From Our Early Files November 11
25 YEARS AGO
Nov. 16, 1995
A few years back, Trempealeau County officials snubbed the city of Whitehall’s offer to lease office space to the county. But, as of this week Tuesday, county government is the tenant and the city the landlord. The city council that night approved leasing the old city hall building for one year to the county, while the nearby courthouse is being remodeled.
Whitehall Chamber of Commerce officers for 1996 are Scott House, Donna Oates, Bob Walske, Bonnie Thompson, Mike Headlee, Shelly Heath and Rachel Risberg.
The Trempealeau County board of supervisors this week Tuesday approved a 1996 budget that features the first decrease in the county property tax levy in several years. The supervisors okayed the $34.6 million spending plan 19-1 — John Radcliffe of Strum was the lone dissenter.
Just over a year after she tried to convince the court that her town of Ettrick home was searched illegally, a rural Arcadia woman has pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with the intent to sell them. Jayne Johnson Halli, 40, entered the plea last week Monday before Jackson County Circuit Judge Robert Radcliffe in Black River Falls.
Lisa Wolfe was promoted from advertising manager to the position of general manager of the Arcadia News-Leader.
Snowy weather was blamed for a crash on the newly-constructed Highway 93 in Arcadia. Rose Bremer, Arcadia, was traveling southbound when she lost control of her vehicle and slid into the oncoming line, where it collided with a pickup truck operated by James Schwinefus of Galesville. After the collision, Bremer’s vehicle slid down the side of Highway 93, just south of Arcadia. While Schwinefus appeared to have no injuries, rescue workers had to use the “jaws of life” to remove Bremer from her vehicle. She was then transported to St. Joseph’s hospital in Arcadia.
Arcadia mayor Gary Bautch told the city council that someone has destroyed some newly-planted trees at Memorial Park and proposed that the council offer a reward for any information about the incident.
Telephone directory listings that fail to show the county’s new five-digit building numbers have prompted a flood of calls to the emergency government office to see if 911 listings are accurate. In all but one case, so far, the computer listings for the new emergency call system have been accurate, said All Spaulding, who took over the office Monday.
Galesville residents will have a chance to offer — and defend — their views of what ought to happen to the old Gale College site during a town meeting. The Galesville city council has accepted recommendation from the mayor’s advisory committee to hold a town meeting-type of session so residents can debate their choices for the site most recently known as Marynook ecumenical retreat center.
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school officials are working on a plan to request use of a building at city-owned Marynook for an early childhood center, offering an optional all-day kindergarten.
Burglars took money and items from Auer Ace Home Center in Galesville on Nov. 8. Galesville Police Chief Randy Sacia said forced entry was used to gain access.
Velkommen Til Blair! Ger ready for lots of lefse, flatbread, krumkake, sandbakkels, rosettes — you name it, Blair will have it. The community is proud of its heritage and will be celebrating Blair Norwegian Day on Dec. 2.
Kay Wiemer resigned as the Trempealeau County emergency government director to take a full-time job as parts manager with the county highway department.
The “new” Blair House officially underwent new ownership on Nov. 9. Purchasing the establishment from Kenneth Nereng, owner for 16 years, were Julie Anderson and her son Traver Anderson, both of Blair.
50 YEARS AGO
Nov. 19, 1970
Fred Hoff of the Pigeon Falls area has taken over the bus service operated by Abner Thompson effective this week. Mr. Thompson has operated school buses here since 1934, and has compiled a remarkable safety record of no chargeable accidents in all that time. The school board Monday night voted a resolution of thanks for his cooperation and dedication to the welfare of the students.
The 1971 city of Arcadia operating budget of $239,202 was adopted by Arcadia city councilmen Thursday night. No one appeared at the public hearing on the proposed budget as published and it was adopted without further discussion.
When Wisconsin deer hunters register an estimated 65,000 to 75,000 whitetails during the upcoming gun season, the Department of Natural Resources will begin stockpiling statistics. The data gained will be used in managing the herd for future harvests.
By a vote of 4-2 Monday evening CESA #11 approved the Merlin Klein petition for detachment of a portion of the Centerville area from the Trempealeau School District and attachment to the Arcadia School District. Petitioners are families on the north end of Centerville, which is just south of the Arcadia district.
Bluske’s Supermarket received a new exterior look following a recent remodel.
Nick Misch, a senior halfback from Blair, was named player of the week at University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie.
Area youth David Stuhr, 16, of Glasgow Hardies Creek, was injured when a shotgun accidentally discharged and struck him in the leg.
Army Specialist Five Daniel Johnson, son of Ronald Johnson, Blair, received a Amy Commendation medal while in Germany.
Elayne Clipper Hanson, formerly of Taylor, has published her first book of poems entitled “So This Is Me.”
