Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

December 2, 2009 Page 14

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

December 1909

 

 Jim Paulus and Ole Hauge were deer hunting.  They both came back empty handed, but not because they did not see any deer to shoot at. Quite the opposite.  They saw so many that the inhabitants south of Thorp thought that a small war was in progress. But it was a bad case of buck fever.  One day Jim was walking along an old logging road when he almost stepped on a fine buck.  Jim has a keen sense of justice, and he did not feel that it was altogether fair to kill the buck at his feet without giving it a chance.  So he gave it a kick and started it off so that it would have an equal chance for its life.  The buck took advantage of the chance and Jim fired 13 shots at it, but he says that as the buck was up in the air most of the time it confused him and he fired all his ammunition through the tops of the trees.  Ole was equally fortunate in seeing game, but his companions say that whenever he sighted a deer he would forget the gun in his hands and stand watching the animal, lost in admiration of its beauty and grace.  Ole always did have an eye for beauty, and he said that those deer looked as pretty as three queens, and he did not have the heart to shoot them.

 

(Deer hunting stories, such as this one, have prevailed throughout the ages of hunting. D.Z.)

•••••••••

Our entire stock of groceries, dry goods, tobacco, patent medicines, gent’s furnishing goods, stationery, hats, caps, shoes, overshoes, camp blankets, hardware and tin-ware must be sold within the next 10 days, we are offering anything and everything.  No charge made for delivery.  It will pay you to visit our store. A. J. Swope & Co. Dells Dam.  

•••••••••

Supper at the East Washburn School last Saturday evening was a decided success. There were 75 people, old and young, who attended and enjoyed a pleasant evening. There was enough roast chicken left to serve many more if they had been there.

•••••••••

This week a deal was closed wherein Dwyer & Wolff sold their meat market in the Rabenstein building to Jacob Malter.  Mr. Malter took possession yesterday.  Wm. Betz is working for him.

•••••••••

The Pure Food Grocery has the following Specials for This Week:

 

7 bars Magic Washer soap, 25¢; 7 bars Santa Claus soap, 25¢

 

Why not make your chickens lay while the price of eggs is high?  You can, by feeding them; Beef Scraps, 3¢ per lb. & Crushed Oyster Shells, 100 lbs. for 75¢.  T. T. Smith is the Proprietor.

•••••••••

Nelson’s Jewelry Store’s special for Christmas, monogrammed pocked watch fobs, made to order. Get your order in early.

•••••••••

While Christmas Shopping, take a rest at Woelffer’s Drug Store for a nice hot, stimulating drink of coffee, chocolate or malted milk.

•••••••••

For Sale: a complete 35-horse-power saw mill outfit, and one 12-horse-power, threshing outfit.  Will take in payment of wood, bolts, posts or logs, for either.  Write H. D. Cutis, Neenah, Wis.

•••••••••

Wheeler & Martindale grind feed and ear corn every afternoon except on Tuesday.

•••••••••

Don’t forget the Holiday Bazaar given by the ladies of the Presbyterian Church, Thursday, Dec. 9. They invite everybody to come and see their new rooms in the basement of the church, and to inspect the articles in the different booths.  Lunch will be served on the European plan from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.  Menu: Baked Beans, Escalloped Potatoes, Sandwiches, Pickles, Salads, Doughnuts, Cakes, Pie, Tea and Coffee.

•••••••••

Ben Thoma, Nick Linster and Albert Wagner have returned to their Town of Weston homes from camp on account of bad weather.  Nick had bad luck; someone stole his grip with all his camp supplies so he really had to return home.  But some think that Nick gave it away so he would have an excuse to return, because he is not very fond of the lumberjack trade.

•••••••••

William Enhelder received a severe pounding from four of the Halley men over a little trouble.  He was badly bruised and the men were arrested Sunday.  Mr. Enhelder is staying at Len Boon’s in Christie, where he is being cared for.

•••••••••

The New Restaurant has some Holiday Specials:

 

Homemade Nut & Wheat Bread, available every day.  Waffles & Coffee served through the Holidays, 10¢.  Boston Baked Beans 15¢, 20¢, & 25¢ jars.

