Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

September 3, 2003, Page 18

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

 September 1868

 

The railroad to Black River Falls has changed its name from “Tomah and St. Croix” to “West Wisconsin.”

••••••••••

The following is a list of conveyances, which were made and recorded in Clark County during the month of August.  We are indebted to R. F. Sturdevant, Register of Deeds, for the same:

 

Jas. O’Neill to Henry Myers and George Lloyd, lot No. 20 in block 3, in Neillsville, consideration $50;

 

Madison Searles to O. P. Wells, west, $100;

 

L. R. Stafford to T. B. Emery, sect. 11, town 26;

 

James O’Neill to Bright & Withee, town 29, 1 west, $1,500

••••••••••

We have been informed, by Mr. E. J. Rice, that the Loyal Center Sabbath School had a picnic on Tuesday last week. There were about 75 persons present upon the occasion, which was a very pleasant one.  The dinner was gotten up in excellent style.

••••••••••

New settlers are continually coming into our county. To see immigrant wagons moving along the road is no unusual sight and it is hailed with pleasure by old residents.  Most of the new comers are taking up land under the Homestead Act.  Our population is increasing faster than ever before.  We have yet to see the first stranger who is not well pleased with our country.  People south of us generally believe that we live in a pine forest and on a sandy, unproductive soil, because we send to market a vast amount of pine timber each year.  They find out their mistake when they visit us and are not sorry they have come.

••••••••••

Mr. I. C. Gotchy informs us that a Mr. Bently has made arrangements to build a wagon and blacksmith shop on the 26 Road, near Mr. Lyons’ place, this fall.  There are a great many new settlers going into town of Loyal.  It has a larger population now than any other town in Clark County, except Pine Valley.  Nearly all of them are farmers and they have been coming to Neillsville for their supplies. We will not be surprised to see a small village spring up in that vicinity before long.  Certainly it would be an object for the 26ers to buy their merchandise at home.  Some enterprising chap would secure a large patronage by opening at a convenient point for the settlers in that region, a good store filled with a large and general assortment of goods.

 

A new store is now being opened in township 26, range 2, owned by H. Huntzicker.  The store has tea, coffee, sugar, pork and all sorts of groceries.  It also has cotton cloth, calicoes, flannel, boots, socks, hats and a host of shirts, drawers and mittens for sale.  Also on hand, is lots of tobacco of almost any brand, gun powder, lead, shot, and such.

••••••••••

The Clark County Poor Commissioners, E. H. McIntosh, Wm. Welsch and Charles Sternitzky, at a meeting on Monday evening, purchased of L. R. Stafford, the farm called the Southard place, a short distance east of Mr. Hoesly’s farm, in the Town of Weston.  The sum to be paid for is $2,500.  This is said to be a fair price, considering the amount of improvements upon the farm.  It is good property and the county will lose nothing in buying it.

••••••••••

Richard Carpenter announces to the people of Clark County that he has opened a harness shop at Staffordville.  He is prepared, with the best of material, to manufacture every article in his line, on the shortest notice, at reasonable terms and in a workmanlike manner.  His repairing is done with neatness.

••••••••••

A new steam saw mill is now operating in the Town of Mentor, Clark County, located six miles from Houghtonburg.  It is owned and operated by G. W. King.  He has on hand, a large quantity of lumber, of almost every description such as clear stuff from ¾ inch to 1 and ½ inch in size; flooring 1 and 1 ¼ inch; joists, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 feet in length.  Scantling, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 feet in length; plank, 12, 14, 16 and 18 feet; common boards, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 ft.  Timbers are from 6x6’ to 8 by 32’; girts from 4x5’, 5x6’ to 20 ft; batten, ¾” x4 to 1’x3.  King is also prepared to saw any kind of lumber not exceeding 32 feet in length at short notice.

 

September 1938

 

The Highway 29 Bridge over the Popple River, near Owen, was opened to traffic Tuesday; just a month after construction on the new span was started.  The bridge replaces the old one, which was washed out by the recent flood.  Repairs on the Dill Creek Bridge, across County Trunk N, were finished a week ago, at the cost of $1,136, according to Clark County Highway Commissioner Otto Weyhmiller.  Mr. Weyhmiller said work on the Miller Bridge, in the Town of Colby, probably will be completed by November 10.  The estimated cost of the Miller Bridge is $5,000.

