Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

July 2, 1997, Page 16

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Good Old Days

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

July 1877

 

Humbird is doing a lively blueberry trade.  Seventy-five bushels a day is the average shipment, for which $2 per bushel is paid.

 

The log drive on Black River on the recent river raise, was very successful, not withstanding the difficulties that had to be overcome, several jams had formed on the previous water raise, which had to be broken before the logs could be moved.  The worst jam on the river was the one just above the village, which was about one and one-half miles in length, the logs being piled from 15 to 30 feet high.  Work was commenced on the jam about noon on Friday, and on Sunday evening the greater part of it went out, the balance was started Monday morning.  It is estimated the jam contained from 20 to 30 million feet of logs at one time.

 

Several jams on the upper river were broken during the same time, and on Monday, a jam containing nearly the entire body of logs was reported to have been formed on the lower Black River Bridge.  This was soon broken, and another jam, after-wards, formed on the Mormon Ripple, which was broken on Tuesday, and the logs have finally gone downstream.  It is estimated that from 50 to 70 million logs will land in the boom at the mouth of the river on this raise, which is glory enough for the time being.

 

Last Tuesday the agent of some eastern manufactory arrived in town with six top buggies, and on Wednesday the entire cargo was sold, Uncle Don Gates getting the lion’s share of the lot.

 

The dance at the fairground last Friday evening, was one of the most enjoyable parties of the season.

 

There will be a fine Sabbath-school at Longwood, and though in its infancy, they are about purchasing a library.  Mrs. Harry Meade is the moving spirit, and you may know that means “go.”

 

Pfeiffer and Huntzicker are about adding to their extensive building of commodious store house in Greenwood.  Their shop will be the finest in Clark County.

 

One little brunette, living in Greenwood, who has more lip than sense, sports a black eye, and a lusty blonde needs one.

 

News at Greenwood is about as scarce as hen’s teeth.  Times are dull; merchants make about enough to live and that is all; streets are quiet; industrious men are at work in the hay fields, while others earn their bread by the sweat of their brow in swinging an axe in the woods.  The Methodist Church is still being built; the workmen have put up a spire and it is almost perpendicular, but not quite, it leans a little against the wind.

 

July 1907

 

On July 3, a tornado passed across a portion of Clark County, traveling from northwest to southeast, bearing destruction in its path.  The rotating funnel shaped cloud reached down to the earth and as it progressed took most of the items in its path.

 

The City of Neillsville will pay $3 per cord for cobble stones for street gutters; to be weighed at the mill scales, 13,000 lbs. to constitute a cord.  Stones to be delivered by J. W. Hommel, street commissioner

 

During the big rain the night of the Fourth, Goose Creek was made into a raging torrent, the stone wall opposite Mrs. Reig’s house was washed down and the bank crumbled away nearly to the cellar wall.

 

There will be a big dance at Frank Greeler’s new barn in the Town of York, Saturday night July 13.

 

The Hatfield Dam Co. expects the arrival, Monday, of two or three carloads of mules and about 100 workers from St. Louis, MO., for the work on the big dam.

 

Next week the first concrete goes into the great Hatfield Dam.  Just think, a solid concrete wall 47 ft. at the base, 50 ft. high and 350 ft. long.  The canal is two and a half miles long, with a fall at the power house of 40 ft.  This gives a head of 90 ft. with a lake of about 1,200 acres.

 

The 4th of July picnic held for communities of Birchwood, Dewhurst, and Sherwood on the Dixon farm, proved a great success with large attendance.  Horse races were held: mixed trotting and pacing race was won by Gust Zimmendorf of Grand Rapids.  Foot races, tug-of-war and sack races had many entries.  The fireworks, balloon ascension and dance were postponed due to the storm, rescheduled for July 13.

 

July 1937

 

Stockholders of the Neillsville Country Club, which recently acquired the Hawthorne Hills Country Club, on east side of the city, met to elect officers and outline activities for the rest of the season.  R. E. Schmedel was elected president; Otto Zaeske, vice president; R. P. Munger, secretary and E. Skroch treasurer.  The above with William Campman also constitute the board of directors.  Dr. Ell Lee was named chairman of the committee on sports and tournaments.

