Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

August 21, 1996, Page 32

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Good Old Days    

 

By Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County Press

August 1873

 

The busy threshing machine is singing the mournful song from door to door through the county, and its teeth never fed upon a better crop of wheat.

 

Dr. French is still adding to his residence.  He has, however, got his additions tapered down to one story, and it is thought he will soon swear off building to that house.  (The French house was on the corner of Hewett and 4th Streets, presently site of Neillsville Public Library.)

 

The firm of Lynn & Tolford has been dissolved.  Mr. Lynn retains the Humbird stage and telegraph line.  Capt. Tolford takes the livery stable and the Greenwood stage line.

 

Prairie chicken hunters will be discouraged to learn that their game will be very scarce this fall.  It was killed by the wet weather, in which the young perished, or the eggs became stale.

 

The dancing party at the Hubbard House last Saturday evening was well attended.  The new addition got a most appropriate warming, and those present had a very pleasant time.

 

The work of laying out and grading a race track on the Clark County Fairgrounds will be commenced next week.  The track will be half a mile in length and oval in its course.  It will be graded in the most perfect shape, and when completed will be one of the best tracks in the state.

 

The first school district of Lynn, is building an excellent school house.  Mr. August Riddle, of that town, has been awarded the contract.  The building will be of a frame, 20 x 32 with 12 feet ceilings.  It is to be put up in first class shape and will be a credit to the district.

 

A spirited horse trot has been agreed upon to come off over on the Greenwood course on next Saturday.  Several fiery, un-tamed steeds have been entered, and a sufficient forfeit put up to insure the race.

 

Mr. James Hewett has commenced the erection of a dwelling on his farm in the suburbs of this place.  It will be by far the largest and finest dwelling in town.  (Hewett’s home was located on West 5th St., site of St. John’s Lutheran Church.)

 

Robert French proposes to give another dance at the Mormon Ripple House, on the evening of Sept. 8th.  The Neillsville band has been engaged, and Charles Simon will do his pettiest in getting up a supper worthy of his fame.  It will be a pleasant party and one that will attract many who have been there before.  (The Mormon Ripples was the name derived from the first settlers – Mormons who lived along the Black River where a drop in the river created fast water or ripples over the rocky areas.)

 

Clark County Courier

August 1881

 

One week from today, the 15th, a party from Greenwood, with digs, keen scented, guns well sighted, will betake themselves to the prairies for the chickens which will be ripe on that day and lawful to shoot them.  What abandon – what freedom we feel as we step forth into the green fields, drinking inspiration from the open heavens, and when night falls comes around our little campfire appreciating the delights of existence and reposing in God’s bounties?

 

Len Eastman is hard at work making logging sleds for the coming winter, orders come in so fast that he is obliged to commence early in the season.  D. E. Bailey is his right hand supporter with the chisel and square.

 

Jacob Huntzicker starts today for this home across the water in Germany.  He has been in this county of his adoption for nearly a quarter of a century and has hewn from the great forests of Clark County a beautiful home with broad and fertile acres, and now with ample means, fine buildings and surroundings, a pleasant family, is prepared to enjoy the good things of life.  His wife accompanied him on his visit across the water.

 

Neillsville Times

August 1896

 

The open air band concert Saturday evening on Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Darling’s lawn, by the Neillsville Cornet Band, was a delightful affair and attracted a large attendance, lawn and street being lined up black with people.  It will be repeated next Saturday night.  (The east side of Hewett Street, south side of the O’Neill Creek Bridge.)

 

A New Cow Compass – a new compass discovered by Ed Hutchinson and Herman Yankee is a great thing, and they should apply for a patent at once.  It does away with boxes, needles, etc. and walks alone – a black cow with a bell.  The boys got lost in the trackless forest of Lynn recently while out on a blackberry picking expedition, and found and followed a cow all day, in hope of getting out of the woods.  Finally, they did get out, arriving, foot sore, weary and hungry, at a settler’s shack, located three or four miles from their headquarters at the big Paul farm.  How fondly they stuck to that meandering beef, can be imagined.  Their lives depended on the ringing of her bell; like a burdock on to the caudal appendage of her friend of tougher fibre, stuck they to her.  She saved their young lives; but they underwent a considerable amount of fatigue before reaching the starting point.

 

John Dietrich of Pleasant Ridge was taking his cattle down to the stockyards in Neillsville, Saturday, when they got away from him and were lost a number of days.

 

It may not be out of order to describe our little burg known as Owen’s Mills which publicly is not known as well as Withee, but nevertheless, is of great importance.  One mile east of Withee is the foundation of a nice little town with streets well laid out, dwelling houses neat and comfortable, schoolhouse, mercantile building and commodious hotel buildings that would do honor to much a larger place.  Its central figure is the saw mill plant of the John S. Owen Lumber Co., the largest saw mill plant on this division of the Central road, with exception of the Northwestern at Stanley.  The Owen Co. succeeded to the business of the old Midland Lbr. & Mfg. Co. and removed the mill to its present location from Black River, just west of here.  So much has been added in the way of machinery that it is practically a new mill.  Their annual output is about ten millions of pine and hardwood.  While they own a large amount of timberland in this vicinity, they are buying each winter, all the hardwood logs offered.  In connection with the same mill, they operate a complete planning mill and the various departments furnish work for from 80 to 100 men besides those employed in their logging camps.  The general managing of the business is under the superiors of J. S. Owen’s son L. Owen.  C. M. Hall is at the head of the mercantile of affairs and chief bookkeeper.  Associate bookkeepers: W. Case and G. Anderson, J. Stockholm is Chief Clerk.  The efficient Mr. Royer oversees the logging pursuits and superintends the teamsters during the sawing season.  Foremen’s Pinkerton, McDonald and Borden are excellent men for their positions.  There are from 30 to 40 families living at the mill, either in the tenement houses or house owned by them.  The plant is supplied with a complete water-work system operated by a fire pump at the mill. It has modern improvements and always keeps things in perfect order and the result is that it is a cleaner place than the average saw mill burg is apt to be.

 

Henry Sternitzky, president of the Lynn Mutual Fire Ins. Co., 1915

 

Circa 1910 – Temporary boxing ring set up at Hatfield.  The days of “prize fighters” coming into an area, challenging the “locals” into a sparring match.

 

Circa 1900 – Granton Street scene with the W. H. Carl General Merchandise store on the far right.

 

 


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