Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

January 20, 2010, Page 16

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

January 1880

 

The North Wisconsin Railway has sold 23,346 acres of pinelands in Chippewa, Burnett and Barron Counties for $110,000.

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A very pretty cutter arrived in town last Saturday, consigned to Mr. Grundy, the owner, who now may boast of the neatest thing of its kind in town.  It is richly trimmed in bright red and is just the thing to have at the beginning of leap year.

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Hans Nelson, living in the Town of Washburn, on the road to R. J. LaFlesh’s place, has a neat, well-equipped cooper shop, where he makes the very best of barrels and butter-tubs, at reasonable rates.  Hans’ hammer can always be heard, the noise thereof echoing through the heavy timber that stands all around his place.  He is at present engaged under a contract with Charlie Gates for barrels for pork packing.  Anybody desiring anything in this line will do well by seeing Nelson.

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The Hon. N. H. Withee drove down to this village from his Hemlock Grist Mill last Friday and he had in his sleigh box two sacks of flour bearing the brand of Hemlock Mills, the first ever brought to Neillsville.  The sacks are stamped with pictures of deer, a very tasty choice.  The flour is extra fine, and we congratulate our Assemblyman – elect upon his newly developed ability, through the instrumentality of his mill, to grind wheat down as fine as we wish.

 

(The Hemlock Mill was located by Hemlock Dam; along the Black River about four miles north of Greenwood, destroyed by flood waters in the early 1900s D. Z.

•••••••••

A pretty party was one of the pleasant occasions held recently at Carter’s Hall, in Humbird, for the benefit of Rev. Mr. Brown of the Methodist Church.  Lots of acceptable things were brought in, the most worthy of notice was $40 in cash, $12.25 which was raised by Jessie Matchett and Minnie Stiles, a couple of little girls whose endeavor to raise a pound of silver was very near successful.  A good, social time was enjoyed and the turnout was large.

 

(Pound was the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom, called also pound sterling.)   

•••••••••

The members of the Neillsville Concert Band are now also members of the Sherman Guard.  This is a happy combination of interests and Neillsville will now turn out a showy and interesting company.

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Our friend, Mr. Rossman of the Rossman House, has added to the many other attractions of his excellent hotel a fine pool table, furnished by the Brunswick and Balke Company of Chicago, a firm famous for its tables.  Many citizens may be found there now engaging in the attractive game.                                  

•••••••••

It certainly looks now as if the year 1880 will bring Neillsville an unusually large store of good fortune.  A comparatively large amount of snow has fallen in the woods and the camps of our heavy loggers present an appearance of unusual liveliness.

 

If the snow stays on, nothing will prevent a large run of logs to market and a return tide of money and easy times.  The affairs of Clark County are so grouped about the logging interests that our people desire to become immediately flush, they must hope to see all go well in the woods.  A new railroad from the junction of the G. B. & M. and C., St. Paul & M. railroads to Neillsville is another good item in prospect.  If both of these interests come about favorably, Neillsville may take her harp in her hand and sing praises to Fortune who will have made her so happy.

•••••••••

In Hixton (Hixon) last week, as Andrew Irish was drawing hay, and going across the Eau Claire River from his home, he took a barrel along to draw some water to take when he returned home.  He dumped the barrel and chain off at the river, and when he had delivered the hay at Mr. Chadwick’s he returned and filled the barrel with water, but when he looked for the chain, it was gone! Irish started off walking to Longwood, nine miles, after a warrant for the arrest of the thief.  But for some reason the warrant wasn’t procured and while Irish was absent, a friend discovered the chain under a pail at the side of the barrel!  So nobody was arrested and Irish was laughed at.      

•••••••••

The newspaper office received a call from A. Forman of Christie who was on his way to Hatfield after a large consignment of picture frames and chromos from A. Durkel of Chicago, for whom he is an agent.

 

(Chromos were pictures printed from a series of lithographic stones and plates, as was used in that point of time. D.Z.)

 

January 1930

 

The Press is informed by Fire Warden Dresden that there is still in force an old city ordinance requiring that each house owner keep a ladder in a convenient place at his house, the ladder being of sufficient length to reach the roof.  This ordinance was enacted before the city had efficient fire-fighting equipment, but such a ladder would often enable local help to stop a fire before the arrival of the fire company. Every farm home also should have such a ladder handy.

