December 1930

The Rust-Owen sawmill at Drummond closed Nov. 7 after operating 48 years. None of the virgin timber is left, which covered the country half a century ago, and the mill will be dismantled.

Martin Sorlie, who took the first edging from the saw, took the last one Nov. 7.  Head Sawyer Hugo Haselhuhn also sawed the first and last cut.

It is estimated by some who have studied the question that if conservation had been carefully practiced, the mill might have run continuously, the young growth of 48 years ago would now be fine saw timber.

•••••••••

Businessmen who have strings of Christmas tree lights are requested to hunt them up and have them ready for putting up when the trees are obtained so as to avoid delay for the workmen.

At that time, there was a small hole that had been set in the cement along the curb in front of each business building, which was designated for the business owner to set out the American Flag on the Fourth of July, and other federal holidays.  During early December, on a Sunday afternoon, one of the service club’s members would go into the Clark County Forest and cut small evergreen trees to set in those curb spots in front of each store.  It was then up to each business owner to provide the Christmas decorations for the tree in front of his building.  DZ)

•••••••••

The largest dance crowd that has attended a dance in Neillsville in many years packed the Armory Saturday night to take part in the celebration put on by the leading businessmen of the city to mark the completion of 13 miles of concrete on No. 10 Highway.  It was estimated that more than 300 couples thronged the gallery as spectators.

The open-air ceremony was held at Fifth and Hewett Streets at 8 p.m. at which F. D. Calway, Dr. R. Sturdevant, chairman of the county board and O. W. Schoengarth, county judge, gave brief talks.  The “Golden Ribbon” was cut by S. F. Hewett, mayor.  The Neillsville High School Band played several numbers, which were enthusiastically applauded.

•••••••••

Elmer Erickson, who rents the Otis Slocumb farm in the Town of Grant, recently attended a meeting of the Renters’ Craft at Menomonie, Wis.  This seems to be an organization of farm renters who are striving to improve their conditions and do creditable work on the farm.

An inspector of the organization visits the farms rented by the members and prizes are given for the best cared for place.  Mr. Erickson won a $50 cash prize on the report of the inspector.              

•••••••••

The newest Christmas item for your automobile is a Jingle Bell Wreath to put on your car’s radiator.  With the slightest movement of the wreath, the bells jingle merrily and the sound of sleigh bells can be heard tingling away above the sound of the car across the snow.  Price is only 50 cents at Sniteman’s.                          

•••••••••

Learning that Joe Saltis, the Chicago racketeer, has left his Northern Wisconsin lair to visit his son, who was injured in an auto wreck, Walt Dangers and Ed Kutchera worked up courage to shoulder their rifles and go into Joe’s neck of the woods to look for deer.  They left here Friday.

A hunting party consisting of the Hubing boys, Bill Vine, Elmer and Teddy Erickson, returned from the north woods Friday with four fine deer.                                                                         

•••••••••

Strayed on to my farm, two sheep, owner can have the same, by paying for this advertisement, if taken at once.  Carl Opelt, Rt. 2 Neillsville                                                                                     

•••••••••

Harland Kintzele’s new home on Hewett Street was finished last week by contractors Carl and Gall.

•••••••••

There is an ordinance in the City of Neillsville forbidding the dumping of ashes on the street or on boulevards.  Attention is called to this, as some citizens may not know of this ordinance.  Board of Public Works

•••••••••

W.D. Martin and Art Wagner have rented the Jess Lowe building on Hewett Street.  Mr. Martin will handle office supplies and Mr. Wagner will run an indoor golf course and his tire and automobile accessory business.

•••••••••

A large crowd came to the Armory Sunday afternoon to watch the local service company team play a basketball game with the La Crosse team.

While the service company lost 17 to 32, it lost in a game fight.

As an opener, Granton piled up a score of 25 to 16 against the Humbird team.  Humbird gave the Blackhawks a close run until the closing moments.

