Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

December 2, 1998, Page 24

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 Clark County News

 

December 1878

 

Invitations are out for a Christmas party at be held at Hartford’s Hall, in the village of Loyal.  Supper will be served at Raymond’s Hotel.

 

On Monday evening, next week, the Odd Fellows group will dedicated their splendid new hall in Neillsville.  Prominent Odd Fellows will be present for the occasion, coming from Humbird, Hixton, Greenwood and Merrillan lodges.

 

Charles Pigeon, a Native American citizen of the Winnebago tribe, with a number of his fellow artists, proposes to give a dance at the Fireman’s Hall tomorrow evening.

 

The Rev. Smith, who has been making plans for some time to start a mission among the Winnebago Indians of this area, arrived with his family in Black River Falls.  He is ready to begin operations on a mission. 

 

Invitations are being printed for a Christmas dance at Eyerly’s Hall on Christmas night.  It will be managed by R. J. McBride, M. C. Ring, and Frank Brown.  Supper will be served in the building, supper and dance will be $2.  It will be strictly an invitation party, and will be the dance of the year.

 

The dwelling of Sereno Wren, in the Town of Grant, was totally destroyed by fire last Sunday while the family was away from home.  The house was built of logs, but it was a fine home and the only one the family had.  The loss, which includes household goods, is a severe one, especially at this season of the year.

 

The firemen have decided to add an addition of twenty feet to their hall.  The new portion will have a permanent stage which will be convenient for the theatre performers.  The additional space will occupy the stage allowing more seating capacity.

 

The nearest approach to sleighing known in this locality, after nearly two years, was enjoyed when we received an ample snowfall this week.  Those who had the time were out sleighing.

 

The Presbyterians will have a Christmas tree in the church for the Sabbath school children.  Parents, teachers and friends will please see that all articles intended as presents be handed in at the door of the church by Tuesday.

 

The new bridge over Cunningham Creek was fully completed last week.  It is in every way an improvement over the old bridge.  Substantial piers filed with earth and stone, to a single span of less than fifty feet in length replaces the previous cobbling structure.  The workmanship and material from the foundation to the finish, is of the best.

 

The firm of Jaseph and Pond has ceased to exist.  The business formerly carried on by them will be under the ownership of Charlie Pond, who has worked with the firm for about a year.  Sol Jaseph will still be around and working to serve customers.

 

Elias Peterson, whose shop burned out recently, has built a nice little building.  He is now ready to peg your shoe soles in good shape.

 

There are also two wagon shops which are very busy.  H. LeRoy, who recently came from Loyal, is an experienced wagon maker who can make up wagons as you order them to be done.

 

B. F. Brown, the first mercantile trader in our town, has his store chock full of new goods.  Cross & Freeman are also new mercantile men who are setup for business.

 

A. S. Eaton has a full line of hardware.  We see tin-ware, stoves and such items being sold everyday at his store.

 

Dr. H. J. Thomas reports business is good in his drug store.  He has a fine lot of holiday goods ready for the shopper.

 

We have long needed a grist flouring mill. Duane Graves, from Loyal, is putting up a mill at Schofield & Weston Mill.  The grist mill will be ready for use in January.

 

There will be a Christmas tree set up at the Methodist Church here on Christmas Eve.  Come one, Come all and don’t for-get to bring the little ones.  The public is also invited to attend the Christmas concert put on by the Sunday School classes on Tuesday evening. 

 

On last Sabbath morning, Rev. W. T. Hendren conducted worship services before a large audience assembled at the Hantley School House.  There was a celebration of the Lord’s Supper and all witnessed the reception of 15 members into the Presbyterian Church.  Eight adults and two infants were baptized.

 

An order was passed during the last meeting of the Clark County board authorizing the laying out of a county road from Colby to the west line of the county.  The road would connect with the county road leading through Chippewa County to
Chippewa Falls.  The expense of locating and surveying the road is to be born by the county.  It is to be opened and kept in repair by the Towns of Colby, Hixon and Thorp, through which it passes.

 

Despite – the hard times, horses seem to be selling well here.  An Appleton dealer sold a team of draft horses this week, getting $325.  It is safe to say those horses will never pay for themselves hauling logs at present prices.

 

December 1938

 

The curb and gutter projects in the city of Neillsville have been completed for the season.  Monday morning the city crew put the finishing touches on the WPA’s curb, gutter and paving projects in the city for the “open” season.

 

The WPA crew finished its pay period at the end of last week.  It was transferred to winter projects of sewer and water main work, leaving the north side street job to the city crew. 

 

Among other improvements completed during the open season are 15,000 lineal feet of curb and gutter, two blocks of concrete paving, filling in several of the city’s streets, putting in numerous cross walks and fire hydrants.

