Early Files - January 1, 2020
(25 YEARS AGO) Jan. 5, 1995 -
The spring election for Trempealeau County circuit judge, which only two weeks ago looked like a two-way race, has become more complicated since then. Initially looming as a two-day race between incumbent Alan Robertson of Blair and challenger John Damon of Osseo, the contest took on a couple more candidates this week. Filing their nomination papers before the deadline were Trempealeau County District Attorney Laverne Michalak and William Mattka, a partner in the Whitehall legal firm of Mattka and Ohm.
Area residents who have their Friday evening meals at the Whitehall Public Golf Course will have to find some place else to dine for the next 10 weeks or so. The same will apply to a couple area civic organizations, which hold dinner meetings at the clubhouse. Whitehall Golfers, Inc., the nonprofit corporation that operates the city-owned facility, informed the city last week that it would close the clubhouse until late March.
The New Year’s Holiday was a busy one for the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department. The local firemen were summoned three times between Saturday and Monday, two of those calls being for mutual aid to other departments. Two of the fires involved serious damage to, or the destruction of, residences.
Four area people were injured early Wednesday morning when a vehicle they were operating went off the road and into a ditch. Matthew Theisen, 20, La Crosse, was driving east on Highway 95 when his Toyota touched the right shoulder and went off the road and he proceeded to hit a culvert. Theisen and three passengers, Richard Hanson, 20, Rebecca Hanson, 18, and Dana Suchla, 18, all of Arcadia, were injured in the crash. Theisen said the shoulder of the road was soft.
The Arcadia Police Department recently received permission from the Arcadia city council to purchase a portable security system, which chief Pat Grzadziewlewski said has several capabilities. The chief said it is similar to the system used by the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department, which he said the APD has had success with when they have borrowed it. The system can be used for things such as hard wire trip devices, pendant device, thermal detectors, bait money transmitter and proximity detector.
Fire departments from Arcadia, Whitehall and Independence were summoned to the Ashley Furniture plant early on Jan. 1 to fight a fire. The fire caused minor damage at the silo in plant two at the facility. A security guard first noticed the flames in the silo at approximately 7 a.m.
Recycler Jeff Dahl was running about two hours late Tuesday morning, and for good reason. More city residents put out newspapers, cardboard, plastic containers and bottles than usual. And even those who put re-usable items out under the old voluntary rules were putting more out, Dahl said. Some of the extra stuff was from the usual holiday accumulation, said John Staats, director of the Southern Trempealeau County Solid Waste Commission. But Dahl said he was making a fair amount of new stops.
Marie Kraehenbuehl, a musician, grandmother and mobile home park resident won unanimous backing Tuesday night to fill a vacancy on the Trempealeau village board.
(50 YEARS AGO) Jan. 8, 1970 - The Whitehall Medical Clinic was reopened Monday of this week by Dr. Theresa Cachuela, surgeon on the staff of Tri-County Memorial Hospital. Dr. Cachuela is residing in the home she purchased from Dr. Wm. Reichenbach earlier this year.
The temperature plunged to 25 below in this area on Monday of this week.
Trooper Frederick Staff of Whitehall was one of 33 Wisconsin State Patrol officer recognized recently for having a perfect driving record.
The first baby of the new year born at Tri-County Memorial Hospital is Ricky Ryan, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Rombalski of Blair.
Richard Kujak Jr. is the first baby born in 1970. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kujak of the Dodge area. He was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Arcadia weighing five pounds and four ounces.
Secretary Scott Hotchkiss and president John Salsman of the Galesville Curling and Burns Club both stated that the first Coulee Mixed Bonspiel was a roaring success. Held on Galesville ice, the mixed spiel was a two-day event beginning on Saturday and winding up late Sunday afternoon with 24 teams competing.
(75 YEARS AGO) Jan. 4, 1945 - Charles Briggs has bought the ice business from his brother, H.D. Briggs, and is preparing to start the ice harvest on the mill pond soon. With cold weather over the weekend, it is probable that the ice harvest will soon be underway.
P.M. Paulson entertained 44 guests at his annual New Year’s day dinner Jan. 1. The meal, which was served at the City Cafe, of which H.M. Mattson is the proprietor, included 49 pounds of turkey and all the trimmings. After the meal, Mr. Paulson took as many as could go to the show at the Pix Theatre. He also sent lunches home to four other persons.
