By Dee Zimmerman

Clark County News of 1928

Earl Bruhn and Martin Feuerstein, of Marshfield, have opened a machine and repair shop on East Sixth Street in Neillsville.  It is located in the former Randall Blacksmith Shop next door to Gassen’s Welding Shop.  Bruhn and Feuerstein previously worked with the Lang and Scharman machine shops in Marshfield of six years.  Both have a wide-varied experience in machine work, cabinetry, grinding and all lines of repair.  Excellent equipment and trained mechanics are ready to service the needs of customers in the area.  They guarantee satisfactory work.

Friday evening, all of the Zimmerman & Sons Co. Store personnel attended a picnic at Schuster Park in honor of George Fox Smith.  Smith, who left his position as manager of the store’s dry goods department, has accepted a similar position in a Rockford, Ill., store.  The picnic was a surprise to Smith.  The ideal weather and good food was greatly enjoyed by all who attended.

On July 4^th, Mr. and Mrs. George Schultz of the Town of Levis, whose farm is located at Dells Dam, celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversary.  Many relatives and friends gathered at their home that day in honor of the event.

Both, Mr. and Mrs. Schultz have lived their entire fifty years in Levis.  The first five years of their married life was spent on the Goosbeck farm nearby, and then they moved to their present home where they have lived ever since.  Schultz had worked with the old Dells Dam when it was used for log-driving purposes.  He helped build it and superintended the flooding operations as long as the logging lasted. 

Schultz knew all of the earliest settlers in Levis.  Also, he saw all of the changes that ensued as the timber resources depleted and farming took its place.  His strength and skill as a river-man gave him great prestige among lumbermen of that day.  The cordial hospitality of the Schultz’s made Dells Dam a favorite place along the Black River.

Since the passing of the lumbering days, the Schultz’s have lived quietly on their farm.  Their son, Guy, and daughter-in-law have helped by carrying on the farming operation for some time.  They also assisted in entertaining guests and serving a fine dinner at noon and in the evening of the anniversary party.  Martin Schultz, a brother, and his wife came from San Diego, Calif.; and his sister, Mrs. Gustav Guse, her husband and son, Max, came from Mayville, as well as many local people.

The annual Neillsville School Meeting, held Monday evening, we well attended with about 120 voters present.

J. L. Kleckner was elected chairman and presided at the meeting.

The report of the school board and the auditing committee showed nearly $9,000 was in the treasury to begin the school year.  The sum of $23,000 district tax was voted for the coming year.

The question of water supply for the High School and South Side Grade School brought on a lively discussion.  It was finally voted that the school board should drill a new well and put in an automatic electric pump.  Investigation by the board showed that the plumbing system now in the school buildings can be used for the new system.  There was also discussion as to buying additional play grounds or an athletic field, but no vote was taken on the matter.

Louis Stegner and wife, of south Chicago, were here the first of the week.  They closed a deal for buying a farm, in Section One of the Town of Hewett.  They returned to Chicago and will return with their belongings immediately.  Stegner was a factory worker and reports that many who live in Chicago are out of work.  Stegner’s purchased their farm through Ignac Cesnik of Willard.

Otto Roessler has bought a tract of land at Chili and is opening a lumber yard there.  He is getting sheds built and will have a fine facility for handling building material.

Floyd Hansen was a guest at the Kiwanis club in Neillsville on Monday evening.  He talked to the club members about the feasibility of establishing an airport in or near Neillsville.  He is of the opinion, that the Clark County Fairgrounds could be used for this purpose with very little expense to have it readied.  The air ships could land or take off in the space enclosed by the race track if some leveling, filling and rolling of soil was done on the tract.  A sign “Neillsville” could be painted on the roof of the grandstand, which could be read from an air ship at considerable height.  A wind cone could be put up so as to give the aviator an idea s to the direction of the wind as an aid to landing.  The cost would perhaps not exceed $10.  It would be advisable, also, to have a large arrow indicated on the field with lime or another white substance, the arrow pointing north so that the pilot could tell his direction, though in recent years most aviators carry instruments.

Saturday afternoon, Roy Olson and Donnie Gall were playing around an abandoned truck on the county parking grounds near the depot.  Roy lit a match to investigate whether or not there was any gasoline left in the tank of the truck.  Well, there proved to be some there because the gas flamed up, burning Roy’s hand, the side of his face and set fire to his shirt.  Donnie was also slightly burned on his nose and one ear.  Roy had trouble getting the fire in his clothing extinguished and finally with Donnie’s help, they tore his shirt off.  Roy received treatment from a doctor, having his burns dressed.

A joint picnic of the Lutheran congregations of Neillsville, Globe and Klondike, was held Saturday at Globe which was largely attended.

A bad fire started in the Werner Hardware Store at Pittsville last Tuesday evening, nearly destroying the town. Damages were done to Werner Hardware building and stock for amount of $25,000; McLoughlin General Store, Merchandise and buildings, $13,000; F. S. Weedworth, building containing a law office, the post office and a barber shop, $5,000; Baun General Store, building and stock, $28,000; W. M. Ziehr, garage damage, $5,000.

It is believed the fire originated from spontaneous combustion of oil or paint on the second floor of the Werner Hardware Store.

July 1943

In the fiscal year just closed, Clark county residents have contributed $1,446,004.25 to the war effort in the purchase of bonds. This amount is nearly a million and a half dollars.

