January 1904

August F. Snyder, Neillsville men’s clothing merchant and father of E. H. Snyder, advertises suits as low as $6.50 in his January clearance sale.

The Wisconsin Furniture Manufacturing Company, better known now as the old furniture factory, promises ‘Highest Cash Prices Paid for all Kinds of Logs.’

Frank Lowe has sold out his interest in the Lowe Bros. Meat Market to his brother, Irving.

William Buddenhagen, who recently bought the Eilert farm for $20,000 of Chas Bray, has taken possession of the property.

H. B. Andrus has a new creamery in York and has engaged F. A. Viergutz of Chippewa Falls, an expert buttermaker to take charge of the creamery.

January 1934

People of this city possessing gold coin, gold bullion or gold certificates are directed in a letter received by local banks from the Treasurer of the United States to surrender their holdings immediately.

Any individual, partnership association or corporation failing to comply with the order is subject to a penalty equal to twice the value of the gold or gold certificates and such penalty can be collected by this or otherwise.

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Westside Tavern, 3 miles west on Highway 10, will have Free Lunch and Music Thursday, Jan. 11, serving 5-cent beer.

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Dancing at Keller’s Silver Dome Ballroom, Neillsville, with Bennie Graham and his 8 Musicians, Saturday, Jan. 13, Admission is 15 cents per person.

There will be an Old Time Dance with Hans Schwartz the German King of “The Ivories and His Dutch Boy Entertainers,” direct from the Eagle’s Million Dollar Ballroom, Milwaukee, Thurs. Jan. 18, Admission is 25 cents per person.

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The “Boom Days” of Clark County CWA rampage, at the peak of which more than three times the allotted quota was on the payrolls, has reached the end of the trail and for the present, at least, all projects will have to coast along under a greatly reduced head of steam.

CWA headquarters ordered county director Bob Kurth to hold payrolls down this week and prepare for further cuts next week.  Last week 2,760 men drew $54,197.13.  The quota for Clark County will be 1,083 men.

Another report hinted at a reorganization shake up in the federal Re-employment office soon, but the nature of the changes was not given out.

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Edwin Bast and Nick Linster announced this week that they had taken over the Neillsville Garage and will operate the business.  The garage will continue its repair department and storage space.  It is planned that they will take on a line of well-known automobiles within a short time.

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Wednesday night the Ladies’ Sewing Club, which met with Miss Clarice Dodtke (Dodte) at the Hewett Street home of Judge Schoengarth, was startled by a fire, which appeared across on Court Street.  The Judge went over to investigate and found that Hauge’s machine shed was on fire.  He set to work to extinguish the blaze and had it pretty well under control when the fire company responded to a call someone sent in.

The building contains no heating system and the origin of the fire is unknown.

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The Village of Merrillan is being attached to Clark County in the Administration of Poor Relief.  Jackson County has not established the county system of relief, as a large portion of that county has few applicants for help.  The Village of Merrillan, however, is hard hit and finds difficulty in taking care of the poor out of local funds.  By being attached to Clark County the village will receive 70 percent of its aid from the federal funds and will have to give only 30 percent of the aid from its local taxes.  As Merrillan’s proportionate share of administration expenses will come out of its allotment, Clark County will be out nothing.

Mr. Powers, who is investigator for the Southwest section of Clark County, will act as investigator of cases in Merrillan.

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Nels J. Anderson of Owen, who is nearing his 74^th birthday, recently recounted to friends his early experiences as a member of the bodyguard of the royal family of Denmark.  Mr. Anderson was bodyguard to King Christian IX from 1880 to 1881 and his son, Frederick, who since has served as King of Denmark.  After serving his term in the bodyguard between the ages of 19 and 20 Mr. Anderson came to America 51 years ago, settling in Augusta.  Since then he has lived at Fairchild and Owen.

