Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

November 20, 2013, Page 11

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 November 1873

 

Mr. J. H. Thayer has quit the flour and feed business and returned to his native element in the establishment of Hewett & Woods.                                                                                                

•••••••••

Clark is soon to become the leading dairy county of the wet, becomes more apparent every day.  A number of farmers already do more than, as we might say, a one cow dairy business. Mr. Geo. Franze sold to Hewett & Woods a sled load of prime butter, which netted him the nice little sum of $300, last week.

•••••••••

Mr. W. H. Alen has moved the County Treasurer’s office to the new rooms fitted up by himself and McBride, in the rear of the Regulator building. The removal from the old shell of a courthouse is made by permission of the County Board.

•••••••••

Eyerly and Breed have bought an interest in A. W. Clark’s sawmill at the mouth of Cunningham Creek. The mill is to be almost entirely rebuilt and greatly enlarged.  The upright mill will be removed and a double rotary put in its place.  An edger and lath saw is also to be added. Work has already been commenced and by spring the mill will be in complete running order and capable of supplying the local demand for lumber at greatly reduced rates.

•••••••••

The County Board has made the Town of Grant square in form by attaching thereto the north half mile of Town 24 one west, taken from the Town of York, the order for the change to take effect on the next 20th of March.

 

By action of the County Board, yesterday, the Town of Beaver was divided into four towns as follows: Towns 29, 30 and 31, range 1 east, and 29, 30, and 31 range 1 west. To compose a Town to be called Mayville.

 

Town 28 east and 28 west to compose a Town to be called Colby.  Town 27 range 1 east and 28 1 west to compose a Town to be called Unity.

 

The Town of Beaver is now composed of 27 one west.                    

•••••••••

The new residence of Mr. John Garbish, in the Town of Grant, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday of last week, with most of its contents.  Mr Garbish’s loss is $1,500.                                                          

•••••••••

Mr. R. F. Wells, formerly of Humbird, has bought Frank Butler’s store in Loyal.  Mr. Wells will put in a large stock of general merchandise and give to Loyal a second first-class mercantile establishment.

 

LeClaire & Gwinn, who run the other establishment, are building a new store of liberal proportions.

•••••••••

There are three harness shops in town and another about to be opened.

•••••••••

Potatoes are scarce in this market and readily bring $1.00 per bushel.

•••••••••

Joe Head went out one morning this week and killed two deer, for amusement and eating.

•••••••••

Our merchants are preparing for the holidays.  In times like these, presents should be useful as well as ornamental.

•••••••••

A young folks party was given at the O’Neill House Tuesday evening as a sort of good-bye benefit for Stowell Wheeler, who is about to enter Galesville University.                                             

•••••••••

Thanksgiving Day passed by quietly in Neillsville, without other ceremonies other than services at the Methodist Church in the forenoon.  There were no pleasure parties of any kind in town.  There was a dance at Hosely’s in the evening, which was well attended.  Some of the young folks also went to the dance at Greenwood.

•••••••••

The Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Church will give an oyster supper next Wednesday evening, at the  residence of W. C. Allen, for the benefit of Rev. Wheeler, no committees, no formalities, but a general good time to which all are invited Tickets 50¢                                                                              

•••••••••

We have been doing a large astray business this week. We advertised a turkey that broke into our sanctum on Wednesday night.  Our family is now in possession of a canary bird that came to visit a singer of ours on Wednesday. The little fellow was first noticed outside the window sitting on a bush in bird-like conversation with our own canary.  On opening the window and placing a cage near it, he came in and alighted upon it.  He has been taken care of, and the owner can have him by calling at our residence.

 

November 1948

 

The Unger shoe business on South Hewett Street has been sold to three men of Northern Wisconsin.  Of the three, the resident manager will be Karl W. Schmidt of Ladysmith, who will move his family to Neillsville when living quarters are available.  Interested with Mr. Schmidt are P. W. Hinshaw of Ladysmith and Charles D. Fogarty of Rice Lake, who are also interested in stores in Ladysmith, Rice Lake and Spooner.

