Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

April 30, 2008, Page 10

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled and contributed by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

April 1883

 

Mr. Howard, of Pleasant Ridge, expects to clear five acres on his land near Cunningham Creek this spring.  That is a very good idea.  The more land clearing, the better.

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Clark County Clerk Chas. F. Grow has taken possession of the residence attached to the jail at the courthouse and will supply the prisoners with food at the rate fixed upon by the Clark County Board.  The rent Grow offered to pay the county made it very desirable for the county to accept.

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Early this week, the Dells Dam gates on the Black River were all carried away by the flood and it was by the merest good luck that the nearby bridge’s superstructure was left standing.  Residents along the river in the Levis area were compelled to move to high ground.  Damage to the dam is roughly estimated, by our informant, at $2,000.

 

Colburn’s flouring mill, here, was compelled to suspend work several days on account of the O’Neill Creek flood.

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Since Arthur Hutchinson, formerly postmaster at Pleasant Ridge moved away that office has caused a little inconvenience, but we are happy to state that at last matters have been arranged to the satisfaction of all.  Mr. Fred Vine, town clerk of Grant has become postmaster and the Postal Department has changed the mail route, so that instead of going by way of Kurth’s Corners, the stage hereafter will turn northeast at the Ridge Church and then to Mr. Vine’s, striking the old route at the corner near Howard’s.  The distance is the same, but will have a little more hill-climbing to do.

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C. A. Swineford, superintendent of the Madison division of the Chicago & Northwestern railway, in appreciating the great responsibility which rests upon the shoulders of railroad men, has issued an address to the employees of his division giving them a choice of two things; prompt dismissal from service or unqualified abstinence from the use of intoxicating liquors, whether on or off duty and that the frequenting of saloons will be taken as evidence that they were there to drink and be sufficient grounds for dismissal.

•••••••••

A new brickyard is to be erected by Peter Gaden and others in the northwestern part of Pine Valley this season. We have no doubt that they will find Neillsville a good market for all the bricks they can make.

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Tuesday, a person with a loathsome disease of a dangerous character applied to the poor commissioner Wm. Campbell for assistance.  That evening overseer Fike loaded the youth into the poor farm wagon and took him over the hill.  An attempt to get him boarded in the city was unsuccessful.  His advent into the county poor farm society makes the local number of paupers, ten.

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Miss Lizzy Hoffman lost her pet pony “Charley” this week, so now the animal takes his regular grass along with the white horse of the Apocalypse.

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A quartette of young dudes of Fond du Lac wasted their sweetness for two mortal hours in trying to draw a response to their serenade from a vacant house, where formerly lived a lady fair.

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Knavery is supple and can bend, but honesty is firm, upright and yields not.

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Sol F. Jaseph has sold his neat little cottage, adjoining the Presbyterian Church, to Mr. H. A. North, a member of our new hardware firm, for $1,000.  He then purchased the Everett Bacon residence and lot for $1,500.

 

(The H. A. North property was located at 134 East Fifth Street.)

 

April 1953

 

Wooden nickels made their first appearance in Clark County last week.  There were in evidence at the organizational meeting of the Centennial of the county, a meeting which was held in the parlor of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Loyal.  Each person present received one of the Wooden Nickels, a sample of the thousands, which will presently be available all over the county.  An announcement will soon be made as to the manner of their distribution.

 

This was made known at the meeting: The old saw “don’t take any wooden nickels” becomes out of date.  These wooden nickels will be worth five cents of anybody’s money.  They will be valid in trade and will be redeemed by the Centennial Corporation at any time up to 12 o’clock noon June 30, 1953.  They are souvenirs of the Centennial and will ultimately be valued at more than a nickel, if the experience of other celebrations is duplicated here.

 

Also much in evidence was a considerable collection of magnificent growth of whiskers.  The whiskers in evidence had rather stolen a march but there is plenty of time for all men to produce beards and to compete for local and county honors.  All of these assorted beauties will be known as “Brothers of the Brush,” a fraternal organization membership in which is evidenced by a certificate, duly signed sealed and delivered.

