January 22, 2020, Page 9, Neillsville, Clark Co., Wisconsin

The people of the Pleasant Ridge country have long been noted for their neighborliness and prompt action in helping one another in times of trouble. The ashes of the Homer Ralph home, which burned the day before Christmas, had not grown cold before the neighbors started to haul in lumber and began to remodel the blacksmith shop, which Mr. Ralph recently built. The shop, itself, was not large enough to accommodate the family, so an addition of 14 by 18 was built to it. All the men in the community took a hand in the work, so by Friday night a very comfortable home was ready for Mr. and Mrs. Ralph and the children to move into Saturday morning.

(That is typically what people did during that era; they helped their neighbor when in time of need. During harvest time, they helped each other with threshing grain, or in times of illness they offered assistance, plus helping in other ways, donating their time and labors, in respect of one another’s welfare. DZ)

During November, more inquiries of applications for entry of land under the forest crop law came to the conservation commission than had been done in a single length of time before. The Tomahawk-Kraft Paper Co. had led the 35 or 40 applicants in amount with 16,461.37 acres, of which 11,375 acres are in Oneida County and the rest in Lincoln County.

All the applications for entry will merge to go through regular procedure for scheduling and holding hearings and notifications of interested people. The commission will not act formally on applications filed in November until the February meeting because of the tremendous amount of detail work, which must be done.

The American Stores Dairy Co., which bought the Zbinden cheese factory several months ago and have since used it as a receiving station for milk, closed the plant January 1. All those patrons hereafter will be delivering milk at the Condensary. This was done as a matter of economy, saving considerable expense in operating the plant.

Tuesday afternoon before Christmas, the county officers and their clerks had a Christmas tree and party at the courthouse, which was enjoyed by all. Gifts were exchanged and the festivities concluded with an oyster supper.

The year 1929 just closed, leaving a record with us, 24 years of business memories. We are glad to say that we have been able to stay in this field of business, dealing with the most difficult problems, in a business and service way. We are glad to say that we also have saved our customers many dollars in the various purchases. Yet, all this we owe to the good will of our customers, who stood by us faithfully. We hereby wish to thank all for such good cooperation. We went to assure you that we will continue to serve in the many leading lines we sell: Radios, Automobiles, Trucks, Tractors and Farm Machinery.

Sheriff Bradford has started the New Year with only one prisoner. There are several lawbreakers Bill would like to get his hands on, but for the present, they have seen fit to ignore his hospitality. Since the state has voted to take no part in liquor law enforcement, the jails have been comparatively free of such cases. As there have been no Federal men in the vicinity of Neillsville, the liquor interests have little fear from the law.

(The nationwide prohibition on alcohol in the United States began in January 1920 under the 18th Amendment, lasting until 1933. Federal officers were kept busy during that time tracking down suppliers of illegal homemade liquor being made in hidden stills. DZ)

The blind Indian Chief Monegar, living near Pittsville, joined with the park commissioners of that city in sending flowers to Gov. Kohler in the hospital at Rochester. Chief Monegar officiated at the ceremony last summer when Gov. Kohler was initiated as a Winnebago chief at Pittsville.

Rev. and Mrs. Aaberg of Greenwood are the parents of three sons, who are all attending the State University at Madison. The older two, M.E. and E.L. Aaberg are taking the medical course and L.A., who is in his first year, is studying a law course. The three brothers took the train here from Madison, Monday, after spending vacation at home.

Otto May and Frank Lipke wound up the fishing season with two big muskies, which they caught through the ice. May’s fish weighed 15 1/2 pounds and was 41 inches long. It was caught in Turner’s Eddy. Lipke’s muskie weighed 15 1/4 pounds, but Frank is not broadcasting where he caught it.

Street commissioner Wm. Farning on Saturday removed the Christmas trees that had been set out along the streets in Neillsville and transported them in his truck to places along Oak and Park streets where snow usually drifts deeply after a storm, constructing snow fences out of the trees. If no snow comes, of course, the trees will not be needed but as Mr. Farning did the work himself without expense to the city, he says it will be like what Doc Marsh used to say of his pills, “if they do no good, they will at least do no harm.”

Tuesday afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Rine Zickert of the Town of York were driving south on Hewett Street, and as they approached the railroad track, Mr. Zickert failed to see the freight train that was backing toward the east, crossing the street and ran full force into the train. The auto was swung around and badly damaged. Mr. Zickert was not hurt, but his wife was quite badly shaken up. Bert Dresden, who happened along, took her to Dr. Frank’s office where it was found that no bones were broken. Mr. Zickert stated that as he looked west along the track, the sun dazzled his eyes so that he did not see the train. The car was a Pontiac Six, practically new.

The brakeman who was riding on the rear ladder of the freight car jumped as he saw the auto coming, the auto striking the ladder where he had been standing.

Neillsville won a battle from Abbotsford two weeks ago by a score of 24-23, so this will be an exciting game too!

The W.C.T.U. is planning the observance of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment at a public meeting to be held at the Congregational Church Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. The committee on arrangements consists of Mrs. E. H. Vornholt, Mrs. James Carter and Mr. B. H. Peterson.