 

The new owners announce their purpose to remodel the interior of the store and to carry an extensive stock.

 

The sale of the Unger business, which was concluded Tuesday of this week, brings to an end the retailing of shoes by the Unger family, a business, which has been continuous for more than 50 years.  Mr. Unger plans to stay with the new owners for a time.  He retains ownership of the building.                                     

•••••••••

The W.R.C. voted to sell its building, the W.R.C. Hall on South Court Street, at its meeting last Monday night; but it did not determine whether to accept the one bonafide offer it has received.

 

The offer from the Wilson-Heintz Post No. 73, Veterans of Foreign Wars, as read to the 25 members present, $2,500 and assumption of debt incurred in the recently remodeling bill amounts to about $1,500, according to estimates of members, which would make a total of $4,000.

 

The W.R.C. Hall on South Court Street has also been approached by the Methodist congregation, which owns property adjoining; but has not received a firm offer for the property from this source, members said. Also offered a $200 yearly rental by the Neillsville Public Schools, which is in need of additional room.

 

The motion to sell was favored by a vote of 29 to 4. Twenty-five of the Corps’ 50 members were present, the other eight voting by mail.                                                                                            

•••••••••

Silver Dome Ballroom Dances: Saturday, Nov. 6th - Ernest Reck & his Orchestra; Neillsville Post V.F.W. Armistice Night Dance - Thursday, Nov. 11th, with Varsity Boys Orchestra, admission 75¢ per person

•••••••••

Public Notice! We have a few choice lockers for rent to store your frozen foods.

 

We also carry a stock of fine meats, or will order any special cuts sold to our patrons at wholesale prices.

 

We have fresh fish every Thursday & Friday.  Frozen Fish & Sea Foods at all times.   At Lewerenz Sweet Shop

•••••••••

Make a date to go to the Annual American Legion Turkey Dance at the new Legion Hall, Thursday, Nov. 18.

•••••••••

Twenty-six women, representative of Clark County’s 658 homemaker club members, moved in on the courthouse and the county board of supervisors last Saturday morning intent upon saving the home agent and assistant county agent offices.

 

In the heated session the previous afternoon the board members had voted to abolish the office of county home agent. What the members did not know then was that their action automatically abolished, also, the office of the assistant county agent.

 

A hurry-up phone call to state extension headquarters following the action, however, established the fact that no county is permitted an assistant county agent, which does not maintain a county home agent. As an alternative, they learned there is a sort of combination office, whose head is known as the County 4-H Leader.

 

The item, which raised this entire ruction, was that of salaries paid in the county agent’s office.  They range somewhat higher in the county agent’s office than in other elective offices and several members of the county board of supervisors expressed the view that the salary schedule was out of line.

 

The home agent gets $2,900 and the assistant county agent gets $2,980 this year.  The proposal was to raise the home agent’s salary to $3,180; and the salary of the assistant county agent to $3,300. Both of these extension department employees would then, receive more than the county clerk, the county treasurer or any of the other elected officials.

 

How the women organized their opposition on such short notice is still a little hazy.  County Agent Earl O. Wright professed surprise when his office began to be filled by homemakers early in the morning before the board was to resume deliberations.

 

“I didn’t call a soul,” Mr. Wright said. “How they found out about it is something I don’t know.”

 

As the board prepared to open the morning session, the women trouped to the circuit courtroom and hastily seated themselves in chairs brought in and placed at the rear of the room.

 

However, as the board session opened, it became evident that the county board members, as a whole, never had any intention of completely abolishing the two offices, although their action of the previous afternoon certainly appeared that way.

 

Supervisor Art Hemmy of the Town of Mentor, a former state legislator, gave an explanation for the reason why rural members of the board, largely voted for the abolition of the home agent’s office.

 

“They are not opposed to the homemaker organization,” he said. “Rather, rural residents find prices they are getting for their products slipping. How will they feel if we continue to raise salaries when their income is going downhill?”

