Clark County Press, Neillsville,

December 13, 2006, Page 19

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled and contributed by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

December 1906

 

Postage stamps, of the issue of 1907, to be put on sale at the 6,000 presidential offices, will bear on their face the name of the state and city in which the post office is situated.  The chief reason for this innovation is said to be the belief that it helps to do away with the big post office robberies and make it much easier to trace criminals.  Another reason is to enable the post office department to determine the amount of business done by the different post offices. This will prevent padding through stamps sold at some offices to residents who do business in adjoining cities.

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Licensed to Marry:

 

Alfred Ernest Paul Schnabel, Town of Grant to Lena Christian Emma Lipkie, Town of Levis; Orval Austin Toptine, to Mary Elizabeth Short, Town of Washburn; Fred Burchert to Emma Brand, Town of Hixon; Enroy Davis to Magdalen A. Wood, Town of Fremont; Samuel D. St. John, Owen to Florence Agnes Raymond, of Greenwood.

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Mr. F. F. Showers gave two very splendid illustrated lectures at the high school, last Friday and Saturday night.

 

While here, Mr. Showers, who is connected with the Stevens Point Business College, made arrangements for the establishment of a branch college in Neillsville.  This was done at the solicitation of the school board and others.  It will prove greatly beneficial to Neillsville and the surrounding area.  The college will be located in the old high school building, and it is expected that it will be opened after Christmas.  A number of students of the Stevens Point College, who live nearer to Neillsville, will attend here, owing to the crowding conditions at Stevens Point.

 

The Neillsville Business College will be under the supervision of one of the instructors from Stevens Point, so that prospective students may be assured of trained and competent instruction.

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John Hubing, of Pelsdorf, while carrying a gate Tuesday, fell and drove a rusty nail into his kneecap.  The pain became so great in a short time that he was unable to go to the village and consult a physician, so was forced to ask for one to travel to his farm to see him.

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On account of the pure food law passed at the last session of Congress; Sears, Roebuck & Company, has decided to discontinue handling groceries.  The law provides that any food containing adulteration of any sort shall be so labeled.  This has caused such a difference in the cost of production that Sears, Roebuck have found it impossible to continue selling groceries at their former prices.  Rather than make any change in their prices, the firm has ceased to handle a line of groceries.

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Guy C. Youmans will deliver fresh buttermilk at 5 cents per quart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of each week, providing he can get sufficient customers to justify the expense of delivery.  Persons, who desire the delivery, phone number 74 at once.

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Misses Mollie and Fanny Dignin left Monday, to spend a month with their sister, Mrs. John Hein, who lives in Tony, Wis.

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Milton Page experienced quiet a shaking up Sunday morning, while trying to cross the railroad track before an oncoming freight train, near Granton.  He was returning home about 5 a.m. after seeing his best girl home from a dance.  He and the horse escaped most miraculously with slight bruises while the carriage was totally wrecked.  There is a sharp curve in the track just north of the crossing and a train can’t be seen until it is almost upon a person.  Milton said there was no sound of a whistle to warn him.  It is most fortunate that there was no greater loss than that of a covered carriage, on so close of a call.

•••••••••

Judge James O’Neill, of Neillsville, went to Eagle River, where he is holding court for Judge Silverthorn.  One of the cases to be tried before him is the one in which a man named Stove is accused of killing Wm. Bierbrauer, a former resident of Wausau.  Stove’s attorneys made an effort to have the case tired in Wood County, before Judge Webb, but Judge Silverthorn saved the county additional expense by getting Judge O’Neill.  Wausau Pilot News

 

December 1936

 

Leola Eibergen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Eibergen has accepted a position with the Transcontinental and Western Lindbergh Air Lines with headquarters in Kansas City.  Miss Eibergen is a graduate of the Granton High School and of the St. Joseph’s School of Nursing, in Marshfield.  Soon after completing her nurses’ course, in August 1934, she accepted a position in the River Pines Sanatorium in Stevens Point.  In April 1935, she transferred to Ann Arbor University at Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Miss Eibergen’s route will take her from Kansas City to New York.

