Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

January 20, 1999, Page 28

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

               Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

  

Clark County News

 

January 1929

 

Last week, the Sollberger Brothers completed the pens for their foxes at the farm of John Sollberger, Jr., near Colombia.  They have bought two pairs of select stock of the Silver-Black foxes from the fox ranch of Robert Quinnell in Pine Valley.  The Sollbergers are beginning the fox raising business after a careful study of fox breeding and feeding.

 

Sollbergers are starting their business with the best stock available.  Quinnell owns a very choice lot of foxes.  He has twenty pairs left to carry over for the coming year’s breeding.

 

A deal, which has been in process for some time, is being closed on the sale of the Bruley Elevator in Neillsville.  The business is being sold to S. H. Van Gorden.  The Van Gorden family: including the grandfather, three sons and three grandsons, have a chain of elevators and feed stores.  They have been very successful with their plants in Black River Falls, Taylor, Hixton and Alma Center.  Archie Van Gorden, a grandson, will manage the Neillsville mill.  He, his wife and three children will be moving, to make their home in Neillsville. 

 

Fred Bruley, who has been the active manager of the Bruley Elevator Co., began that line of work nearly 30 years ago for A. B. Marsh in 1914.  In 1917, Bruley went into business for himself, building the present plant.  Later, the business was incorporated.  The Company now has a large plant and stock at Eau Claire with branches at Chippewa Falls and Menomonie.

 

Erwin F. Brooks of the Town of Lynn passed away at the Marshfield Hospital on Jan. 4.

 

Brooks was the last of the older Brooks brother’s who settled in Lynn in the early days.  Born in Elyria, Ohio, Dec. 11, 1851, he was the son of Bartemus and Elizabeth Brooks.

 

The family came to Sparta, Wis., in 1860, and to Lynn, Clark County, in 1861.  The family settled on a farm in the Lynn area.

 

On Dec. 25, 1892, Brooks married Miss Minnie S. McIntire.  They developed a fine farm out of the wilderness.  Brooks also was engaged quite extensively in logging for many years.  Greatly respected, he took an active part in public affairs within Clark County.

 

Preceded in death by his wife, he is survived by four children: Elsie, Mrs. Ernest Montag of Chili; Mabel, Mrs. R. C. Norman of Seattle, Wash., Ray E. of Spiceland, Ind., and Clark A. of the Town of Lynn.  His brothers, Alongo, Alva, William, George and Dan preceded him in death.  One sister, Electa Brooks, is living.

 

Recently, Ed Kutchera closed a deal with Louis Schmitt of Marshfield.  Kutchera is now the owner of the Neillsville Marble and Granite Works.  Wm. H. Huntley, who formerly worked for Schmitt, will continue to work with Kutchera.

 

Last week, the New Dells Lumber Co. started hauling logs from its skidways in the Town of Levis and on the O’Brien farm in South Pine Valley.  Five teams are hauling from the skidways back of the R. B. French farm in Levis and four teams hauling from the O’Brien land.  All of the teams are provided by neighboring farms.

 

The teams of horses and wagons get onto Black River at the mouth of French’s Creek.  They go up the river to the Yndogliato farm, where a road has been made, crossing the turnpike near Silver Crest School, then traveling north to Sydney, where the logs are landed. 

 

On Monday, teams started hauling from the northern camps in Pine Valley and Weston.  When this project gets into full swing, 25 sleighs will be used.  Each pulled by a four team hitch.  That will make quite an impressing procession.  Their trail will proceed down the river for some distance above Neillsville to a special side track west of the railroad depot where the logs will be landed.

 

The heavy snow and blockaded roads may not be altogether an absolute evil, but rather a blessing in disguise.  It will give some cars a much needed rest.  The owners will be ahead in money saved, less will be spent for gas and repairs as well as saving the wear and tear on the vehicles.

 

An auto isn’t intended to be a winter vehicle and one winter’s use on it is harder than six summers.  No wonder cars last only a few years.  The proper place for an automobile in the winter time is in the garage, jacked up to set on blocks.  Of course, that can’t be done with all motored vehicles, but most could be stored for winter.

 

Driving automobiles puts a terrific financial strain and drain on the whole country.  Millions of dollars are spent for gas which could be expended for food and heating fuel.  If the automobiles were given a rest during winter time, some people might be able to pay their grocery and other over-due bills.

 

Real talking and singing pictures are coming to the Trags Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 3.  There will be a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

 

An Oshkosh road contractor has been operating in Clark County for the past few days, opening up town roads.  He owns a fleet of 14 trucks upon which are mounted snow plows and travels through out the state removing snow on township roads.  He charges $5 an hour and has been kept very busy.

 

Work of remodeling the Schiller building, formerly the Greenwood Cooperative Store, was begun last week. The interior is being painted; an elevator will be installed in the northeast corner.  The east end of the roof is being raised to make a second story the full length of the building.  Schiller expects several loads of new furniture to arrive this week and will be ready for business, shortly.

