March 1879

J. W. Ferguson has been reappointed postmaster here for the next four years, Providence and Democrats be willing.

•••••••••

Mrs. Hubbard, who has been teaching the past winter in the Town of Thorp, is making a brief visit here with her home folks. She will return at once to teach another term in the same district.

•••••••••

We, at the Press, want a load of oats from someone who owes our office money.

•••••••••

Frank Brown, of Greenwood, who has been absent while under treatment for rheumatism for some time, has returned well enough to resume his business.

•••••••••

Richard Hawks, Jr., desires us to state that the current report of his marriage is without foundation.  He simply took a wayward daughter to her sorrowing parents, at their written request.  There wasn’t any honeymoon about it.

•••••••••

The farmers of the vicinity have been doing a great amount of logging on their own hook.  All the vacant lots about Gallaher’s mill have been filled with logs of various kinds, which farmers brought in to be sawed on shares.  There are enough logs in already to keep the mill running constantly for three months or more.  The farmers of this county have the facilities of getting cheap lumber and if they do not all have good buildings; it is due principally to their shiftlessness.

News a week later:

On Monday, Gallaher’s mill burned and set a little fire of its own at Charley Simons place.  Some burning cinders fell in his direction, setting fire to the straw banked around his house, and which was not discovered until it had burned under the sill and made quite a demonstration.

Subscriptions to the amount of about $800 were raised in this village last Tuesday morning to aid Mr. Gallaher in rebuilding his mill destroyed by fire.  Work has already commenced on the timber for the framing by parties who volunteered their labor in helping Gallaher.

The new building will be 60 x 84 feet on the ground and two stories in height.

The 2-story Gallaher mill building was built after the first structure burned in 1879 on the corner of Grand Avenue and Fourth Street.  (Photo Courtesy of Bill Roberts’ collection)

•••••••••

Mr. E. S. Mitchell, who has been a most estimable citizen of Clark County for several years, has left us to accept a station agent position with G.B. & M. Railroad at Scranton, east of Hatfield.

•••••••••

Last Monday and Tuesday Neillsville saw the annual “coming out of logging camp,” and the streets have since been crowded with “the boys” who have been detained here longer than usual, waiting in most instances, for money to be sent from below to pay them off.  The suddenness of the break-up let but few contractors prepared to pay off their men, but the telegraph was set to work and by the middle of the week most of the funds necessary had been received.

•••••••••

The first case of arrest in this place under the new law against assault with the tongue, took place last Tuesday.  The victim of the law was a nam named John Disson and the complainant Wm. Neverman.  Billy listened to his abuse until it grew monotonous, when he swore out a warrant and had Disson brought before Justice Kountz, who found him guilty, fining him $10 and costs.

•••••••••

Jones Tompkins, of 26 Road, is spending a few days in town, resting up and preparing himself for the arduous duties of potato planting.  The measure of Jones’ earthly ambition is full.  He has steered a raft up and down the river, published a newspaper, ran for the legislature, and is now calmly waiting for death.

•••••••••

Charles Deutsch has received a fine assortment of cloth of every description, from which he will make up in the best style, and upon shot notice, suits at from $18 to $40.  In addition to piece goods on hand, he has samples of all the latest and most fashionable goods made, which he can procure on two days notice.

•••••••••

About four o’clock Saturday morning the store and residence of J. H. Cook in Unity was discovered on fire.  An alarm was given and in a short time many of their citizens were on the spot, but nothing could be done to save the building.  Very little of the contents were saved.  The origin of the fire was unknown.

•••••••••

The people of the towns of York and Grant have gotten into a neighborhood quarrel over a town line road.  We don’t have the particulars gathered yet but will watch for notice of a committee meeting of the county board.

•••••••••

For Sale: a good farm, cheap!  This small farm is situated about 5 ½ miles south of Neillsville.  It has forty acres in all with about 20 acres cleared and fenced; good house, barn and cow-stable, young fruit orchard in bearing condition.  If a larger farm is wanted, more adjoining land can be bought.  Farm will be sold at a bargain.  For particulars inquire at the office of Herman Schuster.  S. P. Hubbard.

