From Our Early Files January 31, 2024
25 YEARS AGO
February 4, 1999
The Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors had adopted a timetable that likely will lead to the construction of a new county jail sometime within the next two years. The board approved a plan of action for submission to the state Department of Corrections. The existing jail is operating under a DOC order requiring that the county increase capacity and make other improvements. It had until this month to come up with plans for doing so.
Rebuilding the Pigeon Creek mill dam at Pigeon Falls to meet a state order will cost close to a half-million dollars. The Pigeon Falls village board opened bids on the dam project Monday afternoon and the apparent low bid was $397,386. But electrical work that will have to be done in conjunction with the project will push the construction-related costs to over $400,000. Contingency costs, paperwork and other expenses will add about $15,000. And when the money already spent by the village on site acquisition and engineering is included, the total comes to an estimated $492,185.
Robyn Klimek, Corey Van Sickle and Anna Franklin finished one-two-three in the Whitehall School District spelling bee held last week, topping 24 fifth- through eighth-graders entered in the local competition.
Momentum is starting to build for the $1.25 million Make A Splash capital campaign for the new Arcadia Area Family Aquatic Center as the State Bank of Arcadia announced a $100,000 commitment.
The Arcadia Board of Education has set a special meeting for the sole purpose of selling a residential lot. The lot is part of the land donated recently by Glenn Reit. Most of the land is adjacent to the south of the school, but north of Reit Road and is equivalent to six lots.
Dave Hesch of Arcadia is hard at work on his plans for a new stock car race track in the community. If all goes as planned, the first race could take place on the Fourth of July. Hesch, who started racing in 1969 and retired in 1994, has purchased the Finner Farm on Fox. St. in the town of Arcadia.
Ettrick wants to improve the downtown business district and create economic development. Two committees have been set up to accomplish those goals. One committee is trying to start a chamber of commerce, the other is communicating the goals of the project to the community.
Trempealeau County residents will get a chance to voice their opinions on the proposed bylaws of a county historical museum board and the future development of the museum on Feb. 27. Although a museum and governing board are yet to be approved by the county board of supervisors, the bylaws represent a first step toward the establishment of a county museum.
50 YEARS AGO
February 7, 1974
Dr. Vasu Arora, who has practiced medicine at the Whitehall Clinic for two and a half years, is closing his practice effective this Friday. Dr. Arora began holding office hours in the city of Owen in December, and will move his family there in the near future.
Reigning as king and queen at this week’s Winter Carnival at Whitehall High are Tom Ritland and Jean Arneson, attended by Linda Webster and Dave Pientok, Sue Kopp and Fred Ackley, Kay Clipper and Dean Otterson, and Lana Guinn and John Peterson.
Dave Pientok’s lay-up with two seconds remaining in regulation sent the game into overtime, but Osseo-Fairchild beat the Norse boys last week Tuesday 59-56.
Ronda Weltzien, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Weltzien, Arcadia, has been named Arcadia High School’s 1974 Betty Crocker Family Leader of Tomorrow.
An investigation was being conducted Monday into a fire of undetermined origin that seriously damaged the cabinet shop owned by Jerry Ziegeweid about three miles west of Arcadia in the town of Glencoe early Saturday morning. Arcadia Fire Chief Martin Rebhahn estimate that about 60 percent of the building was destroyed with major damage to the shop and machinery.
Hanson’s Ben Franklin Store in Arcadia’s Massuere Shopping Center will hold a grand opening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week.
Eight candidates including three incumbents have filed for five seats on the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school board. The incumbents are Robert Delaney, town of Trempealeau, Herbert Lyon, town of Caledonia and Richard Bibby, town of Gale. The other candidates are Earl Ravnum, town of Gale, Charles Hafner, town of Trempealeau and William Beseler, village of Trempealeau. Two candidates for the at large seat are Mrs. Charlotte Elkins, village of Trempealeau, and Kenneth Lerum, Galesville.
The Galesville Community Chest Drive has gone over the top, having collected $3,159. Their goal was $3,000.
The 74th Galesville “Bobby Burns” Bonspiel was concluded Sunday afternoon. Dave Olsen and his curlers were crowned champions. Curling with Dave was Steve Grover, Jerry Olsen and Ken Barran.
G-E-T utilized balanced scoring again last Friday to hand Arcadia a 54-47 defeat and thereby avenge and early season 58-50 loss to the Raiders. John Olson led the Redmen in scoring with 12 points, but he had a lot of company close by as Nick Bell and Kevin Back each tallied 10, Larry Stuhr and Bill Stephan added eight each and Steve Hovell netted six. Henry Schultz led Arcadia with 15 points. Center Steve Lalibertie and forward Ken Klink scored 14 and 12, respectively.
75 YEARS AGO
February 3, 1949
An estimated crowd of 2,000 people attended the Central U.S. Ski Association tournament Sunday, the first held at Whitehall since 1942, when Eugene Wilson of Coleraine, Minn., set the hill record of 200 feet. A strong cross-wind handicapped the riders so that the longest standing jump this year was 170 feet. The only local skier to place in the first five in his class was Jarald Nelson of Whitehall, who was fifth in Class C.
