La Crosse City (part 2 of 3)

Judge Gale and Chase Stevens are referred to. The former was' the founder of Galesville University in 'J'rcmpealeau County, which place became his residence during the memorable term of his Circuit Judgeship, lie is representeil to have been a tall and large-framed Vermonter of great natural endowments of intellect, with will-power and executive ability, which made him a formidable adversary or a useful friend, lie aimed to achieve good, and his efficiency was everywhere acknouledgod. but his blunt and harsh ways seemed, it is said, to extinguish the ordinary powers by which men accomplish their ends.

No one ever doubted the correctness or purity of hi- motives, but many objected to his uncompromising disposition and savage logic. It would perhaps be proper to say that he was almost intolerant in his sense and administration of justice, cither on or olV the bench. Judicious lawyers understood the conse'juence of incurring his serious displeasure, and usually avoided that calamity. He was a strong man, with strong purposes, strong attachments and strong aversions ; and when he decided war against a man he made the fur fly. He struck boldly, and caused his friends to join in what might be termed an '- anvil chorus " when he gave the time for "music from the entire band." His devotion to the excellent educational institution at Galesville, now nourishing under the presidency of Prof. J. W. McLaury (who was the first man to shake up the citizens of La Crosse to the necessity of greater efiiciency in the ]uiblic schools), did not permit any of his friends to lose an opportunity to contribute to the success of his favorite enterprise.

The Judge never allowed the bar to "cram " him with spurious, irrelevant law and pi-ecedents to influence his decisions, and sometimes unceremoniously disputed the authorities cited by counsel. It is related that upon one occasion, while Judge Gale was liolding court at \ iroqua, Bad Axe County, Attorney William H. Tucker (father of the famous American vocalist, " Blanche Koosavella," or Blanche Roosavelt Tucker), of La Crosse, tried to '-cram " the court with irregular citations, and came to grief thus :

But Tucker was equal t'.i the occasion, and, after realizing his discomflture and defeat, rallied himself and caused irrepressible explosions of laughter and applause among the crowd assembled, by deliberately thrusting both hands in his pockets and remarking slowly, -' I back down; your Honor has oversized my pile."

Col. Chase A. Stevens, who was in 1X-')A elected as a Representative of the counties of La Crosse, IJuflalo and Chip]-)ew.-i in the Legislative Assembly of 1S55, was also one of the jdoncers who came in tliis year, and was far from being an easy man to baflle. His resources and strategy arc said to be manifold and unfathomable. But his faults shall not here be narrated, the purpose being merely to confirm and establish the premises above ventured, that in those early days of La (.'rosse pioneers there were men whom it was not safe for shalluw-jiated adventurers to trifle with ; and, in grouping the leaders oi' the conflicting forces, the wisli is expressed to place the reader in possession of points that will convince him there were wide-awake men on iruard.

History Of La Crosse Couxty

Col. Steven?, say those who knew liim intimately, will never be (luplicated in this world. He was the son of a clergyman and born in Maine. He was an uncomtnonly hamliome man, of commandins; appearance, fully si.\ feet tall, of about two hundred pounds, with black and glossy hair and beard, a fascinating eye, and a laugh that could be heard for a long distance. He was as subtle as lightning, and when he seemed to be most frivolous, he was doubtless concocting some of his severest plots. IIi= putative or principal place of domicile was at the south end of Si.xth sti-eet, being the property n>>w ownod and occupied by the family of the lamented ex-Mayor Colwell, who laid down his life for the Republic while leading the immortal Light Guard in the battle of South .Mountain. His residence was here, but he was ubiquitous, and the stories that are tuld of him and his capacity to enlighten, edify arid astonish, almost to paralysis, the populace, are wonderful, not to say incredible.

He left La Crosse during late years, and, after an absence of some months returned here, but so perfectly disguised in the garb of a Quaker as to defy detection, and for a fortnight " tlieed " and ''thoued" old-time acquaintances with a familiarity that bred surprise and curiosity. Finally, his laugh betr.iyed his identity and abandoning the comedy, he disappeared and has been in La Crosse but a limited number of times since. He died in May, 1881, in the city of Baton liouge. La.

Li February of this j'ear. a bill was adopted bv the Legislature of Wiscon^^in, provid^ ing for the division of Crawford County, and the organization of La Crosse and Bad A.\e Counties, the former to be constituted out of that portion of Crawford County lying north or west of the limits of Bad Axe County, which was described as follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of the county of Richland, thence running south on the range line between Ranges 2 and 3 west, to the northeast corner of Section 24 of Township 11, north of Range o west, thence west on the section line to the boundary lino of this State, in the main channel of the Mississippi liiver, thence northerly on tiie b'lundary line of this State in the said river to the point of intersection of said boundary line, and the township line between Townships 11 and 15 north, thence cast in said township line to the northeast corner of Township 14, north of Range 1 east, thence soutii on the range line between Ranges 1 and 2 east, to the southeast corner of Township 1-3 of Range 1 east, thence we^t on the township line between 12 and I'i to the place of beginning.

The act further provided fur an election for town and county officers to be holden on the first 'i"uesd;:y of April next ensuing. f:.r the location of the county seat at La Crosse upon condition that the people lurnished suitid.ile buildings, and for other purposes of minor importance.

Accordingly, an election was lield at the time designated, when there were thirty-six votes polled, with the result as follows: Timothy Burns was chosen Chairman; Lloyd L. Lewis, Supervisor; C. A. Stevens, Town Clerk; Robert Looney. J. Bean and James Reed, Justices of the I'eace; Lodowic Lewis, Treasurer, and Lorenzo L. Lewis, Town Superintendent. At this time, as has already been noted. La Cross? County embraced the present counties of Jackson and Trempealeau, anil was of immense dimensions.

Immediately upon the orgardzation of the county, the town of La Crosse was surveyed by William Ilnod, a surveyor who had settled here late in I"-.t'), nr early in 18.31. The original plat was made on land owned by Tiniuthy Burns and II. .1. B. Miller, and now constitutes the most valualde portion of the citv. being comprehended within Fifth, River and Mount \'ernou streets and the Mis>issippi Liver. There were ^-riginally -'Jl blocks and 2ljii large lots. While tlie survey was in progress. Levy, Iva Due, Stoddaril and Cameron, foreseeing that La Crosse was at some time in the near future destined to become a large city, endeavored to procure an extension of the streets then being laid out down thnvugh thrir claims, and thus make, at the beginning, a village of straight streets, witii smne sysieiu, and suggesting (he liver front, he vacated ior lease ]iuri)0<es. But Biurns mid Miller ilecidrd to plat their own land only, leaving petilidiirrs to lay their claims out as additions to the original plat. This fict gives the reason lor whatever lack of symiiietry there may seem to be in the surveys of some of the streets.

In April occurred tlip first fire in the county; tlie first case of cliolera following in June, and that succeeded by an election of county otiieers in the course of the summer.

The fire was the rfsiilt of a defective Hue - of late years the inevitable cause cited by experts in their efforts to solve the mystery of a conilagration when no other e.xplanation could be framed - located in Mr. Levy's domicile, and extinguished by the help of those attracted to the Bcene, with water-buckets and pails, before the loss was irreparable. As it was, the roof was charred ami the interior def;iced ; but these deficiencies w<-re at once made up, and the hotel continued as attractive as it had been when alone in tlie wilderness.

The first case of choh^ra occurred in June. Mr. John Cullins being the victim. It was at the time of Mr. Levy's biiilditig his frame house adjoining the hoti-l he had put up in 1847. and where now stand.^ the international. The weather was excessively warm and sickly, and no surprise was manifested \\hen Mr. Collin- was taken (l<j\vn, though it was not anticipated that his attack would result in cholera. Thrijugh the day Mr. and Mrs. Levy, who had seen some of the phases of the disease while it was epidemic in tlie United States four years previous, suspected the malady was gravitating in that direction: directed the treatment administered so as to harmonize with that recommended when the cliolera had been the result of medical diagnosis. Their patient, however, seemed not to rally, but rather to grow worse. "The medicine didn't seem to operate, " remarked Mr. Levy, when detailing the symptoms and piocess einiiloyed lo aflord relief. ''In other words, the attack was so violent as to be beyond the reach of medioainents ajjpeared to us ;iil." Nevertheless, stronger medicines were applied, and after a ciitical period, continuing until daylight of the morning after which he v.'as taken, tiie patient perceptibly improved. About :.' o'clock iii the morning, those having him in charge noticed that his shoulders and spinal column were very much discolored, and made up their minds that be was beyond the reach of mortal help. N'ltwithstaiiding which, he was cared for all the more solicitously with results both gratifying and permanent, as was evidenced when Mrs. Levy, who had retired late at night, resumed her watch. He ultimately recovered under careful nursing: but the efi'i'Cts of this terrible experience were visible during his life time, and he attributed his recovery, as do the surviving members of his family, to the treatment administered by and the atteiiti<in of Mr. fltul Mrs. Levy.

'J'he case created souie excitement among the iniiabitants of the tov,-n. yet no panic followed as w.mld be the case in thickly settled communities. Lut in those days men, and women, 1.00, for that matter, were callouseil to fear and insensible to circumstances that would to-day be regarded as critical. The type of men and women who tlourished in the early history of the U est were radically difTerent from those who came after, in many instances; more of bone and muscle, and less of superlluou> matter than possess types of succeeding generations: more of genuine gold and less of gilc: more common sense and less of sugar candy. As communities are built up and their influence is extended, they become wealthier and thereby educate an effeminacy which is exfirosed in the deterioration of the energies, capacities and endurance of those who are directly benefitted by these pecuniary accretions.

Tlie case of cholera was snon forgnttL-n in the rush of events, to be remembered only by tiie beneficiary and his rehiti\es, and the election came on, resulting in the choice of Timothy Burns as Judge of the County Court. William T. Price as R.egister of Deeds, Clerk of tlie Court and County Treasurer, and Robert Looney Clerk of the noavd. The officials had scarcely qualified before the regular election, provided fivr by the act organizing the county, to be held in November, took place, with the fiillowing result; George Gale. Judge; A. ICldred, Slieritf; F. M. Rublee, Treasurer: C. A. ^^teveus. Register of Deeds, and Robert Looney, Clerk of the Court and Clerk of the Do:, id.

(In the 11th of November, the tir.-t meeting of the Inward of County Supervisors was conveiieil. the Town Siiprrvisnrs having met during tlie sumnier iti the frame building then in ])rogress of building by Juhn .M. Levy. At the latter meeting \Vyi-am I\uov,!toii was the Chairman.

