Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

September 15, 1999, Page 28

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

Good Old Days     

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

September 1909

 

Neillsville Schools opened last Monday, ready for the new term of classes. There are 145 students in the high school room, of which 40 live out of the city.

 

Teachers in the various departments are as follows: G. M. Snodgrass, Supt. & Mathematics; Lillian Taylor, History and Botany; Florence Usher, Latin and German; Claude D. Stillman, Science and Mathematics; D. L. Jacobsen, Manual Training; Lillian Whelan, Eighth; Clara Tragsdorf, 6th and 7th Grades; Ethel Ring, 4th and 5th Grades; Beth Youmans, 2nd and 3rd Grades; Ruth Ewing, 1st Grade.

 

North Side School: Elsie Dodte, 5th and 6th Grades; Ida Brule, 3rd and 4th Grades; Lida Canzon, 1st Grade.

 

Emery Bruley is selling the following items, for less than their value:

 

Three houses on lots in Neillsville; 360 acres of good Clark County land; 30 city lots in Neillsville, next to the post office; controlling interest in the Bruley Fence Post Co.  If interested, inquire of owner.

 

Frank B. Wing, proprietor of a large drug store at Abbotsford suffered a heavy loss of property last Monday morning.  Some burglars attempted blowing up the store safe, using too strong of a charge.  Not only did the door of (the) safe blow off but the entire store was nearly demolished.  One section of the door was blown the full length of the store and out through the front plate glass window.   Another piece went through the side of the building and the concussion wrecked the prescription case, breaking many bottles on the shelves.  Contents of the safe were scattered all over and the loose-leaf ledger containing recorded accounts, was practically destroyed.

 

The perpetrators of the blundering attempt at safe blowing left no clues.  It is believed they were traveling Yeggmen (criminals) who left on the 3 a.m. train after the explosion didn’t raise an alarm.  They found only $9 in the cash drawer, but found no money in the safe which Wing used for papers only.

 

George Ludington, the veteran harness maker, severs the tie that brought him to Neillsville.  He will return to his boyhood home in Dublin, Indiana, to take up his residence.  Ludington has been a resident of Neillsville since 1876 and during that time has made a lasting reputation for honest and square dealing.

 

Mr. Pelton of Milwaukee is here to superintend the laying of the stone for the new First National Bank building.  Bedford stone will be used on the building and the shipment is expected to be here so it can be lid in about three weeks.

 

The Neillsville Times will give as a premium to the new Times newspaper subscribers, a galvanized iron mail box for rural routes.  Call in your subscription and when you pay, you receive a new mailbox.

 

L. B. Ring is building a small store building between the Big Store and the Times office, which will be occupied by James Owen’s popcorn business.

 

The marriage of Ernest Ayers and Elsie Albreitrer, of the Town of Grant, was kept so quiet that few knew of the occurrence until Thursday’s paper came out.  Then a crowd of friends and neighbors gave them a Charivari on Saturday evening.  The following evening the same crowd gathered at the home of Wm. Kaplin and enjoyed a lunch, and at night they were given a dance by Mr. and Mrs. Ayers.

 

A buffet being shown in Eberhardts show window and which is a product of the Wisconsin Furniture Mfg. Co. of this city; clearly demonstrates the fact that Neillsville furniture will soon have a high place in the furniture world.  This dresser is the colonial style, made of quartered oak, and is built upon fine lines.

 

Some products of the Wisconsin Furniture Mfg. Co., in Neillsville, 1909

 

Under Mr. Karner’s superintendence the factory has made most rapid advancement and is keeping up with the latest things in the furniture line, in some cases setting the pace.  The factory has confined itself to bedroom suites and side-boards, but now a line of china closets and better grades of buffet will soon be on the market.  Some of the pieces in quartered oak, Flemish oak, Circassian walnut, and solid mahogany will add further luster to the already well-known “Reliable” line.

 

Miss Nettie Welsh left Loyal, returning to Abbotsford where she will resume her duties as a teacher in the public school there.  She will teach the 7th and 8th grades.

 

John Schwamb, of Tioga, is busy building a new house and plans to start moving into it as soon as it is finished enough to do so.

 

The Youmans’ farm, 3 miles east of Neillsville, will have a large auction on Sept. 15.  There will be sold: 75 milk cows; 5 mares, 3 colts, 2 driving teams, yearling colt, 1 Clydesdale stallion (Young Duke).  German Coach Stallion (Major), 1 Standard bred trotting stallion (Banbury No. 17420), 1 driving mare with foal to Banbury, 2-year-old mare & 2 colts by Banbury.  Many machinery items: plows, corn planters, cultivators, harrows, grain drill, binders, wagons, buggies, corn binder, mower, tedder, gasoline 6 H.P. engine, 12 H.P. steam engine, separator, harnesses, 3 B.L.K. cow milkers with piping & much more.