•••••••••

The American Stores Dairy Co., which bought the Zbinden factory several months ago and have since used it as a receiving station for milk, closed the plant Jan. 1, all patrons hereafter will be delivering milk at the Condensery.  This was done as a matter of economy, saving considerable expense in operating the plant.

•••••••••

Rev. G. W. Longnecker shipped one of his trotting horses Monday to Lake Geneva where it will be training on an ice track on the lake.

•••••••••

Otto May and Frank Lipke wound up the fishing season catching two big muskies, which they caught through the ice.  May’s fish weighed 15 ½ pounds and was 41 inches long.  It was caught in Turner’s Eddy.  Lipke’s muskie weighed 15 Ό pounds, but Frank is not broadcasting the spot where he caught it.   

•••••••••

Some worthwhile improvements and additions to equipment of rural schools in the southern part of the county are reported in the last bulletin:

 

The Lincoln School, Town of York has redecorated their building and installed a new “Torrid Zone Furnace.”

 

The Mound School, Town of Weston, painted the outside of their building and the interior has been redecorated.  They also have added a new bulletin board.

 

The Romadka State Graded School has a new “Monarch” electric range.  Electric lights have been installed; they also have a new fire extinguisher.

 

A product map of South America can be seen at the Hiawatha School.

 

A very fine “Little Theatre” was seen at the Shortville School.

 

The North Willard School, Town of Hendren, has newly painted walls, woodwork and desks varnished, and also some new playground equipment.

 

The Audubon School, Town of Sherwood, made the following improvements: New metal ceiling; single seats have been added to replace double seats; Built-in book shelves; Chart of Comprehensive Historical Maps; New screens added and toilet repaired.

 

Birdland Echo, Town of Sherwood, has a new tile wall under the building, a new cement porch, a new metal ceiling, the walls redecorated and well pump mended. They have also purchased all the recommended textbooks for this years’ work.

 

The Big Four School, Town of Fremont, has a new metal ceiling.

 

The Fairview School, Town of Weston has a new room furnace.

 

The Church School, Town of Foster, has put up new outbuildings.

 

The Kurth School, Town of Grant, has supplied some new combination swings. The interior has been redecorated, and new protection around the outside door has been built.

 

The Shortville School, Town of Washburn, has been redecorated and the floor has been oiled.  

•••••••••

A number of farmers have started hauling logs to the train depot for shipment. W. F. Tibbett of Neillsville and Albert Davis of Granton are buying them. It is expected that from 25 to 50 carloads will be landed here. At present the sleighing is good for hauling.

•••••••••

John Galbreath and son Milburn of Washburn came to Neillsville Saturday bringing three wolves, which they had shot on Brush Ridge some distance south of their home.  Mr. Galbreath and son have a famous old wolf hound “Lead” who is out with them on all their hunting trips and is largely responsible for their success in the chase.

 

The wolves were not all bagged on the same day; one taken on Wednesday, one on Thursday and the last one on Friday.  They were large strong specimens of the brush wolf family and either singly or in packs would be a menace to sheep or other small domestic animals.

•••••••••

Last week the winter road down Black River was broken out and loads of wood and logs are coming down the river from above Christie.  For many years a winter road has been used on the ice of Black River, thus avoiding grades and drifts. Though somewhat a longer route than the highway it has decided advantages especially for heavy loads coming into Neillsville from the north.

•••••••••

The Reformed Church in Neillsville is now equipped with a new bell, its clear notes ringing across the frosty air Sunday for the first time. A bell fund has been accumulating in the church treasury for some time and by the liberality of a few persons, some local and some at a distance, enough money to purchase the bell was finally secured.  It weighs half a ton and was hoisted into the belfry Saturday by Fred Stelloh, Conrad Stelloh and George Frantz, by means of ropes and pulleys.  After getting it up they built a secure platform under it.  The bell is a fine F-tone.  The church, which was built in the early nineties by the Unitarian society, never had a bell.  Since the purchase of the church edifice by the Reformed Society, many improvements have been made and a fine parsonage built close to the church.

