Clark County Press, Neillsville,

February 22, 2006, Page 12

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

 

Clark County News

February 1896

 

The old sawmill, south of McMahon’s corner in the Greenwood area and owned be (by) Jack Farning, was totally destroyed by fire last Friday night.  The mill had been running that day and the fire supposedly caught from a smoldering spark.  There was no insurance and it probably will not be rebuilt.

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A number of farmers in the West Weston area have been hauling hardwood logs to the Foster railroad.

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Many admire Doc Barry, who took a trip five miles beyond the turnpike, where he had to get out and lift his cutter over fallen trees to continue on the route to reach a patient.  He lost areas of skin in doing so.  But go he will when he’s called, even though the last bit of varnish may get scraped off his Portland Cutter in the process.

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Sam Cook has bought eighty acres of timberland in the Town of Washburn and is now busy drawing oak logs to Wren’s sawmill.  He must be preparing for a wife.

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The funeral service of Mrs. Riley Thomas, who died Thursday night, was held Sunday, 2 p.m. at the Houghtonburg schoolhouse in the Humbird community.  Rev. Seglico officiated at the service.  Mrs. Thomas was an excellent woman and member of the F. M. Church.  She leaves a husband and one daughter, Mrs. R. Bass, of Humbird to mourn her loss.

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A meeting of farmers of Levis and southern Pine Valley was held in the town hall Tuesday to arrange with a Green County party to have a cheese factory here.

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A number of women gathered at the home of Mrs. Minnie Kurth, of Pleasant Ridge on Friday, Feb. 14, to sew carpet rags.  It was Minnie’s fifty-eighth birthday.

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The coming summer will close the operations of John Hein’s stave mill at this point.  The mill will be moved to some point where the timber he uses is nearer at hand, probably to the northern part of the state.  Mr. Hein has a large brick store, a modern residence, and several tenements, having operated here since the early 1880s.  There is a spur track to his mill, and it is a valuable site for a big factory.  How would it do to the city to buy it and offer it as a bonus to some manufacturing establishment to locate here?

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Otto Neverman met with a mishap last week near Hein’s mill in the Town of York, which nearly cost him his spinal column.  He was piloting a load of logs through the dim forest.  When passing under a tree, he laid flat on his load to dodge a limb, but the forward bobs on his sled went up a little, and the limb caught him.  The limb rolled him to the back end of the load, where he fell to the hard unyielding earth, nearly breaking his back.  He was helped to shelter, in much pain, but glad no bones were cracked.  He is now much better, nearly fully recovered.

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Judging by the vast quantity of logs hauled to market this winter, the oak tint of autumn leaves will soon be minus in our forest scenery.  We question the long-headedness of this slaughter of forests.  Still, as a rule, each generation works out its own salvation with but little thought for the next.

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Senator C. A. Youmans, of this city and Assemblyman Joseph Marsh of Spokeville, went to Madison Monday to be in attendance at the extra session of the State Legislature.

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Springs that have heretofore never failed are failing this winter, which shows a dryness of Mother Earth that nothing but a phenomenal soaking can overcome.  Shall we trust to luck, or irrigate?

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Mr. Herman Newman of Reedstown and Jennie V. Lloyd of the Town of Loyal were united in the bonds of matrimony, last Wednesday evening at York Center.  The ceremony took place at the residence of Al Turner and wife, relatives of the bride.  Rev. Hoffman officiated at the ceremony.

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Geo. L. Lloyd and family have moved into their beautiful new home in the northeastern section of Neillsville.  It is a model in particular; heated with hot water, built of pressed brick, finished inside in hard woods, plastered with adamant, furnished with delightfully large bay windows, and porches.  The cellar has cement floors, brick partitions, with substantial doors, built-in shelving and such fineries.  It is a home that old Vanderbilt might live in and feel proud.

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Marshfield is, at an expense of a few hundred dollars, getting well water enough to fill a pond and supply as much water as the city can use.  It is good clear well water, too.