The ineetin_' lielil in November was composed of Timotliy Burns, of tlie town of La Crosse: J. Sp:iul(liii;r. town of Albion; Charles Whipple, town of Pine Valley. Robert Loonej acted as Clerk, and the proceedings were as follows :

On motion of T Ciirns. .hicob SpauMing was nominated and appointed Chairman of the Bjard of Supervisors in and for said county of La C^rosse.

By order of the board hcreb\ ordors that there be le\ied on the asses-inent rolU of the several towns of I. a County, three mills on the dollar for a .'^taie tax on the dollar valuation, and two mills for school tax, and five mills for a county tax.

Ordered by the Boar.l of Supervisors that the Clerk of said bi.arJ use one^ceni as stamp of said county. The boBrd jiroceeded lo scb/.-r C.ran 1 .Turors. Names selected : K. W. .lenks, .John ,Iones, A. M. Hill, C. K. .lohnson, .Tames Sikes, .Joseph Clancy. (Iilhert Congden, M. 1'. Bennett. E. Broadhead. B. F. Huston, Hugh \Ved;e, George NicholsJames <rNcal,.TosephSticknev,.John Lewis, I'liilmder i:handler, David M West, Willi ini Douglass, Chester Frost, Hugh Douglass, Milt. in Barlow, w'ilUam GiUinger, W. N. Hall, Thomas G. Patterson, A. 1). La Hue, .John Adams, D. Reed. Cyrus Sharidess, Aaron Merrimion, William Humps|,,ck, William E. MeSpaddin, Charles \'. Segar, .John Dale, C. N. McKenzie, Boberl Wilson, Wilson Bower, WilFum .Jones, Komeo Fustwick, B. A. Gri lley, .John C. Laird. .Tames W. Pollic, .1. '1. Iliapman, .James 'liogcrs, John Johnson, George Chester, .lidin .M. Levy, George Batchelder, J. B. Beau, Feter Burns aiol H. C. Crover.

From the foregoing it will be apparent tjitit coudeiisatioii rattier than style wo-S preferred ; niid with regttrd lo the chirogni[ihy, e.xpeilition rather than elegance was sought to be obtained. )t is scarcely iiecesstiry to add that botii desires were conserved to the wishes of those interested, arid the reconl throughout bears evidence of the tibsencc of superrogation and impromptu gush.

The conception of La Crosse County, accoin]ili.-hed near a dectide previous, was born in the early days of thi.- year, and tindi.-r the tutorship of men to whom the infint was intrusted, atttiined wonderful L'vowth tind strengtli ljef)re the failing leaves f.n'ced the pioneers from pui- ,-uits of entcrpii.-e, to .seek comfort and arrange plans over the winter's log.

Ill .-Vpril of the year when tl;e countv was brought f>rth tmd intrmlticed to an admiring vonstitueiicv as ;iii independent sovereigntv, th''re was not to exi'eed five families, consisting of less than thirty per.sons. The mercantile interests, it is said, were represented by two smalt shops, neither of which apiicared to be burdened with customeis. The surrounding couiitry was an uninhabited wilderness, fiom which the Indians had just bi'en e.xiled, atid iu which beasts oi' prey still predominated. Here und there perhaps was to be found a solitary settler, isolated.

but ambitious of tryiiif; new fic-M-^. It mtis then a point of transition from barbarism to civilization, and in the village of La Crosse, tlio very fouiidation of all those moral, social, literary and religious institutions peculiar to Christian countries wei-e yet to be laid.

To new-comers, the situation appi'ared. inversely as compared with its appearance to those who had con(|uered a success there after years of patient waiting; and to one avIio had been surrounded with social and educational advantages yet to he enjoyed in La Crosse, it was like making a home on islamls of ice and amid polar snows. Yet to these agencies, acting in conjunction with the eurli'.-r jjinneors, cam''> tlic immediate prosperity which followed the wonderful advance made this year, antl the pleasing and eiicouraging outlook for succeeding years, be directly traced. 'J'hroiigli their iiifluence aiid exertions, a rapid change was manifested in the entire aspect of things. The population steadily increased, improvements were made, a code of morals cstablislied by the religious and scholastic element took the place of right as the result of. might, and produced cfl'eets differing from those caused by fear, as the sunshine of a day in June diflcrs from a killing frost.

The conditic)ns und'-r wlucli the county seat was located at La Crosse were that suitable buildings be erected without delay. P.ut the truth is there was no other point which could be so designated. Settlements were limited to tlie village save, as already indicated, on farms which had not yet become productive, ^'et there was Tiecessity for buildings to accommodate the growing jiopulation, to accomniodate public meetings, to provide ways and means for religious observances and educational privileges. To supply all these wants and to conform to tlie provisions of the act of organization, it was decided this ye.ar to erect a court house, and a court house was erected that remaitied a nion'uiuent to their anmitimis and architectural ethics for nearly twenty years.

It was con-tructed of lumber procuied on Black Kivei (all lumber was obtained from the lumber regions which then bordered and still lin^' that stream uf j.cculiar color and eccentricities, creeping its way at times sluggishly froni the north, until it emjities into the Mississippi at its confluence with the La Crosse), late in 1S.51. The design had been i:ire|'ared though, and when the material was delivered, little delay was c.xperienceil in jiuttiiig it into shape, raising the frame and having it safely covered before winter. \Vork was continueij on it during the succeeding weeks with such advantageous results that a school was opened therein by Abncr S. Goddard soon after the holidays. 'J'he court house was iGx-lG in dimensions, two stories high, and became the scene of many an adventure and other experience that should have been preserved for posterity. It was proposed and completed by men who have not passed entirely beyond' the memory of some who still survive, and who will be preserved in the history of that city on the banks of the inland sea, the waves of which glide onward to the o^'ean, as lung as the city continues.

Anions; the other improvements were houses and slianties put up by F. M. Jlublee and Deacon Smith, on Front street; a hoti-1 (the Black llivir House), by William McSpaddin ; a shanty by Timothy J?urns, on the present site of the MdN 11 'Use ; shanties by Howard Cramer, C. -A.. Stevens. Mr. Manville, Mr. Fuhr and Dr. AVhite, all on tlie [irairie ; Elder Reynolds had a shanty near where the Third War'l Schoi)l now is; Robert Jjooney where Deacon Smith now lives ; I). C. Evans kept store on the present site of the Robin.son House; .1. ^L Lew in a newbuilding on a portion of the lot now occujiied by the Internatioiial ; Deacon Smith and F. ^L Rublec on l''ront street, which comprised the stores; <_ieorge Howard fi;rni,-.lied medicines and filled prescription-;; the second story of Snii'h's store was ,-oiuetinie^ u.-ed as a church; Di-. White attended disra-rd buninnity and, carpenter.s fashioned the collins of tlio^e bevond the reach of medical skill, after which they were iiiterici! in the churchyard where Hcrsliheiiner's foundry now is.

Tiie spring of 1S.')1 witnessed the arrival of ihc first Norwegian colony who came to La Crosse. It was composed of LI. X. Stdbcrg, dohn Kios, B. Stern, Jjars OUtail, Lors By, Hans Gunsderschwein, 0. Nelson, Paul Tallifson, Ole Tallifson, Lars Straus, Christian Hulburg, G. Ourood and one or two others. They came by the way of St. Joseph's Hidge, and reaching liere on tlie 10th of May settled, many of them in Bostwick's Valley, where they grew in prominence. Their meiliun/of travel was "by ox-teams. anJ the only way they were able to descend the bluffs was to unvoke the stccr.s and let the wagons down with ropes. This incident impressed many of them with' the peculiarities of a situation, which, to say the least, was inconvenient. Not"inore so, however, than that of II. X. Solberg, who soon after went down the river, and upon his return boarded the Dr. Franklin, No. 2, Capt. George Loughton, subsequently a resident of Platteville, and was obliged to go without food until J. M. Levy, who was a passenger, ascertaining the fa<t to which Solberg had been subjected, insisted upon his being ailmitteJ to the cabin table? and obtaining what he wanted. Had it not been for this, Solberg to-day asserts, he would have starved, as'he wa.s a deck pa.ssengcr, and unable to obtain any food or comforts. In this same year. Lew erected a house on Front street, south of Pearl, which has, raetaplioncally speaking, survived an experience in comparison with which that of Japhet m search of his father was ta'me. In this was held, it is claimed, the first Sabbath school ever assembled in La Crosse, and here the earnest but somewliat profane Deacon .lohnson was wont to lead in prayer. " Hear us, 0 Lord, for the sake of the promises Thuu bast made, hear us, we beseech Tlioe. Come rijlii in npun ns." He would continue, " Come straight down through the roof, and I will pay for the shingles ;'' and so on.

Upon one occasion, th"e workers in the vineyanl gathered there were prone on their knees at the opposite end of the bench, and failed to connect when the conchision was reached. As a result, the bench, yielding to an unexpected weight, tipped the prayerful occupants onto the floor very uncoremonioujlv, causing unexpected hilarity and expression of pain from those who had been precipitated, mingled with expressions of what are represented to have been profanity both original and eniphatic. . - i u-

Upon another occasion, Deacon Johnson was arrayed in faultless style, compatible with his Christian character on the Sabbath, prepared to attend" divine service and lead in prayer to the iiiver of every good and perfect gift. While putting the finishing touches on his irresistible toilet, he was'sudijenly interrupted by the announcement from his son that some coal pits he owned, and then being" on the lot now"occupied by the Commercial Hotel, were on fire, and could scarcely be saved. Thereupon, say those who are familiar with the facts, he abandoned preaching and began to swear so elaborately and, at the same time in a manner so finisheil, as to leave a doubt in^the minds of his hearers as to which he most excelled in, praying or profanity ?

In this house was given the first theatrical representation ever advertised to take place in La Crosse. The play was a douiL-stic drama, it is said, of the n\<>n original type, and^ assumed by a company of actors of which C. T. Langrishe, an actor of pr-uninencc in thuio liays, and brother-in-law of John Dillon, was the manager. The audience is said to have been critically select, the performance fastidiously choice, and the eiiuipments, in'juntings, etc., such as were never before, if ever since, displayed in the caust- of .Melpomene or Comus. The old house still slands; once the resort of the clf/e, it has become tlic abiding place of depraved bacchanals, and where once the name of God was reverenced it is now taken in vain.

