Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

October 27, 2010, Page 13

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

October 1910

 

A party of several families gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Selves Sunday evening. They were entertained by fine graphophone selections, which were enjoyed by all.  A delicious lunch was served and all went home feeling highly pleased with the evening.  (A graphophone was a phonograph using wax records. D. Z.)

•••••••••

Dr. Sanford E. Perkins of Milwaukee has bought the George Huntzicker farm located on the Greenwood road for $18,500.  It contains 440 acres, a large amount of which is cleared and has much good timber.  The buildings were at one time in very good condition.  This farm was one of the famous stopping places during the old pinery days along the Black River.

•••••••••

About a dozen couples from Neillsville went to Greenwood Saturday night to attend a party given by Mrs. Hugh Schofield and Mrs. Fred Oelig at the Schofield home.  A fine midnight supper was served, one of the pretty features of which was a full bloom rose given to each guest. Everyone had a delightful time. Besides Greenwood and Neillsville people, there were a number from Withee and surrounding area, who were there also.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff F. Schuster left last Thursday for the West accompanying Mr. Schuster’s sister, Mrs. Lute Marsh on the trip home to Seattle.  They all expect to step (stop) off at Spokane and perhaps other points.  Mr. and Mrs. Schuster plan to be gone for a month.                                                                                         

•••••••••

Monday evening two inmates of the Clark County Jail, one who is waiting trial for robbing a man at Abbotsford, the other serving a three-month sentence for stealing a suitcase at Owen, broke jail. Sheriff Eunson and his wife were out during the evening and on returning he went through the jail to see that all were safe.  He found that the cage door was open and the two men were gone. They had reached out and pried off the padlock, which held the cage door, the lock on the box, which encloses the padlock, being out of order and not working. They then went to the corridor window and got a stick of wood from the woodpile, which was piled up so high that it could be reached from the window, then pried off a short bar that was put in to repair the grating, which had been filed off some years ago by some jail breakers.  Tying strips of blankets together, they let themselves down to the ground.

 

The sheriff at once got busy, sending telephone messages to all surrounding cities and towns, mean while searching around the city.  He took the midnight train to Marshfield to watch those who got on at stations east; while at Marshfield, he got a telegram from Merrillan that the men had gone north on train No. 9.  He came back on the early morning train, went to Merrillan and there he got a message that the men had been caught by Eau Claire police. Sheriff Eunson went to Eau Claire and brought the men back on Tuesday afternoon.                             

•••••••••

A fire has been burning in the marshes on the Gorr farm since August, on Friday the strong south winds carried it on until it got into some clearing that Wm. Richmond had been doing. They were compelled to call for help to save the farm buildings and hay stacks. Richmond lost considerable fence but saved the rest of his property by several hours of fighting the blaze.                                                                                                      

•••••••••

Mrs. Christian Dietrich, one of the oldest residents of this county, died October 6, 1910 at the home of her son, John Dietrich in the Town of Grant.  She was born at Byren, Germany, July 26, 1827, her maiden name being Julia Anna Rausch.  She came to America with her father, brothers and sisters, who first settled in Pennsylvania.  Later they moved to Wisconsin settling at Nasonville, April 8, 1859.  She was married to Christian Dietrich and they came to the Town of Grant where they lived until her death. She is survived by her aged husband and five sons, John, Henry, Ernest, Charlie and Fred, also nine grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. Ernest Sternitzky of Lynn.

•••••••••

Dr. W. R. McCutcheon has just completed a fine modern residence in the village of Thorp, on a five-acre tract in the southern part of the town and will move into the house in a few days.  It is just 25 years since the doctor and his wife set up housekeeping there.                                                                                   

•••••••••

George Wiesner, Neillsville, advertises Concord grapes at 20 cents per basket.

•••••••••

Thos. Lowe will buy partridges, prairie chicken and grouse at 25 cents a-piece.

•••••••••

There are today positions for 50 to 100 kitchen girls in Neillsville. These positions will pay variously from $1.50 to $3.00 per week, with meals and a nice room for board.                                     

