In the Good Old Days

By Dee Zimmerman

January 1897

The tax gatherer is after us, and it stands everyone in hand to be ready to respond to his call.

The Black River Bridge on the Humbird road is undergoing thorough repairs.

The citizens of this village contributed quite liberally, the first of this week, to the relief of Mrs. Noyes and family who were left homeless and destitute by the burning of their house and its contents, last Thursday morning.

A building occupied by the Yoker family, situated on the outskirts of the village, caught fire and burned to the ground.  The building, originally intruded for a barn, a part of it, at the time, was being used as such.  The fire originated in the chimney which passed through the hay-loft, and when discovered was well under way.  The fire company was promptly on hand, but to no purpose.  The family, left without shelter, is very poor, having been partly dependent upon charity during the present winter.  They have been residents of this place but a few months, during which they have had misfortunes.

Shortly after their arrival one of their children, a boy aged eight or ten years – was killed in a well on Dan’s Gates farm north of the village.  Mr. Yoker is a hard working man and is deserving of sympathy in his sad misfortunes.  They should receive help from those who are able to help him.

It was “Lige Myers,” last Wednesday that turned the corner too short, like, tipped over, ran his horses into a show window at Hewett & Woods (northwest corner of Hewett & 5^th Streets), playing smash.  Then, he let them run, which they did right lively until they became divided in opinion as to the direction to be taken at the southern terminus of Main Street.   That brought them up and to a standstill against a fence, with no other damage than breaking the dashboard of the cutter.

Last Monday, Wm. McKnight, who had his left foot badly frozen while at work in J. D. McMillan’s camp, about four weeks ago, was brought to this place for treatment.  It was found necessary to remove a portion of the great toe.  The operation was skillfully performed, by Dr. Thompson, and the patient is doing as well as could be expected.

John Gwin of Loyal is making hay into bales for shipment.  Nine dollars per ton in trade seems to be the ruling figure.

Mr. C. A. Youmans was wed to Miss Nettie French on Jan. 10, by the Rev. W. T. Hendren, rites performed at the residence of the bride’s father, Dr. B. F. French.

The old court house, which is being made over into a store room, and dwelling place by the Hart brothers; begins to present the appearance of a first class building.  The show front recently put in, gives it the appearance of a place of business already. 

During the past week a change has been made in the proprietorship of the O’Neill House.  Hereafter the business will be managed by Mrs. J. H. Reddan.  Mrs. Reddan is thoroughly acquainted with the business she has undertaken to conduct, and it is her intention to make the house first-class in every respect. 

January 1897 

Why not send our Company A, the crack company of the state, to represent Wisconsin militia at McKinley inauguration on Mar. 4^th?

Mr. Wren of West Pleasant Ridge is moving his saw mill out to the roadside.  This will make it easier for people to get in their logs.  There have been several meetings in this vicinity to see what could be done about building a cheese factory here.

The Woodman Hall at Withee will be finished during the coming week and a dance will be given by them on Friday evening.  A goodly number of the Woodman boys from Longwood attended the M.W.A. last Saturday eve and partook of the generous treat and supper given by the wives and daughters of the Woodmen.

W. C. Fulwiler made a fast trip to Loyal, from Wilcox community, last Sunday.  He traded a watch for a buggy, with the driver, and went after it.

Henry and Ernst Sternitzky, John Ure and F. Helm have joined forces and are putting in a mill in Lynn for the purpose of sawing heading.

January 1917

Oscar Gluck, captain of the Carroll College Freshman Five, seems to be the same Gluck of old for he does share of the scoring.  In the game with Lake Mills high schoolers, Gluck scored 17 points in the basketball game Carroll 46 to Lake Mills 14 points.

Last winter was the first time that this county’s main roads were kept open of snow.  The county used the type of snow-plow that forces the snow away toward both sides.  The first time the roads are opened it is not hard, but when it snows again and fills up, a great deal of power is needed to force the snow away.  Two large tractors were used.

Neillsville will soon have in operation a most complete and up to date Accredited Hatchery built and equipped by Fred Hohenstein & Son.  The buildings have been recently enlarged and remodeled to make the plant convenient for this business. A State inspector has completed a careful and successful inspection of all the poultry flocks that are to furnish eggs for his hatchery and finds them in fine condition.  The hatchery is ideally located at the south end of Grand Avenue where Hohenstein and son have ample acreage to rear poultry under perfect conditions.  The proprietors are now ready to receive orders for baby chicks of the following breeds: S. C. White Leghorns, White Wyandotte, R. C. Rhode Island Reds, S. C. Rhode Island Reds, Barred Plymouth Rocks, and White Plymouth Rocks.

