Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

October 22, 2003, Page 14

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

October 1898

 

W. L. Hemphill came up here Sunday, from New Orleans for a brief visit and to take his family to the South with him.  He looks well and happy.  Passengers on his train were not allowed to stick their noses out of doors while passing through Mississippi, on account of the yellow fever scare.  Mrs. Dewhurst is to spend the winter here, with her sister, Mrs. Dickinson.

••••••••••

A delegation from here took in John J. Esch’s speech Saturday evening at Merrillan.  It was a powerful effort and John will make a mighty good representative.  He spent Sunday with his brother, Dr. S. H. Esch of this city.

••••••••••

At the residence of the bride’s parents in Granton, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 1898, Truman W. Davis and Effie L. Breese were married.  A large number of relatives and friends of the worthy young people were present to wish them joy in their new life.  Many substantial tokens of the esteem in which they are held were left by their guests to aid in furnishing the home.  A bounteous repast was served and in spite of the rain, all went merry as the marriage bell.  The couple will begin housekeeping near Granton.

••••••••••

A group of Indians were encamped in the Nevins area, bagging about 20 deer.  Now they are gone with the hunting season.

••••••••••

Painters are nearly finished with the interior of the Catholic parsonage.  It will soon be ready for occupancy.

••••••••••

The lower grades in the Southside School resumed their studies on Monday morning after a vacation of several days on account of diphtheria cases.

••••••••••

Dr. Conroy has purchased John Hein’s driving team of horses and now travels as fast as the best of them.  John had broken in that pair of three-year-old colts for driving.

••••••••••

A meeting was called for and held, Tuesday night, at the opera house.  Citizens were to consider what form of reception should be held for our returning soldier boys when they arrive here next week.  The meeting was called by order of Mayor Esch, who also acted as chairman.  Ideas were exchanged and it was finally decided that the chair appoint a committee to make all arrangements and appoint as many subcommittees as were needed.

 

The city wills en-masse to meet the Co. A men at the depot led by a band and G. A. R. veterans.  After the greetings, all will march to the opera hall to be served a warm breakfast, the kind our mothers made.  The soldiers will be allowed to visit and rest during the day. A grand banquet will be held at the hall at 4 p.m.  There will then be speeches and a dance at night.

 

Much enthusiasm prevailed at the planning meeting, every speaker being applauded and especially the announcement by B. E. Luethe who had offered to donate as many chickens as the soldier boys can eat.

••••••••••

The Necedah Lumber Company finished cutting lumber last Monday afternoon and they now have a saw mill for sale.  It was almost 5 o’clock when James W. Harriman put the machinery in motion that pulled the last log out of the water to be sawed on the lower Yellow River.   The veteran head sawyer, William Clumpner, who cut the first, also cut the last log to be sawed in this mill.  When the last log had been finished, the fact was announced to the villagers by typing the whistle string down and letting the big whistle bellow until the machine’s head of steam was nearly exhausted.  Some of the mill machinery has already been sold to Ashland parties and in a short time nearly all of the rest will be disposed of too.  No doubt, saw mills will become a thing of the past so far as this place is concerned.

••••••••••

George Ure, who lately returned from the Klondike, was in the city on Wednesday.  George says he knows when he has had enough and he no longer has the gold fever within him.

••••••••••

A slight flurry of snow came on Tuesday morning, Oct. 25.  Being the first of the season, it is a warning to lay in a supply of wood and some cough cure.

 

October 1948

 

Plans for the big parade of Pioneer Days will be completed at the Neillsville City Hall on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m.  James A. Musil, parade chairman and Harry Roehrborn, co-chairman, have called this meeting.  They are inviting all persons in interest, particularly those who are planning floats or special features, to attend.

 

The parade will organize in the location commonly used for this purpose, the vicinity of the high school. The side streets will be used, as well as Fourth Street.  In organizing the parade Messrs. Musil and Roehrborn will have the help of the American Legion, who have agreed to be on hand for this purpose.

 

Individuals and groups who are competing for the prizes will meet in front of the Methodist Church then will be directed to their places in the parade.

