From Our Early Files Nov. 22, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
November 26, 1998
For a whitetail deer on the third week in November, just about any place looks safer than the great outdoors. But escaping indoors, at the Trempealeau County Health Care Center, proved fatal for one of the animals on Sunday. The Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department was called to the rural Whitehall facility about 3:45 p.m. that day, when a deer jumped through the glass portion of an exterior door. The deer was confined to a small room in the center and a veterinarian from the Whitehall Veterinary Clinic was called to assist in detaining and tranquilizing the animal. The deer was then removed from the building, but had to be dispatched because of the injuries it sustained from the broken glass.
The old saying about “the wolf being at the door” probably isn’t true here. But one or more of them may be spotted on Whitehall’s east side in recent years – one of which was preserved last week by a local resident – may indicate that an individual timber wolf has visited the area. Richard Jurowski found the large imprint of an animal’s foot in a vacant lot on Randolph Drive, not far from his home. He returned a couple of days later to make a plaster cast of it. The cast measures six inches from toe to heel and four and a half inches across. While bears have been seen on the outskirts of Whitehall in the past, this is definitely a canine’s footprint. The print is too large to be a domestic canine, unless someone is letting a very big dog wander loose on a regular basis. It is also too large for a coyote.
A longstanding tradition at Whitehall High School moved a step closer to elimination at Monday’s district school board meeting. The board held a first reading of a new district policy that would eliminate the academic top 10 named for each graduating class. The policy, which would substitute an honor student designation for all seniors who attain an “A” grade standing, will become official if approved at the December board meeting.
After 35 years of coaching football at Arcadia High School, Dick Fredrickson is hanging up the cleats. Fredrickson started coaching in Arcadia in 1964 as a football line coach and head basketball coach. He took over the head football duties in 1971. The team went 8-1 in his first season and was 134-117 in his career. The team was undefeated in 1973. Under Fredrickson’s direction, the Raiders won nine Coulee Conference championships. Fredrickson will continue to coach track
Angela Berg, 28, who has spent much of her life in Minnesota has been hired as the Arcadia City Clerk. She replaces Jeannine Davis, who resigned on Aug. 14 after 24 years in the position.
Arcadia Police Chief Pat Grzadzielewski reported that numerous incidents of informational signs being removed or damaged have taken place in the city and Trempealeau County. A recent incident on Reit Lane, the access to the high school, saw vandals remove both stop signs and threw them into the ditch.
The Trempealeau Community Heritage Society won’t be able to save the control building at Lock and Dam No. 6. Because they were unable to reach an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the group is now pursuing other options. The society asked the village of Trempealeau to request that the Corps allow property on Lock and Dam to be leased for a museum.
The 1998 Galesville Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year has served the community since moving to Galesville in 1958. Bill Spencer said he enjoyed living in Galesville. When he and his wife, Carolyn, moved to Galesville, Spencer opened the Gamble Store in town.
50 YEARS AGO
November 29, 1973
Whitehall area residents and businesses have already begun adjusting to the possible restrictions that will be put on energy use following President Nixon’s speech on the subject Sunday. Nixon asked for the voluntary closing of gas stations on Sundays now, with no-Sunday sales to be made mandatory later. Only two Whitehall stations would be affected by such a ban; one of them, Sidney Peterson of Sid’s DX, has announced that he will close beginning this Sunday.
Whitehall’s small but successful “Meals on Wheels” program for elderly persons will probably end Dec. 1, the victim of Trempealeau County’s new nutrition program for seniors and Tri-County Memorial Hospital’s decision that preparing the small number of meals involved was no longer practical.
St. Joseph Hospital in Arcadia has a new two-way radio system that is expected to provide improved care of accident and emergency illness victims. Purpose of the system is to get started on patient care earlier than before.
It’s not all bad news this year, despite the overwhelming headlines about shortages and higher prices. City of Arcadia taxpayers have something to be cheerful about – their 1973 property tax statements will be lower, in most cases. The 1973 tax rate has been set at $32.50 per thousand of assessed valuation, this compares to $38.67 in 1972.
Serious consideration is being given to adopting a Flexibe-Modular Scheduling Procedure, perhaps as soon as next year at Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School. Inservice work this year has dealt with the concepts of scheduling. If the board does adopt the scheduling, open meetings would be held to illustrate and explain the system to parents.
On Nov. 7, 62 employees of Galesville Mfg. Corp. were honored in a ceremony held at the new warehouse addition of their plant.
75 YEARS AGO
November 25, 1948
For the first time in Whitehall’s history, so far as we can learn, a holdup was successfully carried out here at gun-point, about 5 a.m. Friday. The victim was Mrs. Ted Johnson, who left her home earlier than usual that morning to open the Snack Shop for the convenience of deer hunters going north. Two men in a new model, black Buick sedan, who had moments before asked her for directions to La Crosse, followed her when she unlocked the Whitehall Bakery and took $385 she had in her purse and a sack of change from the cash register.
A crew of ardent parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Whitehall worked busily in the Iverson-Larson Lumber yard shop Friday evening making kneeling benches to accommodate the approximately 100 persons who are expected to attend the first Mass to be held here this Sunday at the City Hall auditorium. On the committee were James Fitzpatrick, chairman, and E.J. Colliton, Harry Kulig, Ronald Bautch, Ray Pierzina, Robert Baughman, Henry Sygulla, Clifford Sonsalla and Allan Getts of Whitehall and Dr. O.M. Schneider of Blair.