 

The nickels and the whiskers are only two of a score or more of the features, which will mark the Centennial celebration.

 

The Centurama will be the climax of the celebration, a pageant, which will be given on each of the four nights, July 1 through 4.  The episodes will be based upon the history of Clark County, material for which, Mr. Lemmon said, has been going to the Rogers headquarters from Wells F. Harvey.  The pageant will be presented upon a 200-foot stage, set in front of the grandstand at the fair grounds.  The participants will be recruited as groups in each of the various communities, with each group rehearsing in its own community.  Participants will be supplied with costumes.  They will not need to learn lines.  They will work under the direction of a professional member of the Rogers staff.

 

The program, especially the Centurama, leads to a better understanding of local history.  The pageantry consists almost entirely of dramatization of local history.

•••••••••

The Pioneer Circle celebrated their thirtieth anniversary at the home of Mrs. Celia Jackson, of Greenwood, Wednesday afternoon.  An out of town guest was Mrs. Charles Pickruhn, a charter member at whose home the first meeting was held in March 1923.  Mrs. Pickruhn now resides in Loyal.  Other guests were her daughter, Mrs. Peder Lydiksen of Loyal and Mrs. Alvin Thorson of Owen.

 

Members present were Mrs. Albert Shanks, the only other charter member; also Mrs. Christ Keiner, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Jack Syth, Mrs. Mathilda Fahey, Mrs. Dave Thwing, Mrs. John Brandt and Mrs. Alvina Wehrman.  Mrs. Victor Krokson was not able to attend. Others present were Mrs. Don Warner and Miss Louise Keiner. 

 

A program was given with highlights of history by Mrs. Shanks, followed by reminiscences.  A Chicken dinner was served at 4:30 o’clock.

 

Charter members when the club was organized were Mrs. George Bishop, Mrs. C. H. Clute, Mrs. John Huntzicker, Mrs. Edgar Opdycke, Mrs. Charles Pickruhn, Mrs. E. N. Paul, Mrs. Henry Stabnow, Mrs. Albert Shanks, Mrs. A. Speich, Mrs. Mary Warner, Miss Louisa Vates and Mrs. Arthur White.

•••••••••

Thirteen young men of Clark County have been accepted as Clark County’s contribution of the month of March to the armed services of Uncle Sam.  Four were volunteers, as follows: Richard A. Harrington, Neillsville; William F. Oelke, Neillsville; Donald A. Ellingson, Greenwood; Jerry J. Newman, Loyal.

 

The following were inducted: Clarence W. Tysnik, Colby; Robert J. Stoiber, Dorchester; Herbert W. Nickel, Jr., Granton; Wilbert H. Hansen, Jr., Neillsville; Gaylord A. Fakes, Owen; Marlin R. Schmitz, Spencer; Joseph Digoski, Willard and Robert C. Doege, Withee.

•••••••••

The deeply impressive work of the Passion, Stainer’s Crucifixion, was sung last Sunday evening by 37 members of the choirs of the Congregational, Methodist and Zion Reformed churches.  The audience numbered more than 300.  An atmosphere of worship was maintained, with invocation and benediction by the Rev. R. Banks Blocher, and with silent appreciation of the sincere efforts of the singers.

 

Directing was C. Scott Hunsberger; accompanist, Mrs. Jess Scott; organ prelude and offertory by William Peck of La Crosse.   Soloists were Harry Hauge, Mrs. Hunsberger, Ervin Steiger and Ellis Wall.

 

The presentation was given in the Armory.

•••••••••

Marriage License Applications for Clark County: William Genteman, Jr., Milwaukee and Louise Mayer, Humbird, to be married April 9 at Fairview; Nyle Brandt, Greenwood, and Marie Younker, Greenwood, married March 28 at Greenwood.

•••••••••

Between 300 and 350 Homemakers of Clark County visited Neillsville last Thursday as part of a project to “Know our County Better.”  This project was set up at the annual planning meeting, held at Greenwood in September 1952.  The county seat was selected as the first place to be visited.  Many of the Homemakers had never seen the inside of the court-house or the jail.  For the purpose of the first tour, these public places were combined with the Condensery of the American Stores Dairy Co. and the Indian School.

