Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

March 9, 2011, Page 8

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

March 1911

 

 

 

The Neillsville Furniture Factory was started in 1891 by local businessmen who invested in its venture to enable the harvest and use of area hardwoods.  The large four-story factory, located on the west end of 8th Street area, during peak production accommodated room for 500 employees.  The factory building was destroyed by fire in 1910.  The owners, unable to secure adequate local funding, decided not to rebuild.

 

This week H. C. Clark received a letter from Pres. Mohlheinrich of the furniture factory company, stating that the company had definitely decided not to rebuild the factory.  The letter was written in reply to one from Mr. Clark on behalf of the committee here, stating that the entire board issue could not be floated, but making the company a flat offer of the $20,000 bonus, which had been signed. This probably ends the matter. The committee and the entire community have shown a brave and enterprising spirit and have done all that could be done.    

•••••••••

Cows will be taken to pasture for the season at $5.00 each.  Pasture gate is at the bridge just north of the Catholic Church. Room for only a few, make a bargain now. See Geo. L. Jacques.     

•••••••••

Thos. Wren has a position as engineer in a saw mill on the Eau Claire River.  He was home over Sunday, returning Monday.  His brother, Earl went with him to see the mill.                                                                                                     

•••••••••

The Neillsville Housed is a comfortable dollar-a-day house; good rooms; good meals and good service.  Board by day, or by week; Sol. F. Jaseph, Prop.                                                                 

•••••••••

Quite a fire was discovered Sunday morning at one of the lumber piles at August Lautenbach’s saw mill in Granton. The fire was put out with little damage done.

•••••••••

A report was received in Neillsville Wednesday that Harry Mead had died at his home near Withee, full particulars not being given.  Mr. Mead was one of the oldest residents of the County and for many years was prominent as a logger, farmer, and member of the county board.                                                

•••••••••

Don’t forget the W. R. C. apron and quilt sale and big supper Friday night. Come everybody and bring your wives, mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters and sweethearts, to get a good square meal for 25 cents, a quarter of a dollar.  Think of it, and do not forget the date, St. Patrick’s Day, in the evening. Supper served from 6 until all are fed.

 

Menu: Scalloped potatoes, Roast Hams, Brown gravy, Deviled eggs, baked beans, pickles, fruited Jello, Cabbage salad, bread and butter, assorted cakes, coffee and salted peanuts.                

•••••••••

Roller-skating on one foot or both, up and down the sidewalk on the North Side is a popular amusement for the girls.  One pair of skates often serves the purpose for two girls.                                

••••••••

Frank Clouse of the Town of Loyal has purchased 60 acres of Henry Sitts for $4,000.  Mr. Sitts has purchased the Fred Bundy residence in Loyal for $500.                                                          

•••••••••

Saturday was Harry O’Brien’s birthday and in the evening about twenty-five of his friends surprised him. They presented him with a pair of solid-gold cufflinks.  The evening was spent playing progressive Cinch. After the game was finished, a bounteous lunch was served.                                                                     

•••••••••

Sam Demouth of Christie sold his sawing outfit and engine to Mr. Schwellenbach of Christie.

•••••••••

Emery Bruley has received encouraging propositions from Eau Claire capitalists to manufacture his patented wagon wheel in that city. This has suggested the idea to some that a company could be organized here to make the wheels in Neillsville. Several have offered to take stock in the company.  Mr. Bruley does not care to control its manufacture or in fact to have any hand in it; he prefers to let this be done by other parties and he will accept a small royalty on the output. This wheel attracted great attention at the big fairs last fall and has been highly praised by ex-wagon makers.

•••••••••

It is probable that this vicinity never experienced more intense and prolonged excitement than existed here from Thursday afternoon of last week until nearly noon Saturday.

 

Herman, the little son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Gloff, who live a short distance south of Hutching’s Corner, was during that time lost and wandering in the woods.  The Boy had been sent by his mother to call the father to dinner, who was working on the back part of the farm. The father heard the boy call and went to meet him soon after, but found no one.  In finding that the boy had been sent out, and having missed him, the father started to search and finding no trace of him, he called in neighbors to help.  All night, seventy to eighty men, with lanterns, searched the woods and found no sign of the lost child. The night was cold and windy, with fear that the boy wouldn’t survive.