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The President Roosevelt birthday party dance, which was staged at Keller’s Silver Dome Ballroom Tuesday night by the Clark County Democratic Party, was a big success.  There were about 300 couples in attendance.  The money raised will be sent to the Roosevelt Foundation, which is an organization formed to provide treatment for infantile paralysis victims at Warm Springs, Georgia.

January 1954

Neillsville lost a downtown landmark Tuesday.

The old railroad coach, which for many years housed the Al’Aboard restaurant, was jacked up, wheels placed under it and hauled out of the city.  The new owner is James Milton, who has moved the building to his 80 acres near Dells Dam.

The removal of the old coach improves the view of the property near the railroad tracks on Hewett Street and provides for better vision of the railroad crossing at that point.

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Fast service for those who have to eat-and-run is one of the major efforts of Becker’s Café, next to the Adler Theatre in Neillsville’s downtown.

There is a home-like atmosphere, Henry J. Becker; the owner has geared his operation to serve rapidly those who want it that way as there are many among the office and downtown workers whose limited noon hours make eating and running necessary.

If that is not necessary in your case, Becker’s invite you to linger longer over a good, well-balanced meal; or to make it your headquarters for that refreshing cup of coffee for 5-cents.

Afternoons and evenings, after a movie or other evening events, Becker’s caters to a large fountain and short order trade.  Located as it is, in the heart of Neillsville’s downtown, it is a convenient gathering place.  Every effort is extended to make those who enter feel at home.

For fast service, Becker’s Café always has ready to serve roast beef and roast pork dinners.  For the more casual and less hurried, there is a wide choice of appetizing dinners and short orders available.

A popular meal is the regular 65-cent special dinner, which is available every day. Each day the make-up of this special is varied to give the regular diner a variety of food; yet, at the same time, care is taken to make it a balanced meal that will give the diner what he needs, as well as being tasty and easy on the pocketbook.

Miss Mary Sonnentag and Mrs. Rose Fox are two of the employees who will serve you.

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Eight stars of the Silver Skates will furnish entertainment during Neillsville’s Ice Carnival on the O’Neill Creek pond Saturday afternoon.

Chamber of Commerce secretary John R. Bergemann, and Rev. Wm. Koehler of the carnival committee, announced the planned skating performance. The skaters, all semi-professional, will come here from Wausau.  They have before large audiences in many communities.  Included will be figure skating, dancing, comedy and many couples skating sets.

The carnival will open at 1:30 p.m. with the selection of a Carnival Queen, who will be chosen from among the skaters 17 years and younger.  Basis for selection will be skating ability.

Included between the entertainment features will be various races and competitions for girls, boys and open classes.  Prizes are offered in the competitive events.  Entry is open without charge, to all skaters.

Activities at the O’Neill pond to prepare the ice have been under way for the last two weeks.  A number of willing volunteer workers assisted Mr. Bergemann and Rev. Koehler in preparing the ice.

Henry Lindsey, the O’Neill Creek pond caretaker, has been helping the young skaters by sharpening their skates for the upcoming Ice Carnival competition.

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Last week Mr. and Mrs. John Schmidt, who live in the Town of York, four and one-half miles south of Loyal on County Trunk K, bade their son Anthony bon voyage.

Verland is one of the family’s two boys who have not seen service.  He is needed at home to care for the farm, as Mr. Schmidt is not well.  The other is the oldest of the family, Joseph, who operates a farm near Granton.

Anthony was on his way to overseas service, the sixth of the family to wear the army uniform since the opening of World War II.

First to go into the army was Paul, now 32, who farms a mile east of the Lincoln School in the Town of York.  Now the father of three children, he was stationed most of his service period on Staten Island, in New York harbor.

Next was Henry, 31, who also served during World War II, who now farms approximately one-half mile from the family place on County Trunk K.  Most of his service was in the Panama Canal Zone.

