April 1878

The work on the railroad has been pushed in earnest this week.  Mr. Gates has been busy, along with 25 to 30 men, who have already gotten several miles ready for the railroad ties.  They will then cut away the brush and small trees along the railroad bed.  It was their intention to have four miles of the road ready for the ties by tomorrow night and we have heard that it will be accomplished.  The railroad project is no longer one of just talk.  The road is being built through the energy of the managers and the general growing interest of the people in the area.  It is fair to expect that before many months, we shall be in communication by rail with the balance of the world.  From the way that assistance is being offered, it will not be over 60 days before the road grading is done.  The railway ties are being had for the cutting, on the ground along the railroad route.  This can be a small job for hundreds of expert wood choppers who are ready to lend their assistance.  In the meantime, cash subscriptions are increasing at a rate that makes it quite certain that money needed for the iron rails can be raised by the time they are needed.

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From R. C. Evans, of Mayville, we learn that his company is now operating about four miles of tram road.  Logs are being hauled out on cars that are being pulled by an engine.  They believe the tram system of lumbering is going to succeed.  Evans and his men are going forward with experiments upon their own tram line.

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A lodge of the Sons of Herman was organized the first of last week by the Germans of this area.  The lodge starts out with a good membership and will undoubtedly become a permanent institution.

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Robert Schofield has decided to move from Weston Rapids to Greenwood.  He will make his home in Greenwood from hereafter.

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A fine new church is now visible about one mile south of Maple Works, in the Town of Grant.  The roof is on and the spire complete. The German Lutherans have done all of this. This is one of the reasons Dan Riedel has been so scarce around Neillsville of late.

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There are too many owners of residences, in Neillsville, who are open to censure of shiftlessness in not providing the one thing, above all others, that renders a home comfortable, cheerful and attractive.  We venture to say that there is not a man who is too poor to procure and set out an abundant number of shade trees about his house.  There are many residences that loom up as bare and uninviting as the walls of Chillon from the sea.  There are those among you and you needn’t get mad about it, who would not stop at betting $50 or $100 on a horse with which you could race and pass that other fellow’s horse, or the like of another luxury.  Yet that same fellow would not think of spending a dollar on shade trees.  What is fully as bad, is when he puts it off from spring to fall and from fall to spring again, year after year.  Soon the children grow up and depart from your home, deprived of that loving remembrance of a cheerful and tasty home that would make them better men and women.  This is why we are so forcibly reminding you of your duty in this matter, as it is now just the time to attend to the matter of planting trees.  If it isn’t done within a week or two, it will be put off until another year and most likely forever.

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The temperance people, of Humbird, have decided to run a temperance ticket at the spring election.  A caucus is to be held tomorrow evening, when they will put a ticket in nomination.

April 1938

Extensive remodeling operations are under way in the former Balch building to be used for the new and larger Wagner’s Restaurant and taproom when completed.  A. C. Wagner has planned to make this one of the finest places of its kind to be found in a city the size of Neillsville.  The old store-front was taken out and replaced with a new front.  It will be built with two entrances, one for the new stairway going up stairs, with plans to later improve the rooms on the second floor also.  New partitions are being put in and the interior will be fully redecorated.

The plans and blue prints, prepared by Architect Kraiser, of Marshfield, call for a dining room, 23 by 29 feet in size.

The new restaurant and taproom is to be air conditioned throughout.  The furnace, in the building, will be reconditioned by the Holland Furnace Company.  Later, the upstairs will have air conditioning installed.  Albert Kalsow and Reinhold Schmidt are doing the carpenter work now under way.

A. C. Wagner is president of the Wisconsin Restaurant Keepers Association.

Wagner will be assisted, in the business, by his wife, his sons and a daughter, and the other employees who have been working at the old location.  He expects the new place to be ready in about four weeks or sooner.

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Ardith Counsell, of Willard, came to Neillsville for a weekend visit at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Counsell.  While here, she was able to try out her new roller skates on the Clay Street sidewalks.

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There are those who can remember the good old days when oysters, olives, sugar, crackers, oatmeal and molasses were sold out of barrels and boxes in grocery stores.  Molasses was drawn from a spigot on a barrel; the top of the pickle barrel had a white coating that was skimmed back before the pickles were scooped out and the cat was shooed off the top of the cracker barrel before the lid was removed so the grocer could scoop out crackers for the customer.  Spoiled potatoes and kerosene added an unpleasant odor to the back room of the store.  Window displays were practically unknown.   This has all changed, with stores spick and span, prices and goods advertised in papers so many people can plan their shopping before coming to town.  The window displays are neat and attractive.

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Irving Carl, of Greenwood, had a pleasant surprise recently.  While he was cleaning a room over his shop, he found an old tin can with rags stuck in it and underneath the rags were silver dollars and fifty-cent pieces.

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Cy Buker, son of Art Buker of Greenwood, has been listed as one of the first string pitchers of the University of Wisconsin baseball team.  His name appeared on the team roster that was announced this week.  Buker pitched for Greenwood in the Cloverbelt league last year and is being sought by the Medford team for its pitching staff this summer.

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Golf play is in full swing at the Neillsville Country Club course, which is one of the sportiest courses to be found around this area.  There was a good turnout at the opening last Sunday.  When a reporter asked R. E. Schmedel for the day’s scores, he said that the players were sworn to secrecy for the first outing.

Myron Larson, formerly in charge of the Hillcrest course at Eau Claire and also for a time at the Ojibway course at Chippewa Falls, has been hired as greens keeper at the Neillsville course.  Everything is set for one of the best years in the history of the club.  The new clubhouse will be open every day, instead of just on Saturday and Sunday.