 

An area of woods and marshland, portions of which are covered with brush were searched the next day and evening. Saturday morning people came out from Neillsville and around the area with nearly two hundred in the search, pushing an area farther south. In the middle of Saturday, Albert Meyers found the lad hidden in tall grass on Mike Mihalski’s marsh, one and three quarters south and west of the Gloff farm.

 

The boy was alive and not much worse for his forty-eight hours fast and his long exposure to the cold and terrors of the wilderness.  After being brought home and made comfortable, the boy told that searchers with their lanterns had come close to him at times, but he stayed hiding, fearful of them.

 

The quick response to the call for help that came from all sides, the persistence of the search and the great wave of relief and thanksgiving that swept over the community when the boy was found alive, all mark the high tide of humanity.  The world has not lost its sweetness, its sympathy, its heroism, or its helpfulness.

 

March 1941

 

Three former members of the Neillsville High School band will be playing with the Stevens Point Teachers College band in the concert at the armory this afternoon.  They are: Joe Palmer, cornet; Jeanne Kurth, French horn; and Virginia Scholtz, flute. The concert is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.  Peter J. Michaelson is director of the college band.

•••••••••

Twenty-two Clark County men were named Tuesday to fill the March selective service quota, as the County made its first selection of trainees for a year’s army service under the Selective Service Act. They have been ordered to report at the office of the local board in Loyal at 12:30 p.m. Monday.

 

Previous County quotas were filled entirely volunteers.  Those selected are:

 

Donald L. Drescher, Neillsville; Clifford D. Karl, Neillsville; Palmer C. Shumway, Neillsville; Edward Zdun, Granton; Ruben M. Loos, Greenwood; Wm. H. Leskinen, Greenwood; Henry F. Schmidt, Greenwood; Peter Bogdonovich, Willard; John F. Trunkel, Willard; Clarence I. Anklam, Humbird; William Jeffrey, Humbird; Melvin E. Putman, Humbird; Edward L. Bowman, Loyal; Edwin O. Gaulke, Chili; Sigman J. Bartosiak, Withee; Peter L.  Petke, Withee; Bernard T. Evenson, Stanley; Elmer C. Hoffman, Dorchester; John Stebak, Thorp; Joseph F. Sokolowski, Thorp; Elroy A. Augustine, Colby; Donald G. Lydiksen, Unity.

 

A special bus has been chartered to transport the men to the army induction station in Milwaukee, where they will be given examinations and will be inducted for their year of army training.

 

Two of the 22 men selected to fill the March quota are volunteers, according to word from the office of the local selective service board. Clark County is one of the last board areas in Wisconsin, which filled all previous quotas with volunteers.

•••••••••

Over 1,100 mature persons, most of them “War Babies” have been born in Clark County since January 1, 1939.

 

Although it is merely a figure of speech, it is nevertheless true, insofar as records at the register of deeds office are concerned. There so-called “delayed births” have been recorded there in addition to the regular run of births, which have been averaging over 500 a year in recent years.

 

The story of the “mature births” goes back to early recording in Clark County and in the state.  It has its sequence in later-day social legislation and in defense industry employment requirements. As late as 1907, it was not necessary to record a birth in Wisconsin.  Parents felt little compulsion concerning it, and could not foresee the developments, which were to arise nearly 30 years hence.

 

In spite of that, birth records in the register of deeds’ office go back as far as 1814.  Yet, for the better part of a century the recording of births was a haphazard practice, and but relatively few births, which occurred in Clark County were actually put on record.

 

In 1905 census record gave a key to a great many births, which otherwise were on record only in family Bibles, Sunday school certificates and on other family records. But, on October 1, 1907, the Wisconsin legislature made it mandatory to record a birth.  For years following the adoption of the law many were forgetful of the requirement, with the consequence that births were not always recorded.

