Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-11-01
NEWTON on rHn ON DAYS

Route No. 8 finds its most extreme
northwest point in the 1ldsvillage of
Newton What a Transformation from
the days of AUD Lang Syne", when
there was the whir of machinery, from
Touring and saw mills, an electric light
plant sufficient ir pnwe'stta light the
Iliiis, ONCE and rcsldsnee of l. A.
Aiken, who was proprietor in those best
days of the hamlet. There were two
or three mercantile establishments, car
rying good atocks, blacksmith and wood
working shops, 3 graded school. post
Office, cheese factory and creamery,
and other enterprises that go with an
inland village Now the mills are m1te
and al ellie has flown except the trad.
ing place of Thos. Peterson and the
blacksmith shop of Dexter 4. Allen
Willows have grown In the streets TIL
one can scarcely discern where he is at
between the south and north sides.
The churches, Methodist and Advent
are maintained. Heavy floods have
made it too expensive to keep the mill
race in repair and the properties, long
counted among the most valuable in the
county, have been out of use for years
The village, too, has lost most of her
old residents, the only remaining early
settlers being Mrs. G. b. Dake and
Dexter f. Allen, the greater number
among the more long ago prominent
having gone to "that undiscovered
country from whose bourne no traveller
returns.
Newton was, for decades, famous as a
convention place, the western assembly
gatherings always being held there
The writer was present at the last
meeting Of this character previous to
the county being merged into one dis
trict. 1t was in the not o-be-forgotten
Bennett law campaign, when there was
a Landslide to democracy on false issue.
Vernon was about the only green spot
in the state, politically, all members of
the county and assembly tickets elected
except the sheriff. Captain Conner was
also elected state senator on the demo-
cratic ticket. The assembly contest Of
that year, as usual, was stubbornly
fought, but on the tWenty-fourth bal
lot Brown Olson of Christiana, was de-
ciared the nominee, and he was elected
a month later. The other candidates
were Hon. John Stevenson, who was
then the sitting member and made
hard fight Tor denomination. The late
an aspirant, but his maximum strength
never went above four votes. During
all the bslioting there vas never more
than one or two between Messrs. Olson
and Stevenson, numerous ballots being 2
tie At noon all members Of the con
vention and spectators had dinner with
Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Aiken. As the
evening shades began to fall Mr.. Olson
glraf FflA I fsF Ia
declared the unanimous candidate Of the
party with a whoop
And this leads as to speculate or the
whereabouts Of the men who partiei-
pate0 IN the movements Of that repub-
hcan gathering. Senator J. w. Hovt
now dead, vas chairman: Peter T Mol
land, the secretary, is still factor in
Sterling. The three candidates, Messrs.
Olson, Stevenson and Ingersoil, have
taken the long journey A large per-
eentage Of the delegates are dead or
removed from the county 1t is Of in
terest to the writer, end viii no doubt
be to re& ders, to know Just who they
were, hence we append the list here;
Bergen John Patterson. a. Hatch. Toreer
christiana C J. Horde c. Tos,rud. Ole Bent
coos-s X seDrua JOHN segroa. Hesgs Lar
Gensa-Jsaes Dywais. Le-sazo Foz. Jaraes
Fraaaiia--r. o rorzas v G. Williams. WIN
Haaharz--5. " Hoyt c. P. Amen c. L Fia-
Hsrasay-T. 81. Moore. o = pastersm. I'd
5sasrsoa-s Hooyersop. n. Ailen. 0. Il
sserilsx- =. I. sioiiasa. Alex Anderson. 7. 7.