Every senior who graduated from the Neillsville High School this year found the world beckoning to him or her.  There was work ready, according to taste and capacity.  In a world busy with war and production, manpower became the critical need, and these young people found themselves in urgent demand.  The graduation class of 65 members has some young men who have entered the service.  Jack Foster left as early as March 27 to do preliminary work at the University of Minnesota in preparation for the Navy.  He is now waiting his call to Naval Aviation Officer’s Training School.  Leroy Lautenbach enlisted in the Navy the day after commencement and is now stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.  *Walter Scott took Lowe entered the Army Airforce on June 17.  Robert Beyer has been accepted for Navy duty in the last contingent.  

Some young women are taking N. Y. A. (National Youth assoc.) training in Milwaukee; Edna Brown, Ruth Stelloh, Joan Stanton and Arleen Gergen; with Dorothie Vine, Shirley Magnusen, Clarice Winter and Agnes Mohr at Eau Claire.  These girls will be employed in defense jobs and offices after their training.  Marie Stucki left last week for California where she will be employed in the Douglas air craft factory.  Deloris Milton is working in the Allis-Chalmers plant and Anna Marie Quinnel is in defense work in Milwaukee.

On the home-front, these boys are on farms producing food for the war effort: Glen Short, Dale Stanley, Wallace Boyer, Douglas Buddinger, Louis Dux, Clarence Hagedorn, Martin Wagner, Donald Hagie, James Hiles, Thomas Reinart and Fred Subke.  Theodore Schlinsog is working at his father’s cheese factory and Hilmer Dudei works at the Condensary. 

Some girls are working on the home front, also.  Janice Milton, Ardith *Army-Navy tests in school and left July 1st.  Dick Huckstead, Lillian Wedekind, Lucille Wilding, Arlene Zickert and Coletta Schmidt are staying on the farm where they are needed to help with the work.

Those working in local offices and stores are: Ruth Kutsche and LaVerne Page at Schultz’ Store; Helen Hauge at Hauge Fuel Co.; Aneta Zinell at the Press; Eleanor Kren is cashier at the Farmers Store; Clara Kalsow in the office of Dr. M. A. Foster, Agnes Vobora does office work at the Chevrolet Garage.  Dorothy Prochazka is employed at Kern’s Drug Store; Marion Wetzel at Lewerenz’s Café.  Ruth Turner and Delores Rose are employed at Truax Flying Field canteen; June Bender and Elaine Brown work at the Condensary.

Dorothea Schaub, Martha Erpenbach and Marcella Hansen plan to take nurses training.

Boys who aren’t in the service or farming are: Gerald Anderson at canning factory in Lake Mills; Norman White, candy factory in Chicago; Louis Paun, driving gravel truck; Henry Naedler, at Milk Pool and John Zdun, driving his father’s milk truck.

Elmer L. Bender has been chosen to receive a certificate of recognition as outstanding farmer at the State Fair.  Bender had moved to his 71-acre farm in the Town of Lynn about 18 years ago.  The land had been logged years before, but had not been stumped and had no buildings.

Bender’s first job was to build a house and basement barn. The house, now completed is one of the finest in that area.  Other buildings have been added through the years.

Bender’s dairy herd consists of 20 Brown Swiss, 12 of them milking.  The farm also has a flock of 12 sheep, two brood sows, 75 laying hens and 200 chicks.  Farm work is done with a fine line of modern machinery and tools.

Mrs. Bender is the former Agnes Hohlenbach.  There are three children; Merlin, who graduated from the Granton High School; a daughter, Joan; and a young son, Roger.

For this recognition, the Bender family was chosen from a large number of worthy local farmers, whose names were submitted by the Granton High School’s Future Farmers Chapter.  The chapter meeting was held on July 8 presided under the direction of the new Ag teacher, Neilus Larson, at which time the final selection for outstanding farmer was made.

Harvey Bushnell is the new A&P Store manager in Neillsville.  Formerly of Stevens Point, he will succeed Martin Bohm.  Bohm has sold his house at 283 South Grand Ave. to Carl Gassen.

The last chance for local people to sign up for canning sugar will be next week at the Neillsville High School gymnasium room.  At that time registration for the extra allotment of 15 pounds of sugar per person may be made. Registration will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The 15 pounds per person to be thus arranged for is in addition to the ten pounds provided by stamps 15 and 16 in Book One.

Walter Keohane will be the new director of the Neillsville High School band, succeeding Richard Becker.  Keohane comes here from Wautoma where he was band director for eight years.

Mrs. Otto Zaeske will teach English and Latin in the high school.  All positions are now filled for the coming school year.

Hart’s South Side Grocery is paying highest prices for eggs, 35¢ per dozen, cash.  They are also buying live chickens and Leghorn Springs, 25¢ lb., heavy hens, 21¢ lb., heavy springs, 26¢ lb. and heavy roosters, 18¢ lb.

Gustman’s Jack Sprat Food Store Specials – Mayflower Brand Soda Crackers or Graham Crackers, 2 lb. box 23¢; Mason Jars, quarts, dozen 69¢.

McCain’s in Neillsville will hold an After-Inventory Sale this weekend.  Half-Off on 17 Suits of all wool and wool mixture, values up to $27.50 will be sold from $6.50 up to $12.50, sizes 12 to 20.

Many fine Suit Dresses and two-piece Dresses, of odd sizes, will be sold with values from $5.95 to $8.95 for $3.95 to $6.95.

Also, all Ladies’ Hats are 50¢ each.

Free Dance at the Stables Nite Club on Saturday, July 24 with music by the Dux Orchestra.  (The Stables Nite Club, since remodeled, is now the Wildcat Inn. D.Z.)

*Denotes an error in the text.  We have contacted Dee for a correction.

A group of young men had their photo taken at Juve Photography of Neillsville about the turn of the century. 

(Photo from the George Schultz Family Collection)

A rustic hunting shack, commonly seen in the early 1900s