Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

March 11, 1998, Page 32

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

Good Old Days

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

March 1878

 

Maple sugar is again coming into this market.  The prospects of a heavy crop are rather thin.  If you are short of those “dollars” on a subscription to the Press, we will take a little maple sugar or syrup in trade.

 

W. W. LaFlesh, who left here last spring for the Black Hills, has, after nearly a year of patient and fruitless hardship, at last struck a bonanza.  He has struck a vein of free gold which yields $1,000 to the ton.  He has collected enough of the mineral to warrant his sending for his family.  Also, he is making arrangements for going into business on a large scale.  Some samples of quartz sent to his brother prove that his estimate of richness is not exaggerated.

 

There are too many owners of residences in Neillsville who are open for censure for shiftlessness in not providing a comfortable home, cheerful and attractive.  We venture to say that there is not a man who is too poor to procure and set out some shade trees around his house.  Yet, there are many residences that loom up as bare and uninviting as the walls of Chillon from the seas.  There are those among you, and you needn’t get mad about it, either, who would not stop at fifty or a hundred dollars on a horse with which you could race and pass that of some other fellow.  Or a like amount of money on some other fancied luxury, money would be spent rather than thinking of buying a few shade trees, putting it off year after year.  Your children will grow up, and depart from you deprived of the remembrance of a cheerful, attractive home and yard.

 

A fine new church is now visible about one mile north of Maple Works, in the Town of Grant.  The roof is on and the spire complete.  The German Lutherans have done all this, and this is one of the reasons why Dan Reidel has been so scarce around Neillsville lately.

 

We are happy to notice Wm. Welch, of Loyal, has been nominated for chairman of the Board of Supervisors of that town.  His services have become invaluable not only to his town, but to the county as a member of the County Board due to his first-class business abilities.

 

At the last session of the County Board, Joseph Gibson, John Welsh and D. L. Safford, were a committee appointed to select a site for a new bridge on the Black River Road.  They viewed the area last week and will report in favor of locating the bridge at the Dells, near the old French mill.

 

There will be a Presbyterian Festival and Fair at Mrs. James Hewett’s home on the evening of the 16th.

 

A team of horses belonging to Charles Keith took a promenade around the square, on their own hook last Friday evening, to the tune of “Whoa” by all bystanders.  They were stopped without damage, but the lesson is left once more that it is unwise to leave a team standing, unhitched.

 

Shop at W. C. Crandall’s: It’s the best place to buy drugs, medicines and bitter.  They also have paints, oils, brushes, school books, wall paper, toys, confectionery, tobacco, cigars and pipes, as well as musical instruments, wines and liquors.

 

Cole & Campbell are dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, hats, clothing, cloths, and feature a first class tailor shop.

 

March 1918

 

Sears, Roebuck & Co. distributed several hundred spring season catalogues in this area last week.  It took a double team on the wagon to haul them.

 

There is a shortage of onion sets this spring.  We received the best yellow and red varieties, but not having a proper place to keep them, will sell them at below market price.  Get them now at the Community Store.

 

Every well-managed railroad company keeps barrels or tanks of water near its bridges, with pails ready, with which to fight fire.  Every farmer should follow this plan as a protection to his house and barns. 

 

A record-breaking blizzard hit here on Saturday.  A particularly nasty gust of wind tore up a stretch of sheet iron roofing off the Merchant’s Hotel and threw it off on Seventh Street.  After the first strip of sheet iron went off, more damage followed.  Luckily no one was hurt and the gap will soon be repaired.

 

Mrs. Oluf Olson took her little girl (Mildred, "Millie") to Marshfield Monday for examination.  She is suffering from an affected knee following the illness of scarlet fever.

 

Marshfield is enlarging and improving a big well, from which the city gets its supply of water.  It is being carried down to bed rock.  Neillsville is putting several thousand dollars into a filter to try and make the Black River water pure, clear and of drinkable quality.  We have a large number of springs about the city, but after the city grandmothers tired the “water witch hazel faker,” the city settled down to the steady use of the dark extract known as Black River water.

 

A warning to the people of Clark County - the Clark County Council of Defense wishes to warn all the people of Clark County who may have on hand more than a thirty-day supply of flour to list the number of sacks of flour with J. E. Ketel, Clark County Food Administrator.  You are protecting yourself to this extent: If a Government Inspector were to give a fine if not listed.  But if the same is listed with the Clark County Food Administrator and has been acted upon by him, you will be protected.

 

Put up a new silo.  Get the J. L. F. double wall, frost proof model.  Prices are 10’ x 20’, $157.74; 12’ x 24’, $217.38; and 12’ x 30’, $263.23.

 

A free roof will be given with early orders.  For particulars see M. Skoda, Phone Y3311, Neillsville agent.

 

There have been some real estate changes this month.  Dan Sack recently sold his 45 acre farm on the Pleasant Ridge, with stock and machinery, for $10,000.  Sack has bought the Pete Brown home northeast of the brewery.  Brown has bought Mrs. Gerhardt’s home on south Oak Street.

 

The Oatman Co. has bought the lot south of J. L. Zimmerman’s home and will move the recently purchased Kemery house on the lot, to be remodeled.