The Men’s store in Whitehall, dealing in men’s ready-to-wear of all kinds, has been sold by L.D. Anderson to Peter Haugen of Galesville, effective Jan. 15. Mr. Haugen and his son-in-law, a World War II veteran now residing at Orange, N.J., will operate the story here together. Mr. Anderson will remain in Whitehall, devoting his entire time to his agency with the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Most of the venison that has been brought back to Whitehall so far was shot on the first day of the season, as nearly as we can learn. Among the first who came back to town with their kill were Broney Manka and Wallace Ryan of Lincoln, who got small bucks in the Dodge area. Neilan Johnson didn’t bring home venison, but he shot a 45-pound wolf.
For years, State Hwy. 121 between Whitehall and Independence was one of the shortest, if not the shortest, state trunk highways in Wisconsin, approximately six miles in length. Last year, it grew by 10 miles, when the state highway department extended it along Hwy. 53 to Pigeon Falls and thence east to join Hwy. 27 at Northfield. This fall, another 22 miles has been added, from Independence west to Hwy. 88 at Gilmanton.
Gordon Smith was recently honored at the National Future Farmers convention in Kansas City by being awarded the American Farmer degree. Gordon is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Smith of Arcadia and, at present, is a student at River Falls State Teachers College.
The annual 40-hour devotions will be held at St. Stanislaus Church beginning Sunday, Nov. 28, and will continue through Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 29-30. An invitation is extended by the pastor, Rev. Joseph Andrzejewski, to all who wish to avail themselves of this opportunity of going to confession or to take part in these devotions.
The Arcadia volunteer firemen answered a call Tuesday to extinguish a fire on the A.C. Schultz farm in Tamarack. A tractor backfired and gasoline, which had leaked out of the carburetor, caught fire. The tractor was destroyed, together with the shed, about two tons of chicken feed and a feed mill. The loss is estimated Schultz at about $2,000.
100 YEARS AGO
November 29, 1923
The young man who carried a loaded gun into the Whitehall restaurant and left for others to handle, and the young man who pulled the trigger without knowing whether or not it was loaded, may consider themselves lucky that no greater damage was done than shotting a hole through a window. Perhaps they both learned a lesson that may be of more service to them than if they were compelled to pay a fine or suffer other punishment. At least we hope so. It certainly was criminal carelessness.
Arthur Ringlien was down from Moe Coulee Friday after his brother Erling, who attends the Whitehall High School. Arthur says his father had the most enjoyable time of his life on his visit to Norway the past summer, visiting several brothers and sisters who he had not seen in 40 years.
Sixty-three years ago, S.S. Luce established the Galesville Transcript. All the years since 1860, efforts have been made to organize an editorial association among the boys of the county, whose publications now number seven. Little cooperation has existed during the intervening years, but Friday five of the publishers met in Whitehall and organized the Trempealeau County Editorial Association.
The Auto Sales Co. recently installed another five-gallon gasoline pump in front of their garage. They are now equipped to give service to motorists with both the low- and high-test gas.
A number of men met at the Northfield school house Friday evening and organized the Cooperative Cheese and Butter Co.
Great interest is being displayed, and great rivalry has been aroused, over the sale of Christmas Seals in the Fly Creek school. Two teams have been organized, the Mutts and the Jeffs, the leaders of those teams being Palmer Peterson and Orvil Thompson. Every home in the district will be canvassed, and the losing side at the end of the sale will have to give the winners a treat.
125 YEARS AGO
November 24, 1898
Everson and Vold’s new building is rapidly nearing completion.
The “doodle” book investigation has reached Trempealeau County.
No surprise parties have been reported the past week; that’s surprising.
The county fathers have authorized the placing of three, 16-candlepower lights in the courthouse. What extravagance!
The young men of Whitehall are talking about organizing an athletic club in the near future. Good thing, push it along, boys.
The pond in Whitehall is frozen over with three inches of good, smooth ice, and the young folks are enjoying skating on it since yesterday.
The dance of the band boys this evening promises to be well attended, and the boys are sure to realize a neat little sum to be thankful for.
Frank Nowitzki, who has been employed in the harness shop of Ed Romander during the past three months, left for his home in Arcadia Saturday.
Seven degrees below zero is the weather clerk’s report this morning.
C.J. Rumsey has been putting in his time since his selection by the village board as electrician, in matering the secrets of the business. He is being instructed by the electric light people from Arcadia.
Steam was turned on at the American House Saturday, and everything found to be in apple-pie order. This popular hostelry, when fully completed, will be equipped with all the modern conveniences, and will be strictly first-class and up-to-date.
Everybody in Whitehall is giving thanks today, with the exception of the printers, they having no time to, as this is our regular publication day. However, we intend to petition His Excellency to designate some day other than Thursday in years to come.
A benefit supper was given at Scott’s Hall Saturday evening for Miss Martha Benson, the proceeds amounting to $52, besides several sacks of flour and a few cords of wood. This act of charity is one most worthily bestowed, as the recipient is one who never tires of well-doing, and she and her blind mother are respected people in the community.
