From Our Early Files Nov. 8, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
November 12, 1998
Members of the Whitehall-Acoyapa Partners of the Americas have asked for, and gotten, a lot of help from local folks for this area’s Nicaraguan sister city. Now, the organization is asking for assistance for other areas of Nicaragua. The local group is organizing a relief effort to aid those parts of the Central American country – Wisconsin’s sister state under the Partners of the America’s program – which were devastated by Hurricane Mitch last month.
The Whitehall-Lincoln Community Chest apparently will top its informal goal for the first time in several years. The annual fundraiser for local, state and national charities officially ended last week Monday, although contributions are still being accepted. The total collected so far was not quite $6,800, exceeding last year’s total of just over $6,700, which was the goal for this year.
Area residents can learn more about the Internet, a worldwide computer network, during two workshops to be held in Whitehall next week.
Dr. L.J. (Bud) English, longtime Arcadia dentist, now retired, will spearhead the Make A Splash fundraising campaign for the proposed outdoor family aquatic center. “It’s time to take some strong action for our pool,” English said. “We could bury our heads in the sand and hope the problems will go away or we can take a proactive position to act now for the future of our area.”
The following Arcadia High School were recipients of the Student of the Month award: Jessie Frahm, Jamie Frahm, Michelle Bork, Heidi Bremer, Nikki Klopotek, Todd Pronschinske, Paul Forsyth and Tom Weaver.
Harold Olson, a mobile home park owner, asked Ettrick board members to adjust monthly parking fees for some unoccupied homes. He told the board Monday that a mobile home contractor has repossessed the homes and that they have been vacant for some time. Village Clerk Smith Beirne said he had not been informed of the repossession previously and the board voted to make no adjustments to the fees because they were not aware of the change in ownership.
GTE Network Services announced that it plans to sell or trade about 1.6 million domestic local access telephone lines, including about 15,000 in Trempealeau County. Access lines are the individual telephone lines providing service to homes and businesses.
Safety issues and the information age have contributed to a Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department request to increase its ranks by two. Tuesday the department asked the county board for authority to hire a court bailiff and an administrative assistant.
50 YEARS AGO
November 15, 1973
Whitehall area residents have responded to President Nixon’s request for energy conservation in various ways, but most institutions in the city and area have complied by turning down thermostats and otherwise seeking ways to use less fuel.
Construction of the new John O. Melby and Co. Bank building, which began last week, is now the principal concern of Whitehall’s sidewalk superintendents, replacing the dismantling of the Peterson Implement Co., which formerly occupied the site.
Members of the Whitehall Country Club had their annual golf awards banquet Saturday night, with Eric Windjue receiving the men’s top award and Mrs. Roland Frey walking away with the women’s honors.
The 1973 Arcadia Community Chest drive is “over the top,” reports Wendell Olson, drive chairman. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Chest total stood at $4,542.62 — the goal was to raise $4,500.
The city of Arcadia, as an electric public utility, filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for authority to increase electric rates. The city’s application for a rate increase states that it desires a five and a half percent return on its rate base.
The 1973 Coulee All-Conference football team results were released this week and the undefeated Arcadia Raiders gained 11 first-team berths to lead all other conference schools.
A new FHA housing project in Galesville will be known as the Sunset Addition and work has begun on the water mains and sanitary sewer. The contract was awarded to Environmental Contractors out of Fountain City.
Trempealeau Mayor Winston Elkins presented Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Lehman with a certificate from the U.N. Association of the United States for their public service in promoting the nationwide observance of U.N. Day.
With just three returning lettermen, none of them a consistent starter last year, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau’s basketball team will have to overcome inexperience again this year to be considered as a serious contender in the Coulee Conference. Returning players include Nick Bell, Kevin Back and Bill Stephan.
75 YEARS AGO
November 11, 1948
Work began this week on repairing the Walgert Hotel, which was damaged by fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 3. New joists sills and under-flooring will have installed in about half of the building, according to proprietor Harold Everson, and the entire building will have to be rewired. Ernest Davidson, who operates the cafe and dining room, believes that he will be able to reopen in a short time, as the carpenters will rush the work.
Several meetings of people of the Catholic faith in the Whitehall area with the aim of establishing a congregation here culminated last week when Bishop Treacy of La Crosse decreed that a parish would be created, named St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Father Edward Roskos, pastor of St. Michael’s Catholic Church of North Creek and a Whitehall native, will serve as temporary pastor.
C.W.E. Anderson, 69-year-old town of Hale blacksmith, recently marked the 50th anniversary of establishing his trade there. On Nov. 5, 1898, Mr. Anderson went to work as an apprentice with Aleck Berg, for the sum of $50 per year.
