April 1884

At the Clark County Poor Farm, there are five children, three girls and two boys, aged from 18 months to eight years, for whom it is desired to find suitable homes.  If anybody would like to take one, he should communicate with Mr. Ira Fike, overseer of the farm, who will give a more particular account of the children.

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A first-class family horse, 5 years old, sound and kind, a child can drive her.  The carriage is new and has not been run more than four months.  Both are for sale, cheap, for cash.  Inquire at the Press office.

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Call on Dr. Pitcher to have your teeth examined.  His advice will cost you nothing.  He may save you a world of suffering.  Artificial teeth can be inserted, from a single tooth to a full set.  See Dr. Pitcher, Dentist, in Gates’ Block, Neillsville.

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Fred Seif was in to see us the other day.  Mr. Seif has been a resident of Sherwood Forest for many years, but has sold out down there.  He now owns the Wm. Newcomb place up on West Weston.  We are glad to have him so near town.

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The public sale of county lands at Clark County Clerk Grow’s office, Tuesday, resulted in the disposal of 68 forties.  Wayne Ramsay took 35 forties at $5,035; J. L. Gates, 19 forties for $820 and Webster & Clark Manufacturing Co., 14 forties at $290.  The total paid was $3,145.  The land sales were made by open, competitive bidding and the amount realized was in advance of the prices hitherto offered by would-be purchasers.  The sales are very favorable to the county and the matter has been conducted carefully, in the interest of the county.  Mr. Grow will, in the next few days of his existence, be drawing up quit-claim deeds.

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Dr. G. S. Pickett has bought the Crocker residence in the first ward.  Mr. Crocker talks of building up on the Bacon Ridge, in the third ward.

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In counting Gustavus Stern’s new cooper shop, near the brewery, Neillsville has two such institutions.  Leason has a cooper shop, turning out tanks, cisterns, etc.

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The hotel known as the Central House, along with three lots and two barns, in Neillsville, is for sale, cheap.  Inquire of B. F. French, in Neillsville.

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The Upham Manufacturing Company’s saw mill, at Marshfield, burned last week, Wednesday, at 8 p.m.  Fire started in the engine room, or from the smokestack.  The property destroyed was valued at $22,000 and insured at $13,000.  There are 150 men temporarily out of employment.   Mr. Upham has set a contract for the frame timber of a new mill, which will probably be up and running in about 60 days.

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A new frame building is going up on the lot between Geo. Huntzicker’s residence and the Furlong store, on the Neillsville’s north side facing Main Street.  Even if it isn’t Main Street, it should be.

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There are a few improvements and a little more show of business, this spring, than there has been for two years, in Green-wood.  Miss Mason, of Neillsville, has just started a millinery store in Tom Sythe’s building.  B. Sullivan and Austin Ryan are looking up a site to put up a blacksmith shop.  It is also reported that Tom Sythe will move his shop from the farm to the new place and resume his old business.

The first week of April, was a busy week for businessmen of Greenwood, the busiest that has been known for two years.  Many of the boys from the West Central Railroad returned and are now off on log drives on some of the adjacent streams.  There are more boys stopping around there than usual; must be, because they have more attractions as far as luxury for the boys.  This gives them a chance to blow their hard-winter’s earnings.

April 1934

The surface of Lake Arbutus presents the bizarre appearance of being covered with black ice, following last week’s flood, according to several persons who visited the lake Sunday.  During the low water, this spring, the ice sank to the bottom where it became imbedded in the mud.  The flood raised the ice and broke it up.  Much of it turned over, exposing the muddy side.  All of the ice, which came down Black River, during the flood, is lodged in Lake Arbutus.

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Mrs. Anna Davis, Winnebago Indian, about 80 years old, died April 5, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ray White, at Dells Dam.  Mrs. Davis had been ill all winter.  She is survived by Mrs. White, as two other daughters have preceded her in death.  Burial was made in the Indian Cemetery at Dells Dam, tribal services being used.

In conformity with the Indian custom, a “wake” was held, lasting four nights.  On the first three nights, supper was attended by more than a dozen relatives and friends, at which tribute was paid the departed member of the tribe.  On the fourth night, the group remained up all night during which several Indian veterans of World War I told of their experiences in the army.