On Christmas Day, IS'/l, the inhabitants of La Cro-se and vicinity engagdl in a turkey slioot on the Mississip'pi Kiver opposite the village, which was universally participated in ami tlif occasion of iinliuiitcd sport. Mr. Levy sustained the loss of all his turkeys, but who won the several prizes contested for, anil what tiiey consistcil of, have been lost to memory.

In the evening occurred the first grand hall tiiat varied pioneer life in the present city. It, too, was a state occasion and geriorally attended. Among those who were present to pirouett, chassez and dance the "monnaie musk," were Misses Emily Carlton, Julia Bcardsley, Margaret and Mary Burns, Susan De France, Mary and Alvira Kellogg, Mary Smith ; Messrs. Robinson, Clark and Gear; Mr. and Mrs, Jacob S]iaulding, on their bridal trip from Black River; Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Levy. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, .Mrs. Lieut. Gov. Burns, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. George Carlton, among the ladies; and Joshua La due, Peter Burns, H. Cramer, Mark Kellogg, T. Clark, Dr. Cameron, Mr. Fales, Lewis Johnson, Ilillarius Solberg, John C. Laird, John Cronkstori, II. E. Hubbard, Mr. Gear, a son of Judge Dunn and some others, among the gentlemen.

1'ho music consisted of a violin, which was played by Mr. Brisbois, of Prairie du Chienand those who ^^ ere in attendance npun the " assenjbly," as siinihir gatherings were, in those davs termed, recall it as one <>[' the hapjiiest experiences of their days of frontier life. 'I'he jialm of beauty was awar<ltMl tti Miss Emily Carlton, it is said, who was one of the rarest evidences of female perfection seen in this ])oriion of Wisconsin, a State noted for the number of its beautiful women. The dance was continued until midnight, when an intermission was indulged to alTord the guests an opportunity to ]iartake of refreslimcTits furnished by the ladies of La Crosse, and served by Simeon Kelhigg, at that tinic landlni-d of the \\ estern Enterprise Hotel, which had been vacated a short tune previously by Mr. Levy to move into his house adjoining, the dance w:is resumed and kejit uji until daylight,

]'>y lyo2, the ]>opulation nf the ]ire-ent county was quoted at not far from seven hundred, the major portion of which was, of course, in the immediate vicinity of the pre^cnt city. Front street, from the point at which Nailian Myrick made the first settlement of the jdace ten years before, to the present vicinity of the inimensc tlouring-raills, which lines its way south of Pearl street, was tolerably well built u|,). Back towanl Fifth street, which was then [iiairie, the cabins of settlers wlio have since become citizens of jinjminence ami wealth, were laid out aiiJ some of tlieni built. The navigation of the Mississippi had became regular, and the arrival and departure of steamers of frequent occurrence. Mail facilities had improved, and communication with distant points conipaiatively ea-:y. hjven at that day, a railiond w;is incubating, and only six years elapsed before the v.histle of a locomotive wa> heard over ihc plains, which stretch off to an almost limitless extent to the E.ast. Scdiools were coming to the front, churches were in progress of construction, and all the element- of times not entirely free from deficiencies, were invoked and improvisdl to complete an advance in civilization that had been begun a decade jufviou-; amid surrtiumlings not altogether encouraging.

This year, as also ISoo, was prolific of improvements in a [ilivsicai, moral, social, religion^ and material sense. Many permanent buildings were erected, among them, the first saw-mill in the vicinity, near the mouth of the La Crosse River, where it was f)Ut up by Timothy Burns, F. .M, Rublec, S. T, Smith, \Villi^ <iregoi'y and J, M. Simonton. It was twtj and a half stories high, containing a fu'tv horsepower engin(\ openiling two saws, a lathe and grist-mill, with Capacity for cutting lG,(J<ii) fcL-t of lumber per dav.

On the 22d of January of this year, in the upper room of a two-story building, then situated on the west side of Front street, on the bank cjf the river bet-.seen Main and State street, were organized the fiist Congregational aiid lir,-t Baptist (.'hurches of I/i (.Vos-e. by the Revs. William 1 1, Cord and John C. Sherwjn. L'nioii services were conducted liy these congregation?, and also by the Methodist, uritil the summer of this year, when the Baptists built a church at the northwest C'.'Mier of Fourth and State streets, and vithdreN'i, The union services, iiowever, were continued by the Congregationalists and Meih'idi-ts until 1^.'")4, when the latter built their first church, ami the former held services in the old Third 'iVard ScliooUiou-e. All of these churches now have commodious edifices, and each sustains a lar-'e Sabbath school.

Rut times wore not as serene us tliese p:iges niiglit imlicate. In the miiist of these peaceful and prosperous evi<lence3 of growth, the liaml of the assassin was busy, and no less than three murders are reputed to have occurred between kite in the fall of 1S.">1 and midsummer of 1852.

The first was that of Samuel Richardson, by Andrew Grover, a Deputy Sheriff" in the Rlack River couutry. Some a'-sert that he was one of the log thieves who overran the country about that time, and, being caught in the act, was stabbed to death before he could defend himself. This at Onala>ka.

Another account i.s that (leceased had shot the dog of his assassin, and one ilay meeting him at Oak S|)ring, on the r>lack Uiv^-r, in a bouse, visited by both, hustled (trover out and bade him decamp. Rut the latter, greatly enraged, at once resolved to inllict summary vengeance, and, lying in wait armed with a ]ar_'e butcher-knife, sprang upon Richardson as he made his exit from the bouse, and dealt him a l>ack-handed bbiw on the front of the throat, the knife penetrating to the hilt. The victim staggered forward a few steps and fell lifeless. An inipiest was held, and Grover arraigned, after which he was sent to I'rairie du Cbien for safe-keeping. being placed in the old fort for that purpose. But he kicked off the shackles and made his escape, leaving behiiid him the laconic statement, I must go home to hoe corn, and I will be back when court sits:" The above is an account furni>hed by A. Eldred, the first Sheriff' of La Crosse County; but an old settler -isserts that Grover was arraigned, tried, and, in spite of the proverbial drlays of the law, convicted and sentenced to Waiijum. lie was conveyed thither, and died in the shambles before his release or pardon could be accomplished.

Shortly after the Richardsori honiieidi;, a ho-tler employed at tlie New England Hotel, but who resiiled with his wife in a tent on Front street, near the present site of Colman's Mill, one night upon his return home from vork. lie is alleged to have discovereil a man named Chance Stafford occupyinf; a position in the tent to which no stranger should be admitted, and departing, procured a sliot gun, with which he returned to the Front street tent. Matters had undergone no change while he wa^ absent, and, firing llic gun at the sleeping beauties, he lodged a charge of shot in the shoulder of Stafl'ord. A seci^ud shot was fired at the wife, who escaped with the loss of her nightcap frill. Ijoth leapeil fVom the tent couch, the inan seriouslv wounded, and fled in the direction of the river. Rut tliey were overhauled, and Stafford was conveyed to Williams' barber-shop, in Levy's block, where he was attended by Dr. MeCrary and nursed back to convalcsence and lin.il recoveiy by the Seneganibi.in tonsorir.l artist. The husband was subse(iuently arraigneil but escaped prosecution, the wouiided man failing to identify him.

A great many fights and fracases occurred about this time, but on June 3, lSo2, one of the most deliberately-planned and cold-blooded murders ever chronicled was committed in Mormon Cooley, which gieatly e.Kcited the entire community, and came near ending in the Ivnching of the accused. David D.ust, it seem-, had at a cuupiUMtivoly early day removed from Galena, 111., ami settled on a claim out in MoriU'Ui Cooley. He built him a I'g hut. and, witii two voke of o.\en, was soon in a prosperous conditir.n for a settler of the times. . In the spring of the year in which the muider w;is committed, there came up the river from Galena a V'''iing man named "William Watts, who had known Dar-;t previous to his removal hither, and seeking him out, proposed making a visit to his friend of former days. After reniaining here a siiort time, accepting the hos])itality of his whilom friend. Watts deliberately muidereil Darst, and, stripping the body of clritbing and valuables, hid it in a plum thicket that occupied a ravine near the house. Tlie murderer dressed himself in the garb of the dead victim of bis devilish covetou-^- ness, and yoking uji the o.ven, catne into tlie village for the purpose of disposing of the plunder.

The suine day that Watt-; rnme out of the coolev. Mr. Merriiiuui, an old bachehjr, who had a cabin not far distant, was ridini^ up the ravine on horseback, acci.impanied by a dog, his dailv conipanion, the keen soent of whieli detected tlie dead and decaying remains of tlie murdered host of Watts. The dog ran into tlie thicket and tlience back to !iis master, manifesting the utmost concern, aii.l betraying an anxiety tiiat indicated something out of the usual channel. Mr. Merriman fuially dismounteii, and following the dog into the thicket, was nearly paralyzed and stricken dumb by the horrible sight which met his gaze. There lay his iieig.hbor, stiff and stark and dead, his skull crushed :ind his thrnai cut, iti t!ie last stages of decomposition, and exuding an odor which was stifling, lie at once gave the alarm, and hurrying to the village, startled the inhabitants with the sto.'-y of what he had .--cen.

While this condition of aflairs was rendering the village a scene of pronounced commotion. Watts was engaged in drinking and carousing, anil when he had reached a condition of helpless intoxication, he solved the mystery which had surrounded the crime, and was arrested, narrowly escaping lynching.

An inquest was held over the letnaiiisof Ihirst, his murderer being obliged to confront the remains, and when moved to stand at the head of the cofJln. During the funeral there were a number in attendance who had ropes concealed about their persons, and but for an eloquent appeal made by Elder Sherwin to h't the law take its course, and not disgrace the village by mob violence, the prisoner ^loidd have been executed.

At that time the court house was finisheiJ, but no jail had yet been provided, and the stone basement on Pearl street, between Second and Third streets, was leased from Col. Childs for the confinement of Watts, who was guarded by a njan named McSpadden, hired for that purpose. The prisoner was heavily ironed and safely kept for awhile, but the expense was very considerable, and a jail was built for the safe keejiing of the prisoner and others who had been arrested for trifling olTenses. In its construction the ceiling was made of joists spiked together, arid the attic filled with jiounded riick, to the end that a prisoner, if he attempted to bore through the ceiling would be deluged with stones. It was not long, however, before tlie prisoner dug out through the foundation walU, and when his escape was announced the public turned out to eflect his re-capture. About midnight on the second day of the pursuit a party of boys engaged in the search heard the noise of some one filing in the prairie grass near Deacon Smith's. The alarm was given, and \Vatts was retaken and re-convoyed to jail, where he was heavily ironed. Kotuiihstanding this, and the further assurance endeavored to be secured by the Sheriff visiting him at all hours of the day and night, the prisoner eluded the vigilance, attempted and e-eaped once more.

