Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

March 12, 2014, Page 16

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

March 1869

 

For two to three seasons there has been strife among the loggers in the pinery to see who would haul the largest load of logs with one pair of horses.

 

Two years ago in a camp on Cunningham Creek a load was drawn scaling 5,260 feet.  This was beaten a few days ago in McDonald’s by a load scaling at 5,520 feet.  On the 23rd of last month two horses in C. W. Carpenter’s camp on Black River, hauled a distance of four miles, a load of logs, which scaled 6,388 feet!  The load was composed of seven logs, each twenty feet in length and of good sound lumber.  The horses were owned by E. H. Carpenter, who holds the championship.

 

Since the above news was received, we have gotten a communication from Mr. Wm. Welsh, of the Town of Loyal, which speaks of a still larger load being hauled.  He says, “On the first day of March, 1869, in the camp of Robert Ross, in the Town of Loyal, with James McDonald as foreman, one pair of horses weighing together pounds, owned by F. Gallegly, hauled on a one mile road six sound logs measuring 7,375 feet!  The logs were scaled by B. Philpott, in presence of several disinterested persons who will vouch for truth of the statement if required.”

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A man hailing from Portage County arrived here the other day with a bull hitched to a pung sled, on which the man was riding as unconcerned as a teamster behind a tote team.  He guided the animal by means of lines fastened to a ring through the old bull’s nose.  Their destination: Loyal, Clark County.                       

•••••••••

John Kelly, the man arrested a short time ago and a pocketknife was tried and convicted on the last day of the session of the circuit court.  Judge Bunn sentenced him to serve one year in the State prison, the first five days in solitary confinement.  This is only the third man in our county to be sent to the Waupun institution.  Sheriff Covill left here with the prisoner Sunday morning for the penitentiary.                                                                        

•••••••••

The legislature has under consideration a bill making the attendance at school, of children between the ages of 8 and 14 years, compulsory.                                                                                      

•••••••••

The annual salary of a Wisconsin Legislature is $350.  The salary is the same if the session if long or short.

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Mr. R. F. Sturdevant was regularly admitted to the bar at the last term of our circuit court, after passing a good and thorough examination.  Mr. Sturdevant has applied himself assiduously to the study of law during the past few months and after a short respite from the fatigues of this labor will “hang out his shingle” in this village.

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We have learned that a disastrous fire visited Hixton last Thursday night, destroying a large flouring mill owned by Mr. Sechler.  The mill was entirely consumed and none of its contents saved.  Mr. Sechler’s loss cannot be less than $8,000.

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This has been a very poor season for maple sugar or syrup making.  We have seen none brought into town yet.

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A law establishing a township system of school government was passed by the last Legislature.  It is left to the discretion of the electors in each township to adopt the system or now and all persons particularly interested in the welfare of schools should examine the law closely and determine whether or now a change from the present system would be of advantage to the schools of their town. The law was undoubtedly suggested by other localities in the state feeling the necessity of a change more that we do, consequently it is not enforced only where the change is especially desired.

•••••••••

It is the end of March here, the ice in Black River is going out very fast and the water in all the streams is rapidly rising.  Men are leaving town in all directions for the log drives.                 

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An enterprising young man lately took himself a wife at Green Bay and wishing to keep up with the customs of the day, as he has boasted about, concluded to take a “bridal trip” on his “own hook.”  Accordingly he fitted up a hand sled and placed thereon his fair bride and his worldly goods and started on the excursion.  He first went to Menasha, then crossed the lake to Stockbridge, made the voyage to Chilton, thence back to Stockbridge again drawing his fair burden all the time, good and bad with a commendable spirit of energy and perseverance, living on what they could pick up an lodging where best they could.  When last heard from they had started for Minnesota, where they propose to settle on a homestead.  We sincerely hope they will reach their destination in safety and their “bridal trip” may prove a happy and prosperous one.

 

March 1944

 

Staff Sgt. Eddie Vinton arrived home Saturday evening from a base hospital in Florida.  He had been there since Feb. 7, when he arrived in the United States by plane from a hospital in Africa.  In an interview with your correspondent he tells a story full of thrills and narrow escapes.