An oil painting approximately 12 by four feet was done for Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church by the Rev. Harold Salseth, pastor of the First Baptist Church here, and placed in front of the building for the Christmas season. The pastor also painted the Christmas scene that is placed in the window of the Farmers Store downtown.
A touch of real winter came in with the new year. New Year’s day was not cold as far as the thermometer was concerned, four or five above zero, but a strong west wind made it one of the most uncomfortable days of the winter. The temperature dropped to 16 below on Tuesday morning, and although it has since moderated, we are in the midst of Wisconsin winter.
The South Branch school in the town of Ettrick has been closed and its 22 students transferred to the state graded school at Ettrick, after the teacher, Mrs. Josie Gordon, was forced to resign due to illness.
There were 536 births, 251 deaths, 143 marriage licenses, seven divorces and 13,593 checks issued in Trempealeau County in 1944.
Eugene Ziegeweid, P-47 pilot returned to Arcadia on leave for three weeks after he completed 75 missions. He was scheduled to report to California for futher assignment after his leave was completed.
(100 YEARS AGO) Jan. 8, 1920 - A notice appears in this issue calling a special election on Feb. 6, when the people will be called upon to decide whether or not the village shall buy a new electric plant to furnish continuous light and power, and enter into a contract with Wagstad and Mattson, or shall enter into a contract with the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light and Power Co. to furnish lights for the village. The cost to Wagstad and Mattson for improvements to the existing system would be between $7,000 and $10,000, and they propose to furnish power to the village at a cost of $1,500 to $2,000 per year.
State Superintendent C.P. Carey has made a strong appeal for the increase of teachers’ wages in a recent letter to city superintendents, principals and school boards. He bases his plea on the high cost of living, and the fact that teachers have three or four months in the year that they have no income, unless they pick up some odd job. Teachers are becoming dissatisfied and unhappy, and who can blame them, he writes.
The 18th Amendment to the Constitution becomes effective at midnight tonight. The country will be absolutely bone dry from that time on, except to the fellow who was able to fill his cellar with red eye early in the game.
The ice harvest is progressing finely. Mason and Scott’s house was filled Tuesday night. The asylum supply is going in, and the railroad ice house is to be filled, besides the 10 carloads which the company will ship from here. The creamery will have to have a supply, but there is plenty for all this year. The cubes are about 22 inches thick and of excellent quality. Adolph Olson is more than busy with his saw and crew of cutters.
Pigeon Falls -— The S.L. congregation have installed an electric light plant in their church and hall.
Fire damaged Vogel’s Garage. An explosion was believed to have burned most of the items inside the building, including a few second-hand vehicles. The total loss reached $15,000. They were insured for $5,000.
Mrs. August Stark, one of the early residents of Beaver Creek, died Sunday. She was a native of Germany.
The year 1920 was ushered in with a 10-below temperature. A foot of that beautiful white stuff was added to the winter’s store Monday and Tuesday.
Engineer Eugene Miller, for 52 years in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern road, has retired to private life and will enjoy and pension all the rest of his days.
Manager Will Nichols of the Centerville ball team is planning on taking his team south the first of February for spring training.
(125 YEARS AGO) Jan. 2, 1895 - How many mistakes have you made, fooling with the figure 1896?
Monday morning the thermometer dropped to 22 below, which was the coldest this winter.
Sutherland’s comedians played here the last three nights of last week, to a well-filled house each night.
The courthouse and jail steam-heating committee met last Monday and took another adjournment of one week. The committee is handicapped by the small sum appropriated for the purpose.
D. Wood has finished his warehouse, and it is a substantial structure. Its use this winter will be principally for the storage of hay.
The average farmer thinks that the hog market does not pan out big as to prices, but considering the price of corn and coarse grains, the price is well up. So is the price of dairy products. The grain that is converted into pork, beef and butter is bringing good returns.
Ludwig Christianson and Nicholi Samuelstad shot a wolf on the bluffs near Whitehall last Thursday.
Pigeon Falls — O.C. Haralsrud, who has leased the Mattson Hotel at Whitehall, is preparing for the removal of his family and household goods to that place.
Blair — Henry Hanson, the Pigeon Falls blacksmith, was in town between trains Friday. Henry reports business good at the Falls.