A novel little German Band composed of Robert Schiller, Donald Dixon, Richard Becker, Bruce Beilfuss, Henry Hauser, Francis Welsh and Lowell Schoengarth furnished a number of selections between the basketball games and was loudly applauded.                                                                                               

•••••••••

Wm. Ottow of the Town of Green Grove was sent to the General Hospital last week by order of the county judge.  Mr. Ottow is in bad physical condition and has no means of securing medical treatment.  He is widely known in this county, having sold patent medicines for many years all over the county.      

•••••••••

Proposing to start a Milk Route, Golden Rule Dairy, 13 quarts for $1.00; this will be Pure Guernsey Milk, delivered to your door before breakfast.  Also put up in the best sanitary way.  Phone X 1221

•••••••••

A number of petitions are being circulated in the city, which requests the city council to enact a liquor ordinance, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that cities have the right to enact such measures.

•••••••••

Big Whoopee Dance, New Year’s Eve at Paulson’s Hall, Noise makers, hats, confetti and such will be provided.

December 1955

Ronnie Wren and his small brother Larry took advantage Sunday of the first substantial snowfall and got out their sleds.  Everything went fine until Larry decided he could go faster than his brother.  In doing so, he slid into the back of Ronnie’s sled.  As a result, Larry came to school Monday morning with a badly swollen upper lip.

•••••••••

Children in the number of 580 will receive polio shots in the immunization program, to be conducted at the gymnasium of the Greenwood High School Thursday afternoon, December 8.

Because of the heavy response, those in charge have been obliged to make a schedule.  They ask that the children be brought at the time indicated, as follows:

1 o’clock, Greenwood Public and St. Mary’s School;

2 o’clock, Willard, Butlerville, Eastside, Benjamin, Braun Settlement;

3 o’clock, Easton Center, West Eaton, Hemlock, Christopherson, Decker, Rocky Run; 

D. W. A. Olson, who will administer the vaccine, announces that it has been received in such quantity as to care for all who have signed up.                                                                                            

•••••••••

The Zilk Bros. towing truck was called Tuesday morning to the Vern Howard farm near Granton to perform as act of mercy.  A year-old heifer of the Howards had stepped through a plank covering of an unused well.  She fell hind feet first through a two-foot square opening into a 16-foot deep well, which had eight feet of water in it.  After the opening was enlarged the heifer was placed in a rope sling and was pulled up by the tow truck into the frigid air of Tuesday morning.

The heifer’s condition was reported as good with the exception of being skinned on the hind part of her body and being chilled to a shiver after her rescue.                                                                

•••••••••

The Trinity Aid met Friday, December 2, in the Trinity Lutheran Church parlors in Loyal for their monthly meeting and annual Christmas party.  It was voted to send a quilt and articles of clothing to a needy pastor and family at Robins, Ill.  All treats for shut-ins are to be at the church basement by December 16.  Mrs. Edd Dobbe and Mrs. Fred Cox, Sr., were appointed to help the literature chairman, Mrs. Jake Henseler, Jr., choose new books for the coming year.  The name of Mrs. Fred Bonus was drawn and she was presented with a Life Membership pin.  A program in charge of Mrs. Arthur Wolfe was presented.  Instead of the usual exchange of Christmas gifts the members gave an offering toward the building fund.                                                                                                          

•••••••••

The Riverside Co-op Cheese Factory of the Chili area, closed December 1, after being run as a co-op since 1917.  It was under private ownership before that time.  The reason for closing was the necessity of installing new machinery and making repairs on the factory building.  The expenses have mounted rapidly the past five years.  All but one patron have now joined the Neillsville Milk Products Co-op of Neillsville.  That is a good example of farmers sticking together.  The same milk haulers, Gerald Nelson and Roger Tyler, are hauling the patrons’ milk.  The cheese makers, Ed and Gerald Marg, have also been offered jobs with the Neillsville Company. 

•••••••••

Bruce T. Tibbett, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Tibbett of Neillsville, is now a sergeant in the army.  He is assigned as a squad leader in the Eleventh Airborne Division, located now at Fort Campbell, Ky.