Two of the Schmidt boys saw service in Korea with army units.  Bob, 27, has been out about two years and now is employed in Janesville.  Bernard, 23, the other Korean War veteran, also is employed in Janesville, as is George, who saw army service between World War II and the Korean action.  Both Bob and Bernard make their home with their brother George and family, he and his wife have two children.

Along with their eight boys, the Schmidt’s are parents of two daughters: Mrs. Clarence (Sally) Becker of Neillsville, and Mrs. Edward (Florence) Rueth of Loyal.

There is another Clark County family with at least six sons who have served in the armed forces since the start of World War II.

This record was set last Tuesday when Melvin Zschernitz, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Zschernitz of 1910 Johnson, Neillsville, joined the army.  A member of the service company for the last three years, Melvin enlisted with his National Guard rating of Corporal, and now is in training at Fort Riley, Kans.

He was the sixth son of the Zschernitz’s to wear the olive drab since 1939.

Three of the Zschernitz boys served during World War II, two of them being with the local Service Company from the time of their induction into Federal Service, through the training in Louisiana and Australia followed by the campaigns from New Guinea to Leyte.

Of those boys is Alan, better known as “Louie,” who, now 33 and the father of six children, lives at 201 W. 19^th Street, and is employed at the Clark County Highway Department.  He was a mechanic in the service and came out in 1945 as T/Sgt.

Also in the service company was Robert, 32, who lives at 215 West 10^th Street and who also is employed by the Clark County Highway Department.  Now the father of two sons, he was connected with the mail service and came out with a Corporal rating.

The third to serve during World War II was Earl, who also is the father of two boys and who is employed at the American Stores Dairy Company.  He was in the Air Force and was stationed for most of his service at Dayton, Ohio.

LaVern, 22, was a paratrooper, signing up in 1950.  He is now married and the father of two children.  The family lives on Clay Street.

The sixth of the service sons and last of the Zschernitz boys is Glenn, 19, who is now stationed in St. Louis, Mo., where he attends an army specialty school and is learning to grind and make eye glasses.

The only daughter in the Zschernitz family is Mrs. Lester (Rose) Volz of Neillsville.  Her husband spent 32 months in the Southwest Pacific with the service company.

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Neillsville Milk Products will hold an open house Friday afternoon, Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  You will be able to see the amazing new Butter Printing Machine in action, printing and wrapping individually quartered, churn-fresh, full-flavored Pine Valley Brand Butter.

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Mothers’ March on Polio will be held tonight throughout all of Clark County.  Turn on your porch light or set out a light for mothers will be canvassing every city, village and rural home in Clark County for funds badly needed in the fight against Infantile Paralysis.  The National Foundation for Care and Treatment of Polio Victims has already poured more than $92,000 into Clark County for care and treatment of Polio victims.

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Come in and see the 1954 Ford’s new 115-hp I-block SIX with Overhead Valves.  In addition to its smooth performance, higher compression and 14% more power, you get Ford’s traditional gas savings.

The 1954 Ford also offers the new 130 hp Y-block V-8 with Overhead Valves.

In addition to its two new deep-block engines, Ford offers you 14 stunning body styles to choose from.

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Miss Arlene Kupke, Neillsville, R. 4 and Russel Schnabel, also of Neillsville, were married January 23, at Elkader, Iowa, in a double ring ceremony.

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Marty, who accompanied the couple to Iowa, were their attendants.

Mrs. Schnabel is a graduate of Neillsville High School and for the past year has been employed in Neillsville.  The groom is a farmer.

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Dance to Lawrence Duchow & His Red Raven Orchestra Wednesday, Jan. 13 at Fourniers Ballroom in Eau Claire; and Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Dorchester Community Hall.

The Neillsville Furniture Factory, as it appeared in its operation, was built in 1892, crafting beautiful hardwood furniture until January 1911 when it was destroyed by fire.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Robert’s Collection) 

(Correction on last week’s photo: Otto Hainz owned and operated a John Deere Implement Shop in the former Paulson building starting in 1946 and throughout the 50s)

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