••••••••••

The Neillsville Press has been sold, this week, to Wells F. Harvey of Sturgis, Mich. by A. F. Ender and Sons.  Mr. Harvey, who comes highly recommended and with a wide experience in the newspaper business, takes immediate possession.

 

A little over a year ago A. F. Ender came here from Rice Lake and purchased The Neillsville Press.  Later, he and his sons also purchased The Clark County Journal, here and shortly afterwards, The Granton Herald and The Granton Leader, all of which papers were consolidated with the Press, giving it a high rank among weeklies of the State.  Mr. Ender has made no definite plans for the future but plans to take a rest for a time.

 

Mr. Harvey is a newspaperman of mature experience.  He was owner and publisher of The Pioneer, a daily at Big Rapids, Michigan, for 14 years.  He also published the Osceola County Herald, a weekly at Reed City, Mich.  Mr. Harvey has also had considerable experience on larger publications but has always retained a keen interest in the rural weekly newspaper field.

 

Mr. Harvey will have the help of three sons, Robert, John and Wells, Jr.  Mr. and Mrs. Harvey and boys, will make their home in Neillsville.  There are three other children, located elsewhere, two of them being married and the third a student in college.

 

The first editorial expression from the new management will appear next week.

 

The Neillsville Press has had a conspicuous career in Central Wisconsin.  The Republican, one of the papers consolidated later with the Press, was started on Oct. 25, 1867.  However, the Advocate was started here March 7, 1857.  Other predecessors were the Union and Flag, 1861; Clark County Journal, 1867; Enterprise, 1876; True Republican, 1879; Deutsch-Amerikaner, 1880; The Neillsville Times, 1879; Courier, 1880; Blade, 1890; News, 1902; The Neillsville Citizen, 1909.

 

The Neillsville Press got is (its) present name in 1921, when a consolidation was made between the Neillsville Times and the Republican Press.  At that time, the consolidated paper followed the custom in consolidations and took part of the name from one of the merged papers and the other part from the other.  Thus, the name “Neillsville” from the Times was put in the place of “Republican,” and the resulting publication became The Neillsville Press.

 

When the merger was again made about one year ago, the consolidation of the Neillsville Press and The Clark County Journal, the custom of naming the merged paper was not followed.  All parts of “The Clark County Journal” were dropped.  For pursuing this course there were doubtless reasons, which seemed compelling at the time.  Such reasons, however, may not now be valid.

 

A considerable variety of names has been known for papers published in Neillsville.  In addition to those already mentioned, there was the old True Republican, which dated away back to the pioneer days.  There was also a Neillsville News, which removed to Granton. Also, there was Der Deutsch-Amerikaner, published in the German language, which passed out of existence when its publisher became old.

••••••••••

The ear-splitting roar, that you might be hearing, could be the old model T owned by the chap next door.

 

Several aspiring, dare-devil dirt track drivers are tuning up their ancient crates for the 75-mile “Tin-Can” derby, Sunday, September 11, at the Clark County Fairgrounds.  The drivers will have their eyes on a cut of the $100 cash prizes offered by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, sponsors.

 

The Can derbies have found unusual popularity throughout the Midwest this year and have attracted large crowds of spectators wherever they have been staged.  Although they lack some of the blinding sped of the specially built dirt track racers, the Tin Lizzies give all the thrills that can be found in an automobile race and a lot of good laughs, besides.

••••••••••

Sunday marked the Golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Kleckner of this city.  However, due to Mr. Kleckner’s poor health, the original plan to celebrate the occasion in the former home of Mrs. Kleckner’s parents at Schoolcraft, Michigan, where they were married on September 4, 1888, had to be abandoned.  It has been their good fortune to visit that home almost every year since their marriage, the house and furnishings being kept intact.

