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Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI January 21, 2004, Page 14 Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon. Index of "Oldies" Articles
Compiled by Dee Zimmerman
Clark County News |
January 1874
Samuel Calaway is manufacturing the most convenient folding clothes-rack that we have ever seen. When folded, it takes up about as much room as an umbrella. The total length of the arms is 24 feet. The apparatus was originally invented by Mr. Dave Brown, of Hewett & Woods Company. He undertook to makeup a folding rake for a reaper. The apparatus was not a success as a rake, but it made the best clothes rack to be in use.
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The establishment of a long needed institution here, a bank, has at last been accomplished. It will go into operation as soon as the necessary books, safes and such, can be procured. It is understood that Mr. Dewhurst will be President and Frank S. Kirkland, Cashier. The necessary stock has been subscribed and is sufficiently already paid in to make the enterprise a certainty. Dewhurst and Hutchinson’s building will be used for the purpose of a bank, at present. Intentions are to have the bank open for business in about 30 days.
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The New Year’s party at the O’Neill House was one of the most successful that has ever been given here. There were 103 couples present. Some of those people came from other parts of the county.
The Loyal folks had a very happy party, at Gwinn’s new hall, with 49 couples present. An excellent supper was served at the Hotel, which fortified the dancers for an all night’s drill.
The Greenwood people, to the number of nearly 40 couples, counted the glowing hours with flying feet, at Begley’s Hotel. No crowd ever enjoyed themselves better than they did.
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Aleck Hulverson’s restaurant, recently fitted up over the O’Neill House saloon, is well stocked in a good running shape. It is the best place in town to get a plate of oysters, pigs’ feet, or anything else that is good to eat.
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Uncle Jacob Spaulding, of Black River Falls, was in town on Saturday, with a petition asking Congress to set aside a large tract of government land east of that village, as a reservation for the Winnebago Indians who desire to remain in this state. The names of nearly 200 of the citizens of Jackson County were on the petition.
The petition received the addition of many names here and we believe that a majority of the people in the two counties are in favor of the Indians remaining here.
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The County Board of Supervisors, in accordance with the petition of the people of that town has passed an order dividing the Town of Washburn from north to south on the meridian line, making two towns. The new town is to be called “Perkins,” to be composed of 23 one east, the balance of the territory, 23 one west, to hereafter compose of the Town of Washburn. The change is to take effect on the 1st of March, next. There was a motion before the Board to name the new town “Taylor,” but the people of the town had expressed their wish, in the petition, for the name of Perkins, in honor of an old and esteemed resident of that town. The members decided to forego the opportunity of a good joke, to do justice to local merit and Perkins is the classic name of the town.
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The Markets: The wheat market has met with a little decline again, probably owing to the large amount being rushed in under the stimulus of good prices, but the demand is good. Buyers here are offering from $1.10 to $1.15 for wheat. Oats seems to be advancing all along the line, which however, has not affected the price so much here, where they are firm at 40 cents. Corn is scarce and finds a ready sale at 70 cents. Pork is still on the decline. Gates & Head are paying $7.65 per hundred for fresh pork and selling salt pork for $18 per hundred. Butter and eggs still find a very ready sale at 25 cents each in trade, with some discount for cash.
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Mr. M. Johnson has returned to Neillsville and established himself permanently in the painting business. He has a shop in the Payne & Robinson Building. He is a good painter and deserving of patronage.
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There was intense excitement in Neillsville on New Year’s morning, occasioned by an affair that happened in one of the most respectable families here. There were few that could believe it until they verified the startling news by a personal visit and the residence was thronged at an early hour for this purpose. Though the evidence was indisputable, each one turned away hardly able to believe his own senses, wondering what would happen next. The author of the affair held himself aloof from the crowd that was waiting in the street to take him in hand in the absence of the proper officials. As a great many versions for the matter have already gone afloat, we may as well give the true circumstances. Dr. French, at long last, has a boy!
January 1934
Edwin Bast and Nick Linster announced that they had taken over the Neillsville Garage and will operate the business. The garage will continue its repair department and storage space. It is planned to take on a line of well-known automobiles within a short time. The new proprietors are planning a number of improvements in service and will run an up-to-date garage in every way.
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Twenty-seven Clark County young men were selected from 200 applicants, Thursday, for the Civil Conservation Corps duty. Following is a list of those chosen:
Lawrence Freedlund, Sherwood; Clyde C. Gall, Granton; Early L. Hanson, Owen; Conrad Haas, Thorp; Arvid Heikkinen, Owen; Norman L. Jackson, Longwood; Lester Kiplitz, Withee; Vernon Kramer, Abbotsford; Clifford Kurtsweg, Neillsville.
George A. Lewis, Abbotsford; Harold Lockman, Neillsville; Otis K. Meyers, Abbotsford; Armand Miller, Withee; Raymond H. Milton, Neillsville; Fred Otrin, Owen; Felix Perko, Willard; Erwin Poelzel, Neillsville.
Antone Ponick, Thorp; Wilho Salo, Owen; Joseph L. Schommer, Colby; Walter Stecke, Colby; Clarence E. Strohkirch, Withee; Bervil Walker, Humbird; Victor F. Wehlacz, Thorp; Robert A. Wetzel, Colby; Willard E. Zulke, Colby.
The contingent was taken to Camp Arbutus, Hatfield, in trucks where they will be given medical examinations and assigned to duty.
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An acetylene gas explosion in the basement of the farm home of Leonard Schultz, one mile south of Globe, damaged walls, blew the kitchen door off the hinges and burned the hair from the head of their little son, Billy, 3 years old. The blast occurred when a member of the family lighted a lamp in the cellar while Leonard was refilling the carbide tank. A few pieces of carbide are believed to have fallen into the water and generated gas, which filled the basement with the highly explosive fumes.
The family, with the exception of the baby, Dona Lee, 5 months old, had gathered about the cellar door when Mr. Schultz warned them to leave the house after he had smelled the gas. Mrs. Schultz said, “We went to the cellar door instead of going out of the house, thinking that if it was safe for Mr. Schultz, it was safe for us.” About that time someone struck a match to light the cellar lamp. A flash of fire filled the cellar and swept up the stairway, burning the hair off Bill’s head. The lad also suffered slight burns about his face and hands. The other members of the family were uninjured. The explosion sounded like a heavy boom, Mrs. Schultz said. She did not feel the house shake in the blast, she said, despite the damage to walls and flooring.
Dona Lee was asleep in a bedroom and was not disturbed by the explosion. No windows were broken in the room she occupied.
The explosion is said to have sounded louder at a distance than it did at the Schultz home, as several neighbors reported about the blast. The outside cellar door had been opened after the gas was detected and it is believed that this precaution saved the building from being entirely destroyed by the explosion.
In the house, at the time of the blast, were Mr. and Mrs. Schultz and their children, Alfred, Billy and Dona Lee.
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Wednesday night, the Ladies’ Sewing Club, which met with Miss Clarice Dodte at the home of Judge Schoengarth, was startled by a fire, which was seen across the block on Court Street. The Judge went over to investigate and found Hauge’s machine shed was on fire. He set to work to extinguish the blaze and had it pretty well under control when the fire company responded to a call sent in by someone.
The building contains no heating system and the origin of the fire is unknown.
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A strong effort is being made to take all “floaters” off the roads and concentrate them in camps where they will be given comfortable shelter, sufficient food and be required to work four hours per day.
To assist in the movement the authorities request that no aid is (to) be given them by private persons; neither food, clothing, money nor shelter.
Any person asking for aid is to be referred to the County Relief Office. Here, their condition will be investigated and temporary relief given if necessary. Then the applicant will be sent to La Crosse where the nearest camp is located.
This system has already resulted in taking many wandering men off the road. Comparatively few are now arriving here. Over 200 are assembled in the La Crosse camp and many more in other camps.
The system relieves these men of much hardship, secures some service from them and in many cases helps to return the men to their original homes, or secures for them some permanent employment.
Private individuals can best cooperate in this plan, by refusing any aid to such beggars, when they are approached for help.