They will also do custom hatching.  Catalogues will soon be ready for mailing, and will be sent out by Hohenstein & Son on request.

A new industry has sprung up in Neillsville – remodeling second hand cars into “snow snakes.”  C. F. Gassen, who has for sometime been carrying on a cutting and welding business in the old Barton shops, is making a specialty in this industry, having cut down nearly twenty old cars to fit sleigh trucks.  The front wheels are taken off and runners substituted.  The Suckow garage on Pleasant Ridge is specializing in making these runners.  Some other shops in Neillsville and individuals are making these machines for themselves.  The entire job is not expensive and for a very reasonable sum a winter car is made that will go practically anywhere that there is a good sleigh track.  Of course some care and watchfulness is needed to find places to turn out in meeting or passing teams.

Tuesday morning the marriage of Miss Clara Wasserberger and Carl Kessler, Jr. was solemnized at St. Mary’s Church by Rev. Weber.  The bride was attended by Miss Tillie Wasserberger and the groom by Frank Wasserberger.  The bride wore a gown of old rose georgette and carried a bouquet of roses and lilies of the valley.  The bridesmaid wore a gown of blue crepe.

At the conclusion of the ceremony the wedding party went to the home of Mrs. Mary Wasserberger where a splendid wedding dinner was served and the bridal couple left on the afternoon train for Wausau and other points on the wedding trip.

The groom is an industrious and capable young farmer by occupation and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kessler.  His bride is the daughter of Mrs. Mary Wasserberger and a young lady of splendid qualities and attainments. For several years she has been employed in the Wasserberger store.

January 1947

Model Laundry will transfer ownership to Carl R. Wegner and Kenneth Olson, both of Neillsville; the announcement was made by Herbert Nielsen and Harry Wasserberger, who have operated the laundry for several years.

Both Wegner and Olson are well known in and around Neillsville.  They attended the local public schools and have worked in the city.  Since their discharges from the army, Olson has been employed in St. Paul, Minn and Wegner has been working in the Veterans’ Administration in Illinois.

A “Battle of the Century” will take place between the Bouncing Bucketeers of Neillsville and the Basket Boopers of Greenwood.  Both teams are members of their city’s Rotary Clubs and will have a basketball battle on the Greenwood high school gymnasium floor Sunday afternoon. 

Neillsville’s leading Bucketeer will be “Speedy” Dr. Overman.  His counterpart on the Basket Boopers will be Dr. “Buckets” Giswold.  Other Neillsville players will be Bridge “2 point” Wagner, “Deadeye” Wasserberger, “Stretch” Nielsen, and the Masked Marvel (who will probably turn out to be Buzz Sawyer of Flattop).

Joining “Buckets” Giswold in upholding “Flash” Wuethrich, (are) “Crazy legs” Snedic, Viggo “High point” Rasmussen, and Dave “Coach” Mayo.

The game is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. and may the better team still be standing when the final whistle is puffed.

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Self-satire, disillusion, absence of prejudice may be freedom, but they are not strength.

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The neighborhood grocery stores are a memorable part of our history.  One of these businesses on Neillsville’s south side was Ray’s South Side Food Mart, owned by Raymond and Frances Strebing.  The store was started by Butch Hart who sold it to Howard Strebing.  Howard sold the business to his brother Raymond and wife Frances.  After some years, Forrest and Marion Gault became owners, who in turn transferred the ownership to “Dick the Melon King”.  Next owners, Lamar & Thelma Schmitz ran the business for several years before remodeling the building into a restaurant, later selling the restaurant to the present owner, Mary Lou Meredith. 

Raymond “Ray” Strebing worked in the grocery store and tended the Texaco gas pumps after the golfing season, as he was also greens keeper at the Neillsville golf course.  Frances, his wife, operated the grocery business while her husband was busy with his other job.  They sold the business and left Neillsville in 1959.  Their children were Len, Roy, Mike and Gail.  Frances Strebing presently resides in Utica, N.Y.  (Photo courtesy of JoAnn Wren)