Good Old Days 

May 6, 1876

By Dee Zimmerman

Last Wednesday we were favored with a vase of flowers gathered from under the snow by little Mabel Dudley.  They were presented as a proof of the fact “that flowers do come before summer” in this latitude.  Our heartfelt thanks are given in return for the compliment.

Wm. Seley, who had been engaged in the hotel business, in this village, for the past few months, has purchased the Hunter’s House on the Humbird road, of Mr. Rand, and removed to that point, where he is prepared to administer to the wants of the traveling public.

Last Thursday night a chandelier, in Dr. J. C. Lacey’s drug store, containing four kerosene lamps fell just after the lamps had been lighted, breaking them into a thousand pieces.  Fortunately the lamps were extinguished in the fall and no damage was done except demolishing the fully equipped chandelier.

For the benefit of hotel proprietors and stocking-less guests we are requested to suggest to a young man from a neighboring village that he had better leave the “purp” of his home when he visits these parts again.   A dog that cannot make a meal on less than three pairs of socks is not wanted here.

Old Probabilities has been sending us a storm every other day for the past week.

The logs drive on the upper river and its tributaries “hung up” last Saturday.

The attendance at church is unusually large just now.  The spring styles are perfectly elegant.

Catholic services will be held in the New Court House in this village Sunday, May 21^st and June 18^th, by L. Spitzlberger, Priest.

A few days ago one of James Delaine’s children, the baby, swallowed a bureau key.  Dr. Crandall was called, and succeeded in saving the little fellow and restoring the key use for which it was intended.

That old bridge above Austin & Co’s mill is not considered safe, and is anything bur a credit to the town.  It should be removed and replaced by a new one.

A few pleasant days and the outside work on the Court House will be completed.  The windows are being furnished with inside shades.  The Court House tower is nearly finished.

Leeks do not improve the flavor of butter to the taste of ordinary mortals.  Butter-makers should endeavor to keep the cows from feeding upon them.   The way to purify rancid butter – make soap out of it.

The appearance of the village could be greatly improved by removing wood-piles and rubbish from the streets. 

A new school house is being built in the village of Humbird that will be a great credit to the place, as it would be to a much larger town.  The building is 50 x 30 feet on the ground, with two stories, twelve feet between joists, with seating capacity for 180 pupils.  The building is to be completed by the first of September.  It is to be equipped with monitor seats manufactured by Sherwood Company of Chicago.   The building when completed and furnished will cost $3,000.  The school house site, containing one acre, was donated by the West Wisconsin Railway Co.

The attempt to supply us with fractional currency with silver coin has practically resulted in making small change a very scarce article.  The currency withdrawn from circulation when the silver took its place was sent to Washington, while the silver went into the pocket of individuals who couldn’t bear to part with it, and it will probably be withheld until the bottoms begin to drop out of their pockets, when they will be only too glad to get rid of it and will revenge themselves by turning it over to those less fortunate who in turn will carry it until they share the same fate.  The novelty will wear off at about the same ratio with pockets, and in the end it will be devoted to the use intended.

H. M. Weston will receive proposals until May 15^th for building a Methodist Episcopal Church at Greenwood, size 32 x 56 feet, 20 feet posts, to be finished as per specifications, except stone work, and to be completed by Nov. 1^st, 1876.  Committee: Thomas Miller, H. M. Weston and S. M. Andrews.

Tri-Weekly Stage Line from Loyal to Spencer, F. C. Hartford, Prop.

S. F. Jaseph’s Harness Shop – Harnesses, Trunks, Satchels, Pelisses, Whips, Bells, Saddles, Horse Blankets, and Harness Repair.

Lee’s Dollar Sale – Six 2 lb. cans peaches for $1.00; 2 lbs. Green Tea $1.00; 1 lb Best Gunpowder $1.00; 10 lbs Canned Prunes $1.00

Hewett & Woods of Hewettville: Flour, Feed and Feed Mills.  Also lumber of all kinds delivered in any part of the County at reasonable rates.  We have a large and Commodious Hotel with excellent Barns and Stables: Located west of Neillsville, on the way to Humbird.

Clark County will be represented at this year’s Centennial.  Spaulding, Van Hoosear & Co. of Unity, have just cut for a Wisconsin Central Company, to be exhibited at the Centennial:  One 12 ft. white oak log; one 12 ft. black oak log; one 12 ft. basswood log (containing 590 ft.) one hard maple (375 ft.); one butternut (530 ft.).  P. A. Maloney, superintendent of the m9ills, also prepared for exhibition a bunch of shingles.  One hundred pieces made a bundle.

The old Court House will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder on Wed., June 7, 1876.  The building is one that might be made into a dwelling house at no great cost, and being of little use to the county a good bargain will be given to someone.

May 1896

The 5^th annual reunion of Clark County, Spencer and Marshfield will be held in this city June 10, 11 and 12.  Every reunion held here in former years has been a success, both in attendance and entertainment.  A reduced rate of one and one third fare on the Omaha, Wis. Central and Green Bay railroads has been secured which should bring a large attendance from the northern part of our county and neighboring towns.  A large tent will be set up for exercises during the day, and seats will be put up.  The opera house will be engaged for two evenings, prominent speakers from abroad will be here.  Business men and those not in businesses are being asked to contribute toward the expenses.

