From Our Early Files April 27, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
May 1, 1997
A rash of one-car accidents on Trempealeau County roads Friday and Saturday mornings resulted in six young people being hospitalized, several of them seriously. Jarrod Olson (20 years old) of Onalaska and two passengers, Benjamin Smith (20) and Steven Roellich (19), were thrown from a vehicle driven by Olson after it went off Crystal Valley Road, northeast of Galesville. Sarah Mathson (21) of Blair apparently missed the corner and overturned in the ditch on Hwy. 121, just west of Whitehall. She was thrown from her car and later placed in intensive car in a La Crosse hospital. Independence residents Jeremy Skroch and Winan Kelley, both 20, were thrown from a pickup truck on County Highway X. Skroch was taken to a hospital in Eau Claire where he was initially listed in critical conditions, but since improved. Kelley’s condition is unknown.
If it is left up to the Whitehall district school board, the city of Whitehall will build its own outdoor pool. Board members at Monday’s monthly meeting voted informally on whether they favored building an indoor, year-round pool that would be attached to the Memorial High building and four out of the five present said “no.”
A number of Whitehall High School students will compete in the vocal and instrumental categories at the state solo and ensemble contests that will be held this Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. WHSers performing solos and duets are Leah Hanson, Erika Skadahl, Shanna Hanson, Jenni Maudal, Stephanie Ekern, Laura Bender, Jenny Granlund, Greg Van Sickle, Mandy Gauger, Mandy Kampa, Jeff Martinovici, Chris Manka and Tricia Austin.
The six contestants for the 1997 Miss Arcadia Pageant to be held May 10 are Carolyn Bisek, daughter of Karl and Kathy Bisek; Kathryn Slaby, daughter of Anthony and Marlys Slaby; Theresa Busch, daughter of Randy and Dorothy Busch; Erin Slaby, daughter of Dennis and Rita Slaby; Joliene Pieper, daughter of Alfred and Judy Pieper and Laura Miller, daughter of Richard and Donna Miller.
Matt Chambers of Arcadia High School and Scott Waletzko of Independence High School are among 32 senior students from 31 public high schools who have been named winners of the 1997 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award.
Gary Thill of Centerville uses his mostly for trapping in the winter. Richard “Bud” Pierson of Galesville uses his to hunt, fish and trap. Dr. Frank Douglas of Galesville uses his to hunt ducks. And DeWayne Gardner of Spooner uses his to shoot carp. But they and the rest of the three-dozen airboat owners who met in Galesville Sunday might soon be using their vessels for another purpose — rescue missions in and around area waterways. A committee to alert area sheriffs of the availability of the craft, whose powerful engines can propel them over sand, snow, ice and grass as well as water, was one of several formed as the airboat owners organized.
The owner of United Bank said he is directing that most of his holdings be placed in a charitable trust after his death to serve communities he does business in. Ettrick is among them. The banker is John Vucurevich, 84, who owns 13 community banks in the Midwest and west. United Bank of Osseo has a branch in Ettrick.
50 YEARS AGO
May 4, 1972
Joseph Diffie, 32, Whitehall, pleaded guilty last week Tuesday in Eau Claire County Court to kidnapping the son of an Eau Claire dentist March 8. Diffie, who is to be sentenced May 22, was released from jail on a $5,000 cash bond posted by his father.
A retirement banquet honoring Ted Hanson, sixth-grade teacher at Sunset Elementary School, was held last week Wednesday night at Club Midway. Hanson, a Blair native, taught in area rural and elementary schools for 44 years, the past seven at Sunset.
Mrs. Marvin Olson of Whitehall was honored for her 25 years of volunteer work as a Brownie Scout leader during a tea held last week Tuesday at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.
A Eucharistic celebration observing the golden jubilee of the religious profession of Sister Mary Theodosia, BVMA, will take place Wednesday at the St. Joseph Hospital chapel in Arcadia.
Denis Kirkman, 37, has been employed as the new superintendent of schools at Arcadia. Kirkman was raised in the Rice Lake-Barron area. He previously taught social problems and physical education while coaching wrestling, football and baseball. He also spent two years as an assistant administrator at Brookwood High School and four years as the district administrator at Seneca.
The main business of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce meeting held Monday at Tally Ho Restaurant was to establish an employment office in Arcadia. That office will be located at 314 West Main Street, next to the post office.
L.S. Montgomery was guest of honor at an appreciation dinner given him by the present employees of the Gale Packing Co. at Wason’s Supper Club last week. There were 53 present and after a delicious meal he was presented a gift of appreciation. He has been in the canning business for 53 years. He has been the manager of the Gale Packing Co. for the past 36 years.
Joe Larson, president of the Sparta Brush Co. Inc., will be the featured speaker at the District Six Alice in Dairyland Banquet at Galesville May 13.
75 YEARS AGO
May 1, 1947
Preliminaries are underway for Trempealeau County’s participation in Wisconsin’s Centennial, which will be celebrated in 1948. Area residents named as subcommittee chairmen are Dr. R.L. MacCornack, medical profession and health; T.C. Main, Mrs. Yvonne Olson, 4-H clubs; Gus Boll, Boy Scouts; Scott Nichols, press; Mrs. Ernest Sletteland, music; Fred Gardner, conservation; Mrs. Jack Rhode, women’s federated clubs; Roy Matson, House of Memories; Lester Brennom, statistics.
