Clark County Press, Neillsville,

May 24, 2006, Page 12

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

May 1881

 

Bob Travis was over Tuesday, with a load of immigrants recently from Germany.  They went to Charlie Simon’s and will buy a farm and permanently reside near Humbird.

••••••••••

A report from the village of Thorp states that the railroad company has a large crew of men chopping wood at the station.  They will clear eighty acres this summer.  What a contrast to five years ago, when the residents toted their goods from Greenwood, 20 miles on their backs.  But you see none but the brave can ride on the wave. They have come out at the top of the heap, at last, with sweet reward for all their toil.

 

Charles Tabo, with a camera, will take in logging scenes, this week, at the stations of Thorp and Candler, on the Wisconsin and Minnesota railroads.

••••••••••

James Inglis, of Nasonville, is talking of building a grist mill in Lynn.  He has selected a site near the cheese factory by the Sternitzky Creek.  He will be building soon, if he can get enough aid.

••••••••••

Immigrants arrive on almost every train in Mayville.  They consist, generally, of married men, who come to stay and help develop this vast wilderness.

••••••••••

Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Templeton took, from between the two bones in the forearm of Charles Osgood, a stick of wood, five inches long and as large a man’s finger.  It had been driven into his flesh, twelve weeks ago and had not been discovered by those who had previously examined the wound.  Osgood received his injury at Mason’s mill.  He was put under the influence of chloroform.  The stick had become so firm in his arm that Dr. Templeton had to pull very hard to get it out.

••••••••••

Frederick Wolff, Esq., whom we welcome to Neillsville as a citizen, has purchased the valuable property, which had been rented by Krauss and used as a cigar shop and residence.  Mr. Wolff and his brother are said to be first-class butchers.

••••••••••

Lawyer O’Neill went home from his office, Tuesday afternoon, having in his possession a very sore tooth.  Toothache is the chief devil of all pains.

••••••••••

News from the town of Humbird: Small grain is nearly all sown, and farmers are making ready to plant corn.  The rain of Saturday night and Sunday changed the looks of vegetation.  Cattle now get a full supply of grass.

 

Yesterday morning, Pete Francis’ Saloon, over which he and his little daughter live, was struck by lightning.  The windows, casings, studding, walls and a part of the roof, were demolished.  Two lightning rods, in good repair, were left untouched!  No one was hurt.  Pete was in the act of taking a glass of whiskey at the time.

••••••••••

There came near being a mishap, Sunday.  Two young men took some girls for a boat ride on the pond.  Too many sat in one end of the boat, and it filled with water.  None of the party could swim.  A boy of about 14 years of age, swam in and helped them out, and saved all from being drowned.

••••••••••

Ira McIntire, road-master, has at work a large force of men in this district.  So tax-payers look on and smile, knowing him to be a good officer.  The crossing at French’s Corner is to have new planking, and a large, strong culvert has been placed under the road down in the hollow further from town.  Other much-needed improvements are being pushed.

••••••••••

A $500 reward is being offered by Timothy Case, of the Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad, to any one who will furnish information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who set fire to the bridge over Hemlock River.  It is located upon the line of road between Dexterville and Elm Lake.  The fire was upon the night of May 6, or morning of May 7.

••••••••••

The Canon brothers expect to raise the frame of their new mill in a few days, in the Shortville area.  L. Head is now employed by Jeff Canon to work around the mill, this summer.  Head is well known in Neillsville and vicinity.  We are glad to welcome him to Shortville.

••••••••••

Being a graduate of Hahnemann College, Chicago, from which Mrs. Louise Wolter holds a certificate, she desires to announce that her services as a midwife can always be obtained by calling at her home, on Main Street, in Neillsville.

••••••••••

The Neillsville Meat Market, owned by the Lowe brothers, is in their new building on Main Street.  They have fresh, salted, dried and smoked meats, sausage; fresh fish and fowls, lard, salt.  Wild game is available in its season.

 

May 1941

 

A half century of service to residents in and about Neillsville will be observed by the Congregational Church here in a banquet Friday, May 2, in the evening, with special services Sunday morning and evening.

