From Our Early Files Jan. 5, 2022
25 YEARS AGO
January 9, 1987
An area resident returned last month from helping to get a new Russian school off the ground and training workers at a new company in that eastern European country. Dr. Duane Sackett of Independence spent five weeks during November and December in the Russian cities of Voronezh and Yeketerinberg. It was the fifth trip to Russia in the past two years for Sackett, a retired Independence school administrator.
Paving streets and straightening out draining problems in its Winsand Addition could cost the village of Pigeon Falls more than $150,000. That was one of the engineering estimates that the village board heard Monday evening from the engineer retained for the project.
Trempealeau County Circuit Judge John Damon administered the oath of office to seven county officers, all of whom won two-year terms in the Nov. 5 general election. That included new District Attorney Peter Gierok as well as Treasurer Vitus Kampa, Coroner Bonnie Kindschy, Register of Deeds Rose Ottum, County Clerk Paul Syverson, Clerk of Courts Angeline Sylla and Sheriff Ralph Weisenberger.
Rollie and Jane Thomas, both Arcadia natives, recently purchased a tavern in Arcadia. The two of them are now the owners and proprietors of JR Sport located on Main St. in Arcadia. This isn’t the first time the Thomas family has owned a tavern in Arcadia. Years ago, Rollie and Jane owned Sportsman’s Bar.
Maloney’s Baloney has been in Arcadia for several generations, but Jeff Becker of Eleva and Jeff Endle of Mondovi purchased the business recently. Between the two of them, they bring 18 years of experience in working with meat to the new business venture. When they heard Maloney’s Baloney was for sale, they jumped at the chance to go into business for themselves.
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District voters will have three choices on their April 1 spring election ballot. Seeking reelection are board members Rick Nemitz, Richard “Doc” Sacia and John Salsman. Challenging them are Gary Hokanson, Gerald Stalzer and Nancy Stellpflug.
Trempealeau regulations dealing with water, sewer and zoning all need rewriting, said William Koslo, the village attorney. Koslo made his views known in a meeting with the village board’s water and sewer committee, citing inadequacy of the rules to meet community needs.
A $1 million water system upgrade in Ettrick will move into its next phase on Feb. 20 when the village opens bids for the project.
50 YEARS AGO
January 13, 1972
The Whitehall district school board Monday night adopted a policy that makes retirement at age 65 mandatory for full-time teachers and non-professional staff.
The first baby of the New Year was born Jan. 3 to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Yoder of Whitehall.
Vandals threw a metal object through two front windows at Clipper’s IGA food store overnight on Friday, causing an estimated $1,200 in damages.
Mr. and Mrs. Don LeGros, the new owners of Vogue Theatre, moved to Arcadia over the holidays from their hometown of Green Bay.
The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Sno-Ball Days Sale will be in progress in Arcadia from Jan. 13 through Jan. 15.
Seven hundred patients were hospitalized at St. Joseph Hospital during 1971, Sister Agnes, hospital administrator, announced this week. This figure has increased from the previous year’s total of 368.
There will be no school at G-E-T schools this Friday. The day has been set aside as an “in-service” day for teachers. The public is invited to hear the main speaker of the day, Raymond Johnson, state senator representing Trempealeau County.
Anyone interested in old coins will enjoy seeing the coin display at the Bank of Galesville. It is the collection of William Giere of Galesville.
Miss Julie Truax, 18, Ettrick, a freshman at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse was named Fairest of the Fairs Thursday night at the annual beauty pageant in Milwaukee. Truax represented Trempealeau County. The blue-eyed brunette is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Truax.
75 YEARS AGO
January 9, 1947
One of the largest banquets ever held in the city of Whitehall was sponsored Monday evening by the Lions Club in honor of the championship Whitehall High School football team. More than 250 advance tickets were sold for the event, an outstanding feature of which was the broadcast of the 6:30 p.m. news and sports program by WEAU radio. Widely-know radio commentator Jack Kelly, who also served as master of ceremonies for the banquet, told his radio audience that Whitehall is one of the most thriving and inviting little cities in Wisconsin.
The Lions Club, in cooperation with the city council, has fitted up the skating rink in Melby Park so that it is attracting adults as well as youngsters. The rink was flooded as early as possible, but the biggest attractions are a warming place and music. The door of the log cabin in the park has been moved to the north side to provide easier access for the skaters, the interior has been cleaned and a stove added. A juke box has been rented, and music can be heard from the park both day and evening.
The Mrs. Ida Larson residence is quarantined for whooping cough. First Judy, the young daughter of Mrs. Edith Adams, had it, then Bennie Johnson, Mrs. Larson’s brother, then her uncle, Eberhardt Mattson. It is unusual for adults to have the disease, but neither had had it before.
Edwin Nelson has purchased the farm home of his mother, Mrs. Jane Nelson, in upper Fuller Coulee. The farm has been operated the past several years by the Finstads.