 

All persons participating are asked to be on hand at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in order that the parade may move promptly at 2 p.m., according to the announcement.

 

Last Saturday, a group of Neillsville ladies made social rounds about the city being attired in their beautiful ancient garb.  All eyes were upon them as they walked together through Neillsville’s business section.

 

A soiree of the most genteel and fashionable sort occurred Saturday afternoon at the coffee shop of the Merchants Hotel.  Eleven ladies, gowned in the ultimate of elegance and taste, gathered to sip coffee and partake delicately of the goodies and sweetmeats, such as pie.

 

Their attire, while it comprised a composite of era’s irreconcilable to Time, was undoubtedly distinct and their poise and savoir faire were enviable.  Headgear ranged from the simple, though provocative, bonnet, to the towering monstrosity, sorry, we meant to say creation, made immortal in the Gibson Girl era.

 

There were velvet capes and snug-fitting silk jackets, not to mention a feather boa.

 

There were bustles, trains and ruffles and heavily beaded skirts of most ornate design.

 

Some of the ladies boasted high button shoes and though some carping individuals have indicated that perhaps more ankle was shown that was strictly within the realm of perfect decorum, this surely cannot have been the case in such a refined gathering.

 

The ladies who participated in the social event were: Mrs. Donald Schwantes, Mrs. Harry Wasserberger, Mrs. Lewis Bradbury, Mrs. Odin Wang, Mrs. Millard Cole, Mrs. Tom Noble, Mrs. Al Covell, Mrs. William Whaley, Mrs. Edna Russell, Mrs. Frank Hephburn and Mrs. Helen Smith.

 

Their costumes were brought to Neillsville by Mrs. Millard Cole, who secured them from a relative in Black River Falls, Mrs. Harvey Richards. The clothing was originally worn by Mrs. Julia Price of Black River Falls and Mrs. Elizabeth May of Platteville.  Mrs. Price and Mrs. May, both now dead, were the daughters of a prosperous lumberman in Black River Falls, named Campbell.  Two large hats, worn by Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Covell were of more recent vintage, dating back only 35 or 40 years ago.  They were originally owned and worn by the Spalding sisters of Black River Falls.

••••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Truman Davis will celebrate their Golden wedding anniversary October 12, with a family dinner at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Charles Hubing, in Neillsville.

 

The dinner will be followed by an open house in their own home, on the north side of Granton, from 2 to 6 p.m.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Davis were married at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Breese, in the Town of York.  The pastor who tied the bonds of matrimony was Rev. George W. Longenecker.  He, with Mrs. Longenecker, will be present for the Golden wedding dinner.

 

Three children were born to the Davis’; Eldred of the Town of York; Mrs. Arthur (Lucille) Hubing of the Town of Grant and Mrs. Charles (Lila) Hubing of Neillsville.  There are 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

••••••••••

The old Episcopal Church is being converted into an office building.  The building’s new owner is W. B. Tufts, who has men at work on it.  The plans call for raising and leveling the floor, installing a forced air heating system, with stoker and thermostatic control, a floor to be put into the basement and partitioning the main floor into six rooms. There will be toilet facilities; two entrances, complete insulation and a new roof put on the building.

••••••••••

The Willard community celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first settlers who arrived there.  Also, a farewell banquet was held for the Bishop Dr. Gregory Rozman of Lubljsana, Slovenia, who last week held a mission at the Holy Family Catholic Church at Willard.

 

A very large crowd gathered at the West Side Hall on Monday night, where a supper was served and several talks were given with Fr. Bernard Ambrozic presiding.  Frank Perkovsek, (Petkovsek?) Sr., secretary of the church, spoke on his pioneer days in Willard.  Ludvik Perushek, Sr., spoke, followed by Rev. Odilo Hajnsek, Rev. J. J. Novak, Greenwood, Mrs. Johanna Artic (Artac) and last by Bishop Gregory Rozman.