Search wa? :!g;iin undertaken, but with jioor success, for awhile at lea^t. He could not be found anywhere, and the officers and citizens were about giving u|) the search, wheu a stagedriver, who twice a week made trips to llay.ens. out on the ridge, discovered that Watts was disguised and acting as a hostler at that jdaee. Upon his return he detailed the whereabouts of the fugitive, who was arre.sted and brought liack, and, obtaining a change of venue to iJad Axe County, was tried, convicted and sentenced to Wau])un for life.

The account of Sheriff Elder difl'ers materially from the above : and that no fact-m' or phrase of the horrible crime may be wanting, the statenieiit of that gentleman issubn}itted substantially as follows :

In the spring of 1S-'j2. Watts and Darst came in friun Peoria, 111., to .Mormon (Jooley, where the latter jiurchased a claim, on which former assistcii him to buihl a cabin, liefore its completion, according to an account of the crime furnished bv Watts, he asked Darst for some money, which enra:;ed tiie latter, who retorted that he (Walts) owed him §S0 ; that he had kept him poor, and would not rest until he hfd ruined him. In the excitement of the moment. Darst made an assault Uj.on his subordinate, who tried to r-.;nie. but, being heailed off at the d'lor and window, neither of uhich had been closed m. whereupon Watts sei/.eil an unflni.-hed ax-helve, and .^winging it ai-ound m a tiireatening manner, struck Darst a fatal blow under the ear. Peing " then tempted of the devil," as he protested, he rilled tlie murdered man of his money and cnrrleil the body pnrt way up tlie bluft's, near to a point where the two had obtained stone to buihl a chimney. Upon returning to the house, he yoked up the oxen, and visiting the vesi- -U'nce of the KiinbuU !.rothers, the three went fishing at the Chipmunk Creek. AVhile driving the oxen, Watts met Mr. Merriman, tlie nearest neighbor of his victim, who enquired after ' Dursi, with whom he had an engagement to join their teams in some work they had decided it was necessary shouM be (ione.

This uncivil and uncalled-for speech on the part of Watts excited Merriman's su-picions. who sought assistance and discovered the body of Darst. xVn alarm was given, ami Sheriff Eldred arrested Watts and the two Kimballs. all three of them very much intoxicated. That iiifht he locked himself, with the three accused, in Chase i<c Stevens' oflice, and in the morning the Kimballs were horrified upon being informed of what was alleged against tliem. They at once proposed to "churn out the brains of that critter," alluding to Watts, but were dissuaded from such an act by the SheritT. and permitted to visit their families on parole, whence they returned in a few hours to stand trial.

Watts was confronted with the dead body of his victim, but gave no sign of guilt, and a crv was raised to lynch him. This, however, was not done, owing to cooler counsels, and the prisoner was turned over to a Mr. McvSpaddeii, residing on Front street near the present ferry, who kept him in a room in his house, the outer door of whicli was made fast by rolling a pipe of lirjuor against it.

The prisoner escaped soon after, and was not recaptured until the following February, notwithstanding the offer of 8-00 reward for his apprehension, wdien he was retaken by Messrs. Kellogg ami Wasson, and immured in the jail which had been constructed in the meanwhile, wht-ie he was manacled, shackled and chained to the wall for safe keeping until his trial, which took place in Crawford County, and resultcl in his conviction.

The jail to which allusion is here made was a small one-story stone structure, extending four feet beneath the surface of the ground and abutting upon the rear wall of the court house. into which entrance was afterward made. It was not safe, and in after years was succeeded by the present compact anil secure building. The account preceding was obtained from Mr. Eldred, who made tlie arrest of Watt-; in the lir-t instance.

When the war broke out. Watts received a pardon, conditioned u|ion his enlisting in the -I'rvice, which he did, and all subseipient trace of him was hist.

Mr. Darst lies buried in Oakwood Cemetery, where a plain tombstone relates that " David Uarst was murdered by William Watts June 3, 18-")2."

A most singular occurrence attended the end of Mr. Merriman. dust two years from tlio time in whicli his little dog was the means of enabling him to discover the dead body of Darst, he \Nvnt wanderinfj- up the same ravine, and fell dead in the identic. il thicket whence he assisted Ml removing the murdered remains n'^ his friend. The old man was missed by his neighbors, whfi iii-titnfed a thiMoUL'h search lor him, and, while passing through the little cooley back of the nii~-ing man's hut. thev encountered hi^ dog. Tlie animal again acted strangely, and scamper' d iirl to the tliicke't as he had done when Darst was missing, then returning and repeating this several times. The searchers finally followed the dog. and were led to the corpse of his master. It was thought that he met foul play, but an examination led to a verdict by a coroner'-i jury liiat ho hail fillen down (h/ad from an attack of heart disease, almost in the form hollov, e.i ,.iir by tile body of Darst two years before.

Tiius ends the particulars of one of the pioneer murders committed in La Crojse after it bec.une a countv - certaiidv, one "f the must cold-bl'"ided and brutal the criminal annals anywliere reco'd, and "ue \'.lience escape from the u^ual penalties was comparatively easy. ]>ut the friititier setilements even tlie!i were too sparsely settled to admit of the expense of a cumbersome system of jurisprudence emplovcd in older settled communities, and the first settlers were always a law uTito themselves. ]5ut a-; time pas-ed and the majesty of the law was established.

flie pnictiee uf hobJin'^ one's >elf responsible f.M- his canJiict became obselete, an.l the reilre^s of grievunces was reserved to the courts, those agencies of civilization, and, so eijuitably have the scales of justice been ;t<ljusted, and so irresistibly right have (questions arising thereunder been adjudicated, that if it is beyond the wisdom of man to avoid erring in all the affairs of this life, the [iracticc of repetition iu evil- that liave been decreeil as such should have been abrogated vear.- ago.

In audition to the Bantist Oiiurch, eour: hoine atul jail, l)uilt tlds year, there were other improvements made whicli carried tiie village onward beyond the race ran by it froui the dawn of 18-j1. The village site then wa^ about ci'jhty-five acres, according to the observations of one -who was tlien here, and possessed no attractions of a character that would be designated as. decided without (jualihcations. It consisted of knolls of sand, deep hollows and an uneven surface generally. Tiie soil was ridged on Front and Third streets, it is said, and depressed on Second street. .\n empty wagon could scarcely have been driven from the river to Fourth street ; a wagon laden it was impossible to move. Land coidd have been purchased for a consideratirui, the less valuable tlie more readily accepted. In fact, many of the tracts that could then be had for almost any sum have since grown to be of priceless value.

There was one feature, however, continues a comer of that year, that was irresistible in convincing prospeotors that if they remained the hues of tlieir lives would be cast in pleasant places; and that v/as the spirit of rivalry manifested by old settlers to welcome tlie daily arrivals, to whom they rendered numberless kindnesses. If there was one thing that compensated for the inapt appearance of things to the observers in 18.jl, it was the genial bonhorame, which greeted tlieir arrivals, the readiness of Levy. Rublee, Stoddard, Burns, and the thousand and one other distinguisheil citizens who offered their ho3[)italities, their aid, their advice and their jiroteetion to whomsoever made La Crosse his place of sojourn or establishment.

As typifying the character of the pioneers, many of those who still survive will lecall Samuel Watson, wdio was always ready to '-accommodate a friend" without a scintilla of e\idence regarding the obligation : many will renii'mber the encouragement and aid John M. Levy was ready to oiler, and which being availed of, resulted in making the beginning of one of the wealthiest luudier men in the Northwest; r.f the encouragement oftered by Elder Sherwin, which laid the foundation for one of the ablest lawyers in the T^orthwest ; of the encouragement of the .^arnc gentleman to an ambitious young man wdio is now doing a business of say .52,000,000 a year. In the language of Mr. Losey : " The men and women of that period were of broad views, and, laid the foundations of this city strong and solid. Their Christianity was governed by no sectarian lines, but was always broad enough to include the hungry, the thirsty and the weary wherever found.'

This year John Gund started in an unpretentious way what has since grown to be one of the largest, best-furnished and thoroughly responsible corporations in the West, " The Gund Brewing Company." It was starteii in a small log house on the site of the oCRce of Colman's Mill, and quite unpretentious in claims or appearance. But as the town increased to a village and grew to be a city, the entcr]u-ise here evitiCed was rewarded by returns that have since increased an hundred and an huudied-l'idd.

During the year great changes took place. Numerous buihlings were erected, the population increascil rajiidly, ami the forces largely augmented by the arrivals of ministers, school teachers, lawyers, merchants, mechanics and steamboats had a tendency to cause an advancement and growth that was readily seen before L^-'i^, drew to a close.

During the latter part of the summer and fall, the iirst brick house was put up in La Crosse Cuunty. It stood and stands in the ju-esimt city on Front street south of Main, where it was located by Lake >s: Webster, then lirpior deitlers, who have since become liankers, was iMie story high, and in dimensions, 20.x4U.

In October of this year, a lodge of Masons be^an wnrLin;:: in La Crosse, under a dispensation, under the following otiicei's : Morrison >L'Millan, W. >L ; Solomon Howe. S. W.; .1. 1\,

The first newspaper - the Spirit of the Tiiiws - was lantieheJ on the journalistic tide this vear; tl;e New Eiii^'laml House was comracnceJ: the Clerk of the County Court absconde'l. and 11. C. Hubbard was appointed to fill his place; Simeon Kellogg was appointed Postmaster, and verv mmv otiier incidents of minor importance contributed to the .sum of life in the vicinity.

Duriri" this year the number of deatiis are stated to have been twenty-one. in addition to some seven or eight, who died within a sli'irt distance of the village. Of tlie former number, ten were adults, and eleven cliildren, varying in n'^e from three montlis to ten years, and <jf the whole nuud.er twelve died daring the month of .July. X-.twitlistanding this unusual mortality, and the fact that the summer was peculiarly unfavorable to health, the progress of settleuieut, and the general physical j)rosperity of the county wa- considered as highly satiswctory. A good bctrinninL' had" been made in various parrs of the county with regard tn permanent settlement, and the agricultural resources had been found to be rich in promise to the hand of in'instry. In addition to tliese advantages, the pineries were then, it is claimed, even with the disadvantai'es of a new beginning, yielding a richer reward for an equal outlay of money and labor tlian did the gold mines of California.