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The two-step dance practice party, Monday night, was a large one.  It will be repeated after the Service Company drill next Monday night.  The awkwardness of the two-step is wearing off.

 

What an inconsistent world this is, to be sure!  We heard a man the other day that does not hesitate to tell profane stories, yet condemns dancing in unmeasured terms.

 

February 1931

 

Wallace Bros., who bought the O’Brien farm five miles southwest of Neillsville, will build a saw mill there, about 34 x 60 feet in size.  They are now prepared to saw logs for themselves and will do custom work that comes in. 

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The Teachers’ Training Course in the Neillsville High School would be abolished under Gov. Phil LaFollette’s budget program, which is before the legislature for consideration.  The governor has taken the action following the report of the interim committee on education, that there is multiplicity of teachers’ training schools in the state.

 

Under the present system, the schools receive $25,000 state aid for the support of its training course.  This has been regarded as a great benefit to the young people of the community who would, in many instances, be unable to become teachers because of the cost of training away from home.  There are 14 high schools in the state besides the institutions here, giving teachers’ training.  The nearest city to have a similar course is Black River Falls.

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A cardinal, a rare bird to this latitude, was seen on the grape arbor at the James Musil home, last Friday.  It is a brilliant red bird and rarely seen north of southern Indiana and Illinois.

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Alvin Ehlers, of Greenwood, is the owner of a new 3-ton truck.  He now has three trucks in operation, all to be used for hauling milk.

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St. John’s Church, of Neillsville, held its quarterly meeting Sunday.  Nine voting members were accepted.  The Treasurer’s report showed $196 in Sunday collections for the past three months.

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Charles Poole has been doing the painting and decorating in May and Ruchaber’s new store.  The interior has rapidly taken on a new and attractive appearance.

 

May & Ruchaber are moving their grocery business into the Dewhurst building.  Most of the stock is now in place, along with the icebox for the meat department.  The new store is a model of modern merchandising practices.  The owners are to be congratulated upon their progressiveness in providing such facilities for a city of this size.

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The Railway Express office will be moved from the building owned by Mrs. Geo. Hart to the railroad station March 1, as was announced by railroad officials this week.  This move ends the uptown express business, which has been conducted in the Hart building for 40 years.  Mrs. Hart said she and Mr. Hart ran the business for 28 years.  M. H. Zilisch has conducted the office for the past 12 years, since Mr. Hart’s death.  The first express office was run by A. F. Lee in an office where the Schroeder shoe shop now stands, Mr. Hart said.  Mr. Zilisch will have charge of the office at the depot.

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George D. Schultz, one of the oldest settlers in southern Clark County, died suddenly at his farm home near Dells Dam, Feb. 12, aged 81 years.  Although advanced in years, he had been in excellent health and had continued to assist in doing chores and lighter work about the farm.  He went out to the barn to help milk after supper and shortly after was found dead, at the barn.

 

Mr. Schultz was born in Buffalo, N.Y., Aug. 18, 1849, being the son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Schultz.  In 1853, the family came to Wisconsin, staying one winter in Milwaukee and then moving to a farm near Mayville, in Dodge County.  There, George Schultz grew to manhood.  In 1870, at the age of 21, he came to Clark County, working in lumber camps on Black River and Cunningham Creek during the winters, returning home in the summer.  On July 4, 1878, he was married in the Town of Levis to Miss Mary Leopold, who survives him.  He worked in the woods and on the river for 17 years, becoming foreman for the Black River Improvement Co.  He was placed in charge of Dells Dam, which was used as a flood dam for log driving, and held that position for 25 years.

 

Soon after his marriage, he bought some wild land close to Dells Dam, which he cleared up from time to time and erected buildings, making it into a comfortable farm home.  During the years he was employed at Dells Dam, he was one of the best-known men in Clark County.  From La Crosse to the headwaters of Black River, all the woodsmen and river-men knew him and held him in high regard.  He was an authority on the questions of logging and log-driving, was efficient in handling men and getting the work done.  He took an active interest in local affairs, serving on the town board and school board for many years.  Mr. Schultz was one of the oldest members of Neillsville Odd Fellow Lodge, having been a member about 40 years.