 

While the anniversary date was January 24, the observance was delayed until May in favor of better weather, and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the acceptance of the church into the fellowship of Congregational churches of the La Crosse district.

 

But eight pastors have served the congregation during its 50-year history.  The Rev. George W. Longenecker, present pastor, has served the congregation for 33 years.  Others included: J. O. Buswell, Robert B. Evatt, George Michael, R. L. Cheney, F. B. Doe, Albert R. Rice and H. A. Risser.

 

In the beginning, services were held in the old Fourth Street hall, on the present location of the Armory.  Two years later, in the spring of 1893, ground was broken for the new church building, and the building was used for services that September.

 

The golden anniversary banquet will be held in the Moose hall at 6:30 p.m. Friday, with the principal address to be given by the Rev. Jesse Norenberg of Eau Claire.

 

All former members and friends have been invited to attend the anniversary Sunday school homecoming, which will be held at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the church.  The homecoming message will be given by Dr. Charles Wicks, with Rev. Longenecker giving the prayer and benediction.  The program also will include selections by the junior choir and special music. 

 

A feature of the Golden anniversary service, at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, will be the singing of “Reverence” by Dr. Sarah D. Rosekrans.  The words of the song were written by the Rev. Longenecker.

••••••••••

Eighteen selectees from Clark County will start May 7 for their training as Uncle Sam’s soldiers, according to announcement by the Clark County Selective Service Board.  The young men will meet at Loyal at 11 a.m., will have the noon meal there and will then be taken in a bus to Milwaukee.  They will be taken to the Medford Hotel at Milwaukee, spending the night there. 

 

The list called for May 7 is as follows:

 

Archie Radtke, Greenwood; Wilho Halme, Owen; James Peterson, Humbird; Wayne Tormey, Withee; Lyle Wright, Humbird; Eugene O’Leary, Humbird; Jens Jensen, Withee; Frank Perme, Willard; Arnold Maki, Owen; George Plautz, Willard; Charles Pietka, Thorp; Harry Morgensen, Withee; Raymond Bealer, Chili; William Tobola, Thorp; Harold Embke, Neillsville; Theodore Hillert, Granton; Harry Whitehead, Thorp; Tony Zupanc, Willard.

••••••••••

About 200 pounds, each, of wild millet seed and duck potatoes, as well as six pounds of wild rice, were planted in flowages, in Clark County and at Lake Arbutus by the Black River Lake Arbutus conservation club, according to John Mattson, secretary.  The club plans to plant more wild rice later.

••••••••••

Looking into the future, the city of Neillsville, this week, established a nursery in Schuster Park which it is hoped, will provide trees which will replace the older ones there as they die.  Under the direction of Street Commissioner Emil Mattson, the nursery was started Saturday in a plot 40 by 100 feet, north of the band pavilion.  About 400 red oak seedlings were transplanted into the nursery beds, and elms, soft maple and seedlings of other types will be planted there, Mr. Mattson said.

 

Last week, nine small black walnut trees from the property of J. F. Schuster, chairman of the park board, were planted in the park.

••••••••••

Cars “stalls” were being painted in the downtown area, this week, as the city sought to solve its business district parking problem.

 

The “stalls” were being marked out on pavements on which parallel parking is permitted, and provide 17 ½ feet for a car with a space four feet long between cars.  Thus, by orderly parking, the city hopes to provide a little more room for those in need of downtown parking space.  The suggestion was that of Leo Miller, second ward alderman.

••••••••••

John “Hans” Walk, retired rural mail carrier, has found out exactly how far it is to Granton.

 

Its 13,800 steps!

 

He counted them.

 

Recently, Mr. Walk started out for a walk, as he does frequently, and aimed his nose at Granton.  He followed the rail-road tracks all the way there and counted every step he took.

 

Counting is a habit he has formed over the years, and he just “swings into counting naturally.”  So during one mile, near the Jahr farm, he counted ties in addition to the steps.  There were 1,378 ties in that mile.

 

Years ago, when Mr. Walk made his mail route with a horse, he took to counting about every conceivable thing on the route; and there was a time when he could tell the number of fence posts in the mile square his route took around the Pleasant Ridge Church.

