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December 27, 2023, Page 10 Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"
Extracted by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon. Index of "Oldies" Articles |
Clark County News
December 29, 1938
“Remote control” party in Town of York is a success
By “remote control” Miss Ruth Warren, in Los Angeles, Cal., planned, prepared and directed a Chinese party last Monday night at the residence of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Warren, in the town of York.
Miss Warren selected the lunch of Chinese foods, the prizes of Oriental nature and after-dinner sweets in California and sent them on to the town of York, especially for the first post-Christmas gathering of her parents’ 500 club.
Among the Oriental goodies served were chow-mein, lichi nuts and genuine Chinese sweet meats and fortune cakes. The fortune cakes, particularly, excited a great deal of amusement as guests read aloud the fortunes written on paper and baked in the cakes. All but the main dish were sent by Miss Warren, as well as the prizes, which included a back scratcher, can of Chinese tea, bell, a China holder and a brass plant stand.
The prizes were won by Mrs. Clarence Reindel, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Johnson and Thomas Krejci, who also received the traveling prize.
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Relic of county’s early logging days is found
A relic of the early days of Clark County when the call of “timber” echoed through the woodlands and the spring drive was more than a legend, was dug up in Five Mile Creek last week by a WPA crew.
The relic was a 16 foot length log which apparently was cut sometime between 1870 and 1880. On one end was the stamp, “PSD,” which, the state land office has informed County Forester Allen C. Covell, was the registered mark of P.S. Davidson, lumberman, who operated in the town of Hewett in the 1870’s.
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Wedded 65 years ago
Friends and relatives Monday paid their respects to Otto and Augusta (Schoengarth) Walter, of Neillsville, on the 65th anniversary of their wedding. For a honeymoon the couple took a 28-mile trip in a homemade jumper over rough roads cut through deep woods. Five of seven children born to the Walters are living. (Press photo Dec. 29, 1938)
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December 30, 1948
Son is Christmas present for Otts
A Christmas gift of the first importance came to the Henry F. Otts of Loyal this year. Born in the Marshfield Hospital to Mrs. Ott was a son. Little Miss Laura Jean Ott, big sister of the new baby, is spending a visit with her grandparents in Neillsville, Mr. and Mrs. George Keller, until her mother and the baby come home. Mr. Ott is a former resident of Neillsville.
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Smog blocks road South of city in subzero weather
Burning peat swamp caused traffic tie-up in cold weather, Frantz says
A peat smog last Saturday night caused the temporary closing of Highways 73 and 95 south of Neillsville and remains a cold weather threat to travel safety in the area four to five miles south of Neillsville.
Traffic Officer Harry Frantz reported that the highways were blocked off from Merrillan to Neillsville, and from Neillsville to Pittsville, last Saturday night because of a dense smog which blanketed stretches of these highways during the cold weather of Christmas Eve.
The smog is caused by a fire which has been burning in about four acres of peat on the old Henry Dahnert farm, four miles south of Neillsville, now occupied by Arlo Lawson. The fire has been burning for the last three or four weeks.
It was not until subzero temperatures of last weekend came, however, that the smog from this fire created a serious hazard to motor traffic.
During softer weather, and with a breeze blowing, the smog is quickly dissipated, the officer reported. However, in subzero temperatures and with little or no winds, the smog hugs the earth closely and blankets stretches of the highway so thickly “its’s like running into a sea of milk, the officer explained.”
In addition to the hazard created by the peat swamp fire on the Lawson’s place, a second peat fire is burning on the outskirts of Pittsville, creating another hazard in that section of highway 73.
The officer said officials probably will allow the Lawson fire to run its course, for there is no means of extinguishing such a blaze short of a major undertaking.
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December 26, 1968
Why pick Chimney? St. Nick has reasons
Why does Santa come down the chimney?
Of all the traditions connected with Santa, his unconventional mode of entry might seem the most puzzling. Surely the magical gift giver, who has the power to drive reindeer through the skies and who can cover the earth in a single night, could find an easier way to enter a house.
Like most of the lore of Christmas, Santa’s choice of the chimney has several explanations. For instance, legend has it that the original Santa, St. Nicholas, presented three maidens with gifts of gold for a dowry. Modestly concealing his generosity, he tossed the gold down a chimney, in secret.
Another theory claims that Santa copied a goddess, who was the first to deliver gifts via a chimney. According to this legend, when the Vikings of Norway celebrated the Yuletide or winter solstice in their great halls, a festive feature of the occasion was the appearance of the goddess Hertha in the fireplace.
As her name indicated, Hertha was goddess of hearth and home, and most appropriately arrived by way of the chimney, to deliver her Yuletide gifts of good luck and good cheer.
