Early Files - February 5, 2020

(25 YEARS AGO) Feb. 9, 1995 - 
It’s not quite Oakwood, but it likely is the closest thing to a shopping mall that Pigeon Falls will ever get. It is the multi-tenant building planned for construction this year in the village by Roger Melby of rural Osseo. And the Pigeon Falls village board got a look at the plans for the five-store shopping center Monday night. 

The Whitehall School District apparently will leave its human growth and development curriculum unchanged. The district’s health advisory/human growth and development committee voted overwhelmingly Monday afternoon to continue to use a “comprehensive” curriculum. The ninth-grade course covers human sexuality issues, as well as health-related matters. 

Fees for the use of facilities at the new Whitehall Community Center are likely to range from $20 to about $100. The city council’s property committee met last week Wednesday to consider what to charge for room rental at the former Memorial High School building, which the city purchased from the school district last year. 

The recent earthquake disaster in Kobe, Japan has caused the deaths of more than 5,000 people. There are currently two citizens from Arcadia who live in Osaka, Japan, which is approximately 40 miles away from Kobe. Nettie and John Slaby and their two children have spent the last few weeks living with the possibility that an earthquake may shake their home and their lives. The Slaby’s just experienced the aftershock, 15 minutes before their phone interview with the News-Leader.

There are several people with opinions about the change of address that may accompany the implementation of a 911 system in Trempealeau County. Several maintain that it is unnecessary and very expensive to change addresses within the city limits of Arcadia.

Ashley Furniture Industries added another chapter to its illustrious Arcadia factory Monday when the first piece of upholstered furniture came off a local line. Approximately 20 people will be assigned to the new line which is expected to produce 100 pieces per day once fully operational.  

The antique flavor of The Square in Galesville will be preserved and expanded — with the likes of old-time ornamental street lights and a four-sided clock — taking future Galesville visitors back a century in time. That’s the scenario envisioned in preliminary plans for extensive work in the downtown area, to be done in connection with replacement of the south Beaver Creek Bridge in 1997 and reconstruction on Main St. between the two bridges. 

In its first try at postseason competition, the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School pompom squad has swept regional and state tournaments to earn a spot in national competition in March. The varsity squad becomes the second G-E-T pompom unit to win the right to compete at the Target Center in Minneapolis, after the middle school team won its state crown earlier in the season. 

The Trempealeau-Caledonia Fire Department, which has responded to at least one false alarm involving a carbon monoxide detector has decided to charge $150 per call involving a possible gas leak. That’s less than the $250 it charges for a fire call, but still a lot for a false alarm, fire officials say, while adding that the department needs to recover its costs. 

(50 YEARS AGO) Feb. 12, 1970 - A discussion of Whitehall’s need for family housing occupied much of the city council’s regular meeting Tuesday night. The need is for inexpensive rental homes for working-class people, council members were told.

Jack Taylor, manager of the Clothing Cupboard the past three years, has bought the interest of his partners, Cap Pearson and Keith Ferris, effective Feb. 1. The store will be known as Jack’s Clothing Cupboard, and will offer a larger stock of merchandise.

Whitehall won the battle of conference leaders Tuesday night, defeating Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau of the Coulee Conference 62-60. Brian Nordhagen led the Norsemen with 19 points and Eric Windjue tipped in the winning basket with seconds to go.

Gaylord Severson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Palmer Severson, Arcadia, was recently cited by Boeing Company, his employer, for his role in the Apollo/Saturn project at Cape Kennedy, Fla., where he is employed. The work Severson conducted is classified. He was inducted into the Apollo/Saturn V honor roll. 

The Caledonia appeal will be continued by the Trempealeau school board. A ta special district meeting held this past Monday evening, the Trempealeau School District voters gave their decision to the school board to continue the Caledonia appeal. The vote was 135-116 to carry the Caledonia appeal to the state supreme court. 

The issue to be decided in the Feb. 20 referendum concerning the attachment of the Centerville-Tamarack area to the Gale-Ettrick School District is as yet not clear in many electors’ minds. In an effort to get the facts straight, the GET Jaycees will sponsor a panel discussion on the issue. 

(75 YEARS AGO) Feb. 8, 1945 - A hearing held Sept. 12 has resulted in a wage agreement between Local 662, A.F. of L., and the Land O’ Lakes plant in Whitehall. It provides for an increase of 11 cents per hour, retroactive to June 29, the date of the union’s certification. Under the new wage schedule, new help is paid 55 cents an hour; after 60 days’ employment, the rate it 57 1/2 cents, and after six months, 60 cents per hour. The local was represented by union business agent and the employees’ shop committee, consisting of Eugene Bautch, Ben Sobotta and Berger Lund.