 

Tuesday morning, a son was born to Mrs. Frank Johnston.  Mrs. Johnston’s husband died on January 5, leaving her with eight small children to care for.  They were renters of the J. F. Vincent farm in the Town of York.  The ladies of that neighborhood and the Community Club of Neillsville are doing all they can to help Mrs. Johnston and her family.

 

The Neville Brothers will saw logs at Cunningham Creek on the Chas. Mackepramg’s farm.  It is located in the Town of Washburn, one mile east and one mile north of the Shortville Store.

 

The drawing for a player piano was held at St. Mary’s church hall, Monday night.  Will Hannah drew out the tickets.  The sixth ticket drawn, indicated the winner, who was M. N. Manley. It is a very fine instrument and will be greatly enjoyed by the Manley family as they are very musical and have not other piano.

 

November 1949

 

A new ski run was opened at Bruce Mound in December of 1948.  This run is regarded, by local enthusiasts, as the equal to many other ski slopes in Wisconsin. The first rise, at year’s end, followed extensive work on the site, done largely by volunteer labor.  Some of the run was naturally clear; the remainder of it had to be brushed out and prepared for use.

 

The ski run is fitted out with two tows, each consisting of a rope running through pulleys and operated by gas motors.  One of the tows is 1,000 feet long.  The other tow, which is the upper, is 300 feet long.

 

The run starts at the foot of the fire tower and follows a generally eastern direction.

 

The ski run has been installed and will be operated by what is known as Half Moon Ski Club.  The officers are: president, Jim Hauge; vice president, Dick Van Gorden; secretary, John Peterson; treasurer, Cal Swenson.

 

Membership is open to all who are interested in skiing.

 

The run is located in one of the most picturesque spots of Clark County.

 

The final week of 1948, recorded ten real estate transactions in Clark County which involved more than $46,000 according to records in the register of deeds office.

 

Among the transactions was the sale by Anna Grottke of property in Section 7, Town of Grant.  She sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. Roger Ingold on Dec. 29.

 

Other transactions included:

 

The sale by Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dahnert; of property in Section 119 (11 or 19?), Town of Beaver, to Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Brown.

 

The purchase of property from Mr. and Mrs. Tony Celesnik in Section 4, Town of Seif, by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Krejci.

 

The sale by Mr. and Mrs. Guy Stewart, for property in Section 18, Town of Longwood, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bolicki.

 

The purchase by Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Deutschlander for property in Section 1, Town of Thorp and a piece of land lying in Taylor County, from Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Gorden.

 

The sale by Frances Placzkowski to Peter Law, of property in Section 17, Town of Withee.  Possession was reserved until November 15, 1949.  Revenue stamps affixed to the deed indicated a purchase price of from $2,000 to $2,500.

 

The sale by Hazel Huls of lot 13, block F, of the original plat of the City of Thorp, to Mr. and Mrs. William G. Huls.

 

The purchase by Fred J. Barr for property in Section 19, Town of Eaton, from Mr. and Mrs. Clark Hatton.

 

The sale by Alice and Franklin Knowlton to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Lulloff of property in Section 15, Town of Green Grove. 

 

Herbert Keller has assumed the Clark County Courthouse Janitor job by the public property committee.  His compensation for the job will be $1,950 per year.  Keller was selected from among 14 applicants for the position.

 

The Grand View School property, located one mile west of Neillsville, became a part of the Neillsville – Pine Valley joint district on July 1st.  It is the result of the consolidation of the Grand View District with the Neillsville – Pine Valley joint district.

 

The first marriage application issued in Clark County for 1949, on Jan. 3, was filed by Harold J. Langreck, 26, of route 4, Neillsville, and Rosalie C. Hartung, 20, of Route 1, Neillsville.  They plan to be married on Jan. 10 in Neillsville.

 

Other marriage applications were issued to: Irvin Wedekind and Arlene Gerhardt both of Neillsville; Clarence Weichelt and Phyllis J. Kobl, Granton. 

 

The first marriage ceremony preformed in 1949 is believed to have been that of Edwin Kindt and Doris Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Smith.  Both are from Neillsville.  The marriage rites were performed on New Year’s Day by the Rev. Adolph Schumann, Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, at Globe.

 

One of the most popular spots in the city during the last half of December was the skating pond on O’Neill Creek near the Hewett Street Bridge.

 

A total of 1,683 persons used the pond for skating in the last 19 days of the month, according to figures given in the monthly report of the city engineer, James D. Hansen.   (That was probably due to the “No television era.” D.Z.)

 

Mr. and (Mrs.) John Roberts and son, Steve, returned to their home in Mankato, Minn.  They were here to attend the funeral of Mr. Roberts’ grandfather, Glenni Haven.

 

Ed Bergstrom of Owen has donated his garage for a week, to be used by veterans who are now taking part in the on-the-farm training program.  The Veterans are now taking a course in repairing and servicing farm machinery.  Bergstrom has turned away all repair work during the week to have the building available to the veterans.

 

It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s wise to check once in a while to make sure you haven’t lost the things money can’t buy.

 

A barber shop scene one of the several such shops; which were located in Neillsville during the early 1900s.  Some set up their businesses in the basement of downtown buildings.

 

 


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