•••••••••

The Bible says, “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God.”  During the 20th century something more than that has come to pass.  Some church members have learned to fear the minister also.  Last Sunday as the minister was driving his buggy along at leisure, in the Town of Weston, he little dreamed that he had scared two of his church members into the schoolhouse wood shed until he had passed by.

•••••••••

A wagon load of Neo-style Clothes Washers, consisting of over $200 worth, were delivered to the Globe area farmers this past week.  The washer sells on its merits and is better known as the washer that really washes.  E. G. Cummings, the demonstrator, will send a catalogue of this labor saver, writhe him: Neillsville

 

December 1939

 

When it comes to weather predictions the state highway commission’s publicity department should receive some recognition.

 

Early in November the department sent out a release to weekly newspapers of the state, which gave its outstanding weather forecast; and which incidentally, suggested the tune of the rather frayed “Beer Barrel Polka.”

 

“Roll out the fences, went the release and we’ll have a barrel of snow.”

 

Indications at least to the first part of the week were that the publicity writer also was an excellent weather prophet.  He was only a barrel short.

 

But, for taking heed of the warning, Clark County highway department crews prepared for a real Wisconsin winter. And to date Clark County’s state trunk highways are protected from drifting snow by over 26.8 miles of snow fence, while approximately that much more has been put up along county trunk roads.

 

With snow plows ready and crews in condition, the county forces now are awaiting the “barrel” of snow, or even more, if more comes.

 

As a matter of fact, the county stands to receive $1,417.23 from the state for putting up its snow fence along state trunk highways this year.  The payment is made at the rate of one cent per foot, and a commission employee who recently inspected the system in Clark County certified that 141,723 feet of snow fence had been put up along state highways.

•••••••••

Dance at Bohemian ZCBJ Hall, formerly Levis Community Hall Sunday, Dec. 10, Music by Joey Mazola and His Band.  Gents 25¢, Ladies Free  

•••••••••

A Homemakers’ club was organized in the Pine Valley neighborhood just south of town Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Richard Albrecht.  Mrs. Albrecht was elected president; Mrs. Walter Borde will be the secretary and treasurer.  Mrs. John Stanton and Mrs. Dewey Zittelman will act as leaders.  Lunch was served by the hostess.  The next meeting will be December 15 at the home of Mrs. Borde.  Hereafter the meetings will be held fortnightly.

•••••••••

Dr. Frederick Schweinler, 60, passed away Wednesday at his home on East Sixth Street after an illness of exactly one month, with a heart ailment.  Dr. Schweinler had been a resident of Neillsville for the past 34 years, coming to this city August 20, 1905.

 

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Schiller Funeral Home, the Rev. G. W. Longenecker officiating.  Interment will be made in the Neillsville Cemetery.

•••••••••

Sunday, December 17, at 7:30 p.m., a special Christmas program will be given at St. John’s Lutheran Church for the benefit of the German-speaking people.  A group of 40 children will render German recitations.

 

The audience will join in singing 10 old familiar “Weihnachtslieder,” so dear to their memories from childhood days.  No one needs to bring his German hymnal as printed Christmas carol sheets will be handed out.  A German Christmas address will be delivered by Rev. Adolph Schumann, pastor of the Globe Lutheran Church.

 

The names of the children participating in the program are: Jeanne Borde, Joan Tock, Arlene Jelinski, Harley Miller, Donald Bartell, Harold Schmidt, Herbert Jaster, Loren Jelinski, Roland Jenni, Billy Schlinsog, Doris Ott, Lois Tramm, Leanna Ott, Lucille Mueller, Eunice Payne, Elaine Marg, Florence Stiemke, Alice Beyer, Hermina Meier, Lorraine Stiemke, Janet May, Ruby Meihack, Elsie Wagner, Melvin Dux, Elaine Lueck, Ruth Zipfel, Althea Kluhsman, Betty Marg, Richard Tock, Roland Meihack, Milton Tock, Harris Dux, Velda Lewerenz, Edgar Ott and Grace Baumann. 

 

Any child in the audience may step up in front of the altar and recite a German Christmas prayer.

 

 

St. John’s Lutheran Congregation’s first church building was located at the corner of West Fifth and Oak Streets with first worship services conducted there on April 20, 1886, with Rev. F. J. Eppling as its minister.  That building filled the congregation’s needs for worship until May 11, 1969, when the new church building was dedicated at 709 West Fifth Street, Neillsville.