 

His experiences began in January 1941, when he joined the medical corps of the U.S. Army. After training at Scott Field and Jefferson barracks he was sent across on Oct. 7, 1942.  As his ship neared the south coast of Africa it was torpedoed and sunk.  He and five other men floated in the icy waters on a life boat for seven days before they were picked up by a hospital ship.  He says the water was so cold that it froze as it washed up on the deck of their ship and they were all clad in light summer clothes when their ship went down.    

 

After a two-week rest at an army camp on the south coast they were put on a Norwegian ship and transferred from that to a Chinese ship on which they sailed to the west coast of Africa.  On this Chinese ship they went for four days without any food except for the rations each one had in his knapsack. Just after they had been transferred from the Chinese ship, it was sunk by a German submarine.

 

Taking a 200-mile ride in a truck over rough narrow roads they arrived at a camp in the central part of Africa where Sgt. Vinton was stationed for five months.  While there he switched from the medical cops and took a course as an aerial gunner on a combat plane.  After 75 hours of practice flying and five or six jumps they were ready for actual duty.  From here he went by plane to Egypt, where he was assigned to a bomber squadron and was sent to India.  He crossed the Himalaya Mountains and was finally stationed in Burma.

 

In Burma he and his comrades were called out at any time of day or night and sometimes three times a day. In all, he took part in 19 bombing missions as a tail ginner.  Their chief targets were supply dumps and airfields.  He and his crew take credit for about 16 planes.

 

On the third mission they were attacked by at least a dozen Japanese planes and then their plane was shot down.  They bailed out over their own territory and after about a nine-hour hike they arrived back in their own camp.

 

On another raid he was assigned to a large bomber, taking care of the “belly gun”.  They saw the Japanese coming in below them and soon an enemy plane shot off their turret gun door.  Every time he would spin the turret gun his legs and back would be out of the plane into the air a thousand feet up in the sky.  He worked so fast that the electric heated flying suit, which he wore, was shorted by broken wires and he got so cold that his legs and feet became frozen.

 

On another raid there was a shortage of aerial gunners.  Volunteers were called to and Eddie responded.  They were small dive-bomber planes, with only two men on each plane.  They dived down to about 200 feet and dropped the bombs on the targets.  As the bombs exploded the explosion was so great that they would be thrown against the tops of the planes.  On his second trip on this type of plane, his plane was shot down.   

 

His last mission of all was on a 4-motor bomber.  At 5 a.m. 25 planes took off in formation.  Before they reached their target they were attacked by over 40 Japanese planes and their main oxygen tank was shot out, so they had to fly at a lower altitude.  Enemy planes attacked them from all sides causing their plane to catch fire; so the crew was forced to bail out.  They landed in the jungles of Burma where they spent two weeks.  They had a portable radio with them so were finally located and taken to a field hospital.  After a few weeks there, Eddie was sent to a hospital in Africa.  From this hospital Eddie was sent back to the the U. S.

 

Eddie was born and grew to manhood in Humbird, attending grade and high school there.  In the middle of his senior year he moved with his mother to Neillsville, where he graduated from the class of 1940.  After graduation he returned to Humbird where he worked at the W.C. Flood service station.  His mother is Mrs. Dan Timerson and lives at Christie.  His sister, Mrs. Lee Terrell lives at Humbird.

 

He is here on a 20-day furlough before he has to return for an overseas assignment.                                

•••••••••

Andrew Lindner has purchased the John Bannach farm northwest of Loyal.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Verkilen will soon move to Riplinger.  They were recently honored by a farewell party at their former farm home in the Town of Sherman.                                                       

•••••••••

On March 6 the enforcement staff of OPA will begin a program of checking gasoline coupons in the possession of motorists.  They will station themselves at gasoline stations and will ask to see ration books of those buying gasoline. 

The motorists whose books show coupons properly endorsed will depart with a blessing.  But if a motorist appears whose book contains coupons not fully endorsed, he will be heading for complications.  Notice will be served upon him that he must appear within 10 days before his local rationing board and give evidence that all his coupons have been endorsed.  Failure to do this will result in revocation of his gasoline ration.