In .-hort, the year had been productive of much good; the value of its blessings were carefully estimated, and it was the knowledge of their e.xistence here that attracted inhabitants hither of moral and intellectual character, giving a higher and more healthy tone to society, and fostering every scheme for the ]iublic good.

AmontT the prominent citizens who came in during 18r)2, and have since been directly or indirectly identified with the growth and proirressive advancement of the city and surruunding country." were George Howard. George Scharpf, Dr. Nicolai, Adam Ekle, Mr. Blobmer. 1'. Clark,'T. Clark, Andrew Pfiffner, J."C. Fuhr, M. F. Ilidjbard, Alexander McMillan, Benjamin Simonton, John Simonton. Benjamin Brower, a dentist from Oliio; Dumonic Jchlen, Amos Elliott, Xicliolas Weber, and s-mie others whose names have escaped the memory of informatits.

Still, the people were dejiendent for supplies upon Galena. Dubuque. St. Louis and points generally down the river. The mill of Burns, Simonton & Co., furnished flour and commodities of kindred character, and when difiiculty was e.xjierienced in their procuration there, consumers had recourse to the mill at Prairie du Cliien. The year closed without either accident or incident worthy of mention, and the mivent of IS.'iO was welcomed with appropriate salutati'ins.

The spiing of IS."'-"] wa« early in its arrival. The roads through woods and plains v.ere earlier available for travel, and navigation was resumed the latter jiart of March. The streets of La Crosse were filled with strangers attracted hither - some to engage in legitimate business, some to embark in speculations, and others to continue their explorations into the lumber regions of the Black Biver countrv. New stores and warehouses had been contracted for, or were in progress of building; the saw-mill was in active operation, and others were promised. In short, it was stated that the business for the current year would be enormous, compared with annual statements previously submitted, and this, too, by men who reason from facts and not premises I'ateiitly inciurect.

In A](ril uf that year. La Crosse contained four stores for the .-ale of general merchandise, one diug. one harilware. one furniture, and one stove and tin store, three groceries, one bakery, one liverv stable, one harne^s-niaker, f>ur tailors, three shoemakers, three masons, one watebmakci, four blacksmiths, three painters, one wagon-maker, one surveyor, four millwrights, twenty ear]. enters, one butcher, one barber, one gunsmith, one turner, six physicians, six lawyer^, four elrigvmen. three religious societies, a Division of the Sons of Tern- ].eraiice. a Freemason's Lodge, one eliurch edifice, a court house, a steam saw and gri.-t mill and five hotels.

Of these latter, the Tallmadge House was finislied that spring by Tallmadge k Gridlcy. Ir. was G4 feet by -jO, four stories higli. ami was capable of accommodating one hundred and filty giifsts. The hotel was a conspicuous ohject on tlie corner of State ami Third streets, and one of the l;irge>:t and finest of atiy west of the lakes. The enterprising proprietors hud established a free 'bus fur con\eyinp: passengers to and from the boats, the house being situatrd so far back from the landing that this was the only means by which strangers could be induced to become jiatrons. The Western Enterprise, an old fiivorite, kei)t by Simeon Kellogg, and the New England, opened the spring of 18.')o by G. H. Wilson, both being on Front street near the steamboat landing.

As above stat-ed, travel was then brisk, every boat that arrived being crowded with Eastern ami Southern people seeking homes in the West, and considerable rivalrv wa.s produced between the hotels. The Tallmadge was advertised e.xiensively "as afl'ordiug peculiar advantages to the man of leisure, seeking the retirement of a country residence in summer, from the turmoil and iieat of a Southern city life," and many of its rooms at that time were occupied by Southern gentlemen and their fiimilies, v,ho came up the river on pleasure trips seeking healtli and quiet.

The present city is saiii to have presented a strange appearance at that early day, and consisted principally of one business thoroughfare - Front street, which straggled along from La Crosse River nearly to Paul's .Mill. From St;ite to Pearl street the wooden buildings were quite thick, yet in these ruile business structures, many of the leading merchants of to-dav developed an ambition and an enterprise that has since made their fortunes. At that tinie, Nicholas Ilintgen sold apples in a small fruit store near the corner of Front and Pearl streets with J. B. ilungcn, who has since jirospered in his emplov as Clerk : J. M. Lew kept store on ]'hont near Pearl, and owned a wharf-boat anchored at the foot of Pearl street, which was made the storehouse fur the discharge of freight hence by river. George Farnum was then a member of the firm of Ledyard, Farnum & Co., and Alexander McMillan was running a blacksmith shop on State street near Front. But the time.> have changed since then, and the pioneer points, as also tlie pioneers themselves, have changed with them. Many still live, rich in the fruition of hopes that were inspired in the days whereof mention is here made; others, less f 11 tunate, wait f n- the summoris to join the innumerable caravan, and are ready to go.

The Tallmailge House after jjassing through a checkered experience, being kept by R. I. Johnson, C. P. Sykes, a 'Slv. Mercer, 11. Harrington <.t Sons, and Mr. Bradley respectivelv, went up in smoke, the Western ilnterprise was subsequently known as the Kellogg House, w;:s razed to give place to the LiternationaL riid the New England FLjuse was destroyed in the conflagration of ]S.3T. The brick house ]iiu up this year, noted above, still stands, but the rude log and frame houses where commercial and marine La Crosse of a day th:it has gone, most did congregate, live only in the memories of those who knew them best.

Flarly in 1853, Daniel Raymond. A. Prent, Mr. Simms and Samuel McGovern made claims in the present tow-nship of Greenfield, erected cabins and began the life of pioneers in La Crosse County. Tiie country, within a radius of twenty-five miles of the countv seat, though comparatively thickly settled, wa« far from being entirely taken up, and La Crosse was then, as it has since continued to be, the most important and flourishing point in this portion of the State. The trips overland to this county were thvn made by wav of Milwauk'r, Watertown, Wyocena, Mauston, Sparta and other points, in ;, '-prairie schooner" drawn by o.\en, and the town.s mentioned, then small country hamlets, have since grown into thriving cities and towns. Ntar Portage, immigrants encountered sandy roads, and often became disheartened at the outhiok. At Mauston two or three houses and a saw-mill were the only objects of interest, and Sparta was equally unj.retentinu<. Between Sparta and La Cro-se tlie most prouiinent resident was Joshua Ridgley. Tlic Prunt, Markle, P>oach ami Gable families were aildcd to the inhabitants of Mormon Cooley. and witli thorn canu- two bachelors, Messrs. Hosraer and Miller. They kejit bachelors' hall ff<r awhile, but Miller got married and raised a familv, as aUo d:d his ],:irt!ier. J. F. Ibxmrr, who deserted (uie r.f the crd,ins erected by the Mi>r- II. 'ins t.. r-]iou-c a young lady naui.jd Goodrich, who came West with friends in l><'<\, and became a wife the same year. During this year, George Gale was (.'ountv Judge ; F. M. Rublee, Cnunty Treasurer; A.'Eldred, Slierifl"; Robert Loonev, Clerk of the Court ;° Ebene/.er Cliilds,

At the fall meeting, the name of the town of Pierce was changed to Havre, by which it lias since been known, and^the towns of Onala^ka, Burns and Faraiington organized. The county was being built up. and superior advantages were offered to purchasers of lands, both m l,a Crosse County us it u:i^ then survcved, and as it is at present bounded. One of the most important events of the year, and one producint; a visible effect upon the growth and development ot the county, was the establishment of the La^Crosse Democrat; another was the removal of the land office hither from Mineral Point.

Ciiase A. Stevens \min the editor of the paper, indulged political aspirations, and was a larfc land owner. The ivsulr was that he not onlv endeavored to secure political aggrandizement, but bent evrrv ener_'v to the advertising of the town. Tn doing this, the paper attracted the attention of Ea.Ctern c^ipitalists to the promising village of La Crosse, which the editor, and all citizens of even that early day, claimed was dc-^tined in the near future to become the " Gateway " leading to the rich, fer"tile country beyond tlie Mississippi. The prophetic wisdom of these gentlemen has indeed been vindicated ; the city founde.i by them has become what they claimrd i° would, and to-day occupies the proud position of being second in commercial im.portance to but one citv in the State. The means thus ably employed, were not witliout their effect. They brought "hither those whose attention had been attracted, and when tlie land office was opened, tlie'" business transacted not only amounted to thousands daily, but realized the fulfillment of an in-pii-ed prophecy, that a nation may be born in a day.

The land office was renuned here in June, with Col. Theodore Podolf, Receiver, and the lion. Cyrus K. Lord, Register. This year, these gentlemen erected an office on Third street, adjoining the Tulhnadrre House, and began business with no help but that furnished by tliemsfives. '^But thi.s did not last long. The entrie.-- became so numerous that a force of from ten to fifteen clerks was necessary, and then, ahhough laboring from daylight to dark, not nearly as much was disposed of as was hoj.ed for or expected by those who were anxious to enter claims.

Tiic scenes that were witnessed about this office were exciting, and of a character that in these days even of pu.sh and mercurial uncertainty, seem calculated to e.xcite the risibles of tlie least excitable persons. The motto was first come" first served, and the applicant who could first; make his claim or present his bid. was the chief, it might almost be said, among ten tliousand. Men began their vigil at the dawn of the day, and tarried late in the ranks to accomplish their object, while those °vlio came late, like the foolish virgins who had failed to trim their lamps, were, to appropriate the vernacular of a later day, "badly left.'' Sometimes men rcmaiuetl m line all night to secure an audience when tlio office opened, while some hired substitutes and contained theniselve> in patience, biding their time.

In is:,:;, the entries were comparati\ ely nominal in number until the latter jiart ot that year, but in lS;>i thev increased in a wonderful ratio - became epidemic, as it were, witliout benefit of clergy. nietaphoVicallv speaking'. Then it diminished, and gradually dropped off until the railroads came in about June. ]'^;V;. and made their selections of lands, after which the office was temporarily closed and the .luties of its officers suspemled. Ivirly in IS;')-), the entries, it might be here observe.l. of lands in La Crosse County, as defined by the last survey, were made at Mineral Point, tlnou-h Wa-hbuni .t Woodman. Milton Barlo'.v, Ch.rle-^ G. llanscom and Kramer OC Clinton - the hater, bank-rs, and. with those nieiitioneMl. re,-idenf^ of La Crosse.

