Clark County Press, Neillsville,

November 15, 2006, Page 12

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled and contributed by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

November 1881

 

The people of the Town of York are looking forward, with pleasure, to the prospect of a railroad going through their midst.  It’s just what they want to carry off and use up their surplus lumber.

 

The bridge, new Visgar’s Mill, is being rebuilt by Frank Osgood. The bridge over the north fork of O’Neill Creek is being redone by Messrs, Johnson and Gibson.

•••••••••

Neillsville is an enterprising village of about 1,200 inhabitants.

 

Some of its businesses are: G. Sterns is the only representative of the stave making industry, and his mill is a leading feature of the town. He has been identified with the town for the past 13 years; formerly doing planning (planing) and job work. But for the last past four years, he has given his exclusive attention of tight-work stave stock.  He is preparing to manufacture heading and slack work, and in another year this class of work will comprise an important feature of the manufacturer.  His productions rank high in the market.  His business already furnished employment to 10 or 12 hands, and contributes materially to the good of both the town and the surrounding country.

 

A. S. Leason & Son, proprietors, inaugurated this business here one year ago, and it is an assured success.  The Leasons came here from Sheboygan County, about one year ago, built their factory, and are now in excellent shape for doing business.  The establishment is operated by steam power, has good machinery insuring the best of work, which comprises almost everything in the line of wood pumps.  They make all sizes of pumps, also tub cisterns and all work pertaining to the business.  The elder member of the firm has 20 years experience as a pump-maker.

 

James Hewett, merchant and lumberman, is the representative of one of the most important business interests in this section of the State.  He is the owner of one of the largest general stores in Clark County, and is largely engrossed in lumbering.  He is an old resident, and has done much for the development of the county and the building up of the town.  The “red brick” as his monster store is called, is presided over by Stanley F. Chubb, and is without question the heaviest concern of its kind in Clark County.

•••••••••

Wolff Bros., proprietors of one of our two meat markets, though a young enterprise here, have a big business.  They do a general meat market business, and handle game of all sorts. They are fair and straight forward-men and are popular with the public. They are doing much for the town in the furnishing of toothsome meats.

 

J. Furlong, dealer in groceries, provisions, crockery and glassware, has been a resident of this vicinity for a fourth of a century, and for many years actively identified with the town.  His present establishment, located on the North Side, was opened a year ago, and although making no great outward show, has a good trade, and offers first-class inducements to purchasers.

 

F. A. Balch & Son, of the North Side grocery store, are the next claimants of our attention, and although a rather new establishment, they do a good business, which has increased from the start. Dry goods and notions were added to their stock last spring, and they carry a superior class of goods.  The store is a great convenience to the North Side residents.

 

G. W. Trogner, wagon and carriage maker, for the past 10 years has been identified with the interests of Neillsville.  He manufactures carriages, wagons, sleighs, cutters, and also does repairing.

 

O. P. Wells, liveryman, started in his present business last June, as successor of Ed Markey.  His new stable is 64x36 feet in size, conveniently arranged, and supplied with outfits suited to the wants of all.  He has about 15 head of excellent horses, and makes a specialty of the commercial traveler business.  Wells is a pleasant and fair man to deal with, and a good man to patronize.

 

The Clark County Bank is the oldest institution of the kind in Clark County.  It does general banking business.  Officers are: Levi Archer, President; James Hewett, Vice President; W. C. Books, Cashier.  Capital is $25,000.

 

H. E. Taylor, jeweler and machinist, is worthy of our special notice.  He is quite an “old settler,” and is entitled to the belt for mechanical ingenuity.  He makes repairing a specialty.  He was the first jeweler to settle in Clark County.  He does all sorts of light machine work, gunsmithing, etc.

 

November 1931

 

The honor of being the first baby born in the new Neillsville Hospital has gone to William George Jones who was born at 12:40 p.m. last Friday.  The child is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Jones of Lindsey.

 

For the distinction of being born in the room recently furnished by the W. F. Schiller Furniture store, Mr. Schiller has presented the parents with a beautiful bassinet and in return the baby was named William after Mr. Schiller.

 

The furniture supplied for the room by Mr. Schiller is the latest in hospital equipment.  The bed is an expensive one with many adjustments and is supplied with a Simmons Beauty Rest mattress.  The furniture included a large steel dresser, night table with drawer, rocker and chair.  It is finished in a pretty green, trimmed with orchid.

 

Mrs. Jones asserted she was highly pleased with the service and care she has received at the hospital.  Her attending physician was Dr. H. W. Housley.

 

The Lowe Furniture store has also donated furniture for a room at the Neillsville Hospital.  The furniture includes a fine new adjustable bed, three pictures, a rug, a dresser, rocker and chair, hall tree and table.  The furniture is done in attractive colors and is a splendid addition to the hospital.

•••••••••

Tom Bruley, who still sits serenely in his confectionery stand known as “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” at the Balch Hardware corner, stated Monday that this is his longest season since he went into the business in 1918.  It is fully a month later than other years, of the stand being open.  The opening and closing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin has been a fairly good sign of the summer’s beginning and end.  Mr. Bruley states that as soon as the cold weather closes his cabin, he will open a confectionery and lunch counter in the basement below the A&P store.

•••••••••

The first killing frost, for this part of Wisconsin, came Sunday morning, Nov. 1.  Several light frosts had occurred during October, but nothing to injure vegetables.  Gardens remained green, even tender plants like tomatoes remained untouched until Nov. 1.  Many reported summer flowers again in bloom and some apple trees blossomed with ripe fruit still on the branches. Although November brought cool nights, the days have remained warm and bright.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Albrecht were exploring Wild Cat Mound, and other small adjacent mounds, Sunday, Nov. 15, and found many blueberry bushes in blossom.  In patches, the white blossoms entirely covered the bushes.  Many green berries were seen and a number were full-grown and turning ripe.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Albrecht brought some of the bushes home and have the roots in water.  As far as is known, this is the first time in this region that blueberries have blossomed twice in one season.

•••••••••

Wisconsin chickens earned more than 24 million dollars for the farmers of the state in 1930, in addition to being the largest single source of food product for the state’s farm families, according to estimates of the Crop Reporting Service of the Wisconsin and United States Departments of Agriculture. The cash income from sales of chickens and eggs makes up nearly eight per cent of the cash farm income for the state.  Income from chickens is exceeded only by that from milk, cattle and hogs in importance and produces nearly twice as much income as any single field crop, according to the report.  (I can vouch for that report.  In the 1930s, our family’s diet included eggs as the protein source of the meal, at least twice a day and occasionally three times a day. D.Z.)

•••••••••

Geese and chicken thieves are reported operating about six miles southwest of Neillsville and several farmers have lost valuable birds.  Sheriff William Bradford has been notified and will conduct an investigation, he stated.

•••••••••

The steel bridge at Lynn, on Highway 10, which was replaced by a new concrete one, was the first steel truss bridge put in Clark County.  It was built in about 1905, when George Ure was chairman of the town.  It was still in good condition, but too narrow for a Federal highway.  It has been moved to another part of the Town of Lynn.

•••••••••

A. L. Warnecke, who has worked for some time in Harry Roehrborn’s store, last week traded his Neillsville home to S. H. Van Gorden & Son, for a store building, stock of goods and fixtures in Alma Center.  It is a going concern and doing a good business.  Mr. Warnecke took possession this week. 

 

Sunday evening, about 45 friends of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Warnecke met at their home to give them a surprise farewell party, bringing with them well-filled baskets.  All enjoyed a fine time.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Max Opelt, Sr., celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their marriage by giving a free dance at Riverside Pavilion, Wednesday evening, Nov. 18.  Over 200 guests, relatives and friends, attended and all had a happy time.  The Dux Orchestra furnished music and a fine lunch was served.  Among the guests were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Teatz of the Town of York, who attended Mr. and Mrs. Opelt when they were married.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Opelt were married at Lynn, Mrs. Opelt’s maiden name being Phoebe Sternitzky. For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Opelt lived at Lynn, where Mr. Opelt owned and ran a store.  Later, they moved to their farm in Levis.  They have a wide circle of very warm friends.

