Good Old Days    

By Dee Zimmerman

The Neillsville Press

September 1876

The express office has been moved from the Rossman House to Peterson’s building, east of the O’Neill House Saloon.

The heaviest rain of the season; fell the end of August.  The upper river and its tributaries wee at a fair log driving stage.  During that heavy rain, a shower of angle worms appears to have been thrown in when the water was exhausted, and on Tuesday morning the streets, sidewalks and buildings in some parts of town were literally crawling with them.

The Brule Bros. have formed a co-partnership for the purpose of carrying on a general wagon, carriage and blacksmithing business, they are both superior workmen, chuck full of hard work and any kind of a job ordered at this shop will be done promptly and right up to the handle.

Clark County is the only place in existence where the Goddess of Liberty is represented in a ruffled and flounced pull back, and water-fall.  This is an age of progression.  (The reference was apparently about the statue on top of the old Court house.) 

Messrs Huntzicker and Pfeifer have bought D. P. Gosnell’s residence in town.  The former will furnish the “needful” and Frank will continue the skill, the combination of which will give Greenwood a first-class meat-market.  Huntzicker, we understand, will move into town.

The corn crop in this county is the best ever grown.  Frost cannot hurt it and it is too late for crows.

The court house will be completed in a very short time, and Clark County will then have one of the finest buildings of the kind in the northwest.

The largest tomato ever raised-as far as brought to our observation was left at this office during the past week, by Mrs. John R. Canon.  It measured 17 inches around one way and 15 the other, and weighed two pounds.

The recent cold snap reminds us that we shall need wood again this winter, and as it is well to be prepared for a season that is liable to come upon us at any time after dog-days, we are ready to receive a portion of the few thousand cords of wood we have been promised, at any time. 

Rye, Graham and Wheat Bread: at the Neillsville Bakery fresh on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Fresh groceries: teas, sugars, coffees, spices, tobaccos, etc, as cheap as at any other place in town, if not cheaper.  Apples sold by the barrel or pocket full.

To the ladies – Mrs. Crossett will remodel old felt hats, making them as good as new, at trifling.

A farm of 160 acres near Village of Loyal, within half mile of good frame school house, 50 acres under fence and well cultivated; log house and log barn, good water, good roads and in good community.  One of best orchards in the county is on this place.  For terms of sale and particulars apply to Dewhurst & Hutchinson, Neillsville.

Wanted! Green and unwashed Ginseng by the Pound or ton: for which the highest price going will be paid for by R. F. Kountz at Dickinson’s Store.

September 1881

Several new buildings are in the process of construction on the North Side.

Chicken hawks are so plenty in the Town of Grant that the destruction of chicken crop is threatened.

The first mail over the Neillsville branch of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, & Omaha Road will be carried today.

Henry Myers, our worthy Under-Sheriff, ran a foot-race with O’Neill’s cow last Friday.  The wager was a dollar, but the cow came out ahead.

H. M. Root, of the firm of Thompson & Root, Greenwood, who has been spending the summer at La Crosse, returned last Wednesday morning to organize another active campaign in the woods.  Messrs Thompson and Root are among the most successful lumber men operating on the Black River.

Fresh oysters available every Saturday at J. DeLane’s Store.

At a meeting of those interested in building an Episcopal Church at this place held at the residence of James O’Neill, Jr. last Monday evening.  Messrs F. A. Lee, S. F. Chubb, F. D. Lindsay, D. B. R. Dickinson and James O’Neill, Jr. were appointed a committee to superintend the erection of the building, and instructed to commence work immediately.

In about two weeks a third train is to be put on the Neillsville branch of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, & Omaha Road.  This train will do the principal part of the freight business, and its time being in the freight business; will afford passable connections with trains on the Green Bay & Minnesota Road.

Sheriff Philpott is fitting up a Croquet ground near the jailer’s residence, on the Court House grounds. 

The mail route between Loyal and Greenwood reported as having been established several weeks ago was only promised at the time and has not yet gone into effect.  It is assured, however, all the necessary papers having been forwarded to the Department and the route will be established as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made.  In the meantime J. C. Gwin, the Loyal Postmaster, will continue to carry the mail at his own expense as he has done since the route was discontinued.

Harry Mead is building the two miles of road which, when completed will give a good road through to Withee.  The work will be done in about three weeks.

H. M. Weston, at the Weston House, will pay the highest market price in cash for grain, particularly oats.  Farmers in this locality will do well by seeing him before selling elsewhere.

City Omnibus Line – ‘Buses will leave hotels for morning train at 5:45 a.m.; for evening train at 5:40 p.m.  Orders for ‘buses to call at residence must be left at the O’Neill House not less than one hour before time for departure of ‘buses.  Orders must state if baggage will be carried.  Passengers and baggage will be carried to any part of the village witho8ut extra charge.

Hewett’s Specials: – The “boss hat” for only seventy-five cents.  The “forty cent” corset cannot be surpassed for shape and durability.

September 1926

Friday night the Country Club formally opened up their new clubhouse with a luncheon and dance.  The new clubhouse is 30 x 50 feet with a 12 foot porch in front, facing the golf course.  The opening night was well attended by a large crowd and the capacity of the clubhouse was taxed, especially when the dancing started.  The house is located at the north end of the course in a fine grove of young oak trees.  (This course was located along Wedges Creek, near the Snyder Dam.)

Owen is to have a new industry known as the Master Packaging Corp, manufacturers of paper cartons, drums, and circular containers.  The new building will be ready for occupancy about Sept. 10.  It is expected the company will gie full-time employment to about twenty-five men as well as many or more women.

The Clark County Calf Club took fifth premium among approximately 29 clubs form (from) various parts of the state at the Wis. State Fair.

Clark County Election winners are: County Clerk John Irvine; County Treasurer, Mary Rude; Sheriff, Herman J. Olson; Coroner, C. M. Taylor; Clerk of Court, Geo. A. Ure; District Attorney, Victor W. Nehs; Register of Deeds, John P. Kintzele; Surveyor, S. F. Hewett.

Fire at Granton – Early Tuesday morning a fire was discovered in what was formerly the Knorr and Rausch garage at Granton, owned by Wm. Messenberg.  By the time the fire truck arrived from Neillsville, the fire was beyond control, despite efforts of pumping ample water from the creek.  However, the fire threatened to spread to the Farmers State Bank and all efforts were bent on saving that building and others nearby.  Three cars in the garage, one owned by Messenberg, one by Emil Lopus and one by Carl Schlinsog were lost as well as tools, machinery and accessories.  The origin of the fire is believed to have been lightening as a thunder storm occurred, a short time before the fire was discovered. 

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Bees are not as busy as we think they are.  They just can’t buzz any slower. – Kin Hubbard

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Love is blind, but marriage restores its sight. – Lichtenberg

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If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. – Derek Bok

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Hoping to save the statue of Justice… a monument of a past era… From the top of the 1876 courthouse, a wrecking crew worked laboriously with a plan to do just that.  However, like felling a tree, it didn’t topple eastward as planned, but fell to the west as a wall support buckled.  The Justice, cast from copper, was hurdled along with other debris, on to the news courthouse road.  The Justice was shattered and the new courthouse roof received some damage.  It wasn’t determined how many years the Justice had stood atop the building, but it was believed to be the second statue installed there.

An early scene: pre-1895, with the first Neillsville Bank building on Hewett and 6^th Street Corner.  The streets were dirt with board sidewalks.