The vast sums of money thus received shows to what an extent men of capital and character came to La Crosse in response to tlie representations made hy citizens who had come, and newspapers which had been established, since the days when Myrick resented the attacks of savages, and traders supplied the Indian's cravini; for ivaij-ky with distillations of red pejjpcr dashed with most execrable tobacco washin;^s. Nor was the guarding of these amounts until they could be deposited at Dubmiue attended witli an easeuf mind consei(uent upon success to safe depositories as can be had to-day. Mr. Hodolf was frequently annoyed with the care of these funds, and subjected to ceaseless vii^i] and sleepless care until they were s.dely assigned to the custodian to wliom they were directed.

Upon one occasion, sirkness in his family made it alino-t impossible for liim to venture away from home, even oilicially. While recounting this fact one ilay in his office, and regretting the affliction which had jiostpon.'d his regular journey to Dubmiue, a man present, with whom he was slightly acipiainted. explained that he was about to depart for that point, and would be pleased to discharge any commission lie might entrust to his discretion. Col. Rodolf interrogated him as to how he would go, and when, and retired with the remark that he would consider the subject.

It seems that tlie conversation between Col. Rodolf ami tlie would-be messenger had been overheard by a citizen, and during the afternoon he ailmonished the Colonel not to trust him with the amount to be deposited, .^1 II. 000, wdiich confirmed suspicions that had arisen in the lieceiver's mind, and decided his action in regard to the matter. The applicant was refused his profter, and Col. Rodolf dejjarted with the iDon(_-y for J)ubu<|Uv'. The same day the would-be messenger departed in an exceedingly su-piei'iis manner, accoinpauied. as was afterward ascertained, by the wife of one of the original pioneers and best-known citizens of this portion of the State. His anxietv to c;iirv the money became apparent wdien his escapade n'as discovered, and the Register felicitated liimself uj.on the exercise of a caution that spared him subsequent woe. The absconding coujile were heard of in California in after years, whence she returned and died, her husband d'-i',ivto remaining there, while her luisband t/e Jure, who was left in La Crosse, lived to a hale old age before he was touched by the Master of mortality.

This incident is not related as evidence of the class who came to La Crosse in early times. In truth, but very few, if any. of a iinestionablc ciuiracter fnund an abiding-place here. The men who remained were of a dilTerent grade - fair types of a generation that is rapidly assimilating with the fiast; of a grenadier of the old regime who never in any sudden storm or rally, desperate melee or sonviwful encounter fjrgot to doff his [dumed hat to an adversary, and cry out through his gray moustache, as he shortened his sword arm : En gardi'.''

The improvements tliis year, in addition to those already mentioned, consisting of the hotels, Recei\er's office, lirick house on Fr..)nt .street, etc., al.-o included a schooliiouse on or near the present site of the Tliinl W'anl Schoolhouse, numerous dwellings, wdiich numbered on January 1, 18.34. upward of one hundred in varieius parts of the village, as far out as Filth street.

Of the settlers, 13-2 were natives of New York, s of Rlioile Island, 37 of Massncliusetts, 5t3 of Vermont, u' of Ohio, 16 of Pennsylvania, 14 of Illinois, 9 of New Hampshire; 10 of Missouri. '29 of Maine. 9 of Virginia. I'of Connecticut. 5 of Indiana, 8 of South Carolina, -2 of Tennessee, 3 of Canada, 2-3 of En-land. 13 of Ireland. 4 of \Vales, 31 of Norwa3% 2S of Germany. 7 of Scotlaml, 1 of Switzerland. 1 of Prussia. 1 of Sweden. 1 of Belgium. 1 of Nova Scotia. 4 of France, and the remainder of Wisconsin. At this time, too, choice lands could be purchased within ten mile^ of La Crosse al SI. 25 an acre.

On the 31 st of December of the same year a eciisus of the'population resulted m sliowing an increase of nearly two hundred, divideil as follows:

Number of heads of families in La Crosse and vicinity, 301 ; number of single gentlemen, 78; number of single ladies. 38; number of male children. lo'J : number of female children, 1C.9. Total, 745.

Xeailv cverv bonr from below brought passeniiers either for town or country. Of tiie backcountry farms then opened too much could not be said. The valleys of La Crosse were not claimed as equal to those of Genesee, hut as the sequel has proved, equally as fertile. At that early ilay crops of vegetables and cereals had been raiscil. ami iio country in the Northwest aiTorded e(|Ual advantages to those .~eeking a home.

I'he year 1854 found evcrv man iu ti.'wn ainl counirv ""up and ilrrs.<cd" for bu.siness. The Contract between this and the season of l>."i3 was b.th marked and wonderful. The arrivals included amoii.2 the more prumiiient, C. L. C"lnian, Jorsepli Pasclie, W. B. Ilanscom. S. M;irtinilale, Milo Pitkin, Samuel Cam['bell and others. In tliis connection, it might be here remarked that the rapid pron:re?s of La Cro>se from and after 1853, botli in town and county, forbids the attempt to mention the names of daily arrivals, as they came too thick and fast to be correctly recorded. The rapidity with which the county was settled up from this date e.xoited the wonder of all who came here. This was to be accounted for, however, on the hypothesis that statements made in its behalf at a prior day, as to fertility of soil, beauty of landscape and salubritv of climate, tempted all to resc from their wanderings and become one of the producers of this portion of the State. The emigration and settlement of that day was composed of men that should be properly found among tliose who assumed the task of preparing a home for themselves and tho.'Je who wt-ro to succeed them, of building upon the strong foundation, already laid, a county that .should stand in its relations tu other counties and the commonwealth as aconstituencv equal to the greatest of thi-m. Availing themselves judit-iously of tliC advantages which surrounded them, Uiey have made a paradise of the wilderness, ar.<l have thus been compensated for the privations they encountered and di.ssipated.

By 18.54, these advantages had become prominent, and this was apjiareut in the appreciation in' the value of property. Early in the spring, N. Myrick, who in 1847 removed to ^linnesota, but still T'etained his'title to jiruperty in La Orosse, sold a middle lot, fronting the river, on Front street, for §1,400 cash. This same lot, three years previous, was oHered for $75. Thei'e were no improvements on it. but the price was considered cheap.

Soon after this, a portion of the real property belonging to the estate of Charles P. Janssen was sold at auction, ami eighty acres lying two miles east of the village limits, brought §:22 per acre for the west half, and S15 for the balance. From this it will be seen that property, which had been a drug on the market in 1851, was thne years later selling at prices ranging from $200 to S20'por acre. The ])resent corner of Fourth and Main streets, occupied by Giles' building, could have been purchased iii 1851 for S2ii; now it could not be had for §25,000. There was no place in the Nortliwe-t at the tiuie of whicli mention is here made, that couhi boast of such an increase in values, and none where the prospects of a continued increase were more gratifying.

In the'spring of 1S54, the present town of Washington was first settled by John Johun, who built a log cabin, a^id was soon after joined bv John P. Schafer and John Riley, both of whom made claims ami piissed the season in preparing the land for future cidtivation. John Bradley, James Gdlfdlian, William Clillfillian, 11. L. A'an W.nmer, Mr. Harrington, Ira Coleman. F. B. Kichardfcon and .lames Bichardson settled in Burns the same year: T. 11. Fynon, David Jones, William I'rice. John ^Villiams. Bichai.i Whehlon, C. F. West. R. It. Morris, H. ];. Johns and Peter Sa.xer in Bangor; Christopher Kerchmer, in Greenfield: Johnson llowr, Benjamin Howe, Thomas IrwinrJohn Miller, Henry Reutz, Frederick Betz. Carl Fucht and .Mr. Lambert, in the town of iiarrc; and large accessions to Holland, Hamilton and other townships. The st-ttlers were men who came to stay, possessing energy, some capital, and unlimited confidence in tlie results of their labors. The families of some accompanied them hither, and endured the priva-^ lions, perjih'xities and trials incident to the building of a pioneer cabin and the arrangements of a pionei-r liome. Others came alone, and, when they had concluded such arrangements, were joined by their wives. Manv of tlie burs that in th^ise days were deemed commodious and comfurtable." w.iuld not. in these days of grandeur and fa^tidmus :csthetics, be regarded with other than a critic's eye. ]]ut tho>e" times have pa-^ed. Tiiose homrs have seen much of joy and sorniw ; they served the ]iurposes for which they were built, and may stnnd to-day as monuments to the grit, ]duck, enterprise and indefatigable perseverance of the race of men who are reeoL'iilzed as their foundeis.

Improvemeiit^ throu::hout the county were in proporii(Ui to the accessions and increase in the number of inhabitants. In tlie spring of 1854, the village of Bangor was laid oat on land owned bv John Wiiehh.ii. and has since grown to he a jirosperous corporation and an important station on the Milwaukee .v St. Paul read. Other towns and villages were proposed

In the town, which hiis since grown into a city with all that the name implies, business was brisk in the spring, filling off as the hot weather came on, increasing with its disappearance, and "booming" with the fall and wititcr seasons. The improvements were substantial, and, in some cases, elegant, and included those of transportation, as also those of an established and permanent Ivpe. At that time, tlie T,a L'rosse i^ Milwaukee liailroad was completed to Horicon, whence its compdetion to La Crosse, where it would receive the trade of the Upper Mississippi and add thousands to the piipulation and wcihh of the young city, was only a question of time. At this time, 81-5,000 had been suliseribed in the county to the road, and its building was an established fact. The improvement in river navigation was likewise flattering. From irregular trips and comparatively inconvenient crafts the trade commanded six new stearner.s - all built daring the winter of lS5o-:J4, and touching at T,a Crosse daily, to wliieli tliey also brought the mail three times per week. The mail receiijts had increased beyond comparison, and the time between La Crosse and New York hud been K-s-ened to five d.iys.

In other re-pects, the prospi vity daily to be witnessed was pronounced. Tiie cutting and manufacture of lumber on Black KivrT was this year quoteil at twi^nty-five millions of feet. Two steam sawmills were o[ierated. the iirnduet of which was large, and the population of tlie city Was increaseil by tlie arrival of twenty iiifant "badgers.''

In the midst of this delightful experience, the hand of deatli was readied fjrtli unexpectedly and smote tlie family of one with its might, causing a feeling of gloom to pervade the community and a defect upon the landscape which until then had appeared so charming.

