Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

February 9, 2011, Page 12

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

February 1886

 

J. W. Robbins, of the Town of Weston is canvassing the County for Adam’s illustrated History of the World. It presents the most complete and comprehensive history we have ever seen and should be found in every house.

••••••••••

One more “leap year” party and there will be one less Mr. Thayer.

 

(A custom during that era was during leap year, which is every fourth year, the ladies could ask the men to accompany them in going to a party or event, rather than the proper etiquette of the men asking the ladies. D. Z.)

••••••••••

The way to be happy is to eat lots of clams and oysters.  Mrs. Tibbits always keeps them on hand.                                                                                          

••••••••••

The soft weather of the past week has materially injured their sleighing on the roads. So wagons are again in use to some extent.                                                                                                        

••••••••••

Miles Colburn is making himself very useful by supplying a needful article to all who desire to invest a trifle in return. Every housewife knows the value of those stove-shelves, to any one who has seen one.                                                                                                     

••••••••••

The only sure way to immortality is to have your picture taken by a good photographer, Crowns Photo who is still turning out the best of work from his photograph rooms, east of the O’Neill House.

••••••••••

During the first of the week, we spent a few hours in the village of Greenwood, during which we noted the improvements that have been made in that enterprising little town during the past few months.  The whole-soul inhabitants make it pleasant for all who favor them with a visit.  Our former fellow townsman, H. M. Weston, who has been established in trade at that point for several months past, is doing an extensive business.  His stock embraces everything usually kept in a country store with prices more than liberal.  We are glad to note that Horace is meeting with the prosperity he deserves.

 

Chandler & Brown are also doing a good business, and the same is true of others engaged in trade.

 

A move is on foot to build a church and a considerable amount of the funds necessary to carrying out that purpose has already been subscribed.

 

During our trip we visited what is known as “Weston & Schofield’s big camp,” situated near the headwaters of the Eau Claire River, on section one, in township twenty-eight, range three-west. This is beyond doubt the “boss” camp on the river and presents more the appearance of a frontier village than a logging camp.  It contains, at Present, a population as great as many of our inland towns.  The camp is laid out with as much order as any village to be found, and contain ten buildings, viz; a cook shanty, two sleeping shanties that are 24x40 feet, and fitted up to accommodate over one hundred men. The teamsters, who are the first to get out in the morning, occupy one and the hands otherwise employed in the other.  The two stables are 36x40 in size, and each affords stable-room for forty teams.  A well filled store-room 24x30, and a shop in which a number of hands were actively employed, and in which we noticed five pairs of sleds in the process of construction, while horse-shoeing and repairing was receiving attention, completes the camp. There was however, a feeding stable and lunch shanty about halfway between the camp and the landing where the teams of horses are fed at noon and the teamsters take dinner. The buildings are high, well ventilated and are more comfortable than the majority of houses and barns to be found in nearby settlements. Everything about the camp is kept in the most perfect order.

 

There are at present eighty men in the crew, working thirty-three teams, twenty-three are ox teams and ten horse teams. They are putting in an average of over 1,500,000 feet of lumber per week. The timber though taken from the valley of the Eau Claire is put into the Black River, which necessitates hauling over quite a hill.  The hauling to the top of the hill is done with oxen, four being used on each sled from the skidways to the foot of the hill, and six from there to the hill top, from which point to the landing it is taken with horses.  From the skidways to the landing, teams going and returning are always in sight, presenting a score of activity not to be surpassed on many public thoroughfares.

 

At the time we visited the camp, the first of the week, nearly 4,000,000 logs had been landed on the ice, and over three thousand logs were on the skid-ways, the choppers and sawyers being a long ways ahead of the skidders.

 

This camp, though pronounced by many old loggers as a foolish experiment and one that could never be made to pay; under the management of Tip Hilton, is gentlemanly foreman, has exceeded the expectations of its proprietors and with a moderately fair-winter so far, they will get in considerable more than 8,000,000 logs, the amount they had calculated to handle at the start of the season.