 

This activity is entered upon to put the brake on the black market.  The OPA requires that all coupons be endorsed as soon as issued.  This consists in writing upon the face of the stamp, the license number of the car, together with the state in which the car is licensed.                                                                             

•••••••••

A & P Food Stores Specials: Sunnyfield Corn Flakes 18 oz. pkg. 11’; Sunnyfield Rolled Oats, 3 lb. pkg. 18’; Wheaties, 8 oz. pkg. 10’; NBC Shredded Wheat 12’; Peanut Butter 2 lb. jar 35’; Sunkist Lemons 3 for 10’; Carrots, large bunch 7’; Potatoes, 100 lbs. $2.95; March issue Woman’s Day magazine, 2’; Sugared Donuts doz. 16’.

•••••••••

Another party for high school students was sponsored Friday evening at the Legion Hall by the American Legion Auxiliary, the committee in charge being, Mrs. Elmer Counsell, Mrs. James Cummings and Mrs. Floyd Casler.  Music for the dancing was furnished by a group of high school students forming a swing band.  The band was directed by Miss Virginia Scholtz, who played the piano.  This event will again be repeated next Friday evening.

 

Mrs. Cummings wishes it understood that these parties are intended for all young people of high school age, whether or not they may be pupils in high school.                                                      

•••••••••

Sgt. Dale Short, who has been attending army bombardier school at San Angelo, Texas, arrived home Monday morning on a leave-in-transfer.  On April 1, Sgt. Short will report to Hammer Field, Fresno, Calif.

 

Milo Mabie, Seaman 1st class, surprised his family Saturday night when he arrived home unexpectedly on a short leave.  He left Sunday afternoon for Great Lakes and expected to leave there Tuesday for ship duty on the west coast.

 

Harold J. Beaver, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Beaver of Loyal community, has been promoted to chief petty officer in the Navy.  He is stationed on an aircraft carrier.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Voigt, Sr., of Loyal, have just had visits from three boys in the service: Leland of Camp Polk, La; Elroy of Georgetown University and Adolph, Jr. of Great Lakes, Il.

 

Henry F. Fisher of Thorp having completed his air training is now a second lieutenant and anticipates an early departure to a combat area.

 

Mrs. Gordon Campbell and son, Donald received a letter from the officer in command of the outfit in which Pfc. Gordon Campbell is serving.  This is an engineer outfit, and it is in England, posed for the big job ahead.  With important preparations in the making, Pfc. Gordon Campbell has rendered such service that he was one of those honored in a parade and ceremony, in which he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

•••••••••

The Joseph Chase farm, a mile and a half east of Neillsville has been purchased by Carl Eisentraut and will be operated by Mr. and Mrs. Earl Erickson of Marshfield, Rt.1 who will take possession on April 1.  Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Chase, Jr., expect to move at that time to the former James Milton farm west of town, now owned by Andrew Mason.

•••••••••

On Palm Sunday, April 2 at 10:30 o’clock, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church will receive a class of twenty catechumens into membership by the rite of confirmation.  The class will be robed in white collegiate gowns; the members were examined in the chief doctrines of the Bible in a special service last Sunday.

 

The following are members of the class: Grace Baumann, Jennie Borde, Dixie Cardarelle, Roland Diercks, Janet Dudei, Julette Dux, Raymond Gluck, Betty Greeler, Roland Jenni, Elaine Krause, Althea Kluhsmann, Leroy Lenz, Marion Marg, Melvin Marg, Donald Marg, Irvin Marg, Edgar Ott, Dorothy Pflughoeft, Ruby Stone, and Dorothy Weiting. 

 

The class song is “Take thou My Hands and Lead Me.”                   

•••••••••

Clark County Trivia: In 1918 there were 111 cheese factories and 10 butter factories in Clark County.  That averages out to at least seven factories for every two townships.

 

  

The A& P Store was located on the southeast corner of Hewett and East Sixth corner in the 1930s through the 1940s, providing grocery items to the community.

 

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