On April 6, Ray White received word that his father, of Pittsville, had died in the Tomah hospital.  After attending the funeral of his wife’s mother, he left for Pittsville to attend the services for his father.

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A very pleasant party was given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Bollom, Sunday, in honor of the 25^th anniversary of their marriage.  Mr. and Mrs. Bollom and family have lived here three and a half years.  They have made many friends during that time.

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Durell Gotchling, who has been managing the Adler Theater in this city for the past year and a half, resigned his position last week.  He resigned so as to go on the road with his own moving picture show.  Mr. Gotchling has purchased a fine new portable talking motion picture outfit, which he will use over a circuit starting at Alma Center and extending as far west as the Mississippi River.

The circuit will include seven towns and the plan is to visit each town on the same night each week.  Mr. Gotchling will open Saturday night at Alma Center, York the next night and Fall Creek the following night.  Towns to fill out the rest of the week are being booked this week.  Elmer Northup will travel with Mr. Gotchling to assist in setting up the equipment and handling the show.

Mr. Gotchling began work four years ago, at Adler’s Theater, and by his industry and integrity worked up to be manager.  He is an excellent operator and exceptionally well versed in the show business.  He should make a success of his new venture.  Mr. and Mrs. Gotchling have given up their apartment in the theater building and will make their home at the residence of Miss Mabel Cannon, on the north side.

Succeeding Mr. Gotchling at the theater is Wilmer G. Meier, Waupaca, who took over the management of the theater, Monday night.  He has been employed in the theater business at Plymouth, Wis., recently.

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Fishing licenses were sent to 20 cities, villages and towns in Clark County, Monday, by Clark County Clerk Calvin Mills.  All fishermen who use rods and reels will have to supply themselves with a license at a cost of $1 or face the possibility of being arrested by conservation officials.

Any non-resident, male or female, over 16 years old, must have a license, costing $3, before he can fish in Wisconsin waters.  Residents of Wisconsin, male or female more than 18, must have a license to fish with rod and reel, but not if they use the old cane pole.  The resident license if good from May 1, 1934 to April 30, 1935, while the non-resident permit is good from May 1 to December 1934.

Although this county does not have fish shipping coupons for non-residents on hand, they can be obtained if anyone wants them. The books can be purchased, costing $2 per book.

While the sucker and red horse fishermen already have been trying their luck, the game fishermen are looking forward to the opening of the trout season on May 1.

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Charles Austin, of Day’s Corner area, has passed away.

Charles Eugene Austin was born at Woodstock, Ill., in the year of 1953.  He came to Clark County in 1870, at the age of 17 years, where his father had half interest in the saw and gristmill with Charlie Blakeslee.  Mr. Austin, together with Henry Carleton, drove tote teams to and from Sparta with freight from the mill.  It took them three days to make one trip.  Later, Mr. Austin’s father took over the mill and ran it for many years.  The mill was then sold to the late James Hewett and Mr. Wood.

Mr. Austin then went to farming on Pleasant Ridge.  On this farm, he built the first silo to be put up in Clark County.  He also owned the first cream separator, first creamery and cheese factory in Clark County.  Later, the farm was sold to an English syndicate and then to John Langreck.

(That farm is one and a-half miles east of Neillsville on Ridge Rd. D. Z.)

In the year of 1887, Mr. Austin was united in marriage with Miss Essie A. Ward.  To this union were born, Marinda Catherine, who is now working for Congressman Baily, of Texas at Washington D. C., Beatrice, who passed away in 1912, Kenneth Ward, who is now employed at Barron, Wis., and a baby, Chas. Eugene, who died in infancy.

In 1892, Mr. Austin moved to the farm on the Cunningham Creek, where he operated a creamery for six years.  During this time, he shipped butter to West Superior and out of this butter; 16 pounds or one tub was entered at the World’s Fair in Chicago, 40 years ago.  This butter scored 99.5 points and won for Mr. Austin a diploma and a gold medal.

