Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI, June 8, 2016, Page 18

With the number of loose horses seen upon our streets almost every day, it is becoming positively unsafe to hitch a team anywhere in town, and the same may be said of driving a team on the streets. It is almost an everyday occurrence to see teams bothered or stopped on the streets by a flock of loose horses, when had been turned out as though on a public highway, simply because the owners have no use for them.

The apportionment of the school fund for the present year will be upon the basis of 41½ cents per scholar.

Black River Falls is making one more effort to open the iron ore beds near there, by talking about it. If there is any money in it, why don’t some of the Nesters of that quiet place who have money enough to run logs out of Clark County, run the iron out of their own county?

The frame of the Conon Brothers mill, now to be in the Town of Washburn; will be raised next week. The building will be 30 x 101 feet on the foundation and twenty feet in height at the corners. It will be one of the best mills in the county when completed.

The owner of a certain wandering “house pup” will find the same in the possession of George Ferguson, at Reber’s Mills, by whom the said pup has taken up and is held subject to the order of its owner.

The Medford Star & News says that nearly every businessman in Medford has made arrangements to buy and ship hemlock bark the coming season, and peelers are now busy getting it ready.

There are those in our midst who intimate that the deadly bicycle is an intoxicating machine, the tendency of which is to lead our young men astray. The charge does not appear to be reasonable, but time will tell, and should it prove to be the case, a little missionary work may become necessary.

Charley Sniteman has ordered another bicycle, and when it comes, will have three of the demoralizers in use at this place.

A nearby exchange truthfully remarks, “Young man, don’t swear. There is no occasion for swearing outside of a newspaper office where it is useful in proof-reading and indispensably necessary in getting forms to press. It has been known also to materially assist the editor in looking over the paper after it is printed. But otherwise it is a very foolish habit.”

A new crossing was put in on Second Street, between the O’Neill House and the Christie building yesterday, in place of the one torn up about a year ago.

A strawberry festival will be held at the residence of Henry Counsell this Friday evening, June 24, for the benefit of the Methodist Church of the Town of Grant. There will be an abundance of strawberries and other refreshments and room enough for all. A general invitation is extended to everyone.

Wm. Bryson was quite seriously injured while helping to repair one of the flood-dams on Cunningham Creek, last Wednesday. He was brought here soon after the accident, and is now at the O’Neill House under the care of Dr. Templeton.

Last Saturday an open box of cigars stood in front of the cashier’s desk in the Clark County Bank, the cover of which was ornamented with the following:

May 31st - Compliments of L. A. Arnold, Jr. fighting weight 10 lbs., happy and doing well.

(As a custom during that time this was a form of birth announcement, apparently the bank’s cashier, Mr. Arnold, Sr., was the father, giving out cigars to friends. DZ)

George A. Austin, of this town, and John S. Dore, of the Town of Grant, will soon commence the manufacture of cheese. The machinery for their factory, which was ordered sometime since, is the latest and best, and having secured the services of an experienced cheese maker, they propose from the start to manufacture a first class product. They have now forty cows of their own, and have the promise of milk from forty more.

The factory will not be run on the cooperative plan, the proprietors preferring to pay for the milk secured. They will take all the milk they can get, as the capacity of their manufactory will be much greater than the present supply can possibly be, their object being to impress the farmers of this county with the importance of dairy farming.

(Geo. Austin’s farm was located east of Neillsville City limits and along U.S. Hwy 10. DZ)

Brooder houses were installed in the new pheasant pens of the Clark County Rod and Gun Club during the last week, and things are in readiness to receive the first shipment of 700 day-old chicks, Milo Mabie, president, said. The chicks are scheduled to arrive here June 19. Each brooder house is 10 feet by 12 feet and has capacity for 350 chicks. The pens are located in Schuster Park.

The man who took out the first “400” streamlined passenger train from St. Paul to Chicago in 1935, Jule V. Sontag, has retired. A passenger conductor, Mr. Sontag made his last run Saturday. his retirement became effective June 1, as he passed his 70th birthday.

A well-known former Neillsville resident and a brother of George Sontag, local pharmacist, Mr. Sontag served with the Omaha railroad for 48 years. While living in Neillsville in 1893 he started as a fright brakeman. In 1902 he became a freight conductor and in 1910 he became a passenger conductor.

After spending an active life traveling on trains, Mr. Sontag plans to enjoy himself in retirement by traveling.

(The “400”train was so named due to being able to make the run from St. Paul to Chicago in 400 minutes. I once rode the “400” from St. Paul to Chicago, to attend a University of Minnesota-Northwestern football game. Nearly all the passengers on that trip were also going to the game, so it was a “happy” traveling event. DZ)

The Vinton Nursing Home, which has been located in the M. Lastofka house on South Hewett Street, will be moved early this month to the old R. W. Balch house on North Hewett.

This house, one of the finest of old homes in Neillsville, was built and occupied over a long period of time by Mr. and Mrs. Rella Balch and their two sons, Leland, and Harold. It now is being remodeled into an 18 room institution.

Harold Balch, an architect, of Madison, is the only surviving member of the R. W. Balch family.

The R. W. Balch Home is located at 1003 Hewett Street. Balch came to Neillsville in 1880 and was a partner of Bernhard Tragsdorf in the general merchandise business known as “The Merchants.” They later constructed the large brick building on the northwest corner of Hewett and 4th Streets. (Many later referred to the building as “The Farmer’s Store.”)