•••••••••

Saturday, December 2 was the opening date of the new store in Willard, Coffee and hot dogs were served all day.

 

The East Side Butler School, north of Willard was closed, for the deer-hunting season.

•••••••••

In the years of Depression Plautz Brothers created a new industry in Clark County, the manufacture of concrete pipe.  In a wild part of western Mead, on a location little valued otherwise, they have set the beginnings of a real manufacturing plant, turning out a product of merit, for which there is a continuing demand.

 

The Plautz business is located on the banks of the Eau Clair River.  Lying west of the mound region and the land had not been considered worth paying the taxes on.  But the Plautz brothers, interested in road making, sensed the possibilities and took on 640 acres. It is largely sand and gravel and hence good for little, except for the purpose of their own industry.

 

Upon this land Plautz brothers have gradually accumulated a plant, tools and equipment with which to make their product.  They have steel forms, of various sizes in which the concrete is poured.  They have a steel derrick and hoisting apparatus, with which to handle the heavy forms and the completed pipe.  They have provided an electric vibrator, which shakes the forms as they are being poured and takes the place of hand tamping.  They have a fleet of trucks for hauling materials and for delivery of the finished product.  They have a garage and machine shop in which repair work is done.

 

In the busy open season Plautz brothers have employed as many as 30 men.  More will be needed later, if the expansion of their business continues. All of these men are from the immediate locality, Clark County men, who are neighbors and friends.

 

Their manufacturing is suspended for the winter.  But it is planned to put up a building next summer that will be in readiness for winter production. 

 

The Plautz business has had a remarkable growth.  Starting in 1935 with a production of about 250 tons of pipe, the concern manufactured 400 tons in 1936, 500 in 1937, 692 tons in 1938 and 1,294 tons in 1939.  The product is used for culverts, sewers and drainage, wherever pipe or tile of great strength and permanence is needed.  The Plautz pipe is made with re-enforcement of heavy wire-mesh, electrically welded with its strength measured by a testing apparatus, which is part of the equipment.

 

This industry for Clark County was developed by a series of happy chances.  Back in the 1920s Joseph Plautz was in the trucking business, making trips to and from Milwaukee.  The Town of Hendren needed some gravel hauled and the town chairman suggested Joseph Plautz as being able to do it.  The truck was not especially built for gravel and the material had to be transferred by hand. But Joseph made the start.  Then, as his services were increasingly required, he bought handling equipment.  Presently the labors became too great for Joseph and he called in his brother, John.

 

But the towns of Clark County need more for roads than merely hauling gravel so the Plautz brothers kept buying more equipment and doing other things for which they found need.  They do grading for the towns of Mentor, Foster, Hewett, Seif, Hendren, Eaton, Mead, Longwood, Butler, Worden, and Hixon of Clark County, for the Town of Maplehurst of Taylor County and for the city of Greenwood.  They also do snow removal for the towns of Foster, Hewett, Hendren, Mead, Eaton, Hixon and the city of Greenwood.  Their present snow removal contracts call for about 200 miles.

 

Joseph and John now have the help of their brother Stephen J. Plautz, who is secretary of the co-partnership.  Stephen Plautz has the background of a banker, with service in the bank at Greenwood and elsewhere.  He is the statistician and accountant of the business, performing an important function of the operation.

•••••••••

Neillsville’s number one story of 1939 was the thundering crash of the 45-year-old single span bridge over O’Neill Creek at South Hewett Street, which collapsed Sunday, September 17.  On it was the truck of Walter Aumann, Neillsville milk hauler.  Aumann, alone in the cab, suffered only minor injuries. A few hours later many loaded cars would have been crossing the bridge with residents on their way to churches for worship services and that could have been far more disastrous.

 

Work on the new bridge is expected to start soon after the first of the New Year.

•••••••••

A & P Food Specials: Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce, 17 oz. can 11¢; Mixed Nuts lb. 19¢; Fruit Cake, 2-lbs. 89¢; Aged Cheese, 2 ½ lbs. Holliday wrapped, ready for gift mailing 75¢.

 

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