 

Besides his wife, he leaves five children: Florence, Mrs. Arne Bakken; Mrs. Hattie Blencoe, and Hazel, Mrs. Tony Hantke, all of Neillsville; Philip of Hatfield, and Guy on the home farm.  Bessie, Mrs. F. Abend, died in December 1928, and Ocscar (Oscar) was killed by a falling tree on Feb. 4, 1904.  The deceased leaves also four grandchildren; Bernard Abend, Marion Bakken, Betty Hantke and Duane Schultz.

 

The funeral was held Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Hantke with Rev. Paul White officiating and the Neillsville Odd Fellows also took part in the ceremony.  A mixed quartet consisting of Mrs. Louis Lautenbach, Mrs. Curtis Powell, Walter Lynch and Carl Opelt furnished appropriate music.

 

Burial took place in the family lot of Dells Dam cemetery.

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Tibbett Ice & Fuel Co. will be cutting ice for any farmers having icehouses to fill, starting Feb. 16th.  Call 292 for prices on picking up your ice order on the pond or if you want delivery.

••••••••••

The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Line is offering an Excursion to the Twin Cities over Washington’s Birthday.  The round trip fare from Neillsville will be $3.90.  Tickets will be on sale for trains leaving Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 21.  The fare will be good to return on all trains leaving the Twin Cities before midnight, Feb. 23.  Tickets will be good in coaches only, no baggage will be checked and the usual reduction will be made for children.  Ask the local Depot Agent for particulars about this first excursion of the year.

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J. F. Zilk, the Standard Oil Man, recently purchased from C. R. Sturdevant, the corner lot at the south end of Hewett Street on Highways 10, 95 and 73.  W. J. Landry and family now occupy the house on the lot.

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Dr. Johnson of Abbotsford, for 35 years was a practicing physician in that village and along the Soo Line for many miles, died last week at the age of 69.  The funeral was held at the Abbotsford Armory, Sunday under the auspices of the Masonic bodies.  A large delegation of Masons from Neillsville attended.  They reported a very large funeral, some estimating that nearly 2000 persons attended.

••••••••••

January was decidedly warmer and considerably drier than usual, with much less than the normal amount of sunshine.  There was considerable cloudiness.  It was the warmest January since the Climatological Service was established in 1891.  As compared to January of 1929, it was 15 degrees warmer.  With the exception of a few brief cold spells, temperatures were high almost continuously over the entire state.

 

While the weather of the month was unusually favorable for outdoor occupations the scant snow cover on fields during most of the month in central and southern portions of the State was very unfavorable for winter grains and grasses.  The sub-soil moisture continued greatly deficient.  Livestock wintered well; the mild weather resulted in material saving of feed.  Ice on small lakes and streams has been much less than usual thickness and harvesting of it was delayed.  Lake Michigan was exceptionally free of ice.  Lumbering in northern counties was delayed because of lack of snow.

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Last week, C. D. Bollom purchased the meat market from Wm. Betz and took possession Monday morning.  Mr. Bollom has been in the meat and grocery business for a good many years.  For five years, he was located in Owen and one year in Greenwood.

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R. H. Welsh, Neillsville’s dealer in the new Chevrolet Six automobile and six-cylinder trucks, announces new trucks priced from $355 to $695.  During the past 20 years, the American public has purchased 4,883,865 Chevrolet cars.  Seventy-two per cent of these are still in active service.

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A number of Neillsville men have cut and hauled in logs, from the countryside, to be used for fuel.  On Saturday, three wood saws could be heard running on the North Side.

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Wisconsin Trivia

Q. What is the Wisconsin state flower?

A. The wood violet.

€€€€€€€€€€€

 

 

The Slocomb (shows Slocum on the photo) Bridge, which spanned the Black River on Neillsville’s west side, was constructed during the 1930s.  Also at that time, Highway 10 was improved with new grading and a concrete surface from Neillsville to Fairchild.

 

 


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