Clark County Press, Neillsville,

March 17, 2004, Page 16

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

 

March 1884

 

The big bridge over Black River, in the Town of Weston, was finished this week.  Mr. C. B. Bradshaw has had a crew of men working on the job all winter.  In spite of extreme cold, snow and other obstacles of a serious character to overcome, the structure has durability, strength and symmetry.  The Town of Weston may well be proud to possess such a fine bridge.

••••••••••

The new Presbyterian Church, at Nasonville, Wood County, will be dedicated on Sunday March 9th.  The services will begin at two o’clock p.m. with Rev. F. P. Baker, of Marshfield and Rev. J. W. Sanderson, of Milwaukee, conducting the services.  On the following Sunday, March 16, Rev. W. T. Hendren, of Neillsville, will preach in the same church at eleven o’clock in the forenoon.

••••••••••

A young man, 16 or 18 years old, strong and willing to work, is wanted at the Neillsville Marble Works, opposite the Raddan House, to learn the marble-cutters trade.

 

Hans & Schmidt are proprietors of the Neillsville Marble Works, manufacturers and dealers in marble and granite monuments, headstones, cut stones, wash stands, mantels, table tops and other fine carving specialties.

••••••••••

The following news, from a Loyal source, relates to a notable donation:

 

“One of the most enjoyable occasions that yet has been our privilege to witness came off at the York Center Church the other evening.  At an early hour, people began to come in from all directions and not less than 10 or 20 teams of horses that could not find stable room were tied to posts and fences.  Many donations were brought in.  Not less than 160 persons must have eaten and drank at the tables.  Oysters were served in great abundance. The net proceeds from the table, candy and nut stand, amounted to $80.  That amount was applied on G. N. Foster’s salary as pastor of the Loyal and York Center circuit, who has been laboring so efficiently recently at the above named places.  Not less than 70 persons through his instrumentality have united with the church.  The church at York Center has been cleared from debt and was dedicated but a short time ago.”

••••••••••

The Clark County Courthouse is to be entirely repainted this season, the figurine goddess, roof and all the outside wood-work.  J. H. Calway has the job, to be paid $150.

••••••••••

Early this week, Mr. David Hammel and wife, of Appleton, and their three sons, parents and brothers of Mr. Joseph Hammel, of J. Hammel & Co., came to Neillsville.  Mrs. Baruch, accompanied by Rabbi Isaac Moses, of Milwaukee, also came here.  On Tuesday, the Jewish rite of circumcision took place at the Hammel residence, their infant son being regularly and formally introduced into the Jewish Church.  The celebration of this rite, by the Jewish people, is made an occasion of great rejoicing and festivities.  The visitors remained here for several days.

 

Mrs. John S .Dore with family; starts today for California to join Mr. Dore.  The Dore homestead, in the Town of Grant, has been purchased by Ring & Youmans.  It is a fine piece of property, in one of the best farming localities of Clark County.

••••••••••

The foundry and machine shop, of W. W. Taplin, caught fire in the roof of the molding room, Monday.  The fire was noticed by Mr. Leason, who gave the alarm.  Responding neighbors assisted “Tap” in nipping the fire in the bud.

••••••••••

Mr. William Westfall and Miss Charlotte Shummel, both of Neillsville, were married on Tuesday, March 25th, 1884, by Rev. Mr. Brothers.

••••••••••

The dance at Fireman’s Hall, Monday evening, was in honor of a very dead gentleman of the 5th century the hero of a piece of music known to this day as St. Patrick’s “Day in the Morning.”  He was a distinguished missionary and is commonly called the Apostle of Ireland.  The year of his birth is said to be 387, the place being Bonavem Tbernia, where his father ran a farm.  Succat was his cog-nomination, Patricius being his ecclesiastical nom de plume.  When 16 years old he was sandbagged; at the old gentleman’s place of business by pirates who carried him to Ireland and sold him to a chief.  The chief kept him until he was 22 years old.  He finally escaped to France and got religion then turned monk at Tours.  In 430, he went to Rome, receiving an appointment on the Irish circuit, where he was eminently successful in bringing something like social order out of chaos.  Pope Celestine was largely indebted to him for the solid Irish vote.  He took in all sections of the Irish continent and converted great numbers of people.  Latest reports agree that he founded 365 churches and baptized with his own hands 12,000 persons.  He fairly painted the country red for 20 years and then took a homestead at Armagho in 459.  He died at a place called Save, not far from Downpatrick, where his relics were shown ante-reformation tourists.  He died, but as nobody can give the exact date, we will only say that it was some time during the last half of the 5th century.

