Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

May 19, 1999, Page 11

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

Good Old Days  

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

May 1904

 

The beautiful ruby and gold souvenir glassware with “Neillsville, Wis.” engraved on it, at Tragsdorf, Zimmerman & Co.’s store, is just the thing for an appropriate gift.  Table sets, $1.60; berry sets, $1.60 each, pepper and salt shakers, 15¢; sherbet dish, 18¢; pickle server dish, 27¢, etc.

 

The circus cook wagon got stuck in the mud Tuesday and had to be left by the train.  Dave Ross and a crew, using four horses, with block and tackle, got it out.  The wagon was shipped out today, to join the circus tomorrow, along with three horses that had escaped.

 

A crew of men began quarrying rock last week at the city quarry to crush granite for covering Hewett Street.

 

Ladies will find “Up to date” flour the best brand for baking.  Call Neillsville Cash Milling for an order of spring wheat flour, the best on the market.  They will deliver the flour to your house before you have the phone hung up after your call.

 

J. W. Hommel’s house on south Hewett Street has been transformed and will be given a few finishing touches.  It is rumored it is being made ready for a bridal couple who will need a house to move into the month of June.

 

Street Commissioner Hommel had a trench dug and galvanized iron pipe laid up past the Methodist Church on Fourth Street last week.  Water will be supplied to the Brown and Heath houses, which have been without that succulent city fluid all winter.  This time, the pipe was laid so deep that frost will never touch it.

 

The Neillsville Fire Co. has announced that they will give a ball on May 20, at the Opera house.  Proceeds from the dance will be used to buy a hook and ladder truck and its complete equipment, which is badly needed.  Tickets will be one dollar each.

 

There will be divine services next Sunday morning at Dells Dam at 11 a.m., at Shortville at 3 p.m. and Neillsville 8 p.m. at Presbyterian Church.

 

The Marsh Bros. store business has been dissolved due to Lute Marsh’s withdrawal from the business, after many years.  Marsh and his family have given up their beautiful home on Clay Street and will leave for California on June 15.

 

A young Marshfield man let his drug store account go unpaid for two years.  When he went over the items on his account with the druggist the other day, he noticed the first item charged was a box of chocolates and the last item was for a nursing bottle.  How time flies.

 

May 1939

 

Approximately 600 eighth grade students will graduate from Clark County rural schools with commencement exercises to be held May 20 in Withee, Loyal and Neillsville.

 

A special session was called by the Neillsville City Council on Monday evening.  The purpose of the meeting was to pass a resolution to pave Sixth Street from south Hewett to the east line of Court Street, and Court Street from Fifth to Sixth Street.  An appropriation of $2,000 is to be made as a share in the Court Street paving by the County Board of Supervisors.  A stipulation was made that the street work should be started by May 20, 1939, in order that it could be done with WPA aid.  All WPA projects must be completed by July 1.

 

St. John’s Lutheran School will graduate 13 eighth graders at 7:30 p.m. on May 31.

 

Class members are: Martin Wagner, Aneta Zinell, Arlene Zickert, Rose Zschernitz, Robert Beyer, Robert Tock, Henry Naedler, Jr., Ronald Kluhsman, Theodore Schlinsog, Louis Seelow, James Lemond, Frank Geisler, Jr. and Gordon Gehrt.

 

J. L. Neverman has rented his property on South Hewett Street to the Clark County Relief Administration for an office.  Neverman’s have moved into the old Neverman homestead farther up Hewett Street.

 

O. W. Lewerenz asked the Neillsville City Council to grant 10-minute parking in front of his lot as he was installing a root beer stand and wants to give curb service.

 

The City Council Purchasing Committee called for bids on a ¾ ton truck to be used by the city water and street dept.  Bids were opened and read: Seif & Sons bid on ½ ton International truck, $560; bid on G.M.C. ¾ ton truck $465; Seif & Byse Sales Co, bid on ½ ton truck $441 and ½ ton Ford truck, $575; R. H. Welsh Chevrolet Co., bid on ¾ ton Chevrolet truck, $460; Neillsville Garage Co., bid on Federal truck, ½ ton to 1 ton capacity, $658.  All bids include a trade-in allowance on present ½ (ton) Dodge pickup truck.

 

People living in the Jack Creek area are happy to hear Warren Hake is going to open his dance hall in Jack Creek Square.  Hake is giving a free dance for the opening of the season on Sunday night.  The young folks always look forward to the opening event. They wish Hake a successful season.

 

Eighteen years ago, J. F. Schuster gave to the people of Neillsville, a wooded park as a memorial of his father, Herman Schuster.  Today, the donor is happy in the gift, satisfied of the use which has been made of it and gratified that the park has turned out to be a useful monument.  When the gift was presented, the thought was that such a monument, of use to the fellow citizens of Herman Schuster and to their children, would be more satisfying than an elaborate memorial in stone.  The hope has been fully realized.

 

Schuster Park does for Neillsville and the surrounding area all that could be hoped for in a rural community. It provides shade, in which the children can play, and in which the grown-ups picnic and rest.  Situated next to the golf course, the park combines with it to give a pleasant main entry to the town. 

 

Ever since the gift was made, Schuster has been a member of the park commission; today he is the chairman.  His associates on the commission are George Zimmerman, A. L. Devos and Matt S. Scherer, all of whom have likewise served from the first.  One member of the commission, J. W. Hommel, has passed on; his place has never been filled.

 

According to Schuster, “The Park has been kept in useful condition.  It is a pleasure to see the park being used for what it was intended.”