Later, they operated a store in the city of Neillsville for two years and then moved to the farm at Day’s Corner, south of Neillsville.

The funeral was held on April 11 and he was laid to rest in the Neillsville Cemetery.

Mr. Austin is survived by his widow and two children, Catherine and Kenneth.  He also has one sister, Mrs. Mamie Thayer, Minneapolis.

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D. M. Ohnstad, physical and educational director at the Lake Arbutus CCC camp, called at the Clark County Superintendent’s office in Neillsville.  He conferred with Mr. Millard relative to a plan to teach grade and high school work at the Conservation Corps Camp for the benefit of the young men who have not completed these courses.  If the plan can be carried out, Mr. Millard may go down about once each week to help organize the work.  The teaching staff, it is said, could be selected from among those at the camp who are qualified to teach.

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A shower of mud greeted this community Saturday night and left a layer of dust and grit over buildings and windows. Motorists reported they were forced to stop frequently to wipe the muddy water off their windshields.  People who were out during the shower, later found their clothes speckled with mud spots.  The heavy dust storms, which have been reported in states west of here, are blamed for the phenomenon.

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News has been received here of the marriage of Miss Mabel Kass, daughter of Mrs. Emma Kass, of Thorp, to Car Mason, of Chippewa Falls.  The ceremony took place April 2, at St. Bernard’s Church, of Thorp.  Mrs. Mason is well known there, having grown to womanhood on the farm now occupied by George Wortolec.  Mr. Mason is a mortician at Chippewa Falls. 

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Wisconsin’s war on grasshoppers, this season, began officially April 16 when three federal and four state supervisors started work in the 28 northern Wisconsin counties where grasshopper outbreaks are expected to occur this summer.

It is anticipated that 1,600 tons of ready-mixed poison bran bait to be furnished by the Federal Government may be needed.  Of this amount 800 tons of the poison will be delivered to Phillips, Rhinelander, Wausau, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Marinette and Antigo.  These sites have been selected as the tentative centers for the distribution of the poison bran bait.

The Wausau center will distribute the poison bran to Marathon, Wood and Clark Counties.

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Mrs. Amelia Gehrt, whose maiden name was Amelia Krueger, was the wife of Herman Gehrt of Pine Valley.  She was born in Germany on April 27, 1866.  Shortly after their marriage, they came to Clark County, arriving in the year of 1891.  For two years, they lived in Neillsville and then moved on their farm, about five miles from Neillsville.

Six children were born to the Gehrt’s: Mary, who is now Mrs. Christ Mohr of Pine Valley (was born in Germany); Otto, Willie, Martha, Elsie, who is now Mrs. Arthur Berger of Neillsville and Emma of Milwaukee.  Mrs. Gehrt was one of the charter members of Zion Reformed Church of which she was a faithful member at the time of her death.

Mrs. Gehrt has been afflicted with asthma for many years and when pneumonia set in about a week ago, it caused her death.  Her age was 67 years, 11 months and 12 days.  She leaves her husband, six children, five grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.  Funeral services were held at the Zion Reformed Church with Rev. E. H. Vorholt (Vornholt) conducting the services.

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The 1934 Ford V-8 gives you extra miles per gallon, or 20 miles per gallon at 45 miles an hour.  It can be yours at only $515.

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Be sure to attend the Waffle Supper at the Moose Hall, in Neillsville, on Saturday, April 21.  Serving waffles with syrup, sausage and coffee, starting at 5 p.m.  The cost is 25c per plate.

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Shop the A&P Store this week for these specials:

Fine granulated beet sugar, 10 lb. cloth bag, 52c; Quaker Maid Beans, 6 cans 25c; Del Monte Pineapple, 30 oz. cans, 2 for 37c.

John W. Pietenpohl operated one of the largest sugar bushes in Clark County during the 1930s, tapping up to 1,400 maple trees.  Located just off of County Trunk K, two miles northwest of Granton, Pietenpohl lived in the cooking shack for a month during the maple sap melting-down process, tending the fires, sap pans and canning of the syrup.

(Photo courtesy of the Pietenpohl collection and Joan Tibbett)