Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

January 14, 2015 Page 9

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

January 1880

 

On Friday, January 2, this section was visited with a heavy rainstorm, which lasted nearly all night and a part of the next day.  This in connection with a rising barometer has caused the snow to vanish and as we go to press the roads are quite bare.                                                                                                                       

•••••••••

H.S. Woodward has sold his candy factory to Emery Breed, an old resident here. 

 

Emery Breed is a manufacturer, wholesale and retail dealer in all kinds of candies.  His factory is next door north of the Neillsville Bank.  He also has a large assortment of all kinds of Nuts and the best brands of Cigars and Tobacco.

•••••••••

Ole Thompson, of Coon Prairie, who received a broken leg last week, while engaged at work at the camp of Charles Ketchum, was brought to the O’Neill House, to receive surgical treatment.  Dr. Templeton was called and set the broken limb, and the patient is recovering.  His fellow workmen at the logging camp made up a purse of $50, which they kindly donated to the unfortunate man.  The Mackanaw suits cover hearts as kind and tender as any in the land.

•••••••••

By a recent decision of the commission of internal revenue, all loggers and lumbermen who supply their men with tobacco, are to be considered dealers in manufactured tobacco and must procure stamps as such immediately.

•••••••••

Mr. Robert Reed, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, brother of John Reed, of this town arrived here a week ago yesterday.  He is not favorably impressed with this country and after a short visit, will return to his native land.  He has for the past twenty years been engaged in a large chemical laboratory.                 

•••••••••

Willie Marsh, the gentlemanly and ‘close-cut blonde,’ salesman of Cole & Pashell’s dry goods house, is taking a short rest from his labors and while so doing he pays a visit to his old home at Black River Falls.  Willie is an energetic young man and works untiringly for his employers.                                                           

•••••••••

Last Thursday morning, Main Street was the scene of a lively runaway.  A horse, belonging to J. F. Canon, which was left unhitched in front of the post office became frightened and started down the street, and as is usually the case, one after another ran into the street swinging their hats and yelling ‘whoa!’ at the top of their voices, only making a bad matter worse and the horse did not stop until he had reached his old home across the creek.  No damage was done to either horse or vehicle.  The horse is not addicted to the habit of running away, but like all horses that are high-spirited, will run when it gets frightened.                                                                                      

•••••••••

The newspaper office has a surprise party last Saturday; it was an old fashioned surprise, too.  We thought for a few moments that the entire village of Merrillan had arrived, but it was only a portion of the village, jolly makers who had come to Neillsville for a sleigh ride and a good time generally.  They didn’t carry away the candy factory, for the proprietor is still here.  Among the party was O.T. Southworth, Rev. Hackney, Mr. M. McEwen and Mr. R. Gile, editor of the Wisconsin leader.  Of course the gentlemen brought their wives and those who had no wives brought their ‘sweetness.’  That explains the candy demand, but they didn’t take any cider, they are good Templars.  After partaking of the supper that has been prepared for them at the O’Neill House, they spent a happy evening at that place and took their departure about nine o’clock.                                                                                           

•••••••••

The other day the police at the union depot in a large city, noticed a feeble looking old man wandering in and out of the depot to kill time until his train would depart, and as he several times displayed quiet a roll of bills, he was cautioned to look out for pickpockets and confidence men.

 

“Wouldn’t anybody to rob an old man like me would they?” He innocently asked.  The warning was repeated, but he jogged around as before and after a time was seen in consultation with two strangers who had walked him around the wharf.  An officer got him away from them, and angrily said:

 

“Didn’t I warn you against strangers?  Those fellows are after your money!”

 

“But how can they get it when I have it in my pocket and my hand on it all the time?

 

“Well you look out.”

 

“Yes, I will look out; but I don’t want to be uncivil.  When anybody talks to me, I like to talk back.”

 

The strangers soon had him on the string again, and in a quarter of an hour they left him in a hurried manner, and he sauntered into the depot with his wallet in his hand.

 

“There! You’ve let them beat you,” exclaimed the officer.  “How much did you lend them?”