 

At the courthouse, they heard Wells F. Harvey, editor of The Clark County Press; tell about the origin of the name of Clark County.  He said the name came from George Rogers Clark, the Revolutionary hero who was responsible more than any other one person for securing to the United States the large area north of the Ohio, east of the Mississippi and west of the Alleghenies

 

Mrs. Art Kuechenmeister, Clark County Homemakers secretary and treasurer, explained about the first courthouse, which was built about 1859.  When the new one was built on its present site, the old one was moved across the street from the Svetlik Motor Co., and now is apartments.  The present one was built in 1875.

 

The first jail was built in 1866.  The second was built in 1882 and still stands.  Attorney John M. Peterson has his office there.  The present modern jail building was built in 1897.  The sheriff’s residence is also part of the building.  The Police Radio Station is also in part of the building and is a great assistance in getting out to serous accidents and emergencies in a matter of minutes, as all police cars are equipped with the two-way radio systems.

 

H. H. Quicker, vice-chairman of the county board explained proceedings of the county board and all the duties of each committee.

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The Indian School has 70 pupils, 30 girls and 40 boys.  They have three schoolrooms, one for first and second graders, another for third, fourth and fifth graders, and the third for seventh and eighth graders.  The later room is turned into a Sunday school room on Sundays.  Church services are also held there.

 

There are 12 employees at the school with Mr. Stucki as the overseer.   The children are taught to do various work.  Each child has his or her own job.  The older girls make their own beds and the beds of the first and second graders.  They supervise the bed making of the third and fourth graders.  They keep their dormitories clean, the smaller children doing the dusting.

 

The older girls have their own sitting room, where they have a radio, their brooks and personal possessions and can enjoy lounging when not in classes.

 

There are special rooms for the youngsters in case of illness.  In case of contagion the patient can be isolated.

 

They have their playrooms in which to play when the weather is unfavorable outside.

 

Their clothes and belongings are kept in locker rooms, each child having his own number.

 

In the kitchen, the food is prepared on an enormous range.  An electric range is used in hot weather.

 

Vegetables and fruit are canned during the canning season.  For this, a large pressure cooker is used with capacity of 132 quarts at a time.

 

The cook bakes all of the bread with the assistance of the older girls.  Every eight days, between 130 and 140 loaves of bread are baked, using two pounds of yeast and 175 pounds of flour.

 

The dining room has several long tables, with dishes on ready for the next meal.  The children take turns washing dishes; one day the girls wash dishes and the next day the boys do it.

 

All of the milk for the school is produced on the farm belonging to the school.  In the milk room is a large pasteurizer, a cream separator and also a churn where they churn their own butter.  Ice Cream is made several times a week.  There was a large deep freeze where meats and some of the vegetables are stored.  Vegetables and some of their fruits are grown on their farm.

 

All of their laundry is done in the laundry room with a large washer for the large and coarse pieces and a smaller washer for the finer garments and the employees’ clothes.  There is also a spin-dryer, a larger dryer and ironers.

 

There was also a beautiful display of baskets and beadwork, which were made by Indians in this area.  Selling of these articles is supervised by the Indian School staff.  Orders of baskets and bead-work are shipped all over the United States.

•••••••••

Gorke’s Clothing Store Specials: Blue Denim Work Shirts, reg. $1.39, now only $1.19; Oshkosh, blue or striped Bib Overalls $3.98; Yellow Fleece Work Gloves 3 pair $1.00.

 

Annual Smelt Feed at the American Legion Memorial Hall, Fri., April 24: Serving 5 to 12 p.m.; Adults $1.00, 12 & under 50¢.  All you can eat.

•••••••••

 

The former Winnebago School, often referred to as the Indian School, was located in a picturesque setting along the Black River on the west side of Neillsville near Highway 10, which is not CTH B.  The school’s farmland was across the river from the school building.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Roberts’ collection)

 

 

 


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