The American Legion Post at Independence, which formerly operated the Legion theatre in that city, which has been closed for some time, has decided to reopen the theatre under new management. Colonel Larson, former manager of the Pix Theatre in Whitehall, has been engaged to take charge. Work on redecorating the City Hall auditorium is underway, and new seats are being purchased. Mr. Larson also plans on opening a photography studio in his home here, and will continue with his newsreel work.
Robert M. Engen, who spends some of his spare time trapping, reports an unusual incident. When he made the rounds of his trap line Monday, he found a mink and a muskrat caught in one trap. Robert reasons that the mink was chasing the rat and both hit the trap at the same time.
Setting up the city budget for the coming year was the principal item of business before Arcadia councilmen at their meeting Friday night. The sum of $12,810 is proposed to be raised by tax levy in 1949 as compared to $17,718 in 1948. The proposed budget is $41,525 for 1949 as compared to $41,570 in 1948.
Twenty-eight Canadian farmers and businessmen who are members of the Canadian cooperative movement visited in Arcadia this week as part of a tour sponsored by the province of Manitoba Federation of Agriculture and Cooperation.
100 YEARS AGO
November 15, 1923
Last Friday evening, six prominent Trempealeau County citizens, including H.C. Koch, Alf Wilberg and Gunder Solsrud, were thrown in the county Bastille by Sheriff Erickson and his deputies, on warrants issued by Voiture Locale No. 260, La Societe des 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux. About 50 Voyageurs Militaire were present, and the results of the wreck were fed at the City restaurant after the promenade was over.
The first floor of the Tom Halvorson residence has been rented as an annex to the hospital, and all the rooms equipped with beds. O.E. Gibbs, Chas. Lockman and Paul Lee were removed from the hospital to the annex. Miss Peterson is in charge of the new department.
Louie Brennom met with an experience while working at the Theron Scott residence Monday that he perhaps would not care to have again. While working in a trench for the laying of water and sewer connections, the bank suddenly caved in and buried him. The weight of the earth was too great for the other workmen to pull him out, so they resorted to shovels. Other than a few bruises, however, the experience was without serious results.
Sidney Dissmore is enjoying concerts from all over the United State and Canada on a homemade radio outfit. He purchased the necessary parts and assembled them in an apple box, and is getting results equal to the high-priced radios.
Barney Dean of Pleasantville completed hauling building material on the farm on his farm. Mr. Dean lost his barn and winter feed, with the exception of his silage, in a fire about two months ago.
Syver Williamson of Pleasantville is installing drinking cups for dairymen in his vicinity.
Albert Hanson recently purchased a bill of lumber from W.J. Webb’s yard for an ice house and milk house combined. Iver Iverson will do the carpenter work.
E.A. Sorenson traded his seven-passenger Buick touring car to Hagen and Larson of Northfield for a new Buick coupe.
125 YEARS AGO
November 10, 1898
Boom the cannon! Wave Old Glory! A majority of 1,400 is about the figure that the Republican boys go into office — glory very sufficient for an off year.
The Green Bay and Western Railroad intends to build new stockyards here in the near future. They will be put in west of those in present use.
The deer hunters are returning from the woods. They do not appear to have been as successful in rounding up venison this year as last season.
A.J. Bautch of Independence incased the steam pipe between the courthouse and the jail with asbestos.
Five of Whitehall’s young men took a drive to Independence last Sunday afternoon on pleasure bent, and report a splendid time.
Anderson and Ringstad are plastering Fred Best’s new building, which is to be occupied by Druggist McNaughton. The apartments are to be commodious, comfortable and inviting.
The Excelsior Literary Society has secured the celebrated Pink Family to give and entertainment at the school house tomorrow evening, and extend a cordial invitation to all people of Whitehall and the vicinity to be present and enjoy this rare treat.
Elk Creek — Alfonso Heath has erected a large store building near Watson’s school house, and has put in a large stock of goods and is now ready to sell his customers anything from a paper of pins to a sack of flour.
Elk Creek — Our blacksmith, having purchased land across the road, was anxious to have his barn moved over, so he hired Bernard Paulman, with his powerful capstan. Friday morning Bernard commenced operations, and the first day moved it into the ditch beside the road. Halvor was somewhat worried with the prospect of wintering his stock so close to the road, but the next day the barn was hauled to its desired location. Though young in years, Bernard is old in experience, and is capable of moving anything that can be moved. He is now in Independence moving a large house.
Blair — John Fredrickson has rented the Ole Nelson building on Broadway, which he is to use as a barber shop.