 

March 1934

 

Louis E. Bulgrin, member of the Owen Rifle Club, is the National Rifle Association’s champion for 1934 in the individual prone match 50 feet competition, according to a report issued by the National Association.  Bulgrin was tied with nine other sharpshooters from throughout the United States with perfect scores in 400 shots.  In the shoot-off, Bulgrin marked up another 100 bulls-eyes to win the gold medal and first place.

••••••••••

Some of the visitors at Lake Arbutus, when the water was low, may have seen lying on an island near the moth (mouth) of East Fork, an old marble slab which was once a headstone of the grave of James Spires.  The gravesite is usually covered by the waters of the lake.

 

Some 60 years ago, James Spires, a young man working as a log driver, was drowned near this spot and his companions buried him by the river. Later, on reaching La Crosse, the crew joined in purchasing a headstone and had it set at the grave.

 

On March 2nd, Tom Glendenning, perhaps the only survivor of that driving crew, passed away at his home near Boyd, aged 82, being buried Monday at Alma Center.

••••••••••

Last Sunday was far from a day of rest at the Neillsville Hospital with five major operations being performed there that day, three of them being emergency cases.  It was the heaviest day’s work since the hospital opened.

 

Dr. H. F. Derge had driven over from Eau Claire to assist Dr. H. W. Housley in operating on Mrs. Clarence Hell for appendicitis and Clarence Riedel of the Town of Lynn for hernia.  While these operations were in progress, Clayton Bassett, of Greenwood, route 1, was brought in suffering from appendicitis, followed by Clara Aumann, aged 9, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Aumann of Pine Valley and Lorraine Holub, aged 4, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ladd Holub of Levis, both suffering acutely with appendicitis.

 

The two surgeons and the nurses worked at top speed until all of the patients had been operated on.

 

At present, all patients are apparently doing well although the little Holub girl is still in a critical condition.

••••••••••

Farmers buying hay through the Neillsville market used 135 cars during January and February, according to figures obtained from E. H. Wry, depot agent.  This averages 17 cars a week or 204 tons of hay weekly.  Hay is selling between $14 and $16.50 a ton, making the total hay bill for this community more than $2,800 per week, or in excess of $22,680 for January and February.

 

Large amounts of hay are being distributed from the Granton market and other communities in the county. 

 

In addition to the hay being shipped in, large amounts of other feeds are being bought for farm use, owing to the shortages resulting from the drought of last year.

••••••••••

Piling up one of the most decisive series of victories ever made by a local basketball team in tournament play, Neillsville High School last week, romped through the Abbotsford competition.  They wound up in a dazzling finish Saturday night by winning the championship against Abbotsford, 29 to 17.  At no time during the tournament was Neillsville closely pressed and from the first appearance of the team in action, the experts predicted Coach Anderson’s aces would come through with the championship.

 

Neillsville’s first game was with Loyal which it won 36 to 17, followed by the semi-final with Owen, 25 to 7.  Owen scored only one field goal during the game.  Apparently Clark County’s brand of basketball is superior to that played by its neighboring counties, all three first placers going to cities in this county, Neillsville, Abbotsford and Loyal.

 

Besides winning first place team honors, the boys won high individual honors, five of them being placed on the first and second all-conference teams, the awards being made before the spectators after the championship game.  The first all-tournament team, chosen by the coaches of competing teams and officials, was composed of Mitchell White Rabbit, of Neillsville, forward; Yank, Westboro, forward; Harold Feirn, Neillsville, center; Mittlesteadt, Abbotsford, at guard; Crow, Rib Lake, guard.  Those named for second team honors were Benz, Abbotsford, forward; Stofflet, Auburndale, forward; Hugh Horswill, Neillsville, center; Oluf Olson, Neillsville, guard; Lowell Schoengarth of Neillsville, guard.