••••••••••

The old Masonic hall, said to be over 50 years old, and a warehouse for the Art F. Simons hardware store were razed to the ground by fire early Tuesday morning.  No accurate estimate of the damage as available.

 

The fire apparently started about midnight, but the cause was not determined; only the fact that there was but little wind, which kept the fire from spreading.  As it was, the tarred roof and a window sill of the brick building adjoining the Masonic hall, on the west, were ignited by flames and sparks; but the blazes there were quickly extinguished by alert volunteers.  This building, now vacant, formerly housed a local bank.

 

Sparks, too, threatened for a time the Simons hardware building; and volunteers, working against tremendous heat, moved three piles of wood in the 30-foot area between the warehouse and the frame hardware building.

 

Firemen were able to confine the fire to the two buildings, with the help of fire fighting equipment from the Fairchild conservation station, Alma Center and Neillsville.  The two old buildings were tinder-dry, so flames rapidly reduced them to ashes.

••••••••••

Donald Wildish ordinarily mixes the brisk life of Milwaukee with the calm quiet of Lake Arbutus.  But when he struck out for Milwaukee, last Saturday, he carried with him the realization that Lake Arbutus can provide its share of excitement too.  For on the previous Wednesday evening, a stroke of lightning had struck the pillow upon which his head was resting, and had set that pillow afire.  The flames were quickly extinguished, but the next day Mr. Wildish was some-what dazed and didn’t know much about what had happened.  It was a close call, as attested by the bullet-like hole in the pillow.

 

The lightning did its work during the storm, which came in the middle of the night.  The surmise is that the bolt followed wires into the cottage, which is located near the mouth of Arnold Creek at Lake Arbutus.  This is the home of Mrs. Allen (Bertha) Wildish, built originally as a summer cottage and occupied by her as a permanent residence since the death of her husband.

••••••••••

A teacher’s reunion was held at the South Worden School on Sunday, May 18.

 

Mrs. Ina Holderman (Ina Patten), Wonewoc, who taught from 1909 – 1911, claimed the honors of having the largest enrollment during her period of service.  There were 72 pupils enrolled the first year mars. Holderman taught.  She also said that if travel conditions were the same today as when she taught, she would probably not have been able to attend the reunion, as she could only remember two cars being in the community at that time.

••••••••••

See the motor caravan of Chryslers, all 1941 models to be shown at Neillsville on Friday, May 23 at 2:30 p.m.

 

There will be 15 new cars, beautiful and expensive, which are seldom seen hereabouts.  Included are a Crown Imperial selling at $2,800; a New Yorker, of 145 horsepower, with fluid drive; an elaborate station Wagon on a Chrysler chassis; three Highlanders; three Plymouths.

 

There will be a street parade, followed by an exhibition on the grounds north of Lewerenz Cafι.  Feirn’s Complete Service, is your Chrysler dealer.

••••••••••

H. H. Van Gorden & Sons, of Neillsville, will have a Friday and Saturday special, this week.

 

For each $1 purchase a customer makes, he will receive a dishtowel free of charge!

••••••••••

Stop in at Jack Sprat’s Grocery and see what 10 cents will buy: Buy 4 pkgs. Jack Sprat Gelatin Dessert for 25c and get 2 Royal Tumblers, Free with the purchase.

••••••••••

Blue Moon Bavarian Cheese Spread is cold at the following Neillsville stores: E. B. Hart Market, Swanson’s Jack Sprat, May & Ruchaber Store, Neverman’s Store, Farmers Store, Bollom’s Cash Market, Nick’s Grocery, Roehrborn’s Store and Prochazka Grocery.  Also Harder’s Store at Christie.

••••••••••

Wisconsin Trivia

Q. Wisconsin is the nation’s top producer of what three canned vegetables?

A. Snap beans, beets, and sauerkraut.

€€€€€€€€€€€

 

 

The Walk Brother Grocery General Merchandise Store was located near the southwest corner of the Hewett and Fifth Street intersection, in the early 1900s.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Roberts’ Collection)

 

 


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