 

The cost of the curb and gutter work was about 70 cents per running foot, making a total of approximately $10,500 for the season.  Most of the expense was met by the WPA, which furnished much of the labor and nearly all of the concrete. City – furnished labor included a construction superintendent, form setters for the concrete work and a man to run the cement mixer.

 

H. H. Van Gorden & Sons have a special price on barley, $17 per ton.  Come in or call number 88 to order.

 

Loyal’s new combination high school auditorium and gymnasium will be formally dedicated at special exercises Friday night.  The program will start with a banquet for the Business Men’s Association.  A talk by P. F. Neverman, secretary of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, will be one of the highlights of the public program, starting at 7:30 p.m.  A girl’s basketball game, the Loyal-Unity encounter, followed by a dance, will be the feature of the program.

 

A District Class C basketball tournament will be held for the first time in Loyal, March 1 to 4, 1939.]

 

The Clark County Board passed a resolution to petition the state conservation department to “use every means at their power to have Camp Globe re-established and manned with a full quota.”  The resolution pointed out that the camp site is a “strategic location” for a camp from which reforestation areas in two counties could be carried on.

 

Camp Globe was abandoned in December of 1937.

 

Neillsville city aldermen have taken action to designate three streets with permanent blockades for children to use for sled-ding.  The streets to be blocked off are: State Street from Fifth to the railroad tracks (jail hill), Eighteen Street from North Hewett to North Grand Avenue and Oak Street from Second to Fourth Street.

 

Cars will not be completely barricaded from the “costing” streets.  Rather, the barricades will serve as a warning to motorists to exercise extreme caution before entering onto one of the streets in vehicles.  Lights will be placed on the barricades at night.

 

Schiller’s Hardware is having a close-out sale on General Electric washing machines.  There are two models on hand to be sold at reduced prices; $69.95 model for $49.95 and $49.95 model for $39.95.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Walter were honored on their 65th Wedding anniversary, Monday, at their home at 310 Grand Avenue.  Members of their family gathered to help them celebrate the occasion.  They are 94 and 83 years old, respectively.

 

Miss Augusta Schoengarth and Otto Walter were united in marriage at the bride’s home in the Town of Grant, Dec. 26, 1873.  The couple left on a wedding trip, the distance of 28 miles to Marshfield.  They traveled on a home-constructed jumper over rough roads cut through a deep wooded section, until they reached Nasonville.  (A jumper was a crudely built sled.  D. Z.)

 

Following the thrifty custom of the day, Walter returned his bride to a home of their own, a one-room log cabin and 80 acres of timber land.  Through thrift and toil they cleared a farm, more than tripled their acreage, and built a group of beautiful and substantial farm buildings.  Seven children were born to the couple, five of whom are living.

 

Walter, a native of Saxony, Germany, came to America on a sailing vessel from Havre, France, when a young lad.  His wife came from Breslaw, Germany.  Walter held various school and town offices and for a time was a farm machinery salesman.  Mrs. Walter’s interests were largely centered about the home and family.

 

Twenty-four years ago, the Walters sold their farm and purchased a home in Neillsville.

 

The Schuster and Campman Co., one of Neillsville’s oldest businesses, is in its 60th year.

 

The business was established by Louis Schuster, brother of J. F. Schuster, in 1879.

 

Louis continued in the business alone until 1883, when he was joined by Edgar M. McConnell, and the firm was known as Louis Schuster & Co.  Louis Schuster passed away in the fall of 1885.  His place in the firm was taken over by his father, Herman Schuster, who has been Clark County Register of Deeds for 20 years.  The firm was then known as Schuster & McConnell.

 

McConnell passed away in 1893, and the following year Herman Schuster was joined by his old friend in the county building, Charles F. Grow, who had long been Clark County Clerk.  The firm was then known as Grow, Schuster & Co., and the “company” part of it was J. F. Schuster, who had come into the office in 1885 as a utility boy.

 

In 1905 Herman Schuster retired, and William A. Campman joined the firm, which then became known as Grow, Schuster & Campman, (with) J. F. Schuster taking the place of his father.  Grow passed away in 1909, and then the firm name became Schuster and Campman.

 

While there have been changes, in the firm, there has always been at least one member of the Schuster family in it.

 

Two local women are with the firm: Anna Hoesly whose service dates back to 1919, and Esther Jackson, whose service dates from 1921.

 

The York Town Board gathered for a meeting and photo shooting at the Sam H. Benedict home in the late 1800s. 

(Photo courtesy of Jane Bertz)

 

Be sure to Visit our Clark Co., Wisconsin

Good Old Days Christmas Card Collection!

 

 

 


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