Still another explanation takes a practical point of view. Housewives of Northern Europe, cleaning house for the New Year, used to coax by saying, “Let’s clean the hearth. St. Nicholas will soon be coming down the chimney.”
The children willingly set to work, and thus, says legend, a tradition was born. Even when he takes to helicopter or jet plane, Santa delivers his gifts by way of the chimney!
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Thorp and Colby keep lead at holiday break
Eastern Cloverbelt schools went into the holiday break in their campaign for the basketball crown with Thorp and Colby holding on to a tenuous lead and Neillsville staying within gunshot of them ready to take over should they falter.
The Warriors maintained their position in second spot by soundly trouncing a rebuilding Loyal High School team, 83-58, at Loyal last Friday night.
Thorp defeated Owen-Withee, 53-48, in a tilt between teams which were expected to be among the top-runners of the division. Colby turned back a fast, active Greenwood five, 48-48, at Greenwood.
The Warriors, still seeking back-to-back victories in the current campaign, for the third game in a row threatened in the first period to blast their opponents off the court. They led 29 to 14 at the end of the period, and made it 49-31 at halftime, and 66-42 at the threequarters mark.
Coach Ken Van Dam swept his bench in the third and fourth periods; but the Warriors moved steadily ahead to take the 25point victory.
Russ Karl led the scoring with 21 points. Wayne Schlegelmilch tallied 18, and Dave Roberts and Chuck Schlegelmilch scored 12 apiece.
The Warriors return to action January 7 against Altoona of the western Cloverbelt in a game on the Neillsville floor, then go into the divisional conference schedule January 10 at Owen-Withee.
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It all happened because of a dog!
Mrs. Elmer Dodmead is confined to her home on Court Street. She is convalescing from a broken left arm and severe bruises to one leg when she fell over a board across a door.
It all started when Mrs. Dodmead, in the role of Good Samaritan, took into her home a small black puppy, saving it from a possible death by freezing.
To keep the pup from taking over the entire Dodmead home, a board was put across the door for a barrier. Mrs. Dodmead, busy with housework and getting ready for Christmas, forgot about the barrier, fell over it, sustaining her injuries in the fall.
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The hearts of more than 120 Clark County children who did not expect a Christmas were on their way to being made happy when the picture above was taken. On the table in front of the social workers above was approximately one-third of the toys, dolls, games, gifts, and other presents assembled by bighearted people of Clark County for children of needy families. Shown with them were some of the members of the Clark County department of social services, which formed an off duty spearhead for “Operation Merry Christmas” for these youngsters. They are: (front row, left to right) Gladys Bonney, Judy Dux, Kathie Saunders, Eleanor Alsterberg, Sue Christian and Verna Mallory; and second row, Tom Hofslien, Bill Berkan, Harry Stricker and Beulah Zoutendam. Unavailable for the picture were: Robert Benson, director of the department, Lucy Markee, Vickey Conkey, Fern Holt and Gary Johnson. (Press photo Dec. 26, 1968)
December 25, 1975
Stores in Neillsville set for Monday evenings
Merchants in the city of Neillsville were beginning to make plans for a shopping change this week, On next Monday evening, stores will remain open until 9:00 p.m.
The Monday openings will replace traditional Friday evening store hours in the community.
The change resulted when downtown businessmen and women met approximately one month ago and discussed retail trends in the community. It was generally expressed that Friday evening hours had been declining as shopping hours for several years. Some merchants expressed the fact that they had missed many high school athletic events in the past years due to the Friday hours.
The change to Monday hours, by a unanimous vote, was approved by the businessmen with the new hours to go into effect on December 29. New banking hours are also scheduled for shopping convenience.
On Friday, December 26, stores will remain open for the last Friday of the current program. After that date, stores will be open only on Monday evenings.
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Smoke causes the loss of 16 pigs, two sows
A fire started at the George Gorbet farm Sunday morning in their hog house when a heat bulb fell down and set the bedding on fire. The building wasn’t destroyed. The fire only burned a hole in the floor, but there was a lot of smoke which killed 16 pigs and two sows, which was a big loss.
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Named winner in the third annual “Dress-a-Doll” contest sponsored by the volunteer Social Services Santa Shop was Mrs. Leiko Gassen (right), Neillsville. Mrs. Gassen’s entry, a Japanese dancing girl complete with Obi sashed kimono, gold fans, and flowered hairdo, was held by Mrs. Jean Derninsky, a volunteer services coordinator. The doll was one of several dressed by members of the Neillsville B & PW Club. All 30 dolls entered in the contest will be donated to the Santa Claus Shop for gift giving. As a prize, Mrs. Gassen was awarded a poinsettia plant by Jenni Floral. (Press photo Dec. 1975)
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