 

February 1936

 

Part of the courthouse basement will be remodeled into office quarters soon, according to a WPA project that is to cost $2,088 of which the County’s share of the cost will be $697 and the state will contribute $1,391.

 

An architect is here today to draw plans for the project and when the plans are completed, they will be taken directly by the County officials to Madison WPA office for final approval.

 

Several WPA workers have received medical attention during the last three weeks for frozen feet.  One worker had to have an eye treated for injuries caused by flying gravel.                           

••••••••••

The City Street Commissioner had the fire hydrant in front of the Schultz store thawed out on Monday, but that didn’t end there trouble there. By Tuesday morning the basement of the Schultz store was covered with water to the depth of 12 inches, which resulted in a considerable loss of merchandise.  The city workers are not at the very difficult task of digging on through the frozen ground to find the source of the trouble.

 

It is thought that when the water was shut off at various points in the city during the B & F and Gassen fire, so as to throw greater water pressure in the fire district, that a weak spot in the pipe gave way.

••••••••••

The first old-age assistance checks for Clark County, in the month of January, were sent out by the Clark County Pension Board Saturday.  Forty-six checks varying from $3.75 to $20 were sent to the 46 applicants whose applications were approved by the board.

 

The first pension check, in the amount of $18, was made out to Harvey Fuller, age 90, Neillsville, whose application was given the coveted honor of being the first one filed and approved by the board.

 

The total amount of the checks was $399.50.                                            

••••••••••

H. H. Van Gorden & Sons mill has 400 bushels of Fancy Eating Potatoes, U. S. No. 1, 100 bag only $1.25.

••••••••••

Mrs. Wm. Seelow and Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Hoesly, Jr., visited Mr. Seelow at the Luther Hospital, Eau Claire Saturday.  Mr. Seelow’s compound arm fracture has been slow knitting and he will be a patient in the hospital for another week or more.                                                                                                                 

••••••••••

The Silver Dome Ballroom will have a Basketball Game with the Hub City Five Team of Marshfield vs. the Silver Dome Team, game to be called at 8 p.m., for dancing to Old Time and Modern Music. Admission to the game and dance, 15’ per person

 

The Silver Dome “Fireplace Club” serves Fish Fry every Friday Night.

••••••••••

Alan Covell, of Neillsville, County surveyor, was appointed Friday, to be in charge of the Clark County Forest activities, which will include the granting of wood cutting permits, violations of which have been many during the past few weeks.

 

Mr. Covill (Covell) will work under the County fire prevention and the County forestry and zoning committees and in cooperation with the state conservation commission.                                                                                                       

••••••••••

Fire, assumed to have been caused when thawing out frozen water pipes with hot ashes, Sunday afternoon, caused the total loss of the Art Kurth barn on his farm located three miles south of Granton.

 

The farm home of Rudolph Wagner of Grant, caught fire Friday evening of last week, but with the aid of neighbors, Mr. Wagner was able to extinguish the flames before much damage was done.

••••••••••

Mr. Marlow of the CCC camp at Globe consulted County Forester Al Covell, Monday, concerning the easements for the fire lane to be built on the County line.

 

County Surveyor Al Covell, Mack Fradette and Ed Murphy started a survey of the County line between Eau Claire and Clark Counties, this morning.                                                                   

••••••••••

Those of us in the Globe area have been shut-ins since winds piled up the snow. Living on a side road may give us a beautiful peace in the summer, but if our road is not plowed out soon there is going to be too darned much peacefulness around here.  Too much of any good thing is just too much. However, we thank the Lord for a full woodshed and cellar and the strength to use the same.

 

The women are asking, “What shall I cook that’s different, can you blame them?  That’s three meals per day times 365 days in a year.  Personally, we think ‘kartoffel pfannkuchen’ won’t be bad for supper with some good home cured meat.  How about it?

 

(Kartoffel-Pfannkuchen, in German means “potato pancakes,” which most of us in Clark County so enjoy eating! D.Z.)

