From Our Early Files

25 YEARS AGO

Oct. 19, 1995

            After years of planning and months of ironing out problems, Trempealeau County’s 911 telephone system is scheduled to go into operation next week. County officials have set Thursday, Oct. 26, as the start-up for the emergency telephone system, which will provide quick access to emergency services and automatic identification of callers. The official inauguration of the system, appropriately, will be at 9:11 a.m. 

            The Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors Monday night voted to build a new office for the county highway department, paving the way for a planned multimillion dollar improvement project at the courthouse. The board voted 15-5 to approve a resolution submitted by County board chairman John Killian of Arcadia. 

            Eugene Killian was involved with local politics in Arcadia for more than 20 years and on Thursday night, the present city council decided to insure that future generations would have knowledge about the man who played an intricate role in the way Arcadia is today. Several Arcadia businessmen joined Killian on an evening when his name would become a part of the city in which he labored so diligently to bring into the next century. The previous Lion’s Park was renamed to in Killian’s honor.

            Michael Jedlowski was appointed as president of the Millennium Division for Ashley Furniture Industries. Jedlowski began his career in furniture while he was in high school, he worked as a furniture salesman to help provide funds fo this education. He was recently senior Vice President of furniture for Smith’s Home Furnishings, a Portland-based retailer. 

            Approximately 475 riders took to the trials as the Dodge Sportsman’s Club sponsored the 16th annual horse trail ride. 

            For the second year in a row, John’s Food Stores, Arcadia, has been awarded by Campbell’s Sales Company for Recognition of Outstanding Support in the promotion of Labels For Education Program. Accepting the award was Dick Schmidt, director of advertising for John’s. 

            A preliminary application to the state development department for $750,000 grant for improvements to the city of Galesville’s water system has been submitted. 

            Lee Trocinski is the third best 10-year-old football passer, punter and kicker in the state of Wisconsin. There were 60,302 witnesses at Lambeau Field Sunday to prove it. An added premium to Sunday was a pregame meeting the youngsters had with Packers quarterback Brett Favre. He told the participants that he had started out in a punt-pass-kick competition.  

            Galesville’s new bridge and street improvement project seems to have come to a bad fork in the road. The road signs aren’t hopeful. The governor’s transportation department budget request, which had included the new bridge and Main Street work in 1997, lost some of its funding when Assembly stripped a revenue-pumping gas tax hike out of the bill. 

            An early Sunday morning two-car traffic accident left two hospitalized, one being the city of Blair’s Chief of Police Carlyle Helstad and the other 17-year-old Matthew Bush of rural Taylor. The crash occurred on Highway 95, less than a mile east of Blair when Bush, driving a 1989 Chevrolet Beretta was eastbound and 55-year-old Helstad, on patrol in the 1994 Chevrolet Caprice squad car, was westbound. According to the report, the Bush vehicle impacted with the Blair squad in the westbound lane. Bush remained in the intensive care unit as of Tuesday with a broken left leg, broken bones in his foot, a fractured collarbone and a knee injury, along with other cuts and bruises. Helstad underwent surgery for a fractured right hip and also received minor facial cuts. 

            A benefit for Dan Helgeson of Blair is scheduled for Saturday night. Helgeson was critically injured in a logging accident on June 20 and remains paralyzed from the waist down. 

            The Blair-Taylor team won first place in the 1995 Trempealeau County Land Judging Contest. Team members included Matt Bush, Nathan Instenes, Melissa Instenes, Duwayne Tjerstad and coach Wayne Hoem. 

50 YEARS AGO

Oct. 22, 1970

            The Whitehall city council voted last week Tuesday to hire the La Crosse engineering firm of Kratt Lachecki to draw up plans for the new swimming pool. Land across from Memorial High is the favored site, if it can obtained from the school district, the more central location now being preferred over the site of the existing pool.

            Robert “Buck” Beirne, formerly of Ettrick, opened a barbershop Tuesday in the Woychik building on Blair St. in Whitehall. He has been employed for five years at the Sandbergen barbershop in Black River Falls.

            A citizen group has obtained the signatures required to place the name of Marion Michaels of Black River Falls on the Nov. 3 ballot as an independent candidate for Assembly.

            Stan Amundson, Trempealeau County sheriff, was recently presented an award of merit from the National Child Safety Council in recognition of outstanding service to the safety education of children. 

            Children of the Arcadia area will be guests of the Arcadia Lions Club at the annual Halloween entertainment. Traditional torchlight parade has been eliminated this year because of a lack of participation. Instead, children will go directly to the Arcadia Elementary School gym where costume judging will take place and prizes will be awarded. 

            Vernon Schwertel was awarded a Supreme Knights of Columbus Certificate of Commendation at the October meeting of the Arcadia council of the Knights of Columbus. Presentation was made by Vilas Hanson, grand knight. 

            Blair Bus Company owners Lawrence Holven and Ray Nereng have sold to James Swenson of Washington Coulee. 

