Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

October 29, 2014, Page 9

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 September 1934

 

A week or two ago, considerable cheering was heard down the direction of Rhinelander where it was said that an old rabbit-canning plant had been fitted up at large expense to take care of a government cattle canning contract, which had been awarded to Rhinelander.  A government agent directed that a large corral be built to roundup the cattle at the plant.  This was done, but as yet no cattle have come to the plant, as there is little stock in that part of the state.

 

Now it is reported that cattle from Clark and other counties are to be transported to Rhinelander to stock the corral.  Possibly the canned beef, together with the hides, horns and hoofs and tallow, may be brought back here to be distributed on the relief program.                                                                               

•••••••••

Another of the few remaining pioneers of Neillsville passed from the scene on Thursday, Oct. 4, when Richard F. Kountz died at his home in this city.  He had been confined at home for many months, apparently weakened by old age.

 

Richard F. Kountz was born at Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct. 23, 1848, the son of Hiram and Elizabeth (Sirwell) Kountz.  The father was for years a steamboat captain, plying on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.  He was of Holland descent.  The mother was a native of England.  When Richard was only six years old his father died.  Four years later, his mother married again and the family soon after moved to Ohio, where they lived until 1865.  His stepfather enlisted in the Union army and Richard, then a lad of about fifteen years of age, was left to help support the family.  It was at this time that an incident occurred, which greatly impresses his mind and influenced his future life; Gen. John H. Morgan, the noted Confederate cavalry leader, with a body of troopers crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky and invaded Ohio.  Rumors of Morgan’s dashing bravery and the devastation of his horsemen spread fear throughout southern Ohio.  While passing through the region where Richard lived, Gen. Morgan took him along as a guide for several days.  While he was practically a prisoner of war, he was so kindly treated by Morgan and so deeply impressed by Morgan’s gallantry and humane treatment of the people as his troops passed, especially his care and protection of the women and children, that he became an ardent admirer of Gen. Morgan and his men.

 

At that time and for years later, the strongest prejudices prevailed throughout the North against Confederates, which reflected itself in politics, the people of the North becoming Republican against the people of the South, which had become Democrat.

 

In October 1868, Kountz left home and went to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he spent the winter.  In March, he came to Black River Falls, Wis.  There he worked in a store, bought wheat for an elevator, and later established a store at Humbird, which he carried on for a time.

 

In 1874, he came to Neillsville and went into partnership in a store with his brother, W. H. Kountz.  A year later, they dissolved the partnership and Richard followed various occupations.  About 1876 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and office that he held for many years.  Soon after his election he began the study of law by himself and in 1879 he was admitted to the bar.  Previous to his election, law enforcement in Neillsville had been very lax, as in most frontier villages and lumber towns, but Mr. Kountz as Justice of Peace and later as Police Justice and city Attorney brought in an era of strict law enforcement.

 

For many years he represented Neillsville on the County Board and was easily the most influential member.  While looking well after the interests of this city, he was active in all measures to promote the welfare of the county as a whole.

 

Locally he was always alert for the public interests.  He organized the first fire company, was active in getting the railroad built into the city from Merrillan; helped to organize the first electric light company and was for many hears its manager.  He also served long as Court Commissioner, and for several years past, County Divorce Counsel.

 

Because of failing health and poor eyesight, he has not been able to practice his profession for the past few years.  During this time he has been tenderly cared for by his daughter, Kitty, now the sole survivor of the family.

 

Mr. Kountz was married in Black River Falls in 1882 to Miss Emma Bailey.  To them were born two children, Winnifred who died in infancy and Kitty who lives at home.

 

October 1949

 

A campaign to immunize all school children and pre-school children in Neillsville against dreaded disease diphtheria is being started by the Neillsville schools.  Arrangements have been made with all local doctors to Inoculate children whose parents desire to have it done, sometime in the near future and at a definite established time for groups.

•••••••••

Vets’ Village soon will be Neillsville’s.