 

Herman Schoenherr, Jr., with 30 other boys, was transferred from Minocqua CCC camp to Trempealeau.  He greeted his friends from the tail end of a truck as they drove through Neillsville, Monday.

 

Weston needs a Community Hall since the two old store halls have been condemned as fire traps.

••••••••••

A marl bed, high in lime content, has been discovered just 10 miles over the Chippewa County line from Clark County, west of Stanley.

 

The marl bed, ranging from 4 to 8 feet in thickness, is covered by a four-foot layer of black dirt.  It is thought that years ago this bed was a lake bottom because of the tiny snail shells and other indications of Lake Bottom vegetation.

 

The farmers in the northwestern part of Clark County will be near enough to get their lime from this bed at attractive prices. WPA steam shovels are engaged in digging the marl out.

 

County Agent W. J. Landry is in hopes that some marl beds can be found in the western part of Clark County, that joins the eastern Chippewa County line, where there may be old lake bottoms.

••••••••••

Forty-six thousand dollars of WPA funds have been set up for the building of sub-grade and drainage structures at several points in relocating Highway 73, starting from the end of the pavement on Neillsville’s Northside.  The County highway commission together with B. O. Henderson, who represents the state highway commission, secured the right of way for Highway 73’s proposed route changes.                                                       

••••••••••

Carl Sischo and Clayton Basset, of north Town of York, helped Victor Turner by using their teams of horses and sleds to gather milk on his milk route last Monday due to the snow blocked roads.

 

The County has been using their big caterpillar tractor to widen out County Trunk K, this past week.

••••••••••

Two changes in business locations were made this week with the Carl Gassen welding shop moving into the remodeled Lowe garage building on E. Sixth Street.

 

The B & F Machine Shop has moved into the building quarters vacated by the Gassen Shop.

 

As soon as weather conditions permit the B & F firm will commence construction work on their new building on the site of the fire ruins of the Kintzele building, which they have purchased.

 

According to reports, G. H. Lowe is contemplating the erection of a modern brick and tile building.

••••••••••

Neillsville News:

 

The condensary whistle is being used in place of the city siren until repairs arrive and can be installed.

 

Leland Buddenhagen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Buddenhagen, went to the Sacred Heart Hospital at Eau Claire for surgical treatment last week.  It was reported that his condition was serious and several of his classmates went to Eau Claire Tuesday to have blood tests made to be in readiness in case of a transfusion of blood for him.

 

Morris Svirnoff, Wayne Potter, George Johnson, Fred Seif, and Howard Stillwell attended the Golden Glove tournament at Eau Claire Friday night.

 

Construction has started on the Van Gorden Feed Mill, to make additional space to house the carloads of fertilizer machinery that have already arrived, and which will be installed in the very near future.

 

A new hardwood floor is being laid at Unger’s Shoe Store on Hewett Street.

••••••••••

Art and George Hubing have 20 head of good Farm Horses for sale; several brood mares & matched teams.  Horses will be on display at the R. M. Horswill Barn at Neillsville.                                   

••••••••••

Neillsville City Council has set a City Wage Scale:

 

Labor 32 ½ cents per hour, 8-hour day and 6-day week, 45 cents for skilled mechanics; where tools are furnished.

 

Truck-hire 60 cents per hour.

 

Fire Truck Services: 30 cents per hour for cleaning, repairing and putting in condition; 50 cents per hour for pumping with fire engine while in act of pumping ponds, cellars, drains, etc., not at fire.

••••••••••

Coal for sale, $8.50 per ton; Modernize and pay by the month; Ask us at Fullerton Lumber Co., D. A. Peterson, Mgr.

••••••••••

Monday night, the “L” Club of St. John’s Lutheran School had a sleigh ride party, after which they played Bunco and ate lunch at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pischer.

 

 

 

An unidentified group of lumberjacks  with their team of horses, preparing to “snake out” the newly cut logs, are shown in a typical late 1800s scene working in the woods as was a normal activity in Clark County during that period of time.

 

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