Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

 November 25, 1993, Page 32

 Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Good Old Days" Articles 

 

 

Good Old Days     

By Dee Zimmerman

 

A refection on the news of Clark County printed in the Neillsville Times on November 30, 1883.  L. B. Ring was the editor.

 

Keep the Unitarian social in mind.  It comes off Friday evening, tomorrow night, at Mrs. M. C. Ring’s you are welcome to come and have a jolly time with your friends.  The lunch will be – Escalloped oysters, cucumber pickles, cabbage salad, bread and butter, white nut cake, devil’s food cake and coffee.

 

The Aid Society of the Methodist Church will give their sociable at the residence of H. N. Withee, Wednesday, December 6.  Everybody is cordially invited.

 

The Ladies League will hold their annual fair and supper at their new church Thursday, Dec.14, afternoon and evening.  Bargains for Christmas presents.  Reasonable prices

 

George Wiesner has had the main floor of his hotel rebuilt and put in a stock of groceries, all new goods, and now combines the grocery and hotel business.  George understands the trade and stands behind the counter with the air of a veteran.

The Wiesner House, one of the several early loggers’ hotels and places to get a room for $1.00 per night’s lodging.  George Wiesner, the owner, added a grocery and shoe store on the mail floor in 1893.  The building was located on Fifth Street, the north side, between Hewett and West Streets, across from the present City Hall, now a parking area.  George Wiesner and his wife Sophie later sold the hotel to Frank Seif.  Frank ran it for a while, then it became the possession of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Dresden.  Mrs. Dresden is pictured third from the left on the porch roof.  Bert is fourth from the left on the wooden sidewalk in front of the building.  In later years Dresden operated a livery stable next to Merchant’s Hotel on West Seventh Street and served as a city alderman.  Mrs. Arthur (Ada) Opelt is a niece of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Dresden.

 

 

George A. Ludington has been running a young hospital at his home lately, his wife and Mary both down with catarrhal fever.  Also, Charlie Deutsch was reported as being dangerously sick with the fever, watchers at his bedside constantly.

 

Kris Kringle is already being talked about by the babies.  The old boy has taken a month’s lease of Luethe’s store.  It’s his headquarters.

 

The musical entertainment at the Opera House last Saturday evening was one of rare excellence – every number was a gem, and all those who took part in it acquitted themselves with great credit, and those who were there to enjoy an evening of refined and refining music would have been delighted had it not for the noisy demonstrations of a few young rowdies who have not yet learned how to behave in respectable company.  The hearty applause which each number called out almost destroyed the pleasure of the respectable people in the audience.

Neillsville Opera House and Armory built in 1892, was located on East Fifth Street, in the one hundred block.

 

W. M. Millard moved to the La Flesh farm and will spend the winter breaking colts for those who have colts to be broken.  He has four in hand now.  Parties desiring his services can see him at the farm.  Terms reasonable

 

Bad roads lead to profanity, they make men swear! Bad roads lead to intemperance; men think it necessary to fortify the inner man with a few drinks to enable them to stand a long journey through mud.  Bad roads lead to cruelty.  The kindest driver often has to stimulate the most willing team with the lash.  Bad roads lead to poverty; the wear and tear on wagons, harness and animals knock off a large per cent of profit.

 

The beautiful home of Mrs. French on the Pleasant Ridge Road will be sold when opportunity presents, as Mrs. French’s oldest son, Eddie, is at the State University, and Dr. Viola finds residence so far from her office a little trying sometimes.  It is an ideal home, with fine buildings, hedges, etc and contains 20 acres of land, which lies well, with a south slope.

 

Monday evening, a man went into Knoop’s shoe store and selected a pair of shoes.  He then asked to see some other article, and while Mr. Knoop was getting down the goods, the fellow, shoes in hand, ran out the front door and was off at a high speed.  Knoop ran after him and got a lot of exercise, but not the man or the shoes.  The thief finally escaped in Hein’s mill yard.

 

Farm lands within a mile or mile-and-a-half of Sparta, and quite light sandy lands at that, are selling right along at $100 an acre.  Lands worth twice as much near Neillsville are selling at $50 or less.  Why is it?  A screw is loose somewhere, and we are inclined to think it is in the direction of a lack of railroad competition.

 

Two miles south of Unity, on the main road to Spencer, lives Hans Nelson, whose gray hair testifies to his age, while his smiling, happy countenance shows that the cares and sorrows of the passing years have left no visible mark upon his sturdy nature.  He believes in experimenting and at present is engaged in raising German carp.  Some years ago, he secured the fry at the government fish hatchery, and after preparing a place for their reception, planted them.  He has a pond about a hundred feet square in which the fish are thriving beyond his most sanguine expectations.  He carefully feeds them daily, and also pumps fresh water into the pond.  He is nearly ready to supply the local market.  He has gone into the fancy poultry business and has a large number of blooded fowls of the golden Wyandotte variety.  He lives alone and seemingly enjoys life.

 

Harry Kerns and family moved to Ross Eddy this week, where Harry has taken charge of a poultry establishment, now being organized there.  Carpenters and masons have been at work the past week on the red warehouse, making it a model house for poultry.

 

I am ready to sell if you are ready to buy, my horse and cutter…  Rob’t. B. Evatt

 

Everybody shoveled snow yesterday morning.

 

The Times learns that Butler and Knorr, of Granton, general merchants have sold out to Peter Boerens and Louis Weyer, of Brown County.

 

Thanksgiving occurs November 30th this year.  It will be a close hustle if many people can get up a thankful feeing at all.

 

The term of circuit court just closed, has with its various adjourned sessions and continuances, (has) been the longest term in the history of Clark County.

 

Parties who have sold chickens to L. B. Ring are requested to deliver them at the Ross Eddy farm at once.

 

 


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