•••••••••

H. G. Klopf sold a house and lot on Hewett Street this week, to Otto Kelpin for a consideration of $400.

•••••••••

Typhoid Fever appears to be taking quite a toll in and around Neillsville.  In York Center, alone, two deaths are reported in a week; while several cases have been reported within the corporate limits of the city.

•••••••••

On the Neillsville market: Shelled Corn is 40 cents per bushel; oats, 20’; potatoes, 20’ to 25’; butter, 13’ to 16’ a lb; hay, $7 to $8; hogs, $4; green hides, 6 cents.

 

October 1950

 

The Schiesel family has purchased the Lewerenz residential property on Fourth Street next to the Armory.   The granters are described in the deed as O. W. Lewerenz and Amy Lewerenz, his wife and each in his and her individual right.  The purchasers are the older Schiesel’s, John E. and Laniece, and Donald and Ardell, as joint tenants.

•••••••••

The trend of realty values in Neillsville in recent years is illustrated by the transactions in the old Radke properties on Clay street between Fifth and Sixth streets.  The more northerly of these two properties has just been sold by the William Bradfords to the Wilbert Kalsows.  The consideration in this transfer, as indicated by revenue stamps, was between $6,500 and $7,000.

 

The Bradfords bought this property from Frieda Radke July 5, 1944, six years ago. They paid $3,500.  The increase in six years is from $2,500 to $3,000.

 

The last transaction in the other Radke property was on May 24, 1945 when Frieda Radke sold to J. H. Frank.  The consideration in that deal was $5,500.  The deal thus transferred was the old A. F. Radke home, which doubtless is to be regarded as definitely more valuable than the property just sold by the Bradfords.

 

In selling, the Bradfords included a piano, coal left in the basement, a table, upstairs window curtains and a cupboard. These items however need not be covered by revenue stamps, the basis upon which this statement of value is made.

 

Paul C. Blum and his wife, Mamie S. have sold 10 lets in Krumery’s addition to Neillsville to Alma and Anna Grottke.  The lots lie on the west side of Ayers Street, south of Fourth Street, Lots 8 and 9 went to Anna Grottke, while lots 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 went to Alma Grottke.  The revenue stamps, in each case represent a minimum consideration of $500 or less, the entire transaction for the 10 lots representing not to exceed $1,000.

•••••••••

St. Anthony’s Catholic Church at Loyal was the scene on Wednesday, September 27, of the wedding of Miss Dorothy Jean Hannan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hannan of Loyal, and Howard Sturtz, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Sturtz, Sr., also of Loyal.                                                                                        

•••••••••

There will be a Duck Shoot at Pete Zager’s Tavern Sunday, Oct. 8, 2 p.m. in Christie. Bring your own .22’s.

 

Duck Shoot Sunday, Oct. 15, afternoon and evening at Teddy Kuester’s Tavern in Christie.

•••••••••

A providential fire alarm gave the warning of the Roland Quicker fire last week.  At 4 a.m. the Quicker family was aroused by an automobile horn blowing insistently, without stopping.  When the Quickers arose to learn was what it was all about, they saw that their garage was full of smoke and flames.

 

Evidently their 1937 Chevrolet had developed a short, and this had both set the car afire and had touched off the horn.

 

The blaze ruined the car and also the two-year-old GMC truck, which was in the same garage.  The inside of the garage was badly charred.  The loss was $3,000 or more, with insurance coverage.

•••••••••

The installation of electric lights in the Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church was completed last week.  They will be dedicated at a special service on Friday evening.

 

When the present church building was built in 1933 the wires were partially installed and it has been the constant hope of the congregation that the wiring might be completed.

 

Now, under the sponsorship of the recently formed Women’s Society of Christian Service, (WSCS) the dream has been accomplished.   With the addition of all fixtures and the necessary extra wiring, it has been a major project. 

