Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

 July 27, 1994, Page

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Good Old Days" Articles 

 

 

Good Old Days   

 

Clark County News of July 1900

 

By Dee Zimmerman

 

“Tioga, rarely to be found on even the latest maps, will in all probability before another year is ended, be as familiar to us as Augusta, Humbird or any of the surrounding towns, for by the time it will be a pretty lusty infant if everything goes well.  Tioga is situation (situated) on the Fairchild and Northwestern Railway about 10 miles from Fairchild, and is located in what will someday be the garden spot of Northern Wisconsin.  Land agents are busy bringing in settlers and almost every day sees a considerable increase in population.  A contract is about to be let for the building of a hotel to cost $2,000, and no doubt before long other business houses will be built.  A wagon road eight miles long is being built northward, and it will cross the Eau Claire River.” – Fairchild Observer.

 

A family equipped with two strong teams and neatly fitted covered wagons passed through here Saturday from Phillips on their way to Kansas.

 

William A. Galligan, of the firm of Galligan and Linster is now operating a saw mill at a point six miles northwest of Neillsville, was in Marshfield last Sunday.  His mill has a supply of logs sufficient to keep it running until Sept. 1st.  Mr. Galligan states that there is a rush of land seekers in his part of Clark County and that vicinity is being settled rapidly. 

 

“E. H. Tucker was in town this week making arrangements to start the Longwood creamery, which has been rented for five years by Ross Paulson of Granton.  A wagon will run from C. A. Estabrooks on the main road north to Longwood, where they already have the milk from 100 cows promised.  Wm. Goodwin will be the driver.  The milk will be taken up in the morning, separated at the creamery and the skimmed milk returned to the owner.  Mr. Paulson is a creamery man of the hustling kind and has five creameries already in operation in this county – or soon will have.  The customers of the Granton Creamery received 17.2 cents per pound for their butter for May, which is doing well.  He expects to branch out from Longwood as business grows enough to warrant it.” – Greenwood Gleaner.

 

“Chas Brussow has lost several sheep lately by dogs or bears.  The circumstances of the sheep killing led to the opinion that it was the work of something besides dogs.

 

Twelve land seekers registered at the Weaver House last Friday, eight from Beaver Dam, Dodge County and four from Indiana.  They are arriving fast these days. 

 

“Bronco Busting” has furnished amusement for the boys the past week down near the Weaver House and barn, and it some times reaches and interesting stage of development.

 

 The finishing touches are being applied to the Reinheimer furniture building now owned by C. H. Brown. It has been ceiled by the inside and painted shelving was put in for the hardware store of Esselman & Pickle.  They commenced moving their goods Tuesday.  A plate glass window front was put in.  The store has been wired for electric lights and is up-to-date in every respect.  Some contracts have been let and work is commenced in furnishing rock and sand for the new school building.” – Loyal Tribune.

 

“School clerk E. R. Wiley of joint district No.1, towns of Thorp and Withee and Village of Thorp, has completed the school census of children and finds the following number residing within the district: Town of Withee, 36 boys and 23 girls; Town of Thorp, 28 boys and 31 girls; Village of Thorp, 151 boys and 154 girls.”

 

July 1900, Advertising Specials:

*Rough Rider Campaign Hats – Boys only 50¢, Men’s, 75¢, $1.00 and $1.50 (Theodore Roosevelt Campaign).

 

*Balch & Tragsdorf – 9 inch cut glass berry dishes, 22¢, 100 pc. Decorated dinner sets - $6.50

 

*Neillsville Bottled Beer – 2 doz. Quarts…$2.00; 1 doz. Quarts… $1.00; 2 doz. Pints… $1.25 Delivered.  Brewed and bottled at Neillsville Brewery

 

*B. Dangers Co. – Clearing Sale on all summer wash fabrics – AFC Corded Ginghams… 8¢ yd; Staple check Ginghams…5¢ yd; Organdies, Batistes, Dimities, Lawns, all going at cost!

 

*A. J. Knorr Co. (Granton) – Big stock of binding twine – prices the lowest the marked (market) can stand.

 

*Marsh Bros. – Big lot of Ladies shoes -- $1.39 pr; Colored shirt waists 35¢ to $1.50.

 

*Neillsville Novelty Co. – New Planing Mill at the Washboard Factory near the depot. We can do all kinds of planing and matching, make ship-lap, siding, door & window frames, plus all kinds of job work.

 

•••••••••••••••

Liberality consists less in giving a great deal than in gifts well timed. – Jean de la Bruyere

•••••••••••••

Every man loves what he is good at. – Thomas Shadwell

••••••••••••

The H. N. Withee home and farm was located on Neillsville’s northwest side.  The farmland was bound on the west by Black River, with O’Neill Creek running along the south boundary.  A grove of native trees was preserved along the creek and river banks, which was used for picnics and outing parties, campers were able to pitch their tents under the shady trees.  Withee purchased the land when Neillsville was first being established.  The road going north past the farmstead, later became named “Grand Avenue.”  Eventually, lots were sold for new homes built along the street and, one by one, the farm buildings were torn down or moved.  The house remains, now being the home of Chet and Irma Johnson.

 

A 1905 Hewett Street scene at the corner of 6th, looking south.  The old Neillsville Bank is at the right with the corner entrance into the bank.  The next shop, advertising shoes on the awning was Blum’s general merchandise store.  On the opposite side of the street, a sign reads “E. Bruley.”  The Emery Bruley Men’s Clothing store.  A sign on the second floor level at extreme right, reads Dr. Pitcher, dentist.

 

As the photographer stood at the Tenth Street intersection, looking south and east, he or she caught this view.  On the hill, in the background, Hoesly’s house, the old County Jail, Court House and far right, Presbyterian Church steeple can be seen.  The house in the center, foreground, corner of Hewett and Ninth still stands on that lot.

 

“Lover’s Lane in Neillsville,” after all, every town had a lover’s lane.  Back in 1905, south Hewett Street was referred to as “Lover’s Lane.”  As a senior citizen stated, “There were a lot of trees and bushes – convenient quiet places to swing around and stop with the horse and buggy.

 

Moonlight on O’Neill Creek, an evening silhouette of the Courthouse dome in the background.

 

(Photos courtesy of RoseMary Anderson, whose mother had saved the post card photographs)

 

 


© 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