 

Title to the 12 pre-fabricated houses, which were moved here from Baraboo a few years ago to relieve the housing shortage, will be turned over to the city by the federal government as a gift, with no strings attached.

 

This was the work (word) given to the council Tuesday night in a letter from the federal authority in charge of the units. The council adopted a resolution accepting the gift.

 

Up until this time the city has operated the housing project under a lease agreement with the federal government.  The federal government has realized from $1,200 to $1,300 per year in the past from the rental of these units, City Clerk John C. Brandt told the council.  After the transfer takes place, these revenues will be retained by the city.

 

(The pre-fabricated housing units, which were located on Hill Street, had been brought into the city after World War II ended, to provide housing for returning veterans and their wives.  During the war, there was no construction of houses, or apartments, due to a freeze on building materials, which later caused a shortage in housing. DZ)

•••••••••

Authority to establish approximately 25,000 acres of deer refuges during the coming deer season on land owned by Clark County is being sought from the state conservation commission, which was revealed by Warden Carl Frick in a talk before the Kiwanis Club Monday night.

 

Expressing the belief that there is a likelihood that the request will be granted, Mr. Frick said that his area, in addition to whatever private land there may be posted, will provide considerable refuge area during the antlerless season ahead.

 

The area on which commission approval is sought are located in Sherwood, Washburn, Dewhurst, Mentor, Butler, and “two small ones” in Foster, the warden revealed.

 

The antlerless deer law will be in effect during the five-day season from November 19 through November 23.  Under this law all deer carrying fork-horns more than two inches long will be illegal game.

 

Other new laws, as told by the warden, include a change in method of carrying guns in cars.  This year guns carried in cars must be unloaded and carried in a gun case.  Another new law affects the action of courts in decisions on game cases.  In the case of a violation, a minimum fine of $50 is established, along with mandatory revocation of hunting, fishing and trapping licenses.  A third conviction of a game law violation makes a jail sentence mandatory.

 

Mr. Carlson also told of a new law, which now makes it possible for privately owned land outside of forest protection districts to be entered in forest croplands.  Under this law the owner pays 20 cents tax per acre for land entered in forest crop land and there is no severance tax.

 

Heretofore, he explained, only privately owned land inside a forest protection district was eligible for entry as forest crop.  A tax of 10 cents per acre, plus a severance tax of a percentage fixed by the conservation commission, was charge in lieu of regular taxes.

 

The purpose of the new law is to encourage private reforestation efforts, Mr. Carlson said.

•••••••••

Mrs. Dan Brewer of Neillsville became the first woman in the modern history of deer hunting to bag a deer in Clark County during the bow and arrow season.

 

In doing so, she also matched her husband, who killed a doe with an arrow on September 27.

 

Both Brewers made their kill in the Columbia country, southeast of Neillsville.  Dan got his in the late afternoon of last week Tuesday.  He shot from about 40 yards.

 

Mrs. Brewer made her kill last Saturday, about one and one-half miles from the spot where her husband hit his.  She also shot from 40 yards at a yearling.  Warden Carl Frick says only four deer have been taken thus far in Clark County by bow and arrow hunters.                                                                               

•••••••••

Corn has saved the day for farmers of this area.  A record crop has filled the silos and has provided a substantial amount of grain as well as a passable substitute for hay in the the form of shredded stalks or stover.  The result is that the entire business outlook has improved immeasurable within the past month.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Roehrborn have sold their house on the corner of Fifth and Forest streets to Mr. and Mrs. Ed Stelloh.  The transaction took place October 5.

 

The Roehrborn’s, in turn, have purchased the house of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Ray, located on the east side of South Grand Avenue, between Second and Division Streets.  They will take possession Saturday.

 

The Rays plan to move into temporary residence with Mrs. Ray’s parents, Mr and Mrs. Arthur Carl.  They are storing their furniture for the present with the purpose of either buying or building in the spring.

•••••••••

Neillsville will have taxi service again beginning Saturday, Oct. 15.  Eugene and Norman Smith will provide the service, doing business as Smith Bros.  The young men came to Neillsville from Whitehall and have been driving the Neillsville school buses since the beginning of the school year.