 

 

 

An early congregation, located in Neillsville during the late 1800s, was that of the Unitarian Church of which not much history has been found, and which, after a short time, disappeared from the city.  The church building on the corner of West 5th and Clay Streets later became the home of the Zion Reformed congregation for several years, until a merger process with the Congregational Church, which began in 1958.  That merger resulted in forming a new congregation, United Church of Christ, and a new church facility. Then, the building was purchased by the Neillsville Assembly of God Church circa 1960 and in 2002 the building was purchased by the Seventh Day Adventist Congregation and at present the owner of the old 1880s building as their worship center.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Roberts’ collection)

•••••••••

Charlie Gates was down in the Town of Levis Saturday calling on Bob French and swapping yarns of the days when Charlie drove a tote team and hauled supplies into Neillsville from Hatfield and R. B. French, Sr. ran a hotel at Hatfield where Charlie always stopped for dinner.                                                     

•••••••••

The new Warner Mutual Town Fire Insurance Co., held its first annual meeting at Greenwood, Jan 7 and elected officers.  The meeting was a successful one and stockholders of whom 75 per were present, expressed themselves as being confident of the business outlook and a feeling of prevailed throughout the conference.

 

The directors elected are: Albert Liebzeit, Theo. Humke, Fred Drew, Geo. Hintz, Wm. Toburen, Geo. Braun, Jacob Aberg, and Edward Braun.  The directors later appointed the following officers: Fred Drew, president; Albert Liebzeit, treasurer and William Steiger, secretary.  The concern will transact business in the towns of Warner, Mead, Hendren, Reseburg, Longwood, Green Grove, Beaver, Loyal, and Eaton for the present.

 

Eight policies, covering $750,000 worth of insurance, were put into effect at the meeting.

•••••••••

Charley Hubing of the Town of Grant went to Waukesha Monday for examination at the Veterans’ Hospital.  He may have to remain a month or two for treatments. His family is staying at the home of his wife’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Truman Davis of Granton.

•••••••••

Max Opelt of the Town of Levis has had a cement stave silo, 14 by 35 feet in size, delivered to his farm.  The silo will be put up in the spring.

•••••••••

Claude Mills returned Monday to Drummond after a week’s visit at his home at Christie.  Mr. Mills and his son, Lee are employed by the lumber company at Drummond, caring for the company’s cows and horses.

•••••••••

The Loyal State Bank closed its doors Thursday.  The bank was reorganized a few years ago after some difficulties and had apparently been getting along all right.  Recently it is reported some trouble arose, several of the old directors resigned, also the cashier and new men were put in.  It is reported that the depositors should be paid practically in full.

•••••••••

Anyone having an ice house to fill can get ice from the Tibbett Ice & Fuel Co. from January 20th to 25th.

•••••••••

Friday morning the barn on the Phipps farm in the Town of York was burned to the ground, together with hay and some farm machinery.  Mr. Phipps succeeded in saving his cattle, which he is now stabling in a vacant barn on a nearby farm.  The barn was 32 by 52 feet in size.  The loss is a serious one for Mr. Phipps. An exploding lantern is believed to have caused the fire.

•••••••••

A Neillsville friend of Lee Huntley recently received a letter from one of his sisters stating that Lee is now in Santiago, Chile, in charge of the construction of two large dams, one 150 miles north of Santiago and one 200 miles south.  Lee Huntley was brought up in Neillsville, being the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Huntley.  He graduated from Neillsville High School in 1903 and as a civil engineer from the State University four years later.  Since then he has been engaged on some large engineering projects, being very successful.                                

•••••••••

Neillsville Dental Clinic Open Every Day, all work guaranteed.  Prices as low as: Painless Extractions, 75’; Plates, $15; Bridgework, $6 to $8 per tooth; Inlays, $5; Silver Fillings, 75’.  For Evening and Sunday appointments, phone 296, Dr. E. L. Lee, located over Marsh’s store.

•••••••••

W. Dangers Store Specials: Navy Beans, home grown, 2 lbs. 22’; Onions, fancy Minnesota, yellow, 10 lbs. 34’; Fancy Santos Peaberry Coffee, 3 lbs. 98’; Prince Albert Tobacco, 1-pound humidors, 95’; Arbutus Brand Sauer Kraut, 2 cans, for 19’.

 

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