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F. O. Balch, who has been in the hardware business in Neillsville for the past 15 years, this week announced his retirement.  He is selling out his entire stock of goods and all fixtures at a sale starting Saturday.

 

The name of Balch has been identified with the merchandising history of this community for the last half century.  It began when F. A. Balch, father of Fred, opened a store about 1885, in partnership with his son, Rella, in the old North Side store, now occupied by Nick Gangler.  A short time later, they occupied the building where John Kubat’s house on North Hewett Street, now stands.  A few years later, they moved into the building now occupied by the Balch Hardware store.

 

In the late 1890s, the elder Balch withdrew when Rella Balch and Bennie Tragsdorf went into partnership, opening a store where the Schultz Bros. store is now located.  A short time later, they built the Big Store.

 

F. O. Balch, who was on the road as a shoe salesman for years, went to Milwaukee in 1910.  There, he and Mrs. Balch operated a very successful millinery business until 1920, when they returned to Neillsville.  A year later, Mr. Balch bought out the hardware business from Powers & Wing.

 

Some of Balch’s Going Out of Business Specials are:

 

4-ft Pine Skis, 59c; Maple 6 ft. Skis, none better $3.69; Worthington Golf Balls, 21c; 30 inch Champion Coaster Sleds, full size, well made, 97c; Deluxe, 52 inch Racer Sled, $2.59; Winchester or Western 12-gauge Shot Gun Shells, 69c.

•••••••••

Leslie Cook, of the Town of Hewett, and some fellow hunters succeeded last week in killing “Old-Stub-Toe,” a deer whose tracks have been a matter of curiosity to forest visitors for several years.

 

It is reported that this deer was believed to be about 15 years old.  He had magnificent antlers, but one prong had been shot away.

 

His peculiar tracks, by which he had long been known, was found to have been caused by one deformed foot, the deformity evidently was caused by an accident of some kind, though he might possibly have been born with it.

•••••••••

Ada Head, of Milwaukee, who has been engaged as manager of the Curl Shop, arrived Sunday to begin her work on the opening day, Monday.  Mrs. Margaret Farrand, who recently graduated from the Milwaukee Accredited School of Beauty Culture at Eau Claire, will act as operator.  Miss Head is an expert in this line of work.  The Curl Shop is located over the Coast-to-Coast store.  The waiting room and workshop are artistically decorated and beautifully furnished, the equipment being new and modern throughout.

•••••••••

The Gassen Welding Shop has been very busy this past week, making and mounting snow plows for milk haulers of the Withee and Owen area.  They do a neat job of snow plowing and no doubt mail carriers as well as others using the side roads, will be benefited by the clean paths left by these snow plow equipped milk trucks.

•••••••••

An article, which maybe of interest to many of the local golfers, appeared in the Milwaukee Journal:

 

“The Federal Government will cooperate with local governmental units and with the Professional Golf Association in building between 500 and 600 public courses within the next few years.

 

Somebody is sure to attack that; saying this country doesn’t need more golf courses.  The implication will be that all we are doing is softening people up to a life of leisure.  But golf, which used to be the symbol of leisure, has long since outgrown that symbolism.  It is recognized now as a healthful recreation that has an important place in a democratic scheme of living.

 

This is a project that has the merit of lasting value without seriously competing with private enterprise.  No course will be placed near a private course that now exists.  State parks and other areas where people congregate in a public way will largely be chosen.

 

The projects will supply work for golf architects, professional instructors and for less skilled workers.  And what is finally accomplished will be of service to great numbers of people.

•••••••••

A group of members of St. John’s Lutheran Church drove out to the Herman Pagenkopf home, Sunday evening, to surprise Mr. and Mrs. Pagenkopf on their silver wedding anniversary.  Their marriage took place at St. John’s Lutheran Church 25 years ago, Rev. H. Brandt performing the rites.

