Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-10-25
TWENTY YEARS IN vIRo0UA.

The name Fircqus has 8 charm beau
tifuI ouading, but the real thing,
residence for term Of years, and iDti-
mate connection with it's people, its sur
roundings, its business and social envir
onment, makes one feel that his better
years Of life have at least been cast in
pleasant places From a village Of lit
tie moro than thousand population
without a solid brick b 5ek, n business
place or residence possessing plate glaas,
we have watched snd participated in its
ptogress till now we are city with al.
most a solid street Of masonry, and bus-
mess fronts minus plate glass are the
exception The electric light, the tele.
phone the paved streets, the system Of
high pressure water protection and sup
ply, the pabiie iibrarr, the finest high
school buildlng in This section, the sec
ond railroad, the rural mails extending
in all dirscdous the modern beautiful
resider 'as and well kept lawns, are all
a grogtR tAat naturally come with a
doubled pope latian in progressive, in
telligent community They are ali toe
result of evolution that make one re-
joice.
Ard Vernon county, too, commani-
ty looked upon as standing for right
things at ell times, with advanced me-
thods in farming dairying, and q repu-
tstion for the best product Of tobacco
in the great west tits to be proud to be
numbered Of its sturdy citiz nship.
Twenty years have done much for our
neighbors Of country and village With
but one railroad touching it at that per
iod, we now have FIVE, and prospectivaly
more, penetrating sections that scarcely
dreamed Of such enlarged conditions.
In population the county has grown
thirty three per cent, but IN an in.
dustrial and material way Il has pro.
crossed three hundred per cent. Mod
ern iron bridges have supplanted the old
wooden structures over our streams;
farm houses and broad hslds stocked
with the best breeds OF animals, have
taken the place Of forests. The most pop
ulous village in the county now was then
single building inhabited by one fani-
~. Most Of the villages have had marvel
GUS growth and prosperity, and this indus.
tries maintained in them are an augury
Of tbs better things for community aud
civilization, not only in Vernon county,
but elsewhere
The unpleasant thing OF our twenty
years here has been to witness and
weekly record and publish the passing
of the fathers aud mothers the pioneers
who fslled the trees and blazsd the way
for entrance Of CIVILIZATION Their going
has been rapid, and but few. of the men
and womer who brayed the wilderness
AND established the outpost Of ciyiliza-
ton and planted here the seed that has
produced growth Of wealth and man
hood, and prosperity, now remain to re-
peat the story Of their priyatiors, their
early hopes and realization. They have
gone on before. but their good works
stand out boldly and are emblazoned on
every corner lost, that succeeding gem
eratlons may read Of their sacrifices and
accomplishments AS their successors
we owe reverence to their fidelity Of
purpose aud their sturdy uprigh.ness,
The fathers aud mothers from eastern
states and those from foreign lands are
the factors who aHse deserve car
praises. TO not few Of these, our val |
liant predecessors aud benefactors and
to our county. were accorded honors
high and important in both state and
nation on the bench, in the state and
larc legislative fields, as state officials
aud other honorable and honorary capa-
cities
A general survey Of the past twenty
years imp sesses US with the lsrgeness
of growth and opportunity that has
come to our people. Industry, honesty
and economy have been the three corner
stones to all this success and advance
ment. which as an enlightened people
we fully appreciate and rejoice over
The newspapers or the county apeak,
to, the growth ard advancement and
opportunity in village and court try.
Twenty years $50 there We're three pub
LEGATIONS ia the county-two at the
county seat and one at Hillsboro. To-
day there are ten newspapers At that
date the CENSOR had a circulation of
about enc thousand good, bad and in
different; today it sends ont weekly
messenger to over three thousand PEG.
pie who are actual subscribers and pay
for the paper because they want it.
Other publications In the comfy have
good constituencies and are doing much |
for their respective communities.
We will be pardoned. we are sure, if |
personally the editor acknowledge that
he has much 80 be thankful for good |
health capacity to work unimpaired
by twenty ears Of activity and industry
He is fully apprecistive Of the worldly
goods aud honors that the best people
on earth have bestowed Oh him And
the best Of it all IS that he can look ev-
cry man in the face and consciously say
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