 

The problem was then settled with a motion by Supervisor Richard F. Gaffney of Owen, who moved the appropriation of $700 by the county for the home agent’s salary; this amount would put the salary at $2,900, which is the same as being paid this year.  The motion carried by a vote of 54 to 3.

 

Then the matter of the assistant county agent’s salary was put on the same basis as the current year.  This motion also was adopted, 55 for and 2 against.                                                             

•••••••••

There were plenty of close calls reported in the woods this year during der hunting.  Perhaps the closest one, which didn’t turn into a “stretcher case,” was of a relative to “Rock” Hart.  He walked into the Stables club Sunday appearing white as a ghost.

 

He showed a stocking cap of red, which had been topped off by a white tassel. The tassel and about an inch of the top of the cap had been shot off.  The material showed markings of the bullet, which had hit it, Alvin Ziegler reported.

 

The young man had a red hood, which he had forgotten to cover the cap with.

 

A man hunt by upward of 20 hunters was conducted in the East Fork area, just over the Clark County line in Jackson County, Sunday, which turned out well.  George Fisher, an uncle of Irving Fischer, Greenwood mail carrier, was lost for a time. For about four hours the hunters covered the woods.  He was found, unharmed, just before Clark County’s Under-sheriff, Frank Dobes, arrived to help with the hunt.                           

•••••••••

Announcement has been made of the marriage of Miss Gladys G. Schmidt of Chicago and Rodney R. Ritter of Loyal.  The wedding occurred at the First English Lutheran Church, Groton, SD.  The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter G. Schmidt of Groton.  The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ritter of Jefferson, Ore.

•••••••••

Tom Flynn took over his new duties Monday morning as unit administrative assistant of the Service Company, 128th Infantry.

 

In order to accept the position, Flynn resigned his commission as second lieutenant, and was given a master sergeant rating.  He becomes the second full-time non-commissioned officer assigned to the local National Guard company, the other being M/Sgt Claude Ayers.

 

M/Sgt Flynn’s duties will include the keeping of company records and assisting with the paper work under the company commander. Being a veteran of service in the Southwest and Central Pacific areas in World War II, Flynn has been employed for the past two years by the Larson Lumber Company.  

•••••••••

Plum Pudding Dinner & Bazaar will be held at the Methodist Church Tuesday, Nov. 30.  Bazaar opens at 2 p.m.  Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.                                                      

•••••••••

For Sale: 12-acre place on the north edge of the city of Neillsville. This is the former Ezra Proirer place.  It has a good 8-room brick veneer house, full basement and electricity, good barn, garage and other buildings.  It’s an ideal place for someone wanting to retire and keep a few cows.                                       

•••••••••

A family of nine persons is stating out their winter, in Neillsville, in a shack measuring about 10 x 24’. There are a mother and eight children. Three of the children are below school age and five are in school.  They are all in one room, and that room, property of the county, was one used as a storage place. The walls are without lining; are one board thick; no plaster; no insulation.

 

The welfare department of the county has been trying to find a suitable house for this family, but has thus far been unsuccessful.  It is not a question of money; there will be sufficient money to pay proper rent.  It might even be possible to make a purchase, if there were an opportunity to buy advantageously. The difficulty is to find a place.

 

The mother is credited with being a good housekeeper and making currently an honest effort to care for the children. She is without help of the father; he has disappeared.

 

This publicity has given notice of the need, with the thought that there may be some modest house, in Neillsville or its environs, which could be secured.

 

Information should be given Mr. Trewartha at the county welfare department.

 

(There was a great need for housing within the city and area after World War II, due to the rationing of building materials, which went into military needs during the war years.  Returning veterans put a great demand on housing, which resulted in a shortage of houses and apartments. DZ)

 

Interstate Oil Co. operated by Ed Hauge in the late 1920s. The station is believed to have been located at the intersection of South Hewett and Division Street.

(Photo courtesy of Jim Hauge collection)

 

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