 

The lighting system will be dedicated at a special service on Friday evening at 8 o’clock.  The feature of the evening will be the showing of a movie, entitled, “Reaching from Heaven.”  A lunch will be served after the movie. The congregation invites the entire community.                                                         

•••••••••

The city council has decided to drill two more test wells.  Neillsville is thus committed to carry through the program initiated by the employment of the federal geophysicists.

 

The decision was by a vote of three to two.  Alderman Roberts and Tibbett opposed.  Their opinion is understandable.

 

To their previous reasoning, had been added the unexpected discovery of hard rock at a depth of 52 feet in the first test well.  This was found in a location where bedrock was supposed to be at a depth of 200-feet or more. Certainly these two advocates of river water were justified in regarding this discovery as a confirmation of their views and as a weakness in procedures based upon the findings of the geophysicists.

 

We do not now know what the explanation may be for encountering hard rock of the unexpectedly shallow depth.  There may be a fault in the bedrock in that locality.  Possibly greater depth would have been found 200 or 300 feet away.  Probably we shall never know.  After the test had been made at the point selected, it was noted that the geophysicists had run their line at a little distance from there.

 

Whatever the reason for the failure at site No. 1, it was the part of wisdom for the council to exhaust the possibilities at sites 2 and 3. There are in Neillsville a substantial proportion of water users who greatly prefer well water and who are reluctant to accept Black River as a permanent source of supply.  Our own estimate is that this group constitutes a majority of the people and that proceedings with reference to water must give full consideration to this viewpoint.

 

The majority decision of the council was reached with full understanding of the sentiment. The three aldermen who voted for two further tests, Messrs. Hoesly, Marg and Karnitz, acted in a manner, which should bring the community into unanimity on the water question.  Their decision is to try twice more, and to stop there unless substantial success is attained.

 

(Such attempts proved fruitless in finding well water due to the hard rock, bedrock within the city.  Some years later, drilling for an ample supple of well water was successfully accomplished at a site west of the city, much to the appreciation of the Neillsville city residents. D.Z.)                             

•••••••••

Hilltop Homemakers are sponsoring a Card party at the Mound School, Sunday Evening October 29.                                  

•••••••••

Plans have been completed for the big Greenwood High School homecoming celebration this week.  The first event will be a snake dance and pep rally Thursday night.  The rally will start from the school and the snake dance will go through the town and back to the field behind the school for the bonfire and pep rally.  There will be pep-yells, speeches and the homecoming king will be announced.  The homecoming king will choose his queen from the candidates elected from each class.  They will reign at the dance Friday night.

 

Friday afternoon the homecoming parade will be held. All high school classes and organizations will be represented with floats.  The grade school children will also take part in the parade, which will be led by the high school band.  Prizes will be given to the best floats in the parade.

 

The homecoming football game with Loyal will be played on Olson Field Friday night.  To win this game would clinch the conference title for the Greenwood eleven.  These two traditional rivals always play a good game regardless of their records up to that time.

 

Following the game, a dance will be held in the Greenwood High School gym with music by Howie Sturtz and his Swing Kings.                                                                                                        

•••••••••

Lawrence Duchow and His Red Raven Orchestra, Featuring the return of Dick Metko to the orchestra, will be playing at Walter’s Pavilion at Colby Park Sunday, Oct. 29th.                           

•••••••••

National Auto Dealer Week, Oct. 22 thru 28; stop at the Neillsville Auto Dealers: Rychnovsky Bros. for Dodge Cars & Trucks; Urban’s for Chrysler-Plymouth Cars & International Trucks; L. J. Chevrolet for Oldsmobile & Chevrolet Cars & Trucks; Zilk Villa Motor Sales, Home of the Buick & Standard Oil Products; F. L. Reinhard Co. for Pontiac Sales & Service; Svetlik Motor Company for Ford Cars & Trucks; and Thompson’s Kaiser-Frazer Cars, Sales & Service.

 

The 1897 Clark County jail building, now a museum is a unique structure.

It also has a history of some unique stories in prisoner escapes and attempted escapes in its early days’ existence, some recorded – others forgotten.

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