Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

January 21, 1998, Page 14

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

The Good Old Days 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

January 1868

 

Orson Bacon, of Neillsville, while out deer hunting, recently, shot four large bucks in one day.

 

Our lumbermen are now busy at work in the woods.  The great number of men who crowded our hotels a few weeks ago, preparing for a long winter’s toil has all disappeared into the neighboring pines.  Heavy loads of supplies are constantly leaving town.  Our merchants are all having a big trade making the town prosperous.  The snow on the ground has increased making tolerable sledding on smooth roads, yet four inches of snow isn’t enough for lumbering purposes.  Owing to the exceedingly dry fall weather, some fears are that the river rise of water in spring will be very small.  There is no water in the swamps and the ground was never known to be so dry at this season of the year.

 

Louis Sontag has opened an oyster saloon in connection with the billiard room, in the same building with a barber shop business.

 

The people of Windfall, in the Town of Weston, celebrated the first day of the New Year by a grand supper and ball, which took place in the evening at the splendid new residence of Heriam Renne.  The meeting had a double purpose – to dedicate the new residence as well as celebrate the New Year.  The company, which was large, partook of a splendid supper, consisting of oyster and other specialties, served up in good style by the ladies.  After eating, dancing was commenced in good earnest and kept up till the wee hours beyond twelve midnight.

 

“Every dog has his day,” it is said, but from appearances, we would judge that all the dogs in this country took their day the first of this week and came into our village.

 

The new school house in our village, which has been in an unfinished state for some time, is at last completed.  We do not know to whom the sad neglect of not having our school sooner in condition to receive students, should be attributed.  It should have been in operation here two months ago.  There is talk of erecting a larger and nicer building for school purposes here. 

 

We notice a great many teams loaded with wheat, corn and feed, coming in town everyday from Trempealeau prairie.  Eighteen loads arrived in town last night, making a long waiting line at the grist mill.

 

The county is at last free of great impediment in its growth and progress.  We hope for a larger immigration during this year than every before.  For ten years (1856-1866) about 40,000 acres of our best land, situated in townships 25, range one east and one and two west, have been exempt from taxation.  It was a grant from the Government to the Fox and Wisconsin Improvement Co.  A. L. Smith of Appleton was in town last week looking after the interests of the corporation, and informs us that lands are for sale at from $3.50 and upwards per acre.  An agent will soon be placed here to dispose of the lands and purchasers will have suffiecient time to make payments.  Smith believes he can send twenty-five or thirty families next spring to locate on these lands. 

 

A man named Hans Halverson got a broken leg when a log rolled upon it in Thompkins & Lindsay’s logging camp yesterday.  He was brought into town today with his leg bandaged in splints.  The doctor thinks Lindsay deserves a diploma for having done such a fine job in setting Halverson’s leg.

 

January 1943

 

One of the first major jobs for Neillsville in the new year will be to reopen the hospital in Neillsville.

 

A hospital committee representing five Neillsville civic organizations has launched a drive to sign up at least 200 members in a Volunteer Hospital Association. 

 

A sign up of membership is underway.  The annual membership fee will be $5.  Sign-up papers have been placed in the banks, drug stores and other business places, available for those interested in maintaining the operation of a hospital.

 

The perpetrators of the Charivari for David and Esther Parry last Tuesday night worked the thing out on a business basis.

 

The young couple who kept their marriage secret for nine and one-half years was caught in a trap during the Rotary-Ann party.

 

The way of payment was determined as such; $15 for getting married and $1 for each year they were married and kept it a secret.  The discordant din subsided when Parry shelled out $25 for the amusement of the noise makers.

 

Emil Mattson, Neillsville city street commissioner, says every time an inch of snow falls in the city, $43 in city cash falls with it.  Mattson has kept cost records on snow removal.

 

This winter has been the hardest on the city pocketbook in several years.  Figured on the basis of the average, the cost will be upward of $1,500 by the time the last snowfall is out of the way – if no more snow falls before the job is done.

 

Rationing has really been a boom to sugar sales here.  Local grocers report they sold more sugar last year – with rationing in effect seven months of the year – than they sold during the previous year, when there was no rationing.

 

While grocers have been helped, rather than hindered, in their volume sales, people of the area generally have more sugar on hand than in pre-rationing days.  Very few customers fail to take the full value of their sugar stamps, in spite of the fact that many have a reserve supply saved over previous ration periods.

 

The appointment of 51 tire inspectors was announced this week by Leo W. Foster, chief clerk of the local war price and rationing board.  Motorists and truckers are reminded that initial tire inspections must be made before January 31.

 

The inspectors are located in every village and city, of Clark County.

 

Foster urged motorists to begin immediately in having their tires inspected so motorists shouldn’t wait until the last minute.

 

Following the initial inspection, holders of “A” gasoline ration books must have their car tires inspected every four months, while “B” or “C” ration books, must have inspections made every two months, or every 5,000 miles.

 

The OPA regulations permit inspectors to charge fees for their inspection work.  OPA sets the fee schedule, providing a 25 cent fee for each passenger car, unless it is necessary to remove one or more tires for interior examination.  In case of removals another fee has been set.

 

The Neillsville Rotary Club will hold a war bond auction on Feb. 22 in commemoration of Washington’s Birthday.

 

According to club president Harry Wasserberger, articles will be put up for auction with the person contracting to buy the largest amount of war bonds receiving the article.  The auction will be held at the Armory and, as an added attraction, the club plans to close the event with a free public dance.

 

Albert Darton, 98, the only remaining Civil War veteran of Clark County and one of few in the state, died at his Loyal home on Dec. 30.

 

Miss Edith Hill, home economics teacher at Eagle River, has been selected as Clark County’s new home demonstration agent and 4-H leader.

 

A total of 126 eighteen-year-olds signed for selective service during the December registration, the local board at Loyal has revealed.

 

Martina Davel, chief clerk of the board, said the group includes a number of men who have volunteered in order that they might select their branch of service.

 

The frame structure which long served as the Tibbett Bros. office before the new building was erected, has been moved to the C. A. Paulson farm on Pleasant Ridge.

 

Last November, nearly 55 tons of scrap metal was collected representing net proceeds of $328.78 turned over to the local U. S. O.  Svirnoff, local stock buyer and salvage dealer, had sold the scrap for U. S. O., securing a better market for it than the Rotary Club might have been able to get.  (The United States Organization provided entertainment for the servicemen overseas and at their centers in the United States located near the training bases. D. Z.)

 

In addition, he organized the hiring of men and equipment to load the scrap.

 

Martin Wagner, Neillsville High School basketball player, led his team in Friday’s game to victory when Neillsville trounced Greenwood by a score of 34 to 26.  To begin with, Wagner, the lanky senior, walked five miles through snow drifts from his home to town so he could play basketball.

 

Some other players on the Neillsville squad are Neville, Magnuson, Horswill, Roberts, Subke, Casler, Dudei, Anderson, and Prochaska who are coached by Eggleston.  So far, they haven’t lost a game, all wins.

 

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and be willing to help others. – Albert Schweitzer

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

1948 – Shortville School

(Left to right, front to back): Arlene Trachte, Daisy Hart, Janice Hanson; Larry DeHart, Billy Hanson, Roger Phillips, Wayne Phillips, Sharon DeHart, Arnold Trachte, Jerry Hanson, Mary Lou Hagie, Joan Matieziak (Matouzak?); Ellen Holub, Ann DeHart, Joanne Stevens, Pat Phillips, George Reinart; Mrs. Dells Botnen, teacher

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE