Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

January 25, 2017 Page 9

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

January 1917

 

New Year Lodges List in Neillsville:

 

Masonic, commandery, Modern Woodmen, I.O.O.F., Rebecca, R.A.M., N. A. No. 6710, R.N.A. No. 78, O.E.S.

•••••••••

A Pittsville trapper, Archie Parker, tells a strange story of an attack upon him, by a mink while he was trapping on Yellow River, when he noticed indications that a mink was in the vicinity.  Further investigation proved this was true.  The mink came out from behind a log, and as Archie was going toward the mink, the animal increased its gait and when within distance, sprang at his face.  He had with him a hatchet, and struck the oncoming mink on the head, felling it.

 

The strange actions of the little mink in attacking a human is being commented on.  No one seems to have heard of a case like it.  It is known that a mink will fight if backed into a corner, or will bite viciously if trapped, but to deliberately attack a person is a condition without the experience of hunters or trappers. 

•••••••••

Dangers grocery has just installed a fine new electric coffee grinder.  It is an especially efficient outfit for it grinds coffee in six different sizes and is a splendid addition to the store.

 

B. Dangers’ grocery was located on the southwest corner of the Hewett and Seventh Street intersection.  The above photo was taken in the early 1900s, which was later destroyed by fire.

 •••••••••

When baby suffers with croup, apply, and give Dr. Thomas’ Eclectic Oil at once, safe for children.  A little goes a long way, 25’ and 50’, available at all drug stores.                                               

•••••••••

We have a stock of auto tires and tubes, also other repairs for the Maxwell and Overland cars, which we will sell at cost, as we will not sell autos hereafter.  You can save money if you need any of these goods.  F. J. Seif & Sons

•••••••••

A full line of all kinds of flour, grains, and anything in the line of chicken feed are available, also we have plenty of straw on hand this week.  Bruley Elevator.                                                             

•••••••••

Friends of Guy Cramer are having lots of fun with him these days owing to a predicament, which befell him not long ago.  He spent the night with friends at Shortville and in disrobing, he left his trousers in too close proximity to the stove, with the result that they were burned to such an extent that had he attempted to wear them home he would have had trouble with the law.  He borrowed a pair of trousers from his host and thus came home without the necessity of using a barrel.  His language, when he discovered his predicament, was censored, but his friends say he exceeded the speed limit.

•••••••••

Last week, Paul Brenner of Chicago, in company of Chas. Scholte of the same place, was in Neillsville, and leased the store room on the Hewett Street side of the Kapellan building for a term of two years.  He will put in a first-class restaurant and he and Mr. Scholte returned to Chicago to buy a complete and modern outfit the size of the room.  Mr. Brenner is a chef by trade and has followed this business in Chicago for many years, having been employed in several prominent restaurants there.                                                                                         

•••••••••

C.B. Dresden added another car to his auto livery, purchasing a Ford Sedan.  This car is entirely enclosed and will be used principally for funerals, weddings, etc.  It is a fine new addition to Bert’s line of livery cars.

•••••••••

The big Wissota Dam near Chippewa Falls has cost to date $2,500,000.  This does not include what has been paid out for flowage rights.  When completed and all these items ae included, the dam will represent an expenditure of over $3,000,000. (Bloomer Advance)                                                                                         

•••••••••

Friday evening, about 6 o’clock, 150 pounds of dynamite exploded at the county’s granite pit across Black River.  The dynamite had frozen up and the employees at the pit had been trying to thaw it out and had left it in apparently a comatose condition when they quit work.  But there seemed to have been a spark of vitality in it somewhere for the whole works went off with a bang.  It was a pretty good imitation of the noise made by one of the big guns used in the war.

•••••••••

Last week, the Oatman Condensed Milk Co. started a shipment of a condensed milk to Belgium, Europe, which is possibly the longest distance that Clark County milk has ever traveled.               

•••••••••

Have you by chance noticed a small boy with a crutch on his way to school one of these cold mornings? If you have seen that he has but one leg, and so one of his arms is continually occupied with handling his crutch, yet he walks to school from the country.  As you look at this poor little unfortunate, maimed for life through an accident in no way his fault, you turn, with a catch in your throat.  What if your child, were thus afflicted and you had not the means with which to help him?  Through voluntary offerings, all be twenty-five dollars has been raised to buy an artificial limb for Elmer Todd, guaranteed by the company to fit by adjustment for at least five years.

 

Will you help to make up this small sum?  Remember the words, “Whatsoever ye do unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  Offerings will be received by Mr. Strong, Miss Hammond, or Theodore Brameld, Jr., also any questions, they will gladly answer.                                                               

•••••••••

Marshfield’s splendid new Omaha depot was opened to the public last week.  It is a very classy affair and runs a close second to the palatial one, which does service for this community.  It is rumored that the Omaha railroad is planning to build a new depot for Neillsville before a great while but many a time it has been reported that the world was coming to an end and yet the old Earth is still doing service at the old stand.                 

•••••••••

Oats Wanted! We pay the highest market price.  Bring your oats to Greenwood Roller Mills Co.

•••••••••

There are 250,000 words in the English language, and most of them were used last Sunday by a lady who discovered after coming out to church that her new hat was adorned with a tag on which was written, “reduced to $2.69.”

•••••••••

The Central Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Association will hold their next sale May 10, 1917, in the new sale pavilion at Marshfield, Wis.  The offering will consist of Holsteins, Guernseys, and perhaps some Jerseys.  Auctioneers are as follows: Col. D. S. Perry, Columbus, Ohio, H. Krause, Thorp, Wm. Ebbe, Marshfield, G. Hamil, Marshfield and Grand Rapids, Wis.

 

January 1952

 

The year 1952 will be a year on wheels.  The wheels in Clark County will be mounting an enormous number, unless perchance the number here dwindles because of a tremendous demand for wheels in war.  The people of Clark County have left their wartime habit, which now is to drive and drive and drive, endlessly.

•••••••••

Two Neillsville boys have been entered in the Golden Gloves boxing eliminations to be held at Marshfield next Saturday.  They are Hans Harder, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Harder, and Fred Seelow, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Seelow.

 

Approximately 20 boys have been trying out for the competition, boxing, and sparring at the semi-equipped gym located above Becker’s Cafι.  LaVerne Gaier of Neillsville has been in charge of training the youths who range in age from 13 to 22 and older.                                                                                               

•••••••••

A capacity crowd is expected to attend a testimonial dinner for Joseph McCarty, senator for Wisconsin, to be held at Thorp on Saturday, January 26.

 

Tickets are now on sale for the dinner, which will be served at St. Hedwig’s hall.

 

H. M. Wollum of Owen is chairman of the Clark County Republicans Club, which is sponsoring the dinner.

•••••••••

An icy intersection of two, Town of Eaton roads was blamed for a truck crash last Thursday afternoon.  Two trucks, unable to stop, collided, causing about $300 damage to the fronts of both.  No one was injured.

 

Irvin Kollmansberger of Greenwood was driving west in a farm truck, and Bruce Thiel, also of Greenwood, was driving north in a Wuethrich Creamery truck.  The crash took place one-half mile north of the creamery.

 

The Kollmansberger truck also snapped off a telephone pole.           

•••••••••

After 10 years of concentration camps, and displaced persons camps, the Felix Tanbalski family at last has a home of their own.  They are settled in the tenant house on the John Zajac farm, near Globe.  The Tanbalskis were taken off their farm near Vilna, Poland, by the Germans in 1942.  After a trip in boxcars, the Tanbalskis were shifted from camp to camp, never having a place to call their own.  Since the Russians took over their section of Poland, the family had no place to return after the war.  The family consists of Felix Tanbalski, his wife, Anne; mother, Victoria, and son, Victor.  Victor was born in a displaced persons camp.                                                                   

•••••••••

Most citizens view a snowfall with eagerness skin to the emotion they feel when paying their taxes.  The white stuff means only shoveling, pushing cars out of ruts, sub-zero temperatures, and “why did we ever come to Wisconsin?”

 

But not all people feel the same.  A small, but vociferous group, leaps with joy at the first sign of snow.  Whistling and singing as they greet their fellow men with: “Isn’t it a beautiful snowfall?”

 

No, these are not asylum inmates.  They are honest, trusted citizens, whose sanity is above question, they have merely been bitten by a bug.

 

At the first sign of winter they haul out winter outfits, polish boots, shake mothballs out of woolens, and try on trousers.

 

The bug? Yep, it is the ski bug.

 

All eyes and thoughts are turned to Bruce Mound.

 

The members of the Half Moon Ski Club begin trips out to the slopes to test equipment, and get the trails in shape.  A roller, reminiscent of a rolling pin but on a large scale, is hauled to the top of the slopes and rolled down, packing down the first fine snow.

 

Finally, enough snow was reported and the snowbirds began flocking out to the mound.  The electric tow, or lift, was put into operation.

 

Located two miles from Merrillan, the hill was leased to the club by Joe Pasek of Merrillan.  It lies in the Town of Dewhurst, in Clark County.  Built up in only four short years by members of the Half Moon Ski Club, the area boasts two warming houses.

 

Clark County snowbirds didn’t always have such a wonderful setup.  The idea for a ski hill began after World War II when a group of veterans, headed by Dick Van Gorden, who had been ski-trained out west by a Swiss-born instructor, got the idea.

 

“Remember to keep ze knees bent.”

 

In 1947, the group started a ski hill on the Neillsville Mound, using land provided by Mrs. Marion Calway.  A ski tow was installed on the north side of the mound, but the vast amount of clearing due to the number of boulders and stones forced the crew to abandon the job.

 

The second try was made, using part of the Neillsville County Club’s golf course.  Theis proved to be educational, as the men learned considerable about the operation of a ski tow.  Lights were installed for skiing in the evenings.  It became so popular that plans for enlargement were made.  At this time, the Half Moon Ski Club was incorporated.

 

Dick Van Gorden and Atty. John M. Peterson arranged for the use of land on Bruce Mound.

 

The runs to be cleared of underbrush, and a power saw supplied by Tommy Svetlik helped considerable.  Other members came out, donating their time, and work to get the slopes in shape.

 

Mr. Peterson explained the reasons for having the ski runs on the north side of the hill.  It seems on thawing days the snow on the north side doesn’t thaw as fast, so the snow lasts longer on a north slope, one of the banes of skiing is wet snow, as it has a habit of caking on the skis and impeding the skier.

 

Officers of the ski club are James Hauge, president; Dick Van Gorden, vice president; John M. Peterson, secretary; and Calvin Swenson, treasurer.  

 

(I lived right next door to Bruce Mound Ski Area to the north, for 18 years.  DMK)                                                                      

•••••••••

Members of the Neillsville High School Senior Girl Scout Troop are planning a Leap Year dance Saturday night in the high school gymnasium.  Invitations have been issued to 40 boys.  Social and square dancing is planned.  Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Hosely and Mr. and Mrs. Stanley W. Ihlenfeldt are the adults in charge.  The dance will be held from 8 to 11 p.m.

•••••••••

Mr. Morgenthaler, of Neillsville, narrowly escaped injury, when his 1950-model car collided with a freight engine on the Grand Avenue crossing last Wednesday afternoon.  About $275 damage was done to the car.

 

The engine was switching boxcars on the American Stores Dairy siding and was traveling west with several cars.  Mr. Morgenthaler struck the right steam chest of the engine, smashing the front of his car.  No damage was done to the engine.  H. P. Doughty of Altoona was engineer, and James Bock of Eau Claire, the conductor.

 

Mr. Morgenthaler is the Swiss-born carpenter who helped build the Hediger house in Neillsville.

 

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