Twenty local beauties between the ages of 16 and 25 already have entered the Queen of the Ice contest being held during the Ice Carnival Feb. 12, sponsored by the Whitehall Lions Club. The girls already in the race are Ruth Kildahl, Charlotte Klevgard, Hildegarde Sletteland, Florence Paulson, Elayne Thorson, Marie Rice, Delores Larson, Phyllis Hanson, Lois Thorson, Irene Stensby, Shirley Gilbertson, Louse Bergerson, Audrey Kaas, Lorraine Haugen, Lorraine Dresselhaus, Delores Foss, Mary Wood, Ruth Schroeder, Mary Jo Mahle and Ardyce Aleckson.
An Altar Society of composed of women belonging to the new Catholic church in Whitehall, St. John’s was organized last week, and had its first meeting Thursday evening at the E.J. Colliton home.
City officials engaged a county grader and elevator to clear the banks of snow piled in the gutters along the business section and other downtown streets. Dump trucks were loaded with the snow and hauled to the turnpike at the river bridge and dumped. Years back, if such work were done, it would have been carried out with hand shovels, but such a method is out of date in this machine age.
There was a very good attendance at the Farmers’ Institute held in Arcadia last Thursday. An estimated 250 farmers were present at the all-day event, which was devoted to swine. A special feature of the day was an exhibit brought here by refrigerated truck from the Oscar Mayer meat packing company of Madison. It showed four hogs of varying weights to demonstrate dressing percentages, the best weights for profitable marketing and the types of cuts obtainable.
We’re just waiting for an old timer to come forth with “Let me tell you about the weather we had in the winter of 18…”:
100 YEARS AGO
February 7, 1924
Last Thursday evening, the Otis E. Hutchins Post No. 191 was officially excluded from bachelordom, when they took themselves the American Legion Auxiliary as a bride. State and district auxiliary officials were here for the purpose of organizing and installing the new officers. The auxiliary comes to Whitehall as a strong civic organization, and the Legion bids them a hearty welcome.
The John O. Melby and Co. Bank has had a representative of the O.B. McClintock Co. working the past week on its electric alarm system, which protects its bank vault. The Melby bank is ever making expenditures to more efficiently protect and serve the interests of its customers.
The firemen’s mask ball is scheduled for Feb. 22. Tickets are being offered for sale, and every citizen and property owner should buy a ticket whether he intends to go or stay home. It’s an annual event to replenish the firemen’s treasury, and should be met with solid support from our citizens.
Last Sunday, Rev. Adelbert Young of Madison occupied the pulpit of the union service in the Presbyterian church, and made a very favorable impression, so much so that a unanimous vote of the congregation at a business meeting following the service called Mr. Young to serve in the church for the remainder of the year.
Assistant Cashier O.W. Elstad of Whitehall is perhaps one of the best radio experts in this section. It was he that secured for us the first information of the death of ex-President Woodrow Wilson.
T.H. Enger, secretary of the Ettrick Telephone Co., was here Friday. Mr. Enger is very anxious that his company have a telephone directory to comply with the law, and will not wait much longer for the consolidated book company to take action.
The people of Fly Creek gathered at the schoolhouse last Thursday evening and organized the Fly Creek Community Club, Archie Lowe serving as acting chairman. The following officers were elected: Mrs. Archie Lowe, president; Mrs. Earl Wood, vice president; and Mrs. Alfred Olson, secretary and treasurer. The programs will be given the last Friday of every month.
After deliberating for more than two years and holding many special meetings, a vote taken at the annual meeting of the Glencoe Creamery resulted in a 65-14 decision to consolidate with the Arcadia Creamery. Necessary arrangements on the part of the Arcadia Creamery had already been made and the consolidation became effective immediately. Name of the new organization is A-G Creamery Company.
William Waters purchased the hardware stock of A.C. Fernholz and planned to reopen the Grant Street store formerly operated by Fernholz.
125 YEARS AGO
February 2, 1899
Evangelist Smith of Oshkosh will preach at Old Whitehall next Sunday at 11 a.m., and at the Presbyterian church in Pleasant Valley at 2 in the afternoon the same day.
Messrs. Wood and Stevens have the frame to James Larson’s new residence on Main Street up. The work progresses slowly on account of the extreme cold weather.
Rogan, the photographer is now having made one of the largest cameras in the state, and by Feb. 15 will be prepared to make photos up to 18 by 22 inches, direct from life sittings.
The weather of the week was fit to talk about. The government thermometer kept tabs as follows: Sunday morning, 38 below; Monday, 28 below; Tuesday, 36 below. The first day of January was the next coldest, 24 below.
Mr. and Mrs. Simon Peterson lost their 18-month-old boy Tuesday, the child dying of la grippe. The little one has been troubled by heart disease for some months.
The Modern Woodchoppers and their friends enjoyed themselves immensely Saturday evening. The weather was very cold, but it did not affect the boys who swing the axe, for a goodly number were out to take part in the hilarity of the evening.
The mock trial under the auspices of the Excelsior Society was held Tuesday evening. The cause for action was alleged slander, brought by Miss Iva Cliff against John Gunther McNitt, in the universal court of Sleepy County, state of Indolence. Hopkins and Vold appeared for the plaintiff, and Gilbertson and Melby for the defendant. Judge Berg presided with all the dignity of a Blackstone or a Kent.