 

“Well they wanted $20, he slowly replied.

 

“And you handed it over, of course?”

 

“I gave ‘em a $50 bill and got $30 back.”

 

“Well, you’ll never see the bill again,” said the officer.

 

“I kinda hope not!  He chucked, as he drew down his eye, “It was a counterfeit, which my son found in Troy, and, being I am very old and innocent, and not up to the tricks of the wicked world, I guess I’ll get into the railroad car before somebody robs me of my boots.”  If anyone should come around looking for me, please say I’m not at home!”

 

January 1945

 

Mrs. Joe Prock entertained the Kaffe Kreanzchen club, Thursday at her home, on Clay Street.  The ladies exchanged gifts and enjoyed a 5:30 dinner.  It was the annual Christmas party of the club.

•••••••••

Pvt. Roy West, son of George West of Pleasant Ridge, arrived January 2, from Ft. Sheridan, Ill., having just returned from New Guinea, where he has served with the 128th Infantry, 32nd Division since May 1942.  Pvt. West left Neillsville with the service company in 1940.  While here, he is staying on the home farm with his sister, Mrs. Joe Kernz and her family, and will leave January 18 for a few days’ visit with a sister, Mrs. Wilbur Smith, in Milwaukee, after which he is to report to Miami Beach, Fla., for reassignment.  Pvt. West says it is sure good to be at home once more.

•••••••••

Eight gray fox were presented at one time last week to County Clerk Mills for payment of bounty.  They were worth $3 each to Oscar Melius of the Greenwood community, who brought them in.

•••••••••

S/Sgt. Frederick K. Meyer, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred E. Meyer, Neillsville Rt. 4 has been awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement in aerial flight.  Sgt. Meyer is an aerial engineer for the famous Seventh Bombardment Group of the tenth air force, which operated against the Japanese throughout the India-Burma Theater.  He has chalked up more than 100 combat hours during his six months of service in that sector.      

•••••••••

The hard hand of war is descending upon Clark County as it never has before.  With Mars calling for the farm boys heretofore deferred, farmers all over Clark County are over whelmed with concern.  For them, production has already been difficult almost to the point of impossibility.  What will it be with the young men moving out?

 

And they have started to move.  On Monday of this week close to 100 of them went to Milwaukee for pre-induction examination.  Most of these were in the class of the younger men who had been deferred for farm work.  In the county there are about 750 men in the age group most affected, from 18 to 25 inclusive.  All of these young men must go to Milwaukee and submit to examination.  On that point the national policy is explicit.  The local selective service board, meeting at Loyal Friday evening, recognized that it had no alternative.  Come what may, all of those boys must face the service surgeons, who will determine their fitness for military service.

 

Presumably this sweeping order for examination does not contemplate an easy policy thereafter.  Never before has there been an order so sweeping; never has Uncle Sam examined men in Milwaukee in large numbers, except with the settle intention of taking men for the armed services.  And while the ultimate design is not yet fully revealed, the inference is that these examinations mean business.                                                         

•••••••••

Frank Sturgeon of Neillsville has been working for several weeks as an insulator on the Pemiscot, one of the three U. S. maritime cargo vessels, that has just made the historic mid-winter trip through the icebound upper Great Lakes, from the shipyards at Superior.  At the completion of these ships the men were given time with their families.  He left Saturday to resume his work in the Duluth-Superior shipyards.                               

•••••••••

How Neillsville looked in 1878 to a Merrillan man.  This picture was given in an old copy of the Merrillan leader.  Published in about 1908, this, in turn re-published an article appearing in that newspaper January 5, 1878.

 

“On Monday we visited for the first time, the village of Neillsville, the capital of Clark County.  Taking the stage at Hatfield, we passed over fourteen miles of the roughest road we ever traveled.  The roads to Neillsville are usually in good condition and the past two weeks our best roads have been almost impassible.  From Hatfield to the point where the road crosses the Black River, the country is sandy and barren, but on the east side of the river the soil is very fertile, being a dark loam with clay subsoil, and all kinds of hardwood are found in abundance.  The farms along the road from the bridge to Neillsville show careful culture and the fine dwellings, barns and granaries would indicate that the farmers are prosperous and in good circumstances.  Reaching Neillsville, we were surprised to find a well-built town, having the fine public buildings, large stores, first-class hotels and some of the finest residences in the state.  Our visit being short, we can but briefly mention a few business interests of this thriving village.

