it
is not often a newspaper controversy
between priests over matters of relig-
ion is tolerated. But Holy hill continues
a bone of contention. The place can be
seen from trains on the Wisconsin
Central railway, near Schleisingerville,
Washington county, on the way north
from Waukesha. It is a church sur
mounting a very high hill-it stands
out against the sky. Some Sundays
10000 people, mainly Catholics visit
the place. Last week every hotel and
farm house in the neighborhood was
crowded with pilgrims and the church
itself was taxed to its utmost to shell
ter those who had planned to spend
the night In devotions, but were driv-
en- by the heavy rain to seek protection
in the chapel. In spite Of the drench-
ing rain a number remained faithful
to vows they had made and continued
at their prayers at the stations until
daylight. The priests ON the ground
are prepared Father Bertram is the
one who has been attacked in the
newspapers by Fond du Lac priest
for promoting the "cure" feature of
the hill, and he had seven priests to
aid him. A male choir from Milwau-
kee made music. Two cures were re-
ported-one leaving crutches and an
other spectacles on the alter. In one
statement Father Bertram says:
''There are other reasons why people
make pilgrimages. And suppose they
make them simply for recreation's
sake is it not pious and innocent rec
reation? 1t is certainly no wasting of
time to sacrifice some of the time, all
of which God has given us, to work
out our salvation, and to sacrifice some
of the super1uous money and conven-
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