From Our Early Files Dec. 15, 2021


 

 

25 YEARS AGO

December 19, 1996

In the past few years many families of Hispanic and Latin American backgrounds have moved to Buffalo and Trempealeau counties to seek employment. In an effort to create a welcoming environment for these new residents, Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council, along with several other groups, has formed a planning committee to address the issues these families may encounter in their new home. 

Several hundred Trempealeau County children will have a brighter Christmas this year, courtesy of three county agencies and their employees. The county sheriff’s and social services departments again this year will distribute thousands of dollars of donated and purchased gifts to children from low-income and economically distressed families. Also running a gift campaign is the New Horizons Shelter and county Domestic Abuse Task Force.

LaVerne Michalak may have lost the race for Trempealeau County District Attorney a month and a half ago, but he got a new lease on part of his job Monday. The county board of supervisors voted at its regular meeting that evening to retain Michalak as county corporation counsel, the county’s legal advisor. The resolution calls for splitting the duties of district attorney and corporation counsel. 

Diane Gunderson of Arcadia has been decorating and designing a large dollhouse since 1981. This is not an ordinary dollhouse. It is large enough to have 10 rooms. In each room, Gunderson has included miniature furniture and other items, which are unique. The most unique item is a small set of false teeth, which are located In the bathroom of the dollhouse. 

Arcadia High School’s academic decathlon team will be attending a regional competition at Melrose-Mindoro. Team members are Becky VanAcker, Joy Ziegeweid, Gretchen Severson, Becca Benusa, Maren Flynn, Melissa Weltzien, Dean Wsolfe, Nate Mullikin and Eric Slaby. They are coached by Darcy Linquist. 

The Galesville city council has given speedy approval to a request to have the former Gale College buildings placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The council voted Dec. 12 on assurances of the city attorney that historical designation for Old Main, two older buildings and Judge George Gale’s gravesite would not prevent development of the rest of the 30-acre site. 

The Ettrick Lions Club sponsored a benefit that raised $17,459 for leukemia victim Ryan Stevens, a freshman at Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School. 

50 YEARS AGO

December 23, 1971

The Whitehall city council last week Tuesday heard a progress report from Peter Bieri, Trempealeau County University of Wisconsin-Extension resource agent, on attempts to obtain low-cost housing units in Whitehall and other county communities.

The Whitehall district school board Monday night approved a request from Independence High School for use of the Whitehall football field next season.

The 1971 tax rate for the portion of the township of Arcadia in Arcadia Joint School District No. 1 has been set at 0.04358 ($43.46) per thousand of assessed valuation, according to Emil Pierzina, town clerk. The rate is a rise of $1.05 per thousand over the 0.0424132 mill rate last year. 

Arcadia Chief of Police Edward Kaiser said his department has received reports of two sets of Christmas lights being stolen from outdoor decorations. He suggests that residents who have outdoor lights secure the strands with wire, thus making it less convenient for thieves to take them. 

Under the direction of coach Jim Crowley, the Arcadia wrestling team won a tournament at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Champions for the team were Dennis Waletzko, 145 pounds; Herm Wiersgalla, 185 pounds and Jim Haines, 105 pounds. Bernard Hesch was the runner-up in the 167-pound class.

There was a heavy turnout in the bank basement to see Santa Saturday in Galesville. The children enjoyed games, prizes, candy and more. 

75 YEARS AGO

December 19, 1946

The businessmen of Whitehall will host a Christmas party for children of the community this Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Pix Theatre. A showing of “Bandit Rangers” and two short subjects will be followed by an appearance by Santa Claus. P.M. Paulson, secretary of the businessmen’s group, invites all children of the city and the surrounding area to enjoy the holiday festivity.

A dance will be held at City Hall in Whitehall this Saturday, sponsored by Hamilton-Moen Post 8288, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Tickets will be 60 cents, and music will be furnished by the Johnstad-Thurston Orchestra.

The city basketball players, who have styled themselves the Whitehall Merchants, played their first game in the newly-organized Western Wisconsin League Tuesday evening, defeating Osseo58 to 38. The team is getting new basketball suits through the courtesy of Land O’ Lakes, F.O. Bitter, A.B. Risberg, L.J. Wood, P.M. Paulson, National News Reels, Whitehall Mill and Power, Mattson’s service station, Fortun drug store and Briggs Motor Sales.

Oluf and Hulda Hanson of Fly Creek have received an air-mail letter from an Athens, Greece, resident, thanking them for a gift of $8 cash that they sent.

Many students in the grade rooms at the Whitehall school are ill with chickenpox and the mumps.

Members of the Lincoln Local of the Farmers Union held their monthly meeting at the City Hall in Whitehall Dec. 12. Henry Sygulla was elected president for the coming year; T.R. Duebbert, vice president; and Harry Jackson, secretary-treasurer.

Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Olson, who are now established on the former Oluf Hagen farm in Pigeon, are becoming acquainted in their new community and like their new home.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Berg have retired from the farm and are occupying their home in Pigeon Falls, their son Byron and wife having taken over the farm. That makes three Pigeon couples who have left the farm and moved into town. The others are Palmer Ackley, who turned the farm over to his son Howard, and John A. Berge, whose son Jewel is now operating the home place.

A pre-holiday furlough to his home, the first since he had been in the army, ended fatally for Private Dennis Steine, 25, Ettrick. Steine was one of 19 victims who were killed in a train accident in Ohio last Saturday. The list of injured totaled 50. Most of the injured were members of the military. 

Arcadia will be represented with a director on the county fair board this coming year. A.C Schultz, manager of the A-G Cooperative creamery was elected as a director at the annual meeting held at Galesville recently. Two other men elected to represent other parts of the county are Maurice Casey of Ettrick and J.B. Hamre of Galesville. These men will replace Ralph Young, Herbert Lyon and Alfred Favnum who had served for a long period of time on the board. 

100 YEARS AGO

December 22, 1921

We have spoken often of the excellent talent in music and drama which Whitehall has, and further evidence of this fact was given last evening, when Whitehall High School staged “Fanchion the Cricket” at the Opera House, playing to a fair audience. The singing between the acts by the Glee Club, and the music by the orchestra, was appreciated and roundly applauded. The gross proceeds were $60.05, and as the play was given as a child welfare benefit, the audience should have been larger.

There will be a Masquerade Dance at the Pleasantville hall next week Wednesday.

The Whitehall Legion basketeers, in a game with Taylor here Thursday night, proved themselves superior by a score of 27 to 17. The sensational playing of Wood and Butler was the feature of the contest, both men displaying flashy footwork and deadly basket-shooting ability. The Otis E. Hutchins post of Whitehall is the largest in the county and is developing a speedy quintet. This was the first game of the season and bids well for future activities on the floor, fans declared.

The Green Bay and Western Railroad will sell round-trip holiday excursion tickets for a fare and one half, minimum of $2.50. Dates will be Dec. 22-24, return limit Jan. 4.

The Manual Training department at Whitehall High turned out three large Morris chairs with leather cushions. They were made by Bennie Mahle, Lyman Tyvand and Theodore Estenson.

Pleasantville — Christ Iverson has bought himself a hunting hound.

Fire completely destroyed the farm home and contents of Louis Luedke on Glencoe Ridge, seven miles west of Arcadia on Sunday.

M.H. Zimmer was elected president of the Trempealeau Valley Silver Fox Company. Other officers included H.A. Gunem, vice president; E.L. Morgan, secretary and J.E. Jahr, treasurer.

A.C. Fernholz, Emil Stenneman, Allen Gilbertson, C.P. Gilbertson, M.J. Haines and Melvin Moe went to Whitehall to serve as jurors for county court. 

Superintendent Wilkinson of the Galesville Canning Co. reports 32 carloads of peas shipped with 14 left to be shipped to eastern markets.

A.A. Beck and Son are preparing for their annual ice harvest. Ice houses have been enlarged and every inch will be filled this winter.

Chicago & Northwestern R.R. will have reduced excursion fares during the holiday season.

Taxes will be collected in Galesville on the first of January. Residents are asked to be sure to bring their last year tax receipt along. 

About 200 patrons visited the Arctic creamery and inspected th remodeled building. A pound of butter was given to each visitor. President is John Norgard and manager is George Walter Shonat. 

125 YEARS AGO

December 17, 1896

Considerable sickness is prevalent hereabouts.

Dentist R.E. Kyle will visit Pigeon Falls on Dec. 30. Teeth extracted without pain, and satisfaction guaranteed.

Marshal Merwin brought three fellows up yesterday and lodged them in jail on a 60-day sentence by Justice Babbitt of Trempealeau, upon conviction of illegal fishing in the vicinity of that place. They are said to hail from Winona.

Section Foreman Van Horn was severely injured by being hit just over the right eye by a spike hammer which flew off its handle while in the hands of an employee Friday. Most men would have kept under cover for a few days after such a blow, but Phin kept the track as if nothing had happened to him.

An exchange remarks that “the old drunkards are dying rapidly.” But there seems to be a surplus of recruits from the young drunkards. Are they your boys? They are somebody’s boys.

The following officers of the Excelsior Literary Society for the coming quarter were elected at the meeting of the society held Friday evening: John A. Porter, president; Miss Maggie Buchholz, vice president; Miss Mamie Best, secretary; Henry L Peterson, treasurer; and Archie Webb, doorkeeper.

Blair — Frank Newell, a farmer residing in the town of Hixton, while plowing in his field last fall, was greatly surprised to strike what he supposed was a huge stone or bolder. Knowing his field to be clear of all such obstructions, it naturally excited his curiosity. A shot investigation showed this stone to be of spherical shape, and it proved to be an aerolite, or stony meteor, covered with small shiny scales, resembling isinglass. The meteor was so hard that a drill would not affect it. It weighs 150 pounds and is regarded as quite a curiosity in the neighborhood.

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