Clark County Press, Neillsville,

December 8, 2004, Page 13

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

December 1874

 

C. M. Miller and O. P. Wells have purchased the Greenwood stage line formerly operated by Wm. Begley and propose running a daily stage and mail delivery between Neillsville and Greenwood.  On and after Monday, Dec. 1st, stages will leave Neillsville at 7 a.m., arriving at Greenwood at 10 a.m.  Stages will leave Greenwood at 1 p.m. and arrive in Neillsville at 4 p.m.

 

This arrangement is one of great convenience to the traveling public and entitles the gentlemen who have undertaken the enterprise, a thanks from all.

••••••••••

Dr. J. C. Lacey’s medicinal preparations are giving universal satisfaction to all who have given them a trial.  They are “Lacey’s Alterative Bitters,” “Lacey’s Magnetic Liniment,” and “Lacey’s Condition Powders.”  These medicines are just what they are recommended to be and are worthy of trial by all who have occasion to use anything of the kind.  His condition powders are pronounced the best in use.  He is also manufacturing a preparation for the hair, which is not excelled in the market.  Try Lacey’s “Coating for the Hair,” and avoid the expenses of a wig in later days.

••••••••••

We can’t boast of snow, quite a number of sleighs have been seen on the streets during the past week.  George Hubbell, of Greenwood and several men in Neillsville are praying for more snow.

••••••••••

The Neillsville Graded School has now been in operation for one month and has given more than satisfaction to all.  In the choice of Mr. Miller as principal, the board was most fortunate.  The same is true in relation to the teachers that were selected.

 

The school bell, now in use in this village, is not in keeping with the building and should be suppressed.  Nothing short of a genuine Troy bell should be allowed to swing in that belfry.  A bell of that kind, weighing 200 lbs. can be brought to the door of the school building for about $200.

••••••••••

Mrs. James Reddan will give an Oyster Supper at her residence Wednesday evening for the benefit of Rev. W. T. Hendren.  Supper will be served at 10 p.m., for $1.00 per couple, or as much more as anyone feels anxious to give.  Husbands, bring your wives; young men, your lady-loves; and old bachelors, your bosom companions.  Plan to have a good old fashioned time.

••••••••••

Boys, go to Crandall’s store and look at those hand-sleds; then, get your dad to go with you and look them over together.  Use all honorable means to convince him that the peace of the family depends upon the purchase of one or more of those vehicles.  If successful, pray for snow and if your prayers are answered, you’ll be “fixed” for winter.

••••••••••

Mrs. Bella French, editor of the American Sketch Book, is now in town preparatory to writing up the history of Neillsville and its surroundings, should sufficient inducements be offered to warrant the undertaking.

 

The Sketch Book is a neatly printed monthly publication containing from 40 to 60 pages, partly devoted to the description of some city or town.  The remaining pages are filled with choice literary matter.

 

Mr. James O’Neill will write the sketch of Neillsville and its surroundings, giving a complete history of the place from the early date when he came here, a young man, to brave the solitude and hardships of frontier life.  Perfectly familiar with all that has transpired in this vicinity for the past 30 years, there is no other person in the county so well calculated to perform what he has kindly consented to undertake.  Mr. O’Neill has a true appreciation of all phases of life and we may reasonably expect something interesting from his pen.

••••••••••

Remember the Christmas dance at Humbird.  Ren is preparing for a big turnout and a big time generally. Its fun that Ren’s after and that’s no humbug.  The cost, including supper, is two dollars.

••••••••••

H. D. Eyerly has leased the Sash, Door and Blind factory of Mr. Gallaher and will commence operations in that line next Monday.  Mr. Eyerly possesses the energy and ability necessary for a successful prosecution of that, or any other business requiring mechanical skill.  He will build up a business that will be an advantage to the town.

••••••••••

The committee, appointed by the Clark County Board, to procure and adopt a plan for the new Court House to be built in this village, also to superintend the same, met at the Court House last Saturday.  The plan adopted was furnished by Mr. C. J. Ross, of La Crosse, one of the best architects in the Northwest.  The building will be 96 feet in length by 64 feet in width and two stories above the basement.  There will be six large offices, two private offices and four vaults on the first floor.  The courtroom, sheriff’s office and one jury room will occupy the second floor. The outward appearance of the building, judging from the sketch on exhibition will be very fine.  It will be an ornament to the village of Neillsville and a credit to Clark County.