 

September 1944

 

Adolph Maul, planning to own a home in Thorp, has encountered a problem.  He bought a house in Boyd, and has been building a foundation for it in Thorp, and now has encountered a problem.  His plan was to move the house to Thorp, a distance of 10 miles, and set it on the new foundation.  But he now finds that, because of the size of the house and the obstruction which would be made upon the highway, he will be unable to move the building as a unit.  In other words, he will be forced to take it apart and move it piecemeal.

 

This difficulty illustrates the lengths to which Thorp people are being forced to go in an effort to find places to live.  The village is full and running over.  Under ordinary conditions such overcrowding would result in new construction, but war restrictions do not permit this, and Thorp people must do what they can to find housing.

 

The ‘A’ gasoline ration books will be issued in Clark County, Sept 11 through Sept. 16.  About 7,000 books will be issued.

 

Application blanks may be picked up by each motorist at any filling station.  After filling out the application, attach the back page of the old expired “A” book to the back of the application. The completed forms can be turned in at area high schools, except Chili area residents go to the Chili town hall; Willard area, state graded school and Riplinger area, grade school.

 

The building just east of the Granton bank has been purchased from Alvin Reichert by the new library committee of the Granton community.  The funds for the purchase were given by Mrs. Augusta Sampson’s interest and generosity.  The library will be known as the Sampson Memorial Library.

 

The Nevins school, a joint school district of the Town of Sherman has built a trail through the Seman woods for the Marek children. The two children, Eleanor and Dorothy, will travel the new trail to the Audubon school, and will thus occasion no expense to the school district for bus travel.  Five men worked two days with a grader and tractor to make the trail.

 

The trail might even be passable by a car in good weather.

 

The Marek farm is north of the Seman farm and only about a mile from the Audubon school.  But to get to the school by road, the distance would be nearly four miles and the road is not always good for traveling.

 

Dorothy, a first grader, and Eleanor, a second grader, tried the long walk for the first two days and then remained home.

 

The action in Sherwood brings to notice the legal requirements in such a case.  School districts have a responsibility with reference to the travel of children living within 2 ½ miles of a school.  If they live 2 ½ miles or further, it is required, either that the districts furnish transportation or that the parents are paid for carrying the children.  Such reimbursement is at a rate of 20 cents per day for the first child and 10 cents per day for the second child or each additional child.

 

Fred Rossman, Sr., is resigning after over 20 years of being the Neillsville Police Chief.  Rossman, age 82, finds it necessary to stay home and care for his wife, who virtually helpless in caring for herself and their home.

 

Neillsville is experiencing a house shortage. The result has been a sharp upward movement of values.  Within the past few months some deals have been negotiated or concluded.  Earl Schultz has bought from Jess Scott the house on Oak Street now occupied by the W. R. Marquart family.  The price has not been made known, but it is understood to have been not far from $3,000 to $3,200.  The purchase was arranged before the market reached its present acute stage.  Another deal for a small frame house, located on a desirable lot, and also includes an adjoining vacant lot, has been sold for the price of $2,000.

 

With the house market rising, there will probably be few sales in Neillsville in the near future.

 

The Braun Settlement Reformed Church will celebrate harvest home and mission festival, Sunday, Sept. 24, with services at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.  The Rev. David Grether of Colby will be guest speaker.  Lunch will be served at noon.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Langreck, Neillsville, announce the marriage of their daughter, Dorothy to Robert Opelt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Opelt, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church by Father Biegler.

 

The bride, in traditional white satin and veil, was attended by Miss Lucille Mack, Waupaca, and Miss Clara Aumann, Neillsville, was bridesmaid.

 

The bride’s brother, Harold Langreck, was best man, and Rudy Opelt was the usher.  A reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents.

 

After a week’s wedding trip to Northern Wisconsin, Mr. and Mrs. Opelt will be at home on the farm, Neillsville Route 1.

 

The Stables Nite Club wants to buy chickens for their chicken fries on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

 

Back-to-school specials are available at Penney’s store in Neillsville.  Boys’ and girls’ sturdy oxfords, moccasin toe, dress and sport oxfords.  Style-right and built for wear, sizes 12 to 3, $2.49; sizes 8 ½ to 11 1.2, $2.29.

 

A & P Food Stores specials are as follows: Lemons, 3 for 10¢; home grown apples, 4 lbs 25¢; Eight O’clock Coffee, 3 lb. bag 59¢; Sultan peanut butter, 2 lb jar 39¢; corn flakes, 18 oz. 11¢; Colorado peaches, crate $1.79.

 

Now showing at the Adler theatre is a movie, “Four Jills in a jeep” featuring Kay Francis, Carole Landis, Martha Raye and Mizi Mayfair.

 

There will be a wedding dance at the Inwood Ballroom in honor of Margaret Gearing and Russell Schroeder on Saturday, Oct. 17 with music by Fred Maeder, Joe Dvorak and their band.

 

 A circa 1909 day in Neillsville, with people gathering for a celebration and parade (Photo courtesy of the Glass Family Collection, Tuft’s Museum)

 

 


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