Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-07-07
.S,OOO,OOO OPERATIONS
vIRooUA EXPERIENCES TEN
YEARS STEADY GROWTH
~ isss. Fourteen New Residences
Will Be Erected This Year-Two
Business Blocks Also


year is no exception to the steady
growth which we experience yeal.y r.
the number of residences and business
blocks. Coming so uniformly each
year, these improvements occasion very
little surprise and comment, but could
the building activities of say the last
ten years be grouped and presented at
one time, they would be most startling
20 say the least, and form record of
which any community of our size may
well be proud. In that time thirteen
business blocks have been erected
Henry Running, First National Bank,
Stoil & Groves, c. II. Ostrem, Nels
Solverson, Clsrk's garage, Zitzner &
Fertney garage, Masonic Temple, H. d.
Williams feed store, Torger FortneY's
addition, Larsen g. Solverson garage,
Ford garage, Buchanan Bros. dray barn.
Practically every business place has
been remodeled or added to, the most
notable being the Bank of Viroqua, Bek-
kedal and Nuzum Lumber Compauys
Outside of the business district pro-
per, the Light plant, Creamery, Thay-
er's new lumber yard, pumping station,
Bekkedal, Eekhart and Solverson to-
bacco warehouses, Methodist, Hauge
and Catholic churches, Viroqua Imple-
ment Co. and the County Jail have been
constructed. An estimate of the finan-
cial outlay represented in buildings in
the business district would total about
$138, 900; business and public buildings
outside of this district about sl25, 900.
This is taking no account of expendi-
lures for street work, cement sidewalks,
residences or remodeling and repairing.
1t is safe to assume that the total az
gregate of all building activities in the
city for the ten years past would ex-
coed LOCO, 900. A showing of this
kind is helpful and hopeful. Some of
our citizens are wont to complain at
times that Viroqua does not show sat
isfactory rate of progress. As we re-
view all the accomplishments and for
ward strides during this period, we
feel that such statements are in no way
warrented and that the reverse is far
more truthful
Concerning building for the present
wear, one siness block, the
Zitzner & Fortney garage, has been
completed, and Nels Solyerson's new
theatre building will be finished by fall.
j. E. NGzum is erecting three peb-
bledashed cottages on his property
formerly occupied by the lumber yard.
Edward A. Schmidt is building a cot
tsge of similar construction on South
Main street On Maple street, Albert
Solyerson and Bekkedal Lumber Co
are each putting up a residence, and
will start two more when the present
ones are completed. We understand
they will all be pebble6ashed. At the
extreme end of the atreet, George
Stokes has built house on the eight
acres purchased from Rudson Drake
this spring, and Frank Wintz has stalk
ed out location for a residence on the
several gsres be lately bought from
Thornton TAYLOR N D. McLees has
practically completed one cottage and
has another one we'll under way near
the Catholic church Ole Rud is build
ing a house on Washington avenue
Louis Silbaugh has his residence in the
east part of the city nearly completed.
There are considerable prospects for
erection of residences on Butts addi-
ton near the creamery.
Large remodeliag jobs are in pro-
gress Will Lindemann is converting
the old Nichols house into a thoroughly
modern residence. will probably peb-
bledash the lower story. Mrs Wyman
has extensively remodeled her residence.
The cemetery property has been re-
painted sn6 improved and a greenhouse
built. G. A Groves has remodeled his
residence and contemplstes pebbledash-
ing. L. A. Thompson has completed
additions and alterations to his place.
j. S. Harris is preparing to give his
house a coat of pebbledash; Rudson
Drake, Irwin Henry and Jack Stode
have finished the operation. Veteraa
James Gilman has repaired mis- cottage.
Construction of Thayer's new yard and
installation of the Congregational pipe
organ mark other improvements of the
year. The activity of the painting
craft has been so extensive that it is
almost impossible to mention all the
houses so decorated.
We have endeavoredk to present
complete list in the above article, but
realize that many new buildings and
property improvements have not been
presented to our notice. Though far
from complete, it makes showing of
which our citizens can justly be proud.
Now If every property owner in the
city would get in line with the forward
movement, paint up, patch up, clean
up--the effort would not be great on
any one individual, and the result would
give Viroqua an air of neatness, order
and cleanliness beyond even its present