Julius Jacobson, who owns the former Fred Sather farm southeast of Whitehall, has marketed his 1946 crop through the Pool, and state that it is his last crop. He planted his first crop in 1901, when he was farming in Chimney Rock.
York — A committee of young men from this vicinity has been put on the job of seeing what can be done to revive the York Community Club. A big meeting is scheduled for this Saturday evening, to which all families in the area are invited. The committee is made up of Maynard Thomley, Irvin Vesta, Kenneth Severson, LaVerne Severson, Eugene Dettinger, Vernon Rogstad, Ernest Rogstad, Gordon Hoff and Palmer Iverson.
A major tragedy was averted on Christmas Eve when the Oscar Vesta family in Timber Creek discovered the roof of their house was in flames. By quick thinking and action the fire was put out, but considerable damage was done by smoke, water and flames.
A new 10-burner two-oven gas stove has been obtained for cooking noon hour meals at Arcadia High School. The stove was obtained through funds provided by the federal government for school lunch projects and provides a first class cooking unit at no expense to the lunch program. The stove was worth about $325.
F.C. Houser, district salesman for the livestock and poultry feed division of the Ralston Purina company, will receive the company’s five-year award when he completes his fifth year with the company on Jan. 15. Houser is well known to farmers and feeders throughout the area as a result of his work with the A-G Cooperative Creamery Co.
100 YEARS AGO
January 12, 1922
The Motor Service Co. has changed hands, Sever Seesen of Osseo having purchased Andrew Bang’s interest. Henry Fransen is the other partner in the firm.
Herbert and Rollin Holtan were hosts to about 24 young people Thursday evening. Five-hundred was played, and a delicious lunch served.
It was a hot game staged at the Village Hall last night between the Whitehall Legion quintet and the Independence overseas boys. The work was fast and furious, and the local boys win by a score of 32 to 8. Wood and Butler were the star performers for Whitehall; Garthus starred for Independence, but was disqualified in the last half, Ray Larson substituting.
“The first 50 years are the hardest” was the remark made by Gilbert S. Rice last evening when a host of businessmen from this community marched in on him unawares and tipped off the news to him that he had just passed the half-century mark.
Pleasantville — The Pleasantville Telephone Co. held their annual meeting here Saturday, and elected the following officers: S.B. Scott, president; Nels Gunderson, vice president; C.W.E. Anderson, treasurer; Henry Schaefer, secretary; and directors Joe Hagen, Carl Koepke, Gust Guse and Julius Nelson.
Food remittances to Russia, begun by the American Relief Administration to aid friends and relatives in that famine-stricken country, could be purchased at the Bank of Arcadia.
Roman Pietrek purchased the Jos. Hild barber shop.
A community Christmas tree under auspices of the local high school faculty was placed on the high school lawn. It was covered with decorations and many lights and could be seen for a long distance.
A jolly dancing party was held in Galesville’s city hall Friday evening, The hall was packed.
Dr. and Mrs. JJ Powell left Tuesday for the East. Dr. will take special work in surgery at Harvard and Mrs. Powell will pursue studies in voice culture. They will be absent from Galesville until April.
L.S. Keith, rural mail carrier on Route 1 expressed contempt for the person who placed two cats in a sack and left them on the road in zero weather to perish. He released the cats and they now live at the Keith home.
125 YEARS AGO
January 7, 1897
The ice forming from the rain of Sunday made fun for the boys, who were enabled to skate in most any locality, on sidewalks and elsewhere, but was an annoyance to the pedestrian.
E.R. Johnson of Centerville is here as complaining witness against Francis, the burglar. He is the gentleman who business place was broken into and money stolen, for which offense Francis was arrested.
On Monday occurred the transfer of officers at the courthouse. But one change is made in the personnel of the courthouse at this time. P.J. Johnson of Ettrick succeeds H.A. Towner as county clerk. At the county Bastille, Jos. Jensen steps into the shoes of John Durisch. These, with the usual change in subordinate sheriff’s officers, all of whom have been before noticed in these columns. constitute all the changes in the county’s list of servants for the coming two years. Nothing but words of praise and commendation can be said of the retiring officials, and it is hoped and believed that the gentlemen just inducted into office will acquit themselves in such a manner as to entitle them to equal honors on laying down their official ermine.
The following report of marriages, births and deaths is made by Register of Deeds Halvorson for 1896: 183 marriages, 406 births, and 117 deaths. The figures are considerably in excess of those for 1895, being for that year 156 marriages, 255 births and 75 deaths, but the total is undoubtedly greater through official neglect in making proper returns. There is a heavy penalty attached to each case of failure to report to the register.
Blair — Mr Berge of Minneapolis, the great orator, will lecture on temperance in the Norwegian language on the following schedule: Trump Coulee, Jan. 11; Tappen Coulee, Jan. 12; Blair, Jan. 13; Lake’s Coulee, Jan. 14; and Welch Coulee, Jan. 15.