In the fall of li~i5-3, an enterprising Buckeye, liailing froni Cincinnati, came to La Crosse to once more drag to tlie surface honors and wealth ho had lost at the La-t, anil ojiened a bakery, the fir.-,t of its kind in La Crosse, in the old Black Uiver House, v, hi^di then stood un Front street, between Main and State. Here, aided by his wife, son aiid daughter, lie toiled early and late, mid, befjre the season was passed, had worked up a business that jiromiscd to increase as the months and years drifted downward on the tide of Time. At some undecided date of this year, a passing boat unloaded from its gang-way the dead body of a passenger wdio had died from that awful scourge the small-po.x. and departing left behind it the swollen and corrupting seeds of disease and death. Through some unexplained negligence the action of the boat-olhcers could not be prevented, and in a few days thereafter Mr. Simpson became inoculated and was stricken down. As soon as possible, he was removed to ;ni improvised pestdiouse on the prairie, but not until his entire family, having been exposed, evidcni-ed the fact that they were not pn.iof against the contagion. After a brief period of watching and waitinL'. the tirst to be seized died, and was laid to rest : but scarcely had his mortal remains still'ened in deatli before his family, too, took on the pale seal and slept by his side "neatli the elods of t!ie valley. Strange a- it inav seem, the cases in La Crosse were limited to these, tlie health of the tiiwn and county being otherwise remarkably good.

In La Crosse tillage, buildiiiLf during the summer was not so extensive as might be supp'lsrd. Tlie great scarcity of si-n-uned lumljcr w.i- attributed as tlii> cause, but notwithstanding thi> disadvantage, several fine buildings were fuit up, which added inaterially to the appearance of the place.

Among these was the building of N. H. Smith i Co., located on Front street, and com- )deted in forty days. The ground lloor was occupied by its builders, dealers in general merchandi-e, while the upper iloors were appropriated to the uses of the La Crosse hhlfprnulent Ji, 1)1. Brown oi; Fales, hardware merchants, erected a building oppo-ite that of Smith <'". Simeon Kellugg completed a three-story building to the rear of the Western Enterprise ill r./!, r.onrr uf Secrnd and Tearl .-treets. (icorge JelTrey built a t.iilor's shop, south of t!ie ^W^tenl iMiterjirisc. X. Ilintgon opened a salo-in, Mr. Carpenter a shoe store. Mr. Marshall I XI haiigi-, and B. V. Stocking, a billiard room, all lUi the same tlioroiiLdifare. .Vdiled to these, but already referred to, were the business houses of J. M. Lew, Hastings i Hoar, F. M.

Among other items of interest which then uiaterializorl, and has since become a prominent factor, was the whoh-sale trade which this year was first inaugurated. It was noticeable that teams froru distant parts of the country were to be seen on the streets daily, the vehicles to which they wore attached loaded with all kinds of goods for merchants and traders in the villages, which were then in jirogress of growth in the valleys of Black, La Crosse and Root Rivers and elsewhei'e in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The merchants, acting upon the suggestion of the weekly paper, that l^a Crosse was fully able to cope with Galena. Dubuiiue and other prominent marts for trade, determined to court the ]iatronage of those who had purcliased at more eastern depots, and th.o results confirmed imjjressions theretofore creatcil. They began a policy then of olTering inducemeiits to small country traders, wdio were in want of small lots of goods, but wanted them often, which has since obtained with profit and enlianced the relations thereofter existing' between La Crosse and the surrounding country.

This year the elements .'^eemed to combine to promote a realization of all things regarding the village and cminty of La T'l-osse unto all men. Never before had the crops been known to have yielded more abundantly nr to have been more sntisfactorily secured. There was a jiroiluctiveness in the soil that even astonished Western men to witness, and there was labor for all who sought supi)ort or encouragement. Xew firms were organized, new- mail routes were established, new enterprises undfitakpn. Daring this year, too, politics came more prominently before the people an(l were miire geiierally canvassed than at any previous time, and the canvass was materially aided by the presence of organs representing opposing political parties. Thus was the seed sown at an early day for political divisions in this city ami county, whidi have ever been maintained.

Late in Sejiteaiber, a steam ferry was added to the improvements of the year, and in the f'.ll. as already noted, the business of the village was simply immense. In October, the stenmer War lvii;le hradeil si.-vty passengers at thi^ vdiirf upon one trip, nearlv all of \vliom were settlers. Tlie vilhige presented a lively appearance th;i.r fill, rebtes ouc who was here tluMi, in its business streets, and it was really wonderful tfj thosr who wen; unac'iuainted with the rise and progress of western towns how business- h:i 1 accumulated at this point. The hotels ware filled with straiiir.-rs. wi.^ii Irring that La Crosso was but three years old ! The stores were crowded from nj'irning till niirht, and in many of them large forces of clerks were employed and kept continn dly busy in filling orders, packing goods, etc. The steamboat landings were storehouses for nieri'handise and produce, and Front street was almost im{)assab!e from the crush of teams which congreizat./d tiirre from all direiTious. In tli.it month, the value of real estate in La Crosse )orted by the State Hiard at .?."c'o.ii'lil ; the v.duation of villa-,' lots at .S.JO.OHH: >p-rty at .-iilD.iMld, ;,iid the amount of State tax assessed at 1^2:^.. VI. id a of this success the truth compels an admission that in spite of the existence churche'--. and the nir.ral inlluence thereby e.xerted, the spirit of unrighteousness was abroaii, and upon occa<ions ,-vd ran will in the sunsldne. Heferriiig to a stabbing afiVay that occuri-ed in Xovt-mber. in whiidi a young m:m named Kuirene RidLdey narrowdy esca[)ed witli his lii'o, the p.aprrs condemUL-d the condjiioi; "i afi'iir- as then permitted to e.xist. Street brawlers and niudit loafir-. saturated with bad whi.^ky, mad.' darkness hideous with blasjdiemy and epithets, and rcspectablo people remained at home r.ather than encounter insults. Blacklegs, pickpockets and muurauders, in their trips up and down the river, made La Crosse their stopping phioe. and their rooms and resorts were the rendezvous for crime. Into these tlie unsopliisticatcd were lured and robbed of their money as :i!?o of their character.

Thisnvas due. in part, to the absence of suflicient peace power, and in part to the rapid and prosperous growth of the place. And yet this element ^^as not so pronounced and prominent a factor as in other places, and with the comjdeinent of municipal protection which came with years, was gradually but eflcctually wiped out.

The most important item of interest to happen during the closing sci^on of the year was an attempt made in December to procure a removal of tlie county seat from La Crosse to Palmer's Mills in the town of Xesdonoc. ',]uite an excitement was caused among the citizens of tlie village bv this rumor, which was onlv suppressed when it became known that the attempt had failed.

The argument used in ftvor of the removal was, that it would build uji another town in a desirable portion of the county, thus rendering property more valuable, and accomplishing other desirable ends. But the promoters of the scheme failed to convince the County Board of its expediency, and u]ion a submission of the question it was defeated five to one, to the infiiiitD delight and peace of miml of tli-j residents of the river city."

The year closed with a population claimed for the village of 1,500, brought hither by oio steamers between March '2'-] and November '2'^, and during which period o,4S.ii guests registered at tlie \Vestcrii Enterprise.

The spring of 1855 brouglit to the people of county and village a realization of what nature and man's ingenuity combined had sought for. Emigration was not only large but continuous, and the men who came increased the value of material interest in tlieir new home. Houses ^\ ere erected, stores opened, business established, communication with distant points regular, farms opened and cultivated, and every resource available tending to develop the country and render it attractive employed with more than moderate success. There were privations, too, which the settlers were forced to accept, but ihev were met with courage and endured with patience.

Witii such agencies and powerful influences, it would be strange if the advancement of La Crosse and the region round about had been long delayed. Yet all was not sunshine and gladness, and heaven at all times did net appear near by. Dark and sorrowful clouds shut out the d'iv at times, and there were hours when the fire wr.uld not burn on the hearth of these toiling settlers. But rests were taken bv the weary, and tones from an eloquent, but unseen source, woke up the querulous heart. There were sunny souls there also full of hope, whose trust in the future never failed, and, though the skies of promise were clouded over witli the threateninfs of disaster, thev knew that other days would come again wiien the grass wouM be green and the flowers be bright. This class of men are the souls of enterprises of great pith and moment. The men w"ho weave golden fillings into the web of life, who are swift and ready to ilo the work which is set before thern, not to snap the delicate silver threads and blame heaven that they were uiade of tangled ends. But persevering unto the end, working, waiting, hoping, praving, until tlje dawning of more perfect days - or until the patient watch and long vigil is rewardeil at the pearly gates of Paradise.

New Year's was celebrated uitli due honors and fe-tivities throughout the county, the festivities passing off without excesses or debaucheries of any kind.

A cheerful item of profit and entertainment in the village, born during the spring, were the luctures and debates of the La Crosse Lyceum. Before intelligent and interested audiences, F. A. .Moore unbosomed himself of -' His Yiews of the Times ; " D. W. Gillfillian discoursed on Kiiow-Nothingism : " H. E. Hubbard and others on appropriate subjects, while "Women's Plights " and '- Prohibitory Laws " were debated with a forensic skill and eloquence indescribable. These, witli sleighing parties and baclielor soirees," constituted the quality of entertainn.ents offered during the season ap{iropriate to festivities.

^Yith the return of warm weather which came at intervals with the first of the spring months, the energies of farmers and the business community were naturally awakened, and the people themselves brought to a full realization of their fair prospects for the ensuing season. As the snow disappeared and the signs of early opening of navigation became apparent, all rejoiced at the prospective resumption of connection with towns " down the river," the merchants became busy taking an account of stock in making preparations for an Eastern trip to replenish and get re;uly fir the sjiring and summer trades.

As early as M;,rch, carpenters were hard at work fitting up old buildings an! providing new ones, as also in paving the way for the advent of fresh arrivals, wI;o would join issue with those already in the county so soon as travel by river was opened. Indeed, the prospects f)r a general and urquecedented increase in mercantile and mechanical channels was quoted by those immediately interested as, to express it commercially, " Gilt Edged." The contemplaied survey of railroads and turnpikes in tlie spring, the jirogress in construction of those already under way, and other undertakings in esst\ seemed to stimulate the enterprise of business men and urge them to new efi'orts in sustaining the well-deserved reputation of the count}' and village abroad, as also did Us important location.

The river rrniained closed by the ice until A)iril 2. wdien it " passed out," and, three days latf-r, the War l';ugle landed at the La Crosse wharf crowded v.-ith passeiigers ati'l making an addition of one iiundred to the populaiion of the county.

In the country prospects were equally a^ cheerful. The weather was all that could be de.sired, warm, pleasant, peculiarly adapted to prcjiare the ground for the reception of spring seeds. Tlie st<-rnness of winter yielded to the gentle influence of a warmer season, the bird's sang, the ilowi-rs bloomed, :uid all nature seemed to smile ;uid dance in the sun-bine.