 

A farmer drove north through town Sunday with so many geese in his wagon that he had to walk. The geese were quacking at him.  John Charles was walking behind the wagon, leading a cow and told us to put it in the paper, so here it is. 

 

Recent additions to the Great Lakes force from this vicinity are: Emil A. Wepfer of this city; Hugh A. McKenzie of Loyal, Maurice Thompson of Abbotsford, and Arne Griggs.  Emil Wepfer goes into the service as a medical attendant.

 

The city council has decided to extend the water system west of Fifth Street about 800 feet and south on State Street about 1,000 feet into Ketel Hollow.  (Near the Second Street intersection D.Z.)

 

Glen J. Reiney’s team ran away from Bruley’s Elevator going to the Big Store sheds, Saturday afternoon.  No damage, except to Mularky’s wind, which was badly flowed out in the sprint around the block to head off the run-away horses.

 

Pete Paulson has rented his garage to the Dehnert Bros., who assumed charge of the place Monday.  Paulson will devote all his time to the sale of the popular car, the Dodge, for which he is agent.  The Dehnert Bros. have had a considerable amount of experience in the auto repair work and will no doubt be successful in their venture.

 

Frank L. Reinhardt has bought the Harry Svirnoff livery and garage property and will move it next week.  Frank intends to make extensive improvements and conduct a first class garage and livery.

 

Frank D. Stout, multi-millionaire and lumberman, who is said to own more northern Wisconsin land than any other person, has given the State of Wisconsin the use of a 6,000 acre tract of land near Rice Lake, Barron County, for a game preserve.

 

March 1943

 

The No. 2 Ration Books have been distributed in Clark County, a total of 29,279.  There has been a great demand for this book which makes its holders eligible for purchasing processed foods in cans or jars.

 

In Neillsville one applicant coming in from the country has Book No. 1 intact, not having to use a single stamp from it.  “I didn’t need this book and I won’t need the new No. 2 book either” said the applicant.

 

A recent survey reveals the Clark County rural teachers are ranked in earning higher salaries than average in comparison to other counties.

 

Clark County’s one-room rural schools require hiring 121 teachers and 28 teachers in its 14 state graded schools.  The survey shows the average payment to rural teachers is $103.51 per month, slightly higher than average.

 

The population of Clark County is down to about 30,000, at present time.

 

Judge O. W. Schoengarth will have served for 44 years as county judge when his term expires this spring.  He began his service in this office in January 1906.

 

During his service as judge, it is estimated that Judge Schoengarth has witnessed one complete cycle of transfer of property in Clark County.

 

The original choice which planted the Schoengarth family in Clark County was made by Carl Schoengarth in 1867.  Carl was a landowner in Germany with five sons and three daughters.  His sons had been taken from him for European wars, one after the other.  All of them, and Carl himself were subject to the autocrat procedures of a monarchy.  Carl did no talking when the lull came in fighting.  He sold out what he had and struck out for the United States.  He landed in the Town of Grant, Clark County, Wisconsin, buying a farm just north of Kurth corners (corner of Highway 10 and Pray Avenue. D.Z.)  Then he proceeded to establish himself under conditions which he liked. 

 

One of Carl’s sons was August Schoengarth who did not take to farming, but was attracted by advantages of the county sear.  August eventually went into the boot and shoe business in Neillsville.  He then recognized the opportunity in making brick for the growing community.  Much of the brick made at his yard is now the solid structure of many buildings in Neillsville and many farm homes in this area.  Despite the prevalence of lumber in large quantities, the early settlers like the performance and safety of brick using, using it liberally. Thus the name Schoengarth was associated with early building in Clark County.

 

One of Augusts’ sons was Oscar W., who preferred studying law rather than the brick business.  He went to the University of Wisconsin, graduated from the law school and came back to Neillsville to a partnership with S. M. Marsh.  Marsh was then a leading attorney and a man recognized for his thorough knowledge of the law.  This partnership gave Schoengarth great ground work for his future position as judge.

 

When a young Schoengarth became a candidate for county judge in 1905, it was a part-time position which meant some of his time would be devoted to private work as a lawyer.  The two positions kept him very busy.  In 1930 the demands of court cases extended the judge position to full time.

 

Judge Schoengarth married Olga Dodte, daughter of Carl Dodte, whose family was also early settlers.  They had one son, Lowell, who followed his father’s footsteps in becoming an attorney of law.  (Lowell Schoengarth later became one of Clark County’s judges. D.Z.)

 

The Chicago fire of 1873 has an interesting connection with the Schoengarth’s fortunes.  Judge O. W. Schoengarth’s mother was a native of Chicago, and when Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over the lantern which started the great fire, her parent’s home near Lincoln Park was burned and the family moved to Neillsville.

 

The difference between a smart person and a wise person is that a smart person knows what to say and a wise person knows whether or not to say it.

••••••••••••••

No Speech can be entirely bad if it is short enough!

•••••••••

Neillsville, circa 1910, as was viewed from the upper level of the Courthouse.  The Presbyterian Church on East Fifth street, next to what is now Dr. Foster’s office.  The armory building is in the center of the photo with a livery barn in the foreground, facing Court Street.  (Photo courtesy of the Schultz family)

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE