From Our Early Files Jan. 4, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
January 8, 1998
Whitehall’s chances of ever having another supper club-type restaurant, a long shot under the best circumstances, may have become even slimmer. A little-noticed provision the 1997-99 state budget appears to have put an exorbitant price tag on the liquor license most supper club operations need to survive. And another provision may have cost the extra Class B combined permit that the city has been holding onto in hopes that such a restaurant might open. The budget included language raising the fee for unissued/new Class B licenses to $10,000. That provision, however, does not affect existing Class B licenses, which can be renewed at the present $600 annual fee, or Class A off-sale or Class B beer-only permits.
The effort to raise funds for the new Whitehall swimming pool apparently will raise at least $470,000 and exceed its goal by almost a fifth. That figure was the unofficial total on Monday, the day that a major anonymous donation to the Whitehall Family Aquatic Center Capital Campaign became official. The goal of the campaign, which started last summer, was to raise $400,000 in donations and pledges toward the $1.2 million cost of the new pool.
Peter and Kay Pronschinske are proud parents of the first baby born at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare-Arcadia Campus in 1998. At 4:39 a.m. on Jan. 1, Logan Thomas Pronschinske was welcomed into the world.
Last August, the Arcadia School District began construction on a new high school facility. Since that time there have been numerous changes at the site of the new educational facility, but it is still expected that the building will be operational when school opens this August.
A two-vehicle accident on New Year’s Day sent two area residents to the hospital. Vehicles driven by Shane McDonah, 17, Galesville, and Matthew Mayfield, 21, Galesville, collided at the intersection of County Road M and Sawmill Road in the town of Caledonia. The vehicle driven by Mayfield failed to obey a stop sign at about 4:16 p.m., according to a Trempealeau County Sheriff’s report. McDonah and his passenger, Zachery Hynes, 17, Ettrick, were both taken to a La Crosse hospital.
Voters in the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau area will have some decisions to make in the spring election. In the village of Trempealeau spot on the G-E-T school board incumbent Judy Grant will be challenged by Phillip Bunton and Timothy Jessessky. Rick Geske’s town of Gale spot on the school board is being challenged by Aaron Johnson and Tanya Gendreau. In the city of Galesville Gerald Stalzer is being challenged for his council seat in the Second Ward by Bob Duellman. Incumbent members of the Trempealeau village board Marie Krahenbuhl and Marilyn Berger are being challenged by Milton Uhl and Gene Gawlik. Donald Hellrung did not file for reelection in the village of Trempealeau, but will run in District 21 of the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors, challenging incumbent Fred Nelson. The election will take place April 7.
50 YEARS AGO
January 11, 1973
Keenan Ford-Mercury will hold a three-day open house at its brand new building, located two miles north of Whitehall. Located on 10 acres of land near Coral City, the 9,800-square-foot facility cost $130,000 to build.
The first baby born at Tri-County Memorial Hospital during the new year is Melisa Brady, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Brady of Arcadia.
The Norsemen outscored Independence 24-12 in the fourth quarter Friday night to win 59-55. The win kept alive Head Coach Ken Stellpflug’s personal streak of consecutive victories over the Indees, which dates back to 1964-65, his second season at Whitehall High.
Gary Moe, a December graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, has joined the staff of Production Credit Association in Arcadia.
The Snowmobile 1973 TV show, narrated by former Green Bay Packers player Doug Hart, will be filmed in Arcadia next Monday. That announcement was made by Leroy Woychik, vice president of the Wisconsin Indian Head Country. According to Woychik, special interest has been shown by producers of the TV show and Steve Henry of Wisconsin Indian Head County to film the Sunshine Trail Ride in Arcadia because of its tremendous success and scenery.
The Galesville Housing Development Corp. was organized some time ago to stimulate housing growth in the city. The corporation now has an option with John Schilling on approximately 12 acres just west of South Eighth Street for development into 20 lots for single residential dwellings.
On Sept. 5, 1874, the first issue of Decorah Posten was published and it has appeared every Thursday since that time until Dec. 28, 1972, when the final issue was published. This Norwegian newspaper started in La Crosse the very same year that the Galesville Independent came to life. At first, Decorah Posten was a small paper containing four pages and the annual subscription price was 50 cents. In 1897, Decorah Posten had the largest subscription of any Norwegian language newspaper in the world. Even in Norway, no newspaper had that many readers. For nearly 30 years, the yearly circulation averaged between 40,000 and 44,000 and the paper was published twice a week.
The Larson Veterinary Clinic has changed its business name to the Galesville Veterinary Clinic. Dr. J.J. Larson and Dr. F.D. Douglas are affiliated in the clinic.
75 YEARS AGO
January 8, 1948
Queen candidates for Whitehall’s first ice carnival on Jan. 17 and 18 have been selected, according to Colonel Larson, who has charge of that part of the program. They are Phyllis Briggs, Elsie Erickson, Elizabeth Klomsten, Mary Jo Mahle, Bonnie Olson, Anita Stuve, Grace Trende, Florence Paulson and Mildred Kildahl.
A check for $500 was received by County Clerk Roy Matson Friday from Mr. and Mrs. Herman Ekern of Madison, to be used for the improvement and care of the House of Memories museum. The exact use for the money has been left up to Mr. Matson, who hopes to revive the long-dormant county historical society this year, while enthusiasm is running high during Wisconsin’s centennial celebration.
The Ede Motor Sales has secured the Oldsmobile Agency for Whitehall and has a 1947 car at its display rooms in the Peterson Implement Co. on Hwy. 53 in East Whitehall.
Keeping pace with its steady industrial growth of the past few years, still another industry has been added to Whitehall. It is the manufacture of truck bodies, which has been undertaken by Briggs Motor Sales. The new plant already has several truck bodies on the road, in addition to those that it makes for Briggs Transfer of Eau Claire, Chicago and the Twin Cities.
William Amundson of Strum will take over the Standard Oil bulk station at Whitehall Jan. 15, succeeding LeRoy Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Amundson plan to here as soon as they can secure suitable quarters. Mr. Hill plans to engage in farming.
A.R. Webb recently sold his farm northeast of Whitehall, known as the Lake place, to Chester, Roderick and Walter Everson of Irvin Coulee. The sale price is said to be $20,000.
The year 1948 was ushered in at York by the blowing of the creamery whistle by Buttermaker Louis Johnson, and the firing of a gun by Wally Turner.
Lieut. Fern Tomten of the Army Nurses Corps spoke to a capacity audience at the U.L. Luther League Sunday evening concerning her experiences in Europe. On Monday, she received orders to report for duty Jan. 12 at McCormick General Hospital, Pasadena, Calif.
Local volunteer firemen responded to a call Sunday night about 11:30 to the new home built by John Sobotta on Main St. in Arcadia. Black smoke was coming from all the vents in the house and it was discovered that a motor, which drove the fan in the oil burning air forced furnace had burned out. Smoke damage to the interior of the house was only slight.
Conrad Hulberg purchased the Peter Weaver electrical appliance store last week and took immediate possession. He is now in business at the location in the Kate Zeller building, formerly used by the Trempealeau Rural Electric Association as an office. His son, Miles, is associated with him. The new firm is now known as the Hulberg Appliance Company.
100 YEARS AGO
January 11, 1923
Gilbertson Bros. made a trip to Minneapolis last week leaving here Thursday morning in a 1920 Overland Model 4, and returning Friday. They report that they traveled 310 miles on 15 gallons of gas, better than 20 miles to the gallon, exception mileage for a used car, considering the cold winter weather and the high driving speed of 35.40 and 45 miles per hour.
The “Spaulding Official Basketball Guide for Women” has arrived at Whitehall High, and practice has begun. There are no match games scheduled with other teams for the girls, but several good teams will be developed in our school. These will do work well worth seeing.
Frank Ellison, brakeman on Nos. 5 and 6, was taken to the Eau Claire hospital Thursday, where he underwent an operation for appendicitis. His little son was stricken the same day and accompanied Mr. Ellison, and underwent the same operation.
The Whitehall Men’s Whist Club had as their guests last Tuesday evening, 12 players from Blair, in a grand-nullu contest at the City Restaurant. Whitehall came out the victor by a large margin.
Twenty-six area dairymen organized the first cow testing association and elected officers at a recent meeting. Elected were A.G. Wieland, president; E.O. Herbert, vice president; Andrew Boland, secretary-treasurer and William Rosenow and William Finner, directors.
Peter Sobotta arrived in Arcadia from Independence to take charge of the soft drink parlor in the Armory building. He had purchased the stock and equipment from Albert Kloety.
Several Arcadia businessmen held an informal meeting to discuss formation of a businessmen’s organization.
Carl Schultz opened a fox ranch on a half acre in the town of Glencoe. The ranch is stocked with five pair of foxes.
125 YEARS AGO
January 6, 1898
The City Cash Grocery have the neatest pop-corn and peanut roaster that was ever in Whitehall.
Anderson and Ekern took possession of their new law office Monday. They have three apartments, all done off and furnished in good style, and are commodiously and pleasantly situated.
J.C. Southworth has moved his family into the Fredrickson residence. The rooms formerly occupied by Mr. Southworth are engaged by the Misses Stanley.
The cornet band masquerade dance at the Woodmen hall New Year’s Eve was a success socially and financially. There were 37 dance numbers and 100 spectators’ tickets. The prizes were awarded as follows: best lady’s costume, Miss Carrie Vold; most comical lady’s costume, Miss Maria Chambers; best gentleman’s suit, Johnnie Garrett; most comical gentleman’s suit, E.A. Southworth.
Hulger Larson, who has been under the weather for five weeks, first with typhoid fever, then with an attack of pleurisy, got out again the first of the week on the road to recovery.
A very pleasant affair was the party given in honor of Miss Lena Ekern Friday evening at the home of Lawyer Anderson. When the New Year arrived the young people departed for their homes, wishing each other a very Happy New Year, and declaring the evening spent to be one of the most enjoyable events of the week.
Blair -- It is said that Arnt Arneson, residing on the dividing ridge between Preston and Ettrick, while suffering with rheumatism in the legs last week, rubbed a copious quantity of alcohol into them and sat close to the stove to heat it in. The limbs caught fire, and now the unfortunate man is suffering from the effects of burning, as well as with rheumatic difficulty.
Elk Creek -- We expected to be able to report a wedding this week, but are disappointed. It was a mere coincidence that the young man and the reverend gentleman were at the house at the same time.
Pigeon Falls -- Henry Hanson and assistants, the blacksmiths, are the busiest men in town these days.
Independence -- John Grutik and sons Walter and Edmund have started in the tailoring business in the old Fugina building, which was formerly occupied by them.