•••••••••

Davy Crockett comes to Neillsville every day on the end of each loaf of Sunbeam Enriched Bread.  Get it at your Favorite Grocery Store.                                                                                       

•••••••••

Send a Christmas Card Greeting!  Get 10 Hallmark Cards for only 29¢ at Sniteman Drug Co., in Neillsville.  Established in 1879, Phone 35                                                                                      

•••••••••

Give a Camera, the ideal gift!  The Brownee Hawkeye Flash Outfit!  This popular and complete outfit contains everything needed to take pictures, inside and outside, on Christmas Day; Camera, flash attachments, batteries, 2 rolls of film and 8 flash bulbs, for only $14.35.  Other Cameras and Photo Equipment in your Price Range!

At your Photo Gift Headquarters: Galstad Studio, Wilfred R. Galstad Photographer in Neillsville.  Phone Black 215

•••••••••

Clark County is experiencing a brisk demand for Christmas trees.  Up to Monday, December 12, a total of 9,387 trees had been sold.  The sale of these trees had brought in $6,000.  The prospect, as sized up by Mike Krultz, the county clerk, is that the gross receipts will go up well over $7,000, with the number of trees approaching the 11,000 mark.

The net money derived from these trees goes into the funds of the water department, but not all the money is net.  The state gets a severance tax on all these trees.  The rate is 15 cents each.  This severance tax is intended partially to balance out the 10 cents per acre, which the state pays each year to the county for keeping the land in a forest crop.

•••••••••

Old times in the old school were brought back to the St. John’s Lutherans at their reunion last Saturday evening.  The speaker who labored most upon this theme was Eric Sievert.  He spent his early teaching years at the old school and left 10 years ago, being now a professor at Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn. 

Mr. Sievert recalled the first school day of Alice Beyer, who was brought to school by her mother and who sobbed when her mother was about to turn back home.  Alice was determined to go with her mother, and to let the old school shift for itself.  But Eric Sievert took the small child upon his knee and persuaded her that the school was not so bad.  Alice remained and liked it.

When Mr. Sievert first arrived to take over, he found considerable confusion, with books and various items scattered about and Mickey Tock jumping around in the midst of them.  Mr. Sievert’s early job was to straighten things out and that included Franklin Zickert and Clarence Schlinkert, who jumped school to go fishing.  At that time, Mr. Sievert felt that he must do something about it for discipline must be maintained.  So he made the boys apologize.  From what Mr. Siebert said Saturday evening, the impression was given that he was mellowed with the years, and that now his chief concern would be to learn whether the boys caught anything.

In the early days, Mr. Sievert was something of a janitor along with the teaching, and it became up to him to adopt the ways of efficiency.

It was his privilege also to see that the ashes were removed from the furnace, but there was no law that he must do it himself.  So he made a deal with the boys that they could use the furnace room to toast sandwiches and eat, if they did the cleaning of the furnace.  This arrangement appeared to be perfect until one day the Rev. William Bauman, then the pastor, visited the church during lunch hour.  He found only vacancy where he had expected to find boys but finally located the boys in the furnace room.  There they, in an interesting experiment, were seeing what could be done with corn cob pipes.

On another occasion, he noted that Norman DeCremer, Edgar Tews and Louis Zschernitz appeared to be eating or chewing something.  When Mr. Sievert’s eye fell upon the scene, one of the boys swallowed, with some evident pain, and another of them removed something from his mouth and put it into the ink well.  Also one of the boys was nauseated, so there was no doubt about it.

Mr. Sievert, speaking in the new parish hall, a new and modern setting, in a building costing more than $100,000, recalled the time when $1,500 has been appropriated to make repairs upon the old school building.  With a view to making sure that there be no reversal of this program, Mr. Sievert, with the committee in immediate charge, made haste to tear down plaster and otherwise initiate the program, in order that there might be a commitment beyond recall.  Mr. Sievert indicated that confession is good for the soul, even though it may be belated.

Mr. Sievert’s stories brought a smile to the hundreds of his old friends who sat about the commodious new parish hall.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