Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-02-06
GREAT CREDIT TOyIROQUA
ARE TIE EcKHART AND PRETzTgLD
TOBACCO WAREHOUSES.
Two. of Largest Packing Instituiion in the
State Eckhart House Will Cost
$4,000 When Completed.

There is no other industry in Vernon
county that brings so close in a common
interest the city and country people as
the extensive cultivation of tobacco.
/. The trio of magnificent packing houses
that have been equipped in Viroqua
the past twelve months bear evidence
that dealers and growers contemplate
future growth and commercial interest
in the Industry. When the Bekkedal
house was opened for business gear
ago the CENSOR gave a description of
the same. A recent visit to the two
large and complete new houses furnish
us opportunity to take note of the
same. The Eckhart house covers an
area of 50x150 feet, full basement and
two stories in height. The basement
Il subdivided into thrl5 sections, sizing
room 50x100 feet, where ninty girls are
employed, together with sixteen men
e gagged as packers and receivers.
The Balance of this floor is used for
packing room, toilet departments for
both sexes, steam heating plant that
warns the whole building Here the
light is most ample from a series of
large windows, and is also provided
with complete system of electric
Z
This basement il. nine feet high and
contains the most modern equipment.
The second or ground floor, is eleven
feet high; on the front is suite of
finely furnished and equipped Office and
and sample rooms, plate glass windows;
in the rear receiving, storing and ship
ping departments. The third floor is
IL 1-2 feet to truss bearers, the entire
L.. Il Is +lO
timbers and slate roof being supported
by trusses. The basement walls are
of lime stone, the watertables ard win
dow sills and caps of Bedford gra mite.
The veneering will be of pressed brick
from Indiana, which will be placed as
early as weather will permit in the
spring. The building throughout IS
fioored with hard maple; elevator runs
from basement to third floor. All the
dimension and other material used are
fir, brought from the state of Washing
ton. The location of the house is such
that both sides of the building are ac-
cessibie for receiving and shipping
goods. while a siding from the st. Paul
road will be located at the north end.
The second and third floors of the COM
modious structure are to be used for
storage purposes and are cap; Die of
housing $500 cases of tobacco. Mr..
Eckhart's purchases of tobacco this
season consist of 900 acres or about
1000, 900 pounds. The entire contract
for this modern and immense building
was handled by John W Lake Il Sons
of this city. The cost o. the house IS
500, 600, and it is a monument to the
enterprise of its owner. TO such men
as Mr.. Fred Eckhart, Viroqua and
Vernon county are greatly indebted.
In this enterprise, as IN all other busl-
ness ventures that he has engaged III
during his long residence here. he has
been imbued with desire to accomp-
lish something for his town and com
munity while improving his own condi-
ton. Viroqua has grown commercially
and in population because OF such en-
terprising citizens, and there are none
entitled to more credit than he.
The permanency Of the tobacco in
dustry in Vernon county has been re-
cognized by Others than residents OF
this vicinity. Pretzfeld Il Co., New
York, who have been buying tobacco
in this section for the past twenty
years, have also built fine large to-
bacco warehouse beside the tracks OF
the Lacrosse & Southeastern railway
in this city. The imposing structure Is
an iron-clad building 48xl56 feet, two
story and basement The first and sec
ond floors are used for storage purposes
with capacity for 5000 cases. The
basement contains warm and cold bun
die rooms, occupying about one-third
of the space, the balance being used
for sorting. The basement has a line
cement floor throughout, and is ideally
lighted. This section Of the building
presents busy scene these days,
where the sorters, si2ers and packers
are preparing tobacco for shipment
with the rapidity of gatling CUR.
Mr.. Frank Mcintosh, the manager, IL
forms the CENSOR that they have SUI
ficient tobacco purchased TO keep tb:ir
crew Of about seventy-fve hands busy
for several months to come. Thls
warehouse began active operations on
December Il. A siding has been built
to the warehouse and the Southeastern
railroad will be patronized in shipping
the tobacco from this city. Non-resi-
dent capital WIN find welcome here,
and we predict for Pretzseld & Go. a
profitable investment in their magnift-
--....-& s..mtt4,,%s~r, f,, fhta city