Clark County Press, Neillsville,

May 5, 2004, Page 14

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

May 1874

 

Dr. French and Ans Green caught a muscalonge (muskellunge), one day this week, at the mouth of the Cunningham Creek.

 

They had some trouble in capturing the 20-pound fish.  Dr. French got his fingers too near the fish’s mouth and that was uncomfortable.

••••••••••

Mr. James O’Neill has bought Mr. Hill’s interest in the grocery business, which they have conducted together under the name of E. P. Hill & Co.  Mr. O’Neill designs enlarging the stock and improving the store.

••••••••••

Mr. Hewett commenced work in earnest upon the new school, on Monday, excavating for the foundation.  From all appearances that work will be done this week.  An excavation of six feet, to cover the area of the building, is required.  The building will be set back nearly two-thirds the length of the lot, from the street.  The location is a very fine one and with a $15,000 schoolhouse on it, will make that part of town look even better.

••••••••••

Billy Neverman & Co., have added still further improvements to the Neillsville Brewery, this spring.  Besides enlarging its capacity and improving the quality of their beer, they have made it a very attractive resort.  There is no quieter or more pleasant place to get a glass of beer than at the fountainhead in the brewery.

••••••••••

On last Friday, a part of the logging camp belonging to Sawyer & Austin, in the Town of Loyal, was destroyed by fire.  The fire was communicated from nearby burning woods.  A stable containing a large number of logging sleds was completely destroyed, along with other property, an amount of $1,000.  The loss would have been still greater had it not been for people living in the vicinity, which discovered the fire and joined together in extinguishing it.

••••••••••

The gentlemen, who went fishing in Wedges Creek very early in the week, tell some wonderful stories.  But strange to say, the keg they took with them to keep the fish in was empty when they reached home.

 

The fishing party composed of Messrs. James O’Neill, Ed E. Merritt, L. J. Glass, L. L. Ayers, Sheldon Lynch, Loy and David Payn, went out to Lake Smith, in the northern part of the county, on Monday morning.  They went amply provided for a week’s stay in the wilderness and with the general capacity for having a good time.

 

The fishing wanderers, with the exception of Loy and Ayers, returned last night.  They made the following report, “Darn the mosquitoes.”

••••••••••

The Grangers, of the Town of Grant, will have a picnic at the mound north of town, this week.  The members of the Grange have invited people from town to join them.

••••••••••

The severe frost, of last Sunday, was death on cabbage plants.  But the frost seems to have done little or no harm to the fruit trees, as the blossoms were not as yet far enough advanced to be injured.

••••••••••

Mr. J. L. Gates is building a very handsome gothic house on his lots on the south hill.  It will show five gables and several bay windows. When completed, that house will be one to the most noticeable dwellings in town.

 

(Gates built his home on 18 Hewett Street)

••••••••••

Mr. James Hewett returned with his bride on Wednesday evening and received congratulations from his many warm friends who live here.  However, the warm reception didn’t compensate for his disappointment in finding his beautiful residence in ashes.

 

Mr. Hewett’s new home was very fine, having a mansard roof and as complete of a dwelling as could be made.  Its total cost would have been near $12,000.  The house was still not plastered, the doors and some other belongings had not yet been put into it.  The house foundation, which was a large part of the cost of building, is intact and that brings the actual loss down to about $7,000.

••••••••••

The Hixon Town Board has decided to build a bridge across the Popple River, whether Clark County renders them any assistance or not.  At present, they are chopping the road through from N. H. Withee’s land to the river.  The bridge will be built and a road will be chopped through to Colby during the present summer.

 

May 1934

 

The B&F Machine Shop, of Neillsville, is making a large number of excellent all-enclosed truck bodies for the milk haulers serving patrons of the local Condensery.  The design and workmanship are of the highest standard and a fine example of this firm’s ability in this line of construction.