 

At the time of their marriage, Mr. Kleckner was in the grocery business in Schoolcraft.  Later, he entered the grain business at Edwardsburg and also held a position as cashier in a bank.  For 14 years, he followed the grain and real estate business in Chicago.  In 1909, he was advised by his physician to leave the city.  He and Mrs. Kleckner and their two sons came to Clark County and located on a farm south of Neillsville.  After farming for a few years, he again entered the grain business and established two elevators in Neillsville.  He operated the businesses for many years with the assistance of his sons, Everett and Alfred.  When his health again failed, the businesses were merged and Mr. Kleckner began to take life a little easier.

 

Mr. Kleckner served Neillsville as Mayor from 1916-1918.  Both, he and Mrs. Kleckner are splendid citizens, their civic pride and interests in the finer things of life have been far-reaching in the community.

 

The occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary was observed quietly in their home on West Fifth Street. A few neighbors and friends dropped in during the day to extend congratulations and best wishes.  The couple was presented with a number of beautiful floral bouquets.

••••••••••

The Neillsville All-Star baseball team defeated the Willard Cardinals, champions of the Clark County Junior league, at Willard, 7 to 3.  Del Johnson, of Greenwood, on the mound for the all-stars, fanned 16 men during the fame.  Emil Podobnik fanned 12 batters and issued four walks.  Home runs were hit by Hank Lamovec and Erinie (Ernie?) Dergance of Willard, connecting for a triple and a single.  The Silver Dome team forfeited to the all-stars when they failed to appear for the scheduled Labor Day game at the local fairgrounds.

 

The Willard roster included: Auman, B. Dergance, H. Lamovec, Korenchan, Podobnik, Gabrovek, E. Dergance, Trunkel, and S. Arch.

 

All-Stars roster had: Ampe, Greenwood, Ott, Neills, Lyon, Greenwood, Milbreit, Neills, Luther, Greenwood, Mech, Greenwood, B. Arch, Willard, Wagner, Neills and Johnson, Greenwood.

••••••••••

Thousands of Clark County persons took in the openings, last Saturday, of Neillsville’s two newest stores, McCain’s and Cochran’s hardware.

 

The 1,000 roses, given out to visitors at McCain’s in their new modernistic decorated store, lasted for but a few hours after the doors opened at 2 pm.  Also, well over 1,000 persons visited Cochran’s new store.  Managers of both stores reported unexceptionally fine response to their grand openings.

••••••••••

There was an embarrassing discovery made by Carl Carlson Berg, prominent Granton resident, recently.

 

Until a short time ago, Mr. Berg believed that first citizenship papers he took out after coming to the United States in the 1870’s from Oslo, Norway, insured him lifelong voter’s rights.

 

So he held a number of public offices, including member of the school board of the Town of Lynn for 36 years and was an organizer of the Town of Lynn, being one of its chairmen.

 

It was only a few weeks ago when a C.I.O. organizer, in Montana, got into a scrape because he did not have his final citizenship papers.  Hearing that, Mr. Berg started checking into his own citizenship status.

 

Then, he discovered that his first papers have not been valid since 1912.

 

He was in the Clark County courthouse, this week, attempting to straighten out the matter.

••••••••••

Approximately 2,000 school children and 304 teachers, in Neillsville and Clark County, were settling down to the serious business of education today as the summer play period came to a definite close.

 

Nearly 600 children, from rural schools of Clark County, entered high school this fall, according to the information and estimates of Clark County Superintendent of Schools.  The number is well above 90 per cent of the children who completed the work of the eighth grade in rural schools, last spring.  Thus, the parents and children of Clark County have found a way to brave the Depression and to pave the way for the abundant life, which is based upon education and personality of the young people.

 

The figures given here are not guesses.  They are based primarily upon responses to questionnaires, which were sent out by Mr. Millard, last spring.  At that time 624 children of the rural schools responded. Then, only 46 were not planning to go to high school or were uncertain about their plans. Based upon these replies, the exact number planning to go to high school was 578.  But, Mr. Millard states that the tendency is for the children of Clark County to resolve their doubts in favor of going to high school and from his personal observation and from reports made to him, the number not entering high school is considerably below 46.

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Jim Paulus owned the Neillsville Bottling Works, during the 1920s – 1930s.  The above photo, taken in 1938, shows one of Paulus’ means in advertising the business he owned.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Lowe)

 

 


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