Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

October 10, 2018 Page 9  

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

October 1883

 

The engine, which is to run the electric machine in connection with the electric lights, owing to the incomplete action of its governor, got away from its engineer, so to speak, on Tuesday afternoon and everybody in the room with it got away from the engine.  Belts, water-steam and people were all mixed up for a few minutes. The result was not serious, though some of the boys were badly scared.

•••••••••

Bears are reported to be almost too plentiful in the neighborhood of Loyal, and the farmers are at a loss for some means to exterminate them.  They are killing lots of sheep and swine and committing various other depredations.  Parties in search of some shooting would do well to take their rifles and scour the woods in that vicinity and make the bruin suffer, or “hunt for his hiding hole.”

•••••••••

Alex Holverson’s little jack, or mule, warbles his bray, or whatever it is, at 5:30 a.m., sharp, and people in the vicinity of that beast, swear simultaneously, but the music will never cease, at least not until the mule does.

•••••••••

Greenwood Community:

 

Henry Schwartz, of the Schwartz community northwest of Greenwood, was in our city Tuesday, he was accompanied by a friend.

 

W.F. Armstrong of Greenwood left today with a full crew of men to begin logging 18 miles north of Fifield on the West-Central Railroad, where he intends to make his home for the next 5 years.  His family will soon follow him.

 

The foundation of Greenwood’s’ new Presbyterian Church is being laid by Tom Blacha.  Lumber is on the ground, and the frame will be in construction within a short time.

 

Mr. Bailey has been building a new furniture store and will have a grand opening ball on the 19th.  Many invitations have been received by Neillsville people, who will doubtless respond.

 

A.S. Eaton and wife accompanied by Mrs. A. W. Bailey. Left here yesterday to attend the grand pigeon tournament at Black River Falls this week.  John Vine went to the Falls this morning to also attend the grand tournament.

 

Messrs. Rossman & Johnston have, with a crew of men and teams, been employed for the last week building a new dam for the benefit of Weston’s mill and the Black River Logging Association.  They will complete the dam this week.                                                                                              

•••••••••

Lowe Brothers are making a needed improvement in the rear of their meat market, in the shape of a solid brick smoke house, with a stone foundation.                                        

•••••••••

Loyal Community News:

 

Still they come, those Germans who are so fast settling up and improving the fertile lands of Clark County, and at no very distant day we may expect to see all the available lands of this recently densely timbered county occupied by these sturdy sons of Germany.  Six more families are expected this coming week, to join the number already settled in the southeast corner of Loyal township.  The greater part of them, are of the Catholic faith.  They intend building a church in the settlement next spring.

•••••••••

Jacques & Tooley are still at the stave business in the southeast corner of Loyal.  Stave hauling will be one of the leading industries of that part of our township this coming winter.  C.A. Smith has a contract for hauling about 250,000 staves to Spencer and will employ four teams of horses.

 

The joint school district of Loyal and Sherman has a new schoolhouse ready for occupation.  Wm. Tromblee was the builder.

 

The wild geese have been making their annual trip south during the week, which reminds us that it is time to fill up the woodshed and bank up the cellar.

 

(Years ago, barn floor scrapings were banked around outside walls of farmhouse cellars  or basements for the two-or three-foot top portion that was exposed.  That served as an insulation that prevented the root vegetables and canned goods stored in the basement from freezing, as the basements weren’t heated, though the first floor above provided some heat. DZ)                                                         

•••••••••

Mr. Robert C. Ross, formerly a resident near Neillsville, and now of Iowa where he is engaged in livestock raising and flax culture near Sibley, has been in town this week for several days.  He is prosperous and during his visit here he took notes of the admirable arrangements on Geo. A. Austin’s model farm for wintering cattle.

 

George Austin owned the first farm east of Neillsville, north side of USH 10, in later years known as the Jack Counsell farm. DZ)                                                                      

 

October 1943

 

Air wardens, extra police and others in the air raid serviced of civilian defense gathered at the courthouse Monday evening for final instructions for the blackout scheduled for Wednesday evening from 9 to 9:30.

 

They were told by James Fradette, who presided, that this would probably be the only blackout ordered; that upon this occasion they were to be good actors, proceeding in every respect as though hostile planes were overhead, ready to drop bombs; the police and their assistants were warned to be alert against hoodlums, for pilfering and other such depredations were declared to be a hazard of air raids, having been experienced even at the crisis of the Battle of Britain.                                                                         

•••••••••

Dr. H.W. Housley has sold his large residence on Fourth Street to the Perry-Jackson family.  The Housley family will break its immediate ties with Neillsville and will take up residence in Madison, it is understood, the Doctor has been working professionally in that part of the state for some time.

 

The purchasers of the Housley home will move into it as soon as the Housley’s have vacated.  The house is one of the largest residences of Neillsville, located opposite the high school and is in excellent condition.

•••••••••

The Rotary Club of Neillsville decided Tuesday evening to make a survey of Neillsville for postwar needs and assigned the task to the committee on community service, consisting of A.C. Wagner, Park Sample and Arthur Berger.

 

The survey is part of an effort of Rotary International to make provision for returning soldiers after the war, and also to plan for the development of communities.  With hundreds of boys returning to the Neillsville community after the war, what can be found for them to do, without having them in uncertainty and idleness?

 

(When the military men did return to Neillsville, finding employment didn’t seem to pose a problem, but housing did.  Building materials were available only for emergency repairing, so no new apartments or houses had been built for five or six years.  Owners of large two-story homes were encouraged to remodel their second story areas into apartments, so as to provide living quarters for the returning servicemen, of whom several had recently married. DZ)                                                                

•••••••••

Adler Theatre Showing – Walt Disney’s “Bambi,” In Gorgeous Technicolor!