••••••••••

Residents of Neillsville and vicinity spend approximately $425 per person in the retail stores and shops here each year, according to an estimate made by the Chicago Wholesale Market Council.  Based on the city’s population of 2,160, this means an annual expenditure of $918,000 locally.  This figure does not take into account the money spent here by those from outside the city limits.

 

The state of Wisconsin’s total retail trade of about $1,200,000,000 a year is equal to about 30 per cent of the volume of wholesale trade of Chicago whose wholesale Market District, lying just west of the famous “Loop,” is considered one of the greatest in the world.

 

The $425 per person or about $1,200 per family, spent with Wisconsin merchants includes all purchases, except for personal services, such as laundry and barbering.

••••••••••

Mildred Kapfer, daughter of Mrs. Nellie Kapfer and Edwin E. Timmler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Timmler, Sr., both of the Town of Pine Valley, were married at Winona February 19.  Mrs. Kapfer accompanied the young couple to Winona.

 

Mr. Timmler is a graduate of Neillsville High School and taught for three years in rural schools of Clark County.  Mrs. Timmler attended Neillsville High School for a time and since leaving school, she has been employed as a waitress at the Badger Inn.

 

The young couple gave a wedding party to their friends at the Globe hall on Friday night.  They will make their home on the Timmler farm in Pine Valley.

••••••••••

A project is under way and it is expected that the contract will be let this week to widen and otherwise reconstruct Federal Highway 73.  The work will start from the south end of Grand Avenue, at the Neillsville city limits, going to Day Corners.

 

The project calls for a widening of the right-of-way all along the road, to be from 17 to 34 feet wider, or much more in other places.  Starting at the city limits, the highway will be widened 17 feet on each side, except opposite residences, where nothing will be taken off from the yards or lawns except where they already project into the highway.

 

In many places, the road will apparently be widened much more than 34 feet.  According to the survey, the fences are now several feet inside the highway, so they will have to be set back that distance besides the amount taken by the road.  Much of the material acquired by widening the right-of-way will be used to raise or widen the roadbed in places, it is stated.

 

At the first turn south of the city, the large knoll on Maple Glen farm will be cut off and the road greatly widened to eliminate a dangerous situation.  Opposite Ross Eddy, the road will be much wider and swung toward the Black River, with two new bridges and one culvert being rebuilt.

 

Similar changes as to width will be made all the way down to Day Corners.

 

It is said that the road will be resurfaced with crushed gravel but will be put into shape for blacktop or concrete in later years.

 

A meeting of the landowners who had not signed releases along the highway was held Saturday at the Clark County High-way office in the courthouse.  The land owners rights and methods of procedure were explained to them by District Attorney Hugh Haight and the members of the Clark County Highway Committee, Elmer Anderson, John Ockerlander and Charles Buss.

••••••••••

Last Sunday, between 1,000 to 1,800 acres were burned over by a fire in the area southwest of the Dells Dam gravel pit.  Residents of that area have loud praises for the work done by members of the CCC camp at Hatfield and a contingent from the CCC camp at Fairchild.  The fire was discovered about 3 a.m. Saturday and immediately a group of CCC men, under the direction of Capt. Haas and Dr. Rand started fighting the blaze.  Between 200 and 250 men were engaged in the work, carrying water and beating out the fire.  A number of them suffered minor burns.  By Sunday afternoon, they had extinguished the blaze and saved several sets of farm buildings.

••••••••••

Friday, May 11, will be the season opening of dances at the Riverside Pavilion.  Dance music will be provided by the Dux Orchestra.  Admission will be 25c for the gents and ladies, free.

••••••••••

There will be a shower given for Mr. and Mrs. Will Oldham, at their home, Friday night, May 18.  As most people know, Oldham’s home was destroyed by flames.  They did not save anything and had no insurance.  We kindly ask all who will, to share their lot with this party.  Bring or send anything that can be spared such as clothing, cooking utensils, bedding, food, cash, or anything convenient to the Oldham farm.  It will be deeply appreciated.

