Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

 September 21, 1994, Page 32

 Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Good Old Days" Articles 

 

 

Good Old Days     

 

Neillsville Times News of January 1895

 

By Dee Zimmerman

 

Jan. 14 – The numerous bridge builders who haunted the city last week were driven to Merrillan Sunday by liveryman Archer, and the city fluttered back to its accustomed humdrum.

 

A very neat partition has been put into the H. Enckhausen and Co. drug store.  It is all oak, the lower part in spindle work.  Curtains and plate-glass mirrors added make it the prettiest thing of the kind in town.

 

Pretty slippery spot, that, on the sidewalk at the O’Neill House corner (6th & Hewett) and no doubt people will pass by on the other side hereafter.  Three gentlemen sat down there in an unconditional sort of way the other day within as many minutes.  An amusing after-climax occurred.  A gentleman, who stood in the window laughing at the slip-up, was suddenly called to the street, went unthinkingly and sat down upon the same fatal spot.  He arose and cussed.

 

A business building is likely to go upon Fifth Street east of Hewett this year.  An enterprising citizen has bought a lot on the western side of the Reddon House and also purchased the Stafford Hall at Staffordville (one mile north of Neillsville), a two story structure 85 feet long and about 30 feet wide, which he will take apart and haul to town to use in part of the new building.  Thus, the new year is sure to bring some building activity. 

 

With so many people constantly passing by the barn, and the frost and west wind tipping it farther and farther over the side-walk, we fear that some day there will be a crash that will kill half a dozen people and cost the city thousands of dollars in damages.  That’s our fear.  (The barn is believed to have been in the 400 block between West and Hewett Streets.)

 

The pressure of the barn as it gradually sinks to the east caused the city water main to burst on the opposite side of the street last Saturday.

 

The public is warned against dropping lighted cigar stubs against the barn, while going to and from the Times office and post office, or Jim Taylor’s store, as they might set it on fire and if it ever does burn, the city hall is a goner; and the present council would be greatly blamed for neglect of duty.

 

R. Schofield has sold his hardware lumber to the furniture factory at Neillsville.

 

Wm. Huntley, our new postmaster has bought the post office fixtures of Fred Reitz and rented the main floor of the new solid brick Esch-Taylor block two doors north of this office, moving into the new quarters this Saturday night.

 

All those wanting dry hardwood delivered at $1.50 a cord, call on C. Krumrey.

 

Axtel, the great trotting stallion, died this week of lockjaw:  When he died $50,000 stopped breathing.

 

The club dance Saturday night was a very pleasant one.  Clay Street was there and a great many of the older set.

 

C. W. Dewey, foreman for the Withee estate, has nearly one million feet of logs in the Popple River.

 

C. Krumrey has been to considerable expense to open a road on the ice up Black River to the Weston bridge site, to enable him to haul the bridge up on bobsleds.  If you want a sleigh ride, hitch on to your cutter and you can take as grand a ride as there is to be had in the county, on the ice all the way.

 

The citizens of Columbia have had in mind for sometime that they were too much of a community to be longer without a newspaper.  This feeling has resulted in the establishment of the Columbia Gazette, which makes its appearance this week.  A. Phillips is editor and proprietor.

 

Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Gwin have been married a quarter of a century, but they did not realize it until they required to jump the broomstick in the presence of a houseful of their friends and neighbors last Saturday night.  Being decoyed into staying in their store later than usual, they were besieged by their friends when they returned to their castle walls.  The house was filled with young and old.  A lunch of tempting viands contributed by the guests was served John’s wedding vest and Mrs. Gwin’s wedding slippers were shown to the company as relics of the event they were celebrating.  A handsome set of silver was presented as a token of esteem from the company.  Several ladies drove horse and buggy over from Greenwood and presented a nice spring rocker as their claim of remembrance.  A bright spot had been added to an already happy married life. (Loyal Tribune)

 

Sam Jr. Shafer of the Colby Phonograph will represent the Wisconsin Central railroad company in the third house at Madison this winter.

 

West Pine Valley: Rueben Hart was thrown from his buggy Thursday afternoon at a culvert near Sam Johnston’s farm, and his collar bone, one or more ribs were broken.  His horse ran away, but was caught near Manes School house, the buggy badly wrecked.  Mr. Johnston hitched his own rig up and took Mr. Hart to his home in Hewett.  Dr. Elkington was called in and set the bones. 

 

Unity and Sherman: Oddfellows held their annual installment at Unity village Friday evening, with speaking, singing and a social hop.

 

Greenwood: N. C. Foster Lumber Co., of Fairchild, pays the most taxes in the Town of Eaton.  The amount of tax was $1,240.

 

Town of York: An excellent time was enjoyed at the oyster supper which was held at Wm. Rowe’s Friday night, for the pastor’s benefit.  $20 was taken in.

 

New sheds have been built for teams at the Free Methodist Church.

 

A good deal of trapping is being done on O’Neill Creek this winter.

 

Some young folks enjoyed bicycling by moonlight last week.

 

Fremont: Miss Myria Webster gave her pupils a candy pull at her home last Saturday night.  All enjoyed themselves and went home anxious to come again. 

 

Mr. Trogner of Neillsville came up to see his best girl last Saturday.

 

Levis and South Pine Valley: A. B. Day will content himself through the remaining cold weather by fitting a woodshed, comfortable enough to live in.  With his many relatives and friends, every place is like home and will soon be settled to entertain all who are calling.

 

(Writer’s note: My photo supply is becoming depleted so there may not be photos featured on the Oldies page, at time, unless or until we are able to find some out there that we can copy.  The photos are copied by our darkroom technician and then returned to the owner.)

 

The first house built in Greenwood was originally built of hewn logs by Chas. W. Carpenter; later sided and used as a store and dwelling by S. Case Honeywell.  It was bought in 1870 by “Uncle Steve” Andrews.

 

The Main Street of Abbotsford shortly after the turn of the century:  Note the converted livery stable with a new sign, “Garage” and the early version of an automobile parked out front.  As the automobiles came out, it wasn’t unusual to see livery stables change over to garages.  The shift would seem ideal but it served as a shelter from rain, snow and the cold temperatures.

 

The Abbotsford House was located on the corner of the block.

The oldest street light was a kerosene lamp that was lit by the town

Marshall as he made the evening rounds in the city.

 

The City of Colby was incorporated as a city April 23, 1891, through the efforts of Sam Shafer, who was the assemblyman of the district at that time.  Colby was then the smallest city in the State of Wisconsin and therefore was called the “Midget City.”  R. B. Salter was the first mayor and served three years.  The names of the council-men were as follows: Front row, left to right, Nels Petersen, Philip Hinkle, and Adam Kuentz.  Second row: August Kuehl, Andrew Flaig, Fred Bredemeyer.  Third row: Herman Neumeister, John Riplinger, Mr. Goetsche, R. B. Salter, Joel Shaffer, and Fred Roth.

 

 


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