•••••••••

Last week, the report got spread around that three fresh graves had been discovered somewhere in the wilds of the Town of Dewhurst.  The rumor soon expanded to the report that six or seven bodies had been discovered.  Sunday forenoon, a number of investigators drove down to search the scene of the supposed crime.  After some difficulty, the graves were found and on being excavated, nothing was discovered.

 

The searchers then interviewed W. L. Murphy, the chairman of the town, as to why the graves contained no human remains.  The were informed by Mr. Murphy that these “graves” were test holes dug by parties exploring for gravel, and were filled up again after sufficient tests were made.

•••••••••

Old Dan Cupid has been busy in the Town of York lately, although he has been working on the sly.  About six months ago, Slim Reindel and fiancée slipped away and were quietly married.  Suspicions were afloat, but no one was sure, Charlie Kupka thought he could save dollars the same way Slim had.  So he and his friend too went on a “visit” and things didn’t get around until last night.  The crowd got busy as they had two places to stop that night.  Pete Krejci said both fellows should pay a little more money than out of the ordinary because the interest amounted to quite a little.  Any-way, the crowd will enjoy a double treat Wednesday night with a charivari, when they will all drink a toast to the happiness of the newlyweds.

•••••••••

The tax rate, in Neillsville, may be slightly lower next year as a result of the large reduction in the state and county tax apportioned to the city at the session of the county board, last week. This year, the city’s share was $24,996.94.  Next year it will be $17,789.69, a cut of $7,207.25.

•••••••••

The Charity Ball, given by the Legion at the armory on Armistice night, netted nearly $100 profit, which the Legion has turned over to the Community Club for its charitable work this winter.

•••••••••

Frank Francel, Jr. and his bride arrived from Ely, Minn., Monday, where they were married, Friday night.  They gave a free wedding dance at the Eaton Center cheese factory where Frank is employed as cheese-maker.

•••••••••

Herbert Grottke and two friends left for Minnesota, last Thursday, where they plan to spend the winter, trapping.  They were accompanied by Bill and Ben Grottke, Ernest and Walter Holtz who spent a few days fishing, returning Sunday.

•••••••••

Charles Davel has rented his brick building on Main Street, Loyal, to parties from Oshkosh.  They will put in a furniture store and also are undertakers.

•••••••••

About 11:30 Thursday night, E. W. Briggs, night watchman at the J. B. Inderrieden Canning Plant, discovered fire in the boiler room of the old drying plant.  He gave the alarm and then set to work to extinguish the flames, using some old sacks for the purpose.  He had the fire practically under control before the fire company arrived.  It was fortunate that the fire was discovered as the burning of so large a building would have endangered the entire block.  Mr. Briggs states that the fire was started on the floor of the boiler room, some distance from the wall.  It may have been caused by the careless use of matches as tramps do lie amongst the sacks and other rubbish on the floor when they sleep there.

•••••••••

Roehrborn’s Store Specials: Pure Wisconsin Honey, 10 lb. pail 99c; Homegrown Onions, one bushel 98c; Hewett’s rich Guernsey Milk, one quart 7c; French Bread, one yard 15c; Clover Hill Pumpkin, 2 big cans 25c.

•••••••••

 

The William Schiller home was located on the southwest corner of the Court and Fourth Street intersection, in Neillsville.  The Schiller Funeral Home business was conducted on the first floor of the house, and the Schiller family lived on the second floor.  They also owned and operated a furniture business in a building along the 400 block of Hewett Street, which later was the site of Russell’s Hardware.

 

 

William Schiller

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