 

December 1934

 

With 500 telephone poles down as a result of the sleet storm last Wednesday, Badger State and Telegraph Company crews are working at top speed to repair the damage.  The sleet storm area extends for many miles east and northeast of Neillsville.  Little or no damage was reported west of the city.  The loss suffered by the telephone company is the most serious in years, but at the pace the men are setting in restoring the lines, the damage will be repaired within a short time.

••••••••••

Able Harding, of this city who was deer hunting 30 miles north of Eagle River, returned home Thursday with a fine 175 pound buck.  The buck has a short black mane like a horse and a black stripe down the back.  He reports the snow was 16 inches on the level when he left and the deer were plentiful.

••••••••••

The heavy snowstorm Sunday night blocked the north and south roads so badly, that in most placed it was impossible for cars to get through. Highway Commissioner Otto Weyhmiller got his crew on the job early and by 9 p.m. all roads were plowed out. As most of our storms come from the north and west, the snow fencing is placed to the take care of the storms blowing from those directions.  Sunday night’s storm turned tables and poured large drifts into the county roads, thus making the snow fencing useless during this particular storm.  If the heavy snows continue, it will be necessary to use the caterpillar plows.

 

 

Do you remember winter’s snow-covered roads of the 1930s thru the 1950s?  Those were the days when, as a farm resident, you waited until a snowplow came to remove the snow on the road past your home, before you could drive your car anywhere.  As the above scene of Pray Road shows, the roads were narrow with shallow ditches and possibly had trees growing along the edge of the roadways.  (Photo courtesy of Charlotte Drescher’s family collection)

••••••••••

Archie Van Gorden and family attended the funeral of his grandfather, S. H. Van Gorden, at Hixton, Sunday, where the body was laid to rest.  Mr. Van Gorden was 82 years of age and leaves surviving him, three sons and two daughters, eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

 

He had long been a prominent and active business man, the founder of the Van Gorden and Sons merchandise and feed stores.  He held the honor of starting the first creamery in Wisconsin, near the city of Milwaukee.

••••••••••

The Schultz Bros. Store, this week, will begin work on a chute to replace the elevator at the rear of the store, thus adding to the floor space. The chute will run to the basement from the outer edge of the sidewalk on Hewett Street and will be equipped with steel tracks so freight can be conveniently unloaded without entering the building.  John Moen is the contractor for the job.

••••••••••

At the weekly card party at St. Mary’s Church hall, Monday evening, the following were prize winners: Mrs. Ed Hauge and Clarence Gangler at bridge; Wm. A. Campman and Mrs. Frank Kunce at 500 and Mrs. Adolph Schaub and Frank Sonentag at the Schafskopf (sheepshead) game.  These parties are well attended and greatly enjoyed by the public.

••••••••••

Sixth grade girls at the South Side School have organized a sewing club under the supervision of their teacher, Miss Tucker.  The first meeting of the W. W. W. club was held at the home of Marcia Russell, Wednesday from 4 to 6 in the afternoon.  The time was very enjoyably spent.

••••••••••

The front of the new Adler Theater has been completed and is receiving many compliments.  Many changes and improvements have been made in the interior, costing a large sum, which gives Neillsville one of the finest movie houses in the state.

••••••••••

Mrs. Mary L. Fradette, 88, a pioneer resident of Clark County, died December 13, at the home of her son, James H. Fradette, in Neillsville, where she made her home the past year. About three weeks ago, Mrs. Fradette fell, breaking her hip and it is believed that the shock of the fall, with the complications resulting from old age, were the causes of death.

 

Mrs. Fradette, nee Fusee, was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, January 18, 1846.  She was married to Augustus F. Fradette, in Northumberland, Ontario, on November 22, 1867.  She came with her husband to the United States in 1869, settling in the state of Michigan.