March 1944

Staff Sgt. Eddie Vinton arrived home in Humbird Saturday evening from a base hospital in Florida.  He had been there since February 7, when he arrived in the United States by plane from a hospital in Africa.

His experiences began in January 1941, when he joined the medical corps of the U. S. Army.  After training at Scott Field and Jefferson Barracks he was sent across on October 7, 1942.

Eddie was born in Humbird and grew up there.  In the middle of his senior year of high school he moved with his mother to Neillsville, where he graduated with the class of 1940.  After graduation Eddie returned to Humbird where he worked for the W. C. Flood service station.  His mother is Mrs. Dan Timerson and lives at Christie.  His sister, Mrs. Lee Terrell lives here.

•••••••••

R. E. Schmedel of the American Stores Dairy Co. has received a letter from Peter Beck, formerly with the Northern States Power Company in Neillsville and now with the armed forces, presumably in London.  Mr. Beck enclosed a wrapper taken from a can of milk produced by the American Stores Dairy Company in the Condensery at Neillsville.  The letter of Mr. Beck follows:

“I have saved this wrapper for a long time to send to you.  You can’t imagine the expression on my face when I sat down to supper one evening and saw this wrapper on a can of milk sitting in front of me.  I spent the whole evening showing it to the fellows and telling them about Neillsville; also told them they were getting the best milk produced in the United States.

“I am sending you this label with the idea that the employees of your plant would be interested to know that their efforts are helping to keep the soldiers overseas in good condition; also that someone who had been in Neillsville was drinking it along with many other Wisconsin boys.”

•••••••••

LaVern H. Durst, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Durst and known in Neillsville, is taking advanced flight training at the Army Air Field at Lubbock, Texas.  He was formerly associated with is father as a cheesemaker.

•••••••••

In the first days of the Marine invasion of Bougainville, a 19-year-old Marine from Spencer, Wis., went ashore with his truck.  He was Pfc. Clayton H. LeRoy.  It was his first contact with the Japanese and the final test of months of training.

LeRoy’s truck rolled down from the landing craft, through the surf and onto the beach. Everything was going okay, until, the truck reached the edge of the jungle and met trouble!

A bullet crashed through the cab of the truck. At the same time, the wheels mired deep in the mud.  LeRoy was stuck, right in the sights of a Japanese sniper!  He acted quickly.  In a leap he was on the ground with a rifle.  Then he began to stalk the sniper.  Other marines joined in the hunt.  In a few minutes, the sniper was located and liquidated.  Then another hunt developed.  LeRoy needed a tractor.  So exposing himself to enemy fire, he ran about the beach until he found what he wanted.  Then he came back to pull his trick (truck) out of the mudhole.

A few minutes later, Pfc. LeRoy was driving on toward the front lines, to deliver goods in the truck.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. James Nesbett recently received a letter from their son, Pfc. Al Nesbett, who is stationed somewhere in England, saying he had at last been able to fulfill one of his chief ambitions, which was to visit his mother’s people in Scotland.  He spent some time in Glenfhee, Scotland visiting his grandfather, James McLane; also had the privilege of calling on two aunts and an uncle who live in Scotland.  This was Pfc. Nesbett’s second visit to Scotland as he also had been there in 1925.

Pfc. Nesbett has one more European visit he would like to make, a trip into Ireland to see his father’s folks.

•••••••••

With an amazing record of battle behind it, the Blue Streak, durable U. S. Army Liberator, has arrived back in the United States after two years of action.  The bomber has flown 110 combat missions, accounted definitely for 23 enemy aircraft and three ships, and has had 19 engines, three wings and two rudders, but not a single member of her crew has been lost.  Among the Blue Streak’s crew members is M/Sergt Richard E. Weiznegger, of Eau Claire, Wis.