William Crow was elected sports chairman of the Neillsville Country Club at the open meeting, held on April 14, of stock-holders and others interested in golfing. Crow will be in charge of local and intercity tournaments.  He will select a committee to assist him in this work.

The women will meet and elect a chairman later on, as they will be planning social and other events for the season.

It was noted at the meeting to build an outside fireplace that may be used for cooking purposes.  The club officers reported that out of about 75 trees, which were transplanted last fall, all but one survived the winter.

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Navigation opened up Friday noon on the Black River when Bob Dwyer and Snowball Meyer struck out for Hatfield via rowboat, launching their craft just below the Grand Avenue Bridge.

A large crowd of spectators gathered at the harbor to bid them farewell and then hurried to the Black River Bridge to watch them pass under.  The crowd then traveled south to the Cunningham Bridge for a last view of the daring Holt-LaRue wave gliders.

They coped with the river situation gallantly until a rock down near the Herian farm got in their way and upset the vessel.  The pair landed in the icy depths of the river.  Dame fortune, or some such miracle, chose for them one of the few spots where walking ashore was possible.

Thus the urge to cruise down stream to Lake Arbutus was nipped in the bud, hats off to their bravery and the desire for adventure that has been arrested for a spell.

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Four violators of liquor laws were fined in circuit court on Saturday, after entering pleas of guilty or nolo-contender.  Judge Emery W. Crosby presided with John M. Peterson appearing for the state of Wisconsin.  All four violators were arrested upon complaint of the state treasury agents, for selling malt beverages without first having obtained licenses or permits required by the particular town, village or city where they resided.  The defendants were one from the village of Thorp and the other three live in the Township of Green Grove.

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R. A. Kolb has been appointed as the acting community manager of the 72-farm project in Wood, Marathon, Clark and Jackson counties.  The Farm Security Administration office made the announcement of Kolb’s new position.

The farm project near Marshfield contains about 6,800 acres and includes 38 farms in Clark County, 15 in Marathon County, 14 in Wood County and 5 in Jackson County.  The U. S. Government purchased these farms from aged persons or others who wished to retire from farming and are now being occupied by their new owners.

Necessary remodeling and repair work, which was started last August to place all the buildings in good condition, has been nearly completed.

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Green spruce trees, costing $2 each, will be planted between Owen and Withee along what will be known as Memorial Boulevard.  Businessmen of Owen and Withee are to contribute $5 each and citizens, $2 each.  Each tree planted will be dedicated to the memory of some soldier.

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Gypsies, who went across Clark County last Friday, left a trail of begging all the way from Greenwood to Black River Falls.  The only report of stealing in the vicinity was reported by Sherm Lowery, who said he was robbed of $25 by one of the gypsies while working at the Irving School.

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Dividend checks totaling over $41,000 arrived from the comptroller of the currency at Washington D. C., Wednesday to pay a final and liquidating dividend of 17 per cent of the Old First National Bank.  This makes a total of 102 per cent paid to the depositors, which is more than many had anticipated.  H. W. Krueger, receiver for the bank and his assistants will start today handing out over 1,000 checks received.

Depositors must bring with them their receiver’s certificates of proof of claim before they can get their checks.  Payments will be made at the First National Bank building, where Krueger has an office.  May 10 is the deadline.

The first 65 per cent dividend was paid when the present First National Bank was chartered June 19, 1934.  A second dividend of ten per cent was paid Dec. 31, 1935; a third dividend of then per cent was given out on Nov. 14, 1936 and now, April 20, 1938, comes the final dividend of 15 per cent plus two per cent interest, making a total of 102 per cent.

The old bank was not permitted to reopen after the countrywide bank moratorium of March 1933 and was operated by James Musil as conservator.  Oct.25, 1933, J. S. Pullen was named receiver and served until Dec. 31, 1936, later being succeeded by H. W. Krueger, the present receiver, who has served until this time.

The good showing of the liquidation reflects credit upon the management of the officers of the old bank, particularly James Musil.  Previously, Musil acted as cashier and is now cashier of the new First National Bank, in protecting deposits and is now cashier of the new First National bank, in protecting depositors’ interests.  The receivers also are to be complimented.

There was only one foreclosure on a chattel mortgage after the property was abandoned.  On real estate there was one foreclosure on an unoccupied place and one by agreement to convey the title.

The amount distributed to depositors was about $250,000 after more than $100,000 in liabilities had been liquidated.

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James White, Andrew Lewis, Fred Lakosky and Attorney High F. Gwin of Loyal, on behalf of businessmen of Loyal and area farmers, went to Oshkosh to consult with officials of the Lakeshire Cheese Company.  Lakeshire closed up its large plant at Loyal recently.

Several days later, the Lakeshire officials wrote that another deal pending had not materialized.  They would be willing to sell the land on a land contract for $60,000, payable at the rate of $12,000 a year with five percent interest on the unpaid balance. The proposed deal includes all the machinery except for cans and a drier.  A meeting was held at the theatre, in Loyal, on Tuesday evening to discuss the matter.

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Hake’s Barn will have a season’s opening dance on Saturday, April 23.  The dance is free and everybody is welcome.

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Fullerton Lumber Company is having a sale on wallpaper, in room lots.  Wallpaper regularly 8 cents per roll is now only 4 cents per roll; borders to match every pattern, 3 cents per roll.

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George Sontag was enjoying an afternoon drive through the countryside, circa 1900.  His team of horses was halted long enough to have this photo taken as they traveled over the Grand Avenue Bridge.  A sing posted on the bridge read: “A $50 fine may be issued to anyone traveling faster than a walk on this bridge.”  (Photo courtesy of Sontag Family Collection)