A four-pronged buck came out on the ice near Schuster and Campman’s cottage on Lake Arbutus, Sunday afternoon and gave Herb Brown, his son Wayne and the two Westphal boys, Harry and Marvin, “The thrill that comes once in a lifetime.”

The boys had just taken off their ice skates when Marvin Westphal saw something approaching on the ice and exclaimed: “There comes a dog.” Herb’s eagle eye told him the “dog” was a deer. Before the deer noticed Herb and the boys they had gotten only a few rods from him. Finally, the deer saw them and attempted to run, but his feet began skidding and he fell down a number of times before reaching the bank. Once he got solid ground under him, he was out of sight in an instant.

An improved six-cylinder valve-in-head motor, with its capacity increased to 50 horsepower; four Delco-Lovejoy hydraulic shock absorbers; fully-enclosed internal expanding weather-proof brakes; a new dash gasoline gauge; heavier and stronger rear axle new Fisher non-glare windshield; larger tires – improvements which make this the Greatest Chevrolet in Chevrolet History!

The Roadster … $495: Sports Roadster … $595: The Phaeton: $495: The Coach … $565:

The Coupe … $565: The Sport Coupe … $625: The Club Sedan … $625: The Sedan … $675.

Mrs. Anne Smith, probably the oldest person in Clark County, passed away at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Henry Markwardt, January 14, age 100 years, eight months and four days.

Mrs. Smith was born in Stokestown, Ireland, and grew to womanhood there. Soon after she was 20 years old, she came to America with an uncle and settled in at Watertown, Wis. There, she was married to John Smith, who was later a soldier in the Civil War.

IN 1907, she came to Clark County with her daugher, Mrs. Charles Appleyard and family, and lived at the Appleyard home until about a years ago when she then went to live with Mrs. Markwardt.

Sunday, Art Meyers who lives south of the fairgrounds in Pine Valley shot a wolf down southeast of Hatfield. Art, in company of Legare Apfel and Art Ehlers, trailed the wolf by its tracks in the fresh snow and after following the animal about four miles, got within range, Art bringing it down with a well-directed shot.

The bounty on a wolf is $30 and the hide is worth about $10, making it a pretty fair day’s work.

As you know, the new auto light law has been in effect for several months, and now that a light testing station has been established in Neillsville, it will become necessary for you to have your auto lights tested as soon as possible. This law will be enforced, so make your appointments promptly with O.W. Lewerenz, who has the official light testing station. – Order by Neillsville Police Dept.

(Beginning in the late 1920s, a federal “auto lights law” was enacted, requiring auto head lamps be in operation with low and high beam features for safer night driving. Older vehicles still in operation had to be tested for compliance to the new headlamps law. DZ)

The Loyal State Bank closed its doors Thursday. The bank was reorganized a few years ago after some difficulties and had apparently been getting along all right. Recently it is reported some trouble arose, several of the old directors resigned, with the cashier and new men being put in charge. It is reported that the depositors will probably be paid in full.

(The stock market crash of 1929 caused many bank foreclosures going into the early 1930s. As the economic depression deepened in the 1930s, and as farmers had less money to spend in town, banks began to fail at alarming rates. After the crash during the first 10 months of 1930, 744 banks failed. In all, 9,000 banks failed during the decade of the 1930s. DZ)

Herman Hediger, who operates a big truck, has purchased a snowplow, which he operates with the truck and has plowed out all side roads on his milk route. Other side roads in the townships are being plowed out with horse-drawn plows, which do a good job.

It seems evident that in an ordinary winter the side roads will be kept open in one way or another and by the county keeping the trunk lines clear, winter truck and auto traffic will be carried on successfully.

(Herman Hediger owned and operated a cheese factory located on the Panther Creek Road about one-half mile east of TH 73 at that time. He had put a snowplow on his truck to ensure the daily milk pickup on his milk route.

Hediger emigrated from Switzerland at the age of 18, having been urged by Mrs. Walter Zbinden to come to Wisconsin. At that time, the Zbinden family owned and operated a cheese factory on the southwest corner of Grand and Seventh streets. Hediger worked for the Zbindens after arriving in Clark County.

At the age of 20, Hediger went into business for himself, making cheese at the Panther Creek factory, near the Halle farm. In the late 1950s, Hediger built and operated a milk drying plant in Christie. DZ)

Last week, the “winter road” down the Black River was trailed out and loads of wood and logs are coming down the river from above Christie. For many years, a winter road has been used on the ice of the Black River, thus avoiding hauling over grades and drifts. Though somewhat longer than the highway it has decided advantages especially for the heavy loads coming into Neillsville from the north.

(As soon as the ice became frozen to an ample thickness, a trail was made for horses and sleds being able to travel on the iced-over river, carrying loads of wood and logs to market. DZ)

Last week’s January 1910 news on the “Oldies Page” had an article in reference to “Neillsville money,” $30,000 worth of currency that was specifically ordered to be printed in $5, $10 and $20 bills with First National Bank’s name printed on each bill. Above is a copy of one of those bills, owned by a collector.

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