Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

June 13, 2001, Page 21

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

 

June 1901

 

A number of local brain and brawn went West on Tuesday, leaving on the sunrise passenger train.  The group included Will Tragsdorf, George and Frank Huntzicker, of Neillsville, and Stephen Jones and Elmer Brown of Christie, all boarding the train in Withee.  Conductor E. Cornell of the new passenger service joined the travelers and will go along in search of financial expansion by way of the tall timber of the Rocky Mountains.

 

George E. Crothers has made some changes on his farm house, on the south side of town, last week.  A new summer kitchen and woodshed has been added with the old unit having been moved over near the corn crib to serve in some less prominent capacity.

 

Owing to the vulgar shamelessness of those who have been allowed to go swimming with no attire at Ross’s Eddy, every-one take notice.  There will be no swimming or bathing there hereafter either with or without swimming suits.

 

William Volkman, the local pop maker, has a neat, new delivery wagon.  It is the most citified rig in this town.

 

Marriage licenses were recently issued for the following: Julius Rossow and Hulda Sophia Newman, both of the Town of Beaver, Albert Komis and Ella Scheel; Frederick August Ferdinand Nemitz and Minnie Augusta Wetzel; Freeman Levi Jones and Clara Free; Charles Sustux Marg and Ida Bertha Fredricka Krause; Wm. Luman Smith and Olive Theresa Huntzicker, all of the Neillsville area.

 

A youngster, living in Illinois, has been sent to jail for ten days for killing song birds.  It is to be presumed that the birds will be singing merrily outside the window of the jail cell wherein he is confined.  It is the violation of the law anywhere in this great land of ours to kill song birds, a fact to which the attention of youngsters living here is called.

 

A penny’s postage will go a long way now-days.  A parcel arrived at the Neillsville post office on Monday that had been mailed in South Africa for a person residing near this city.  It was addressed to “Neillsville Clark’s Country, West Consin, New Zealand.”  With this superscription, the parcel started on its wonderings.  It went to Wellington, New Zealand and a postal official wrote on it, “Try Hakedeka, Greymouth, Westport.”  It went to Westport, New Zealand.  A study of postal guides by some knowing officials evidently revealed Neillsville, Wisconsin.  The parcel got to the US “dead letter” office, coming here inscribed, “Try Neillsville Clark County, Wisconsin, USA.”  All of that traveling, for only one penny’s postage.

 

A number of old and worn out sidewalks in our city are being replaced by new substantial plank walks.  Balch & Tragsdorf of the Big Department Store have had a neat new plank walk laid in front of their store this week.

 

Wm. Schwarze sold his farm of 40 acres in the Town of York, to Otis Young for $1,075.  He then bought the residence of Willard Walch, at Loyal, for $650.

 

M. C. Ring’s big barn, east of town, now has the framework up and the drop-siding is being put on.  The barn is 36 x 144 feet, 24 feet high at the eaves and 41 feet high at the peak.  It will be fitted with modern ventilation and have the newest design in stalls.

 

Nearly 250 people from here attended the Saengerfest at Marshfield on Sunday.  Some went on the regular morning train and others on the excursion train.  Marshfield has probably never before been the scene of such an overwhelming mass of people at one time.  The streets were gaily decorated with bunting and signs of welcome on every corner.  One of the principal features of the day was a baseball game between Wausau and Marshfield in which Wausau came out victorious, 4 to 3.  The Second Regiment Band and one visiting band furnished music for the day.  The several singing societies present each entertained with some fine selections in song.

 

A new sidewalk will be built from the Neillsville train depot to the furniture factory, westward, due to the many people employed at the factory.  The city owns that property and we presume that the leasee of that great factory will gladly undertake half of the sidewalk cost.  In wet weather, especially early spring and early winter, or during floods, the men have a difficult time walking to and from the factory.  Also, dozens of women and children walk to the factory daily to carry dinners to the men and a sidewalk would eliminate walking in mud or water. Cull boards can be had from the factory storage piles, or the city could furnish the material with the furniture factory work force turning out a half-day’s work to have the whole sidewalk job finished.  The factory is the king-pin of the city’s industrial life and is entitled to this little courtesy of a board walk.

