Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1922-09-06

CHEN, the ancient residence of Rev.
Alfred Brunson, pioneer minister,
will be torn. down soon unless steps
are taken to save it, says the Courier.
This old house, put together without
nails, was sawed at Meadville, Pa,
each part labeled and the whole sent
by water to Pra. du Chen in 1886
Rev. Brunson, the first protestant
clergyman to do missionary work
among the white settlers of the upper
Wisconsin, came to Pra. du Chen in
1885. He was made presiding elder
of district extending from Rock Is
land to the upper reaches of the Mis-
sissippi. His duties kept him busy
the first year but in 1887 the house
was taken from storage on the river
bank at Pra. du Chen and put up in
the village In 1885, Rev. Brunson, a
Methodist pastor, was compelled to
resign his ministerial labors, owing to
Ill health. His wife, two daughters
and son-in-law died in 1886 but he
continued to make his home in the
historic residence until his death in
1882. The present owner desires to
tear down the old house to make room
for a smaller residence The Courier
is calling upon the people to save the
historic place.
Dubuque business men have been
considerably worried over report
that the Milwaukee shops would soon
| be moved to Cedar Rapids. The shops
have a large payroll and mean a good
deal to Dubuque business firms. The
Milwaukee road originally had its
shops at Pra. du Chen, later moving
; fn
! This proved costly step as the loca-
tion was cramped and bad floods came
down from the hills inundating the
shops. After losses of hundreds of
thousands of dollars and the expend-
itue of half million to straighten out
Bloody Rum" the company gave up in
disgust and moved the shops 20 Du-
buque Now comes the talk of moving
further west Still, the company owns
acres of ground at Pra du Chen and
the relocation of the shops there
would be boon to that city.
The mystery surrounding the find
ing Of the statue of the Virgin Mary
on the bluff along the Burlington rail-
road tracks below POtOsi, was cleared
up last week when Francis Boesch
of E. Dubuque stated that he and his
E. Dubuque, had placed the statue in
its rocky niche in June of this year.
The spot was discovered about two
years ago by the party and they then
decided that it would be a good place
to install shrine. They obtained a
statue of the sisters at the Immaculate
Conception academy, Dubuque, and
put it in place. That part of the story
wherein a purse bearing the figures,
1885," that later crumbled into dust,
was evidently pure imagination.
After an apparently inexcusable de-
lay, another hearing was given the
Bachim compensation case before a
representative of the Industrial COM
mission at Boscobel Thursday. Dom
inic Bachim met accidental death two
years ago while engaged in blasting
on the Crooked creek highway project.
He left an aged dependent mother for
whom Mayor Hurd and Atty. Orchard
have been striving for a long time to
secure deserved compensation. The
company carrying the insurance has
tried in every way to evade fair set
tlement, but matters are now shaping
! themselves so that the feeble mother
will obtain her just dues. The COM
mission will announce her monthly
allowance this week.-Dial.
Joseph Thomas, a brother OF S. A.
Thomas of Potosi, and Mrs. Lizzie
Orion of Lancaster, died August % at
Detroit, Mich, of complication OF
diseases. Mr.. Thomas was born in
British Hollow, July 16, 1858, son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Jos. Thomas, pioneer
settlers of the region. He was miner
by occupation and most of his life was
spent at Calumet, Mich. He was a
pensioner of the Calumet & Hecla Cop
per Co. Burial was made at Calumet
under Masonic auspices. The de-
ceased is survived by his widow, three
sisters and two brothers, Mrs. Thomas
Webster and Mrs. VIM. Hoskins OF
Scales Mound, ILL.,, Mrs. Lizzie Orion
of Lancaster, w. H. Thomas of Duluth
and S. A Thomas of Potosi.
Miss Zita McKenna of Bloomington
and Mr. Bernard Patterson were mar
ried at St. Patrick's church at Ben
ton, Tuesday The bride is graduate
of the Platteville Normal. Both have
taught in the state graded school at
Leadmine last year. They will be To-
Gated at Potosi, where Mr.. Patterson
has been engaged as principal of the
Potosi school.
Albert Dimf, As, Brownsville, met
death by drowning at Big Cedar lake
Saturday when he fell off a pier while
fishing. His body was found floating
in the water a few hours after he had
left the cottage where he was staying.
He is survived by his widow and one
son.
Henry Beadle, aged 62, died at his
home in Platteville, Monday August
%, after an illness of five days with
pneumonia A wife and four children
survive. Burial was made at Millville,
his former home, Wednesday,
The city of Waukon, Iowa, has con-
tracted for fifty blocks Of paving
Owing to uncertain conditions the
work will be carried over to next year
with curbs and cutters installed this
fall.
Ginseng robbers rafded the little
plot painstakingly nurtured by
PostvilIe, Iowa, farmer last week
and made away with about $500 in