Julius Drescher is preparing to build a new barn on his farm on Pleasant Ridge.

May 1906

We suggest that on Arbor Day the citizens of Neillsville turn out with teams and scrapers, hoes and rakes, grass seed and rollers, and give finishing touches to the high school campus.  The high school scholars would be glad to take part, and with a hundred hoes and rakes the big ground would soon be complete.

The Owen Minstrels gave a benefit performance for the Catholic Ladies Cemetery Assoc. at Thorp on Saturday evening.  The performance was of high or order and greatly appreciated by the audience.

Stay at the Dresden Hotel, only $1.00 a day, free bus included.

Dwyer & Wolff have bought out the meat market heretofore run by McIntyre & Betz in the old Tom Lowe stand.  The shop they have been running on Sixth Street has been closed and hereafter we will have only one market.

The patrons of the Greenwood post office will be pleased to learn that H. H. Hartsop has been reappointed by President Roosevelt to succeed himself as Postmaster.

Dining room chairs at 60¢, 75¢, 85¢, 90¢ or $1.10 apiece by Tragsdorf, Zimmerman & Co. are certainly cheap, at the present furniture prices.  Call and see them

Farm wagons, spring wagons and milk wagons of all sizes and of our own make at the lowest possible prices at Wolff & Korman, Hewett St., in Neillsville.

Cotton Ball, May 11 – The ladies of the Unitarian Church announce their Cotton Ball for Friday, May 11, at the opera hall with music by the orchestra of the Second Regiment Band, including harp.  The hall will be prettily decorated.  Tickets: covering everything $1.00.  Dancing from 9 to 2 o’clock

Notice to those whom it may concern: The furnace installed by the Neillsville Heating & Plumbing Co. at Mapleworks church has been paid for as the committee agreed.

Charlie Yankee, proprietor of a cheese factory in the southern part of the Town of Lynn, fell and broke his leg last Saturday in jumping from a platform to stop his father’s team, which had started to run.

Many improvements are noticeable throughout Neillsville.  Hundreds of shade trees have been set out this spring’s lawns are being beautified with shrubbery and hedges; unsightly buildings are being removed or painted; the streets newly macadamized (road-surfacing material of crushed stone) are being cleaned.  Bert Garfield is remodeling his residence on the north side; the new Lutheran School house is being built as fast as weather permits; the Schultz Hotel, near the depot is under way.  A. F. Radke is building a fine residence on the lot of Len Howards; Wm. Poat is building a new cottage on Fourth Street.  The Peter Johnson building at the rear of Balch & Heath Store is being moved to Grand Avenue.

May 1911

C. E. Vease of Chicago has purchased the O’Neill House property and arrived here Saturday to look the place over with the view of making extensive improvements.

B. Dangers & Co. May Bargain Sale – Men’s heavy blue denim overalls, plain and bib, sale price…. 45¢.  Boys’ white dress shirts, detachable collars 19¢.  Ladies Worthmore Shoes, vici kid, pot, tips, good wearers… $1.39

A dance was held at Heintown Hall Monday night.  They certainly had a fine time.  In the Town of Seif, many young folks attended a dance at Thoma’s.

Silo agents have been as numerous this spring as poor cows around the County Farm Corners.  They tell the farmers what they should have had last year.  We are all well aware of this.  Plenty of feed last year – Ha! Ha!

P. N. Nelson, Dr. J. H. Brooks, C. Krumery, and Herman North all bought Buick automobiles.  Krumrey went to Eau Claire Friday to get his automobile as they happened to have it in stock. 

The first number of the new Marshfield Herald was received at this office last Saturday.  It was the initial number of a new newspaper venture on the part of John White and son, Willard, and brother, Dan White, formed into the White Printing Co.  It is an all home print paper, and there is reason to believe it will do good (well).

May 1926

Mrs. Anna Smith celebrated her 97^th birthday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Kate Appleyard and family on Monday.  For many years she has made her home with her daughter, Kate, on a farm in Pine Valley, two miles north of Neillsville.  There are five grandchildren; Mrs. Mayme Imig, Charles, Fred and Annie Appleyard and Fannie, wife of Henry M. Marquardt of Neillsville.  There are four great-grandchildren.

May 1946

Granton Junior Prom to be held on Friday, May 3, with Paul Rosandich as king and Evelyn Smith as queen.  Royal court consists of Marvin Garbisch and Beverly Hahm; Duane Anding and Beverly Turner; Duane Scholz and Marian Winter and Russell Ebert and June Lehman.  The Swingster orchestra will provide music.

McCain’s Special Savings – Ladies Rayon Blouses only $1.59 to $1.98.

If you want more soap – turn in more used Fats needed in making soap.

Adler Theatre: Stork Club with Betty Hutton, Barry Fitzgerald, Don DeFore and Robert Benchley, showing May 5 and 6.

Only a chimney and a couple brick facades were reminders of “what had been” in this Granton business block after the ravages of a 1923 fire.  Three thriving businesses, a drug store, hardware store and grocery store had been located at the site.