            Melvin Samplawski, Chetek, was named district superintendent for the Blair District for N.S.P.

            Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Nelson will observe their 50th wedding anniversary.

75 YEARS AGO

Oct. 18, 1945

            The 75th anniversary celebration at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is underway, opening this Wednesday evening with a ladies’ night program. A confirmation reunion and youth rally has been planned for tonight. The annual La Crosse Circuit fall meeting, which is open to the public, will be held tomorrow. Dedication of the new parsonage will highlight Sunday, which is the diamond jubilee day.

            The J.B. Rotnour Players will give their first performance at the City Hall Monday evening, “The Singer and the Fool,” a comedy-drama lasting about two hours. 

            The pheasant season opens this Saturday at noon. Warden Johnson calls attention to the fact that game hours were established under War Time. It is now necessary to figure an hour earlier on account of the change to Standard Time.

            Rudolph Hagen has returned to his position as foreman of the Green Bay and Western Railroad section out of Independence, after a 30-day furlough during which he helped his brother Palmer with his Cities Service bulk station. Palmer has recovered from a siege of neuritis and is able to conduct his business again.

            The Fitch Coulee Community Club will meet tomorrow evening, the program to include a piano trio by the Anderson girls, a recitations by Richard Tollefson and Lorrayne Nelson, a vocal solo by Miss Stella Windjue, an instrumental number by Jerome Johnson, and a vocal selection by Anna Mae, Joan and Constance Anderson.

100 YEARS AGO

Oct. 21, 1920

            The campaign for state senator is complicated by the injection of an independent candidate from the city of La Crosse. A word to the farmers of this county is opportune at this time, to show them that their interests demand the retention of Mr. Clark in the Senate chamber. We have nothing to say for or against Mr. Knutson. He was selected by the labor interests of La Crosse. The farm is well aware that the labor problem is an important one to them, and the representation of those interests alone would be inimical to their best interests. They are having trouble securing help, and whether this is due to labor agitation or other causes it is hard to say, but it is evident the interest of the farmer would be in better hands with a farmer representative that with one wholly allied to labor.

            H.C. McGown has gone to Milwaukee to enter the Soldiers Home. This is a great institution for the old soldier who has no home ties. There is every comfort there for the aged boys of the Blue, and it is well there is such a place for those who defended the flag in those dark days.

            D.G. Williams of Strum, democratic candidate for sheriff, was at Whitehall Tuesday, continuing on to Ettrick in the interest of his candidacy.

            The high school students in Whitehall received a rare treat last Wednesday afternoon when Congressman James Frear gave a 40-minute talk on his trip to Hawaii, the Philippines and China.

            Sgt. Otis Hutchins of Trempealeau, first Trempealeau County volunteer to give his life in World War I, was interred in Arlington National Cemetery. He died during the torpedoing of Tuscania by a German submarine.             

            Good School Week was observed statewide to focus public attention on education and develop public sentiment in favor of better schools.

            Andrew Pietrek, who had spent several weeks in North Dakota and Canada arrived home in Arcadia the latter part of the week. 

            William Syverson, former Blair man now in Alamao N.D., received serious injuries when a manlift in an elevator broke and he fell to the bottom. 

            Clarence Anderson and Brother Norval bagged a Canadian gray goose near Frenchville, weightin 17.5 pounds and it had a wing span of 68 inches. 

            Alden Elland will be the new projectionist at Century Theatre. 

            The Herbert DeHusson family purchased the O.B. Johnson farm east of Blair. 

125 YEARS AGO

Oct. 17, 1895

            The presentation of “Uncle Josh” by the Whitehall Dramatic Co. at Opera Hall last evening, drew a big house, $43, and was richly deserving of the liberal patronage bestowed. From beginning to close, it was the best played drama ever placed before the footlights by Whitehall talent.

            Solsrud, Kidder and Co. have put a cash carrier in their store, and Miss Lena Larson is the young lady who receives the lightning-speed cups, makes the change and returns them over the wires to the clerks. It is a fine system, and saves the hard-worked salesmen of this firm thousands of steps daily.

            County Treasurer O.E. Larson moved his family from Pigeon into the Tucker residence in town this week. Whitehall has plenty of room for all such good people.

            A.H. and H.H. Lewis of Hale received a fine imported Lincolnshire buck by express Saturday from Racine. It had wool on it 12 inches long.

            Ziba Harnden was at Arcadia the first of the week for a load of ice for Simon Olson and Co.

            Pigeon Falls — J.E. Hovelsrud has closed the parochial school for the United Lutheran congregation at this place, and will teacher one month in Big Slough.

            Pigeon Falls — Rev. A.J. Oerke, who has spent several months in Norway for his health, will conduct religious services here Sunday. He will first go from New York to his home at Chetek, then move his family and household goods here, then take up the work to which he was called early in the spring.

 

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