George Stuve was a man about town Saturday. It was the first day off he had had since he and his wife turned over their farm in the town of Lincoln to their son Curtis and wife, and moved to Whitehall. Although Mrs. Stuve has been living in Whitehall since last fall, George remained on the farm to help his son, and Friday they completed sorting their tobacco crop, which consisted of eight acres and will weigh about 15,000 pounds. It is the best crop of tobacco that George has produced in the 62 years he has lived on the home farm.

When Carsten Linnerud of Irvin Coulee dropped in to place an ad in the paper Monday, he casually mentioned that his sister had worked in a printing office in Norway, and that he had sold papers. He said he sold up to 250 copies a day on the streets.

While Friday, Feb. 2, was cloudy much of the day, if Mr. Groundhog came out of his hibernation at the proper time, he saw his shadow, as the sun crept through the overcast skies for a brief interlude. According to tradition, that would mean another six weeks of winter. But according to the federal weather bureau, this tradition has proved true only 12 times during the last 35 years, so we may not have as much winter in store for us as tradition intimates.

A new board of directors was elected at the annual meeting of the Whitehall Cooperative Creamery held at City Hall Saturday, as a result of the change made last fall from an association to a cooperative. New board members are Melvin Anaas, Ralph Schansberg and Henry Guse.

Bill Cashen and his player on the 1944 championship Arcadia football team were awarded miniature golden footballs for displaying excellent sportsmanship and bringing the football championship home to Arcadia. 

(100 YEARS AGO) Feb. 12, 1920 - The result of the vote on the electric light proposition was complicated by the form of the ballot provided, which, while intended to furnish but two questions, was construed by many to involve seven different proposals. In consequence the vote leaves the matter as it was before, defeating the instructions of the village board either to vote on a bond issue or contract with the Wisconsin-Minnesota Lights and Power Co. The matter will likely come up again at a later date in such form as to enable the people to express their true sentiments.

The movies will open again for the regular Saturday show after being closed for some time on account of the flu.

The Whitehall Land Co. swung a big deal last week, when they sold the John Schroeder farm west of the village to Lewis Rasmussen, possession to be given this spring.

The Firemen’s Masquerade Ball is the next great event of the season. The firemen always have a good time, and those who attend their annual balls can testify that they are mirth producers. Spectators enjoy them as much as the participants on the dance floor.

Miss Mae Johnson gave a sleigh ride party for a number of her friends Sunday afternoon. From reports, everyone had a very jolly time.

A local post of the American Legion was organized at Independence last week, with a charter membership of 19. Ray H. Larson is the post commander.

Pigeon Falls — Melford Monson, Oscar Sletteland, Martin Peterson, Elmer Larson, Louis O. Larson, Clarence Johnson and George Iverson went over to Fitch Coulee Sunday, where they went skiing on the Finstad hill. In spite of the unfavorable weather, some very good jumps were made. Louis and Elmer Larson both made standing jumps of 72 feet. Longer jumps were made, but they were anything but standing. The special feature was little Bennie Borreson, who jumped 76 feet, but fell.

John Sobotta had the misfortune of injuring his back while he was chopping wood in American Valley Tuesday afternoon. He was chopping at a tree when one of the limbs fell on his back, causing the injury. He went to La Crosse for treatment with his family. 

M.C. Waldera, who recently purchased the Van Vleet farm in Centerville, sodl the farm to Walter Kiekhoefer of Cortland. Waldera plans to sell the personal property at a public auction. 

(125 YEARS AGO) Feb. 7, 1895 - The week has been the coldest of the season. Friday morning the government thermometer registered 37 below, Monday, and Tuesday 39 below, the coldest of the season.

Elder Lewis is circulating a subscription paper for the purpose of raising money to move the Methodist church from its present location to one nearer the business part of the village, and repairing it after removal. We understand that the proposed location is on Main St., opposite the courthouse, either on the north or south side of the town hall.

The public meeting of the Excelsior Literary Society at Opera Hall Friday evening was fairly well attended. The debate on the question of women’s suffrage was decided in favor of the affirmative.

H.O. Hovde of Coon Valley, Vernon County, was here this week looking over the T.C. McDermott farm, north of the village, with the idea of buying it. It is one of the best farms in this section, and lying as it does so near town makes it all the more desirable property.

Dr. Sonnickson is located temporarily in Olaf Mattson’s building, where he may be consulted, or calls left which will receive prompt attention.

 

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