.As the sciisoii ad\anced, the prosperity of the city and country continued without interruption. It was a year of unparalleled success, say those conversant with the facts. Nearly everybody made money, and those wlio held title to tracts of land in the county, or lots in the vilhi^e, Were reganled as men «"lio were fortunate in their posscssiLm. The year was attemleil witli no visionary fabrics, but plain, sober realities; the growth of every interest had been substantia! - merchants experience'! no Lirounht in their line of supplies, but a legitimate and steady increase of their buHinp>s by the continued growth and ]irosperitv of the surrounding country. Nor had this growth and easy times resulted t'i\>ri] newspaper [lutiing, traveling agencies or laudatory pamphlets sent out into the world ami scattered broadcast ; but it proceeded from the real, natural advantages of the country, the desirable location of its t'jwns and the enterprising spirit of citizens residing witliin its limits. This being true, it was concluded that the prosperity an<l growth, admitted by rivals, would increase according to tlie eft'orts employed in that behalf, for an indefinite period, or so long as the country and liberality heretofore displayed was lefc and exercised. The projected enterprises, which at that time included the La Crosse tV' Milwaukee and Ijouthein Minnesota Piuihoails, new packet companies, turnpikes and roadways into Minnesota, Iowa and elscwliere, would be completed in time, and wherever they extended, business would be sure to go. To accomplish this, unity of action was necessary, and action by citizens.

Ileal estate, during the summer, hail advanceil, tliouLdi in the spring prices had boon paid for propcity that would to-day be esteemed more than a fair return. As for example, .Mrs. Mary Smith sold eighteen acres of land in the country for the sum of .^-3,000, cash ; this wa.s iti June. Some weeks later, a Mi'. Jolmsou sold his house and lot on Fifth street for §1,500, and Mr. Kimball his house and lot on Fourth street, noi'tli of the court house, for -Si. 000. Un the ll'th of Se))teniber, a sale of the real estate properly of tlje J Ion. 'J'imothy Jvains was made, at wiiich the number of liidders is said to have been large, ami tlie juices high, even for La Cros.-e and the times. One fact noticeable v\as that the profierty was sold at a large advance upon the appraised value, citizens and strangers being surprised at the demaml and avidity cxhibitcil for desirable business lots by business men. This was also considered a truthful realization of the real solid ad\antages La Crosse possessed over towns between Ihibiujue and St. Paul. Five j'ears previous, the best of tliese lots had been purchased for .'^L2.") ]ier acre; the property consisted mostly of swamp and blutf lands, and brouglit a total of iipwai-il of Sit), 000.

As property througliout the year increased in wurth it advanced in ]irice, ami what had seemed high to strangers in .January was jiurchascd by them before fall, and consid..-red a rich i'lVestinent. All the cnuntry contiguous to the village made steaily proci;re;s in tiiis direi'tion also, anil that entered S'_>uie time before at Government prices was m'.ire than trebled in value before the year closed. As the country filled up, tliis aiivance was luj.intained, and additinnal facilities were offered to market lots and lands.

With regard to rents, the scarcity of tenements made them very high. The number who remained in the town was oidy limited by the capaidly f.ir accommodation. Had there beeii room foi more families, more would have remained. Large numbers, it is said, went elsewhere for want i>f a proper place to shelter them.

Thf continued arrival of settlers and jiersons seeking homes in the Nortliwest was another subject of remark. Luring the mmith of April it i- estimated that 10,000 passed through Galena for points up the river. Many came to La <_h"Sie, besides those who came hither by overlanil route, while the stages fruin iJaraboo and I'ortage City came in each evening laden with passengers. To this may be added the numerous emigrants in their own wagons, working tlieir way to the West. These settlers distributed themselves in the choice locati(>ns to be found in the Mississijipi cnunties of ^\ i>t'o:l.^in and Mimusota. n.itably Lad Axe, La Crosse, I'rempealeau, Lutl'alo and Fierce in the former, and lloustun and I'lllneiie in the latter. Those who settled in tli< -e coiuities made them laigelv tributary to La Crcsse, and aijded greatly tu its progre.-s. (Jii the oppc^iie .-ide of tlie rivrr niimeriuis town- began to come int'i existence, among whirh may be mentioned Lome, Lrmiklyn, llokah, Iloustiui, Chatfield, Caledonia, Fayetteville. etc., all prospering. enininerieiMiients of future villages. Surrounding them was us fine a country a.-> cuild be fouml, which was rapidlv being taken possession nf by men who since that dav have brought it under the hand of cultivati'iii. La Crosse was the outlet of tliese towns, iiiid La Cro5<e County was tlievt-by bt.'nefitt'il. And that county was not behind the vilhige in growth. Alrao>t every look of the eye upon the prairie di.seovered some new-made preparation for buildinsj; by -settlers who erected sliehers for themselves preliminary to putting up more substantial ijuarters. The arrivals were principally of a class which benefits a town, giving it a reputation abroad and enhantinL' its reputation at home.

The business and lumber interests were not less advancdl than the sale of lands and advent of settlers. I<"avoi-ou at occasional intervals v.itli copious rains, ;iiid aflni'ded every convenience possible for the times, the men of business were enabled through thi« ye;ir to prosecute their enterprises to a favorable termination. Likewise the farmers and lumbermen prospered for whom there was an abunilance of work ami fair returns. In the village, never since La Crosse was regarded worthy of rank among the \\'c<iern towns had jiro.spccts for all kinds of business been more favorable. The wonderful increase in the amount of cajiital invested, and of persons employed in all branche-' of trade and agiieultnr" in the imiiudiate vicinity of tlie village and its dependtncies, together with the accumulating wealtli of all. added new energy to the hopeful, and renewed the confidence of those disposed to be encouraged.

The business on lUack Pviver this year had been measurably better than during the year p)evious, and would be more than double, it was contemplated, in the year to come. The operators would re(|uire twice the usual amount of sup])lies, the merchants would need larger stucks, and the mechanics more workmen to fulfill the engagements and meet the necessities of tlieir customers. The feelings of business men, it might be stated at that tiii}e, more or less ebbed and flowed with the water in IMack Piiver, a fall there indicating a decrease in the busy marts of the village, wliile a bank" was a sure j'r.i-pect of a full .stork and a heavy trade.

The crops for L^-'j.j weie ct.nsiilered go^id. and farmers, with t'nc balance of those here resident, reaped rich returns and projei'ted e.\ten>ive improvements for the year to come.

During the year, building, regulated by the law of necessity, was decidedly brisk. The market was well sujiplied with materials, and the piices were good. As a resttlt, a great number a\ailed themselves of the opportunity to build and otherwise improve their places of business. On State street, between the Mississi;)pi Hou-e and the river no less than five new buildings designed and u^i.mI fbr t-liop. ^tcM-e and hntel puiposes were ercited. Front street, between Ijevy's Ijandiiig and w:trolioiHe and wliat was known u> the I'liper Landing, was generallv built up. ()n the prairie, new bou-i-s were to be ob-erved in every direction, lots being broken and fenced, and trees, borli fruit and urnanienta', [)lanted with a liberal hatid.

Educationally, the village was su])plied ^viih a substantial and well supported school and a'.-aclmiy, wdjile during tiie winter the e.xercises at the lyceura were attended with interest and profit. The religiijus element was prominent, and the concrre'T;itions of lariro' and growin" ilinien<njns.

Li all these ami other respects, the outhiok w;is gratifying. New houses were opening and to be op.jncil. iindmltng ;'i banking house, and all interests were properly conserved and balanced.

Ciirisiuias \sa< also obser\ ed in a manner peculiar to the dav. ami the year departed, leavini; behind it the nn-mury of much that was gratifying to those w ho "had taken part in its enjoyments.

The future prospi-rity id' the county had been secured since its birth lour years before, and the settlers, in it-; fertile territoi-y, confided in a continuance of prudence, iiiilustry. ener 'v and

Since 185o. the history of I.a Crosse County ha> been as the history of individuals. The panic of 1857 produced its effect, but she is le^s celebrated for having survived that effect than for having destroyed the causes which promoted its development. During the war for the per- ]ietuity of the Union her etYorts wore contributed to the successful consummation of that object. The county is absolutely free from debt, the agricultural and commercial resources to be found within hor limits are inexhaustible, and fortune beckons to every age and race to identify themselves with her interests and become partakers of her bounty.

Tlius far lias the historian sought 'o perpetuate the leading incident.s in a history of Li Crosse County. He may hav^ succeeded imperfectly, but he has labored earnestly, enthusiastically. There are those stiil living who remember some of the incidents herein recorded, in vrhose breasts the old fire has not died out altogether. But many have gone hence to be heard of in other lines of life ; many to be heard of no more forever, for the green earth has opened its arms to weary lives who came into La Crosse with the dawn of its earliest days, and staid until summoned to that sleep lie giveth his beloved.

At the date of the organization of the Territorial Legislature at Belmont in 1S3G, the prcsetit county of La Crosse was included in Crawford County, but had no representation in the Council, nor was she thus represented until the first session of the second legislative assembly convened -.it Madison Nov. '28, 1886. At this date, George Wilson was elected and served until IS 10^ when he resigned, and was succeeded by Joseph Brisbois. That gentleman, in turn, resigned, and Charles J. Learned was elected to fill the vacancy thus created. The succeeding members of the Council were Theodore La Chappelle, 1842: iliram Knov.dton, 184.3 ; Benjamin Y. Manahan, 1847.

In the Constitutional Convention which assembled at Madison October 5, 1846, Peter A. R. Bruce was elected the delegate from Crawford County, yielding place to Daniel G. Fenton as delegate to the conventi')n of 1848, whicli framed the constitution subseijuently adopted bv the popular vote.

After the admission of the State. La Crosse was represented in the county of CruvTord until regularly set apart as an independent county in lSi>l, as follows : spriniT of 1S.51. lie was sm-ceoded bv Iloii. George Gale, wlio was elevated to that position in the f:dl of the fame ve;ir. In lSo3. R. C. Van Rens.selaer was elected, holding the position till 1868. James I. Lyndes followed, but resigned in 1859. Samuel S. Burton was appointed to the vacancy, and, at'the expiration of the term, was elected to serve an additional terra, which ho held till 18(i5. Hugh Cameron followed, holding till 1870. Capt. Daniel Webster came next, but soon resigned" ids place being filled by B. F, Bryant, who was appointed by Gov. Fairchild to serve for the unexpired term. C. S. Benton came next, and was re-elected in 1877, vesin-nintr in March, 1881. Hugh Cameron was then appointed, and since then elected to serve till January, 1886.