 

Having won the district tournament, Neillsville now goes to Madison to enter the tournament for the Class B championship of the state, the first game to be played Monday against Brodhead.  The state tournament ends March 29.  The class B teams and Monday’s schedule follows:

 

Mayville – White Lake; Kewanee – Washburn; Iola – St. Croix Falls; De Pere – Spring Valley; Delavan – Niagra; Brooklyn – New Lisbon; Brodhead – Neillsville; and Altoona – Mineral Point

 

Champion members of the Neillsville basketball team are: Harold Feirn, Mitchell White Rabbit, Hugh Horswill, Oluf Olson, Lowell Schoengarth, Clifford Arndt, Harley Jake, Carroll Shield and Murray White Rabbit.

 

After an impressive 24 to 19 victory over Brodhead, Neillsville later lost to Altoona in an overtime thriller, 21 to 19.

••••••••••

A supper will be given at the Ridge Church on Thursday evening, starting at 5 o’clock and continuing until all are served.  Besides oyster stew there will be a variety of sandwiches and cakes, along with coffee, pickles and cheese.  The proceeds will go to buy dishes for the church.

••••••••••

John Davis, a resident of the Town of Fremont, for more than 25 years, died at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield March 4.

 

John Davis was born at Plainfield, Wis., Jan. 14, 1866.  Later, the family moved to Jordan, where he grew to manhood.

 

March 29, 1891, he was united in marriage with Miss Bessie Oatman.  They moved on a farm near Shanty Town where he worked in the lumber camps in the winter.  In the summer, he worked in the saw mills and did some farm work.

 

In 1908, they moved to Chili and bought 80 acres of timberland, which Mr. Davis cleared and made into an ideal farm home. 

 

He was always a good neighbor, kind husband and father.  He was an active member of the Presbyterian Church at Nasonville, where he will be greatly missed.

 

Funeral services were held at the Nasonville Presbyterian Church on March 6 at two o’clock p.m.  Rev. W. M. Dawson officiated.  Burial took place at the Yolo cemetery, west of Chili, where Mrs. Davis is buried.

••••••••••

Fire of an unknown origin, which was discovered at 2 a.m. Wednesday by George Hoffman, night clerk, destroyed the Campbell Hotel, next to the depot at Merrillan.  This information was received this morning from Arthur Kearney, store-keeper of that city and a member of the fire department.  Firemen from Merrillan, Black River Falls and Alma Center worked all night to protect adjoining buildings.  Fortunately, there was no wind and they were able to confine the blaze to the hotel.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Helbling, owners, the night clerk and four other employees, the Misses Vera Ray, Evelyn Helbling, Ruth Olson and Marian Erickson, were in the building at the time the fire was discovered and all fled in their night clothes.

 

Mr. Helbling has been the owner of the hotel about 10 years, according to Cy Bartlett of this city, formerly of Merrillan.  The hotel structure was erected in 1894, by West Snow who came to Merrillan from Whitehall.  In about 1900, the Campbell brothers purchased the property and made extensive alterations to the hotel.  It was one of Merrillan’s best known landmarks, having been patronized by thousands of the traveling public.  It was unofficially estimated that the loss would amount to $10,000 or more.

••••••••••

The J. W. Kearns drug store is being moved this week to the Kearns building, two doors south of the present location, where new fixtures and equipment will make the new pharmacy an exceptionally fine addition to the city’s business section.

 

New, modern show-cases and the latest type of soda fountain are being installed.  An expert store designer, Edmond Gross is in charge of the project, being assisted by Wallace Johnson.

••••••••••

Saturday, as Jesse Schultz was moving from the Embke farm, in West Pine Valley, to the W. J. Davis farm north of Granton, one of his horses fell sick near the S. F. Hewett farm, in Neillsville.  In the excitement over the sick horse, some of the cattle that were being driven, got scattered by; later were rounded up at the stockyards.  The sick horse died Sunday.  Mr. Schultz secured another horse from Svirnoff’s and proceeded on to Granton.  The loss of the fine horse is a serious one for Mr. Schultz. 

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An early Hewett Street, Neillsville scene near the Seventh Street intersection looking south.  It was during the days of boardwalks, utility poles along the walks and horse-and-buggy transportation.

 

 


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