 

In 1875, with her husband and family, she moved to Wisconsin, taking up a farmstead in the Town of Warner, Clark County, on which they made their residence until 1901.  Leaving the farm, they moved to Greenwood.  Her husband died there in December 1910.  In 1923, she left this community, going to Toulon, Ill., where she made her residence with her son.

 

Eight children were born of the marriage union, five of whom are living: Mrs. Adelaide Twichell, Trenton, Mich.; Mrs. Lottie Alliston, Chicago, Ill.; Mrs. Bessie Burch, Toulon, Ill., Herbert W., Town of York and James H., Neillsville.

 

She is also survived by two sisters; Mrs. Jeanette Bahel, Otsego, Mich., Mrs. Emma Engel, Trent, Mich. and a brother James Fusee, Sheboygan, Mich.  In addition there are 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren living.

 

Funeral services were held on Saturday afternoon, at 12:30 p.m. from the Schiller funeral home with burial taking place in the Greenwood city cemetery.

••••••••••

A request came before the Neillsville Kiwanis Club, Monday noon, asking support for the plan to have business places, in Neillsville, close at six p.m. on Christmas Eve.  The members appeared averse to adopting any resolution that might appear dictatorial, but finally adopted the following: “In view of the request, for our opinion as to business places closing Christmas Eve at 6 p.m., we will agree to do our trading before such hour, so as to permit business places in Neillsville to close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.”

••••••••••

President Peters called upon A. L. Devos, to present to Robert Dahnert, the cup purchased by the Club as a prize for the best essay, which was read before the Kiwanis Club November 26.  This essay has been entered in the state Contest, in which the winner will be given a prize.  He will also receive a free trip to Milwaukee to read the winning essay before the mid-winter Kiwanis Convention.

 

Club visitors were Fred Barr of the Town of Eaton, L. H. Howard and Rev. G. W. Longenecker, Neillsville.

••••••••••

The Keller Brothers, who will promote a number of amateur boxing matches at the Silver Dome Ballroom, beginning December 28, have fitted up a public gymnasium in the basement of Johnson’s pool hall.  There, fighters and any one else can workout, either at boxing or on the physical culture equipment.  A small monthly membership charge is to be made.

••••••••••

A large amount of limestone was unloaded at various points in Clark County, the first of the week.  Four carloads at Neillsville, 5 carloads at Dorchester, 1 carload at Stanley and 2 carloads at each of the following towns: Eidsvold, Thorp, Curtiss, Loyal and Humbird.  The work of unloading 11 cars of limestone at Greenwood was also completed this week.  This one item alone requires a vast amount of work for the Clark County Agent’s office.

••••••••••

A few months ago, Jake Hoesly talked the matter over with his Boy Scouts, proposing to Mayor Stelloh that a skating rink be established here where children could skate in safety.  The work, which was started and abandoned for a time, was resumed last week and is now ready to flood with water.  Several attempts to flood the rink have been made, but the water has refused to freeze.  As soon as the weather turns colder, the rink will be made ready for skating use.

 

A further motion was made and passed, asking the City Council to have a skating space cleaned on the pond and kept clean, it being reported by Mayor Stelloh that there was a possibility of relief work being available for that purpose.

 

On account of complaints against the cost of the project, a large part of the lot will not be graded for rink purposes.

••••••••••

Twelve residents of Clark County were naturalized in circuit court before Judge E. W. Crosby, C. R. Berg, naturalization examiner of St. Paul, conducting the examination.  Those who became citizens are: Martin Ryczes, Anna Ryczez, Paul Robert Spaete, John Lato, John Popovich, Walter Voightlander, Wincenty Grzegorzerski, Stanislaw Kalita, Herbert Wilhelm Holdt, Anna Berglio Asbakken Olafson, Harold Asbakken Olafson and John Pernich.

••••••••••

Chapman’s Grill will serve roast turkey, roast duck and roast chicken, Saturday, December 22, from 6 p.m. to 12 p.m.

••••••••••

This is your last chance to buy fine quality New York Imperial and Ben Davis apples for $1.25 per bushel at Van Gorden & Sons mill.

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