75 YEARS AGO
Nov. 15, 1945
The credentials of three new members of the 34-member Trempealeau County board of supervisors were presented at the opening of the annual session Tuesday morning. They are Burr Tarrant, Second Ward, Whitehall, who replaces the late R.H. Holtan; Fred Sobotta, Second Ward, Independence, appointed to fill the vacancy created when no one was elected last spring; and Roy Lyga, First Ward, Independence, appointed to replace W.A. Polzer, who had moved to another ward.
Lester Hanson, who is engaged in trapping and the buying of raw furs, has an unusual prize in a trap that he had set on the Lien Sisters farm in Irvin Coulee a day this week. It was a possum, a native of the south. which had evidently strayed too far north.
Lightning struck the Hans Eid house near York during the severe electrical storm Thursday, shattering the plaster in the pantry. The heavy rain which fell caused a near flood, Timber Creek overflowing its banks.
For the first time since before World War II, Miss Marjorie Schaefer, Trempealeau County clerk of court, was called on Friday to make application for a foreign passport. It was for James Nichols of Galesville, who will leave later this month for Bolivia in South America to work as a mining engineer.
Employees of the Arcadia Brewing Company were guests at a banquet held at the Arcadia Hotel Friday evening. About 40 people were present, including wives of the employees. A.C. Schultz, president since 1937, presided as toastmaster and short talks were given by several people who attended.
The addition to the sacristy at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church is progressing well and will be completed in two weeks, reports Msgr. Joseph L. Hauck.
A rat banquet will be held on farms in all parts of Trempealeau County. The menu is fish and meat with rolled oats to flavor to a rat’s liking. The joker to rats is an addition of red squill, which kills rats.
The Lee Jewelry and Gamble Store moved Sunday to new locations purchased from Ed Gunderson.
100 YEARS AGO
Nov. 18, 1920
The Whitehall school observed Good School Week with a program at the Opera House last evening, at which Thomas Lloyd Jones, secretary of the committee on accredited schools, gave an address. Somewhat of an expert on school buildings, he advanced three possibilities for the relief of Whitehall: to tear down what we have and build new under the existing plans; to add to the building we have; and to construct a separate building of sufficient size, connecting by passageways. He favored the latter plan.
At the general election, there were 134 women and 199 men who voted in Whitehall; in Lincoln, 19 women and 94 men; in Pigeon, 86 women and 231 men; and in Preston, 105 women and 337 men. The total woman vote in the county was 1,452; men, 4,333.
News has been received by the Otis Hutchins post here that the body of Arthur Erickson, former drug clerk at the Fortun pharmacy and an overseas man who died in England, has arrived at his home in Kenosha for burial.
Bert Thompson has completed a basement under his building and installed a furnace, and the Whitehall Battery Co. has a comfortable office and work room for its constantly increasing business. The Willard storage battery service has won its way to the hearts of motor drivers.
Mart Swenson, Howard De Bow, Art Wright, Floyd Van Sickle, Louie Larson, Hilman Arneson, Theodore Johnson and Art Kins has adopted an ideal way of deer hunting, going in an auto truck fixed up with tent covers for camping. They will hunt for a week at Hawkins.
The mill for the York Power and Mill Co. has arrived and is now being installed.
Ed. J. Felsheim purchased the building and lot owned by J.A. Hess on Grant Street in Arcadia and expected to convert the building into a harness shop and repair room.
125 YEARS AGO
Nov. 14, 1895
Tuesday evening, between the hours of seven and eight o’clock, Charles Lowery of Trempealeau, who had been in custody for about a month, made his escape from the county jail. This he did by selecting a place behind the cage, where he could not easily be seen at work from outside, and by digging a hole through the wall, which is composed of three layers of brick, large enough to crawl through. He had no tools, except a stove poker and an iron brace that he had pried loose from the ceiling. In order to deceive any person who might chance to pass by the window, he placed everything in order before making his escape. Sentenced to jail for six months for assault, he is a person not to be trusted when in the hands of officers. As he is known to have $250 on his person, and thus could give an officer quite a chase, it is doubtful whether he could be captured without a considerable expense to the county.
The water in the reservoir of the waterworks was pumped up to a height of nine feet last week, and will be left until the late work on the bottom has hardened. The pump worked better than at first. The contractors, Messrs. Foley and Connelly, returned home Tuesday, intending to return in about a month and make the final test, before acceptance of the work by the village board.
Hale — Threshing is about wound up in this section.
Independence — The dedication ceremony for the bells for the Catholic church was performed Thursday, between the hours of 11 and one.
Independence — Our grain merchants are at a standstill, their warehouses full and being unable to obtain cars for shipping the grain.