 

The leading mercantile house is that of Hewett & Woods.  This is the oldest establishment in the place, and does an immense business.  Five clerks are constantly employed setting goods and the trade controlled by this firm extends over a large section of the country.  The other houses dealing in general merchandise are Cole & Campbell, F. A. Lee, D. Dickenson, Fred Klopf, O. Blakesley and Markey & Bruley, the later dealing principally in ready-made clothing. 

 

“The hardware trade is conducted by George L. Lloyd, O.P. Wells and C. E. Crocker.  Mr. Lloyd is snuggly located in his new building, opposite Hewett & Woods, and carried a very large stock of hardware, stoves, tin-ware and such.  Mr. Lloyd’s building is a model of elegance and adds much to the appearance of Neillsville.  Mr. Lloyd is a genial, outspoken gentleman, who says just what he thinks, in good plain English.

 

“There are two drug stores, kept by W. C. Crawford and J. C. Lacey.  Besides conducting the drug business, they devote some time to the practice of medicine, O. P. Thompson and J. H. Marsh, the former of an old school and the latter a homeopathic physician, each labor to alleviate the ills that human flesh is heir to.

 

“The hotels in Neillsville rank among the first in the state.  The Christie House, kept by R. C. Christie, is the largest and a very popular summer resort for travelers.  The Rossman House is said to be a good hotel and well conducted.

 

“Mrs. Tibbetts’ restaurant is one of the popular institutions of Neillsville, and the hungry traveler who reaches Neillsville can at any time get a good meal served in first-class style.  Besides these is a boarding house kept by Mrs. Reddan, which is well spoke of.  These we believe, complete the hotel accommodations of the village.

 

Although the people of Clark County are disposed to be peaceful, yet five law firms flourish at this place.  The oldest established attorney is B.F. French, well and favorably known throughout this section of the state.  McBride & Grundy, O’Neill & Sheldon, Ring & Youmans and D. R. Sturdevant are also engaged in the practice of law. The last named gentleman holds the office of District Attorney.

 

“There are three harness shops at this place, kept by P.S. Dudley, George A. Ludington and Joseph & Lutz.

 

“Two stores make a specialty of family groceries, that of James O’Neill, known as the ‘Corner Grocery’ and Joseph & Pond.  The musical instrument trade is represented by Chubb & Jones.  They are agents of the celebrated Beatty organs.

 

“The other dealers in Neillsville are as follows: The furniture store at Furlong’s old stand is kept by Peter Johnson.  The photography business is conducted by J.H. Crown & Co.  Two butcher shops furnish the village with meat, that of Lowe Brothers and Gates & Sons.  The latter are also engaged in pork packing.

 

“A fine flouring mill is conducted by George A. Austin & Co., which manufactures a superior article of flour and does a good business.

 

“The Clark County Bank furnished a safe depository for those having surplus funds and the borrowers who can produce the necessary collaterals can obtain all the money they want.  Judge Dewhurst is president and F. S. Kirkland is Cashier.

 

“Of millinery and dressmaking establishments, there are quite a number, kept respectively by Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Osborn, Miss Cora Crossett, Mrs. J. W. Ferguson and Miss Hart.

 

“At the post office James Ferguson, besides attending to the receipt and distribution of the mail, also keeps a variety store, where can always be found a full one of stationery, notions, etc.

 

“Ed Mitchell has charge of the telegraph office, located at the Christie House.

 

“It is impossible during a brief visit to obtain a fair idea of the extent of the business transacted at Neillsville.

 

The George L. Lloyd hardware business was located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Hewett and Fifth Streets in 1878, with the Hewett & Woods building on the northwest corner.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Roberts)

 

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