••••••••••

For 24 hours, beginning late last Wednesday afternoon, this community was stifled in a dust storm.  The storm whirled in from the west at the rate of 40 to 50 miles an hour, causing heavy damage to property and crops.  It left the populace with irritated eyes and throats.  Nothing approaching the intensity of the storm was ever seen here before, according to old residents.

 

Frequently, automobiles on the country roads were forced to stop while blinding gusts of dirt obscured the drivers’ visions.  Several instances of cars running into ditches were reported.  In Neillsville, vision was limited to a few blocks while the nearby horizon faded in a brownish vignette.  City streets were quite deserted as only those whose needs were urgent undertook to drive into town.

 

Frank Zickert, Sr. and his son Frank are farmers living near Cawley Creek Bridge north of Neillsville.  They were victims of the strangest prank of the storm while driving into the city with a team of horses and hayrack.  As they passed the George May farm, the wind lifted the hayrack off the running gear and dumped it in the field some distance beyond the fence on the east side of the highway.  The Zickerts escaped unhurt.

 

A number of forest fires broke out and spread rapidly in the gale.  Because of the dust, it was impossible to see the fires and they gained dangerous proportions before they were discovered.  At City Point, a fire raced ahead of the wind along a five-mile front and caused much damage.  Twice the fire siren was sounded, in Neillsville, to summon volunteers to join the detachment of CCC men fighting the City Point fire.  Between 50 and 70 men from this city helped fight the blaze.

 

Two farm fires broke out Thursday afternoon, one at the Will Oldham farm, southwest of the city and the George Mortimer farm, in the Town of York.  At the Oldham place, all buildings were destroyed and at the Mortimer farm, the home burned.

••••••••••

After carrying mail a distance of more than 10 times around the earth in 31 years, while serving the patrons of Neillsville Rural Route 3, W. E. Forman, veteran mail carrier will make his farewell trip over the circuit on May 31.  On May 29, Mr. Forman will have reached the age of retirement, 65 and will be placed on retirement.

 

During his long career as a mailman, Mr. Forman has seen his route grow from 86 boxes and a few pounds of mail to its present status of 184 boxes.  He serves approximately 200 families with a huge daily volume of letters, periodicals and parcel post.

 

From the primitive roads over which he has carried mail on foot, when they became impassable from mud, Mr. Forman has seen them gradually grow into splendid highways.  The roads are now traversable by motor car throughout the year.

 

Back in 1903, when Mr. Forman made his first trip with 65 pieces of mail, he covered the route with a horse and buggy.  In later years, he ‘graduated” to a team and buggy.  In 1915, he purchased his first car for use during the warm months, relying upon the team to carry him through the rough weather of winter and spring.  There were days when he worked until 8 or 9 p.m., delivering the mail by lantern or flash-light.  Four times in his career, he covered the route on foot and beat the horse and buggy time by half-an-hour.  Twice during the 31 years, Mr. Forman was forced to remain over night with friends along the route when snowstorms blocked his way.

 

Mr. Forman and his wife live on North Hewett Street in Neillsville.

 

After May 31, Route 3 will be consolidated with the other routes and instead of six routes now going out of Neillsville, there will be only four.

••••••••••

Wednesday, May 23, will be opening night at the Woodlawn Tavern located ½ mile south of Neillsville.  There will also be a dance that evening.

 

Stop at Chapman’s Grill, first door west of the Neillsville Bank.  It is a new eating-place, just opened.  Meals and short orders are served at all times, such as hot cakes and maple syrup every morning.  Saturday night, we serve wieners and sauerkraut for 5 cents.  Also, we have beer in bottles and on draught.

••••••••••

 

 

This group of fishermen, believed to have been of the Greenwood area during the 1920’s, could proudly show their catch of fish when the photo was taken.  We haven’t been able to identify any of the men, however if someone does recognize who one or more of them are, please call us.  (Photo courtesy of the Jack Fahey collection)

 

 


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