 

The couple began housekeeping on the farm in the Town of Grant, where the groom had lived for five years.  During that time, he worked the farm and prepared a home for his bride, and this has been home since their marriage.

 

Two children, Victor and Helen, were born to this union.  Victor teaches school and Helen is a stenographer at the sewing branch of the Relief Office, here.

 

The Neillsville friends, who planned the surprise, were Rev. Baumann and Wm. Duge and their families, Adeline Brandon, Adelia Schumacher, Erich Sievert, Henry Bartell, Mrs. Christina Schroeder and son, Charles, the two latter being the mother and brother of Mrs. Pagenkopf.

 

A very pleasant evening was spent, Rev. Baumann giving an appropriate thanksgiving message in honor of the event, followed by congratulations and a lunch, which had been prepared by the visitors.

•••••••••

The Neillsville Public Schools will close Friday, Dec. 18 for Christmas vacation and open Monday morning, January 4th.

•••••••••

When Art Russell finally completed a day’s work, last Wednesday, and was about to get into his Gambles store truck and take off for home, there was nothing lacking but the vehicle.  He assured his wife that he had parked the truck directly opposite the store building only a few hours before.  After looking up and down Fifth Street, and hunting through the downtown section of Hewett Street, he decided to notify Policeman Schroeder to assist in the search.  The story of the stolen vehicle spread rapidly and soon reached the Ford Garage, where Frank Svetlik was servicing the truck.  Frank had made a pre-arrangement with Mr. Russell, to service the truck when he had time.  With Christmas rush in full swing, who could remember two full weeks back?

•••••••••

Wednesday morning the Balch Hardware safe was moved to the Indian School by Peat Warlum, having been purchase by that institution.  The safe was acquired by H. North, when he bought out the Lloyd Hardware business.  North held the books and other valuables during the many hears he was in business here.  After the Lloyd’s building fire in the early 1890s, at the corner now occupied by Schultz Bros. Store, Mr. North moved to the corner of Sixth and Hewett streets, remodeling the building there.  The safe was removed from the fire ruins and placed in its new home, where it has done service since 1892.

•••••••••

Fred Wall, Walter Wucki, Kaiser Grap and Kurt Stone drove to Elmo, Sunday to do some ice fishing, which proved very interesting and profitable.  Each fisherman came home with a nice mess of northern pike.

•••••••••

Last week, the final steps were taken in transferring the title of the fair grounds to the county, and leasing the same back to the Clark County Agricultural Society.

 

There were some small flaws in the title that had to be cleared up to satisfy District Attorney John M. Peterson, which was properly taken care of.

 

This property consists of 45 acres of fine land, the race course, baseball grounds, grandstand and excellent buildings valued at more than $20,000, graveled roadways and two good wells.  It is one of the finest county fairgrounds in the state.  It now becomes the property of Clark County, clear of debt with lease-hold rights passed on to the Agricultural Society.

 

With the renewal of W.P.A. projects, it is hoped to get labor to put such repairs and improvements on the buildings, as they will need.

 

Next month, the officers will meet to conference with other fair officers throughout the state and lay plans for 1937.  Farmers and all others interested ought to begin early to lay plans to cooperate with the fair officials for the coming year.

•••••••••

The Service Company held its annual rabbit hunt, Sunday.  The hunters were divided into two groups.  Captained by Free Carleton and Hugh Stoffel, the former group bagged 18 and the latter, 6 rabbits.  The losing team was destined to prepare the rabbit dinner, which was held Monday evening at the American Legion hall.  Free Carleton, although on the winning side, volunteered to do the cooking.  Smokey Darling assisted and according to reports, they served a meal fit for a king.

•••••••••

 

 

The George Lloyd Hardware store was located on the northeast corner of the Hewett and Fifth Street intersection.  In 1870-1892, the business displayed a large selection of hardware items, serving the active logging industry’s needs within the surrounding area in its beginning.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Roberts’ collection)

 

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