Love Comes to the Forest Folk – the World’s Greatest Love Story!

3 Days Commencing Sat., October 9th, Saturday – Matinee Staring 2:30 p.m. & Continuous!.

Sunday, Mat. 3:00 to 11:00 p.m.

•••••••••

Wedding Dance – In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Seeman Thursday, Oct. 14,

Music by The Wisconsin Blues Orchestra,  An Unusually Fine Band!  Adm. 40’, tax included.

•••••••••

For Meatless Meals – Make Surprise Pancakes, Betty Crocker Recipe in Every 50 lb. Sack of Kitchen-Tested – Enriched Gold Medal Flour $2.49 at H.H. Van Gorden & Sons.

 

Gold Medal Flour is also available at Gustman’s Jack Sprat Store.

 

(How was “Surprise Pancakes” any different than the basic pancake recipe? DZ)

•••••••••

The passing of the H.P. Ghent shop on North Hewett Street brings to the minds of a few of the older residents of Neillsville some of the earlier history of this shop.

 

The building was erected in Neillsville in 1887 by three Neillsville businessmen, who formed a company for the manufacture of sleighs, buggies and wagons.  These men were: Antone Barton, Fred Wolff and Herman Korman and the shop was called, Barton, Wolff and Korman’s Wagon and Buggy Shop.

 

Later, Mr. Barton sold his interest to the other partners and the firm was then known as Wolff & Korman.  About 1910, Mr. Wolff sold his interest to Mr. Sommerfeldt, and the firm became Korman and Sommerfeldt.

 

 

The above photo of the Korman-Sommerfeld factory was taken after the business merger in 1911.  It was located along North Hewett Street, next to O’Neill Creek.  Some of the building’s footings went into the creek’s bank.  The wagon-buggy facturing business started in 1887 under the ownership of Barton, Wolff & Korman.

 

In 1915, H.P. Ghent entered the firm, which then became known as Korman and Ghent.  In 1922, shortly before Mr. Korman’s death, he sold his interest to Mr. Ghent, who since has been the owner.

 

In addition to the making of buggies, wagons, etc., the firm has always done planing of lumber, horse shoeing, and general blacksmithing work.  In later years, the business has run more to the repairing of trucks and farm machinery.

 

The original lot included the land on which the Tibbett’s icehouse and the R.H. Welsh warehouse now stand.

 

In recent years, Mr. Ghent has done much planing of fine lumber, and cabinetwork.  He was the first man who ran the business alone.  The shop has been closed since June 14, when Mr. Ghent became ill.  The lot and building have been purchased by Ray Paulson, who has taken possession and will conduct his farm implement business there.                                                                                      

•••••••••

A.E. Russell of Neillsville has received within the past few days a money order of $7, in payment of a debt 30 years old.  The payment came from a man to whom Mr. Russell gave credit when, in his first business venture, he ran a store at Cadott.  He had sold this man some groceries.  As the years went by he forgot it.  Then came the following letter, from Detroit, Michigan:

 

“Please find enclosed $7 for merchandise I received from you when I lived in Cadott some years ago.  Accept my thanks for your kindness and my apologies for not paying sooner.”

 

This payment arrived within a few days of the wedding anniversary of the Russell’s, which may suggest the appropriate use of the cash.                                                                     

•••••••••

The embargo on turkeys has been lifted by the war food administration because enough turkeys have been purchased by the U.S. government to meet the holiday requirements for overseas.  The turkeys needed for the armed forces is about 35 million pounds, about 10 percent of the total U.S. supply.

•••••••••

Steve Gault, little son of Mrs. Frank Sturgeon, was climbing in an apple tree last Thursday noon when he fell to the ground and fractured his collarbone.  He’s now recovering satisfactorily, but the doctor says it will be necessary for the shoulder to be taped for nearly a month.      

•••••••••

Leo Foster, chief clerk of the local rationing board, is learning new duties, in order that he may become group chief of a survey audit covering 23 counties in this district.  He will have under his direction about 20 men and women from rationing boards, and they will all be engaged in an effort to reduce the consumption of gasoline.

 

A objective of 25-percent reduction in consumption of gasoline has been proposed for this area, and the survey will be directed to find the way in which this saving can be brought about.

 

During the absence of Mr. Foster, the acting chief clerk of the local rationing board will be Virginia Scholtz.  Tire reviewing activities will be in charge of A.E. Kumbier of Abbotsford, who will be in Neillsville once a week.

•••••••••

Announcement!  Kuester’s Meat market is Now Open for Retail Business!

All Cuts of Beef – Pork -- Cold Meats – Available at All Times.  Delivery Daily!

Kuester’s Meat Market – Harold O’Brien, Prop. – Phone 303

•••••••••

Hart’s South Side Grocery

Highest Prices Paid for EGGS!

Pullet size 33’ per dozen, Lage size, 40-1/2 cents per dozen, Paid in Cash.

•••••••••

Charles Hubing has recently sold three Oxford ram lambs to Thomas Greer, Cleveland, North Dakota; B. H. Christ, Cochrane, Wis.; George Sendelback, Waumandee, Wis.  Two of these were first and second winners in the Clark County Fair, and the other was first in the 4-H class.  Mr. Hubing also sold 10 registered Shropshire ewes to Dr. Joseph Kier of New Jersey for his farms near Black River Falls.

•••••••••

Washburn Community News:

 

A large crowd attended services at Cannonville Church Sunday night.  Little Patricia Ann Kuhn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Kuhn, was baptized.  Worship services will be held again in two weeks.

 

Quite a large crowd attended the Singing Club at the George Allbaugh home Thursday.  New officers were elected for the coming year.

 

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