 

Last Sunday was also the end of the mission at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Willard, with a 13-hour devotion of the Blessed Sacrament.  The following priests were there: Bishop Gregory Rozman, Rev. Bernard Ambrozic, Rev. Odilo Jahnsek and Rev. J. J. Novak.

••••••••••

Clark County farmers bought more of the government surplus potatoes than the farmers of any other county in Wisconsin.  This news was revealed, by Clark County Agent Earl O. Wright.

 

When the program is concluded, local authorities believe that 107 carloads of surplus potatoes will have been brought into the county for livestock feed.

 

Incidentally, the potatoes are fine, U. S. No. 1 grade potatoes the likes of which the local grocery say they have not been able to buy on the (missing line) year for the human trade.

 

When the end of the program was announced last week, 92 carloads had been accounted for by Clark County. 

 

One reason for the wide acceptance here, of course, is the 25c per hundred-weight price.

 

Another reason, Mr. Wright believes, is the fact that Clark County has a large foreign-born population of a generation or less removed from Europe.  There, in the past, potatoes have commonly been used as a dairy cattle and livestock feed, he said,

 

As a feed for dairy cattle, Mr. Wright said, potatoes are good when properly used.  Of course they must be chopped up before given to the cattle with hay and should be used in the place of silage, saving the silage to be fed later. 

 

Another farmer, Roy Neumann of the Town of Unity, has used potatoes as a hog and sheep feed for several years.  Until this year he usually has made trips to Antigo and Rhinelander for potatoes to bring back as stock feed.  Mr. Neumann also is equipped to cook potatoes, using a large water tank in which to do the cooking.

••••••••••

Those who have hunted deer for years without success will appreciate the experience of Lyle Brandt, 17-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brandt of Stanley, route 2.

 

Mrs. Brandt, while in Neillsville last week on jury duty, told the story.

 

Lyle, a senior in high school, made a bow and arrow and decided to give it a real test under hunting conditions.  He never before had been deer hunting, but he struck out alone, nevertheless, on Sunday, October 10.

 

The hunt was fruitless.  Lyle turned his steps toward home.

 

When he neared the farm, he saw a mature doe eating corn just south of the Brandt barn.  He strung the arrow and let it go. The shaft went true to its mark and the doe dropped.

 

So, the first time out and Lyle got his deer with a bow and arrow; both of which he had made himself.

••••••••••

R. D. Dickinson, a native of Neillsville, is back in the old Home Town to visit friends and relatives.  His present home is in Menlo Park, California and he is a guest in the home of his cousin, Mrs. W. L. Hemphill.

 

Mr. Dickinson, interested in the Pioneer Days, recalled two incidents typical of he olden times.  His father, known as Dick Dickinson, ran a store in the Hemphill building on South (missing line) the Parrish store.  It was the old-style country store, with groceries and piece goods on display.  There was also an open cracker barrel and handy displayed hunks of cheese, common to those days.

 

Handled also by the older Dickinson was fine-cut chewing tobacco, to which Doc Marsh, veterinarian was addicted.  The fine-cut was kept in the cellar and it was the custom of Doc Marsh to go down there and fill his pouch.  This was well known to the proprietor and it was sanctioned by the free-and-easy custom of the times.

 

But it irked the younger Dickinson to see his father’s fine-cut disappear without a penny in the till.  So he took a mousetrap and covered it with fine-cut, just at the top of the container. Thereafter old Doc Marsh made one more trip to the fine-cut pail and after that he quit patronizing that particular source of supply.

 

When the elder Dickinson learned of what his son had done, he chided him about the incident.  He said, “Doc Marsh has been getting his fine-cut from that pail for 30 years.  It was not friendly to set a trap for him.”

••••••••••

Arthur and Marion Epding have purchased the Robinson hotel in Colby and will operate it in conjunction with the Merchants hotel here.

 

The hotel had been under the ownership of James Robinson since 1925.  He was forced to sell due to poor health.  The hotel has 40 rooms, a dining room and a bar.

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The Neillsville Fourth and Hewett Street intersection looking eastward circa 1920 before hard surfaced streets; Notice the street sign post positioned in the middle of the intersection.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Roberts)

 

 


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