•••••••••

Dick Prochazka has been chosen captain of the football team of the Neillsville High School for the 1944 season.  He was the choice of the lettermen, elected at a recent session.

•••••••••

Your Standard Oil man, Arthur E. Dux has moved his office to the building adjoining Roehrborn’s Store.  To place orders at his office Phone 206 or at his home it is two rings.

•••••••••

New postage rates go into effect throughout the nation on Sunday, March 26.

First class mail for local delivery, in Neillsville or routes, will be 3 cents per ounce or fraction, instead of the former 2-cent rate.

Postage on all fourth class or parcel post mail is increased three percent.

Increases in money order fees will result in charges of 10 cents for orders from 1 cent to $2.50 and 37 cents from $80.01 to $100.

•••••••••

Cpl Irene Johlke of the WAC, stationed at Camp McCoy, is here on furlough at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Hagen, East Fifth Street.  She will return to camp on March 25.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Willard Gerhardt have received word from their son, Dale that he is now a Benedict.  He was recently married to Brita Anderson, a girl who he met in Seattle, where he has been employed for about a year.  He met her at a dairy plant for which he delivers milk.  They had a quiet wedding at a Methodist Church there, with only intimate friends present, and have set up housekeeping in Seattle.

Dale went to Seattle about a year ago.  He spent all his early life in the Neillsville community, being a graduate of the Neillsville High school, class of 1939.

•••••••••

The Joseph Chase farm, a mile and a-half east of Neillsville has been purchased by Carl Eisentraut and will be operated by Mr. and Mrs. Earl Erickson of Marshfield, R. 1, who will take possession April 1^st.  Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Chase, Jr., expect to move at that time to the former James Milton farm west of town, now owned by Andrew Mason.

Other recent real estate transfers in Clark County:  Andrew Lindner has purchased the John Bannach farm, located northwest of Loyal.

Harold Oldroyd, manager of Blue Moon Foods at Thorp, has purchased the residence property of Frank M. Broeren on West Main Street and expects to bring his family to Thorp.  Mr. Broeren has bought the Victor Soli residence on the Thorp’s north side.

Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Wavrunek have purchased the W. J. Landry home on North Emery Street and expect to occupy it by April 1^st.

Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Hannon have purchased from E. A. Wepfer A house in Loyal, and will move into it on April 1^st.  Their son Ray will take possession of their farm in the Town of York.

Frank Wolf has purchased the William Loppnow farm on the east limits of the village of Loyal.

•••••••••

Mrs. Joseph Poehnlein has returned after a two weeks’ trip to Chicago, where she visited with her husband who is stationed in Ft. Meade, Md.

•••••••••

Mrs. Emil Hauri came home this week from San Diego, Calif., having been with her husband for several months while he is stationed there on army duty.

•••••••••

E. E. Nielsen, a pioneer of the Danish Colony in the Withee Community, has been gathered to his fathers at the age of 77.  He was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. Andreas S. Neilsen and came as a member of their family when the Danish Colony was established in 1893.  He was then 26 years of age, having been born in Denmark in 1867.

Soon after the family arrived, the younger Nielsen set himself up in a feed and gristmill business at the north limits of the village.  Later he began to repair watches, a trade which he had learned in Chicago.  He conducted his business in the business district of Withee, for 40 years.

Mr. Nielsen served as a justice of the peace more than 40 years and was a member of the board of education for 15 years.

Mr. Nielson was married to Alva Hack of Withee in 1903.  He is survived by his wife, as well as two sisters and three brothers, one whom is Dr. C. S. Nielsen of Withee.

•••••••••

Another party for high school students was sponsored Friday evening at the Legion Hall by the American Legion Auxiliary, the committee in charge being, Mrs. Elmer Counsell, Mrs. James Cummings and Mrs. Floyd Casler.  Music for dancing was furnished by a swing band made up of high school students, directed by Miss Virginia Scholtz, who played the piano. This event will be repeated on next Friday evening.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