 

June 1951

 

The Silver Dome property has been sold by the Kellers to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Weber, of Menomonie.  Papers were completed Wednesday on the sale.  The transfer will be completed on July 1.

 

The Kellers will take a vacation this summer and will go to Florida in the fall.  There they will continue the development of their suburban property.

 

The Webers are young people, whose family consists of two young boys. They were formally engaged in a similar business in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin.  They state their purpose to continue the business of the Silver Dome in the same way as is being carried on by the Kellers.

 

Owners of the Silver Dome prior to the transfer were three Keller brothers: Albert, Paul, and Walter.  Of the three, Albert and Paul were active in the business at the end.  Walter had already gone to Florida and had joined Henry Keller, another brother, in establishing a Firestone store at Fort Lauderdale.

 

The Kellers had built the Silver Dome property from very small beginnings to a leading establishment of its sort in Central Wisconsin.  Starting with a small building, known as the “Fireplace”, a supper club and tavern, almost 21 years ago, they have developed a very considerable physical property.  The chief features of which are the Silver Dome dance hall and the adjacent substantial structure housing the supper club.  The dance hall was constructed in 1933, the first dance having been given in May, 1933.  The property is on US Hwy. 10, about five miles west of Neillsville.

 

The Kellers have long had interests in Florida and the sale of the Silver Dome means that they will concentrate their time and interests there.  They own a tract of land just outside the limits of Fort Lauderdale, which is in the process of development and sale.  This tract originally consisted of 30 acres, which was divided into 52 lots.  From this area, a few lots have already been sold.  The property adjoins a golf course.  The community is growing rapidly, being in a favored section of the Florida east coast.

 

The local Forty Square Dance Club, of Neillsville, hosted a square dance jamboree this past Sunday afternoon from 2 to 6 p.m.  About 150 dancers, 75 spectators and uncounted children gathered at the Silver Dome Ballroom to participate.  Dancers were present from Neillsville, Ripon, Fond du Lac, Waupaca, Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, La Crosse, Thorp, Marathon, Frenchtown and Alma Center.  The local dancers were out in strength, not less than 32 couples.  With them were the Frank Hepburns of Mauston, former members of the local club.

 

A western atmosphere was imparted by a corral fence, upon which were blankets and saddles.  The dancers, of course, wore rural style attire.

 

The occasion emphasized the revival of the old art of calling.  In addition to Art Nemitz, the local caller, there were six guest callers, each with his own particular style and lingo.  Two of these callers were women, Mrs. Paul Billmeyer of Wisconsin Rapids and Mrs. Merlin Sonnentag of Marathon. The four mail guest callers were Joe Disterhaft of Fond du Lac, Harold Bommel of Waupaca, Merlin Sonnentag of Marathon and Malin Malinowski of Thorp.

 

Randy Briggs was master of ceremonies.  Music was furnished by the Nemitz Brothers Band.

 

The accounting for the event has not been completed, but the indication was that the result would be a considerable contribution to the fund for the Neillsville Swimming Pool.

 

The electors of the Reed School district face a problem at their approaching annual meeting.  The problem is what to do with their fine building next year and what to do about the two lone pupils in their district.

 

There was a time when the Reed district had a busy school. That was true back in 1914, when the old school burned.  The district then looked forward to more pupils, rather than less, and provision was made accordingly.  Located only a short distance, east of Neillsville this district included some of the best territory of Southern Clark County.  So, the electors at that time planned and built in line with their ability and their prospects.  Nothing less than a brick structure was considered fitting and the district arranged with Elmer Selves to make the brick.  The mason work was done by Nick Wilger and the carpentry work by A. T. Huckstead.

 

It was a very substantial structure which went up, one of the best in the county.  The present appearance of the building, now 35 years old, testifies to the care with which it was constructed.  It now only had a substantial school room above, but it was provided with a good basement and a concrete floor.  A furnace was installed for the heating.