 

The stockholders decided to install a bar at the club and sell beer and liquors as a means of raising funds for helping maintain the course.  It was estimated that between $1,500 and $1,600 would be needed to pay expenses during the season.

 

Art Tangen will be the professional in charge with Carl Johnson greens keeper and Clifford Moe, assistant.

 

The organization now has a clear title to the course and has paid up back water rent and taxes.

 

The out look for the course is considered promising and under the new setup should have no difficulty in continuing to hold its reputation as one of the outstanding courses in Central Wisconsin.

 

The Neillsville Milk Pool Cooperative has altered its plans for a steel smokestack on its new boiler installation and will, instead, erect a brick chimney.  The chimney, which will be built by the Continental Chimney Co., Inc. of Chicago, will be 85 feet high, nine feet in diameter at the base and five feet at the top.  Radial brick will be used.  It is expected to take from two to three weeks to build the chimney.

 

The Neillsville baseball team won over Willard, 17 to 2, Sunday at Willard.  Walter Zank led the Neillsville hitters with four, F. Zank and A. Zank followed with three hits each.  Their team mates accounted for eight more hits.

 

Stubb Gerhardt, who held down the pitcher’s mound for seven innings, struck out seven and allowed for hits.  Ed Zank allowed four hits.  Zoller, pitching for Willard, allowed eleven hits and struck out five batters.  Kattinger, who took his place in the sixth inning, allowed seven hits and struck out six batters.

 

Celebrate the 4th at Hake’s Barn, Saturday nite, July 3; dancing from sunset to sunrise with music by Rhode’s orchestra.

 

Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Etta celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on July 4th, at their home in Loyal.  A bounteous chicken dinner was served at one o’clock.

 

Maple syrup made by the honored couple, sealed in a mason jar of the 1858 type, labeled “To be opened at our Golden Wedding,” was opened by Mrs. Etta.  Their guests were served ice cream, converted into richly flavored maple sundaes.

 

The can of syrup has been an object of interest, in the family for those many years as they have watched a candied formation come into it and then thoroughly disappear again.  Friends are yet sampling with interest the remainder of the syrup.

 

The Etta’s were among the county’s early settlers.  They were married in Colby, in 1887.  For several years following 1892, Etta with his brother, Thomas, operated a lumber mill in Loyal.  Then for many years, after the passing of lumber mills, in this section, he operated a feed mill.  Through the years, in addition to the mill, he did carpentry and cabinet work, building quite extensively.  Now, at the age of 81, he came home for this event from northern Wisconsin, where he is building a pavilion.

 

The Etta’s have two sons and four daughters as well as five grandchildren.

 

The new counter freeze ice cream store opened by O. W. Lewerenz, east of his filling station (corner of 5th and Hewett) is now in operation and turning out a fine product.  The building has been remodeled, redecorated and put in first class condition.

 

Several booths have been installed.  All sodas, sundaes and malted milks are 10 cents.

 

A big vein of water has been tapped in the theatre well; pumping 1200 gallons of water an hour for more than two hours at the Adler Theatre, John Martens failed to lower the 30 foot level of water.  The well is 60 feet deep and will be used to supply water for the air cooling system in the theatre, on Hewett Street.  The temperature of the well water was measured at 50 degrees.  City water, which has been used to cool the theatre, was said to run about 70 degrees.

 

Club 10, east of Neillsville, is the coolest club in Clark County.  This month’s specials Gin Bucks – 10 cents!  Why cook at home? - Serving Chow-Mein, sandwiches, frog legs, chicken and fish.  Try another month’s special, 4 year old bourbon De Luxe at 20 cents.

 

View of Hewett Street, circa 1927, as seen from the 5th Street intersection, looking north.

Hollow

Happy Hollow School, 1936-1937, was located on County Highway C, one and three-fourth miles east of Highway 73, north of Neillsville, the school building has been remodeled into the residential home of Arlene Schnabel.  Students of the 1936-1937 school year were: first row, (one identified) Elaine Krause; second row, (three identified) Don Reindel, Jerry Johnson and Lois Ayers; third row, (one identified) Synclare Ayers; fourth row, (two identified) Cleo Reindel and Clarence Krause; fifth row, (two identified) Elizabeth Embke and John Kaudy.  (Photo courtesy of Lois Radke)

 

 


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