 

Then came the social legislation; which included old age pensions in its scope.  Many persons born in Clark County found themselves without record of their birthday and some sort of substantial evidence was necessary to prove that one was of an age, which entitled him to a pension.

 

Confronted by an increasing demand for “delayed birth” records, Register of Deeds Henry Rahn organized his office in order to put the searching for birth records on an efficient basis. Records were compiled by years and in alphabetical order. This served its purpose insofar as those were concerned whose births actually had been recorded, or whose names appeared in the 1905 census record.

 

But the question then arising was what to do about those with no record of birth?  Mr. Rahn solved that problem by undertaking an educational program in Clark County with the assistance of a WPA Project. Working in towns, villages and cities one at a time, he pointed out the necessity for a record of birth.

 

The campaign met with success, and hundreds of births were recorded as “delayed.”  Various records were accepted as evidence of the date of birth.  Included among these was the attesting of the physician or mid-wife who attended at the birth, the signature of one of the parents, or by an older brother or sister or some relative or neighbor who could testify to the correctness of the birth date. The affidavits had to be notarized.

 

Although the birth record requirement at first affected mainly those seeking pensions, the national defense program has acted as the whip in the last year.  For in many industries it is necessary to present a record of birth before employment can be secured. The result has been that from 25 to 50 inquires are being received daily at the register of deeds office.

•••••••••

Neillsville Bakery Specials: Brownee Bread, 1 lb. loaf, 10¢; 1 ½ lb. loaf 12¢; Hot cross Buns, doz. 24¢.

•••••••••

Whether the town of Mentor will have a referendum vote April 1 on the liquor question has been put before the state beverage tax commission, Chairman Max Schenk said this week.

 

The referendum was called for through a petition containing the signatures of 50 persons, and presented by the Rev. Osborne of the Free Methodist Church.  Only 46 signatures were needed and it seems as though the referendum vote would come about.

 

But since that time five original signers of the petition have asked to have their names stricken from the document, pleading that they misunderstood the question. They were under the belief that the petition called for a referendum on closing hours for taverns, they said.

 

Thus, said Chairman Schenk, the question was put before the beverage tax commission, for, if the signatures may be removed, then the petition will contain only 45 signatures, one less than the number requited to call for a referendum.

 

Mentor town officials believe they know what the answer will be. They believe that the signatures will stand on the petition, and that the Town of Mentor will become the first unit in Clark County to vote on a return to prohibition, administered locally, of course.

 

Should the referendum be conducted, a close vote is anticipated.  However, the petition calls for a vote on two questions: 1) whether the sale of intoxicating (or hard) liquors will be permitted; and 2) whether the sale of malt beverages (beer, etc.) will be permitted within the confines of the township.

 

The Town of Mentor has always had a strong element opposed to the sale of liquor and beer; and the township was “dry” before the Volstead Act was passed in 1918.                                         

•••••••••

Big Auction on the Otto Drescher farm located 1 mile west and ½ mile south of Chili; or 1 mile west of Johnson’s Cheese Factory on Highway 10, then 1 ½ mile north; Thursday, April 3, starting at 10:30 a.m.

 

Livestock: 8 Holstein milk cows; 5 Holstein heifers; 2 fall calves and 1 bull; Team of Horses, well-matched mares, wt. about 2,400 lbs; 1 brood sow; about 50 chickens and 2 Ducks.

 

A line of very good farm machinery: grain & corn binders, hay loader, seeder, side delivery rake, mower, dump rake, riding cultivator, 3-sec. spring tooth drag, smoothing drag, manure spreader, disc, wagon, sleigh, hay rack, hay fork and rope, gas engine, pump jack, grindstone; 3 sets of work harness; 15 sap buckets; independent milk buckets; independent milker, water tank, eveners, milk cans and pails, chains, saws, forks, shovels and other small items.

 

Feed: About 6-ton choice clover & timothy hay, some straw, large amount of corn fodder.

 

(Note the sale was listed as a “Big Auction”, which probably was for that era with a much different line of machinery than present-day farming requires and “live horsepower,” a team of horses rather than tractors for pulling farm implements in the fields. D. Z.)

 

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