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The village of Merrillan is being attached to Clark County in the Administration of Poor Relief. Jackson County has not established the county system of relief, as a large portion of that county had few applicants for help. The village of Merrillan, however, is hard hit and finds difficulty in taking care of the poor out of local funds. By being attached to Clark County, the village will receive 70 per cent of its aid from the Federal Funds and will have to give only 30 per cent of the aid from its local taxes. As Merrillan’s proportionate share of administration expenses will come out of its allotment, Clark County will be out nothing.
Mr. Powers, who is investigator for the Southwest section of Clark County, will act as investigator of cases in Merrillan.
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Being a farmer within the city limits may have advantages over that of being a farmer in the country, but it is certain that those advantages are rather expensive luxuries when considered from the view point of taxes.
This is ably illustrated in the amount of taxes paid during the past 77 years on the Hewett farm, now occupied by mayor and Mrs. S. F. Hewett, since the time when James Hewett, Neillsville’s first mayor and father of the present executive, purchased the property.
The other night, Mr. and Mrs. Hewett by way of pastime, delved into old tax bills and discovered that during this 77-year period, the family has paid nearly $60,000 in taxes into the city of Neillsville.
It is more than likely that this amount sets a record for taxes paid on home property in the city for a similar period. At one time, the opportunity presented itself, years ago, when it would have been possible for the Hewett property to be set outside the city limits. But Mr. Hewett’s loyalty to the city in which he had been reared, overweighed any desire he might have had to reduce his tax bill, when such economy was to be had at the cost of giving up his residence in a city he esteemed as a site for his home.
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The marriage of Miss Christine Daniels, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Daniels, Town of Grant and Frederick Elmhorst, Town of York took place Wednesday, Jan. 24 at one o’clock. The Rev. Arthur S. Laesch performed the ceremony at the Mapleworks parsonage. The bride wore an ankle length dress of powder blue Canton crepe with white accessories and carried a bouquet of pink carnations, smilax and ferns. The bride was attended by her sister, Mrs. Henry (Dorothy) Elmhorst, Jr. who wore a dark blue silk flat crepe gown and carried a corsage of pink carnations with ferns. The groom was attended by Henry Elmhorst, Jr. Following the ceremony, a wedding dinner was served at 4 o’clock to immediate relatives. In the evening, the young people drove to their new home nine miles north of Granton, where they will be house-keeping, starting their new life together.
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The St. John’s Lutheran Ladies Aid Society celebrated its 25th Anniversary last Sunday morning in a special service, which the members attended in a body. Rev. Wm. A. Baumann chose for his Jubilee sermon, the text of Luke 10:38-42. The kind work of Martha and the faithful spirit of Mary were set up as examples for women’s work in the church. Following the sermon, the Society sang; “Now thank we all our God.” As a perpetual remembrance of the day, the Ladies Aid donated $25 towards the widows and orphans’ fund. Roll call was held at the church. In spite of the sharp, cold wind, for it was about ten below zero, 38 members out of a possible 45, were present for the occasion.
In the commemoration of the event, a social was held at 2 o’clock in the schoolhouse. The Young People’s Society entertained the audience with a fitting program, lasting one hour and a half. Mr. and Mrs. George May presented the society with a birthday cake, from which two hundred pieces were distributed. The beautifully decorated cake was covered with a miniature church, 20x30 inches, which will for sometime adorn the schoolroom of the upper grades. The festivities closed with a hymn: “Lord dismiss us with Thy Blessing.”
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S. Frank Hewett was known as Neillsville’s mayor for the years of 1928-1934, his occupation being a surveyor. Frank’s father, James Hewett was the city’s first mayor, 1882-1883. James Hewett, whose name is prominently associated with Neillsville’s early days, arrived here in 1856. He came to build the first bridge over the Black River and decided to stay. “Hewett’s Hill” was a common reference point in Neillsville’s early years as Hewett’s Victorian-style home and farmstead was located at the west end of 5th Street, on the north side of the highway. The Hewett name remains here today, with the city’s main street named “Hewett Street,” running north and south in the center of the city. (Photo courtesy of the Bill Roberts family