Ole Knudtson, 78, Whitehall bachelor, received fractured bones and a scalp laceration when struck by a car driven by Robert Everson last week Wednesday, while crossing Main Street in the middle of the block.
The Wisconsin Farmer Degree was awarded to Donald Estenson, Seth Speerstra and Arthur Hanson at the state Future Farmers of America convention held at Wausau recently. Each one of the boys majored in purebred cattle.
Everett Reck, 31, was killed instantly Monday morning when the tractor he was operating on his father’s farm two miles north of Independence reared backward as he was climbing a hill.
Vernon Rogstad suffered a painful accident while working on a stepladder at the York creamery Wednesday afternoon. One leg of the ladder broke, causing him to fall, wrench his side and hit the side of his head. He was taken to the hospital, but released the following day. Art Larson is taking his place at the creamery.
Bernard Haines, 27, farmer in Myers Valley near Arcadia had a narrow escape from serious harm last Thursday night at about 11 p.m. when his truck struck and broke a 24-foot railing on a bridge over Myers Valley Creek. The lights on his truck went out and he drove the truck, which had been filled with feed, off into the creek. He landed in eight inches of water. He escaped the truck when he broke a back window. He only had minor injuries as a result of the crash.
Judge John Gaveney died as he sat in his chair at home. He was born in Arcadia June, 30, 1863, he was appointed judge in 1931.
Many letters from POW from France come to Galesville people. These were German prisoners of war located here in 1945. All are anxious to get back to the United States and to Galesville to find work.
A Centerville arson case against two men, Arnold Storm and Willie Ligenfelter, defendants charged with burning their farm home and were sentenced to two years up to five years in Green Bay Reformatory.
100 YEARS AGO
May 4, 1922
The women’s auxiliary to the Whitehall Improvement Association, ever zealous for beautifying our little city, have plans all perfected for improvement of the ground east of the bandstand. General Manager F.B. Seymour of the Green Bay and Western Railroad has written the president of the society, assuring the ladies of his hearty cooperation, and has promised to put in a train-load of dirt as soon as possible to fill in the unsightly spot, and then the work of parking the grounds will commence.
Work commences today on the new oil station of the Developed Oil Properties being built at the corner of Main and Blair streets, which is to be completed by June 1. Red tapestry brick and white marble stucco will be used, and the woodwork and roof will be green. The grounds are 50 by 60 feet, with doubled driveway. Besides furnishing oil, there will be free water and air, and a free wash rack and crankcase pit will be installed, making the station strictly up to date. When completed, Kins Bros. will have charge of the station.
For the second time in three years of competition, Whitehall High has won the league track meet for this section, with 42 points to 27 for Blair and 25 for Independence. Taking firsts for Whitehall, and therefore being eligible for the district meet at La Crosse, were Sidney Melby, Palmer Paulson, Reuben Rasmussen, Leif Solsrud and the relay team of Pederson, Hallingsford, Gilbertson and Melby.
Oliver Iverson had the misfortune to lose his barn to fire Sunday morning. Several hogs and other animals burned, and some were so badly burned that they had to be killed.
Newly elected officers at the high school alumni association were F.B. Mcweeny, president; Prof. W.B. Senty, vice president; Florence A. Muir, secretary and Mrs. O.B. Strouse, treasurer.
John Wiersgalla had a narrow escape from serious injury or possible death when a Ford car he was driving turned turtle at the foot of the hill on East Main St. in Arcadia Sunday. Wiersgalla was pinned beneath the car when people standing nearby came to the rescue, lifting the car from him. He crawled out and did not receive as much as a scratch.
The Galesville city council organized for the coming year. Mayor Witherbee named committee to cover all work , a street cleaning and general cleaning was up for discussion. The Rod and Gun Club will have the backing of the council in beautifying Galesville to make every nook and corner sanitary.
Galesville was without electric current, phone and telegraph communication with the outside world lost. The heating went off, but school went on for the day. The railroad tracks were covered with wires and brush, branches from trees and cross armed poles were down. Four or five inches of freezing snow fell until late afternoon.
Galesville is to have a deer park thanks to the Galesville-Ettrick Rod and Gun Club. Ladies are planning a carnival to help pay expenses.
125 YEARS AGO
April 29, 1897
The Lutheran church society have had some shade trees planted on the church grounds.
D. Wood has commenced excavating for his building, corner Main and Dodge streets, dimensions to be 32 by 70 feet.
Leslie Stratton is building a shop on the corner of Scranton and Adams street, to be occupied by Ed Anderson as a shoe repair shop.
Under the new game law, two game wardens are to be appointed for this county, upon the recommendation of the county judge, district attorney and county clerk, acting jointly.
The York Creamery and Mercantile Association is incorporated, having filed articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State last Monday. The capital is $3,000, and the incorporators are Hans M. Haugen, Geo. O. Humphrey, H.O. Haugen and others.
Blair — The tub factory of the Herried Bros. Mfg. Co. will commence work next week. The machinery is all in, and the engine has been fired up and a test made of the working capacity of the entire plant, and found to be in excellent condition.