 

The years following seemed to testify to the wisdom of the planners.  From 1925 to 1934, according to the records, the number of pupils ranged from 34 to 40.  Then the slump began.  Unless something unexpected happens, the only pupils available for the school next year are Nancy Huckstead and Patricia Schnabel.

 

Explanation is that the district is practically bereft of young couples.  The land owners in the district have raised their families and educated them. Their sons and daughters have largely left the old homes and have gone out to other localities, quite largely to the cities.

 

Of course the immediate question at the annual school meeting will be whether to hold school in the building next year.  That question almost answers itself.  Nowadays a teacher would cost from $235 to $250 a month.  The salary of the teacher for a single month would pay a year’s tuition for the two prospective pupils in another school.  Hence the reasonable expectation is that the two pupils will go elsewhere and that the building will be closed.

 

But what will happen in years to come:  Is there any likelihood of a change and of a renewed need of the building?  None in sight!  Somehow it would appear that a new group of farmers for the Reed district will come from somewhere, because the older farmers will gradually disappear.  But who they will be and where they will come from and how many children they will hve for the Reed School is a problem which the school electors will ponder at the coming annual meeting.

 

The situation in the Reed school commands attention, because it presents, in extreme form, a problem which exists in greater or less degree all through Clark County and which is typical of most rural areas.

 

Eighteen men representing all phases of business and professional life of the community were nominated for balloting as directors of the newly formed Neillsville Chamber of Commerce.  A meeting held on Monday evening was designated for that purpose.

 

Names on the ballot will be: James A. Musil and Howard O. Geise, representing banking; Frank Svetlik and Joe Zilk, Sr., car dealerships; Wells F. Harvey, newspaper; Dr. M. V. Overman and Lowell D. Schoengarth, of the professions; Heron Van Gorden, Stuart A. Lathrop, Henry Thomsen and Glenn Roberts, retail; B. H. Crissinger, milk industry; Herbert M. Smith, utility; George Tibbett, ice and fuel; E. A. Georgas, mortuary; Joe Ylvisaker, manufacturing; Herman Hagedorn, taverns and Kenneth M. Olson, laundry.

 

The nominating committee ws headed by George F. Zimmerman. 

 

From these nominees 12 directors are to be chosen by the membership.  The voting will be done by mailing in the votes.

 

Flag Day, June 14

 

John Cabot raised the first flag – with the banners of England and St. Mark – in the United States in 1497.  Gradually, each and every territory flew its own flag and by 1707, each colony had its own unique flag, similar to the state flags today.

 

The first flag to represent all of the colonies was flown on Prospect Hill in Boston at the Battle of Bunker Hill.  The “Grand Union” flag contained the red cross of St. George and the white cross of St. Andrew combined in the blue canton, as well as 13 alternating red and white horizontal stripes.

 

In 1877, the continental Congress adopted the following resolution:  “Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.”  Francis Hopkinson, designer of the naval flag, claimed to have designed this flag, although some believe that Betsy Ross made the first Stars and Stripes.  William Driver, a sea captain, is said to have created the nickname, “Old Glory.”

 

Two stripes and two stars were added in 1794 to represent the new states of Vermont and Kentucky and it is at this time that the nickname “The Star-Spangled Banner” was used.  In 1818, Congress voted to keep the number of stripes at 13, but to add a star to the field for each new state that was admitted.

 

The 50 star flag of the US was officially raised for the first time on July 4, 1960, at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, MD.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance

 

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

 

Francis Bellamy wrote the pledge in 1892.  The phrase “under God” was added to the pledge by a 1954 act of Congress.  Additionally, the original phrase “my flag” was changed to “flag of the United States of America.”

Silver Dome Park, developed by the Keller brothers, was a part of their entertainment center along with the Fireplace Supper Club and Silver Dome Ballroom, located in the wooded area bordering the north side of the ballroom and supper club property.

 

 


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