 

Happy in the advantage which has been taken of the park, Schuster is also interested in all projects for the improvement and beautification of Neillsville.  We all like a beautiful view.

 

“Probably the most conspicuous sight in Neillsville is that from the bridge over O’Neill Creek.  Almost all of us go over it frequently; we like to look up the creek, where there are some beautiful trees.  It is not difficult to imagine what this scene could be if there were many trees and shrubs, in accordance with a well devised plan.”

 

“Obviously, we are not in a position to go into any elaborate and expensive development, but it should be possible to bring about a gradual improvement of the basin of O’Neill Creek without making it burdensome,” as stated by Schuster.

 

The entry gates to Schuster Park as the entrance appeared in its early existence, circa 1920.  The east side of the park, at that time, was farmland, prior to the development of the golf course which now occupies the sixty plus acres.  (Photos are part of the Glass Family Collection, Courtesy of Tufts Museum)

 

Henry F. Ott, manager of the Neillsville Flyers, announced that the local junior baseball team will play at Humbird, Sunday, May 14, at 2 p.m.

 

An ambitious program sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, will provide entertainment every Wednesday and special attractions the first Saturday of the month this summer in Neillsville.

 

The program will be given a flying start with a Pet Parade on June 3rd.  The mid-week celebrations have turned out to be a favorite time for friends to meet in Neillsville.  The old town will be full of fun and hospitality on every Wednesday evening during the summer of 1939.

 

The summer program has been made possible by the loyal and enthusiastic response of the business and professional people of Neillsville.  After the program was decided upon, three committees were appointed to raise funds. The committees consisted of Otto Lewerenz, Frank Hepburn and E. E. Russell, Henry Thomsen, Everett P. Skroch, and Joe Zilk and Hubert Quicker, Archie Van Gorden and Harry Roehrborn.

 

Up to this time, the subscriptions received from individuals, and business concerns, total $945.25.

 

Ernest B. Nitschke passed away at his home in the Town of Lynn, May 12, at the age of 81.

 

Nitschke was born in Germany in 1857, to Carl and Dorothea (Schrieber) Nitschke.  His father passed away when he was two years of age and a few years later his mother came to America, leaving the little lad with relatives.  For three years, he served in the military service in Germany, coming to America in 1883.  Thereafter, he remained as a resident of Clark County.

 

He was married to Ernestine Roder at the Lutheran church in the Town of Grant in 1890.  With the help of his wife, he created a fine farm out of a wilderness and built a beautiful home on the farmstead.  Nitschke served as school treasurer of his township for many years.

 

One son, Paul, preceded him in death in 1937.  He is survived by his wife and four children: Mrs. Lydia Guenther, Lynn; Mrs. Elsie Dux, Pine Valley; Mrs. Lenora Vorpagel, Burlington; and Arnold on the home farm; a half sister, Mrs. Wm. Wischuelke and four grandchildren.

 

Pouring of the wings on Snyder’s Dam on Wedge’s Creek, about six miles west of Neillsville, is expected to be started during the fore part of next week, according to Ernest H. Snyder, who is in charge of the work.

 

Workmen at present are constructing forms for the wings.  Blasting of granite bedrock, in which the wings will be anchored; which was left standing when the original wings were washed out five or six years ago.

 

The center portion will be built up two feet above its present height, with the wings built two feet above the middle portion. Thus, the middle portion, which will be bout 110 feet long, will form a spillway.  The old structure will be resurfaced.

 

The dam will be eight feet thick at the bottom, three feet thick at the top spillway and two feet thick at the top of the wings.  The dam will rest entirely on bedrock.

 

It is estimated that the dam will create a lake two miles long and 500 feet wide at the widest point. The lake will be used for swimming, and will be stocked with fish.

 

The Kaukauna Pigeon Club recently shipped 170 birds to Neillsville for release by M. H. Zilisch, the birds being chosen form 11 lofts.  In the 116-mile race, Wm. Martzahl’s entry, released at 7 a.m., was in his home loft at 9:42 a.m., averaging 1,263 yards per minute.  Frank Heimke’s bird won second place and was only three seconds behind Martzahl’s winner.

 

The cleanliness and health of Neillsville were earnestly discussed at the meeting of the city council this week.

 

Delegations of households and citizens were present to discuss with the council the questions of dust, garbage disposal and parking.

 

Grand Avenue is probably the second busiest street in Neillsville and on that account is marked for early improvement.  In two weeks, the intention is to apply oil, and thus to lay the basis for a semi-permanent improvement.

 

A study of garbage disposal will be made by a committee. Otto Warren, a farmer in the Town of York, was present and expressed interest in gathering garbage from one half of the city, provided the material is sorted and is edible for hogs.  E. H Bieneck, who gathers waste from hotels and restaurants, was present.  He is using unsorted materials for feeding chickens.

 

Fifty notices were issued to homeowners within the city who are using outhouses.  All of these are to have city water and sewer hookups, as other area residents have done.

 

A circa 1920 view of the Fourth and Hewett Street intersection, as seen from the Neillsville Armory’s rooftop, looking west. At the far left is the Peter Temby house which was moved from the site when the Masonic Temple was built in 1928.  Temby had worked as a teller at the First National Bank, for Chas. Cornelius and later married Mrs. Temby after she became a widow. 

 

The Temby house was moved, divided into two homes, and it is believed that one is on the 100 block of West First Street and the other is the Turner home on West Street.

 

 


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