From Our Early Files July 5, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
July 9, 1998
The fifth-annual presentation of the Pleasantville-area Citizen of the Year Award Sunday marked the first time that the honor, a joint effort of the Pleasantville Lions Club, the Hale Township Volunteer Fire Department and the Country Crafters Homemakers Club, has been shared by two recipients. And Rollin Gjestvang, chief of the Hale department, had the honor of presenting it to his parents, Lester and Hilma.
In only the second year of promoting motorcoach tours, Trempealeau County has become a popular destination for tourists, primarily from the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. area. But the promotion effort sponsored by the Trempealeau County Tourism Council maybe getting too successful, too fast. Organizers say that a shortage of tour guides and other support personnel may limit how much the program can grow. Julie Olson, TCTC president, said additional assistance is needed to keep up with the heavy workload of coordination and guiding the tours.
The village of Pigeon Falls spent a bundle of money last year making streets in its Winsand Addition nicer to drive on. Drivers like the improvements – and apparently have shown their appreciation by driving faster than village officials want them to. Village President Kermit Handvold reported that a number of complaints had been received about speeding on Winsand Drive.
Last Saturday, more than 1,000 family members came together to celebrate their heritage at the Pronschinske family reunion in Waumandee. The Pronschinske family members were descendants of Albert and Marion Pronschinske, who settled in Waumandee in 1898.
The four young women will compete for the Trempealeau County Fair Queen title this year. Contestants include Dana Kampa, Independence; Marsha Girtman, Strum; Kristina Glodowski, Arcadia and Nancy Glodowski, Arcadia.
The Arcadia city council recently permitted the Arcadia Police Department to install a surveillance system in one of the department’s two squad vehicles. The $5,600 surveillance system called “Eyewitness” has been in the vehicles for the last couple of months. During that time, Arcadia Police Chief Pat Grzadzielewski has noticed a reduction of time officers spent in court with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol cases.
Members of the Galesville High School Class of 1948 finally received their yearbooks just in time for their 40th reunion this past weekend. The first page of the yearbook states: “We apologize for the 50-year delay and for any inconvenience it may have caused.” The yearbook, which was originally planned for production on May 1, 1948 was delayed for 50 years because “for reasons never fully disclosed, Principal Norman Fries refused to allow the class to produce a yearbook its senior year,” according to the book that was recently printed.
The Galesville Public Library has added internet service to their list of available services.
The Ettrick village board agreed to send out a newsletter informing residents about the removal of stumps caused by downed trees from the June 28 storm.
The Trempealeau village board agreed to submit a petition to the Commissioner of Railroads Office in support of two separate railroad crossings near the village. The board is asking railroad officials for a formal pedestrian crossing near the Trempealeau Marina crossing between First Street and the marina. The board will also look to restore a pedestrian crossing near the Main Street Historic District.
50 YEARS AGO
July 12, 1973
Burglars entered Whitehall Agricultural Service early Monday morning, pried open a safe and made off with between $300 and $400 in cash. Police Chief George Fromm said it apparently was the same set of thieves who entered the business on June 26 and 27 but came away empty-handed. The building had been under surveillance by city police since then, and was checked four times the night of the burglary.
Everett Bautch of Whitehall and Richard Schultz of St. Francis were hospitalized with injuries after the vehicles they were driving collided Friday on Hwy. 53 north of Whitehall.
Arnie Johnson pitched a two-hitter, and Marcus Shepherd and Steve Stenberg had four hits apiece, as the Norsemen defeated Alma 10-1 Friday. That victory, and a win over Blair last week Tuesday, gave Whitehall its first Dairyland Conference baseball championship since 1966.
Arcadia volunteer firemen responded to two serious fires this past week. A garage at the Rollin Possehl residence on Jefferson Street was completely destroyed when fire broke out somewhere around 10:30 p.m. July 4. A large barn with over 9,000 bales of hay was destroyed Saturday afternoon on the Robert Hoesley farm in Latsch Valley.
Fire of undetermined origin destroyed a 24- by 72-foot garage on the Rosenow farm, Waumandee, on Friday. Members of the Waumandee-Montana Volunteer Fire Department answered the call at 3:25 p.m. Despite their effort the structure and its contents were destroyed within an hour. Among the things lost in the blaze were two tractors, a hay baler, a late model foreign car — which was parked outside the building, and a riding lawnmower.
Seven-year-old Tad Schock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Everist Schock, route 2, Arcadia, remained in critical condition where he was admitted Friday evening after being struck by a car on east Main Street.
Winners of the $400 shopping spree awarded during the Galesville Fourth of July celebration were: Rev. Steve Krueger, $250; Lois Hoff, $100 and Donald Lanik, $50.
Congressman Vernon Thomson told the Galesville Republican last week that the Galesville Housing Development Corp. has been granted an $80,000 FHA loan to develop an area for a housing project. The loan must be repaid in two years and the money is to be used for installation of the street, sewer, sidewalks, curbs, gutters and utilities.
Gale Packing Co. will can beets for the first time this year, Mel Piontkowski, general manager, said. The pack will begin as soon as pea canning is finished.
75 YEARS AGO
July 8, 1948
Gus C. Boll, for the past 12 years superintendent of the Whitehall High School, resigned that position Tuesday to take a similar one at Prairie du Sac in southern Wisconsin. He plans to move his wife, daughter, Nancy, and son, Robert, there as soon as housing can be arranged.
Fire, probably caused by combustion in the haymow, burned the 30- by 56-foot barn on the Alvie Roseland farm a mile north of Whitehall Saturday evening. Having no phone and being alone at the time, Mr. Roseland first released some of the animals, then went inside and began to fight the fire. Mrs. Henry Sygulla, a neighbor living about a quarter-mile away, put in the fire alarm. The Whitehall firemen, using water from the river, were able to save the other buildings on the farm, but the loss is estimated at $5,000, only partially covered by insurance.
Burt’s Drive-Inn on No. 53 opposite the Whitehall Floral and Nursery will hold its grand opening tomorrow evening, serving root beer, hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn.
Miss Janet Swenson of Whitehall, Trempealeau County nurse the past three years, informed the county health committee this week that she would resign effective Jan. 1. Her plans for the future are indefinite.
The Whitehall Mill and Power Co. is building a fireproof warehouse east of the mill. The building is 40 by 74 feet, of 12-inch slag blocks and concrete, but is being constructed so that 25 feet can be added to its length if needed.
La Verne Nelson has been engaged as assistant to Leonard Gruentzel, electrician for the Whitehall Electric Utility, succeeding Anton Thompson, resigned.
A Marigold Dairies truck, returning to Winona, Minn. Thursday afternoon carrying cans of cream collected at the A-G Cooperative Creamery in Arcadia, met an accident on Highway 95 in Glencoe at the hill near the Fred Theisen farm. In avoiding a head-on collision with a car, which was over to far on the road, the truck veered off the road and it nosed into the bank on the righthand side of the roadway. The driver was not injured in the accident.
Nineteen Arcadia Future Farmers and their agriculture instructor, Merrill Pinch, left Saturday morning for a trip west that will take them into South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana with the destination of Yellowstone Park in view. The trip will last for 10 days and is being financed by the group’s treasury and the students farming program.
100 YEARS AGO
July 12, 1923
“Sea Foam Beach” is the popular place in Whitehall for a fair share of our citizenry after supper. After a day’s work, no sport is more enjoyable than an hour at the river and at the end of the day scores of bathers, young and old, enjoy the evening swim. J. Orrin Gilbertson and Pearl Lanning have greatly improved the accommodations by moving the dressing house back from the bank, and building steps and a boardwalk to the water’s edge. The toboggan slide is moved to a more accessible place, and the fun of sliding into the water is enjoyed by many. Today, the dressing house is being thoroughly cleansed and brightened with a new coat of paint.
Contractor Wm. Mason has finished his contract on the Whitehall-Hale road, and at present has several teams engaged at street work. He expects to start his contract near Independence soon, and also has a job in Preston. It isn’t many years ago when Mason and Scott had to do close figuring to keep two or three teams busy, but with road contracts, village work and local draying, they have work during the summer months for about 30 horses, besides two trucks which are on the road most of the time.
James Mason demonstrated a Fordson tractor with mower attachment for the Auto Sales Co. on the S.F. Speerstra farm Wednesday, and today it is at work for Abel Knudtson on the McKivergin farm in Preston. From one and a half to three acres can be mowed in an hour, a square corned can be cut without backing the tractor, and on ground that is firm an impression of the drive wheels is not even visible. It is another use for the tractor, which in a few years will replace the draft horse in the greater part of farm work.
A total of $17,000 was voted for defraying the school expense for the ensuing year at the annual Arcadia school meeting. A.C. Foster was elected school clerk for a three-year term.
Hogeboom & Chandler sold their moving picture business to Peter Stelmach and moved their families back to Mauston from Arcadia.
Large crowds were reported at all area July 4 picnics and celebrations. The picnic at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church was exceptionally well attended and Mike Hannon reported a record crowd at the celebration at his pavilion.
125 YEARS AGO
July 7, 1898
The Fourth of July dance given by the band boys was an enjoyable affair, but not largely attended.
At the annual village school meeting Tuesday evening, L.D. Parson was reelected clerk without opposition, and $1,500 were raised for general expenses for the ensuing school year.
Mons. E. Anderson, who bought the Ad Hanson farm about a year ago, had a bad fall Tuesday on the porch of his residence, as a result of heart failure, with which disease he is troubled.
Whitehall did not celebrate the Fourth. The only demonstration here was the entertainment afforded our citizens by their fellow townsman E. Berg on the mill pond in the evening, when a nice exhibition of fireworks, including a storming of Morro Castle, was carried out under the direction and the expense of this patriotic and mirth-loving gentleman.
Blair -- W.G. Hyslop entertained the villagers with a fine display of fireworks on his lawn Monday evening, and treated the crowd to oranges, cigars and lemonade at his own expense. Will is a full team on amusement, and his generosity is not easily measured.
Ettrick -- D.M. Sorrenson is a lucky chap, During the past week he has captured two swarms of bees, one of them alighting in his door yard. Dave is out now contracting honey for fall delivery.
Strum -- Strum celebrated the Fourth of July. A large number of people from Osseo, Big Creek, Eleva, Hale and other towns celebrated here. The dance was a success and was kept up till daylight. Sixty couples were present.