Alderman Frank Quesnell, proprietor of the Al’Aboard Lunch, will celebrate his eleventh consecutive year in that business here Saturday, June 7th. The only other businesses of that nature when Frank came to this city were the Arne Baacken and Harry Eide restaurants.

Frank’s experience as a chef began on the home farm at the time of his mother’s death when the youngest of eight children, Raymond Quesnell, now studying for the priesthood at San Antonio, Texas, was but a few days old.

William Quesnell, the father, realizing the grave situation suddenly thrust upon him, put the question before the “house” with this emphatic statement: “Now, you children will have to learn to cook and do the housework or there’ll be a woman here to do it.” The vote against a step-mother was unanimous. The children did the job so well that Mr. Quesnell never re-married.

Frank soon discovered that cooking was right down his alley. Before long he was dividing his time between home duties and a restaurant at Stanley. Later he put in full time there and by 1930 he had gained confidence enough in his ability to establish himself in a business of his own. That was the year he came to Neillsville. Two years later Frank started, another restaurant in Stanley, that business being conducted by his brother, Harvey.

Three horsewomen from Neillsville will participate in the horse show to be held in Eau Claire Sunday, June 15. They are Mrs. Margaret Farrand, Miss Addie Jean Farrand and Miss Patricia North. The show will be held under the auspices of the Bit and Spur Club.

A family of woodchucks, a mother and six babies, moved in under the woodshed at the ole Lowe home on North Grand Avenue a week ago. It was thought at first they were just transients and would move on again, but they have evidently decided to stay as long as no one bothers them.

Not even the Lowe’s big Tommy interferes. He no double is aware that if he molested her babies, Mama Chuck would give him a good trouncing.

Now the question arises what to do with them. So far they have been content to eat clover and clean the leaves off Mrs. Lowe’s hollyhocks. But what if they should decide to make a raid on the Lowe garden some night?

The citizens of the Town of Seif held a park-warming at the new park-to-be, east of the Worchel School, last Sunday. It is also known as the John Poppe Park.

The people turned out upon invitation of the town officials: Art Wegner, chairman, Frank Lang and Henry Quast, members of the sideboard; Ewald Worchel, Clerk; George Halbrader, treasurer; and Gust Grap, Assessor, and they served a treat of ice cream and beer. Some of the families had picnic dinner at noon. Tables were available, and some played cards. About 100 were present.

The Seif people enjoyed the first bit of sunshine of recent memory and surveyed the scene of what is expected to be the town’s favored spot for recreation, with its artificial lake and picnic grounds.

(The Worchel School was located on the northwest corner of a curve on County Trunk G, or 2 ¼ miles southeast of the Junction of County I & G. Some of the school building remains on its original site. DZ)

Children and members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church celebrated a triple event of memorable happenings on Sunday, June 15th. A class of 29 children attending the parochial and summer religious classes received First Holy Communion, and a class of 13 received Solemn Communion. These events both took place during the High Mass celebrated y pastor, Rev. J. A. Biegler, C.PP.S. During the Mass the pastor spoke appropriately on the subject of the Eucharist to the communicants.

In the afternoon at two-thirty o’clock the second class of eighth grade graduates were privileged to hear the Rev. John Nowak of Greenwood address them and their parents on the importance of a sound and Christian education.

After the address diplomas were conferred on the graduates, and awards of scholastic attainments were distributed. Graduates receiving diplomas were: Clarence Aumann, Robert Gorst, Robert Clinton, Mildred Halle, Marcelene Hannan, Robert Herian, Dale Kunce, Delbert Langreck, James Miller, Gallus Schmidt and Virginia Wright.

Members of the First Communion were: Irban Aumann, Donald Burr, Robert Chadwick, Louis Gall, Catharine Hainzelsperger, Adrian Hubing, Edward Kiedrowski, Louis Kessler, Robert Langreck, Arlene Meier, Donald Noll, Rose Perkovich, Phillip Schaub, John Wilson, Patricia Wright, Patricia Zschernitz, Donald Curtin, Mary Jane Frei, Robert Hannan, Geraldine Hoeser, Arlene Kupke, Donald Miller, George Reinhardt, Elizabeth Schultz, Charles Frank, Victor Sydorowicz, Maurine Wilhelm and Elizabeth Louise Zadradka.

But whatever it becomes known by, it will be a unique dance, which will be held in the Granton Village hall Monday, June 20.

At that time a group of local people whose weddings took place during the month of June in the years gone by will be hosts and hostesses to their friends.

As many of the sponsoring “brides” as possible will wear the dresses in which they spoke their marriage vows; and a prize will be given to the oldest June bridal couple present, and to the most recent June bridal couple present.

Among those sponsoring the dance are: Mr. and Mrs. Gus Bergemann, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd L. Spry, Mr. and Mrs. William Schmidtke, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard St. Dennis, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Garbisch, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Helm, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Trimberger, and Mr. and Mrs. Elmer F. Anderson.

Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Schwarze, Town of Warner, have adopted a fawn. Apparently it was nearly starved when it was found in some brush near the Eau Claire River, the fawn weighed seven and a-half pounds. Mr. Schwarze has received permission from Game Warden Alva Clumpner to keep it for the present time.

The R. W. Balch Dance at hake’s Barn, Saturday, July 3rd, dancing from Sunset until Sunrise, with Music by Emil’s Band.

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