 

Smith Bros. have arranged for headquarters at Lewerenz Food Shop. They have secured the use of the old telephone number, 400.  They give assurance that they will answer calls all around the clock.

•••••••••

Boys! Girls! Join the Penny parade! Movies at the Adler Theatre, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. On Screen “The Champion” Admission 9¢ to all children                                                                    

•••••••••

Children and their pets took over Neillsville last Saturday afternoon and it was hard to tell who got the biggest kick out of it; the kids, the pets, or the grownups.

 

More than 180 children from all areas of southern Clark County, plus a few from Jackson County, helped to make the pet Parade one of the most colorful events of its kind ever staged here.

 

And the grownups jammed the main street of Neillsville as many as six-deep to see the kids and the pets.

 

All the children had one eye on their pets and the other on more than $250 worth of prizes offered by the 56 cooperating merchants of Neillsville.  And it was striking that among too those awards there was not a single two-place winner.

 

Top Award winner was Arthur Stiemke of Rt. 2, and his white goat.  Arthur had his pet shining like a newly-minted dime, and it was bedecked with colorful crepe paper adornments.

 

For his grand championship award, Arthur received a Schaeffer Stratowriter fountain pen, worth $15, given by Kearns Drug Store.  He also was presented with a football from Gluck’s Sport Shop.

 

Runner-up award went too little Sandra Oliver, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Oliver of Granton, and her pet boxer dog. Sandra’s dog was a beautiful tan specimen, and a dog of which she can well be proud.  For her runner-up awards, Sandra received five dollars in cash from Northern States Power Company and an electric bicycle horn from Russell’s Hardware.

 

The wealth of entries made the selection of winners difficult in the extreme.  The entries ranged from a real, live woodcock in a cage, entered by Billie Hrasky, to hamsters entered by Terry Burton, son of Mrs. Geraldine Burton of Neillsville and calves and ponies galore.

 

Gerald Walker had “Scotty,” a friendly little black and white dog, which appeared to be an equal mixture of wire-haired fox terrier and Scotty.

 

Kay Overman supported a real dead partridge from a belt hook, gotten earlier in the day by her father, Dr. M. V. Overman.

 

Michael Warlum came with his pretty fan-tailed pigeons; Marjorie Reams of Neillsville Rt. 2 with her two pet guinea pigs in a cigar box.

 

The floats, too, got Marilyn Wildish and her small brother John, into a little difficulty as the parade moved in to the Main Street from Fourth Street.  Marilyn was pulling a wagon with a pretty decorated cage atop, carrying her pet cat.  John came along on a tricycle.

 

Somehow as they turned the corner, the “floats” of Marilyn and John became entangled.  Marilyn strove mightily to disentangle them.  She finally succeeded, only to have the door of the cat’s cage fly open.  Kitty didn’t need a second invitation to chuck all the show.  Without hesitation, she scampered out of the inviting hole and disappeared among the legs of the crowd, which thronged the sidewalk. Marilyn abandoned the wagon, cage, John, and all, hot-footing after the cat.

 

Almost stealing the show was little Roy Feutz, Jr., son of Capt and Mrs. Roy Feutz.  Dressed in a captain’s uniform, complete to the smallest detail, the little captain strutted just ahead of the Neillsville High School band, keeping in step with the band’s rhythm and pounding on his little drum.

 

Heading the parade was the Granton High School band, dressed in their new black, trimmed in orange uniforms. 

 

Bringing up the rear was the 50-piece Neillsville High School band, led by Dick Tibbett, carrying the colors, and pert Pat Mattson, drum majorette, with the silver baton.

 

All band members were treated after the parade to 35¢ in trade at Becker’s, the Merchant’s Coffee shop or at Lewerenz Food Shop.

 

The Merchant’s Coffee Shop was located in the Merchant’s Hotel, along 7th Street (second door from the right).  The shop also had a dining area where meals were served for small groups such as the service clubs.

 

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE